16 October 2024

A message from the Chair of the State Planning Commission - Craig Holden

Much of the feedback was focused on how we can protect and enhance our region’s most valued attributes — the premium food and wine, scenic landscapes and cultural and built heritage — while also ensuring we have the land to grow. And we need to grow, so that all South Australians can have access to safe, secure and affordable housing.

Feedback also showed that people want to see sustainable, equitable and smart growth – they want to see connected, climate-resilient communities with access to employment, social infrastructure and green space. Communities that are less reliant on cars due to good access to public transport, and where people of all ages can walk and cycle safely.

The draft Plan is a map for protecting our assets and growing thriving communities, and I would like to encourage all South Australians to get involved during the consultation process. This is a chance to directly influence how your city and your communities will grow and thrive over the next 30 years and beyond.

Message from the Deputy Chief Executive, Department for Housing and Urban Development - Sally Smith

Undertaking the preparation of the Greater Adelaide Regional Plan is no small feat. The Plan sets a 30-year vision, ensuring sustainable growth for Greater Adelaide as we prepare for a projected population increase of 670,000 by 2051.

In line with the Housing Roadmap, the Plan aims to improve land supply, housing availability, and affordability, with an emphasis on climate resilience, diverse housing options, and the delivery of efficient transport infrastructure.

To reach this point, our team has gathered comprehensive data from a wide range of sectors including education, health, water and environment, transport and infrastructure and sport and recreation.

The draft Plan is now live on the Regional Planning Portal which is Australia’s first fully digital regional planning platform. The portal provides the community with unprecedented access to current government data sets and policy, alongside the context and strategies which underpin them – in short, it transforms the Plan into an accessible, dynamic and interactive guide.

I encourage you all to explore the Plan and share it with your networks.

On a separate but related note, on 1 October the modern homes provisions in the National Construction Code (NCC) 2022 as well as the new Certificate of Occupancy requirements for houses commenced in South Australia. These are important changes which will ensure that the houses we build are climate resilient, accessible and future-proofed for changing demographics.

We have worked with industry to assist with the transition, in acknowledgement of the ambitious but necessary supply and affordability targets set out in the Government’s Housing Roadmap. More information can be found in the building section of the PlanSA website.

Contribute to the Greater Adelaide Regional Plan

Public consultation for the Greater Regional Adelaide Plan (the Plan) is officially open and you’re invited to have your say on the vision that will guide urban, land and housing development across the state for decades to come.

Following a three-month engagement on the Greater Adelaide Regional Plan Discussion Paper where valuable ideas were gathered and used to shape the Plan, this next phase of consultation offers additional opportunities for community involvement.

This comprehensive Plan is designed to guide the region’s growth and sustainable development over the next 15 to 30 years. It focuses on ensuring a steady supply of affordable land and diverse housing options while offering clear direction to the community, councils and developers on Greater Adelaide’s long-term growth.

Other key areas of focus include maintaining green spaces and tree canopies, modernising essential services and infrastructure, recognising neighbourhood character, and prioritising environmental sustainability.

A range of supporting material is available on the YourSAy and PlanSA websites to assist with consultation including a summary version of the plan, a technical guide to the plan, and fact sheets on a range of topics including Climate change, Infrastructure, and Housing diversity.

Now it is time to have your say. Public consultation is open for six weeks and we are eager to hear your thoughts on key priorities such as:

• the location of new housing and employment
• major infrastructure required to support growth
• specific areas that should be protected from future development.

Get involved

A series of online community briefing sessions and workshops are being held to provide more details about the Plan and how you can contribute. To register for a session, view the Plan or to submit your feedback, visit the YourSAy website.

Consultation closes at 5:00 pm on Monday 4 November 2024. Don’t miss your chance to shape the future of Greater Adelaide.

Reviewing planning rules to guide Festival Plaza development

The South Australian Government is reviewing the planning rules for Festival Plaza to ensure this prime location in Adelaide’s city centre provides the greatest benefits for the state and our community.

Aspects such as building height, siting, contribution to public space and relationships to heritage buildings such as Parliament House are all important planning considerations for new development in the precinct.

The draft Festival Plaza Code Amendment reviews the planning rules, focussing on providing clear building height and design guidance, to maximise the remaining development site and make Festival Plaza a world-class hub for the arts, culture, tourism and entertainment.

The review also aims to ensure that planning rules for this important area are consistent with the South Australian Government’s vision for the broader riverbank precinct.

The community and industry are invited to provide their feedback on the draft Festival Plaza Code Amendment, and consultation is open until 24 October 2024.

