Mayor4Unley

Unley Council will tonight approve a high rise aged care facility in Everard Park. This is despite spending ~ $20,000 on public consultation and then ignoring the wishes of the local residents. People are asking ‘why did they ask us when they are now ignoring us’. At a committee meeting on 16 March 2020, there was a lacklustre debate on the matter. The motion to approve was moved by Cr Don Palmer and seconded by Cr Jennie Boisvert. The 2 councillors for the Goodwood area (Emma Wright and Nicole Sheehan) voted for the high rise. The Mayor Michael Hewitson voted for the high rise. He liked the idea that there would be a few trees. He also praised the work of Council to get the matter resolved. And then he blamed the Planning Minister (in advance) if there there is any height increase. A couple of other councillors spoke. The sad thing is that much of the debate mentioned councillors’ nanas (grandmas) and elderly relatives who had spent time in aged care facilities and high ris...

Tonight is decision day at Unley Council for the mega high rise aged care facility in Everard Park. Whispers from some councillors is that there will probably be approval for an upper limit of 4 storey instead of 5 storey. The only commonsense decision would be a limit of 3 storey on Norman Terrace and 1 storey on Fourth and Ross Streets  ✅ But will there be a commonsense decision? I suspect not!  ❌ Tonight’s decision who help me determine who to vote for at the next election  ✅ That’s how it works. The sad thing is that this huge development would not be allowed in central Unley or further east. But in the west it’s ok to muck up the area. Maybe I will be pleasantly surprised by the decision, but the whispers are strong. I really doubt that #Unley Council will do what the local residents have said in their feedback. The Council can not go against the wishes of the residents.

Unley Council has lost its way and understanding of the community in supporting a 5 storey development of Life Care aged facility on Norman Terrace, Everard Park. Mayor Michael Hewitson should not have supported this proposal to go ahead. It should have been reduced to 3 storey before going out for public consultation. Within days of the recent public meeting (attended by 100 residents) one family in Ross Street has put their home up for sale. They moved into a quiet street and don’t want to be confronted with a 2 storey building across the road, rising to 5 storey on Norman Terrace. Word on the street (and from a couple of councillors) is that #Unley will vote for the 5 storey on Norman, tapering down to 2 storey on Fourth and Ross. The only acceptable proposal is 3 storey on Norman and 1 storey on Fourth and Ross Street ✅ Will Unley Council truly listen to the locals and enact their wishes? I bet you a Bob that they don’t. It’s a bit of an irony that at the sam...

The State Government has commenced public consultation on the proposed Kaufland mega supermarket on Anzac Highway @ Everard Park/Forestville. However, the catch is that only residents (and businesses) within 60m of the development may formally comment. This is totally outrageous. So many residents who will be impacted can not have a say. I would have thought that the new Liberal Government would have quickly changed the State planning process. This consultation is a joke #saparli. This development has the potential to severely impact residents over a wide radius, especially to the south in all the side streets off Leader Street. There must be a rigorous independent traffic management plan before approval is granted. The high volume of vehicle movements at this site warrants the traffic study. Residents are encouraged to meet with those living within 60m and pass on their concerns which may then be formally submitted. You may also pass on your concerns to me and I will ende...

Last night I attended the Unley FOCUS meeting. I was accompanied by Unley Councillors Peter Hughes and Rufus Salaman. All (but one) of the candidates for the SA seat of Unley were there to give a talk and respond to questions. I scored the candidates and rated their worth to represent us in Unley. The candidates ranged from good to bad to absolutely woeful. One was just so bad; with totally outrageous comments; a racist pun didn't go down well. It was a good evening to assess the candidates. It's a pity that the average voter won't get to see their party's candidate in the candid light that we experienced. Three of the candidates did a bit of Council bashing; two quite heavily. They obviously had no idea of where State Government funding (and involvement) ended and Council involvement started; all rather sad. Councillor Salaman asked a couple of heated questions of one of the candidates. I asked the last question of the night viz. "Will you run...

A high speed train service from Mount Barker to Adelaide is emerging as a strong promise in the campaigns for the SA state Election. And so it should be. It's long overdue. There's no point in building satellite cities without provision of decent public transport. Having a bus service is not adequate; especially through the hills. Experts are forecasting an express service of 20 minutes between Mount Barker and Adelaide. What will be required, and there has been no mention, is huge land acquisition along the Belair line, from Adelaide to Belair and then on to Mount Barker. Currently there is is single track to service the Belair route. Work is expected to commence in mid 2019. Or will it? The only way to avoid the huge land acquisition is to build the detour for the freight trains at Murray Bridge and then use the old freight train rail corridor to build new dual rail lines from Adelaide to Mount Barker (and beyond). A tip to Premier-to-be Jay, Nick and St...

