Engineering Requirements for Land Division

Have your say on proposed engineering requirements for land division, which aim to streamline assessment processes and enable more houses to be built faster across South Australia’s growth areas.

What's being decided?

The draft Design Standard 1 – Engineering Requirements for Land Division provides technical guidance, building on existing planning rules to deliver more transparent and consistent design standards, construction specifications and infrastructure costs for land divisions.

The draft engineering design standard specifies:

  • pavement design
  • stormwater design
  • road design
  • road corridor design
  • service infrastructure
  • water sensitive urban design
  • street landscaping including trees.

The draft engineering design standard also provides pathways for considering climate resilient design and a suite of standard drawings for use in design and construction to significantly reduce assessment timeframes.

A draft technical manual has also been prepared, underpinning the design standard and providing detailed, best-practice engineering specifications for these types of infrastructure, which is also available for feedback.

The draft engineering design standard applies to land division for large residential developments in Master Planned Zones that includes constructing a public road or infrastructure that will become council property.

Background

Design standards are a new planning instrument that support the Planning and Design Code by promoting good design in our streets, parks and other public places, help manage the interface between public and private realms and contribute to delivering high-quality infrastructure as part of new developments.

This engineering design standard is set to be the first design standard adopted under the new South Australian planning system, which was adopted in March 2021.

The State Planning Commission worked closely with South Australian government agencies, councils and industry to prepare the draft engineering design standard.

Standard engineering requirements provide developers, councils and community with greater certainty, clarity and consistency for civil infrastructure design, assessment and construction across the state’s growth areas.

Introducing consistent engineering standards for infrastructure not only aims to streamline assessment processes and reduce approval times but also reduce costs for new residential developments.

This is part of the South Australian Government’s Housing Roadmap to deliver more homes for South Australians.

Get involved

Learn more by reading:

Find out more by:

Have your say by:

Hard copies of the draft design standard, technical manual and standard drawings are available for viewing during standard business hours at level 9, 83 Pirie Street, Adelaide.

What are the next steps?

We will consider all feedback in finalising Design Standard 1 – Engineering Requirements for Land Division, technical manual and standard drawings.

All feedback will be captured in an engagement report that 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 this webpage and the PlanSA website. Names and organisations will be included with published submissions but personal addresses, email addresses and phone numbers will be redacted.

Have your say on proposed engineering requirements for land division, which aim to streamline assessment processes and enable more houses to be built faster across South Australia’s growth areas.

What's being decided?

The draft Design Standard 1 – Engineering Requirements for Land Division provides technical guidance, building on existing planning rules to deliver more transparent and consistent design standards, construction specifications and infrastructure costs for land divisions.

The draft engineering design standard specifies:

  • pavement design
  • stormwater design
  • road design
  • road corridor design
  • service infrastructure
  • water sensitive urban design
  • street landscaping including trees.

The draft engineering design standard also provides pathways for considering climate resilient design and a suite of standard drawings for use in design and construction to significantly reduce assessment timeframes.

A draft technical manual has also been prepared, underpinning the design standard and providing detailed, best-practice engineering specifications for these types of infrastructure, which is also available for feedback.

The draft engineering design standard applies to land division for large residential developments in Master Planned Zones that includes constructing a public road or infrastructure that will become council property.

Background

Design standards are a new planning instrument that support the Planning and Design Code by promoting good design in our streets, parks and other public places, help manage the interface between public and private realms and contribute to delivering high-quality infrastructure as part of new developments.

This engineering design standard is set to be the first design standard adopted under the new South Australian planning system, which was adopted in March 2021.

The State Planning Commission worked closely with South Australian government agencies, councils and industry to prepare the draft engineering design standard.

Standard engineering requirements provide developers, councils and community with greater certainty, clarity and consistency for civil infrastructure design, assessment and construction across the state’s growth areas.

Introducing consistent engineering standards for infrastructure not only aims to streamline assessment processes and reduce approval times but also reduce costs for new residential developments.

This is part of the South Australian Government’s Housing Roadmap to deliver more homes for South Australians.

Get involved

Learn more by reading:

Find out more by:

Have your say by:

Hard copies of the draft design standard, technical manual and standard drawings are available for viewing during standard business hours at level 9, 83 Pirie Street, Adelaide.

What are the next steps?

We will consider all feedback in finalising Design Standard 1 – Engineering Requirements for Land Division, technical manual and standard drawings.

All feedback will be captured in an engagement report that 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 this webpage and the PlanSA website. Names and organisations will be included with published submissions but personal addresses, email addresses and phone numbers will be redacted.

  • Survey: engineering requirements for land division

    We are seeking your feedback on draft engineering requirements for land division that aim to streamline assessment processes and enable more housing to be build faster across South Australia’s growth areas. 

    After providing feedback on the draft engineering requirements for land division you may choose to also provide feedback on the technical manual or end the survey.

    Please complete this short 5-10 minute survey to provide your feedback. 

    Alternatively, you can provide detailed feedback by downloading the spreadsheet and emailing us your comments.

    Take Survey
Page last updated: 21 May 2025, 11:56 AM