Vacant Heritage Properties ought to be a Crime

As of late, there seems to have been much discussion around our ongoing housing crisis in Sydney, and understandably so. The need for more housing is paramount.

Yet, I am astounded by the number of houses that stand vacant across NSW and Australia. Homes that are left dormant, un-utilised or in a state of disrepair.

I refer to the ABC News article published on the internet on the 22nd of July, last week (2024). The article portends that there could be up to ‘140,000 “inactive” or vacant homes in Australia’ (Greenbank, 2024). 43,000 of those privately-owned properties are in NSW, and 23,982 in Greater Sydney.

I believe it is a crime to allow any such homes to be left vacant for more than three months, and I believe there should be penalties for doing so. Especially when there is such current, high demand for new housing. This evidence may further indicate that the ‘issue is not a lack of housing but an accessibility problem for those with lower incomes’ (Dulhunty, 2024).

No doubt, many of these vacant properties would also be heritage homes. Now more than ever, the pressure on heritage from the housing crisis and Transport-Oriented Development (TOD) has increased. However, heritage buildings should not be left vacant because any manner of irreversible damage could occur. This could include physical elements being exposed to the weather, pests, mould and vandalism. Heritage properties left uninhabited may also be damaged due to break-ins or left to decay in an unsafe condition. I would encourage councils to gazette fines for any heritage property that is left for more than three months.

But what is the reason for these vacancies? Is it because the owners lack the finances to afford or maintain the property? Is it because of delays with council and construction? Is it a supply chain issue with land or materials, or the result of inflation? Or is it all about land-banking? No matter the reason, heritage properties need to be occupied, and Sydney residents need more available and affordable housing options. Every effort should be made to achieve this.

The ABC article suggests that some of these homes have stood vacant for more than ten years, and neighbours have complained about the unsightliness. It is unconscionable to have this scale of empty properties when many residents across NSW are pleading to the Government to try and resolve the housing shortage.

On any account, I am of the opinion that heritage buildings left vacant for reasons of land-banking should be declared a crime. By continuing this way, we are not helping to protect, maintain and conserve heritage, and we are not providing practical solutions to the housing crisis.

?I invite my readers to comment on this to determine how the vacancies can be stopped.

Paul Rappoport

Conservation Architect and Heritage Planner

29 July 2024

Article & Image References:

Barwell, David. The site has been vacant after developers illegally knocked down a heritage building on the block. Picture: Carly Earl. Photograph. The Daily Telegraph. March 14, 2017. Abandoned buildings in Sydney’s inner west | Daily Telegraph

Kylie Dulhunty, “NSW has more than 40,000 unused ‘ghost homes’, Elite Agent, April 2, 2024. NSW has more than 40,000 unused ‘ghost homes’ (eliteagent.com)

Amy Greenbank, “We tracked down the owners of empty Sydney homes to try and find out why they've been left vacant”, ABC News, July 22, 2024. We tracked down the owners of empty Sydney homes to try and find out why they've been left vacant - ABC News

Greenbank, Amy. Examples of Sydney’s empty homes, many of them being heritage properties. Screenshot. ABC News. July 22, 2024. We tracked down the owners of empty Sydney homes to try and find out why they've been left vacant - ABC News