I was campaigning last weekend, door knocking again, when I came across yet another person who was so very, very embittered toward the council. This time is was because of a decision against them that may very easily echo for the rest of their lives. The council had refused to allow them to build a granny flat at the back of their large block for a close family member.
Sometimes a simple refusal is not so simple when it impacts a family in such a cruel manner as this.
I could see this lady was really hurt. I just imagine what would have happened if I had actually been a council representative instead of an outsider campaigning in an election. I could only speak to her good neighbour but I at least got this much of the story.
The only option council offered was to make a formal application to subdivide her property to allow construction of another building. This is a huge step for anyone, not just because of the huge amount of time and cost involved but because it would also seriously reduce the value of her current property. I know that is a debatable point because the subdivided land would be an additional asset but nevertheless deciding to subdivide the family home is a big step and irreversible. It’s not always about money.
To my mind, a council or government should have very minimal control over what people want to do with their own land.
I agree that we can’t allow a complete free for all otherwise we could see 15 caravans on an average block of land rented to dozens of homeless for extortionate rents but on the flipside government can’t be about lording it over the average rate payer and trying to dictate the minutia of their lives.
Is the City of Onkaparinga out of sync with the mood of the people and with the agenda of the state government? Yes, quite possibly yes!
The fact is that state government is aiming to relax rules in regard to approval for granny flats as one way to avert the housing crisis.
I have attached an article from The Advertiser dated 1 October 2023 titled,
Let me make it clear … the lady pictured in this article is not the lady I spoke to. Imogen Deller-Evans is a happy recipient of government initiatives to make it easier to live in granny flats. With a housing crisis and a cost of living crisis this is only common sense and councils have to get on board.
In part this article states;
‘Hundreds more “granny flats” will be available to any South Australian to rent while development rules would be relaxed for backyard buildings, under official plans to tackle the housing crisis.
The state government will on Monday unveil proposed sweeping changes to planning and rental laws for “ancillary” accommodation, such as units, flats and other smaller residences.’
Remember this was written in October 2023, so why are councils so far behind the 8 ball?!
If Imogen Deller-Evans could move into a granny flat then why can’t the lady I saw have her family do the same, without subdividing?
This needs to be addressed now. I also bring up the issue of Tiny Homes. These are a simpler answer to this question. They are small and usually transportable homes on wheels that can be moved but can be connected up to power, water and sewer to provide a quality of life to many people who would otherwise be out of options.
In future I will make another post about people who want granny flats and tiny homes on their properties but who have been targeted ruthlessly by councils imposing huge fines and unleashing their legal firms to drag them through the courts.