FAQs
- rezoning Renewal SA’s former Smithfield army barracks site to Urban Neighbourhood Zone
- rezoning the existing residential areas to the north and south of the Renewal SA site to Housing Diversity Neighbourhood Zone
- rezoning the Smithfield Memorial Gardens and Oval precinct to Recreation Zone.
- the Urban Activity Centre Zone over the shopping centre and northern areas south of Smith Creek towards Smithfield Railway Station
- the Open Space Zone over Smith Creek
- the Recreation Zone over Broadmeadows Reserve.
What is a code amendment?
The Planning and Design Code contains the planning rules and policies that guide what can be developed in South Australia. Planning authorities use these planning rules to assess development proposals.
A code amendment is a proposal to change the policies, rules or mapping within the Code, which can change the way that future developments are assessed.
What is the Smithfield Regeneration Code Amendment?
The South Australian Government is proposing a code amendment to rezone land in Smithfield to provide much needed housing within a well-serviced residential area in Adelaide’s northern suburbs. It introduces planning rules that encourage future development to include medium to high density housing across the affected area.
The amendment proposes to rezone areas to Urban Neighbourhood Zone, Housing Diversity Neighbourhood Zone and Recreation Zone, to encourage medium and high-density housing and mixed-use activity.
This code amendment is part of the South Australian Government’s Housing Roadmap, which aims to increase housing supply and diversity to help address the housing crisis.
What area will the code amendment affect?
The affected area is located in Smithfield, within the City of Playford.
It includes the former Smithfield army barracks, Smithfield and Broadmeadows train stations, Munno Para Shopping City, surrounding residential neighbourhoods and nearby reserves and open spaces.
The area is located approximately 27 km north-east of Adelaide’s CBD, positioned between the Munno Para Shopping City and the Adelaide–Gawler rail line.
How does the draft code amendment affect existing residents and homeowners?
The draft code amendment only proposes changes to planning rules for future development.
It does not include any immediate development or physical changes to the area and does not mean there is a requirement for homeowners to develop in the future.
The code amendment does not trigger any changes to residents’ living circumstances within the affected area.
Why has this area been identified for residential development?
The area is well connected to public transport, schools, shops and open space.
Rezoning the area will help meet strong demand for housing in Adelaide’s fast-growing northern suburbs and support the delivery of affordable homes.
What zone changes are proposed for the affected area?
Three zones are proposed to be applied to the affected area to support a mix of housing types, community uses and protect important community assets:
Why is the Urban Neighbourhood Zone proposed?
The draft code amendment proposes to rezone the 33.5 ha former Smithfield army barrack to Urban Neighbourhood Zone. This is to enable medium to high density development across the Renewal SA site.
A maximum building height of 15 levels would apply across the site, to provide flexibility in how the anticipated number of homes can be achieved.
Why is the Housing Diversity Neighbourhood Zone proposed?
The existing residential areas to the north and south of the Renewal SA site are planned to become Housing Diversity Neighbourhood Zone, with buildings up to 4 storeys and a range of different housing types, so people can choose homes that suit their way of life and needs.
It aims to encourage future development to include medium-density housing over time.
Why is the Recreation Zone proposed?
The draft code amendment rezones the Smithfield Memorial Gardens and Oval precinct to ‘Recreation Zone’ to better represent how the land is used and to protect this important community recreation area from other types of development.
What other changes to the planning rules are proposed?
The draft code amendment outlines specific planning rules to improve access to affordable housing.
The Affordable Housing Overlay is proposed to be applied across the Urban Neighbourhood and Housing Diversity Neighbourhood Zones, which means a development of more than 20 allotments should provide 15% affordable housing as a part of development.
The draft code amendment also introduces measures aimed at managing potential noise and air pollution close to the railway line and major roads, with the Noise and Air Emissions Overlay proposed to be applied across the whole affected area.
What zones are not proposed to change?
The following zones within the affected area will not change as a result of the draft code amendment:
What are medium and high-density housing and how many homes could be built?
Medium density housing includes townhouses, semi-detached and detached homes, and row houses. High-density housing includes apartments and units.
Subject to final design and approvals, the code amendment aims to support delivering 1,500 to 3,000 new homes on the Renewal SA site (subject to master planning).
Over time, 3,000 to 5,000 medium to high-density homes could be accommodated across the whole affected area through development of the Renewal SA site and future infill in surrounding suburban areas.
Currently, the affected area accommodates about 870 low-density homes.
What investigations have taken place to understand the impacts on the existing community?
Investigations have been undertaken into traffic and transport, stormwater management, noise (acoustic), environmental conditions, infrastructure capacity, hazard risk and Aboriginal cultural heritage.
These investigations help ensure the site is suitable for residential development and that any impacts are appropriately managed.
