🏛️ Chatswood home gets temporary heritage protection from Council

Willoughby City Council has taken swift action to protect a historic home in Chatswood, placing an Interim Heritage Order (IHO) on the property at 28 Beaconsfield Road. This move temporarily safeguards the dwelling while further heritage assessments are conducted.

The IHO, enacted under the NSW Heritage Act 1977, provides immediate protection for places deemed to possess local heritage significance and are at risk of damage. Council's decision follows a preliminary assessment indicating the property meets several heritage criteria, including historical significance, associations, aesthetic value, rarity, and representative importance.

This urgent action was prompted by a recently issued Complying Development Certificate (CDC) on 5 January 2026, which had approved the demolition of the existing building. The IHO will remain in effect for six months, during which time Council will commission a comprehensive heritage assessment by a qualified consultant to determine if the property warrants local heritage listing.

Mayor Tanya Taylor emphasised Council's dedication to preserving the character of Willoughby's suburbs. "We are acting to protect what makes our area special, while also being honest about the need to plan for more homes in the right places," Mayor Taylor stated. "Our suburbs have a strong character and heritage that people care deeply about, and Council is committed to respecting and protecting that." She added that growth and heritage conservation are not mutually exclusive, and that Council aims to achieve both responsibly.

A local heritage listing would require further Council resolution and could extend the protection for another six months.

Further information regarding heritage protection in the Willoughby local government area can be found on the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage website.