Boroondara Council votes to allow solar panels on 14,800 heritage properties without permits after marathon debate

Boroondara Council has voted 5-3 to remove planning permit requirements for rooftop solar on heritage-listed properties, but a three-and-a-half hour debate and post-meeting rescission motion means change is still delayed until at least the next time councillors meet. 

❓ What happened? Around 14,800 properties in suburbs including Kew, Hawthorn, Canterbury and Camberwell are covered by heritage overlays, meaning owners of these properties have to overcome planning restrictions to renovate or develop their homes.

• These overlays have meant visible solar panels on these properties require a planning permit. 

• Council officers said this approach meant heritage was prioritised over environmental goals.

• Boroondara Council’s July meeting saw councillors consider whether these requirements should change.

• A motion was brought forward and eventually passed 5-3 after a marathon debate that continued for almost four hours. One councillor abstained from the vote and two others were absent. 

🏡 Zoom out: According to the Australian PV Institute, 21 percent of low-rise dwellings in Boroondara have solar.

• The council aims to cut community greenhouse gas emissions by 60 percent by 2030, compared with 2020 levels. Its BooST program offers free home energy assessments and subsidies of up to $2,000 for energy-efficiency upgrades.

🗣️ The debate: Councillors opposing the change argued removing permits could damage heritage, while supporters said heritage protection, lower energy bills and climate action could co-exist.

• Boroondara councillor Rob Baillieu said the cost of energy is “hurting families”, arguing more homeowners should be able to install rooftop solar.

• 🗣️ “There is no heritage to enjoy when you can’t pay the bills,” he told the chamber.

🙅 Those opposed: The councillors who voted against the motion argued removing the permit requirement could undermine the council's ability to protect heritage-listed properties, despite the potential financial benefits of making rooftop solar easier to install.

📣 Public opinion: Nineteen residents addressed the committee over a span of about two hours. Eight supported removing permit requirements, nine backed reducing permit requirements and two wanted no change.

• To inform its decision-making process, the council distributed a postal survey to 4,000 owners of heritage properties and received 1,075 responses. Of those without solar, more than half said they would likely install it within 12 months if barriers were addressed. Cost, aesthetics and planning controls were the main factors, with 29 percent saying permit requirements were a barrier.

⏭️ What’s next? A Notice of Rescission was filed after the meeting, meaning the CEO must now postpone any action until the council returns to debate and vote upon the motion.

• If the rescission motion is lost, the original motion will stand unchanged and council staff will write to the Planning Minister, seeking authorisation for a planning scheme amendment.