Tuesday 23 July COUNCIL ENDORSES REFORMS TO PROTECT RYDE'S HERITAGE
The City of Ryde has endorsed a raft of reforms that will offer strong er protection s for places of heritage significance while also providing more funding to homeowners to help conserve and add value to their heritage -listed properties.
The reforms will amend the Ryde Local Environment Plan to create six new heritage conservation areas and 44 new heritage items across the City of Ryde. The former Squire's Brewery and Halverson's Boat Yard in Putney and the Glades Bay Baths in Gladesville will also be listed as archaeological sites.
In addition, Council has allocated an additional $500,0 00 to its Local Heritage Assistance Fund and will increase the size of individual grants available from the fund from $5,000 to $15,000. The Local Heritage Assistance Fund was established by the City of Ryde to help with the cost associated with repairing and conserving privately -owned heritage -listed items.
The reforms are based on the findings of a comprehensive heritage review c ommissioned by the City of Ryde to protect the community's heritage and provide greater certainty to current and prospective home owners.
City of Ryde Mayor, Clr Jerome Laxale, said the reforms will ensure places of heritage significance will be adequately protected.
"Ryde has been a target of overdevelopment for years and our community is concerned about los ing our City's history. These measures show how serious this Council is about protecting ou r local heritage," Clr Laxale said.
"These changes will ensure our heritage items will have statutory protection, while also providing much -needed certainty in the development process.
"We will also provide financial support to owners to protect and enhanc e their heritage properties, with a $500,000 increase to the Heritage Assistance Fund.
"Ryde's last heritage study undertaken in 2010 left the majority of properties identified unprotected.
About 20 percent of these properties have been demolished or significantly altered, thereby losing their heritage significance.
"If we do not act urgently, more and more properties worthy of protection will be lost forever."
The reforms will now be submitted to the Department of Planning for Gateway Determination prior to the City of Ryde undertaking extensive community consultation on the proposed changes.
