Rezoning Dry Creek for more housing

The number of potential new homes to be built at Dry Creek will increase by at least 50 percent, with the South Australian Government investigating the possibility of at least 15,000 dwellings at the site.

The Dry Creek land release has achieved a major milestone, with a code amendment initiated to rezone the area for housing.

The rezoning process for Dry Creek represents a significant milestone with all parcels of land announced as part of the South Australian Government’s record land release now in the planning system. Both Concordia and Sellicks Beach are in the rezoning process, while Onkaparinga Heights has been rezoned for housing.

As part of the rezoning investigations, the South Australian Government is now targeting a minimum of 15,000 new homes at the site.

About 838 hectares of land at the Dry Creek salt fields has been earmarked by the South Australian Government to support sustainable growth in Adelaide’s north.

The size and location of the area means it will easily accommodate more than the conservative 10,000 new dwellings first announced as part of the South Australian Government’s record land release last year.

The Dry Creek proposal has the potential to accommodate 35,000 people and include a minimum of 15 per cent affordable housing.

Key investigations to inform rezoning this land include:

• a masterplan that recognises the importance of good urban design
• infrastructure requirements, including utilities, stormwater, roads and schools
• environmental assessments and identifying buffers to conserve adjoining estuarine environments, conservation areas and animal sanctuaries
• flood modelling and a coastal flood risk assessment
• cultural mapping and an Aboriginal heritage assessment for the entire site, working with Traditional Owners.

The proposal will include the development of a new, master planned community with appropriate civil infrastructure as well as social, healthcare, education, major open space and public transport to support the growing population.

The Dry Creek salt fields have long been earmarked as a future growth area and have been identified in draft Greater Adelaide Regional Plan (GARP) as a ‘State Significant Urban Renewal Area’.

The owners of the land have already commenced filling the site and remediating the area for future housing use.

Given the potential to significantly increase the population in the area, the code amendment will closely examine future transport options and possibilities, including the nearby rail network.

The area is adjacent two major transport routes - the Salisbury Highway and Port Wakefield Road – with improvements to these arterial roads to be investigated.

Detailed investigations will now be undertaken, with consultation on the Dry Creek Code Amendment anticipated to commence at the end of 2025.

Community, council and industry will be invited to share their feedback on the draft code amendment before it is finalised.

The land will not be rezoned until these detailed investigations are completed to ensure appropriate services are in place for the new community and impacts on the site’s salt fields are managed before development begins.

As detailed in the Housing Roadmap, its anticipated land division at the site will occur from 2027 onwards, with engineering reports, water and wastewater infrastructure agreements to follow.