Heritage listed nature strips and permits explained
An important area in Mount Eliza known as Ranelagh Estate is listed on the Victorian Heritage Register.
The state government registered Ranelagh Estate as an outstanding example of a ‘garden suburb’ design. Ranelagh was designed by noted landscape architects, Walter Burley and Marion Mahony Griffin. ‘Garden suburb’ refers to a particular way of designing residential areas so that houses and nature complement each other. The Victorian Heritage Register is managed by Heritage Victoria. Heritage Victoria requires that Heritage Permits be obtained for works in the Ranelagh road reserves, to ensure they do not detract from the Estate’s garden setting and design principles.
The Ranelagh Estate heritage registration does not affect any private residential properties, although some private properties in the area have individual heritage listings for other reasons. The heritage registration affects the roads and parklands marked in yellow on the map below.
Heritage registration means that many types of works on nature strips require a Heritage Permit from Heritage Victoria in addition to Shire approvals. This includes works normally undertaken by Shire, such as footpath construction or tree planting, and works that residents may wish to undertake with Shire approval such as landscaping and vehicle crossings.
When is a Heritage Permit required?
Heritage Permits are required for any works that are not listed as ‘permit exempt’ by Heritage Victoria. A list of permit exemptions can be found later in this Fact File.
New landscaping and vehicle crossings generally require heritage permits.
In order to ascertain whether a Heritage Permit is required follow these steps:
Are the works ‘permit exempt’ (see below)? If ‘yes’, no Heritage Permit is required. The works may still require Shire approval. These are handled by Shire’s Construction and Asset Protection Team (construction works) and Parks and Roadsides Unit (landscaping works). For further information contact
Customer Service on: 1300 850 600 or 5950 1000
If ‘no’, or you are unsure, contact Shire’s Heritage Planner on: 5950 1928.
The Heritage Planner will advise if Shire is willing to apply to Heritage Victoria for a Heritage Permit. If ‘no’, the works cannot be carried out. If ‘yes’, Shire will make an application on the resident’s behalf.
Residents are liable for a permit fee and may be asked to provide plans, photographs and specifications of works.
If a Heritage Permit is granted, works may still require Shire approval. These are handled by Shire’s
Asset Protection Team (construction works) and Open Space & Roads Unit (landscaping works).
Contact Customer Service on: 1300 850 600 or 5950 1000
How do I obtain a Permit?
If the proposed works are not ‘permit exempt’, they will require a Heritage Permit, issued by Heritage
Victoria.
Applications for Heritage Permits can only be made by Shire as the owner and manager of nature strips in the Ranelagh Estate. Residents who wish to undertake works that are not ‘permit exempt’ should contact Shire’s Heritage Planner, Simon Lloyd, on: 5950 1928.
Shire will only apply for a Heritage Permit where the works are deemed by Shire officers to be consistent with the heritage values of Ranelagh Estate. These values are explained in the Ranelagh Estate
Conservation Management Plan, 2009, accessible on Shire’s website under ‘R’ in the A-Z Index. Copies may also be obtained by contacting the Strategic Planning Unit on: 5950 1928.
If an application is made, the resident will be liable for a permit application fee.
Permit Exemptions
The following is taken from the Heritage Victoria Permit Policy for Ranelagh Estate. It lists works relevant to nature strips which are generally exempt from the requirement of a Heritage Permit. It is important to note that a Heritage
Permit exemption does not excuse owners from the need to obtain other permits, such as building or planning permits.
The full Permit Policy for Ranelagh Estate can be found at the Heritage Victoria Website:
Permit Exemptions for Ranelagh Estate
In addition to these exemptions works must not damage any heritage items and must be consistent with the Ranelagh Estate Conservation Management Plan.
General and Landscape
• The process of gardening and maintenance, plant labelling, mowing, hedge clipping, bedding displays, removal of dead plants, disease and weed control, emergency and safety works to care for existing plants and planting themes.
• Removal of vegetation that is not significant to maintain fire safety and to conserve significant buildings and structures.
• The replanting of plant species to conserve existing landscape character and themes. (Note that not all existing plantings are significant. Where they are, replacement plantings are to be identical to the existing species, whether native or exotic. Areas of indigenous vegetation are to be planted with species endemic to the local area. For further advice contact Shire’s Heritage Planner. If exempt from a Heritage Permit,landscape works may still require a Shire landscape permit).
• Repairs, conservation and maintenance to hard landscape elements, buildings, structures, ornaments,roads and paths, drainage and irrigation system.
• Management of trees in accordance with Australian Standard; Pruning of amenity trees AS4373 andremoval of plants listed as noxious weeds in the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994.
• Installation, removal or replacement of garden watering and drainage systems.
• Non-structural works that occur at a distance greater than 5 metres from the canopy edge of a significanttree, plant or hedge. (Structural works may require a permit if on the registered land).
• Non-commercial signage, interpretive signage, lighting, security fire safety and other safety requirements,provided no structural building occurs.
New or relocated driveways and Crossovers
New or relocated vehicle crossings do not require a permit provided the following criteria are met:
• There is to be no more than one vehicle crossing per residential allotment and the width of a vehiclecrossing is to be no greater than 3 metres.
• Vehicle crossing location must minimise vegetation removal, visual impact and not be within the criticalroot zone of significant vegetation or require extensive lopping or pruning;
• Materials must be unformed gravel in a light colour, or concrete with an exposed aggregate finish in a lightsandy colour;
Re-construction or re-surfacing of existing vehicle crossings
• Re-construction or re-surfacing in the same material, finish and colour as existing is generally allowedprovided it accords with the guidelines above;
• Alteration of the existing construction to either unformed gravel in a light colour, or concrete with anexposed aggregate finish in a light sandy colour is generally allowed.
Further information
For more information please visit the Mornington Peninsula Shire website at or Heritage Victoria website at
RanelaghEstateHeritageListing231012: To be reviewed 23/10/2013: Simon Lloyd_Planning, Version 1, October 2012 – Obj ID A4331669