In The News

SA needs to preserve Light's vision to give the growing community the gift of just plain open spaces, writes Rex Jory in The Advertiser.

He says the Adelaide parklands must be preserved, not only for the increasing number of residents but also for the enjoyment of all South Australians. Visionaries are needed to preserve Colonel Light's vision - to give the community the precious gift of just plain open spaces. Cr Plumridge says.

SPRA shares the concerns of Rex Jory that the parklands need to preserved as open spaces for the community to make use of and not be commercialised.

An article titled 'Take this down': govt insists it is listening written by Melissa Mack has appeared in InDaily, reporting on the NIMBY or QUIMBY forum.

There remains unrest about urban sprawl developments in Mount Barker, Buckland Park and Seaford Heights and the recent inner metropolitan DPA has raised concerns about high rise in the inner-metropolitan rim.

Adelaide Now's digital editor, Greg Barila repots on the Chicago Tribune newspaper calling Adelaide one of the world's best-designed cities.

But "the real genius" of the city, Peter Ferry says, is Colonel Light's Square Mile. "Central Adelaide is surrounded by a broad, green belt of parks, gardens and playing fields. "Green space is built around the city rather than the other way around. The pretty villages and suburbs only begin beyond it."

Liam Mannix has asked the question How population-dense is your suburb? in an article for InDaily.

Taking a broader view, it is apparent that the most dense areas of Adelaide are the inner-ring suburbs. ... Even though the city has doubled its population and density in the last decade, inner-city density is still well below the average of the surrounding suburbs.

Campbelltown Council is the latest to push for lower height limits as reported by Emily Griffiths in the East Torrens Messenger.

Elected members voted at this week's meeting to make changes to the council's Residential Development Plan Amendment, which was prepared by the State Government and released for community consultation last October.

SPRA is unsurprised by yet another council has rejected the State Government's push to build "virtual skyscrapers" in suburbia. SPRA encourage Norwood, Payneham & St Peters Council to follow the example and give consideration to the fact that the entire basis for 30 year plan is questionable.

Emma Altschwager reports on her discussion about Resistance to high-density housing in city-fringe suburbs being a natural and warranted response with Wendy Sarkissian in the Eastern Courier.

Emma Altschwager reports that Vickie Chapman says Liberals will review State Government population growth predictions as part of 30-Year Plan. The article has been published in the Eastern Courier.

Opposition planning spokeswoman Vickie Chapman has stopped short of promising a Liberal government would dump high-rise apartment plans.

In Letters to the Editor on 29-Mar-2013, under the title "Rushed Vision", is a letter from JOHN BRIDGLAND of North Adelaide in which appears the following quotes:

IT was refreshing to read Local Government Association president Kym McHugh's views about the 30-Year Plan for Greater Adelaide (The Advertiser, 15/3/13). He said it was "developed in isolation from the community and a draft document launched on the public that had missed the start of the conversation".

Far from considering any rethink on this deeply flawed 30-Year Plan, his Government wants to change the planning system to comply with what is, in effect, a Property Council wish-list. Communities will need to speak with one voice - this plan is a problem, not a solution.