GAWLER mayor Karen Redman and Gawler History Team chairman Brian Thom have launched an impassioned defence of Gawler’s heritage, which they say could be under attack from proposed new State Government planning reforms.
The government’s Planning and Design Code will come into full effect from July next year – replacing all existing development plans across South Australia – and, in newly-released documents contained within it, suggests removing specific protections from contributory heritage items.
Ms Redman expressed her concerns in a letter to state planning minister Stephan Knoll last month, where she argued the “propensity for error and loss of an important building and subsequently character and amenity” in Gawler would be greatly  increased, should landowners no longer be required to notify council of planned alterations to contributory items.
According to the Gawler History Team website, some of the 609 contributory items in Gawler include the Willaston Bridge, the former Uniting Church in Willaston, the slate footpath in front of The Exchange hotel, and hundreds of private dwellings located through the township.
“Gawler’s noted for its heritage feel, and I think we should be strident in protecting that as much as possible,” Mr Thom said.
“It would be a crying shame if we didn’t stand up and make our voices heard on this particular issue.”
In order to better preserve contributory items in Gawler, should the reforms be enacted as planned, Gawler Council would need to spend up to $400,000 to have the structures reclassified to be Local Heritage-listed, which would afford them better protection under legislation in the current Development Act.
Speaking to The Bunyip on Friday, Ms Redman said the proposed changes within the Code were “misguided”.
“There was a report that came through the ERD (Environment, Resources and Development) parliamentary committee in April that recommended all the existing contributory items should be included in the new Code, and then from there do your heritage reforms and review the listings in an orderly way,” she said.
“That was common sense advice, but it was ignored.
“Why should local government have to pay up to $400,000 when we’ve already
done that work?
“I think it’s an attack on heritage…and I think that the more people who voice their opposition, at some point I think a really strong government will listen to that.”
The Bunyip sought comment from Mr Knoll’s office, but did not receive a response before deadline.