Question 1 of 5
What type of project are you proposing?
NHRA Section 38 applies to specific categories of development. Select the closest match to your project.
Residential Development
Housing, townships, estates, sectional title
Commercial / Industrial
Offices, retail, warehousing, factories
Infrastructure / Linear
Roads, pipelines, powerlines, railways, dams
Mining / Extraction
Prospecting, mining, quarrying, borrow pits
Agriculture / Forestry
Irrigation, ploughing, afforestation, farm structures
Demolition / Alteration
Demolishing or altering existing structures
Energy / Renewables
Solar PV, wind farms, substations, transmission
Other Development
Conservation, tourism, mixed-use or other
Question 2 of 5
What is the scale of the development?
NHRA Section 38(1) thresholds are based on area and type. Ground disturbance area is the key trigger.
NHRA S38(1) Area Thresholds
Any development affecting more than 5,000 m² (0.5 ha) of ground surface area triggers S38(1)(c). Residential developments of 10+ units always trigger S38(1)(a). Linear infrastructure over 300m triggers S38(1)(e).
Small — under 5,000 m² ground disturbance / fewer than 10 residential units
Minor ground disturbance, small-scale single unit development
Medium — 5,000 m² to 3 ha ground disturbance
Moderate development, 10–50 residential units, short linear infrastructure
Large — over 3 ha ground disturbance or 50+ residential units
Significant development, township establishment, large industrial or energy project
Linear infrastructure over 300m in length
Roads, pipelines, powerlines, canals, railways, fences over 300m
Question 3 of 5
Where is the project located?
Certain locations carry a higher likelihood of heritage resources and automatically heighten HIA requirements.
Old urban area / historic town
Pre-1940s established town, historic CBD, old residential suburb
Rural / farmland
Agricultural land, undeveloped rural property
Coastal / riparian
Within 1km of coast or river — high archaeological sensitivity
Known battlefield / historical area
Anglo-Boer War, frontier conflicts, early settlement areas
Greenfield / new development area
Previously undeveloped land, peri-urban expansion areas
Existing industrial / brownfield
Previously disturbed industrial land, redevelopment sites
Question 4 of 5
Are there any known heritage resources on or near the property?
Known or suspected heritage resources significantly affect the assessment requirement. Select all that apply.
None known
No heritage resources identified — desktop study not yet done
Graves / burial sites
Any human remains, graves or cemeteries (formal or informal)
Old structures / buildings
Structures older than 60 years, homesteads, ruins, kraals
Archaeological material
Stone tools, pottery, middens, rock art, shell middens
Graded / proclaimed site nearby
National Monument, Grade I or II site within 500m
Living heritage / cultural landscapes
Sacred sites, initiation sites, traditional community areas
Question 5 of 5
In which province is the project located?
Heritage authority jurisdiction varies by province. Some provinces have dedicated heritage agencies; others fall under SAHRA directly.
Gauteng
Heritage Gauteng (HGS)
KwaZulu-Natal
Amafa aKwaZulu-Natali
Western Cape
Heritage Western Cape (HWC)
Eastern Cape
SAHRA / ECPHRA
Limpopo
SAHRA (direct)
Mpumalanga
SAHRA (direct)
North West
SAHRA (direct)
Free State
SAHRA (direct)
Northern Cape
SAHRA (direct)