Dear
Friends and Owners of Unley,
Please enjoy the Summer news with
many varied stories and your feedback. Love your letters, which provide the stories…. Thank
you.
Planning for Growth
Why? We
were asked by the SA Government to plan for 3,440 new dwellings to our existing
17,650 dwellings by 2051. The Unley Council Plan for consultation shows the
capacity across the city to accommodate an increase of over 6,200 new
dwellings. We believe that we shouldn't just be building out and
extending Adelaide forever across our agricultural farmland, our food bowl. Nor should our next generation be
needlessly financially forced to the outer reaches.
Will Unley become unlivable?
Council
unanimously approved “Planning for Growth” for consultation and congratulated
our staff for the work undertaken with us, and this is now for you to consider.
Council has to work within our State Planning Code. Council has sought
progressive changes to the State Planning Code. The Plan recognises that action
is needed and seeks to address our current problems 1. Tree canopy
loss 2. Lack of open Space, and
then much more. 3.4.5.6.7… The Plan aims to support new dwellings that better
accommodate all ages within our community, with opportunities for increased
population, greater housing diversity, local employment, and services.
Will Unley
become unlivable?
If we continue
with current practices, with the current rate of development, then the answer
is yes. 2,750 new dwellings are being added by 2051. An example of current
practice in play is development at 290 Unley Road, which is following all of
the existing rules and practices, and demonstrates why. 290 Unley Road has removed a significant tree, a regulated
tree, and a third tree, as pictured. The new building leaves no space for a
single tree. On hot days, it’s now a radiator, not a cooler! In 2024, we are
still removing two trees for every one planted. An area the size of Unley Oval
is lost each year. Council is planting trees equivalent to 1-1½ Unley Ovals
each year. We run out of plantable Council land in 2028. Then gradually, yes.
Unley will be like the suburbs in Sydney with 10% tree canopy and 55°C days.
Council
Action
Please find
attached the letter that the Council sent to the Minister for Planning seeking
his approval for a 10-year financial incentive tree offset trial.
The Trial: ONLY new developments that increase the built-up area will
either have >15% tree canopy or be required to pay 10% higher rates. I have
also attached letters of support from the other political parties and the
candidates running for the seat of Unley. With Labor in Government, we now
await the Minister’s response to our request.
When discussing
the King William Road north 10-storey code amendment on the corner of King
William Road and Mary Street, we went to the Minister for Planning to advise
that we needed three inclusions for new code amendments, to ensure that Unley
remains liveable, cool, and green. We need more open space!
The three
inclusions, especially if you live next door, are:
1.
30
°angle to the zone boundary, to provide for winter sun and privacy.
2.
>15%
tree canopy cover – our tree canopy offset incentive is needed, or $54M annually to buy
land to plant trees on.
This is more than our rates each year!
3.
That
new development fits in with the City Plan, e.g., considers parking, traffic
congestion, waste, energy, flooding, etc.
I have also attached answers to questions that I have been
asked over the past 7 years about our Plan, and if you have a
new one, your question is very welcome.
Please let my assistant, Amanda, know if your email has changed or if
you wish to be removed from my newsletter email group abates@unley.sa.gov.au.
Focus has invited our Manager for Development and Planning, Don
Donaldson, to share and discuss our “Planning for Growth” on Tuesday, 11th November
at the Unley Community Centre located at 18 Arthur Street.
I hope that Unley’s children and grandchildren will have a liveable,
cool, and green City in the decades to come.
With my best wishes, Michael
Mayor Michael Hewitson AM
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