SA government proposes land change plan to create economic employment hubs in Adelaide’s outer north

A new employment hub could be bound for Adelaide’s north under a proposal by the state government that would transform under-used blocks.

A new employment hub could be on the cards for Adelaide’s outer north with the state government proposing to rezone under-utilised farming land.

Minister for planning Nick Champion has initiated three code amendments for parcels of land in Waterloo Corner to turn them into strategic employment zones from farming land.

Mr Champion said the proposal will transform three blocks of land, 63.5ha at Mill Rd, 30ha at Mumford Rd and 27ha at 28 to 58 Mumford Rd, to increase employment opportunities in the state.

“The proposals look at transforming under-utilised blocks of land to increase employment opportunities and facilitate further investment in our state,” he said.

“The neighbouring parcels of land in this area have excellent access to freight corridors and will serve an existing concentration of traditional, high-intensity industries.

“By assessing these three code amendments together, we are improving efficiency within the department and increasing transparency for the community, so they can assess the proposals both individually and as a whole.”

Minister for planning Nick Champion. Picture: Mark Brake

Proposed employment hub in Adelaide's outer north. Picture: South Australian Government

The three parcels of land, who are not within the Environment and Food Protection Area, would facilitate an industrial hub which would aim to increase the supply of employment land within the inner north region.

Mr Champion said the area would complement active code amendments for rural land including the ones in Hillier Park, Virginia and Freeling.

“This area has the potential to create an economic hub to support the housing boom in Adelaide’s northern suburbs,” he said.

Earlier this month, Mr Champion announced a code amendment for Freeling which would see more than 400 new homes built under two separate housing estate plans.

The plan states that allotments between 600 sqm and 1000 sqm would be developed for single and two-storey homes with no large-scale commercial or light industrial encouraged.

“The key to fixing the housing crisis is increasing supply across growing areas of our state, which includes towns like Freeling,” Mr Champion said.

“Given the region’s proximity to the Barossa as well as important farming and industrial land the rezonings would create important housing options for people working in the area.”