Do you need a Heritage Impact Statement for your Development Application?

If your property is a heritage item or located within a heritage conservation area (HCA), your Council will almost always require a Heritage Impact Statement (HIS) to support your development application (DA). A heritage report explains the history and heritage significance of your property, then assesses how your proposed works may impact that significance, helping ensure your design respects the existing heritage character and complies with Council and LEP controls.

What is a Heritage Impact Statement?

A Heritage Impact Statement is a detailed planning and heritage report required when you lodge a DA for:

• a property listed as a heritage item under the Local Environmental Plan (LEP)

• a site located within a Heritage Conservation Area (HCA)

The HIS provides:

• a concise history of the property or site

• a summary of its heritage significance and any previous changes

• an assessment of how your proposed development may affect the heritage values of the item or the wider conservation area

It also recommends design responses and mitigation measures so your development can proceed while still protecting and enhancing the heritage significance of the place.

Why do you need a Heritage Impact Statement?

Councils use a Heritage Impact Statement to understand how your proposal interacts with heritage values and whether it should be supported. A HIS:

• Confirms the heritage status of your property (heritage item / HCA / nearby items)

• Provides a detailed history of the building, site and setting

• Assesses the impact of your development on heritage significance

• Recommends design changes or mitigation measures to reduce impacts

Whether you are proposing minor repairs, a rear extension, a second storey addition or a more substantial redevelopment, a professionally prepared HIS can help you:

• respond directly to Council’s heritage controls

• reduce the risk of delays, refusals or repeated requests for information

• progress your development application with more confidence.

Key Features of Our Heritage Impact Statements

Our heritage reports are tailored to your site, Council and development type. A typical HIS from Town Planning Collective includes:

• Heritage Listing Check
  Identifies all applicable heritage listings in the LEP and any nearby heritage items that may be affected.

• Historical Context & Site History
  Summarises past owners, uses, key changes and approvals, and sets your site within its broader historical context.

• Significance Assessment
  Evaluates the historical, aesthetic, technical and social values of the property or conservation area using established heritage criteria.

• Development Overview
  Clearly describes your proposed works, including plans, materials, bulk, scale and form.

• Impact Assessment
  Analyses how the proposal will affect the item or HCA, including streetscape, setting, fabric, views and character.

• Recommendations & Design Advice
  Suggests practical solutions and minor design amendments to protect heritage values while still achieving your project goals.

Minor Works & Exempt Development

Even small-scale projects on heritage properties—such as repainting, repairing windows, replacing roofing or fences—may trigger heritage controls. In some cases, these works may be treated as exempt development if they do not adversely impact heritage significance.

We can prepare short-form heritage reports that:

• confirm the heritage constraints applying to your property

• assess whether your works can be treated as exempt development

• outline any minor changes needed so Council is comfortable that the works will not harm heritage values

This can save you time, money and unnecessary DA documentation.

Heritage Conservation Areas

If your property is located within a Heritage Conservation Area (HCA), Council will usually require a Heritage Impact Statement for any external changes, additions or new buildings.

Our HIS reports for HCAs assess:

• Streetscape and landscape impacts – how your proposal sits within the existing pattern of buildings, gardens and fences

• Architectural character and building form – roof form, façade articulation, materials and detailing

• Compliance with heritage and conservation controls – including DCP and LEP requirements

We then provide clear, practical recommendations to ensure your development is sympathetic to the existing character of the HCA while still meeting your brief.

Heritage Report Pricing – Clear and Competitive

We offer upfront, flat-fee pricing for most heritage reports:

• Minor Works / Exempt Development Reports: from $1,800 + GST

• Simple HIS in a Heritage Conservation Area: from $1,800 + GST

• HIS for Listed Heritage Items: from $2,600 + GST

Final fees depend on your property type, scope of works, Council area and complexity of heritage issues.
Discounts apply where we also prepare your Statement of Environmental Effects (SEE) for the same development.

Fast Turnaround on Heritage Impact Statements

We understand that delays in reports can delay your DA lodging. Most of our Heritage Impact Statements are completed in 2–3 weeks, depending on complexity and the information provided. Our efficient process and extensive experience mean your heritage report is:

• thorough and compliant, and

• delivered fast enough to keep your project moving.

Who We Are & Why Choose Town Planning Collective

Town Planning Collective is a boutique town planning and heritage consultancy with over 15 years of experiencepreparing heritage reports, Heritage Impact Statements and Statements of Environmental Effects across NSW.

Clients choose us because we offer:

• Specialist heritage and planning expertise across a wide range of councils and development types

• Fast, efficient service with regular communication and clear expectations

• Transparent, fixed-fee pricing tailored to your project

• Practical design advice that balances heritage conservation with modern living and development needs

With Town Planning Collective, you’re not just getting a report—you’re engaging a heritage consultant who understands Council expectations and works with you to achieve the best possible outcome.

Get a Heritage Impact Statement Quote Today

Ready to get started on your heritage report?

Send us your plans or supporting documents via email at admin@theplanningcollective.com.au, or complete the contact form below. We’ll review your project, confirm the likely heritage requirements for your Council, and provide a clear, flat-fee quote for your Heritage Impact Statement and any supporting planning reports you may need.