Heritage Places

Council encourages the retention of places on the list and it welcomes the renovation of places, such as homes, to suit more modern lifestyles and purposes. It is possible, and can be exciting, to blend modern living with an existing dwelling without losing the character of the original house. The end result can be unique and elegant. Many such success stories exist within Claremont.

Your Development Application will be assessed under the provisions of the Local Planning Scheme and Council Policies. The Town generally supports applications for appropriate development that does not impact negatively on the heritage values of the place and the streetscape.

What is heritage conservation and why does it matter?

The Heritage Council of WA defines heritage as follows:

“… that which we inherit and that which we pass on to future generations”.

Heritage is a tangible reminder of our past reflecting who we are and where we have come from. It is representative of the community we live in and gives us a sense of identity. It also helps create the character of our Town. By owning and maintaining a heritage place you are actively contributing to the Town of Claremont’s rich cultural environment.

The aim of heritage conservation is to ensure that the cultural significance of heritage places is retained for future generations. Heritage significance is embodied in the place itself and is defined in terms of the aesthetic, historic, social, scientific or spiritual value for past, present or future generations. The general principles and philosophy behind heritage conservation are outlined in The Burra Charter which forms the backbone of the management of historic places across Australia.

Heritage places - what has Council done to help to conserve heritage places in Claremont?

• Established the Claremont Museum in 1975.

• Has been the driving force behind the retention and conservation of the Claremont Railway Station for over thirty years.

• Commissioned the "Built Environment Survey" of heritage places in 1991. Established the Town Centre Heritage Trail. Use the Trail Guide and follow the bronze plaques in the footpath to find the Princess Theatre, Kim's Cafe, the site of Charlie Wing Hei's Laundry and much more.

• Commissioned the "Built Environment Survey", of heritage places in 1991. The survey's objective was to identify buildings, sites, significant trees and streetscapes important to the environmental character of the Town of Claremont.

• Adopted the Built Environment Survey as the Council's 'Municipal Inventory' (MI) of Heritage Places in 1992.

• In 1998 Council adopted the Built Environment Survey as a Schedule under its Local Planning Scheme. At the same time, it amended its Local Planning Scheme to give Council the right to refuse the demolition of places on the 'Municipal Inventory'.

• Adopted a Strategic Plan in 2000 that commits the Council to "preserve our heritage for the enjoyment of the community." and "to manage growth and development that will enhance the Town's village atmosphere and respect its heritage and streetscape".

• Adopted a Heritage Conservation Strategy in February 2000.

• Created a new, dedicated staff position of Heritage Officer in June 2000.

• Adopted a Heritage Management Plan in 2005.

• In 2006 Council published a Thematic History of the Town providing a context for the Municipal Inventory.

• The Town's Civic Design Awards are a bi-annual event that publicly recognises examples of best practice in heritage conservation and urban design. 

• Council developed design guidelines for additions and alterations to heritage listed places ensuring that future development within Claremont will conserve and protect places of cultural heritage significance.

• Designed guidelines for new developments in heritage dominant streetscapes.

• The Town has completed a series of walking trails showcasing the Town's fascinating history. 

• The Town has reviewed its Local Heritage Survey and Heritage List in 2014-15 and in 2022.

Removal from Heritage List

Applications may be submitted to remove a place from the Heritage List. These applications must be justified by a suitable qualified heritage professional. The Town will review these applications and seek Council endorsement or otherwise. Please note that removal of places from the Heritage List is most likely not to be supported unless extenuating heritage related circumstances are identified.

Once a place is removed from the Town's List it is more vulnerable to demolition. This means that prior to Council considering an owners request to remove a property from the List the owner will need to provide an archival record of the place.The purpose of an archival record is to record information on our older building stock as a means of informing researchers and future generations of what once was.

All archival records will be marked confidential and held with the Heritage Officer's copy of heritage documentation until a development application for substantial alteration or demolition of the place has been approved. After this time the archival record will become part of the public record of the place and a copy will be lodged with Claremont Museum.

Examples of previous archival records can be viewed at Claremont Museum. The archival record needs to be in a bound format for archival purposes. If you have any further queries please contact Council's Heritage Officer on 9285 4300.