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August 2025
A message from the Chair of the State Planning Commission - Craig Holden
Firstly, I would like to officially welcome Marc Voortman into the roles of Executive Director Planning and Building and Ex Officio of the State Planning Commission. It been a pleasure getting to know and work with Marc over the past few years, and his experience, intelligence and commitment leave him very well placed to take on the new leadership roles.
Last month, I spent a very productive and gratifying day with over seventy professionals from all twenty-seven of Greater Adelaide's local councils who came together to work on the Local Housing Strategy project.
Each council is focused on unlocking new housing opportunities as part of the project which dovetails with the implementation of the Greater Adelaide Regional Plan. It was wonderful to see the deep commitment in the room to mitigating the housing crisis and the acknowledgement that it’s only by working together that we can unlock more homes for more people. Thank you to everyone who participated in the event, and to the Department for the coordination and support throughout the day.
Another key focus for the Commission in the coming months is working with the Department to finalise the six Country Regional Plans. Each plan will be accompanied by a detailed engagement report which demonstrates compliance with the Community Engagement Charter by evaluating the consultation process, detailing the feedback received, and outlining the recommended amendments resulting from that feedback.
Once finalised and adopted, the Country Regional Plans will provide all levels of government with an invaluable state-wide perspective on our future land use and infrastructure needs.
Message from the Executive Director Planning and Building – Marc Voortman
I’d like to start by thanking Sally Smith, not only for her incredible work and leadership in Department over the past years, but also on a more personal note, for her support and guidance as I stepped into the role of Executive Director Planning and Building and Ex Officio of the State Planning Commission.
This is an important time for planning in our state as we confront the housing crisis and progress the implementation of the regional plans which accommodate the next 30 years of growth. Luckily, we have a nation-leading planning system that set us up for success in responding to these challenges, and I’m honoured to be working with the State Planning Commission and the Department staff who have been pivotal in getting us to this enviable position.
While I have only been with the Department just shy of two years, I have spent over 20 years working in planning in local government and so I couldn’t be more grateful to be taking on this role and opportunity.
Speaking of local government, I’d like to echo Craig by highlighting the great work and collaboration between the Local Government Association, representatives from local council and our team during the recent Local Housing Strategy workshop. It’s critical that our state and local governments work together to meet the targets set in the Greater Adelaide Regional Plan and the Housing Roadmap, and it was wonderful to see the sense of shared purpose when we came together last month.
Thank you to our stakeholders and community for your support as I have stepped into a new role in the Department - I look forward to more collaboration and great work in the coming months.
Unlocking more homes in Adelaide’s north: Playford Alive East Code Amendment enters consultation
Community members are invited to share feedback on a proposed rezoning that will unlock more housing opportunities in Adelaide’s fast-growing northern suburbs.
The Playford Alive East Code Amendment, now open for public consultation, proposes to rezone approximately 7.6 hectares of land at Munno Para from employment to residential use, paving the way for up to 120 new homes within the Playford Alive East development.
The affected land, located adjacent to Curtis Road and the Adelaide–Gawler rail line, is well connected to public transport, schools, open space and community facilities, making it ideally suited for medium-density residential development.
The proposed rezoning will support the delivery of affordable housing, with a minimum target of 15% affordable homes within the development, and aligns with the Government of South Australia’s Housing Roadmap to increase housing supply and improve access to home ownership.
State Planning Policy amendment to support our planning future
Following public consultation in 2024, the Minister for Planning has approved an amendment to State Planning Policy 1 (Integrated Planning) to include a new section on the importance of fostering a well-resourced planning industry.
This amendment was initiated in response Australia’s planning skills shortage and the recognition that SA needs a strong cohort of qualified planning professionals to deal with the with challenges of housing affordability, population growth, and climate change.
New Practice Guideline for Historic Areas
The State Planning Commission has published a new Practice Guideline 3 (Historic Area Overlay). Practice Guideline 3 clarifies the use and application of policies and historic area statements within the Historic Area Overlay of the Planning and Design Code.
The impetus for this new practice direction stems from Recommendation 32 of the Expert Panel’s 2023 Planning System Implementation Review which called for a review and clarification of the role of Representative Buildings.
Congratulations Craig Holden
State Planning Commission Chair Craig Holden was honoured with the Greg Waller Award at the recent UDIA SA Awards for Excellence 2025.
This award celebrates individuals who have made an outstanding impact through their service in state and or local government. Craig’s vision, leadership and commitment continues to guide and inspire the future of planning and development across South Australia.
Congratulations Craig and thank you to the UDIA for continuing to spotlight and celebrate great planning work being done across the state via the annual awards.
Farewell Biljana Prokic and Karen Ferguson
We are incredibly lucky to have people who have worked in state government for many years and so bring a wealth of experience and deep knowledge to their work. Biljana Prokic, Team Leader of Planning Services, and Karen Ferguson, Senior Planner within the Crown and Impact Assessment team, are two such people. Both have worked in planning in state government for several decades – 35 years for Biljana, and 42 years for Karen.
After their years of dedicated service, both Biljana and Karen are retiring. We know that many of our stakeholders and colleagues across the planning industry would have encountered Biljana and Karen during their time with us, so we hope you can join us in wishing them all the very best for a very well-deserved new chapter.
