Light Regional Council has spoken out on State Government plans to unlock land for thousands of new homes at Roseworthy, following landmark legislation which has passed variations to Environment and Food Production Areas (EFPA).
Acting Mayor for Light Regional Council, Michael Phillips-Ryder has reaffirmed Council’s opposition to the Planning, Development and Infrastructure Act 2016 (Environment and Food Production Areas) Amendment Bill 2025, warning that the proposed development could threaten vital farmland.
As reported in The Leader, May 14, Light Regional Council has raised concern that the proposed removal of the urban consolidation test for changes to EFPA could open the doors to uncontrolled urban sprawl through some of the area’s most productive farmland.
The Bill, which was recently passed by Parliament, supports the implementation of the draft Greater Adelaide Regional Plan (GARP) and identifies Roseworthy as a major growth area with the potential to include up to 43,000 houses between Roseworthy and Two Wells in the coming decades, a monumental increase from the current population.
Acting Mayor Phillips-Ryder said, "Agricultural land around Roseworthy contributes significantly to South Australia's food security and supports the state and local economy.
“Council fully supports efforts to improve housing affordability and supply. But this cannot come at the cost of our most productive farmland. We must ensure growth is well-planned, sustainable and preserves the land that sustains us.”
He added that not only was Council opposed to the bill amendment, they felt the views of the community were not taken into consideration.
“We are disappointed the views of our community have been ignored in this process,” he said.
Light Regional Council recently called on Members of Parliament to reject the Amendment Bill, and pursue an approach that provides more protection for South Australia’s agricultural areas and rural communities.
"Council recently wrote to state parliamentarians to reaffirm its position that it was opposed to further greenfield development around Roseworthy impacting upon prime agricultural land,” said Acting Mayor Phillips-Ryder.
Acknowledging the state-wide shortage of housing, he noted that there are already significant developments underway in the region.
“Council recognises there is a shortage of affordable housing options in Greater Adelaide and in our region. There are already significant developments underway around Roseworthy, Freeling and Kapunda,” he said.
“We recognise the need for more housing in our region, and are supportive of greater density development located in closer proximity to planned rail corridors and social and community infrastructure.
“Printing land through media releases, where the infrastructure does not exist to support it, and where it will jeopardise our agricultural sector is not a solution to the housing supply issues we face."
Expressing her disappointment in the amendment, Member for Frome, Penny Pratt MP said in a statement to The Leader, "My farming communities of Roseworthy, Freeling, Templers and Kangaroo Flat are right to feel abandoned by their State Government at a time when farmers are facing the toughest drought in 100 years.
“Farmers who feed us, need us to understand the impact that this drought continues to have on food security.
"Reducing the amount of protected land zoned for growing our own food doesn’t make sense when there are other areas to develop for housing on less productive land.
“You can ‘grow a house’ on bad land but you can’t grow a crop," she said.
Grain Producers SA (GPSA) was also vocal in its disappointment last week about the legislative changes announced on Wednesday.
"It's a dark day for the grain industry and agriculture more broadly, when some of the state's prime cropping land that was once protected by legislation is rezoned for house, forever lost to grain production," said GPSA Chief Executive Officer, Brad Perry.
"The very Parliament that established the EFPAs has now voted to weaken them, opening prime cropping land - 33 per cent more productive than the state average - for housing development.
"I've been contacted by grain producers, around Roseworthy and surrounding areas, who are devastated by this decision. They're now weighing up their future in the industry, likely ending multi-generational farming, knowing that developers will be constantly knocking on their doors.
"There is still no solution to the conflict that occurs when productive farming operations are forced to coexist with expanding residential developments and yet, approval for urban sprawl continues...."
But in a media release last Wednesday from the office of Nick Champion MP, Minister for Housing and Urban Development - announcing that the legislation had been passed - it was stated that, "The Revision of the EFPA will still ensure that the key agricultural lands surrounding Great Adelaide are protected, with the variations representing a loss of less than one per cent of agricultural lands in Greater Adelaide."
It was also advised that The State Planning Commission will continue to review EFPA boundaries every five years to ensure ongoing protection while supporting sustainable urban growth.