House of Assembly Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1) 54 1 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Answers to Questions Heritage Protection Heritage Protection The Hon. A. PICCOLO House of Assembly Light Heritage Protection 1416 The Hon. A. PICCOLO (Light) (24 September 2019). Will existing demolition protections for contributory items, applicable under the state's development plans, be retained in the transition to the Planning and Design Code? The Hon. S.K. KNOLL House of Assembly Schubert Minister for Transport Minister for Planning Heritage Protection The Hon. S.K. KNOLL (Schubert—Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government, Minister for Planning): I have been advised the following: Of the 68 councils across the state, 25 have contributory items; however, there are vast differences in demolition and public notification policies. There are also an additional 14 councils with historic areas which do not have contributory items within them. Under the current system only two councils identify demolition of a contributory item as noncomplying being The Town of Gawler and Clare and Gilbert Valleys Council—noting also this is not applicable to all contributory items in either development plan. All other councils (23 of 25) assess applications for demolition of contributory items on merit. While contributory items are not proposed in the new system as individual listings, it does not mean they will have no protection. Demolition in the proposed historic area overlay will be performance assessed development, which is akin to the on merit assessment process in the current system. As such, demolition cannot be approved without proper assessment. The historic area overlay will ensure existing historic areas and contributory items within are subject to a consistent assessment process and the same level of protection, ensuring equity and fairness for land owners regardless of where they live. Applications proposing to demolish a building/structure will be assessed using a single set of criteria including: the building's historic characteristics the contribution the building makes to the historic character of the streetscape the structural integrity/condition and the ability to economically restore. The overlay will also help to ensure places which are not currently contributory items are redeveloped over time in a way which is sympathetic to the area they are located in, having consideration to heritage values and streetscape characteristics.