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Legislative Council - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2008-10-28 Daily Xml
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SOUTHERN SUBURBS DEVELOPMENT

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE (15:28): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Urban Development and Planning a question about development in the southern suburbs and peri-urban areas.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE: There is considerable concern in parts of the southern areas about the rapid rate of subdivision development, much of it led by the Land Management Corporation, the government's subdivision arm. This concern relates particularly to a lack of infrastructure and support for those expanding housing developments. In the Southern Times Messenger last week, there were quotes from either the Minister for Urban Development and Planning or his staff that the minister was not ruling out looking at expanding subdivision within the townships of McLaren Vale and Willunga.

In 1993-94 I was personally involved in drafting and supporting an agreement signed by the Willunga council and the then government to ensure that there would be no further subdivision outside existing boundaries in the rural townships of Willunga, McLaren Vale and McLaren Flat, for the specific reason of ensuring that the tourism and viticultural areas of that prime southern region were protected. Will the minister now rule out any further subdivision, development or expansion of the boundaries of the townships of Willunga and McLaren Vale?

The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Small Business) (15:30): When the outcome of the planning review was announced, I made it clear at the time that the government would look at all township boundaries throughout the state, as well as the urban growth boundary generally, to see where we would be able to accommodate the future growth of Adelaide. The honourable member will recall that the planning review recommended that we should have 25 years of land within our urban growth boundary of which 15 years should be zone-ready.

My office was asked by the local newspaper whether we had ruled out any townships and, of course, I said no because there would be no credibility whatsoever to a process if we were to rule out looking at that examination before it had even started. However, that should not mean that anyone in the McLaren Vale wine district should fear that the government is changing its policy in some way towards that district.

I have made it quite clear on numerous occasions, and I am happy to repeat it here: this government will protect the McLaren Vale wine district, and the Barossa Valley for that matter, from any significant subdivision. If there is any review of township boundaries within that area, or the area north of Adelaide for that matter, and certainly in relation to McLaren Vale and Willunga, if there were to be any suggestions, I would expect they would be minor, but this government remains committed to the preservation of those districts.

The McLaren Vale wine district is one of our most important wine producing areas. It is very important for tourism and we will protect it. However, if, at the margin, there is the recommendation, any consideration of boundaries will involve some discussion with the councils. If there is any adjustment, I would expect it would be minor, but there may in fact be none whatsoever. I think it is important that, if we are to look where Adelaide grows, we should look at all of the options.

It is clear that in the southern districts of Adelaide there is limited growth capacity. When I last readjusted the urban growth boundary to include the Bowering Hill area, I think I made the comment then that there is really not much area where that boundary could be expanded. It seems clear that most of Adelaide's growth into the future will be in the northern suburbs. Having said that, within our urban growth boundaries, there is significant capacity for growth. Of course, within the southern suburbs, the honourable member was referring to land held by the Land Management Corporation. It is releasing most of that within the urban growth boundary that has existed since 2001 or 2002.

It would be wrong for the honourable member to suggest that there is any great change of policy here. Put simply, it is important that, if we are looking at Adelaide's and the state's future growth prospects, we should consider all of the options. That will be done by a major review conducted by Planning SA or by consultants reporting to Planning SA to look at where future populations can be accommodated. Whatever solution and whatever recommendations are made, I can assure the honourable member that the integrity of the McLaren Vale wine industry will not be threatened.

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