C85hors - Heritage Amendment

The amendment is required to give statutory consideration to places that have been identified as having heritage value in the Horsham Heritage Study Stage 2 (Grieve Gillett, 2014), the Horsham Heritage Study Review (Landmark Heritage Pty Ltd, 2025) and Volume 2: Heritage Citations and mapping (Horsham Rural City Council, 2025) and to make consequential changes to the Horsham Planning Scheme.

The amendment aims to consider the cultural significance of heritage places or precincts through the planning process to reflect the importance of cultural heritage in the municipality and to the community.

What the Amendment does:

Planning Scheme Amendment C85hors (Heritage Amendment) seeks to implement the recommendations from the Horsham Heritage Study Stage 2 (Grieve Gillett, 2014), the Heritage Study Review (Landmark Heritage Pty Ltd, 2025) and Volume 2: Heritage Citations and Mapping (Horsham Rural City Council, 2025) and aims to:

• Introduce updated Heritage Citations to places of local heritage significance into the Horsham Planning Scheme;
• Apply the heritage overlay to places identified as having local heritage significance;
• Amend (Clause 02.03-5 - Built environment and heritage) to update strategic directions for the protection of heritage significance;
• Amend local policy (Clause 15.03-1L - Heritage Conservation - Horsham Rural City) to include objectives, policies and guidelines for the protection of heritage significant sites;
• Amend heritage mapping anomalies to ensure the heritage overlay applies to the correct heritage places;
• Amend the Schedule to (Clause 43.01 - Heritage Overlay) to insert 31 new individually significant heritage places, 10 heritage precincts and 1 serial listing and include the statement of significance for each property.
• Amend the Schedule to (Clause 72.03 - Maps comprising part of this Planning Scheme) to insert new Heritage Overlay PS maps;
• Amend the Schedule to (Clause 72.04 - Incorporated Documents) to insert new Statement of Significance's into the PS;
• Amend the Schedule to (Clause 72.08 - Background Documents) to insert heritage studies.

Amendment C85hors (heritage amendment) ensures that heritage is considered during the planning process and ensures an up-to-date and relevant Horsham Planning Scheme.

Public Exhibition 

The heritage amendment (c85hors) was on public exhibition from Monday 10 November 2025 until Monday 22 December 2025. 

Following the exhibition period of this amendment

The Strategic Planning Team has reviewed all submissions to the Amendment. A report was presented to Council for its consideration at its meeting held on 24 August 2026. At the meeting Council decided to:

• Request the Minister for Planning to appoint an independent Planning Panel and to refer all unresolved submissions, relevant post-exhibition changes and any submitter addendums received through the the further engagement process to the Panel for consideration.

Council Report

Council Report 24 August 2026(PDF, 255KB)

Independent Planning Panel

If Council receives submissions about a planning scheme amendment that cannot be resolved, Council may refer the amendment to an independent planning panel appointed by the Minister for Planning.

The panel is separate from Council. Its role is to review the amendment, consider unresolved submissions and provide an independent assessment. 

The panel does not make the final decision. Its recommendations help Council and the Minister for Planning decide whether the amendment should proceed, be changed or not proceed.

https://www.planningpanels.vic.gov.au/guides-and-resources/what-is-a-planning-panel

Suite of Amendment C85hors Documents

Heritage Interactive Map

C85hors Heritage Interactive Map