The Heritage Council of Victoria has approved 74 amendments to the general permit exemptions, as recommended by the Executive Director of Heritage Victoria. These changes are effective immediately.
What are general exemptions?
General exemptions allow everyday works and activities to be carried out without the need for a permit or a permit exemption. They apply to all places and objects listed on the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR) and were first introduced in December 2022.
Summary of the 74 amendments
The approved amendments include:
- Significant changes to category 1 (maintenance and cleaning) and category 4 (internal fitouts).
- The introduction of a new category 14, which addresses Traditional Owners' rights.
- Minor revisions throughout the document to improve clarity and functionality.
Key changes
Maintenance and cleaning (category 1)
Condition 1.4 now clarifies that testing methods for limited graffiti removal are allowed under general exemptions, but full graffiti removal still requires a permit exemption application.
A new condition 1.6 allows complete graffiti removal from buildings and structures constructed after the site was listed on the VHR.
Internal fitouts (category 4)
Condition 4.2 has been updated to allow internal fitouts for all areas that have already been adapted for their current use, removing the previous limitation on commercial tenancies.
Condition 4.4 has been added to permit internal works on buildings and structures built after their inclusion on the VHR.
Traditional Owners’ rights (new category 14)
This new category ensures that legally recognised Traditional Owners' rights are not affected by historic heritage controls.
Further information
The updated general exemptions document can be accessed in the heritage permit exemptions page.
Page last updated: 10/09/24