Developers to get hands on Magill, Mawson Lakes uni open space

Masses of open space in the northern suburbs currently being used by locals and sporting clubs is set to be handed off under hidden detail in Adelaide un merger deal.

The biggest losers in the university merger will be the people of the northern suburbs as The Advertiser reveals it includes plans to sell vast open spaces to developers.

More than 26ha of open space at the Mawson Lakes UniSA campus used by local sports clubs and community groups is being transferred to Renewal SA for $50m, with plans to open it to private developers and have it rezoned for commercial use.

The sports oval at Main North Rd and Mawson Lakes Boulevard was used to train physical education teachers but has now been transferred to Renewal SA’s “landbank.”

It also is used by the Mawson Lakes Cricket Club, Mawson Lakes Football Club, local families, athletes for training, dog walkers and community groups who regularly booked it for weekend events.

University staff were taken by surprise at the loss of their oval.

Mawson Lakes Cricket Club volunteers Stephen Morton, Michael Charles and Wayne Collins on their oval which has been transferred from UniSA to Renewal SA for development. Picture: Mary Crouch

The Mawson Lakes Golf Club course will be transferred to the Renewal SA. The nine hole course with 215 members open to the public has a five-year lease.

Club president Linda Kotz told The Advertiser, it would be “business as usual” for the immediate future.

“Down the track who knows?” she said.

“We have a license agreement with UniSA to use the land, that occupation agreement has been transferred to Renewal SA and we have a 5 year-plus-5 year agreement.

“We have been advised we have at least five years of occupation. What happens after that we’ll see but now it is business as usual.”

Renewal SA chief executive Chris Menz. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

Inquiries to Planning Minister Nick Champion were referred to Renewal SA which told The Advertiser: “The site is proposed to be rezoned to facilitate commercial use. However it will be required to go through a master planning process – which will determine the final make-up of the site.”

Asked if any land be retained as open space the response was: “The make-up of the land will be determined through the masterplanning process when thorough consultation will occur with the community.”

Separately the entire 15ha UniSA Magill campus also is being transferred to Renewal SA with plans to change the zoning, sold by the university for $64.5m with plans to turn much into medium density housing while other areas needing “master planning”.

UniSA has leased the campus back for “up to” 10 years at a peppercorn rent however Renewal SA expects rezoning to commence within the coming two to five years.

Renewal SA said: “The future mix of land uses which will include residential development, on the Magill university site will be determined after a process of stakeholder and community engagement and master planning, noting the campus is subject to short to medium term leaseback arrangements.

“Murray House will be preserved, and any future use will be incorporated into the master plan for the site. The masterplanning process will also take into consideration the creek line and significant trees on the site.”

As the government hails passage of legislation confirming the merger of the University of Adelaide and University of South Australia to form Adelaide Univerity opening in 2026, the land transfers come as the state and federal government face pressure over affordable housing and rental availability.

State Sports Park Master Plan showing the “Community Recreation” triangle zone which now will be used by SAPOL. Picture: Supplied

Renewal SA chief executive Chris Menz has advised staff the Mawson Lakes land will “become available for development within the next three years.”

“Renewal SA will be seeking private sector leadership and participation” to develop both sites, he told staff, in what looms as a gold rush for developers to exploit the prime sites.

The loss of open space at Mawson Lakes follows the loss of nearby parkland earmarked in a dumped government masterplan as the “parklands of the north” with open space, sports facilities, nature play area and more supposed to be developed for the community and neighbouring Roma Mitchell Secondary College.

The Gepps Cross site was earmarked as Adelaide’s “second generation of parklands,” government documents show.

However, this is now off limits to the community due to it being used for the police horses and dogs, after influential forces stopped the original plan of city parklands becoming the SAPOL horse hub to make way for the new Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

Mawson Lakes Cricket Club life members were stunned when told of the plan as they prepared the pitch.

Stephen Morton, Michael Charles and Wayne Collins are former players and life members with more thant 130 years of service between them in multiple volunteer roles including curators.

Mr Morton said it was difficult to believe the government would sell out the community who use the oval.

“This is my Adelaide Oval,” he said.

Originally published as Developers to get hands on Magill, Mawson Lakes uni open space