Dear Supporter and Concerned Community Member,
Ever since the Liberal Government’s Planning and Design Code came into force in metropolitan Adelaide in March, we have been bracing for a wave of demolitions of our heritage buildings.
The Code has seriously diluted the demolition controls that operated in many Council Development Plans in the metropolitan area. By making it easier to argue for demolition of local heritage places based on the cost of repair, many of our local heritage places will be vulnerable if they have not been adequately maintained.
An early and disturbing example is the 159 year old stone cottage in St Jude Street Willunga (above). Purchased just months ago, the new owner is now seeking permission to demolish the building, arguing that it would cost an “unreasonable” amount to repair salt damp and issues with the foundations.
These matters could readily be addressed with undersetting and salt damp treatment. Neither of these problems are a particularly unusual requirement for buildings of this age.
The fact that under the new planning rules, assessments acquired by the owner can be deemed sufficient to justify demolition shows just what a dangerous state our heritage protection system is now in.
Fortunately, and unusually, there is an opportunity for public comment on this proposal. But you must act quickly.
You can register your opposition to the proposed demolition on the Plan SA website by Wednesday 4 August.
I urge you to make a submission to show your support for preserving this rare and delightful piece of Willunga’s history.
At the very least, please show your support for protecting it from demolition by signing the online petition.
What is the point of our heritage protection system if it creates gaping loopholes that allow places to be demolished on the basis of advice purchased by the person proposing the demolition?
The integrity of our heritage protection system has been fatally undermined by the promotion of private certifiers and the exclusion of councils and communities from decision making processes. Perhaps St Jude Street can be saved, but more than 21 000 state and local heritage places are now at similar risk until the heritage protection provisions in the Planning and Design Code are fixed.
So far, Planning Minister Vickie Chapman has ignored all of the submissions made to her about the need to address these glaring problems in her Planning and Design Code.
The fate of places like St Judes Street will be her legacy.
Thank you for your support
Warren Jones
Convenor, Protect our Heritage Alliance
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Professor Warren Jones AO is the Convenor of the Protect our Heritage Alliance, a coalition of concerned organisations and individuals, working to protect our built and natural environment. GPO Box 2021 Adelaide, SA 5001
Phone: 0419 852 622 Email: convenor@protectourheritage.org.au
www.protectourheritage.org.au Facebook: protectourheritageSA
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