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Making Changes to Heritage Places

Approval must be gained from the Heritage Council when making changes to a heritage place listed on the State Heritage Register or covered by an interim heritage order. Or when excavating any land in NSW where you might disturb an archaeological relic.

Use the pages in the Development section for guidance when making an application to the Heritage Council, to download the forms you need, or to comment on development applications currently on public exhibition.

To Carry Out Work

Form	Reason Required
Section 60 form	To carry out activities to an item listed on the State Heritage register (SHR) or to which an interim heritage order (IHO) applies. Approval must gained from the Heritage Council when making changes to these heritage items.

For a step-by-step guide on lodging this application, go to our page on How to Submit a Section 60 Application.

Use the Fee Calculator to determine the fee payable for this application.

Exemptions

If the works are only minor in nature, and will have minimal impact on the heritage significance of the place, they may be exempted from the requirement to submit a Section 60.

• Standard Exemptions for Works Requiring Heritage Council Approval: Download the schedule of standard exemptions;
• Some of the activities require that the Director of the Heritage Branch be notified. Check the schedule, and if you need to notify the Director, download the Exemption Notification Form below.

Form	Reason Required
Exemption Notification Form	To notify the Executive Director of the Heritage Branch of certain exempt activities.

To Excavate or Disturb Land

You will need to make an application to the Heritage Council if you are going to disturb or excavate any land in NSW that is likely to contain archaeological remains. There are two types of applications, depending on whether the site is listed on the State Heritage Register.

Form	Reason Required
Section 60 form	To disturb or excavate sites listed on the State Heritage Register or to which an interim heritage order (IHO) applies
Section 140 form	To disturb or excavate sites not listed on the State Heritage Register

Use the Fee Calculator to determine the fee payable for the application.

The Heritage Branch has drawn up at checklist to help those submitting an archaeological application:

• Checklist for Archaeological Applications

Archaeological Exceptions

In some circumstances an excavation permit may not be required when excavating land in NSW. Usually this is where works are only minor in nature, and will have minimal impact on the heritage significance of the place. Again, the particular form to be downloaded will depend on whether the site is listed on the State Heritage Register.

For Sites listed on the State Heritage Register:

If the works are only minor in nature, and will have minimal impact on the heritage significance of the place, check if they are exempted from the requirement to submit a Section 60 Form.

• Standard Exemptions for Works Requiring Heritage Council Approval: Download the schedule of standard exemptions;
• Some of the activities require that the Director of the Heritage Branch be notified. Check the schedule, and if you need to notify the Director, download the Exemption Notification Form below.

Form	Reason Required
Exemption Notification Form	To notify the Executive Director of the Heritage Branch of certain exempt activities to a site listed on the State Heritage Register

For Sites NOT listed on the State Heritage Register:

• Schedule of General Exceptions: check the schedule of general exceptions granted in 2000; and
• Schedule of Additional Exceptions: check the Additional Exceptions granted in July 2005 and revised in April 2006. If any activities require that the Executive Director be notified, download the form below.

Form	Reason Required
Exceptions Notification form	To notify the Executive Director of the Heritage Branch of certain activities covered by the Additional Exceptions on a site NOT listed on the State Heritage Register