Frequently Asked Questions

The population of Alexandrina Council is expected to grow by another 7,000 people over the next 20 years, which equates to a demand of some 2,800 dwellings. 

To manage this estimated population growth, and plan for infrastructure, Council has identified options where the supply of land for housing can potentially be accommodated. 

The South Coast Growth Strategy illustrates in detail the various options of where the Alexandrina region can potentially supply additional land to accommodate more housing for our community over the next 30 years.

Council needs to have a suitable future growth strategy to plan for the current and future needs of our community, for infrastructure and to inform strategic planning decisions. 

This South Coast Growth Strategy has been prepared in response to growing pressure to make land available for housing development across the nation, South Australia and locally in the Alexandrina Council area, particularly around Goolwa. This pressure is the result of the current housing availability and affordability crisis currently being experienced across the nation.

After a series of workshops in late 2023 and in early and mid-2024, Council identified opportunities to accommodate estimated growth in four ways: 

• Existing infill – that is, identifying where there is an existing opportunity for additional dwellings and subdivision of suitably zoned land. 
• Intensification of Rural Living Areas – that is, areas that are currently zoned for Rural Living purposes and subsequently have larger allotment sizes where the minimum allotment size may be able to be reduced to accommodate additional allotments. There may also be an opportunity to reduce the minimum allotment size in areas zoned Rural Living whilst still maintaining a ‘rural living’ environment. Alexandrina Council | Draft South Coast Growth Strategy FAQs Page 2 of 3 
• Deferred Urban – that is, land that is generally zoned ‘deferred urban’ to protect it from development that would be incompatible with its future use for housing or other related purposes. 
• Greenfield – that is, land that is typically zoned for agricultural purposes on the fringe of townships that has no significant built form on it (i.e. is generally vacant of buildings) and offers a ‘clean slate’ for master planning.

To accommodate demand for housing, Council has identified where future supply can be accommodated within the next 15 years (Phase One) and then where future supply can be provided within the following 16-30 years (Phase Two). 

Future supply is proposed in and around the townships of Goolwa, Hindmarsh Island and Middleton. 

• Hard copies of the draft South Coast Growth Strategy can be viewed during business hours at the Alexandrina Council Office at 11 Cadell Street, Goolwa. 
• An online copy of the draft South Coast Growth Strategy can be downloaded here.

In-person:

• Hard copies of the South Coast Growth Strategy, a Frequently Asked Questions paper and the survey will be available for viewing at the Goolwa Council Office at 11 Cadell Street, Goolwa during business hours. 
• You can attend a community drop-in sessions where Council Staff will be available to answer questions or to take handwritten surveys (we will have copies for you to fill out):

Friday 6 September - Middleton IGA, Goolwa Road, Middleton, 10 am until 1 pm 

Thursday 19 September - Goolwa Shopping Centre Mall (in front of Woolworths entrance), Hutchinson Street, 9 am until 5 pm 

Saturday 28 September - Middleton IGA, Goolwa Road, Middleton, 10 am until 1 pm 

Online:

• Watch a video presentation on the draft strategy.
• You can fill in the online survey, which includes the ability to write about your thoughts. 

Submissions on the draft South Coast Growth Strategy will be accepted until 5:00 pm on Wednesday 2 October 2024.

Council will consider all feedback received along with other relevant information and, at a future Council Meeting, will endorse a final South Coast Growth Strategy. 

The final strategy will be provided to the Minister for Planning and will be used to inform strategic planning decisions such as private landowner-led Code Amendments. 

It will also be used by Alexandrina Council to inform our own strategic planning decisions, particularly with regards to infrastructure planning