West Wallsend and Holmesville Heritage Conservation Area

Why are we proposing changes to the Heritage Conservation Area?

Council regularly reviews the local planning framework to ensure it is up to date, meets state laws and community expectations. The current Heritage Area Plan for West Wallsend and Holmesville is outdated and unclear, and does not sufficiently guide development or protect the unique heritage of the area. 

The proposed changes include planning mechanisms that are more effective in protecting the heritage significance of West Wallsend and Holmesville, While providing greater clarity to Council, property owners/users and contractors. The proposed changes will ensure new development is compatible with the unique character and heritage significance of West Wallsend and Holmesville. 

What is the evidence base for the proposed changes?

Council engaged Umwelt, an independent social and environmental consultant, to review the sections of the planning rules that relate to the West Wallsend Heritage Conservation Area and West Wallsend and Holmesville Heritage Precinct.

Umwelt’s work included thorough heritage research and field work, and an up-to-date evaluation of the heritage values in the area. Based on their findings, Umwelt recommended changes to the planning framework in a report. Community consultation on the recommended changes was undertaken before the report was finalised. 

The proposed changes to the LEP and DCP are based on this work. The method and principles applied are consistent with current best practice for land use planning and heritage conservation, and align with the principles applied to other Heritage Conservation Areas in Lake Macquarie. 

What are the proposed changes?

The proposed changes to the Local Environmental Plan and the Development Control Plan are complementary.

The Lake Macquarie Local Environmental Plan 2014 (LEP) provides the framework for land use in Lake Macquarie. It identifies land use zones and other planning provisions, such as building heights and minimum lot sizes. The plan also identifies items and areas of heritage significance. A number of buildings in Holmesville and West Wallsend, and the West Wallsend Heritage Conservation Area, are listed in this plan.

The proposed changes to the LEP include:

• extending the Heritage Conservation Area to include the West Wallsend colliery and part of Holmesville

• reducing maximum allowable building heights from 10m to 8.5m in the Holmesville town centre and parts of the West Wallsend town centre. This is consistent with general building heights in the area.

The planning proposal contains a detailed description and evaluation of the proposed changes.

The Lake Macquarie Development Control Plan 2014 (DCP) is a supporting document for the Lake Macquarie Local Environmental Plan 2014. It provides guidance and details requirements for development that should be considered when preparing a Development Application (DA). These controls help to manage the impact of development on the environment, heritage and character of local areas, balancing growth with sustainability and community values. We have an area plan with specific controls for West Wallsend and Holmesville.

The proposed changes to the DCP area plan for West Wallsend and Holmesville include:

• reducing the area for the plan so it is consistent with the Heritage Conservation Area in the LEP

• updated general development controls

• new graded development controls for individual properties.

Proposed changes are outlined in the draft DCP. New text is highlighted in grey, and text being removed has a strikethrough.

What are the building assessment categories?

Part of the Umwelt heritage works included assessment of individual buildings in West Wallsend and Holmesville. This involved a visual inspection of properties undertaken via vehicle and on foot. It involved external inspection from the public domain only. There was no internal access to any private buildings or property.

The individual properties were assessed for the contribution they make to the heritage significance of the Heritage Conservation Area, and given a grading on the basis of that contribution. This grading was applied based on the physical attributes of the building (such as architectural style and features) as well as its assumed age, visibility within a streetscape, condition, extent of change, etc. The contribution grading does not apply to any internal elements within a building.

Contributory 1 buildings make an important and significant contribution to the character of the West Wallsend and Holmesville Heritage Conservation Area. They have a reasonable to high degree of integrity and date from a key development period of significance.

Contributory 2 buildings do not detract from the significant character of the Heritage Conservation Area or heritage streetscape. They may include:

• buildings that do not belong to a key period of significance

• good contemporary infill development

• buildings from a key period of significance that have been irreversibly altered.

Non-contributory buildings are intrusive to a Heritage Conservation Area or heritage streetscape because of inappropriate scale, bulk, setbacks, setting or materials. They do not represent a key period of significance and detract from the character of a Heritage Conservation Area or heritage streetscape.

There are individual building assessment sheets for each property. These may be found in the appendices of the Combined Working Report and Heritage Control Plan Study. Individual landowners were provided a draft assessment in 2022, and an opportunity to provide additional information. The assessments were updated following community consultation and some properties were regraded based on the information provided.

The purpose of the assessment is to provide clearer and suitable criteria for development to ensure that development does not reduce the heritage significance of the area. In addition to these categories, there are specific controls for locally-listed heritage items (listed in the LEP), and properties within the Appletree Grove estate.

