Mount Barker Council considers development freeze to force funding for Heysen Blvd

Housing developments are booming Mount Barker but there a huge number of road and infrastructure projects that need to be completed to support the growth. See the list of projects.

Mount Barker Council is is threatening to freeze developments as the town’s booming population pushes its infrastructure to capacity.

Council staff want action on an inadequate road system, including a vital connector road which has been under construction in piecemeal fashion since 2014.

Neither the Liberals or Labor have committed to funding the completion of Heysen Blvd, despite calls for assistance from the council, which is seeking $65m to finish the developer-led project.

Both political parties are also refusing to commit to a ministerial deed signed in 2012, which identified 38 road-related projects in the area. As at February 2022, only 13 of the 38 projects have been fully or partially completed, despite Mt Barker welcoming almost 8000 new residents since 2010.

A further 40,000 residents are expected to call the town home by 2036, with council staff approving 1000 homes annually.

Mt Barker mayor Ann Ferguson said the council was left with no other option but to seek legal advice on a freeze to allow the roads to catch up with development.

“It beggars belief that after four years of pleas from council … the state government has been unable to commit to any position on delivering the remainder of the critical connector road in Mt Barker to service our rapid population growth,” Ms Ferguson said.

“Council’s position is that any planning authority must consider orderly development principles when assessing applications. An ongoing failure of the connector road to work in the way it is intended may impact on the ability of a relevant authority to continue to support the creation of new allotments in the Mount Barker growth area.

“We are seeking independent expert advice on this matter for council to consider.”

Only about 50 per cent of the Heysen Boulevard has been completed so far, despite construction having been under way since 2014. Source: Mt Barker District Council

The Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Corey Wingard said it was his understanding that the council itself would fund the completion of Heysen Blvd – a claim disputed by the mayor.

“The mayor is asking for special funding which would need appropriation from the Treasurer,” he said.

“I’ve discussed this point with the mayor on a number of occasions when I’ve visited the Hills.”

Shadow Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Tom Koutsantonis would also not commit to funding the project, saying if elected, they would allocate funding on a needs-basis.

Mount Barker District Council Mayor Ann Ferguson and council chief executive Andrew Stuart on a segment of the Heysen Blvd that currently goes nowhere. Picture: Andrew Rammel

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Business Mt Barker chairman James Sexton, who has been instrumental in attracting developers to the town, said he was worried a development freeze could be perceived as “blackmail”.

“It’s staggeringly naive. You can’t pause something when it’s on the go because people are investing money,” he said.

“You would end up with people holding millions of dollars worth of property that they can’t do anything with, other than pay land tax.”

Mt Barker and District Residents’ Association chairwoman Dianne van Eck said a plan for the next 30 years was need as traffic management was a growing concern.

“If that doesn’t get sorted out, people will leave or not move to Mt Barker.”