Overview

We seek to conserve buildings in our area that have heritage significance. The site at 83 Fitzwilliam Road Vaucluse (Lot 300, DP 1314995) is currently affected by a local heritage listing, item I357, “Remains of the Vaucluse Point Ferry Wharf”. Following a heritage assessment that identified that the dwelling on the site has heritage significance for its historical, aesthetic, social, research potential, and rarity values, Council proposes to amend the listing for the ferry wharf to include the existing dwelling and other elements on the site.


About the planning proposal

We have prepared a planning proposal to amend local heritage item I357 at 83 Fitzwilliam Road, Vaucluse (Lot 300, DP 1314995). The subject of the amendment is to change the description of the item to be as follows: “Vaucluse Point Ferry Wharf" – remnants of wharf, dwelling/former shop exteriors, excluding the interiors, but including the internal staircase and associated landscape elements in Schedule 5 of the Woollahra Local Environmental Plan 2014 (Woollahra LEP 2014).

Additionally, the planning proposal seeks to make an update to the property description in Schedule 5 for this item, to reflect the consolidation of lots that comprise the property at 83 Fitzwilliam Road Vaucluse, in April 2025, into one lot (Lot 300, DP 1314995).

The purpose of the planning proposal is to recognise the heritage significance of the dwelling on 83 Fitzwilliam Road Vaucluse, and provide it with statutory heritage protection.


Gateway determination

Council resolved to progress the planning proposal on 25 November 2024. Subsequently, Council staff submitted the planning proposal to Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) seeking a Gateway determination to proceed with formal public engagement with all affected landowners (and surrounding owners).

The Gateway determination was received in April 2025, determining that the planning proposal should proceed. Council was designated to exercise local plan-making authority functions in relation to the planning proposal.

83 Fitzwilliam Road Vaucluse, identified as Lot 300, DP 1314995, is listed on the Woollahra LEP 2014 as Item I357, “Remains of Vaucluse Point ferry wharf”. While the entirety of the site is mapped as a heritage item, it was interpreted that the heritage “item”, as a distinct element of significance, is limited to the ferry wharf remnants and excluded the extant dwelling on the site.

On 10 June 2024, a Complying Development Certificate (CD 2024/64/1) (CDC) was issued for internal and external alterations to the dwelling at 83 Fitzwilliam Road, Vaucluse. Council’s staff considered that the scope of work in the CDC posed a risk to the potential significance of the dwelling and accordingly issued an Interim Heritage Order (IHO) to protect the potential heritage item from harm and allow Council to undertake a formal heritage assessment for the dwelling.

The IHO was issued under section 25 of the Heritage Act 1977 (IHO No. 11) and was published in the NSW Government Gazette of 28 June 2024.

In July 2024, Council staff engaged GML Heritage to undertake a Heritage Assessment of the dwelling using the Heritage NSW significance assessment guidelines and criteria. The property was assessed against the seven criteria in the guidelines. A site inspection was undertaken as part of the comprehensive assessment.

A draft Heritage Assessment report was submitted to Council in September 2024 and the recommendations in the report identified that the dwelling at 83 Fitzwilliam Road Vaucluse, also known as “Point Seymour”, notwithstanding the work that had been approved as part of the CDC, meets the threshold of significance at local level under five of the seven criteria.

Consistent with the recommendations of the Draft Heritage Assessment report, a draft planning proposal was prepared and referred to the Woollahra LPP for consideration on 19 September 2024. The WLPP reviewed the Heritage Assessment, undertook a site inspection, and considered the draft Planning Proposal to amend the existing heritage listing. The WLPP considered the Planning Proposal to have merit and advised Council to progress with the planning proposal.

The planning proposal and supporting documents were presented to a meeting of Council’s Environmental Planning Committee (EPC) on 4 November 2024, and then an extraordinary meeting of Council's EPC on 25 November 2024. This matter was informed by a site visit that was attended by eight Councillors on 7 November 2024. The matter was then presented to a full meeting of Council on 25 November 2024. At this meeting, Council resolved to progress the Planning Proposal to the DPHI requesting Gateway determination.

Have your say

You're invited to share your feedback on the proposed amendment. To have your say, please make a submission using the online submission form below. Alternatively, you can email or write to us and quote SC8347.

A hard copy of the exhibition material is available at the Woollahra Council Customer Service area, 536 New South Head Road, Double Bay – 8.00am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday.

All submissions received during the exhibition period will be considered by Council.

Public exhibition starts on Friday 2 May 2025 and closes on Friday 16 May 2025.

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