Save Our Suburbs (Vic)

THE RESIDENTS' BILL OF RIGHTS

The processes of planning and government frequently operate to serve interests other than those of the individual who is affected by them.

These interests are usually to do with economic development, rationalisation of resources, creation of desired forms of development, and maximising profits or employment in the development industry.

Such goals are valid only to the extent that they reflect the aims of the commonality of people, and that they respect the rights of individuals. We therefore assert:

1. That the government of residential areas must be in the hands of democratically elected local representatives, and must be administered for the common good of constituents, without interference from other levels of government except in matters of national or general public interest
   
2. That where intervention by higher levels of government is or purports to be in the public interest, the nature of that interest must be made explicit.
   
3. That any intervention by higher levels of government in individual localities must so far as possible be by way of inducements to cooperate in the desired goals, rather than by way of compulsion.
   
4. That no citizen may be deprived of property or property rights except by negotiated agreement or for reasons of overriding public interest and upon the payment of full and fair compensation.
   
5. That property rights include the enjoyment of amenity in the form of privacy, daylight, views, accessibility, public and common space, and a compatible environment in terms of both built form and vegetation. These characteristics may change in an evolutionary way over a period of time, but they must not be significantly changed in any short period or in order to benefit any specific individual unless by agreement with all those affected.
   
6. That any development must pay to the community (usually through the relevant government instrumentality) a due proportion of the value of the existing infrastructure and the whole cost of any improvement or extension of the infrastructure necessitated by and attributable to that development.
   
7. That property owners and residents must be given full information and full opportunity to comment upon or to appeal against any development proposal which they believe to affect them.
   
8. That property owners and residents must not be put to expense or to undue labour or worry as a result of development proposals by others. All bona fide costs arising from the consideration of development proposals must be borne by the initiators of the proposals.
   
9. That all developments in a given area must be subject to the same constraints in terms of built form and amenity. Single houses, multi-unit developments, apartment blocks and non-residential uses must all be subject to the same controls.
   
10. That the process of approvals and appeals in relation to development proposals must be speedy, equitable, consistent and readily understandable.