The South Australia state government has formally adopted a new urban boundary for Adelaide, with slightly more than 2,000 hectares of additional land now included within the adjusted boundary.

More than 1,300 hectares of the new land, or about 65%, is in Adelaide’s north.

Urban Development and Planning Minister Paul Holloway said the decision to adopt the new boundary will provide certainty about where Adelaide will grow during the next 15 to 20 years.

“This is about planning for the medium to longer term. Most of this new land won’t be used for some years, but it’s important that we earmark and begin planning now for where Adelaide will grow,” Holloway said.

The redefined boundaries are part of a larger plan to ensure Adelaide is equipped with “well-planned and well-serviced suburbs and communities”, Holloway said.

“The approach we’re adopting will provide housing choice and diversity and help support the strong economic climate being generated in South Australia,” he said.

“Through this approach we can ensure these new suburbs will have a blueprint in place for elements such as open space, transport routes, community infrastructure and shops before development.”

The new land being brought within the boundary is as follows:

North: about 1,314 hectares comprising Playford North (173ha), Blakeview (112ha), Penfield (130ha), Gawler East (320ha), Concordia (500ha) and Evanston Gardens (79ha.

South: about 686 hectares comprising Hackham (289ha) and Bowering Hill, north of Aldinga (397ha).

East: about 76 hectares at Highbury.

The land included provides for the rehabilitation and reuse of degraded quarry sites at both Highbury and Gawler East.

The urban boundary decision follows consideration of 230 submissions made in response to the government’s announcement of the proposed realignment in July.

“In addition to reviewing all of these submissions, I have met with councils, community organisations and industry associations about the boundary proposals,” Holloway said.

“I’m committed to an ongoing dialogue with all those bodies about the planning process, including groups such as the Southern Coalition and Gawler Urban Growth Community Forum which have expressed concern about the changed boundary.”

The boundary adjustment is also expected to prompt the release of some of the 2,000 hectares of residential zoned land that already exists inside the boundary, which private investors and individuals have been withholding from the market.

Collections: