Mark Ferguson

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?
Yes, people who live in an area should have a greater say in the area they live. Also councils should represent the community and not dictate to them.
What role should Councils play in protecting local heritage places from demolition or inappropriate development?
Councils should strongly protect our heritage and culture, I see a lot of non-eco-friendly development and it must stop!
How would you seek to improve protections for heritage places in your area?
By preserving what we've got and making sure new development doesn't ruin it.
We rarely see new places added to local heritage listings. Why do you think this is?
Perhaps people think that all heritage has to be old? It doesn't. The benefits of adding more modern things to heritage lists is that it will preserve things for future generations. What is new today will also be old one day, all old things were once new.
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?
We are seeing many new homes go up (often 2 or more per block) with no eves, black roofs and not much garden. This leads to more congestion on small streets due to more cars parked on the street meaning that sometimes emergency vehicles like ambulances can't get down the street. It also increases the temperature of the area which in turn creates more global warming. I would press for even larger block sizes per dwelling, lighter coloured roofs and more environmentally friendly structures. I know that this is State Government's jurisdiction but councils should urge them to act.
What are the impacts of infill development in your area? What changes would you seek in the rules around infill development?
I have highlighted this with my previous answer however I strongly believe that councils should have more say in this matter.
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?
I am not sure if one policy would do it. I think that people should be given more encouragement to preserve what we've got.
How should the community be informed and involved in decisions about new developments?
By informing them of new developments (which often doesn't happen and giving them a say).
Do you think there is adequate tree canopy across your local government area?
No, we need a lot more. We have some great native parks in the hills near Campbelltown and I would like to more native trees and plants along median stripes and verges creating nature corridors into our suburbs which would make our area cooler and bring native birdlife and fauna into the suburbs.
How would you like to see significant and regulated trees in your area protected from removal?
By being stricter on tree removal approvals and not so much caving in to developers.
What involvement should Councils have in decisions about protecting or removing significant and regulated trees?
Councils should stand up more to developers.
What actions would you advocate to slow or mitigate the impacts of climate change in your local government area?
Firstly by increasing our canopy, perhaps even a booklet showing people how to reduce their impact.
What issues are there with traffic and parking in your area?
Higher density housing leads to clogging up of streets.
How could transport options be improved in your area?
More public transport.
What would your top three priorities be for improving planning policy and outcomes in your local government area?
Plant more trees especially native.
More eco-friendly housing.
Less dense new development.