A $7.5 billion plan to open up a huge land parcel at Murray Bridge for 17,000 new homes will be better coordinated than the controversial rezoning of Mount Barker, say developers and the local council.
Victorian developers Costa Property Group and Grange Development on Wednesday afternoon revealed plans to deliver 17,100 new homes, seven schools, a new town centre and six “neighbourhood activity centres” in Gifford Hill, located about an hour from the Adelaide CBD.
The proponents say the development, to be staged over 40 years and worth $7.5 billion, will be spread across 1860 hectares of rural land immediately southwest of Murray Bridge. Around 360 hectares is already zoned for residential purposes.
The developers and Murray Bridge Council have touted the plan as “the largest single development in the state’s history” and forecast more than 44,000 people will live in the new precinct when complete.
“This is not Monarto 2.0,” Murray Bridge mayor Wayne Thorley said, referencing former Labor Premier Don Dunstan’s failed 1970s vision for a satellite city with 200,000 residents outside Murray Bridge.
The first homes are scheduled to start construction in the fourth quarter of 2025.
The scale of the Gifford Hill proposal is enormous. The development area is larger than Walker Corporation’s 1340-hectare Riverlea housing estate, which is projected to deliver 12,000 new homes in the far northwestern suburbs.
It is also much larger than the controversial Mount Barker rezoning.
Mount Barker is just a 30-minute drive up the South Eastern Freeway from Murray Bridge and has become a case study in poor infrastructure coordination with new housing.
In 2010, former Rann Government Minister Paul Holloway made 1300 hectares of rural Mount Barker land available for housing. Only a year later, Holloway’s successor, John Rau, expressed dismay about the lack of infrastructure planning for the area.
Mount Barker District Council has since been warning the Malinauskas Government that it is “imperative” the mistakes of the Mount Barker rezoning are not repeated. The council has expressed frustration about incomplete road projects, pressure on local transport infrastructure and unmet infrastructure spending promises.
But Murray Bridge Council and the Gifford Hill developers say they are confident those problems will not occur in their plans.
For one, they argue a lot more planning work has been done in Murray Bridge than Mount Barker.
“Mount Barker was, to be fair to the council up there, rushed through on them,” Mayor Thorley told InDaily.
“The land acquisitions was done and the zoning was done really quick without any clear thought to what comes next.
“With us, we’ve had a long time to be clear in our mind what we needed to do.”
Thorley said the development consortium understands that “they will have to pay for things as things develop”.
Murray Bridge expansion shows councils are taking action to support more housing (July 2024)
The announcement of a new land development in the Rural City of Murray Bridge will bring 17,100 new homes to the heart of the Murraylands, boosting housing availability for South Australians.
The 1,860-hectare development at Gifford Hill is the largest residential project in the state in nearly 70 years and demonstrates the work councils are doing to support housing, jobs and well-planned communities.
LGA President, Mayor Dean Johnson said addressing the shortage of housing in South Australia is a key issue for local and state governments, and working together on a major land development like this is exciting news and shows local councils are actively playing their part.
“Not only will this development transform Murray Bridge and attract new investment into the region, critically it will create thousands of new homes less than an hour from Adelaide and deliver a much-needed boost to housing supply,” Mayor Johnson said.
“To attract more skilled workers to regional areas – such as doctors, health workers and council planners, all of whom are in huge demand – we need places for them, and their families, to live.
“Ensuring there is enough accommodation available in regional townships gives professionals confidence and security to pursue opportunities outside of metropolitan Adelaide as a viable way to further their careers.
“In Murray Bridge, there’s a job available for anyone who wants one and that needs to be supported by sustainable housing and infrastructure growth.
“Councils understand local priorities and growth opportunities, but they often don’t have the developers and builders to get the work started – and that’s where partnerships with government and key stakeholders, such as the Office for Regional Housing in Renewal SA, are critical.
“Already, we’ve seen councils across South Australia rezone land, offer rate rebates and provide other incentives to attract greater investment in housing and build stronger communities, and it’s initiatives like this that are starting to yield positive outcomes.
“Developments like Gifford Hill in Murray Bridge demonstrate to the State Government and developers that councils are open for business and can be trusted as delivery partners to help address the housing crisis currently impacting our state.
“I congratulate the Rural City of Murray Bridge on the work they’ve done to secure this exciting development for their region, and I look forward to seeing the transformation and exciting future opportunities it will bring to the Murray Bridge community.”
Murray Bridge is one of the fastest growing areas in South Australia and is set to become the state's largest regional city.
The Rural City of Murray Bridge is taking proactive steps to prepare for this growth in partnership with government and key stakeholders, ensuring well-planned and connected communities.
The new housing estate is being delivered by the Costa Property Group and Grange Development.
Bridge watersports park - coming soon.