There is something rather lovely about an older coastal home. Original timber floors, high ceilings, slightly wonky corners and the distinct feeling that the house has a few stories of its own. But before you fall completely in love, there is one small matter to consider: heritage protection.
In terms of the National Heritage Resources Act, any structure older than 60 years is protected. This does not automatically make it a formally graded heritage property, but it does mean that certain alterations or demolition may require approval from the Overstrand Heritage and Aesthetics Commitee
So, when should you start asking questions? Before you buy, particularly if renovation, extension or demolition is part of your master plan. Establish the property's age, whether it has been graded, whether it falls within a Heritage Protection Overlay Zone (HPOZ), and whether any previous alterations received the necessary approvals.
Heritage properties are graded according to significance: Grade I is exceptional national significance; Grade II is provincial or regional significance; and Grade III is local significance, and in the Western Cape, Grade III is further divided into IIIA, IIIB and IIIC.
An assessment will take into account things like age, architectural character, historical associations, original fabric and the property's significance in relation to its surroundings, and the outcome helps determine what level of protection applies and what changes may be possible.
And here's the important point for buyers: the seller is not automatically required to commission a heritage assessment simply because the property is more than 60 years old. The legal requirement is triggered primarily when certain work is proposed, rather than by the sale itself.
So do your homework. Check the heritage status, grading, HPOZ position, existing plans and approvals, and find out what your proposed changes are likely to involve.
Because buying a heritage home should mean inheriting a piece of Overstrand history and not unexpectedly becoming an unpaid archivist!
For additional information, please visit:
https://heritagewesterncape.co.za/about/
https://www.saflii.org/za/legis/consol_act/nhra1999278.pdf