Judith Black

2022 candidate for Campbelltown City Council.
Heritage survey responses.

Do you think that Councils and community members need to have a greater voice in planning and development decisions affecting their local area?
No
What role should Councils play in protecting local heritage places from demolition or inappropriate development?
Council needs to be able to protect heritage. Too often I’ve seen or been advised that early homes that have significance for local communities & their leaders been given over to permissions to demolish. If Councils were allowed to have more say & prevent demolition the funds needed for upkeep needs to be accessible.
How would you seek to improve protections for heritage places in your area?
I’m not versed in this area & am unaware of steps or methods that can be taken to achieve protection. I’m only aware that what continues to occur is not good enough
We rarely see new places added to local heritage listings. Why do you think this is?
Perhaps the hindrances to listing are too great. Benefits to listing could be business or cultural opportunities. Our Council area by its nature & constituency is visited by relatives from all over the world. We have fine & family dining, natural habitat & several local heritage sites for visitors. However some are only open monthly.
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?
The planning code is gradually destroying the amenity & quality of our lives in the city. Not enough attention is paid to basic planning allowances. Too often the rooms & garages are too small with encroachment onto our suburban streets. No allowance seem to have been made to only allow say 2 development applications in a small cul de sac or street, so that services such as ambulance & fire may still traverse the street. In larger or longer streets 3-5 redevelopments so that the intensity is spaced. Community consulting when Council town plans are being reviewed needs to take into account that in a diverse community as ours not many will take part in these consultations. As with recent Covid strictures consultation requires participation by their own communities in clubs or churches or groups to obtain an adequate response. Infill needs planning needs to be more selective.
What are the impacts of infill development in your area? What changes would you seek in the rules around infill development?
There has been too much infill allowed by the Council’s plans Willy nilly clogging Suburban streets with no allowance made with no traffic restrictions where planning has given no constraints to the amount of older larger blocks in the suburbs being given over for redevelopment. Streets are reduced to one lane of traffic. The older council plan for a footpath on only one side of the street hasn’t kept pace with redevelopment. I would seek support within Council to change Council’s policies to benefit residents & ratepayers within areas Council has control over such as roads, parking, footpaths maintenance, traffic speeds & maybe it’s time to drop the speed limit with suburbs where there is a lot of infil to 40 kph but not on connector roads
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?
Unfortunately in this area with the soil type, a decision to renovate may be a difficult one. People are struggling to meet mortgages in the current climate. I don’t have any suggestions.
How should the community be informed and involved in decisions about new developments?
Twenty years ago, there was more consultation with neighbours of renovating & development. Consultation with consideration. These days, consultation over the last five to ten years, has given long time residents little hope or help.
Do you think there is adequate tree canopy across your local government area?
No and the canopy is denuded by the meeting. I haven’t sought what Council is achieving in this subject.
How would you like to see significant and regulated trees in your area protected from removal?
I would like to have a very stringent policy in this area so that significant & regulated trees as well as other canopy trees were protected from removal.
What involvement should Councils have in decisions about protecting or removing significant and regulated trees?
Council involves Councillors & their backgrounds as does governments, committees & quangos. I’d like the same degree of laws and dedication as those keeping the Hills Face Zone safe.
What actions would you advocate to slow or mitigate the impacts of climate change in your local government area?
Campbelltown City Council SA have instigated many actions. When people put out their once a year hard rubbish for collecting, could it be recycled rather than add more rubbish, keep more canopy, convert all council vehicles to electric & renovate public buildings on Council land rather than build new on school ovals.
What issues are there with traffic and parking in your area?
Many, the streets are parked both sides with new developments. I’ve answered this as examples to other questions. Ambulance & fire cannot drive down streets.
How could transport options be improved in your area?
Ross Road could have roundabouts to reduce speeding. 40 kph on all except connector roads that retain 50 kph.
What would your top three priorities be for improving planning policy and outcomes in your local government area?
Reduce ability to develop more than 3 blocks with more than 4 homes
Allow more 1 bedroom homes to be built with either community gardens for a block of eg 20 homes or courtyard garden space
Tighten rules/policies so that trees cannot be removed, the rules there now are not good enough. I’ve seen beautiful significant trees removed on blocks