Homes being bought around Anzac Hwy/South Rd intersection after draft North-South corridor plans accidentally published

The state government has already started buying up homes near the Anzac Hwy/South Rd intersection after draft changes to the North-South corridor were accidentally unveiled yesterday.

The state government has already started buying up extra homes around the Anzac Hwy/South Rd intersection, after it was revealed more properties would be acquired to make way for the Torrens to Darlington project.

The Advertiser can reveal the department last week bought a unit at Ashford that was not among the 393 properties initially flagged for acquisition.

The sale has raised questions over how long he has known more homes would need to be razed, after a review into the project’s reference design was accidentally made public on the department’s website.

But Mr Koutsantonis has refused to answer questions about the timeline of the review, and would not say when he was first made aware of “significant changes” made to the design.

He said the Ashford property was one of six that have been purchased on the open market in addition to the 393 acquisitions, and the sale does not necessarily mean it will be demolished.

The department bought the two-bedroom home after it was listed for sale in the last few months, but residents of three other units in the same block say they now fear their homes will be next to go.

“On the old plan we were right next to the project. The properties next to us are being acquired, the house across the road is going and now this. We’re boxed in” one said on Tuesday.

“We haven’t heard anything from the department about what’s going on, you’re just left to work it out.”

An image uploaded onto the draft Department of Infrastructure and Transport website shows the Anzac Hwy intersection with no elevated road. Picture: Supplied

The original design for the Anzac Hwy intersection. Picture: Supplied

Property data for the address shows the title was officially handed over to the Transport Department last week, but an online real estate page lists the sale date as September 6. The reserve had been set at $395k and the home sold for $450k.

The neighbour, whose property is attached to the acquired unit, believed the government had settled on a plan for the area.

“There would be no point taking that unit if they weren’t going to take all of these, they’re part of the same strata.”

In a statement, a spokesman for Mr Koutsantonis said the purchase of properties nearby the project was “not an uncommon approach”.

“(The sale) does not necessarily mean a property is earmarked for demolition,” he said.

“In general, such properties can be resold or otherwise utilised to assist relocation of other affected residents.”

At the northern end of the tunnel, near the northbound off-ramp, Jervois Ave resident Mary Farrugia welcomed a decision to shift the road to the east.

Ms Farrugia’s home on the western side of the street had not been earmarked for acquisition, but residents had been told Langman Reserve, across the road from her home, would be demolished.

“I think it’s a great thing if they’re taking from the cemetery (on the eastern side) instead of the park, there’s lots of kids in this area that play here,” she said.

West Hindmarsh resident Mary Farrugia in Langman Reserve on Jervois Ave. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brenton Edwards

“A lot of people were very disappointed that the park was going.”

But she said uncertainty about whether the plan would go ahead had been hard on locals.

“We need answers now,” she said.

Mr Koutsantonis told ABC Radio on Tuesday morning the basic size and scope of the road remains “basically unchanged”.

“Every home that previously had a notice of intention sent to them is still required under this program,” he said.

“The only homes that may not be required under the reviewed reference design is potentially homes in West Hindmarsh.”

Mr Koutsantonis confirmed the government is modelling a number of drafts, but no plans have been submitted to cabinet.

He also acknowledged the public’s frustration surrounding the project’s delay, but said the government must ensure “we get it right”.

“This is a once in 100 year piece of infrastructure … we have to make sure it works,” he said.

“We’re not going to start carving up suburbs without letting people have a say.”

Shadow Transport Minister Vincent Tarzia has described the fallout as “amateur hour”.

Mr Tarzia went onto say the public is not buying the claims made by Mr Koutsantonis.

“He told us it was going to take weeks not months to release this new design and we’re seven months in, it’s simply not good enough,” he said.

Mr Tarzia believed the state government should have pursued previous plans made by former Transport Minister Corey Wingard.

“This project was given the tick of approval from Infrastructure SA, Infrastructure Australia … the money was ready to go,” he said.

“Everyday they delay this project it costs taxpayers dollars and it postpones a much needed project and it’s creating unnecessary anxiety out there.”

The opposition is now calling on the state government to publicly release its “completed” review of key elements of the project.

The start of the construction has been pushed back from 2024 to 2025, while the first tunnel-boring machine will start tunnelling in 2026.

The project’s completion date has also been delayed another year to 2032.

Originally published as Homes being bought around Anzac Hwy/South Rd intersection after draft North-South corridor plans accidentally published