Heritage Conservation

Works to Heritage Items and Buildings in Conservation areas

Proponents will need to consult with Council Planning and Building Officers to find out whether or not approval is required. It is also advisable to enquire whether the works would be eligible for financial assistance under the Heritage assistance Scheme.

In the interests of assisting with the design of the works and ensuring that the Consent process is efficient, free advice is available.

The advice and consultations with Council Officers will cover the following scope of works:
•    Demolition
•    Subdivision
•    Excavation
•    Extensions
•    Advertising signs and business identification
•    Provision of access, and
•    Changes to the exteriors including painting, rendering and decoration.

For other works including internal changes, including structural alterations and works affecting significant original elements, contact is recommended with Planning and Building Officers.

Conserving rare shopfronts and facades

Shopfront framing

• Brass clad frames use an alloy of copper and zinc and are highly durable and attractive. They should be cleaned regularly using household ammonia followed by lemon juice. Washing these solutions down, the shine can be produced through polishing with Brasso or an essential oil on a soft cloth. Previously painted frames should be stripped using proprietary products but never abrasive pads.
• Bronze frames use an alloy of copper and tin and while generally dark brown, they weather to light green patina which is an attractive and protective coating not to be removed.
• When damaged, these materials are currently available in a variety of shaped forms for re-cladding the frames.

Ceramic Tiles

• Regular cleaning with warm soapy water will remove dust and grime. Abrasives must be avoided as scratches are not repairable. Suppliers of obsolete tiles are able to supply matching or similar tiles to a wide range of colours and formats including imperial dimensions. Where tiles are damaged beyond repair, replacement strategies including infill with render and paint or the use of a contrasting coloured tile in the matching size.

Leadlight

• Leadlight panels can be washed gently with warm soapy water. Old lead cames joining the glass is often fragile with panels prone to belly out after the lead cames stretch. Repairs by experienced leadlighters will repair and strengthen the panels.

Timber flooring

• Wood should not be soaked with water but only require regular damp mopping. Stains caused by oil and grease will often come away with a paste of fullers earth, soap and water applied for 2-3 days to draw out the stain. Another general alternative is mild salicycilic acid available under various proprietary names for bleaching.
• Where timber floors are generally sound they should not automatically be sanded as this removes the surface hardening and patina of age. Nail punching, stopping and minor sanding may suffice followed by an appropriate tung oil finish.

Signs

• Traditional signs are often bold and striking with greater visibility than contemporary advertising. Note in many early photographs the power of light coloured traditional fonts against dark backgrounds.
• Well designed decal signs applied to shopfront glazing will often capture attention similar to traditional painted window panes. Experienced signwriters will also work in colorback glass, mirror panes, gold and silver outlining and sandblast effects

Entrances

• Terrazzo work is a mix of marble chips in white or coloured cement. Avoid abrasive materials and alkaline cleaners which dry into crystals and use standard soap with smooth cloth.
• For stone floors, use washing soda or detergent and always protect annually with a proprietary sealer.
• Slate can be cleaned with detergent followed by lemon oil to provide a lustrous finish. Cleaning and washing with milk provides a low sheen.
• Marble should be cleaned with hot water and mild detergent. Organic stains such as tea, coffee and ink should be removed with ammonia. Stubborn stains should be treated with powdered whiting in a paste applied for 1-3 hours. Oil based stains should be treated with a solvent consisting of equal parts of acetone and amyl acetate. Mix with whiting and apply as a paste until it dries, following up with the standard organic treatment.
• For rust, use a proprietary reducing agent following up with the organic treatment.

Awnings

• Regularly check downpipes which are often concealed behind walls and panels. Regularly check gutters for leaf litter and thrown objects. Suspended awnings will usually have rods fitted to wall plates on the building and fixtures on the awning frame – all exposed to rusting. Check annually, repair and paint with an Engineer to inspect every five years or as events dictate.
• Do not apply sign panels over the face of awning fascias as these conceal possible decay. Remove elements not originally intended for the structure including air-conditioning units and signs.
• Awnings should retain their integrity and should not be falsely supported on timber or steel posts as vehicle damage may shunt the structure into the main facade causing considerable damage.

Verandas

• Traditional verandas utilise nominal 150mm cypress chamfered edge timber posts and associated beams and valence panels and joinery. The bases of posts should not be concealed in concrete but supported on stirrups to prevent rotting due to rising damp
• Roof flashings should be plain galvanised iron in rolled forms with spear points, ogee or smooth unperforated quad gutters and matching galvanised steel circular downpipes.