Information Sessions & Scaremongering

On Wednesday 20th February Council held two briefings for residents in the Banquet Hall in the St. Peters Town Hall complex. Both sessions were well attended. Council's chief planner Carlos Buzzetti told residents that there were a range of constraints on properties being redeveloped. Development applications had to satisfy Council on a number of criteria before approval would be given to build any multi-storey apartments. Council's Manager of Urban Planning and Sustainability Eleanor Walters outlined the proposed new zones - Character Zone, residential Mixed Character Zone and Residential zone. Another planner Katherine Clausen repeated the message about the constraints on new developments being approved," said Ms. Evonne Moore spokeswoman for the St. Peters Residents Association.

"Residents asked questions of council planners on a range of issues of concern, with building heights, density and negative impacts on the established character of residential areas being major issues of concern. Unfortunately, the acoustics of the Banquet Hall were appalling. It was difficult to hear the all the questions residents were asking the planners. Councillors John Frogley and Isaac Pasalidis for the St. Peters Ward and Councillor Carlo Dottore for the Payneham Ward attended.

"The briefing in the Payneham Library on Thursday night 21st February was informative. Planners spoke about the Residential Mixed Character Zone not existing in any other area. So our Council is unique in developing the criteria for this Zone. Carlos Buzzetti spoke about 4-storey flats being unlikely to occur on a large scale. Again the planners stressed the constraints on new development. For example new development on The Parade Norwood has been allowed to be 3-storeys for years but this street has largely remained 2-storey. Carlos also spoke about "misinformation" and "scaremongering" in the community," she said

"In the Residential Mixed Character Zone 4-storey flats will be mostly on main roads, we were told, and only in areas where there was no predominance of pre-1940s dwellings. 3-storey flats can only be built on the northern side of Payneham Road and Nelson Street. In the Residential Zone, which is targetted for most of the medium dense development, proximity to open space, public transport and/or an activity centre are crucial, said Carlos. The planner Katherine said that it was mostly people affected by the proposed Residential Zone who were present that evening. Katherine listed all the factors new development applications had to satisfy to gain approval.

"The St. Peters Residents Association is proud to have letterboxed residents in areas affected by the proposed rezoning. We strongly reject any suggestion that we have been "scaremongering". Four-storey flats will take over some streets in the proposed rezoned areas. There is no doubt about that. We have done Council's work for it by informing residents", she added.

further information: Evonne Moore telephone 8362 1152