Further information on the draft Code Amendment and how to provide feedback is available on the PlanSA and YourSAy websites.

Expert Panel recommendations – progress update

On 28 March 2024, the Final Report and Recommendations of the Expert Panel for the Planning System Implementation Review (Expert Panel) was released, along with the Government's Response.

The Expert Panel's Final Report found that our system is functioning well. The 113 recommendations are aimed at improving the efficiency and operation of our planning system. These recommendations span various themes, highlighting the key areas for enhancement.

In response, the State Government supports 63 recommendations in full, 13 supported in principle, and 36 supported in principle with further investigation required. Only one recommendation has not been supported for implementation.

Following the release of the Government Response, Planning and Land Use Services (PLUS) has developed an Expert Panel Public Implementation Program (the Program) to maintain transparency and ensure our stakeholders and industry partners are kept informed.

Implementation Status:

• Completed - 18 recommendations have already been implemented.
• Underway - Implementation is in progress for 20 recommendations.
• To Commence in 2024 -13 recommendations are set to start next year.
• To Commence in 2025 (Post-GARP) - 39 recommendations will begin post-GARP, requiring significant effort and collaboration.

Additionally, we have a collection of 23 minor and operational recommendations, each of which has been categorised and their implementation status documented.

Further information can be found on the PlanSA website and regular updates on the Expert Panel Public Implementation Program will be provided as work progresses.

Future Living Code Amendment final public information sessions

The State Planning Commission is seeking feedback on draft planning rules to enhance housing diversity for South Australians and provide more affordable options for different households, life stages and lifestyle choices.

The draft Future Living Code Amendment would introduce a new form of housing for community that allows more homes to be built without impacting the existing character, heritage and streetscape of established suburbs.

It encourages existing houses to be retained, altered and extended to create co-located housing, rather than demolished and the site subdivided for multiple homes. The draft Future Living Code Amendment would apply to well-established neighbourhoods in six council areas within the Greater Adelaide region and would create a model that could be applied to other areas of the state in the future.

While this new form of housing was conceived for older people wishing to downsize in their own community, co-located housing is expected to appeal to a range of South Australians looking for affordable housing options.

Creating greater diversity in the housing market and providing more affordable options for the community is one way the South Australian Government is taking action to tackle the housing crisis, as highlighted in their Housing Roadmap.

Community information sessions

There are two final community information sessions being run in October. The sessions are a chance to talk with the team and find out more about co-located housing and the draft Future Living Code Amendment:

• 17 October – 6.00 pm to 7.00 pm - Campbelltown City Council Offices
• 28 October – 4.00pm to 6.00pm – Payinthi, City of Prospect

Visit the Future Living Code Amendment YourSAy page for more information on the code amendment and remaining events.

The State Planning Commission has worked in partnership with the University of South Australia, City of Unley, Town of Walkerville, City of Campbelltown, City of Burnside, City of Prospect and Alexandrina Council to develop the draft Code Amendment.

The Commission would particularly like to thank Dr Damian Madigan, Senior Lecturer in Architecture at the University of South Australia, whose work and assistance has been instrumental not only in the development of this Code Amendment, but during public consultation as well.

NCC 2022 modern homes provisions

The modern homes provisions in the National Construction Code (NCC) 2022 commenced in South Australia on 1 October 2024.

The new provisions will ensure that our homes are better suited to our changing climate, as well as easier to use and more adaptable to our changing demographic needs, supporting housing choice and ageing in place for everyone.

The modern homes provisions are being implemented through Ministerial Building Standard 007 Modifications to the Building Code of Australia (MBS007). Following stakeholder feedback, MBS007 was updated to assist homeowners, councils and the building sector with the transition.

To support the transition, the implementation of the provisions to alterations and additions to existing homes will be delayed until 1 May 2025 and the relevant provisions of NCC 2019 will apply during this time.

For further information about the modern homes provisions and the transitional arrangements, visit the new NCC 2022 modern homes provisions webpage on the PlanSA website. Regular updates will also be provided via Planning Ahead and the Building Standard e-newsletter. If you have any questions regarding the transition, please email PlanSA@sa.gov.au or phone 1800 752 664.

Certificate of Occupancy

A Certificate of Occupancy is required for all houses (Class 1a buildings) where an application for Building Consent is verified on or after 1 October 2024.

This change brings South Australia in line with other jurisdictions and will assist in improving building safety and confidence in the building industry as South Australia enters a period of increased development.

