The Government of South Australia is proposing to raise maximum and minimum building heights across the Southwark Grounds development site in Southwark (formerly Thebarton) to maximise its potential as a thriving new residential and mixed-use community close to the city.
Situated on the former West End Brewery site, Southwark Grounds is a landmark $1billion development being managed by the government via Renewal SA.
Proposed changes
The current maximum height limits of 3 to 8 levels are considered limiting for such a significant master planned development. To maximise the potential of this site, the Southwark Grounds Code Amendment proposes increasing maximum building heights to:
The code amendment also proposes introducing minimum building heights of 2 to 4 levels across the site.
These changes support the Greater Adelaide Regional Plan, which identifies Southwark Grounds as a State Significant Infill Area. This means it’s a key location for increasing housing density and delivering more homes for South Australians in a well-connected area serviced by great public transport, employment, education and recreational facilities.
Update
On Thursday 29 January, the Minister for Planning declared that the changes proposed in the Southwark Grounds Code Amendment can come into effect on an interim basis – a process known as ‘early commencement’.
The early commencement process is used when the Minister considers that the changes need to be applied immediately, on an interim basis, to counter undesirable development applications ahead of the outcome of the Code Amendment.
In the case of the Southwark Grounds Code Amendment, early commencement will ensure that the potential for Southwark Grounds to deliver critically needed housing is protected and maximised.
The government recognises the importance of the Southwark Grounds development site in the context of the current housing crisis in South Australia.
The public consultation process will not be impeded by the early commencement. Following the public consultation period and after the consideration of all feedback received, the Southwark Grounds Code Amendment may be further altered by the Minister when making a final decision on the proposed changes.
Outcome
The Southwark Grounds Code Amendment has now been finalised and adopted by the Minister for Planning.
Changes to the code amendment were informed by feedback received from community members, industry, councils and government agencies during the consultation process.
These changes support an increase in building heights across the site, raising maximum heights from 8 levels to 14 levels on the eastern section and to 12 levels across the remainder of the site, along with the introduction of minimum building heights ranging from 2 to 4 levels.
View the full engagement report for more information about what we heard and how feedback was considered in finalising the code amendment.
The approved changes increase the capacity for additional homes at the former West End Brewery site on Port Road, supporting housing supply in a location close to the city and key services.
Civil works are underway, with new roads being constructed and the first homes expected to be completed later this year in 2026.
