Overstrand Heritage & Aesthetics Committee is registered as an agent of Heritage Western Cape in the Overstrand. The Foundation comments on heritage applications to enable the relevant committees at Heritage Western Cape to make informed decisions on heritage matters, as well as registered with the Overstrand Municipality as an interested party and stakeholder, to comment on planning and development matters.

The Overstrand Heritage & Aesthetics Committee (OHAC) is registered with Heritage Western Cape

as a conservation body in terms of section 25(1)(b) of The National Heritage Resources Act (Act 25 of 1999).

They are tasked to protect our heritage, to preserve an inheritance of something special and important;

whether this takes the form of an object, a building, an special area or a place of memory.

About us

AIMS & OBJECTIVES

To preserve the natural beauty of the Overstrand area and to protect the heritage of the towns and countryside by controlling and directing development in such a way as to harmonise with this natural beauty, thus offering an improved standard of living and quality of life for all its inhabitants in both architectural and social terms

To conserve and protect the existing historic and

'village' character of the Town Centres

To encourage and assist in the preservation of the Overstrand's existing architectural heritage and to support development aesthetically consistent with that heritage by establishing sound guidelines both for the maintenance and restoration

of older buildings and structures and for the

siting, design and construction of new buildings.

To act in an advisory capacity to the Overstrand Municipality

and to support and wherever possible assist local, regional and national government in the planning and promotion of measures consistent with The National Heritage Resources Act's

objectives and conversely, to oppose any measure, policy, activity or project inconsistent with them.

To promote conservation awareness by assisting in educating and informing the general public in furtherance of the above objectives.

To ensure that the future structures within the proposed conservation area of central Hermanus conform to criteria laid down by the committee in consultation with the Overstrand Municipality

To seek to be representative in membership of

the Overstrand demographics.

OHAC MEMBERS (JULY 2024- JUNE 2026)

Nicholas Clark

Land Surveyor (Chair)

Lize Fick

Architect (Vice chair)

Alex Edmayr

Architect

Andrew Finlayson

Architect

Andrew Greeff

Architect

Eward Grobler

Structural Engineer

Nicolette Lloyd

Snr Architectural Technologist

Hanri Pretorius

Candidate Architect

Hanna Rogers

Archaeologist

Neel Saayman

Architect

John Simson

Civil Engineer

Leon Smith

Architectural Technologist

Diann Swart

Snr Architectural Technologist

Sally Titlestad

Heritage Practitioner

Ian Paterson

Co-Opt Member (Hermanus Ratepayers)

WHEN TO MAKE AN APPLICATION

A site or building is protected by the National Heritage Resources Act and requires an application to Heritage Western Cape

when it is older than 60 years, is registered as a National or Provincial Heritage site and/or

falls within a Heritage Protection Overlay Zone (HPOZ).

All heritage applications in the Overstrand Municipal Area

must first be submitted to the Overstrand Heritage & Aesthetics Committee (OHAC) for their comment.

If the property is located in Stanford, the application must be submitted both to OHAC and the Stanford Conservation Trust.

You can check your property or area's heritage status online:

Useful links > Overstrand GIS Maps > agree to terms > search > property search > insert erf nr > layers > HPOZ and/or heritage

OHAC SUBMISSION

All applications to be submitted in hardcopy to Overstrand Building Control offices, 10 days before the OHAC meeting date.

Meetings are held on the 2nd Thursday of every month.

KNOW MORE

PRE-LIM TO

BUILDING CONTROL

Once comment has been obtained from OHAC, it is advised to do a preliminary submission or consultation with Overstrand Building Control. Any changes after the drawings have been approved by HWC, requires a new application.

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HWC

From 5 Jan 2026, all applications to Heritage Western Cape in terms of Sections 27, 28, 29, 31, 34 and 38 must be submitted via SAHRIS:

www.sahris.org.za

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14 DAY APPEALS PERIOD

All decisions by Heritage Western Cape are subject to an appeal period of 14 days.

The applicant is required to inform any party, including OHAC and the Overstrand Building Department, who has expressed a bona fide interest in any heritage related aspect of the application.

FINAL TO

BUILDING CONTROL

Almost any building activity within the area of the Overstrand requires building plan approval. This includes the construction of all new buildings/structures, alterations or additions to existing buildings, or even simply changing the use of existing buildings without physically altering them.

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