Your questions on heritage answered

Listing a building as a local heritage place does not prevent an owner from constructing or altering the home or building.

The listing guides the design of the alteration or addition to make the work sympathetic to the local heritage building. 

A listed building would need council approval to demolish. A building which is dangerously unsound or not habitable could be demolished even if listed.  In such a case, recording of the building by photograph and floor plan, noting materials would be required.

Local heritage listing does encourage owners to retain and enhance the building or site. In some cases, a plaque noting the history can help to retain the memory of the place.

No. The aim is to be able to tell new fabric (or building material) from old. It is possible to select modern materials that complement rather than mimic original fabric. Alterations and additions need to be sympathetic to the setting and scale of a heritage place, so locating additions to the rear or side of an existing building is recommended.  

Not necessarily. The place or space may be associated with a locally famous person,a significant event of importance to the community or a structure that demonstrates an innovative design or construction of its era.

There are places that are 100 years old that do not satisfy the broader criteria for listing. 

Heritage listing confers recognition of the place as a valuable part of the district's history. It does not affect the owner's privacy, enjoyment and occupation of a building but would require council approval to demolish. If a place is unlisted, demolition is automatically approved.

Irrespective of listing or non listing, building alterations and other actions defined as development require council planning and building approval.  Some councils have waived planning application fees for maintenance and repair of original parts of a heritage listed building. Also it is possible for councils to assist in obtaining specialist advice should the owner wish to develop the property. 

With projected population growth and additional housing development, Council believes that the community should be given an opportunity to identify places and spaces that make Yankalilla special.

Council is committed to a process that is fully inclusive of all members of the community in recognising and protecting the district's heritage.

Yes, but not for the purposes of local heritage listing in the Development Plan. While acknowledging Aboriginal heritage is an important part of Yankalilla’s history, the 1985 Heritage Survey for the Fleurieu Peninsula focused on exploration and pioneer settlement history. The reason for this is the fact that the state’s historical surveys were carried out under the auspices of the SA Heritage Act. 

A separate Act of Parliament, the SA Aboriginal Heritage Act, concerns itself with Aboriginal culture and heritage and has a separate list of significant Aboriginal places, such as midde and burial sites.  

Places and Spaces seeks the stories of Yankalilla’s history and asks members of the community to identify special aspects of the area’s natural and cultural history.  Many of the publications about Yankalilla and its townships include information about pre-settlement history of the Aboriginal people. The consultation invites all stories to update local knowledge of history and provide a record of places of value. This naturally includes Aboriginal places and spaces - the most important of which is the Tjilbruke Trail. 

Importantly, any information about the area’s history may add to what is already known, and provide common ground for social, environmental and economic understanding of what makes Yankalilla a great place in which to to live and work.

Council will take into account the views of residents in updating local history. The process will involve looking for opportunities to encourage economic development based on the area's historic capital, and review policies to consider protection and promotion of key local heritage.

Ways of maintaining the viability of local heritage and its role in promoting tourism and local businesses will be part of the process arising from the project.  Buildings suitable for listing will only be considered after consultation with owners of a potential local heritage place. Listing a place will include identifying what is important about the item to be listed and providing opportunities for suitable development including adaptation and additions.

A local heritage list will be considered by council for inclusion in council’s Development Plan, subject to legislative changes currently under way at a state level.