Thousands of residents in Adelaide’s south are set to benefit from a $400 million redevelopment of Noarlunga Centre which will be presented to local and international investors next month.

Returning from the South Australian trade delegation to China, Onkaparinga Mayor Lorraine Rosenberg revealed Chinese Government-backed investment company Beijing Development Area had shown interest in the plan, which would create a renewed hub of entertainment, education, health and mixed use housing and commercial spaces in Noarlunga Centre.

“We’re not doing this simply to satisfy an investor, we’re doing this to satisfy a need in our community, which is extra housing in a fairly concentrated place, and, secondly, extra jobs,” said Rosenberg.

“In some instances we may be talking about 10-storey development for mixed use.”

She said the redevelopment was most likely to attract young couples into the area, as well as older people looking to downsize.

She said the plan included revamped theatre and bowling complexes, a renewed health precinct and the possibility of more university facilities.

“What we’ve been doing in the background is seeking to have discussions with potential investors one-on-one to make sure they are well tuned to what might be released,” said Rosenberg.

“We’ve worked very closedly with some investors in China.

“One of the developers … is extremely interested in being part of the Noarlunga redevelopment.

“But once again, he is one of several that we are speaking to.”

Onkaparinga Council CEO Mark Dowd said the Noarlunga Regional Centre project was “by far the biggest project this council has ever been involved but we need to be bold if our community is to thrive into the future”.

“Beyond the NRC project, we have many investors seeking export and investment opportunities across various sectors in which we have great strength, including wine, tourism, agribusiness, advanced manufacturing, education and healthcare.

“In these sectors our role is to act as an advocate and facilitate business to business contact and then step back and let the businesses and investors develop their own deals, calling on us if they need to.

“Through Government facilitation relationships blossom quicker with much of the trust building having already happened at the government level.”

Another artist’s impression of the redevelopment.

Rosenberg said there was interest from both Chinese and local investors in the project, and that the development may be split among investors.

She said it was likely three options, each worth about $400 million, would be released for investors to consider by the first of July.

“It will probably presented in a series of options,” she said.

“If you’ve got a development of that size and then you go out with just one option and you say this is what we want … you may limit the potential to get a much more exciting  development.”

Rosenberg said the council hoped to be able to lock in investment for the project by the end of the year.

She said the council had been working on the project since the release of the 30 Year Plan for Greater Adelaide in 2008, which showed the area would take on an extra 40,000 residents by 2040, and that 70 per cent of those residents expected to be housed using infill.

“At the moment in our city 85 per cent of our housing stock is the traditional house on the block of land,” said Rosenberg.

“We got a very strong sense from community responses that they wanted more diversity (of housing).

“So we went down the path of medium density (but) that hasn’t proved to be terribly popular.

“This is one option of reducing the pressure on the suburbs for medium density and putting it more in a concentrated area … right next to an entertainment precinct.”

Minister for Investment and Trade Martin Hamilton-Smith said Charles Sturt council had also pitched for Chinese investment during the trade delegation.

“I support the establishment of the Shandong – South Australia local government economic development platform to facilitate two-way commercial outcomes,” he said.

“Our economies are highly complementary, and this initiative can provide preferential access for South Australian business and governments.”