Barossa Growth and Infrastructure Investment Strategy

The Growth Strategy will determine how urban growth will be managed over the next 30 years. The Strategy’s objectives are:

1. Provide strategic direction for land use and infrastructure planning.
2. Provide greater investment certainty about where growth will occur and what infrastructure is necessary to support growth.
3. Enable Council to better target expenditure in infrastructure and align it with growth priorities.
4. To directly influence the Greater Adelaide Regional Plan.

The Barossa Council has experienced strong population growth with an increase of 6.27% between 2016 and 2021. Growth requires careful planning to ensure it can be appropriately accommodated and serviced, while ensuring the core liveability and environmental characteristics of the region are protected. The Strategy also seeks to directly influence the State Government’s Greater Adelaide Regional Plan.

Townships within the Character Preservation District are subject to boundaries that are enshrined in the legislation. For changes to be made to boundaries, a Bill would need to be prepared and supported through both houses of Parliament. Council can play an advocacy role in relation to legislation but does not have a role in the creation of legislation. Changes are also required to the Planning and Design Code, which can only be amended through a Code Amendment.

The Barossa Council consulted with its community from 7 February to 1 May 2024 on a draft Barossa Growth and Infrastructure Investment Strategy.

The draft Strategy presented a number of ideas and opportunities for consideration to accommodate population and economic growth and what infrastructure is needed to support this growth. Community interest was strong and played a key role in finalising Phase 1 of this strategy.

In total, 467 survey responses and 88 written submissions were received.

Support for the Strategy stemmed from the view that it will address the shortage of residential and workforce housing, support tourism and business growth and provide investment certainty. Opposition to the strategy primarily related to concerns about loss of rural and heritage character from growth.

A Phase 1 strategy was adopted to incorporate the proposals that were given more favourable support and these are focused predominantly on residential infill opportunities outside of historic areas of townships while balancing character and amenity. Several proposals within the draft Strategy have been shelved including:

• Increasing building heights above existing Planning & Design Code policy in main streets of townships;
• Developing several reserves in Lyndoch;
• Establishing an Employment or Strategic Employment Zone in Angaston.

Some proposals within the draft Strategy, focused predominantly on tourism and employment growth outside of townships, are not included within the Phase 1 Strategy and are subject to further investigations as part of Phase 2.

The draft Growth Strategy proposes to:

• Establish an overarching vision for development;
• Establish regional objectives and strategies to support the overarching vision;
• Identify the five highest regional infrastructure priorities;
• Establish objectives, development opportunities and plans for townships, smaller settlements and out of township areas;
• Investigate the merits of implementing a Design Review for the Barossa to enhance design of developments and Infrastructure Schemes to equitably charge for new infrastructure within identified development areas.

Township plans have been prepared for townships and identify:

• Opportunities for housing and employment;
• Which areas need conservation and protection;
• Opportunities for infill and increases in building heights;
• What infrastructure is needed.

An implementation plan is adopted within the Phase 1 Strategy and outlines the implementation of phase 1 proposals. In addition, further investigations are required in relation to phase 2 initiatives.