Statement of Heritage Impact vs Heritage Assessment
Statements of Heritage Impact and Heritage Assessments are two distinct types of heritage reports that serve different purposes in the NSW planning system. Understanding the difference between them is important for ensuring you commission the right report for your project.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Statement of Heritage Impact | Heritage Assessment | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Assesses the impact of proposed works on an existing heritage item or conservation area | Evaluates whether a place has heritage significance and may warrant listing |
| When Required | When proposing development to or near an already-listed heritage item or within an HCA | When determining if a property has heritage significance, often during LEP reviews or pre-purchase |
| Key Focus | The effect of proposed changes on heritage values | The intrinsic heritage values of the place itself |
| Requires Proposed Plans? | Yes — cannot be prepared without knowing what works are proposed | No — assesses the place as it currently exists |
| Output | Assessment of impact + recommendations for mitigating adverse effects | Statement of significance + recommendation on listing suitability |
| NSW Framework | NSW Heritage Office guidelines for assessing heritage impact | NSW Heritage Assessment Criteria (seven criteria) |
When You Need a Statement of Heritage Impact
An SHI is the document most commonly required for development applications. You need one when:
- —You are proposing alterations, additions, or demolition to a heritage-listed property
- —You are proposing new construction within a Heritage Conservation Area
- —Your development may affect the setting of a nearby heritage item
When You Need a Heritage Assessment
A Heritage Assessment is less commonly required for standard development applications, but is essential in these situations:
- —A council is reviewing its heritage schedule and needs to assess whether properties warrant listing
- —A property owner wants to understand the heritage significance of their property before planning a project
- —A developer needs to assess heritage risk as part of due diligence for a site acquisition
- —A community group wants to nominate a place for heritage listing
Do You Need Both?
In some cases, a project may require both documents. For example, if a council is considering heritage listing a property at the same time as the owner is proposing development, both a Heritage Assessment (to determine significance) and an SHI (to assess the proposed works) may be needed. In practice, these can often be combined into a single report.
If you are unsure which document you need, our team can advise based on the specific circumstances of your project.
Contact our team to discuss your heritage project requirements.
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