MAJOR home renovations would be prevented in more Prospect streets under a council plan to increase protection for character homes.

Prospect Council is investigating extending its historic conservation zones and adding more properties to its local heritage list.

Under current council regulations, owners of properties in historic zones or on the local heritage list are not allowed to substantially change their property’s look from the street.

The restrictions, which have been backed by community groups, would allow home owners in the zones or on the list to apply to bulldoze or renovate buildings, but approval would be more difficult.

Prospect Mayor David O’Loughlin said it was important to give greater protection to the district’s historic homes, given council and State Government plans to increase height limits along three of the inner-north’s main thoroughfares.

“Our locals love the character streetscapes in Prospect it’s why many of them live here,” Mr O’Loughlin said.

“They get distressed when a single house is demolished.”

He said the State Government had signed off on the council’s plan to look at which parts of the district should become historic zones.

The council is seeking to introduce new and extended historic zones to protect more properties.

“We are going to engage an independent heritage specialist to assess streets and houses and then the specialist will advise the council on what has heritage value,” Mr O’Loughlin said.

“This process will take the best part of this year for any changes to be in place.”

Six Prospect streets are already in historic conservation zones, including Fitzroy Tce and Highbury St.

The council has 88 houses with local heritage listing and six on the State Heritage List.

Cr Kristina Barnett, who last month called for a report on the demolition of character homes and the extension of historic zones, said the council needed to act before it was too late.

“It is appropriate to start the process of review before we start losing character homes of sound quality and forever change the street character and most of the character of Prospect Council area,” Cr Barnett said.

A decision on which suburbs and streets would be listed would be made following a report from the heritage specialist.

The community would be consulted on any changes but Planning Minister John Rau would have the final say.

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