Further information can be found on the Certificate of Occupancy page for Class 1a buildings webpage on the PlanSA website. 

Heritage South Australia seeks feedback on draft Heritage Standards

Heritage South Australia is seeking community feedback on the draft Heritage Standards for the Port Adelaide and Goolwa State Heritage Areas. These standards are designed to ensure future development respects the heritage values of both these areas.

Heritage Standards are being developed for South Australian State Heritage Areas to provide consistency with the Planning and Design Code and reflect each area's Statement of Heritage Significance. Your feedback is critical in shaping these standards to ensure they are fit for purpose.

Once approved, the draft Heritage Standards for Port Adelaide and Goolwa will:

• guide planning authorities when reviewing development applications in a State Heritage Area.
• provide advice to property owners planning to restore, alter, or develop their property within the State Heritage Area.

Consultation closes Friday, 22 November 2024. Visit YourSAy to learn more or to provide your feedback.

From 10 July to 18 August 2023, the community provided input on draft Heritage Standards for Burra, Moonta Mines, and Mintaro. This extensive consultation included landowners, residents, and stakeholders, resulting in standards for each of these three State Heritage Areas now being used by Heritage South Australia to guide development in these areas. You can view these new Heritage Standards, along with the Engagement Report detailing the feedback received.

For additional information or questions, contact Heritage South Australia at DEW.StateHeritageDA@sa.gov.au.

PlanSA system update

PlanSA recently released a new enhancement to the Planning and Design Code to improve the user experience and functionality for both planning professionals and the wider community.

The Planning and Design Code landing page now includes a link to browse the Code in its entirety, or search for assessment pathways and policies by property. The new version of the Planning and Design Code features:

• an improved layout and navigation
• the ability to expand and collapse the menu pane
• improved search functionality with hyperlinks to relevant sections within the Code
• the ability to restrict development types when a user searches a property address, in accordance with Recommendation 72(21) of the Expert Panel Report.

Furthermore, more options are now available to find the relevant assessment pathways and policies for a property. Properties can now be searched via a user’s current location, by browsing a map, by property address, or by entering a unique parcel identifier such as the valuation number, Certificate of Title or Plan and Parcel details. Users can then select specific individual land parcels where search results return multiple properties.

The policies that apply to a development can be found once the property search has been completed. Development types can now be searched or sorted by category and sub-category. Users can add or remove multiple development types to a search, with the pathways and policies format retained.

The updated ‘How to Explore the Planning and Design Code’ training video provides an overview of the new features.

Please contact the PlanSA service desk via planSA@sa.gov.au or by calling 1800 752 664 if you have any questions.

PLUS recognised for building community resilience to River Murray floods

L to R: Julia Waddington-Powell, CE of SAFECOM; Sara Elding, PLUS; Her Excellency the Honourable Frances Adamson AC

The PLUS team’s important work to deliver the River Murray Flood Resilience Code Amendment was recently awarded a high commendation in the Government category at the South Australian Resilient Australia Awards.

Working closely with flood affected councils, state agencies, the building industry and community, the team developed and delivered clear guidance for impacted River Murray communities to rebuild more flood-resilient development.

The award recognised the level of innovation and collaboration demonstrated throughout the project and was presented to Sarah Elding, Tom Victory, Jason Phillips and Alison Perkins by the Governor of South Australia, Her Excellency the Honourable Frances Adamson AC, at a ceremony at Government House.

The South Australian Resilient Australia Awards are held each year to celebrate initiatives that reduce risk and build community resilience to disasters and emergencies.

Nation-leading cybersecurity forum

The Office of the Registrar-General recently hosted Australia's first-ever Property Industry Cybersecurity Forum.  

The event brought together a diverse range of stakeholders, including representatives from government, not-for-profit organisations, and the private sector.  

Representatives from the Office of the Chief Information Security Officer, National Office of Cyber Security, SAPOL Anti-Scam Centre, Cyber Warden, Australian Cyber Security Collaboration Centre, and Land Services SA all contributed their expertise as presenters.

The presenters all demonstrated deep knowledge of cyber security and its challenges in the property industry, and provided attendees with invaluable insights. The forum was attended by a wide range of property industry stakeholders, including conveyancers, solicitors, real estate agents, finance brokers, surveyors, government representatives, and Land Services SA (LSSA) members.

The Office of the Registrar-General team was honoured to host the forum. It was a remarkable industry collaboration which showcased a collective dedication to safeguarding the property sector against threats.

This forum is the first of what will be more planned events and initiatives aimed at fortifying the industry's cybersecurity practices.