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Heritage Conservation Area

A Heritage Conservation Area (HCA) provides long-term protection to an entire area which demonstrates distinct heritage value and character as a whole. There is currently one HCA in New Westminster: the Queen’s Park Neighbourhood.

An HCA places a layer of heritage protection over all properties within the identified area, regardless of construction age. In the Queen’s Park Heritage Conservation Area, properties are classified in two categories: Protected and Non-protected. Building Permit applications for some kinds of work (e.g., new buildings; demolition; or changes affecting the front, sides, or visible roofline of Protected properties) and subdivision applications require a Heritage Alteration Permit (HAP) and are reviewed for design guideline compliance. For Protected properties, an HAP and additional review is also given for exterior changes that do not require a Building Permit.

The City has a Heritage Property Maintenance Standards Bylaw which applies to Protected properties. The purpose of this bylaw is to establish minimum standards of maintenance and ensure heritage properties are not lost through neglect or a lack of maintenance. Standard maintenance, such as replacement of materials in-kind, does not require an HAP.

Advantages of having a Protected property include incentives, such as additional density, special provisions in the B.C. Building Code, density transfer and relaxed design guidelines for laneway and carriage houses, and no heritage permit fees.

To learn more about the Queen’s Park Heritage Conservation Area, click here.