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Mayor Robert Bria, who asked the Council to increase levels of protection of the City’s built heritage late last year, said the Council has never had an over-arching strategic document that clearly sets out its approach to managing, preserving, promoting and celebrating its built heritage.

“Given the work which the Council is currently undertaking, the development of a Built Heritage Strategy and Action Plan has become a priority,” Mayor Robert Bria said.

Mayor Bria said a Built Heritage Strategy would enable the Council to identify its priorities for action and clearly articulate its values regarding built heritage.

“We need a strategy that sets out a medium to long term plan to preserve and protect local heritage, fund heritage project initiatives and importantly, provide clarity for the community in regards to the timeline for Council’s heritage agenda,” he said.

Mayor Bria said the Council’s staff have already looked at examples of heritage strategies including the City of Yarra in inner Melbourne, which has linkages to the City of Yarra’s Strategic Plan as well as the Victorian Government’s heritage agencies.

Local resident and Norwood Residents’ Association member, Chris Francis, said she welcomed the Built Heritage Strategy and Action Plan describing it was a “welcomed step forward”.

“As a co-owner of a local heritage listed property and past president of the Norwood Residents’ Association, I am deeply concerned about the preservation of Norwood’s unique, much-loved, but steadily disappearing built heritage,” Ms Francis said.

“Sadly, while the majority of our buildings can boast historic merit, less than a third of them have any protection under the new Planning and Design Code.

“If adopted, this framework will help preserve and promote a fragile cultural asset by carefully guiding and prioritising heritage activity.”

If endorsed, the Mayor Bria said the Strategy would be completed by the middle of this year.