State of the Heritage Report
The following checklist can be completed by local government authorities to ensure that their Council has submitted complete and up to date information for incorporation into the National Trust's 'State of the Heritage Report'.

Please complete the checklist with examples and return to the National Trust of Australia (NSW), GPO Box 518, Sydney 2001.

Yes. Council is represented on the Board of the Regional Tourism Association and has undertaken a number of initiatives which seek to promote heritage related tourism in the Shire. One such initiative involves the preparation of a promotional brochure for the Great North Road (Old Northern Road), providing historical information on the well known route, as well as highlighting prominent tourist sites along the way. Council has also produced a general heritage brochure which provides information on heritage in the Shire, Council’s Heritage Advisory Service and Heritage Assistance Fund, and also highlights three of the Shire’s most prominent heritage items, Bella Vista Farm, Heritage Park and the Great North Road.

It is noted that Bella Vista Farm and Heritage Park are of State and National significance, and are in Council ownership. Conservation Management Plans are currently being implemented for both sites and significant oppurtunities exist to pursue cultural tourism related activities.

Council’s principal management document, the Hills Shire Plan identifies a number of initiatives focused specifically on heritage management and promotion in the Shire. These initiatives include activities associated with the Heritage Festival aimed at increasing community focus of the quality and quantity of heritage in the Shire, and a heritage funding and assistance program to support owners of identified heritage homes.

A specific urban design feature of the developing Kellyville/Rouse Hill Release Area is ‘the Greenway’ being a major off-road pedestrian and cycle open space link that traverses the entire release area. The purpose of the Greenway is to provide a linear corridor of open space, managed for conservation and recreation purposes linking major parks, commercial centres, schools, natural features, rural landscapes, and heritage sites into a greater whole. In particular the Greenway is planned to link the historically significant Rouse Hill House in the north and Bella Vista Farm in the south. The Greenway presents further opportunity to facilitate and promote interpretation of the area’s past.

Heritage related guidelines are contained within Council’s Development Control Plan No.10 - Heritage which provides specific design guidance and controls where the conservation or redevelopment of a heritage property is concerned.

Yes. Council has allocated $20,000 of recurrent funding for a Heritage Assistance Fund, providing dollar for dollar grants for heritage conservation projects. These projects must involve a heritage item currently listed under Council’s principle planning instrument, and a maximum of $2,000 is provided per grant.

Yes. Council has included provisions within its principle planning instrument pertaining to conservation incentives in relation to heritage items. These incentives include:

• the granting of consent for the use of a heritage item which would otherwise be prohibited under the zoning applying to the land, provided that Council is satisfied that the use would have little or no adverse effect on the amenity of the area and that the conservation of the building depends upon Council granting consent for this use.
• floor space bonuses, where Council may exclude the floor space of heritage buildings on the land when determining the floor space ratio and car parking requirements, if Council is satisfied that the conservation of the buildings depends on this incentive.

Yes. Name: David Scobie

No sites relating to specific industrial activities are currently listed. However numerous listed sites include buildings, works and relics associated with the Shire's agricultural past.