Heritage consultant

TL;DR

A heritage consultant is a specialist advisor who prepares Statements of Heritage Impact (SoHI), Conservation Management Plans (CMP), and ongoing heritage advice for development on heritage-listed sites. Required when a property is heritage-listed (state register or council LEP/HCA), in a heritage conservation area (HCA), or affecting a curtilage. Most reputable heritage consultants are members of Australia ICOMOS or the equivalent state-recognised heritage body (e.g. NSW BDC). Engaging the consultant early in design (concept stage) saves rework; engaged late, costs grow fast.

What a heritage consultant does

Service	Typical scope
Heritage assessment	Survey of heritage significance, fabric documentation, period analysis
Statement of Heritage Impact (SoHI)	The narrative document accompanying a DA on a heritage site
Conservation Management Plan (CMP)	Long-form document setting policy for ongoing care of a significant property
Heritage advice during design	Review architectural concepts against heritage significance
DA representation	Liaise with council heritage officers, planning panel representations
Building fabric advice	Materials, methods, finishes appropriate to the heritage period
Photographic documentation	Pre-construction record of significant fabric
Burra Charter assessment	Apply the Burra Charter principles to proposed work

When a heritage consultant is required

Heritage involvement triggers from:

Trigger	Where it appears
Heritage Item (state register)	NSW Heritage Register, Vic Heritage Register, or equivalent
Local heritage item (council LEP)	Section 10.7 / Section 32 disclosure, council LEP
Heritage Conservation Area (HCA)	Council LEP / planning scheme
Curtilage of a heritage item	Council mapping; affects neighbouring development
Indigenous heritage	Aboriginal Heritage NSW, AHIMS database

In NSW, the Section 10.7 certificate flags heritage items on the lot or adjoining lots. In Victoria, the Section 32 disclosure flags the same. Always check both at lead.

Professional standing

The Australian peak body is Australia ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites). Membership grades:

Member of Australia ICOMOS: practising heritage professional.
Expert Member: senior practitioner with formal recognition.

Other relevant bodies:

NSW Heritage Council: state government body, sometimes contributing experts.
Heritage Victoria: state government body.
National Trust (each state): private heritage organisation, sometimes contributing advice.

The relevant qualification is typically a postgraduate degree in heritage conservation OR substantial demonstrated experience.

Fee structure

Scope	Typical fee (residential, 2026 AUD ex-GST)
Pre-DA opinion letter (1-2 hour consult + brief letter)	$800-$2,500
Statement of Heritage Impact (residential)	$3,000-$8,000
Conservation Management Plan	$8,000-$30,000+
DA support and advocacy	$1,500-$5,000
Heritage architect role (full design + heritage advice)	$20,000-$80,000+ for residential
Aboriginal heritage assessment	$2,000-$10,000+
NCAT / VCAT representation	$5,000-$30,000+

Fees are usually time-and-materials with a fixed-fee cap for SoHI work.

Brief the consultant well

Provide:

Section 10.7 / Section 32 with heritage flags noted.
Heritage listing details (state and council LEP citations).
Original drawings if available (council archives, NSW State Records).
Photographs of existing fabric (interior and exterior).
Proposed architectural concept (preliminary, before final design).
Owner’s heritage story if known (period of construction, alterations history).

A pre-existing CMP for the property accelerates the SoHI substantially.

What goes wrong

Engaged after design lock-in: design proposes removing or altering significant fabric; heritage consultant identifies the issue; redesign required. Saves weeks if engaged at concept stage.
DA without SoHI on a heritage-listed lot: rejected at intake.
Generic SoHI not specific to the site: council heritage officer rejects; redo.
Indigenous heritage ignored: a high-risk site (proximity to a known Aboriginal Place, water source, or scarred tree zone) needs an Aboriginal heritage due diligence assessment, not just a built-form heritage SoHI.
Curtilage impact ignored: development adjacent to a heritage item can require a SoHI even when the lot itself isn’t heritage-listed.

Working with the rest of the design team

A heritage consultant works alongside:

Architect / designer: who designs the new work to be sympathetic to the heritage fabric.
Heritage tradespeople: stonemasons, timber framers, slate roofers, lime plasterers, traditional joiners.
Town planner: who packages the SoHI into the DA.
Council heritage officer: who reviews the SoHI and advises on conditions.

Some heritage consultants are also registered architects (“heritage architects”); they can lead both the design and heritage advice on substantial heritage projects.

Aboriginal heritage: a separate stream

Aboriginal heritage is governed under separate state legislation (NSW NPW Act, Vic Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006, Qld ACH Act 2003, etc.). It’s NOT covered by general heritage consultancy automatically. If the site has Aboriginal heritage indicators, engage a specialist Aboriginal heritage consultant separately.

For builders

Check Section 10.7 / Section 32 at lead for heritage flags. Discovering heritage post-design lock-in is the most common heritage-related cost overrun.
Engage at concept stage if heritage is in play. The consultant’s design input at concept is worth the fee many times over.
Use a consultant familiar with the local council’s heritage policies. Council policies vary significantly.
Don’t assume the SoHI is a tickbox. Council heritage officers read them carefully; weak SoHIs trigger conditions or refusal.
Photograph everything before any work starts. Dimensions, fabric, finishes. The pre-construction record protects you on disputes about what was changed.

References

Australia ICOMOS: https://australia.icomos.org (verified 2026-05-15).
Burra Charter: https://australia.icomos.org/publications/burra-charter-practice-notes/ (verified 2026-05-15).
NSW Heritage NSW: https://www.heritage.nsw.gov.au (verified 2026-05-15).
Heritage Victoria: https://www.heritage.vic.gov.au (verified 2026-05-15).
Australian Building Codes Board (NCC)