A MOUNT Gambier construction company has unveiled plans for a $41m housing and land development on the fringe of the city.
The applicant Empak Homes has lodged a statement of effect development application with Grant District Council.
The category 3 proposal foreshadows the development of 102 allotments over a number of stages bordering White Avenue/Carpenter Rocks Road and McKay Road.
According to the plan, the new estate will be named “Station Run” and will cater for residential-style development.
Nearby landholders were notified of the development with public submissions closing yesterday.
Empak Homes spokesperson Heath Mitchell described the proposed development as a major boost to the city’s economy.
“This is a long-term development and will create a lot of employment opportunities,” Mr Mitchell said.
He said the project would underpin hundreds of jobs – including contractors over the life of the project.
“These will include the consultants who are now working on the project to the blokes digging the roads, construction workers right through to landscapers,” Mr Mitchell said at the White Avenue site yesterday.
Describing the housing market as buoyant, he revealed the past two years had been strong and consistent.
“We think a project like this is a good long-term project for the Mount Gambier economy,” Mr Mitchell said.
“When we are talking about adding another 100 blocks to the market, that is over a five to 10 year lifespan.
“We have always been very confident in the Limestone Coast – the primary producers just keep this economy bubbling along.
“We do not tend to boom or bust like metropolitan centres.”
He revealed inquiries for new housing had been strong over the past six months and continued to show buoyancy after Christmas.
“Interest rates are at a good level and people have confidence in the economy – housing on the back of that is doing a good consistent trade,” Mr Mitchell said.
He said the average block site in the proposed development was about 1800sq metres and the project would mirror the style of Conroe Heights and Attamarra Heights with large reserves.
Mr Mitchell said the company was hoping to gain approval from Grant District Council’s independent planning assessors within months pending some possible further planning steps.
“This will be the first development we have done in the Grant District Council and we have been really pleased with Trevor Smart (chief executive officer) and his team,” he said.
“They have been proactive but also very diligent in assessing the application.”
The proposed 102 allotments will range in size from 1015 to 3001sq metres within a large primarily rectangular shaped parcel of land.
The subject land is located in the rural living zone with portion of the subject land also located in a country living policy area.
According to the development application the value of Station Run has been estimated at $41m (house and land value) when the 102 allotments will be fully developed and new dwellings are under construction.
The application says “there is pressure on Grant District Council area for further residential development to meet the future demand for residential allotments to support the growth of Mount Gambier.
“This is being primarily driven by the lack of land zoned residential within the City of Mount Gambier area – either being made available or already developed – to satisfy this demand.”
The plan foreshadows the development of a new road – Settlers Avenue – running off White Avenue to service the new estate.
It is understood council has received a number of submissions regarding the plan.
White Avenue property owner Nigel Inglis confirmed yesterday he had lodged an objection to the development.
Mr Inglis said he was “gobsmacked” by the proposal given it was non-compliant with council’s own development regulations.
He said the development did not adhere to the rural living zone and country living policy area regulations.
The landholder said the size of proposed allotments was significantly smaller than the required minimum allotment size of 3000sq metres where the property was connected to SA Water sewerage system or some other approved form of off-site domestic effluent disposal.
Mr Inglis warned if the development was approved it would make a “mockery” of council’s development framework.
He also claimed property values could fall for nearby landholders given the impact on rural views.
