Christopher Dean

2022 candidate for District Council of Peterborough.
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?
   Only when things are suboptimal and the councils and community members are likely to improve the situation. Having random input may not be beneficial.

2. What role should Councils play in protecting local heritage places from demolition or inappropriate development?
   Helping to enforce State or Federal laws.

3. How would you seek to improve protections for heritage places in your area?
   Get more State involvement.

4. We rarely see new places added to local heritage listings. Why do you think this is?
   Preservation and maintennace.

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?
   No evidence for impaction. No changes.

6. What are the impacts of infill development in your area? What changes would you seek in the rules around infill development?
   No infill, it's the opposite as Peterborough has been losing about 21 people per year for the last 20 years.

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?
   Innovation, e.g. architects helping.

8. 
   

9. Do you think there is adequate tree canopy across your local government area?
   Definitely not, needs to be a lot more.

10. How would you like to see significant and regulated trees in your area protected from removal?
    Just outlaw their removal.

11. What involvement should Councils have in decisions about protecting or removing significant and regulated trees?
    Help to enforce their protection and water them.

12. What actions would you advocate to slow or mitigate the impacts of climate change in your local government area?
    Plant more trees. Use the rainfall as it's going along the drains to water trees rather than letting it evaporate in a large dam. Revegetate the roadsides, as this district has been mostly stripped bare for farming.

13. What issues are there with traffic and parking in your area?
    Need a double main road like most Australian country towns rather than squashing it into one thin street. A parallel road is already available but is unused. Parking is in the thin main road but overwide loads come through town. It's hideous.

14. How could transport options be improved in your area?
    Need a double main road like most Australian country towns rather than squashing it into one thin street. A parallel road is already available but is unused. Parking is in the thin main road but overwide loads come through town. It's hideous. Need a curly rail overpass for pedestrians and a bridge for cars. Even emergency vehicles are held up at the level-crossings.

15. What would your top three priorities be for improving planning policy and outcomes in your local government area?
    Get a lot more funding and State and Federal involvement.
    Get the local population onboard with improvements
    Many more trees, and species suited to the future climate.