Image credit: MAB / Communities / Port Stanvac
Adelaide’s southern coastline is set to welcome an entirely new suburb, with the State Government approving the rezoning of the former Port Stanvac oil refinery site.
Named South Beach, the 230-hectare development will include 3,600 homes, more than 60 hectares of employment land and a mixed-use town centre with community facilities and services.
The project, led by Australian developer MAB, is expected to accommodate almost 8,000 residents and support around 1,700 jobs once complete.
One of the development’s biggest changes will be the reopening of a section of coastline that has been inaccessible to the public for generations.
A 40-hectare coastal reserve will provide access to 1.7 kilometres of beach, while the development will also complete a missing section of the 70-kilometre coastal trail running between North Haven and Sellicks Beach.
More than 31 per cent of the site will be retained as open space.
Up to 15 per cent of the homes will be designated affordable housing, with the broader development featuring a mix of detached houses, townhouses and apartments.
Port Stanvac has remained dormant since ExxonMobil ceased refinery operations in 2003. The site is considered one of the last major coastal infill opportunities remaining in metropolitan Adelaide.
Premier Peter Malinauskas said the redevelopment would return a significant stretch of the southern coastline to the community after more than two decades behind fencing.
“This is a once in a generation housing opportunity. It will also unlock a magnificent part of our beautiful coastline,” he said.
“It means more homes for South Australians, thousands of jobs in the south and a completed coastal walkway that people will enjoy for generations.”
The approved Port Stanvac Mixed Use Code Amendment rezones most of the land from Strategic Employment to a combination of Master Planned Neighbourhood, Conservation and Urban Neighbourhood zones.
A supporting concept plan establishes the proposed locations of the town centre, transport links and open spaces, along with guidelines for building heights, traffic management and stormwater infrastructure.
Due to the land’s former industrial use, environmental remediation will be required before redevelopment can proceed. The work will be overseen by independent qualified environmental consultants.
South Beach will have direct access to Lonsdale Railway Station and the Southern Expressway, with plans also including upgrades to state and local road intersections.
A new rail overpass will connect Sheriffs Road to the development, creating an additional link into the community.
Housing and Urban Development Minister Nick Champion said the approval moved the project from a proposal into the early stages of creating a new suburb.
“This development makes sense, 3,600 homes close to the coast, close to jobs and close to public transport,” he said.
The project is forecast to add $509 million a year to the City of Onkaparinga economy once fully developed.
The South Beach name reflects the site’s planned coastal character and distinguishes the new community from the historically industrial suburb of Lonsdale. Consultation on formally establishing the new suburb is now underway.
MAB will work with the State Government and the City of Onkaparinga on the remediation and implementation process.
Construction is expected to begin in 2028, with the first residents anticipated to move into South Beach in 2029.
