Site of former West End brewery to become new suburb named Southwark

The name of a new suburb – to be positioned on the site of the former West End Brewery – has been revealed. And the government has announced an added bonus.

The site of the former West End Brewery will become a new suburb named Southwark, where 1300 new homes will be built.

The name, revealed by the state government on Tuesday, is a nod to the original Adelaide subdivision of Southwark, which was first laid out in 1881 in the same area.

While the new development was initially slated to accommodate 1000 new homes, the government also announced that the figure has increased and there will now be an extra 300 dwellings at Southwark.

Construction at the $1bn development site is due to begin within the coming months, and it is expected that the first residents will move in by the end of 2026.

At least 20 per cent of housing on the 8.4 hectares will be offered for affordable sale or rental through HomeSeeker SA.

The original Southwark, positioned on the edge of the parklands, featured streets lined with cottages. Some later made way for the brewery, and the area was eventually renamed Thebarton.

The building site at the former West End brewery in Thebarton to be called Southwark. Picture: SA Government

Aerial view of the West End brewery site at Port Rd, Thebarton. Picture: Supplied by Beyond Property

Artist render of some of the buildings planned for the site at Thebarton. Picture: SA Government

Another artist impression showing a different angle. Picture: Supplied

Residents around the former brewery site will be consulted on whether their properties will also be included in the new suburb before boundaries are formalised by the end of this year.

Premier Peter Malinauskas said Southwark is an area steeped in rich local history, and it has an exciting future.

“This is magnificent, well-connected location for the state government to engage with developers to build a community for South Australians to live and work just a stone’s throw from our beautiful city,” he said.

“Given its proximity to the CBD, Biomed Precinct, universities, Park Lands River Torrens, services and amenities, Southwark will be an enviable suburb and an ideal new home for first homebuyers, and downsizers, not to mention the many essential workers that keep our state ticking.

“The centrepiece of this suburb will be the new 1300 home development, that will set a benchmark for development in this state.”

Housing Minister Nick Champion said “Southwark is an old name for a new community”

“The billion-dollar housing development at the former brewery site will transform the inner west and be a catalyst for future development in neighbouring areas,” he said.

“It’s a great result for the community that we have been able to add 300 more homes to the area, which is ideally located on the edge of the city and near public transport.”

But opposition housing spokeswoman Michelle Lensink said the state’s housing affordability crisis was only getting worse under Labor.

“The government has spent the summer cherry picking approvals data and talking about housing developments that won’t be completed for years, instead of delivering real relief for South Australians,” she said.

“Premier Malinauskas and Nick Champion have also not outlined targets within the government’s Housing Roadmap, outlining how many houses need to be built each month to return housing to affordable levels in South Australia.

“They don’t want the metrics because they don’t want to be held accountable.”

She said the most recent ABS dwelling commencement data showed the number of new builds in South Australia is “consistently lower than the five-year average”.

Mr Champion said the Liberals had neglected housing during their time in government: “They didn’t put any supply into the system, they didn’t invest in the future and they restricted development”.