Councillor Don Palmer Providing Local Leadership & Working for You

Following from my recent post regarding the upcoming Development Plan Amendment DPA2 I feel it prudent for you to understand who owns the Development Plan attributable to a given Council and the process behind how it evolves.

Is it Council?
Is it the State Government Minister for Planning?
Or is it you?

We all own a part of it but at the end of the day it is the Minister who “owns” the plan. The Minister has the final say and can arbitrarily determine what is to be included notwithstanding the contribution of Council or its residents and ratepayers.

It is only out of courtesy that he involves council in the development of a plan. As we have experienced with recent development plan amendments we had to fight hard to get concessions on the recent DPA 3A for Greenhill Road and Unley Road. And that was with the help of residents who went public to fight for what they believe.

And we found that the work we did on many a property in the Heritage development plan amendment were simply struck off when presented to the minister through his department (you guessed it-DPTI)

Of course the cynic in me would say, with all the talk of the alternative government proposing to cap the rate increases of councils, get the council to do the public consultation and then we (the government through their minister) what we want.

Here’s the rub guys. If you want to influence what can and cant be built next to you your best and only real chance of influencing it is to get involved at the development plan amendment phase. Yes YOU can be at least a part owner of the Plan.

You are wasting your time if you do a NIMBY and only try to influence it when your neighbour is proposing to build something you don’t agree with.

DPA 2 is on the way.

So, in keeping with my last post on this topic if you live in Black Forest, or in Clarence Park (west of East Avenue) then you need to get involved  now. Public Consultation is on the way and you need to be involved.

If you dont you may be very disappointed when your neighbour wants to redevelop and build a 3 or more storey building next to you.