Updating Planning Rules to Increase Accommodation Diversity

Have your say on proposed changes to the planning rules that provide more flexibility for building apartment-style homes and retirement living across the state.

What's being decided?

The draft Accommodation Diversity Code Amendment proposes improvements to enhance housing diversity and provide more flexibility for building apartment-style homes and retirement living across the state.

Key features proposed in the draft code amendment include:

• introducing a new form of ‘co-living’ accommodation for residences that rely on shared facilities, such as common kitchens or bathrooms
• allowing increased building height up to 4-6 storeys for large retirement villages and supported living developments to provide more accommodation for our ageing population to continue living in their own communities
• more flexibility in apartment design, by focussing on rules that contribute to a comfortable home, such as minimum bedroom and living area dimensions, rather than minimum total floor area
• more guidance on how shared rooms and open spaces are designed, including being conveniently located near residences and having good access to sunlight, appropriate seating, lighting and other features
• providing better guidance on the provision of communal recreation spaces and shared facilities for student accommodation.

We are also seeking feedback on a draft practice guideline for co-living and student accommodation outlining the features of communal spaces and shared facilities that should be provided to meet residents’ needs, such as recreational spaces and kitchen, dining, bathroom and laundry facilities.

Background

Providing greater flexibility and increasing the number of apartment-style homes that can be built is part of the South Australian Government’s Housing Roadmap to address the need for more homes for South Australians.

The State Planning Commission has reviewed the planning rules for apartments, including student accommodation, residential flat buildings, supported accommodation and retirement living.

The proposed changes aim to make it easier to build much needed housing for South Australians.

Get involved

Find out more:

• read the draft Accommodation Diversity Code Amendment
• read the draft practice guidelines
• view our fact sheet
• take a look at our frequently asked questions
• read University of SA's Review of Apartment Design Policy - Summary Report
• register to join an online information session

Have your say by:

• taking our survey
• completing the PlanSA online submission form
• emailing PlanSAsubmissions@sa.gov.au
• Post your written submission to:
  Submission: Accommodation Diversity Code Amendment
  Planning and Land Use Services
  Department for Housing and Urban Development
  GPO Box 1815, ADELAIDE, SA 5001

You can view a hard copy of the draft code amendment during standard business hours at Level 9, 83 Pirie Street, ADELAIDE SA 5000.

What are the next steps?

We will consider all feedback in finalising the Code Amendment and all feedback will be captured in an engagement report.

The engagement report will be provided to the State Planning Commission and the Minister for Planning to assist with final decision-making.

Once a decision has been made, the engagement report, including all feedback received during consultation, will be published on the PlanSA website. Names and organisations will be included with published submissions but addresses, email addresses and phone numbers will not be published.