Mt Barker shaping up as next development hot spot
SUCH is the burgeoning interest in Mount Barker as somewhere to live, work and shop that a grand plan unveiled this week to raise more than $100m to build a European style town plaza, has been categorised as imaginative more than impossible.
SUCH is the burgeoning interest in Mount Barker as somewhere to live, work and shop that a grand plan unveiled this week to raise more than $100 million to build a European style town plaza, has been categorised as imaginative more than impossible.
DomaCom a Melbourne crowd funder, in conjunction with Mt Barker and District Residents’ Association, is behind a scheme to pull in the colossal outlay from the private sector and individuals to create a unique plaza incorporating a hotel, arts centre, conference centre and shops.
The scheme would change the face of Mount Barker said Dianne van Eck, chair of the Residents Association, who is keen to act quickly.
“It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity,” she said. “This would give the town a heart.”
Indeed. The hurdle though, comes courtesy of the central, 12,300sqm lot targeted as the urban utopia and owned by Woolworths. Its value is guessed as around $10 million but therein lies the difficulty. It isn’t for sale. Not yet.
“We are currently assessing the site’s future prospects. Should it be determined to dispose of the site, locally interested parties will be welcomed to participate in a sale process. Woolworths is aware of the local interest in the site,” said a Woolworths spokesperson.
It may or may not happen but is, without question, indicative of a more immediate and widespread realisation that making a life in Mount Barker makes sense on many levels to many people.
And it’s not just a case of recirculating current residents says Steve Weightman, general manager for Metro Property Group, listed as the fourth largest SA builder on the latest Housing Industry association (HIA) building ladder.
“There’s a new influx of people coming in from the northern corridor, 70 to 80 per cent of people buying in Mount Barker (new sites) are homeowners. The Adelaide CBD and expressway are very accessible,” he said.
Metro’s latest project, Minters Fields, two kilometres from Mount Barker town centre and on the flat site of the (relocating) Adelaide Polo Club, has recently received approval for 292 lots across 12 hectares, mainly three and four bed home and land packages says Mr Weightman, with building beginning around February next year.
With $3 billion projects under its belt since starting up just six and a half years ago — including a recent agreement to build 300 new homes in Morphett Vale — Metro Properties clearly has an eye for location and timing.
“Mount Barker all changed with the ministerial rezoning through Paul Holloway, there was a shortage of land before,” said Mr Weightman who says the fundamentals of solid access to debt funding (aided by Metro’s well known board heavyweights David Devine, Luke Hartman and Ken Woodley) has underpinned the speed and solidity of his 30 staff outfit’s rise.
Recent Foreign Investment Review Board tightening on non Australian income streams however is unlikely to threaten the seven major developers, a mix of the local and well known, currently operating in and around Mount Barker.
And private ambition is matched by the public sector.
“Mount Barker is the fastest growing inland city in Australia,” said Mt Barker Council’s head of planning Greg Waller. “We’ll be South Australia’s second biggest city, by population, within 20 years.”
Development has been active since before then Minister Paul Holloway brought in a rezoning overhaul six years ago he said.
“There was already an existing supply of land, it took three or four years for that to be taken up, by Bluestone mostly.
“The information we are getting from developers now is that 50 per cent of people are moving from Adelaide. The drivers are that it’s cost effective and a lifestyle choice, there’s a strong sense of community, it’s very different to the plains.”
Accompanying infrastructure — $2.8 billion investment over 20 years is needed — is a continual challenge with growth said Mr Waller but is changing.
“The Bald Hills Rd interchange on the freeway will be operational by September and will have a big impact on the town, it’s a roundabout as well, not lights,” he said.
Pat Gerace, executive director of the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) SA, is upbeat also.
“Although there was a controversy at the time around rezoning, it has turned out to be fundamentally sound. Land sales are increasing there, 50 per cent of the population moving to Mount Barker are from all over metropolitan Adelaide.
“Rezoned land allows for a greater choice of products. It isn’t a surprise that land sales are increasing. There’s a greater choice for some people to enjoy Mount Barker in a different way, greater density,’ he said.
“A lot of people forget the investment in the South-East freeway. It might have been 20 years ago but that has been critical the success. Anyone who has lived in Adelaide long enough will remember the daily radio reports of problems at Devils’ Elbow.”
Master Builders SA policy and communications director, Russell Emmerson, said that early concerns around the planning process of developing in Mt Barker had been allayed by the demand to live there.
“Even with the level of investment and initiatives aimed at boosting city vibrancy, there is a huge level of interest for the Mt Barker lifestyle. It shows that not everyone wants the city life, so hopefully the new urban growth boundary doesn’t put a road block in place for people wanting to enjoy Mt Barker,” Mr Emmerson said.
“But it goes beyond lifestyle, with demand fuelling investment, new businesses and growth he said.
“This is a growth area rather than a rural retreat. Without those planning changes, it would be difficult to see this level of activity happening — or the jobs that are attached to it.
“It will be good to see how the area balances its increasing urbanisation with its character. Handled well, that could drive greater investment, attention and jobs.”
DEVELOPMENTS AT MT BARKER
Rezoning of rural land to residential via the Ministerial Development Plan Amendment (MDPA) for Mt Barker happened in December 2010 via Minister Paul Holloway.
The Mt Barker Urban Growth Development Plan Amendment (DPA) prescribes urban growth for Mt Barker over the next 20 to 25 years with 1,310 hectares of rural land rezoned for new housing.
Up to 400 lots have been produced to-date with annual builds estimated at 400 to 500 lots from now on.
11,500 new houses and tens of thousands of new residents are estimated eventually in the Mt Barker district with the city of Mt Barker growing to 40,000 people.
There are seven major developmentss around Mt Barker (more than 200 lots each)
1. Amblemead (Connekt Urban Projects).
2. Minters Fields (Metro Property).
3. Aston Hills (Lanser Communities).
4. Springlake.
5. Newenham (Burke Urban).
6. Bluestone (CIC).
7. Gilbert and Axiom joint venture.