Planning and Design Code reforms could lead to smaller blocks and higher density housing in historic Adelaide suburbs

Smaller housing blocks, shops allowed in quiet suburban streets, and lack of privacy. This is what councils are warning could come to a neighbourhood near you under a massive planning shake-up. Would you be even unhappier that you never got told about this and woke up to find the bulldozer moving in? Or would you be comfortable if a neighbour in your quiet historical street was allowed to convert their house into a shop? Adelaide councils are warning their residents that is what could happen under what the State Government has described as “generational” reforms of the state’s planning system with the rollout of a single Planning and Design Code governing development in this state. This will guide everything from size of blocks, setbacks, building heights to whether or not you get the right to be told if someone will be building next door. Consultation on the code – a draft 3000-page document to replace all 72 council development plans – closes this Friday and councils are worried residents are largely in the dark of what may be coming to their suburb. The code was instigated by the Labor government to contain new housing growth to existing suburbs, provide greater diversity of housing and curb urban sprawl. What is causing significant concern to councils is rezoning of large areas, some in historic areas, to allow for smaller blocks and higher density development. Some suburbs will see negligible change from current council planning controls but others could see blocks as small as 140 sqm – or the size of a tennis court – allowed in their areas. Among those are Ashford, Black Forest, Kurralta Park, Mile End, Torrensville, Semaphore Park, Ridleyton and West Lakes. Blue-chip suburbs Beulah Park and Kensington Park in Adelaide’s east would also be opened up for more intense development. Houses built closer to neighbours, less privacy, large shopping centres in suburban streets, increased tree removals and greater parking congestion have also been aired as potential consequences of the draft reforms. Planning Minister Stephan Knoll has agreed to delay the code’s rollout by at least three months to September this year amid concern that the draft document is riddled with errors, confusing and that the consultation process has been ham-fisted. Cracks have also appeared within his department with members of a team rolling out an e-planning system jumping ship. The code’s intent of streamlining planning policies to unlock investment, speed up approval times and improve quality of housing design has merit. It takes a brave government to reform planning given the depth of feeling within communities when they feel the character of their community may be under threat. But what appears to be lacking at the moment is a trust in the process and the Government’s justification for many of the potentially transformative policies.