Councillor Don Palmer Providing Local Leadership & Working for You

The State Planning Commission have published “what we have heard” from the recent public consultation on the proposed South Australian Planning & Design Code. The question is have they listened.

Planning & Design Phase 3The Commission has advised us we’ll prepare an engagement report on what we have heard for the Minister for Planning. Any policy decisions he makes will inform the final version of the Planning & Design Code.

But will that report just be a copy of the what we have heard document provided the community. Or will it be a document responding to our observations and making recommendations to the Minister regarding each of the observations we have made.

From what they have told us this is not evident. Accordingly there are many in the community doubting that their input has been valued.

What I can tell you after perusing what they have heard document is that they appear to have acknowledged all the observations we have made.

 

Black Forest and Clarence Park residents can take some comfort that they have recognised our many submissions. Particularly where requesting the zoning be upgraded from the generic general neighbourhood zone to a suburban neighbourhood zone with technical numerical variations matching that which currently exists.

The wider Unley community should likewise feel their submissions have been heard. This includes recognising the many heritage issues raised including contributory items and demolition controls. Likewise recognition of our observations regarding tree canopy cover, soft soil zones.

They have even recognised lifting cill heights of 2nd floor windows from 1.5m back to the 1.7m that exists in our development plan.

Also acknowledged is our request to delay the process, redraft the Code and give us another opportunity to contribute.

 

Recognising what we have said is a great 1st step.

 

The question remains, have they (or the Minister) listened enough to make the alterations we have asked for. Unfortunately what we are hearing is the Minister has no intention to delay the implementation.

Please Mr Knoll. Hear us.