The proposes changes affect the community and individuals differently.

The area plan describes the desired future character of West Wallsend and Holmesville based on its history, unique heritage values and picturesque setting. From a community perspective, the proposed changes will help to promote and enhance the features people love and value about the area to ensure these qualities are preserved and enhanced.

The proposed changes to the LEP and DCP will affect individuals more directly if they own a property within the current or proposed Heritage Conservation Area or the West Wallsend and Holmesville Heritage Precinct Area and are planning for any building works and changes to their property. The proposed changes affect landowners differently, based on the location of their land and category of their building.

To find out more about how the proposed changes may impact your individual property, you can view our online document or contact us at [email protected] or 4921 0333 for further advice. 

Prior to European settlement of the region, the Lake Macquarie area was inhabited by the Awabakal people. The heritage study informing the plan considered cultural heritage values previously recorded but did not involve consultation with the Aboriginal community.

Heritage NSW is primarily responsible for regulating the management of Aboriginal cultural heritage in New South Wales under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (NPW Act). The NPW Act is accompanied by the National Parks and Wildlife Regulation 2019 (the Regulation) and a range of codes and guides including the ‘Guide to Investigating, Assessing and Reporting on Aboriginal Cultural Heritage in NSW’ (OEH 2011), the consultation requirements and the Code of Practice.

Cultural heritage value refers to the spiritual, traditional, historical or contemporary associations and attachments a place has for Aboriginal people (OEH 2011:8). There is not always a consensus about the cultural value of a place as people experience places and events differently. With regards to the Aboriginal cultural heritage of West Wallsend and Holmesville, it is noted that cultural significance can only be determined by Aboriginal people and is identified through Aboriginal community consultation.

There are two recorded archaeological sites within the proposed Heritage Conservation Area. In addition, the Butterfly Cave is an Aboriginal place of high cultural significance located in the vicinity of West Wallsend. The cave is a declared Aboriginal Place under the NPW Act. It is also a declared area under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984 (ATSIHP Act). The location of the cave is culturally sensitive and is restricted for the cave’s protection. An additional restricted site is registered within West Wallsend, though details regarding its location, type and condition are not available due to the cultural sensitivity of this information. The heritage study concludes that the spatial distribution of Aboriginal archaeological sites within and around West Wallsend and Holmesville shows that sites are considerably more likely to be located within undeveloped and relatively undisturbed areas. This assumption corresponds with the ‘Sensitive Aboriginal Landscape’ map (see clause 7.7.  of the Lake Macquarie Local Environment Plan 2014). These Sensitive Aboriginal Cultural Landscapes were identified through the development of the Lake Macquarie Aboriginal Heritage Management Strategy 2011 and included extensive consultation with Aboriginal community representatives about culturally significant places as well as stories about Aboriginal history and a review of known archaeological information for the city.

An excellent community resource for information about Aboriginal cultural values within the area is Yarns Parai, an interactive map featuring cultural stories of the Lower Hunter. West Wallsend and Holmesville are part of the Lower Hunter Freight Corridor planning area, and this interactive map outlines Aboriginal cultural values within the corridor footprint. The map was created by Transport for NSW (TfNSW) in collaboration with Saretta Art and Design, Professor John Maynard, and the TfNSW Newcastle Aboriginal Engagement team. It was informed by local Aboriginal knowledge holders, including the Biraban, Mindaribba, and Awabakal Local Aboriginal Land Councils, and the Pambalong knowledge keepers.

Is Appletree Grove Estate included in the review of the West Wallsend and Holmesville HCA?

No. In 2012, the Appletree Grove Estate development was approved by the Hunter and Central Coast Joint Regional Planning Panel. As the estate would be located next to the historic West Wallsend township, there was potential for its heritage aesthetic (the scenic qualities and original building fabric) to be impacted by the newer development. To reduce this impact, a Heritage Conservation Area and specialised development controls were applied to the estate. These specialised controls aim to achieve a sympathetic development outcome for the heritage significance of West Wallsend. Therefore, to ensure the ongoing sympathetic contribution of the estate to the Heritage Conservation Area, specialised development controls for Appletree Grove Estate will remain unchanged.

Why weren't properties in Appletree Grove Estate graded?

The planning framework considers the estate’s development differently to the West Wallsend township. It enables more flexibility due to the estate’s relatively new construction, while allowing a range of development outcomes such as enabling newer dwelling designs. Therefore, no properties within the estate have been assessed for a contributory grading.