The Minister for Planning has agreed to initiate the McLaren Vale Township Code Amendment. This means that agreement has been reached for the City of Onkaparinga to investigate changes to the Planning and Design Code to amend the planning policies within the township of McLaren Vale in order to better inform where, when and how residential, commercial and community uses of land will develop in the future within the township boundaries (not the rural areas).

The suggested policy responses would result in the following outcomes:

  • a proposed new suite of zones to better reflect the role and character of the main street as a township and to encourage future development opportunities
  • an improved diversity of residential options via changes to allotment sizes in appropriate areas
  • additional policy levers such as a Character Area Overlay, a Character Area Statement and a Gateway Overlay to guide development and enhance and protect significant character elements within the township

These policy changes will require amending the Planning and Design Code (the Code), that is the State Government’s document that sets out the rules that determine how land can be used and what can be built on it. See below for information on 'What is a Code Amendment'.

The suggested changes to planning rules are contained within the 'Proposal to Initiate' document that outlines the scope of the proposed changes and the investigations to be completed.

In addition to the investigations and consultation requirements outlined in the Proposal to Initiate, the Minister has applied additional conditions which Council must comply with when undertaking the Code Amendment, which are detailed in the ‘Letter from the Minister to Designated Entity approving the initiation with conditions’, that can be accessed in the links below.

The Minister has required the following changes:

  • We requested limiting building height on 275sqm lots to one storey (but only for buildings behind street facing buildings, i.e. hammerhead lots or common driveway arrangements) in the Established Neighbourhood Zone. This was not supported.
  • We requested increasing frontage widths from 9m to 10m in the Established Neighbourhood Zone so that streetscape impacts of driveways and garaging can be better managed. This was not supported.
  • We requested a new minimum allotment size of 500sqm (in selected areas) in the Established Neighbourhood Zone for the retention of larger lots and space for trees at periphery of township at the rural interface. This was not supported.

This means that the Code Amendment is now under review to address these changes required by the Minister.

The Minister has also required the following:

  • The new Character Area Statement is prepared by the Designated Entity in close collaboration with the Code Drafting Team within Planning and Land Use Services (PLUS) in line with the Commission’s ‘three-pronged approach ’to character and heritage reform. Consideration should be given to providing guidance for future desired built form to help drive the establishment of a strong ‘main street’ feel.
  • The Designated Entity seeks approval from the Commission prior to the commencement of community engagement on the draft Code Amendment.
  • The Code Amendment is prepared by a person with qualifications and experience that is equivalent to an Accredited Professional—Planning Level 1 under the Act.

Further, the State Planning Commission (the Commission) has specified the following further investigations or information requirements in addition to that outlined in the Proposal to Initiate:

  • Further investigate the extent of the Gateway Overlay and overlap/interaction with the Character Area Overlay to ensure policies do not conflict and will enable the intended development outcomes at the township entrance.
  • Investigate the potential increase of building heights within a core section of the proposed Township Main Street Zone to maximise opportunities for retail growth and commercial viability, and to drive the establishment of a strong ‘main street’ feel.
  • Assess the impact of the proposed amendment on potential dwelling supply in the township of McLaren Vale and the City of Onkaparinga.

The Minister's letter can be viewed here.

The draft Code Amendment will now be prepared for approval by Council, ready for community engagement. The community will then have an additional opportunity to provide feedback during formal community engagement period early 2024. We estimate this process to take approximately 12-18 months depending upon the nature of changes proposed, community feedback and the response from the state government.

For all the background information, including what is a code amendment and why is it needed, see below under Project Information.

Have Your Say

We will be seeking feedback during Stage 2 early next year.

Project information