Driveway Gates in Sydney Heritage Conservation Areas

Large parts of Sydney's older suburbs sit in heritage conservation areas. Paddington, Woollahra, Haberfield, Balmain, Glebe and much of Ku-ring-gai are well-known examples, but conservation areas are scattered right across the city. If your home is in one, putting in a new driveway gate, automatic or not, usually involves more than calling an installer.

This article explains why, and how to approach it. It is general information. Your council's planning controls are what actually apply to your property.

What is a heritage conservation area?

A heritage conservation area is a mapped area where the overall character of the streetscape is protected, even if individual houses are not heritage listed. Councils list them in their local environmental plans, and most publish online planning maps where you can check your address.

A separate category is a heritage item, an individual property listed for its own significance. Some homes are both.

Why a gate is usually not exempt

In NSW, many small works such as fences can be built without approval as exempt development, if they meet set standards. For residential zones, these standards limit fences along a road boundary to 1.2 metres and say gates must not open outwards.

However, NSW planning guidance is clear that a fence along the boundary or in the setback area of a primary or secondary road in a conservation area cannot be exempt development. Fences on a lot containing a heritage item, or along its boundary, cannot be exempt either.

In practice, that means a new front fence and driveway gate in a conservation area generally needs a development application to your council. Check with council for your specific property.

What councils tend to look at

Each council has its own development control plan with guidance for conservation areas. Common themes include:

• Height. Front fences and gates that are lower and more open are usually preferred over tall solid walls.
• Transparency. Picket, palisade or open slat styles that let the house be seen from the street.
• Materials. Materials that suit the era of the house, such as timber pickets for a cottage, or palisade metalwork for a Victorian terrace.
• Original fabric. Retaining original fences, gates and pillars where they survive.
• Driveways and parking. Some controls discourage new car spaces in the front setback.

None of this stops you having an automatic gate. It shapes what that gate looks like.

Design options that often work

• Motorise what you already have. If the existing gate is original or sympathetic and moves freely, gate automation may avoid changing the street view at all. Motors can often be mounted discreetly, behind the gate or in the ground.
• Open picket or palisade sliding gates. A sliding gate in a traditional pattern can suit a terrace or cottage while solving the lack of swing space.
• Timber-look aluminium. Some councils accept aluminium that reads like painted timber from the street. Check before assuming.
• Hidden hardware. Underground swing motors, concealed tracks and pillar-mounted intercoms keep the frontage cleaner.

Steps that save time

1. Check your property. Look up your address on the council's planning maps to see if it is in a conservation area or is a heritage item.
2. Read the controls. Find the fence and gate section of your council's development control plan.
3. Photograph the street. Councils often want to see how your proposal fits with neighbouring fences.
4. Talk to council early. Many councils offer pre-lodgement advice.
5. Get the design right before quotes. Installers can price accurately once the style, height and gate type are settled.
6. Allow time. A development application adds weeks to the job, so plan for it.

Electrical and safety still apply

Whatever the design, the motor needs power, and in NSW electrical wiring work must be done by a licensed electrician. The safety standard for electric gate drives, AS/NZS 60335.2.103, also applies. Ask your installer how the gate will detect obstructions, especially on narrow inner city footpaths.

Where this comes up most

In our area, conservation areas are common in the Eastern Suburbs, the Inner West and the upper North Shore. They are less common, but still present, in the Northern Beaches, Sutherland Shire and St George.

Next step

Once you know your controls, send us your suburb and a photo of the frontage. We pass your enquiry to an independent local installer who can work with your design and quote directly.