Champion sent letters to the state’s 68 councils on March 17 urging them to “proactively advocate” for land rezonings in their area, conduct more investigations into local heritage and better manage local car parking issues.

Each council received one of two letters, either commending them for their strategic planning work or telling them they have “more to do” to prepare for future growth.

Twenty-three councils received commendation letters and 45 received “more to do” letters, with Onkaparinga Council in the latter category. A full list is available here.

In a separate statement to InDaily at the time, Champion said there were councils that were “falling behind” on planning for housing growth that “risk failing to meet their potential for well-planned communities with a considered approach to future generations and the challenges associated with their growth and density”.

“I urge these councils to re-assess their development plans, infill targets and strategic plans in conjunction with their communities,” he said last month.

But in a seven-page written response, Onkaparinga mayor Moira Were and acting CEO Julia Grant accused the minister of receiving “misinformation” about Onkaparinga Council’s strategic planning.

The letter, sent on April 3, highlights the council’s work on three “comprehensive planning policy reviews” for the townships of Clarendon, Willunga and McLaren Vale, and eight land parcels rezoned for housing delivered between 2013 and 2020.

It also points to the council’s development of a “local area plan” for Onkaparinga and a “structure plan” for Sellicks Beach in 2020, as well as its input into the state government’s process for rezoning 235 hectares of rural land in Hackham and Old Noarlunga for 2000 new homes.

The 235 hectare plot of land in Hackham and Old Noarlunga earmarked for 2000 new homes. The area will be renamed “Onkaparinga heights”. Photo: supplied/SA Government

“We… note your recent comments in the media and feel it would be remiss of us not to respond directly to you and correct some misinformation you may have received about the significant role and contribution of the City of Onkaparinga,” the letter to Champion reads.

“We wish to highlight that the City of Onkaparinga maintains a collaborative and constructive working relationship with State Government particularly Planning and Land Use Services and the State Planning Commission in relation to strategic planning.

“This includes active participation in planning reforms over many years to achieve the best outcomes for our local communities, and the state.

“It was disappointing to be publicly criticised as ‘needing to do more’ and we are using this opportunity to correct the record.”

Were and Grant told the Minister that the “significant opportunities” of the government’s plan to create 23,700 new homes in the outer suburbs via land rezonings “will not be fully realised unless we work collaboratively”.

Just sending letters out and saying, ‘you haven’t done enough here and you haven’t done enough here’, it doesn’t serve our community well at all

The criticisms come ahead of the release of a major review into South Australia’s planning system, which is set to recommend reforms on contentious issues such as tree protection, urban infill and heritage.

The final report, compiled by an expert panel led by former urban development lobby president John Stimson, was handed to the government before Easter and contains 113 recommendations.

Champion told InDaily today the government is currently reviewing the panel’s recommendations and will make the report public “early in the next financial year”.

There has been widespread frustration in the local government sector about their role in the new planning code, which rolled out in 2021 and consolidated 72 council development plans into one state-wide code.

Some councils have complained to the planning review that the new system limits their influence, while others have called for third party appeal rights to be reinstated for neighbours to new developments.

Acting Onkaparinga CEO Julia Grant. Photo: supplied

Grant, who has been acting as Onkaparinga Council’s CEO for more than a year, told InDaily the new planning system has been “quicker and easier” for developers but “now it’s time redress the balance with community voice and sustainability outcomes”.

“South Australia should be much better at what it does with its urban development and planning, and we’ve now got another chance to look at the reforms,” she said.

She argued that South Australia has the “weakest tree protections around the nation” and the expert panel review must “respond to some of the overwhelming comments that our community are telling us”.

“The opportunity is there, and coming and just sending letters out and saying, ‘you haven’t done enough here and you haven’t done enough here’, it doesn’t serve our community well at all,” Grant said.

“Everyone has a story around loss of trees, of infill development upsetting character of suburbs.

“We’ve got the opportunity to get it right and that’s what we should be doing. And sending letters and having it out criticising different levels of government doesn’t fulfill the opportunity and the potential of what we’re all expecting.” 

In response to the council’s criticisms, Champion said: “The planning system requires all parties to play their role, and this includes Local Government.”

“I welcome councils, including the City of Onkaparinga, outlining the future and strategic planning they are undertaking.

“Many councils are to be commended for their work but with the 30-Year Plan for Greater Adelaide on the horizon, we need all councils to be contemplating what their communities and our state looks like in the long-term.

“I want to work with Local Government to build communities for future generations, but that work must commence now.”

Champion said he looked forward to meeting with the council “to discuss and progress current and future works required”.

The City of Onkaparinga is South Australia’s most populous council area with more than 170,000 residents. It is also Adelaide’s second-largest metropolitan council with a land area of 518km2.

Approximately 73 per cent of council area is covered by the McLaren Vale Character Preservation District, which prevents urban development encroaching on agricultural production and the area’s character.

According to the council, there are currently 612.5 hectares of broadhectare (greenfield) land available for housing in the City of Onkaparinga that could yield 7040 new homes over the next 20 years.

The council also projects it has room for 11,000 new infill and medium density houses over the same period.