History in the making with draft changes for Lake Mac heritage plan

Published on 20 July 2022

Draft assessments guiding how future development will be managed for more than 900 properties in West Wallsend and Holmesville are set to protect heritage in the two Lake Mac suburbs.

Lake Macquarie City Council is seeking community input into proposed changes to planning controls for the West Wallsend and Holmesville Heritage Conservation Area, which includes expanding the area and altering development controls for properties within it.

Manager Integrated Planning Wes Hain said large parts of the two suburbs were already within a Heritage Conservation Area (HCA) or Heritage Precinct, but community consultation suggested there was a lack of clarity about the area in question, and its implications.

“The aim of this project is to refine and clarify the protections for properties in the HCA,” he said.

“This will help provide clear, consistent information to people within the area who want to make changes to their properties down the track.”

Under the revisions, the HCA will be expanded to include bushland north and east of Wilson Street in West Wallsend, a known site of historic artefacts.

Parts of Holmesville, including sections of George Street, William Street, Charlotte Street and Appletree Road, will also be added.

Homes and other buildings within the expanded HCA will be graded as either ‘Contributory 1’, ‘Contributory 2’ or ‘Non-contributory’, depending on the contribution they make to the character of the village, with different development controls applying to each category.

“Contributory 1 buildings are those that make a significant contribution to the heritage character of the area,” Mr Hain said.

“They’re usually older buildings, such as the former Co-Op on Withers Street, associated with a significant historical period.”

Development proposals for Contributory 1 properties will need to balance modern needs with heritage conservation.

Contributory 2 buildings are those that “contribute in a positive way to the area by maintaining and reinforcing the scale, materiality, style or visual character of a place”, such as early buildings that have since been modified, or modern buildings built in a ‘heritage’ style.

Non-contributory buildings do not add to the area’s heritage character.

Lake Macquarie Mayor Kay Fraser said West Wallsend and Holmesville were home to some of the city’s most prominent heritage items related to European settlement and mining.

“As our city grows, we need to ensure the protections are in place to preserve the heritage character of places like West Wallsend and Holmesville,” she said.

“They tell a story of where we have come from, and present opportunities for heritage tourism and education.”

Council has prepared building gradings and has sent notices to all properties within the draft revised HCA and is now seeking feedback, either about the building assessment of individual properties, or on the revisions as a whole.

Mr Hain said feedback would be considered as part of preparing the proposed changes to the city’s Local Environment Plan and Development Control Plan, guiding future development in West Wallsend and Holmesville.

Go to shape.lakemac.com.au/west-wallsend-hca for more information and to have your say before 15 August.