Certain commonly used words or phrases have specific meanings within the terms of the Historic Cultural Heritage Act 1995 (the Act) and the Australia ICOMOS Burra Charter, 2013 (the Burra Charter). To assist readers in interpreting the intent of these guidelines, key terms are defined below and their source noted in brackets. 

Adaptation

Adaptation means changing a place to suit the existing use or a proposed use (the Burra Charter).

Compatible Use

Compatible use means a use which respects the cultural significance of a place. Such a use involves no, or minimal, impact on cultural significance (the Burra Charter).
 

Conservation

Conservation includes the retention of the historic cultural heritage significance of the place; and any maintenance, preservation, restoration, reconstruction or adaptation of the place (the Act).
 

Conservation Management Plan (CMP)

Conservation Management Plan (CMP) refers to a comprehensive report that is prepared to provide guidance for the ongoing management of a place, with the primary objective of conserving its historic cultural heritage values. Dr James Kerr describes a CMP as "a document which sets out what is significant in a place and, consequently, what policies are appropriate to enable that significance to be retained in its future use and development. For most places, it deals with the management of change" (Kerr J,The Conservation Plan, 2000).
 

Development

Development is the construction, exterior alteration or exterior decoration of a building; the demolition or removal of a building; the subdivision or consolidation of land, including buildings or airspace; the placing or relocating of a building; and the construction, or putting up for display, of signs or hoardings (the Act).
 

Fabric

Fabric means all the physical material of the place including elements, fixtures, contents and objects (the Burra Charter).

Heritage Impact Statement (HIS)

Heritage Impact Statement (HIS) refers to a report that determines whether a proposed development will impact on a place's historic cultural heritage values, and if so, how these impacts might be avoided or ameliorated. A HIS is a clear and concise account of the proposed work that addresses four basic questions: (i) what is significant about the place in terms of its heritage values and are some part more significant than others?; (ii) will the proposed works adversely affect the significance and if so how?; (iii) what measures, if any, are proposed to avoid or ameliorate any adverse impacts; and (iv) will the proposal result in any heritage conservation benefits that might offset any adverse impacts? (State Heritage Office of WA, Heritage Impact Statement – A Guide, 2012).
 

Heritage Works

Heritage works means 'works' when carried out to or in relation to a registered place or heritage area (the Act). 'Works' includes any development; any physical intervention, excavation or action which may result in a change to the nature or appearance of the fabric of a place; any change to the natural or existing condition or topography of land; and any removal of vegetation or topsoil (the Act).
 

Historic Fabric

Historic fabric means that fabric which contributes to the historic cultural heritage significance of the place (the Works Guidelines). See also definition of fabric. Heritage works means 'works' (see definition below) when carried out to or in relation to a registered place or heritage area (the Act).
 

Interpretation

Interpretation means all the ways of presenting the cultural significance of a place (the Burra Charter).
 

Maintenance

Maintenance means the continuous protective care of a place, and its setting. It is not the same as repair which involves restoration or reconstruction (the Burra Charter).
 

Place

Place includes a site, precinct or parcel of land; and any building or part of a building; and any shipwreck; and any item in or on, or historically associated or connected with, a site, precinct or parcel of land where the primary importance of the item derives in part from its association with that site, precinct or parcel of land; and any equipment, furniture, fittings and articles in or on, or historically or physically associated or connected with, any building or item (the Act).

Preservation

Preservation means retaining a place in its existing state and retarding deterioration (the Burra Charter).
 

Reconstruction

Reconstruction means returning a place to a known earlier state and is distinguished from restoration by the introduction of new material into the fabric (the Burra Charter).
 

Repair

Repair is the work involved in returning damaged fabric or building elements to a serviceable condition, which may be the original condition or a condition that matches the surrounding viable fabric. Repair mostly involves the introduction of new, replacement or supplementary material and may in some cases involve a change in the nature or appearance of an element (the Works Guidelines).
 

Restoration

Restoration means returning a place to a known earlier state by removing accretions or by reassembling existing elements without the introduction of new material (the Burra Charter).
 

Setting

Setting means the immediate and extended environment of place that is part of, or contributes to, its cultural significance and distinctive character (the Burra Charter).
 

Significance

Significance means historic cultural heritage significance as defined in the Act (the Works Guidelines).
 

Use

Use includes a proposed use (the Act). The Burra Charter defines use to mean the functions of a place, including the activities and traditional and customary practices that may occur at the place or are dependent on the place.
 

Works

Works includes any development; any physical intervention, excavation or action which may result in a change to the nature or appearance of the fabric of a place; any change to the natural or existing condition or topography of land; and any removal of vegetation or topsoil (the Act). See also 'heritage works' above.