I was approached by a trader at the Black Forest shops. It seems that residents and traders are alarmed by local gossip about the proposed development of a childcare centre on the corner of Byron Road and South Road @ Black Forest. According to the gossip: A childcare centre is to be built on the 2 blocks on the South Road/Byron Road corner. Unley Council will be closing Byron Road at the intersection with South Road. Total nonsense! I explained to the trader that Council would never consider closing Byron Road to enable a development. It's just uninformed gossip. As to the proposed childcare centre, my only comment is that there must be onsite parking for parents delivering and collecting children. I suspect that the main entrance will be via Byron Road; it is unlikely that DPTI would allow access from South Road. So to the residents of Black Forest I say: trust me, Byron Road will not be closed. #Unley

The community consultation on the new grandstand @ Goodwood Oval has commenced. Unley Council had sent letters to local residents and information has been placed on Council’s website. Also information is available at council facilities.  Public notices will also be placed in the Eastern Courier and at the oval.   Have your say about the new grandstand This consultation is open to all residents in Unley. The consultation will close on Friday 16 March. A report will be presented to Council in April.

Breaking news ... Germany’s Kaufland buys Le Cornu site, Forestville, for $25m to set up giant 20,000sq m supermarket. Wow. That's huge and will probably fill the whole Le Cornu site. Kaufland builds mega supermarkets that are typically 4-5 times the size of a Coles or Woolworths store. A positive outcome is that there won't be an 8 storey building (or will there be apartments above?). A negative outcome is the huge influx of cars bringing shoppers. The traffic impact on local streets will be heavy. Read more ...

On Monday 25 September 2017 I moved the following motion at Unley Council. That: The City of Unley Council writes to the Minister for Planning and expresses its concern about the lack of consultation by DPTI with the local community about the proposed Inner & Middle Metropolitan Corridors (Sites) Ministerial DPA, and particularly for the site comprising 12 to 30 Anzac Highway and 6 to 14 Third Avenue, Everard Park between KFC and Solver Paints on Anzac Highway and extending through to the local minor residential street at the rear in Third Avenue, Forestville. Why? Outraged locals in Forestville and Everard Park, especially in Grove Avenue about zero consultation by the Minister for Planning with regard to the mega development on this site. Locals only learnt about the proposal in a recent newspaper article. I would hope that when the Minister gets a letter of concern from Unley Council, he will undertake further consultation with the Everard Park and Forestville residents. ...

At the Unley Council meeting held on 27 March 217, Councillor Jennie Boisvert had a question on notice regarding costs associated with an investigation into high-rise apartments on the Unley Village Green. There had been limited expenditure, other than a trip by Elected Members to Lane Cove (Sydney). Here's part of the answer provided ... $4,595 paid for airfares and approximately $1,000 for associated costs related to the Elected Member tour to Lane Cove to view and hear first-hand how that Council has utilised its land holdings to facilitate development in the Lane Cove Council area. ( Councillors Boisvert, Palmer, Koumi, Hughes, Hewitson, Rabbitt, Lapidge, Salaman and Smolucha attended with two General Managers, Berghuis and Litchfield.) For the record, those who didn't visit Lane Cove are: Mayor Lachlan Clyne Councillor Bob Schnell Councillor Mike Hudson Councillor Rob Sangster


The Unley Central DPA was finally debated and determined by Unley Council on Thursday 30 March 2017. The minutes record the outcome of each motion and amendment and how individual Councillors voted. It makes interesting reading. Here’s a link to the minutes followed by a copy of the minutes. http://www.unley.sa.gov.au/CityOfUnley/media/CoU-Media-Library/Agendas-Minutes/Full-Council/Council-Minutes-30-March-2017.pdf?ext=.pdf Minutes of the Corporation of the City of Unley  Council Meeting Held Thursday 30 March 2017 at 7.00 pm Council Chambers 181 Unley Road Unley PRESENT Mayor Lachlan Clyne – Presiding Member Deputy Mayor, Don Palmer Councillors M Rabbitt R Sangster A Lapidge P Hughes J Koumi M Hudson B Schnell L Smolucha J Boisvert OFFICERS PRESENT Chief Executive Officer, Mr P Tsokas General Manager City Services, Ms M Berghuis General Manager City Development, Mr J Devine General Manager Business & Service Improvement, Ms N Tinn...