Drafting for Heritage Conservation Areas: What to Watch Out For?

If you're planning to build or renovate in a heritage conservation area, you’re not just dealing with bricks and mortar.

You're dealing with history.

And in NSW, that means your plans will face greater scrutiny at every step of the development application process.

Understanding how heritage controls work is essential.

So is working with an experienced planning consultant who understands NSW planning law and local council expectations.

At Town Planning Sydney, we regularly assist homeowners and developers with drafting and DA approval in heritage zones.

Here’s what to watch out for when preparing your plans.

1. Your Design Must Respect the Streetscape

The number one issue councils look for is whether your proposal fits the existing character of the street.

That includes materials, roof forms, window proportions, and even fencing styles.

We recently helped a client in the Inner West redraw their upper-storey extension after council flagged a mismatch in roof pitch and materials.

By redesigning the roofline and using timber cladding to match neighbouring homes, the project secured council approval without delay.

When drafting for heritage areas, a cookie-cutter approach won’t work.

You need plans that clearly show how your design responds to the surrounding context.

2. Original Features Need to Be Preserved Where Possible

If your existing home has heritage elements like ornate timberwork, original brick façades or leadlight windows, expect them to be retained.

Demolishing or covering up these features is often the fastest way to get your DA refused.

This is where smart drafting can make all the difference.

Instead of removing original elements, we often incorporate them into the new design.

This satisfies heritage guidelines and helps tell the story of the home’s evolution.

3. Rear Extensions Must Be Subtle

Many heritage dwellings in NSW are single-fronted terraces or federation homes.

Clients often want to add modern open-plan living spaces to the rear.

This is usually permitted, but only if the extension is visually recessive from the street.

That means lower height, set back design, and materials that don’t clash with the original structure.

In a recent development application, our planning advice led to a redesign of a second-storey addition to reduce overshadowing and improve neighbour privacy.

This helped the client avoid lengthy objections and secure faster DA approval.

4. Understand the Conservation Management Plan (If There Is One)

Some heritage areas are governed by a Conservation Management Plan (CMP).

This is a formal document that outlines the heritage values of the precinct and sets specific limits on what can and can’t be done.

Your planning consultant should check whether your street or lot falls under a CMP.

If it does, drafting must align with those guidelines.

Failure to address a CMP is a common reason for a rejected development application.

5. Justification Reports Matter

Even with well-drafted plans, you’ll often need to justify your design in writing.

That’s especially true if you’re seeking a variation to height, setbacks or floor space ratio under Clause 4.6.

We prepare supporting planning advice reports that walk the council through the reasoning behind the design.

This gives your DA application a better chance of being approved without additional rounds of information requests.

Final Tip: Heritage zones can be tricky, but they’re not impossible.

The key is experience, local knowledge, and a planning consultant who knows how to balance old and new.

At Town Planning Sydney, we help clients navigate NSW planning controls every day, from DA drafting to council approval.

And when it comes to heritage conservation areas, we know exactly what to watch out for.