SA Jockey Club’s Morphettville Racecourse housing ‘masterplan’ clears major hurdle

Plans to build a hotel and 500 homes at the Morphettville Racecourse have taken a major step forward.

Plans to build a 120-room hotel and more than 500 homes at the Morphettville Racecourse have moved one step closer after the state government removed a major hurdle that had been in place since 1958.

The first stage of redevelopment “masterplan” involves building 150 apartments, a 120-room hotel, a tavern, a supermarket, retail shops and cafes between the racetrack and Anzac Highway.

An artist impression of the Morphettville Racecourse hotel and housing development.

A further 400 low-rise apartments, terraces and townhouses would be constructed in the second stage.

The land, owned by the South Australian Jockey Club, was rezoned as an Urban Core Zone in May 2020.

However, development had been prevented because of an “open space proclamation” in place since 1958.

Planning and Local Government Minister Vickie Chapman revoked the proclamation on Friday.

An artist impression of the Morphettville Racecourse hotel and housing development.

“The revocation of the proclamation will enable the South Australian Jockey Club to unlock the land and use it to its full advantage,” Ms Chapman said.

“This is a fantastic project, which will create jobs, new housing and deliver economic benefits for the club.”

The SA Jockey Club will now seek a development partner through a tender process.

Chairman Bob Holton welcomed Ms Chapman’s move, labelling it “a major milestone” for the club.

“The returns we generate from this project will be reinvested in improving facilities at Morphettville to underpin its future and enhance its position as a key part of South Australia’s major event and tourism economy,” he said.

The club’s plans to redevelop the land sparked a bitter legal fight, ending in a stalemate after one of the four defendants sued by the SA Jockey Club died from a cancer-related illness.

The club began legal action in September 2019 against the late Anne Harrison, her husband Kevin Harrison and life members Joe Cannizzaro and Bill Spear, alleging the “unauthorised misuse and disclosure of confidential board information”.

In court documents, the defendants argued the club failed to use good corporate governance in its making of plans to build housing next to the racecourse.

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