Helen Szuty

2022 candidate for Regional Council of Goyder.
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?
   Yes.

2. What role should Councils play in protecting local heritage places from demolition or inappropriate development?
   Ensuring local heritage places are listed and where appropriate promoted within and outside the local community. The Barossa is fortunate in that it has the added protection of a Local Character Preservation District and the Barossa Council has been actively promoting changes to the new Planning Act which hopefully will enable The Barossa Council to play a greater role in protecting local heritage places from demolition or inappropriate development.

3. How would you seek to improve protections for heritage places in your area?
   See above.

4. We rarely see new places added to local heritage listings. Why do you think this is?
   Community members are not aware of how new places can be added to local heritage listings and may rightly or wrongly see disadvantageous consequences as a result of local heritage listings. I would like to see The Barossa Council take a more proactive role in this area and will look into the issue if I am elected Mayor of The Barossa Council. Additional local heritage listings enhance community and visitor knowledge and appreciation of local history and heritage.

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?
   To my current knowledge, The Barossa Council is currently actively engaged in this process.

6. What are the impacts of infill development in your area? What changes would you seek in the rules around infill development?
   Some impacts are positive enabling downsizing Barossans to remain living in their local communities. Some impacts are negative where infill is inappropriate, does not conform to the existing character of the district or is of poor quality and inappropriately impacts on neighbouring properties. A review of the rules around infill development would be a good start.

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?
   People would need to see the advantages to themselves in renovating. Incentives would help.

8. How should the community be informed and involved in decisions about new developments?
   The community needs to be informed and engaged in decisions about new developments because they will be affected by them to at least some extent.

9. Do you think there is adequate tree canopy across your local government area?
   No. There are parts of the Barossa where there is adequate tree canopy and other parts where there is not.

10. How would you like to see significant and regulated trees in your area protected from removal?
    I would like to see significant and regulated trees in my area protected from removal. The Barossa Council should be prepared to take appropriate action in instances where significant and regulated trees have not been protected as required.

11. What involvement should Councils have in decisions about protecting or removing significant and regulated trees?
    Councils' default position should be the protection of significant and regulated trees.

12. What actions would you advocate to slow or mitigate the impacts of climate change in your local government area?
    I believe the Barossa Council area is ready to actively engage to slow and/or mitigate the impacts of climate change.

13. What issues are there with traffic and parking in your area?
    The Barossa is a growing area of South Australia and there are emerging traffic congestion and parking issues in the area.

14. How could transport options be improved in your area?
    Improved public transport options need to be addressed including the return of passenger train services to at least Lyndoch and Tanunda. Broad community engagement to address these issues is also warranted.

15. What would your top three priorities be for improving planning policy and outcomes in your local government area?
    Continuing to engage in the planning process at the state level to improve planning outcomes for the Barossa
    Improved recognition and appreciation of local heritage places
    Facilitating community engagement for improved planning policy and outcomes