General News
28 July, 2024
Interest-free loans for heritage work
LOANS of up to $20,000 will be available for heritage restoration projects in the Loddon Shire. Councillors on Tuesday backed offering interest-free loans to owners or committees of management of heritage buildings. Operations director Steve...
LOANS of up to $20,000 will be available for heritage restoration projects in the Loddon Shire.
Councillors on Tuesday backed offering interest-free loans to owners or committees of management of heritage buildings.
Operations director Steve Phillips said loans between $1000 and $20,000 could be used to “restore, conserve, maintain or enhance the significant aspects of a building or of a place”.
The new policy says: “This initiative recognises the benefit to the broader community that will eventuate from the implementation of heritage protection policies, including retaining an insight into our history and enhancing the amenity and presentation of our towns.”
Loans will be available for exterior painting of buildings in prominent locations, construction of sympathetic features which enhance the heritage property and its public presence, such as a front veranda or fence and works to prolong the life of a heritage asset in a prominent location, including works to rectify water penetration, structural problems, rewiring and restumping.
Council has put aside $100,000 for the loan program. Loans would have to be repaid within five years.
A report by strategic planner Carolyn Stephenson said the initiative recognised the benefit to the broader community that would eventuate from the implementation of heritage protection policies.
“These benefits include retaining an insight into our history, enhancing the amenity and presentation of our towns and supporting tourism,” she said.
She said that significant aspects of the building or place that could be restored with the loan were are those parts of the building or place that contribute to its heritage value.
“Works that contribute to the amenity of the streetscape or public presence of the building shall be prioritised.
“Intended works must be consistent with the objectives of the heritage overlay,” she said.