Latest Update

The City of Onkaparinga recognises the importance of protecting our built heritage.

From late 2020 to 2022, we undertook a comprehensive city-wide heritage review of our existing local heritage places. Such a review had not been conducted since the amalgamation in 1997 of the three councils, Noarlunga, Willunga and Happy Valley.

Generally, any previous heritage surveys and reviews have been piece-meal and had not looked at Onkaparinga council area as a whole.

To assist council with this substantial undertaking, we engaged specialist heritage consultancy, Grieve Gillett Architects. Using an evidence based approach to heritage assessment, Grieve Gillett rigorously assessed the nominated places against the local heritage listing criteria as specified in the Planning Development and Infrastructure Act 2016. Their assessment involved both a technical architectural review and consideration of the known historical information available on each local heritage or nominated place.

The outcomes of the review were presented to Council’s Strategic Directions Committee (the Committee) on 2 August 2022. The Committee also endorsed the preparation of the Proposal to Initiate a Code Amendment, the process that must be undertaken to formalise the heritage review findings in state legislation.

At the meeting held on 4 July 2023 the Committee resolved to endorse the PTI with an amendment to retain two properties in Port Noarlunga that had been proposed for de-listing.

An outline summary of the Committee endorsed Proposal to Initiate a Code Amendment is as following:

  • two Representative Buildings recommended as Local Heritage Places
  • 20 places proposed to be removed as Local Heritage Places
  • 43 places recommended as Local Heritage Places
  • 12 places recommended for amendment to existing Local Heritage Places

The agenda and minutes of the meeting can be viewed here.

We are pleased to advise that our (amended) PTI was submitted to the state government on 14 July 2023. When we have received approval to commence the Code Amendment process, we will post the community engagement dates and information.

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