Scott Rouse

2022 candidate for City of Mitcham.
Heritage survey responses.

Do you think that Councils and community members need to have a greater voice in planning and development decisions affecting their local area?
Yes, but these should be fixed for 10 years so they are unable to be changed on the subjective whim of a particular council.
What role should Councils play in protecting local heritage places from demolition or inappropriate development?
Theu shouldn't have to play a role. Once a place has been placed on a state or national heritage register, it should not be able to be touched.
How would you seek to improve protections for heritage places in your area?
Lobby state amd federal government to bolster and enforce protections for places of heritage significance.
We rarely see new places added to local heritage listings. Why do you think this is?
Significance is subjective, and the past two generations have not added much of significance to the architecture or culture of our current society.
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?
It has placed some outdated restrictions on some building development, and completely destroyed the amenity and environment of other areas by overly dense subdivision.
What are the impacts of infill development in your area? What changes would you seek in the rules around infill development?
Allotments have been made significantly smaller than the surrounding residential Allotments which detracts from the spacious and leafy lifestyle most of us moved here to appreciate.
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?
None. Some older houses are poorly designed eyesores on the landscape.
How should the community be informed and involved in decisions about new developments?
There is plenty of opportunity for the community to respond to development applications at present.
Do you think there is adequate tree canopy across your local government area?
Yes, but it is diminishing rapidly
How would you like to see significant and regulated trees in your area protected from removal?
That is very difficult to keep a register of such trees and to police it even more difficult without community reporting.
What involvement should Councils have in decisions about protecting or removing significant and regulated trees?
They have sufficient involvement through development application at present.
What actions would you advocate to slow or mitigate the impacts of climate change in your local government area?
Advocate for public transport improvements across the city. Improve major traffic congesting areas to reduce fuel consumption. Reduce air conditioning use in government buildings by use of fresh air flow and passive building design. Advocate for government rebates to stamp duties applied commensurate with building energy efficiency ratings.
What issues are there with traffic and parking in your area?
Extensive issues around Blackwood roundabout, Fullarton Rd, and the bottle necks at the bottom of both Belair and Old Belair Rds.
How could transport options be improved in your area?
Large scale plan to commercialise the Blackwood business precinct, dramatically imrpvie pedestrian access within this precinct, and move traffic away from Blackwood roundabout by creating through traffic diversions into adjacent streets. This is a big picture plan that requires state and federal government funding.
What would your top three priorities be for improving planning policy and outcomes in your local government area?
Improve road network and redundancy for the direct route to the CBD
Improve kerbs and gutters to better manage stormwater run-off.
Rezoning of Blackwood properties to align to the big picture plan of creating an 'island village' which is pedestrian focused.