The St Peters Residents Association (SPRA) has, in recent years, repeatedly expressed strong concerns at the financial position of the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters, particularly in relation to decisions made regarding the Payneham Memorial Swimming Centre (PMSC).

We again wish to express our anger at Council’s resulting debt position and the significant impact this is having on ratepayers due to the unacceptable level of rates now required to fund Council borrowings, mostly for the Swimming Centre. We implore residents to provide feedback.

While the overall rate revenue increase proposed is 8.5%, this will equate to a substantial 9.49% residential rate increase well over the large 7.44% for the previous year. The Residential Rate increase is over three times the 3.0% CPI used in the LTFP. In many cases the rates will be higher and could reach the maximum cap of 17.0%. Some residents will face an effective rate rise of 36.89% over two years!

The SPRA committee unanimously supports Counsellor Piggott’s motion. While the artwork cost is less than 1% of rate revenue, it is still a very significant $300,000. Your decision not to install the next quadrennial artwork during this term of Council will demonstrate to the community the financial responsibility of Council.

We do not want our Council to be in the same situation as the North Sydney Council, where the ABC recently reported that rates will rise by 87% over the next 2 years, in part due to that Council’s $90m swimming pool redevelopment.

SPRA would like to comment councillors Piggott, Moorhouse, McFarlane & Simms for voting in support of the motion to reduce council debt.

There are several changes that are proposed in the Draft Accommodation Diversity Code Amendment, and the St Peters Residents Association Inc (SPRA) would like the following comments to be taken into consideration.

SPRA considers that the scale of development envisaged in the policies proposed is significantly at odds with existing and desired character across much of our residential suburbs, particularly in Character Overlay, Historic Overlay and Heritage Place Overlay areas. SPRA submits that the maximum building height in the overlay be reduced to three storeys for sites between 10,0002 and 20,000m2 and four levels for sites exceeding 20,000m2.
We are told by the retirement development industry that older people wish to age in their own communities. This may be true. But we are sure that older people do not wish to bulldoze and trash their communities in the process.

In 2022 Council endorsed the Built Heritage Strategy 2022-2027.

The Strategy includes the installation of Heritage Plaques on Local Heritage Places in the Council area. (Page 16 Item 1.2.2).

As far as this Association is aware no Heritage Plaques have been installed on any Local Heritage Place since the adoption of the policy 3 years ago. That means a deficit of at least 18 plaques.

SPRA would appreciate your suggestions of buildings that are deserving of a plaque.

The St Peters Residents Association has organised a meet the candidates forum at 7pm on Wednesday 12th of March at the St Peters Banquet Hall, St Peters Street, St Peters for the voters in the seat of Sturt.

An invitation has been extended to those who have announced their candidacy. The following candidates have confirmed their attendance. The candidates will speak in a randomly allocated order.

• Dr Verity Cooper, Independent
• Claire Clutterham, Labor
• Katie McCusker, Greens
• Chris Schmidt, Independent
• James Stephens, Liberal

Each candidate will have to address issues of local concern such as loss of amenity, high rise development and urban infill.

Please share the facebook event.

St Peters Residents Association 2025 Annual General Meeting

To be held at 6:15pm Wednesday 12 March
St Peters Banquet Hall
St Peters Street, St Peters

The 2025 SPRA Annual General Meeting will be held prior to the Town Hall Candidates Forum.

It will be very short!

This is the December 2024 newsletter for the St Peters Residents Association, representing the Residents of St Peters, College Park, Hackney, Stepney, Maylands, Evandale & Joslin.

Items that we hope you will find of interest include: -

• SPRA Membership Now Due
• Ninth Avenue Christmas Lights
• Recent SPRA Submissions
• Remembrance Day Second World War Plaque Unveiling
• NPSP = No Pretty Stobie Poles
• Linde Reserve Sculptue Stolen for the Second Time
• River Torrens Linear Path Lighting
• Adelaide Caravan Park Redevelopment
• Community Alliance Forum with Nick Champion
• Facebook Page

SPRA has written to Council to seek clarification and urge action regarding a proposed pedestrian crossing on Ann Street Stepney.

About four years ago Council circulated Stepney residents following concerns posed for pedestrian safety by traffic traversing Ann Street in the vicinity of the Avenues Shopping Centre. We understand many residents responded, requesting that traffic in Ann Street be restricted to one-way or part one-way access. To date, nothing has resulted from that survey.

Stobie poles are a uniquely South Australian invention, and a distinct part of our local streets. Designed by James Stobie in 1924, these concrete and steel poles have stood the test of time.

South Australian Power Network (SAPN) celebrates residents and artists transforming their infrastructure into vibrant public artworks. Unfortunately, our opportunity to participate in this creative process in NPSP has stalled.

In last week of December, Aspen Group, the owners of the Adelaide Caravan Park on Richmond Street Hackney lodged plans for a $70m complete redevelopment of the present caravan park. The 1.4 hectare site is roughly triangular and bounded by Richmond Street, Twelftree Reserve, the River Torrens and Old Mill Park Reserve.