Lithgow City Council
Private building certifier in Portland
In Portland, CertifiBuild certifies pools, carports, sheds, garages and extensions to cottages. The town is a heritage conservation area, so its design rules are usually the first thing an owner meets.
NSW 2847
Class 1 homes and Class 10 structures
Local rules
Portland: a cement works town with intact streets
Built around the cement works
Portland grew around Williwa and Wolgan Streets. A lime kiln in 1861 marked the start of building, yet most of the town went up in the early 1900s, while the cement works was at its height. The works still dominates the northern side of Williwa Street. Chapter 4 of the Lithgow Development Control Plan 2021 describes Portland as compact, tightly defined and almost without gaps.
A heritage conservation area
Portland is a heritage conservation area under the DCP. New buildings are limited to two storeys. Homes are meant to sit within landscaped gardens, without garages and driveways taking over. New materials should be modest and recessive. Modern extruded bricks and pre-coloured metal are likely to be out of place. Simple timber picket or timber and wire fences suit the period, while brick and modern fencing generally do not. Contributory buildings are not to be knocked down.
The Foundations site
The state heritage listed former works, known as the Foundations, has its own site specific DCP, in force since 10 October 2024. At the 2021 Census, separate houses filled 97.6% of the town's occupied dwellings.
Typical work
Common projects and how they get approved
What owners build here
Most Portland jobs involve older detached houses within the conservation area. Design detail matters on every job. Typical projects: Small choices about materials and fences carry real weight in this town.
- Rear extensions that keep the original cottage readable from the street and stay within two storeys.
- Garages and carports placed back far enough that neither the frontage nor the garden is dominated.
- Front fences in timber picket or timber and wire, matching the period of the house.
- Sheds and outbuildings at the rear, within DCP size limits.
- Pools and decks in backyards, kept out of the main street view.
How approval usually works
The whole of Portland is a heritage conservation area, so most house extensions and new homes need a development application (DA) lodged with council, backed by a heritage impact statement. Across the conservation area, the State complying development codes mostly cannot be used, except for a few items such as pools and some detached outbuildings. Before lodging, check whether your house is a contributory building. Choose materials, roof forms and fencing that suit the period. Limit new work to two storeys at most, and do not let garages take over the frontage. Check bush fire and mine subsidence mapping for your lot too. Land within the Foundations site has a DCP of its own. CertifiBuild reviews the Portland heritage controls with you early so the design reflects them before lodgement.
Our services
From approval to sign-off.
One certifier for your whole Portland job, from the first plan check to the occupation certificate.
Local questions
Questions we hear about this suburb.
No two lots in Portland are the same. Give us your address and we will check every map that affects it.
See the council pageIs all of Portland a heritage conservation area?
Portland is treated as a heritage conservation area under the Lithgow Development Control Plan 2021, centred on Williwa and Wolgan Streets. Because of that, most extensions and new homes need a development application (DA) supported by a heritage impact statement, since the fast-track codes are mostly closed off. Pools and some detached outbuildings are among the few exceptions. Before planning changes, open the heritage map in the Lithgow Local Environmental Plan 2014 to confirm your street is covered.
What fence can I build at the front of my Portland house?
Simple timber picket fences suit many Portland houses, as do timber framed fences with wire infill, where they match the period of the home. Brick and modern fencing are generally not considered right for the conservation area. The Lithgow development control plan also wants homes to sit within landscaped gardens, so think about the fence and front garden together. Check your house’s era before choosing a style, and keep new materials modest.
Can I demolish an old cottage in Portland and rebuild?
It depends on whether your house is a contributory building. Under the Lithgow development control plan, contributory buildings are not meant to be demolished, so expect a strong case to be needed. Non-contributory buildings may have more flexibility, but any replacement must still follow the heritage controls: a two storey limit, modest materials, period fencing and garages kept from taking over the street front. Check your house’s status with council first, and plan for a development application backed by a heritage report.
Building in this suburb?
Send us the address first.
We check the local maps for your lot, confirm the approval path and quote in writing.