Chris Grant

2022 candidate for Adelaide Hills Council.
Heritage survey responses.

1. Do you think that Councils and community members need to have a greater voice in planning and development decisions affecting their local area?
   Definitely, yes!

2. What role should Councils play in protecting local heritage places from demolition or inappropriate development?
   Councils should represent the interests of the community in retaining heritage values, streetscapes and locality character. Councils should have a role to play to block ugly and inappropriate developments. At the moment Councils cannot represent community interests or wishes.

3. How would you seek to improve protections for heritage places in your area?
   Continue listings of individual buildings, and continue heritage grants at AHC currently does to assist owners of heritage buildings to do maintenance. The ability to protect the character of areas from development not in keeping with local heritage.

4. We rarely see new places added to local heritage listings. Why do you think this is?
   Some building owners oppose heritage listing in the mistaken belief it will restrict their use or building maintenance or sensible improvement. Elected members sometimes support such misguided views. Education is needed. The benefit of heritage listing is protection of the values a building is listed for, and sometimes support to owner to assist in sensitive maintenance of the building.

5. How has the Planning and Design Code impacted on the heritage, amenity, and environment of your area? What changes would you seek to the Code?
   Can’t see real changes in AHC area as we have only individual list buildings, not heritage streets. Would like changes to allow enforcement of overarching plans for hills towns that set building heights, off set, landscaping etc to protect the character of these towns. While we have such plans they are persuasive only.

6. What are the impacts of infill development in your area? What changes would you seek in the rules around infill development?
   Not too bad here.

7. Construction of new housing typically uses 30% labour and 70% materials. Renovation of existing housing stock typically uses 70% labour and 30% materials. What policy changes would you like to see made to encourage people to renovate, rather than demolish and build anew?
   That is a tough one. I support the notion but don’t know what policy would bring it about.

8. How should the community be informed and involved in decisions about new developments?
   Notification of neighbours and near-neighbours by mail, signs at the location, local newspapers, Council newsletters Allowance of objections in writing and in person. Ability of CAP to consider community views.

9. Do you think there is adequate tree canopy across your local government area?
   No.

10. How would you like to see significant and regulated trees in your area protected from removal?
    By protecting trees by law, educating landholders and enforcing the law. Remove blanket approvals to remove tree near dwellings for fire safety when many trees are no threat in the event of fires.

11. What involvement should Councils have in decisions about protecting or removing significant and regulated trees?
    That is a tough one. Councils aren’t always good at this sort of thing. Councils can be good at informing and educating but not necessarily good at enforcement.

12. What actions would you advocate to slow or mitigate the impacts of climate change in your local government area?
    Retain vegetation cover where at all practical, including exotic species if absolutely necessary for fire safety. Supporting farmers with orchard covers helps maintain viability in the face of heatwaves, hailstones etc. We are currently implementing a carbon reduction plan for Council activities.

13. What issues are there with traffic and parking in your area?
    Stirling gets crowded. The freeway is completely full.

14. How could transport options be improved in your area?
    Passenger rail to Stirling and Mount Barker is needed to take traffic off the freeway. More park-n-rides are needed so people can park near bus stops.

15. What would your top three priorities be for improving planning policy and outcomes in your local government area?
    Protect native vegetation
    Protect heritage buildings and the character of hills towns.
    Sort out public transport.