Why Kew jobs need a little more planning
Old allotments, grand houses
Kew's Crown land was sold in 1851 and the suburb's population roughly tripled between 1910 and World War II. West Kew still has three heritage-listed mansions: Villa Alba, Studley House and Raheen.
A growing Heritage Overlay
The C294 panel report, dated 21 January 2020, dealt with putting nine new Kew precincts and 20 individual places under the Heritage Overlay permanently, and extending six existing precincts.
Fewer flats than you might expect
Victorian Places says fewer of Kew's fine house blocks were redeveloped for flats, partly because of distance from public transport. Still, at the 2021 Census 25.6% of homes were flats or apartments, 23.6% townhouses or semis and 50.5% separate houses.
Renters too
28.6% of Kew households rented in 2021, so Victoria's 2027 rental heating and cooling rules reach plenty of homes here.
Where can the outdoor unit go on a heritage house?
Boroondara's heritage FAQ says the Heritage Overlay doesn't prohibit changes. Routine repairs that don't change how the place looks need no permit, and internal alterations generally don't either. Other exemptions are in clause 43.01 of the Boroondara Planning Scheme.
An outdoor unit is external work, so ask council before it goes on a wall you can see from the street. A spot down the side or at the back can suit the system just as well: the ACT Government's guide just asks for maintenance access, room for fresh air, and thought for the neighbours.
For a big house, ducted reverse cycle keeps the indoor unit in the roof and only the vents show. For one room or a flat, a split system is simpler. In a flat, the owners corporation's rules come first.
Have these ready before a Kew installer quotes
- Whether your property is in the Heritage Overlay, and its grading if it's in a precinct.
- A photo of where you'd like the outdoor unit, so the installer can say if it works.
- Where the pipes and drain would run on the outside walls.
- For ducted: where the indoor unit and return air grille would sit.
- For a flat: the owners corporation rules, in writing.
What we'd do
Where we'd start in Kew
Find out your property's heritage status before you get quotes, and give it to every installer. Ask each one to show you exactly where the outdoor unit and pipes will go. If a spot out of sight of the street works for the system, take it, and get council's view before work starts.
Sending your Kew job
Tell us what you need and your postcode. Licence-checked installers who take on this kind of work near Kew can see it, and only the one who takes it gets your phone number. Not taken by anyone near Kew within 48 hours? Installers elsewhere in Victoria may then see it.
