New SA Liberal policy forces apartment developers to build on main road before side streets
APARTMENT developers who own blocks facing both a main road and a side street would not be allowed to construct tall buildings only on the side street under a new Liberal Party policy.
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APARTMENT developers who own blocks facing both a main road and a side street would not be allowed to construct tall buildings only on the side street under a new Liberal Party policy.
The party’s MPs supported the proposal put forward by Member for Adelaide Rachel Sanderson at a meeting on Monday.
Ms Sanderson will speak about the new policy at a Prospect Council rezoning meeting tonight.
“People move to Prospect for the large blocks, sandstone homes, beautiful streets – they don’t expect apartment developments in their streets,” Ms Sanderson told The City.
The council is reviewing its urban corridor policy, under which developments of up to five storeys have sprouted up along Churchill and Prospect roads since it was passed four years ago.
The issue with side street developments came to light because the owner of adjoining blocks on Prospect Rd and Richman Ave developed the one facing Richman Ave as apartments last year, leaving the one facing Prospect Rd as a tyre shop.
Richman Ave residents say the units have caused parking and traffic issues in their street.
“It’s inappropriate development for a side street because of the overshadowing, lack of parking and congestion in side streets – it affects the whole neighbourhood,” Ms Sanderson said yesterday.
She said there were about 90 side-street blocks in urban corridor zones in Prospect, and probably many others in suburbs outside her electorate.
She was unsure if the policy would require changes to legislation, regulations or zoning.
Prospect Mayor David O’Loughlin said there were “very few circumstances where that condition applies”.
“It won’t be 90, I can tell you that,” Mr O’Loughlin, a former Labor state candidate, said.
Planning Minister John Rau said the State Government was already addressing concerns about apartment design through a development plan amendment.
“The alternative Liberal policy, if you could call it that, is simplistic and does not seek to achieve good design,” Mr Rau, who also represents parts of Prospect, said.
“It only tries to shove poor design elsewhere.”