The Ballarat Thematic Environmental History is a document which identifies key themes which have shaped a municipality over time. It helps to ensure that strategic heritage planning decisions are grounded in a clear understanding of the history of land-use and development in a municipality.

What can be influenced?

The community are able to influence the final document through providing feedback on the content of the Thematic Environmental History from now through until February 2025.

What cannot be influenced?

The layout of the document is prescribed by the Victorian Framework of Historic Themes and is not able to be changed. The final report will be approved by City of Ballarat officers once feedback has been incorporated.

Locality histories for each of the localities included within the City of Ballarat are being prepared by external consultant historians. These locality histories will be used to assist in understanding how each of the localities has developed over time, and the people, events and circumstances which have shaped them. They will contribute to the heritage assessments undertaken as part of the Heritage Gaps Review Program.

What can be influenced?

Our consultants will be undertaking targeted engagement with local history and heritage interest groups throughout the municipality.

Members of the community can contribute and influence the development of these locality histories through providing additional information, documents, photographs, oral histories to their local historical society, or by contacting the heritage team on heritageteam@ballarat.vic.gov.au

What cannot be influenced?

The final versions of the locality histories will be determined and approved by the City of Ballarat officers. They will be integrated into future heritage assessments.

Heritage Studies will be undertaken across the City of Ballarat which will review existing heritage listings and add new places to the Heritage Overlay.

The review of existing places will ensure that each place is adequately protected through providing clear and easily understood information which explains what is significant about the place and why it is significant.

In recognition of the extensive gaps in heritage protection (including geographic areas, place types and other gaps) new places will be identified, assessed and protected through their addition to the Heritage Overlay of the Ballarat Planning Scheme.

What can be influenced?

The community can influence the improved heritage protection through:

• Advising what the community see as being priorities for heritage protection improvements

• Contributing to the studies through providing information about local places, people, events and stories to help further identify gaps in the Heritage Overlay

• Where and when community engagement activities will be undertaken

• Provide feedback on draft heritage assessments as the opportunity arises

• Use the interactive mapping tool on the Heritage Gaps Review Program MySay page to nominate places and provide additional information.

What cannot be influenced?

The City of Ballarat will be responsible for the final decision as to how heritage studies are prioritised across the municipality. A standardised methodology for heritage assessments will be followed for all heritage studies. This methodology adheres to specific adopted frameworks for assessment at both the local and state level and cannot be changed.

A review of all existing heritage provisions included within the Ballarat Planning Scheme will be undertaken. This includes a review of local heritage policy, which statutory planners use to make decisions about managing and making changes to heritage places.

We will also develop new Heritage Design Guidelines for all heritage places and precincts. New policy and guidelines will ensure that we have the right tools to protect and manage the heritage assets we have now, and to protect those new heritage places we identify through new studies. Heritage Design Guidelines provide greater certainty for owners, developers and designers on how to appropriately manage change and conserve heritage.

What can be influenced?

The community has the ability to participate in discussions around what the key issues relating to the development of heritage places within the municipality are today, and to provide input into the format and content of the Heritage Design Guidelines.

What cannot be influenced?

The content of the local heritage policy and Heritage Design Guidelines will be decided by City of Ballarat officers, incorporating information from internal and external stakeholders. The policy and guidelines will be included in the Ballarat Planning Scheme and will be formal documents which must be considered when making decisions about places included in the Heritage Overlay.

When changes are proposed to the Ballarat Planning Scheme, a formal process called a Planning Scheme Amendment must be undertaken. Planning Scheme Amendments will be required to deliver the findings of the Heritage Gaps Review Program, including to:

• Make changes to or add new places to the Heritage Overlay as a result of heritage studies.

• Change the existing local Heritage Policy.

• Add new Heritage Design Guidelines

• Change or remove any documents included in the Ballarat Planning Scheme which relate to heritage.
  
  

What can be influenced?

Anyone can make a submission to the City of Ballarat during the public exhibition period of a Planning Scheme Amendment. A submission might support or object to the Amendment, or parts of it, or request changes to what is proposed. All relevant submissions will be considered by the City of Ballarat.

Where a submission cannot be resolved, it will be referred to an independent Panel appointed by Planning Panels Victoria for consideration.

What cannot be influenced?

The Planning Scheme Amendment process has a series of specific steps which must be taken under the requirements of the Planning and Environment Act 1987.