Fasham- Johnson Pty Ltd

Let’s imagine a street where all of the households are traditional families. You know what I mean; Mum, Dad, two children and Max the dog. And letʼs say all the Dads are business executives. And letʼs say that all these men favour dark suits and blue ties for their office attire. Now, hereʼs a question. If the man at number 10 wishes to wear a burgundy tie to work, should he first have to get the permission of all his neighbours? Now, I am as offended as the next person by those absurd suburban castles shown in the media. They should never have been designed, let alone built. Secondly, I believe that the distinctiveness of a number of truly remarkable suburban streetscapes around our city (several in Surrey Hills come to mind) is utterly worthy of preservation. But surely it is not beyond the wit and resolve of planning authorities to find a way to achieve these goals, without having to resort to rules so restrictive that individual choice for a single-storey home comes under threat. A set of rules that will make home-site owners dependent upon the narrow interpretations of town planners and the arbitrary whims and tastes of neighbours. A set of rules that allows someone to say, in effect, you may not wear a burgundy tie because I prefer blue.