South Australia is taking a nation-leading, innovative approach to avoid the greenfield development mistakes of the past.

The Malinauskas Labor Government has developed a new greenfield development process, supported by a Statewide Infrastructure Scheme Coordination Committee to be appointed by the Chief Executive in the coming weeks.

A key initiative from the Housing Roadmap, the new Infrastructure Scheme will ensure greenfield developments are delivered faster, with the necessary infrastructure in place to support new communities.

An Infrastructure Scheme will be implemented for the first time in Murray Bridge to ensure the appropriate level of infrastructure planning is in place for three neighbouring developments.

The Murray Bridge greenfield development, totalling 113 hectares across three parcels of land, is expected to deliver up to 1000 new homes.

The Infrastructure Scheme will create a clear and consistent delivery mechanism for the Murray Bridge sites given that all three precincts have highly fragmented land ownership.

Instead of multiple developers negotiating to coordinate and deliver community infrastructure, the new committee will be the overarching decision-maker to set clear guidelines and coordinate infrastructure delivery.

The Infrastructure Scheme oversee the construction of:

• Roads, intersections and bridges
• Stormwater management infrastructure including culverts and detention basins
• Drains and earthworks connected with infrastructure
• Water, sewerage and electrical infrastructure
• Communications networks

This will prevent problems previously encountered in areas of Angle Vale and Mount Barker, where trunk infrastructure such as roads and stormwater either varied from development to development, or were not installed at all.

This Infrastructure Scheme mechanism is unique to South Australia and has the necessary elements required to deliver well-planned growth areas that are underpinned by infrastructure commitments.

It will also ensure developers contribute equitably to the growth area’s common infrastructure.

Once successfully rolled out in Murray Bridge, additional Infrastructure Schemes will be used at the Concordia and Sellicks Beach greenfield developments, speeding up the construction of a further 11,700 homes.

Quotes

Attributable to Nick Champion

This new measure aims to prevent the problems we have seen in Angle Vale and Mount Barker where critical infrastructure was left uncoordinated and underfunded.

These Murray Bridge growth areas will be the first ever instance of the new Infrastructure Scheme, providing a coordinated and planned approach to this housing development.

This is an important first step towards a faster, better coordinated, and more efficient system that supports proper development outcomes for new communities.

This government is committed to finding innovative, nation-leading solutions that will get South Australians into well-built and affordable homes, sooner.

Attributable to Mayor Wayne Thorley, Rural City of Murray Bridge

We are actively preparing for the growth of our regional city.

We’re enthusiastic about the State Government’s Housing Roadmap and are working in close partnership with the Government to ensure community infrastructure and wellbeing responsibilities are clear and delivered.

Attributable to Heather Barclay, CEO Rural City of Murray Bridge

We eagerly partnered with the State Government to design and pilot the Basic Infrastructure Scheme which, alongside the Murray Bridge Residential Growth Areas Code Amendment, will unlock significant land for affordable housing.

This Council has a strong record in driving advances in growth planning including the development of a Community Infrastructure Model, a strategic tool used to determine priorities and investment for infrastructure upgrades based on forecasted growth within the Rural City of Murray Bridge.