Brass Fittings Montague Island Nature Reserve lighthouse keepers cottage v2. Credit John Morrell. DPIE

Brass Fittings Montague Island Nature Reserve lighthouse keepers cottage. Credit: John Morrell. DPIE

3. Alteration to non-significant fabric

Alteration to non-significant fabric

Alterations to non-significant fabric under this Standard Exemption could include: 

  • reopening a closed pre-existing fireplace
  • removing single glazed non-significant window and installing double glazed window
  • replacing non-significant bathroom finishes/surfaces such as tiles, and fixtures such as vanities, shower cabins and baths
  • installing built-in units (eg bookshelf) to non-significant walls.

This Standard Exemption is not for establishing new structures or buildings.

For more information on significance see the Significance and Significant Fabric fact sheet.

Standard Exemption 3: Alteration to non-significant fabric

General conditions  apply to the use of all Standard Exemptions and must be complied with. 

The following specified activities/works to an item do not require approval under subsection 57(1) of the Heritage Act 1977 if the specified activities/works are undertaken in accordance with each of the relevant standards prescribed below.

 Specified activities/works:

  1. The alteration of an item involving the introduction of new fabric and/or the removal of non-significant fabric.

 Relevant standards:

  1. The specified activities/works must not impact the heritage significance of the item.
  2. Significant fabric of the item must not be impacted.
  3. Relics must not be impacted.
  4. Activities/works must not involve construction of extensions or additions where these may impact the item’s setting, views to or from the item, obscure existing significant fabric, impact relics and/or impact significant landscape layout, landscape elements or vegetation.
  5. The positioning and size of walls, windows and doors is not altered.
  6. Significant finishes, surfaces (including flooring) and fixtures must not be impacted.
  7. Any new fabric must be sympathetic to but can be distinguished from the appearance, composition, detailing, size, position and finish of existing fabric.
  8. Non-significant fabric must be identified as non-significant fabric in the listing on the State Heritage Register or the gazetted Interim Heritage Order, or a Conservation Management Plan, Conservation Management Strategy, Heritage Collections Plan, Archaeological Management Plan or Aboriginal Place Management Plan or identified as non-significant fabric in written advice prepared by a suitably qualified and experienced heritage professional before it can be removed.
  9. Installation of new fabric must be in accordance with the policies of a Conservation Management Plan, Conservation Management Strategy, Heritage Collections Plan, Archaeological Management Plan or Aboriginal Place Management Plan or in written advice prepared by a suitably qualified and experienced heritage professional before installation.
  10. Any new fabric must not impact setting or views to or from the item, obscure existing significant fabric or limit access to existing fabric for future maintenance.
  11. Any new penetrations must be:
    1. limited in number; and
    2. made through non-significant fabric or mortar joints only.
  12. Any excavation must comply with Standard Exemption 8: Excavation relevant standards.
  13. Any new fabric must not exacerbate the decay of existing fabric or risk the destruction of existing significant fabric due to chemical incompatibility, vibration, percussion or explosive flammability.

Guidance