Zoning change could open new horizons for industry around Murray Bridge
The city’s council is leading a charge to rezone 4600 hectares of land for employment purposes.
Newly proposed zoning changes will encourage industrial businesses to set up at Pallamana and Brinkley as Murray Bridge’s population continues to grow.
Up to 4600 hectares of mostly farmland would be rezoned for employment purposes under a plan proposed by the Murray Bridge council.
For context, the affected area would be about 2.5 times larger than the Gifford Hill residential development.
The state government approved the first step in the process on May 21.
A period of public consultation will begin in the coming months.
Murray Bridge Mayor Wayne Thorley said the planning law change represented a major step towards the rural city’s future.
“We are seeing increasing demand for industrial and commercial land across South Australia,” he said.
“By unlocking new employment areas here in Murray Bridge, we can provide opportunities for businesses to grow locally, reduce pressure on metropolitan areas and ensure our community benefits from strong, sustainable job creation.
“Our priority is to protect existing businesses while creating the right conditions for new industries to establish themselves, supporting the creation of local jobs.”
What will be built there? Is this about data centres?
Since this story was published, many commenters have asked what type of development is being planned for this land. The answer is: none, at this stage. This is just about changing the rules so that developers – including those who might want to build data centres, warehouses or value-adding agricultural businesses – will be able to apply to build things there at a later date. This rule change is being led by the council, not a specific applicant. Several more stages of work, potentially taking years, will have to take place before anything significant can be built on this land.
The areas affected by the zoning changes would include:
- More than 3800 hectares of rural land at Pallamana, in the area around Thomas Foods International and along the route of the proposed Greater Adelaide Freight Bypass
- 700 hectares of rural intensive enterprise land at Brinkley: the area around Big River Pork and Ingham’s known as the Flagstaff Industrial Precinct
- 46 hectares of deferred urban land on the west side of Murray Bridge, adjoining an area recently rezoned for housing
- Another 13-hectare parcel of agricultural land on Old Swanport Road, Murray Bridge, next to the Hindmarsh Estate residential development
The council would like most of the land to be rezoned for strategic employment or rural intensive enterprise.
The Pallamana airfield, which sits within the affected area, could be protected with an “infrastructure” designation.
Strategic employment zones indicate industrial areas of state significance, like the Osborne shipyards or Gillman.
Rural intensive enterprise zones typically feature industries which are already common in the Murraylands, such as chicken sheds, piggeries, feedlots and value-adding agricultural businesses.
As well as the zoning change, the two biggest areas would also have to be removed from a designated environment and food production area for any development to go ahead.
State Planning Minister Nick Champion said the changes would position Murray Bridge as a key economic hub which was well positioned to capture future opportunities.
“These serviced employment lands, in proximity to key freight routes, are expected to attract a wide range of industrial and employment interest,” he said.
“Planning for future employment land now is essential to ensuring the region can continue to attract investment, support local businesses and create jobs close to where people live.
“I look forward to working with the council in achieving their aspirations for Murray Bridge and surrounds.”
The zoning change had been envisioned in several state and local plans over the past few years, including the Greater Adelaide Regional Plan in 2023, a council structure plan in 2024 and the Murray Mallee Regional Plan in January.
It is the third zoning change to be instigated around Murray Bridge since a freeze on any such changes ended in 2020.
As mentioned above, a residential rezoning in the city’s west was approved in February; but the first stage of the Gifford Hill development has not yet gone to public consultation.
- More information: plan.sa.gov.au.
Clarification: We have added more information about what type of developments could be built on the land, and when.
