🏗️ Growth

Gifford Hill development progresses: ‘We’re going as fast as we can’

Exclusive: Here’s what the proponents behind one of the biggest land developments in SA’s history have accomplished in the past year.

Peri Strathearn

Aug 28, 2025 — 4 min read

James Dibble announces the Gifford Hill development last July; behind him is a master plan for the area. Image: Peri Strathearn.

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Twelve months after announcing a 17,000-home, $7.5 billion residential development at Gifford Hill, James Dibble is more excited than ever.

The for sale signs haven’t gone up yet, there are no bulldozers charging around, but work has been progressing behind the scenes on one of the biggest property developments in South Australia’s history.

The work might not be visible yet, but it was happening, said Mr Dibble, the managing director of one of the companies behind the Gifford Hill project.

A patch of land on the west side of Brinkley Road, between the South Eastern Freeway and the racecourse, is likely to be the first that will be developed.

About 1000 residential blocks should become available for sale in the second half of 2026, pending all the necessary approvals.

Happily, everything was lining up so far, Mr Dibble said.

Paperwork in the “done” pile so far included:

The Greater Adelaide Regional Plan, which recognised Murray Bridge’s long-term potential for population growth
A structure plan by the Murray Bridge council, which noted that Gifford Hill could handle a lot of that population growth
Changes to the boundaries of South Australia’s Environment and Food Production Area, which would have restricted development

The paddocks behind Murray Bridge Racing Club will eventually make way for new neighbourhoods, if not for a while yet. Photo: Grange Development.

Next will be a change to land zoning in the area, called a code amendment.

At the moment, the land where the first homes will be built is split into three zones for planning purposes: a residential zone, a “rural living” zone which only allows larger blocks, and a primary production zone which cannot be developed for housing.

The developers hope to have all three zones changed to “master planned neighbourhood”, which would allow them to put residential allotments, open space, paths and a small “activity centre” – like one of the little clusters of shops on Swanport Road – wherever they need to go.

“You try to create a city of local neighbourhoods where people get a community feel,” Mr Dibble said.

“What we’ve learnt in the Victorian planning system … is that (when commercial developments are clustered together) you end up with multinationals dominating: you get a Starbucks, not your local coffee shop.

“We’re trying to create fine-grained activity centres, high streets and that sort of topography … intended for small businesses rather than large-format multinationals.”

A public consultation process will begin as soon as state Planning Minister Nick Champion gives his preliminary approval.

The area west of Brinkley Road, where the first stage of development is likely to take place, is currently a mish-mash of different planning zones, shown in pink, orange and brown. Image: Location SA.

In the meantime, he said, 80 per cent of the planning work needed to get started had been done.

“We’ve resolved servicing (water, power and sewage), hydrology (drainage) and traffic,” he said.

“We’ve modelled community infrastructure needs (schools, parks and so on) – we’re about to submit that to the council.

“We’re going as fast as we can.”

Two public high schools and four public primary schools were likely to be needed across the whole Gifford Hill area over the next 40 years, Mr Dibble suggested.

There might be at least one private school on top of that.

More announcements would come over the next 12 months, he suggested, including about the cutting-edge urban design principles that would inform the development.

The Gifford Hill website talks about things like mass timber construction, carbon capture, environmental regeneration and the importance of people’s connection to nature.

"Biophilic design principles" – the idea that people like to feel connected to nature – are intended to be a big part of the Gifford Hill development. Image: Grange Development.

In the meantime, the developer’s enthusiasm remained as prominent as it was when he stood on a breezy hilltop last July to reveal his vision.

“I have such gratitude for the locals, not just from Murray Bridge but from the broader catchment area … (for) how positive and excited you are about this project,” he said.

“The feedback has been better than I expected.

“I can genuinely say I have not received a single negative email.

“The public are giving our joint venture a lot of faith, and we need to deliver a beautiful outcome for them, and we will.”

Grange Development is pursuing the Gifford Hill project in partnership with the Costa Property Group, having taken over from previous developers Burke Urban several years ago.