South Sellicks Action Group petitions against development plan for Sellicks Beach

A coastal community in Adelaide’s south is fighting back against overdevelopment in its region as the local council prepares a plan for population growth.

A southern suburbs coastal community is fighting back against a plan which it says doesn’t protect the area from high-density development.

The newly-formed South Sellicks Action Group is petitioning against Onkparinga Council’s Sellicks Beach Structure Plan.

Group co-founder Joanna Brooks said the plan did not offer enough protections from State Government development changes in the future.

“The plan aims to ensure that we, the council and the community, have a strong position to respond to any rezoning applications in the future,” Dr Brooks said.

“But it’s not clear to us how the plan can protect us in the future from 300 sqm blocks, preserve the rural and coastal character of Sellicks Beach and how the plan will maintain buffer zones around things like the quarry.”

The South Sellicks Action Group is petitioning against overdevelopment in Sellicks Beach. Picture: South Sellicks Action Group

The 160-member group has submitted a petition to Onkaparinga Council asking that it takes on their feedback, including considering using a referendum system for future decision making.

“We all feel very strongly that all proposals regarding the future development of Sellicks Beach should go to vote by referendum,” Dr Brooks said.

“That means every single resident of Sellicks Beach should be invited to participate in the survey and those are the results that guide the decisions.

“We are a regional community, Sellicks Beach is a strong community and we support each other and we really care about the future of our community and the future of Sellicks Beach.

“We’re not a metropolitan suburb, we don’t want to be a metropolitan suburb and that’s the sort of thing that makes Sellicks Beach special and we want to keep it that way.”

Onkaparinga Mayor Erin Thompson said the plan was important due to the growing population in the region and the implementation of the State Government’s new planning and design code in 2021.

The South Sellicks Action Group held their own community consultation before submitting the petition. Picture: South Sellicks Action Group

“Council is getting on the front foot by developing the Sellicks Beach Structure Plan so we are prepared for the future,” Ms Thompson said.

“A structure plan will help us establish a set of objectives and principles for the future spatial arrangements for Sellicks, and identify key infrastructure priorities.”

Ms Thompson said the plan is not a rezoning process or inferring support for rezoning.

“Once finalised though, the structure plan will be used by council to influence decisions that promote good community and environmental outcomes and positively shape the urban form,” she said.

“It also ensures we have a strong position, backed by the community and technical investigations, to respond to any rezoning applications that may be lodged.”

The community can provide feedback on the draft plan on Onkaparinga Council’s website until February 21.