Jason Grain

2022 candidate for Light Regional Council.
Heritage survey responses.

1. Do you think that Councils and community members need to have a greater voice in planning and development decisions affecting their local area?
   As a very general answer, yes. More transparency across the board so that community can have a greater chance being involved and a part of decision making.

2. What role should Councils play in protecting local heritage places from demolition or inappropriate development?
   I believe local councils should be at the fore front in protecting local heritage places from destruction in their region, greater control but also a more informed approach into how heritage listed spaces can be cared for and repaired, heritage listed spaces can be a nightmare to repair and upkeep, governing bodies on how these local heritage places are looked after should also make it a lot easier on councils to do what is right and assist without so many barriers.

3. How would you seek to improve protections for heritage places in your area?
   In my local area, Light regional council do a good job in protecting heritage places, there is always room for improvement. I personally think easier communication between council and heritage bodies will improve it further.

4. We rarely see new places added to local heritage listings. Why do you think this is?
   Obviously adding properties/places to heritage listing is important because it preserves our history. My only thought on why more places arent listed is that possibly they are privately owned, so i would imagine listing from there would be more difficult.

5. How has the Planning and Design Code impacted on the heritage, amenity, and environment of your area? What changes would you seek to the Code?
   I havent delved deep enough into the codes to comment

6. What are the impacts of infill development in your area? What changes would you seek in the rules around infill development?
   In Light infill developments arent yet having a large impact on our region, but i do feel as a general rule urban sprawl and encroaching on every spare space in a township is wrong, i believe we should have greater control and more green spaces. I believe every infill development of a certain size should include these green spaces, tree planting, etc and minimise the changes on surrounding areas by designing the development so that they cause the least visual impact

7. Construction of new housing typically uses 30% labour and 70% materials. Renovation of existing housing stock typically uses 70% labour and 30% materials. What policy changes would you like to see made to encourage people to renovate, rather than demolish and build anew?
   Hard question because i believe we just need more housing, the lack of rentals and lack of properties available means we have to build, but yes makes sense to renovate rather than build new, but whilst it is harder through planning etc to renovate than build new nothing will change.

8. How should the community be informed and involved in decisions about new developments?
   I believe as it is now, council do a good job of consulting community about new developments, but greater transparency will always improve this. And how we get information out to community can be improved, less searching on council pages, maybe spread on social media these larger decisions

9. Do you think there is adequate tree canopy across your local government area?
   No. And i am an advocate for more tree planting

10. How would you like to see significant and regulated trees in your area protected from removal?
    I think we should use the same system as loggers in Alaska use, a certain species, a certain measured size, location they wont touch them, should be the same here.

11. What involvement should Councils have in decisions about protecting or removing significant and regulated trees?
    Unless council has specific training in this, they shouldnt be involved it should be a specific giverning body that dictates what can or cant be protected or removed

12. What actions would you advocate to slow or mitigate the impacts of climate change in your local government area?
    I personally feel the big issue right now is environmental issues, pollution in our waterways, in the sea, dumping, rubbish constantly being put into landfill, minimal recycling, all of these should be tackled. I think we should certainly plant more trees and carbon offset all developments also heading in the right direction with battery cars, i think we should be aware though that battery recycling of the scale needed for country wide car batteries is a big concern to me, i think we will end up with problem with not being able to 100% recycle these batteries.

13. What issues are there with traffic and parking in your area?
    Being a rural area we dont have the same issues as metropolitan but we are getting busier. Parking will continue to be a problem in town centres dusring busy periods, also pushing to remove heavy vehicles out of townships.

14. How could transport options be improved in your area?
    Webseriously lack public transport options in our area and i will push for more.

15. What would your top three priorities be for improving planning policy and outcomes in your local government area?