Adelaide is Australia’s “balanced growth” leader

Adelaide has made major steps over the past year towards achieving balanced growth with major land rezonings across the inner and outer suburbs.

The 2014 national State of the Land Report, which is being launched today at the opening of the UDIA National Congress in Brisbane, has found that Adelaide has made more progress than other capital cities towards achieving a balance of “growing up” as well as “growing out”.

“Adelaide was a solid performer over the past year, racking up improvements in almost all aspects of urban growth and management,” said UDIA National President Cameron Shephard.

“The only thing holding Adelaide back at the moment appears to be a slow market. On all other measures, conditions applying to urban development in Adelaide are among the best in the nation.”

The 2014 State of the Land Report ranks Adelaide the highest of all capital cities, recording improvement over the past year in planning and approvals, infrastructure provision, taxes and charges and infill development opportunities. 

While affordability and lot supply are ranked roughly on par with last year, recent enquiries in Greater Adelaide suggest the market is “catching onto the opportunities” and the relationship between land production and sales demand will soon be very tight.

The rezoning initiatives of the State Government and the Councils of West Torrens, Unley, Prospect, Norwood Payneham St Peters and Charles Sturt saw Adelaide ranked as the highest performing city in unlocking urban infill and renewal opportunities.

“While this result is pleasing, there is still a lot of work to do,” said UDIA (SA) Executive Director, Terry Walsh.

“Adelaide has recently had much fringe land rezoned, but it faces a challenge to provide sufficient land in ‘shovel-ready form’ – that is, fringe land rezoned and approved for housing, supported by adequate core infrastructure, to sell to an increasingly demanding market. 

“In addition, the options for inner metro development must be developed, with councils and local communities realising that the demand by the current buying market is to exercise choice, with many seeking to live in established areas nearer to the city centre.

“The development sector looks forward to working with the State Government to cement the improvements of the past year, and springboard from these to further enhance the ability of the sector to keep building the State’s economy.”

Established in 1971, the UDIA (SA) represents the interests of the development industry in South Australia in collaboration with all levels of government. It seeks to represent all sections of the urban development sector, including developers, councils and service providers such as engineers, planners and surveyors. As the fifth largest contributor to output in SA, the property development industry employs 56,000 people or 7% of the state’s total workforce, and accounts for almost $9 billion or 12% of Gross State Product.

FURTHER INFORMATION:  Please contact
UDIA (SA) Executive Director Terry Walsh