$8.5 million Beresford Estate, McLaren Flat development approved

A new restaurant, brewery and tourist accommodation “pods” are coming to Adelaide’s south as an $8.5 million plan to transform a winery is ticked off.

Artists impression of Beresford Estate proposed development at McLaren Vale. Picture: Supplied

One of SA’s oldest companies has been given the green light for a multimillion dollar redevelopment of McLaren Flat winery Beresford Estate.

The $8.5 million upgrade of the home of Beresford Wines – owned by beverage company Bickford’s – includes a new restaurant, micro brewery and 15 tourist accommodation “pods”.

The State Commission Assessment Panel (SCAP) approved the Blewitt Springs Road development at its Thursday meeting.

According to a SCAP report, the project would “enhance an existing tourist facility and strengthen the visitor experience within the region”.

Artists impression of Beresford Estate’s proposed tourist accommodation pods at McLaren Vale. Picture: Supplied

“It is also acknowledged that the proposal would result in an expansion of the economic base of the region and would support policy within the zone that seeks to promote tourism development and the food and wine industry that it is directly related to,” the report read.

Conditions including capacity and noise limits and a cap of just six functions per year were included in the approval.

The microbrewery and restaurant will accommodate 220 people and each self-contained tourist accommodation “pod” could host two people.

Artists impression of the interior of proposed tourist accommodation pods at Beresford Estate. Picture: Supplied

Each single-storey “pod” will range in size from 85 to 144 sqm including outdoor decking.

Bickfords’ Vale Ale craft beer range – which the beverage company purchased from McLaren Vale brewers in 2017 – will be produced at the on-site microbrewery.

The development is more than double the size of original plans for a $1.8 million expansion of the winery which included seating for just 98 patrons and no tourist accommodation.

Plans for the expansion were withdrawn from Onkaparinga Council after they were lodged in 2019 with the current application submitted earlier this year.