The Committee for Adelaide has long advocated that growing our population is critical to meeting current and future workforce needs, accelerating long-term and sustainable economic growth, and remaining a vibrant and attractive place to live.
After decades of stagnant population growth, South Australia is finally seeing an increase in net interstate and overseas migration, with Greater Adelaide’s population expected to grow a further 11% in the coming decade[i]. Longer term, the latest Greater Adelaide Regional Plan (GARP) projects Adelaide’s population to rise from 1.5 million to 2.2 million by 2051. That’s approximately 700,000 extra people per year in the Greater Adelaide area that will be a part of our community, contributing to our economy and will, of course, need somewhere to live.
To support this growth, an additional 315,000 new homes will be required, including significant demand for retirement living and aged care housing, a continued need for family-sized homes as well as affordable housing options for first-home buyers and low-income workers. There will remain an ongoing requirement for social housing as well as units, co-located housing options, small-scale apartments, courtyard homes, manors, townhouses, terraces and build-to-rent housing to meet different housing requirements and lifestyle choices.
While greenfield development has a role to play, greater urban infill and increased housing density in and around the CBD and across inner metropolitan Adelaide is critical to meeting the needs of Adelaide’s growing population.
Thoughtfully increasing housing density in Adelaide’s existing built-up areas will promote ‘living locally’, improve connection to place and enable more homes to be built close to existing infrastructure, public transport corridors, business precincts and supporting amenities like shops, health care, education and other community services.
Importantly, doing density well will create connected, convenient, cohesive and climate-smart communities, help to reduce Adelaide’s dependency on cars and encourage more active travel options, such as walking and cycling, to get around. This is essential, not optional, for Adelaide to continue to be one of the most liveable cities in the world.
The Committee’s 2023 Benchmarking Adelaide Report highlighted that Adelaide is currently bottom among 14 similar sized cities around the world for the share of people living in walkable neighbourhoods. We also have the lowest average population density of 29 Asia Pacific cities for population living immediately in and around the city centre.
Enabling mixed-used developments in select industrial zones within inner metropolitan areas such as Hindmarsh, Mile End, Glynde, Underdale, Kent Town and Keswick would unlock additional housing supply, while still maintaining areas for business and industry to flourish. As pointed out in the GARP, traditional industries will still require dedicated land areas near freight routes, but growth in cleaner and quieter sectors will enable more business and residential areas to happily co-exist.
Retaining and protecting areas of open space, heritage and character will always be important to strengthen Adelaide’s unique appeal and maintain our liveability. Maintaining the social licence for increased housing density across metropolitan Adelaide will also be essential if we’re to continue to meet and sustain growth for decades to come. This can be achieved through meaningful community engagement, flexible and outcome-orientated planning, and thoughtful and innovative design principles to deliver increased amenity and improved social, environmental and liveability outcomes for the local community.
There’s also an ongoing need to ensure sustainability, energy efficiency and quality when planning and delivering new homes, while balancing affordability. We must build smarter, not just faster. We must maintain quality, not just quantity. And we must make the most of our remaining urban land.
Plenty of other cities around the world have faced the same predicament we face today, with many demonstrating that smart urban infill can be done well. Examples include Barcelona’s ‘Superblocks’ concept which has transformed streets for pedestrians and cyclists[ii], Portland in the US an exemplary model of transit-orientated development[iii], Fukuoka, Japan which has successfully densified both residential and commercial space across the city, and Singapore, which is home to six million people within a 700 square kilometre area and feels safe, spacious, clean and green[iv].
Advancements in home technologies including solar and batter storage, EVs and IOTs will continue to transform and influence how people live and interact in their homes and neighbourhoods. We will need to stay one step ahead of living trends, with insights and incentives needed to help change behaviours. Leveraging current community pain-points can be catalyst for change.
Prioritising urban infill, over urban sprawl and doing density well is just one of five ideas the Committee for Adelaide has put forward to enhance Adelaide’s vibrancy and liveability. Adelaide has long been regarded as one of the world’s most liveable cities. We are blessed with an enviable climate, pristine environment and have advantages in size, layout and open spaces. Our city also punches above its weight in lifestyle and creativity. But there is work to do to safeguard our long-held advantages of affordability and liveability.
Other ideas raised include ensuring Adelaide is an accessible and well-connected city, international, regionally and locally, and across all modes of transport. This includes securing more international flights to support business growth, investment attraction and the visitor economy, and prioritising an integrated transport infrastructure plan, with funding beyond election cycles, to make sure Adelaide’s transport system keeps up with population growth and demand.
Placing art and culture at the centre of everything including a ‘Cultural Infrastructure Plan’ and supporting public and private investment fund to improve and maintain Adelaide’s existing cultural assets, events, festivals, facilities and institutions to ensure they are modern, accessible and fit-for-purpose.
Making the most of our natural assets including our parks, walking and cycling trails, picturesque beaches and lush open spaces. This can be supported by an increase in the rate base of inner-city densification.
And last but by no means least, we must prepare for and embrace population growth and demographic changes. This means bringing the whole community along on the journey and making sure our city is well-equipped for population growth and can successfully cater for all ages, abilities and lifestyle needs.
Done right, and with continued ambition and collaboration across government, industry and the whole community, Adelaide will remain one of the world’s most vibrant and liveable cities for generations to come.
Click here to view the Committee’s ‘5 ideas to enhance Adelaide’s vibrancy and liveability’.
Sam Dighton, Chief Executive Officer, Committee for Adelaide
The Committee for Adelaide is a non-partisan, independent and sector agnostic think-tank, bringing together businesses, industry bodies, community, and government to help shape the future of Adelaide and South Australia.
[i] Australian Centre of Population Growth
[ii]https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335705898_Changing_the_urban_design_of_cities_for_health_The_superblock_model#:~:text=The%20Superblocks%20were%20estimated%20to,CI:%200.6%E2%80%932.8).
[iii] https://www.fastcompany.com/1558244/inspired-ethonomics-portland-global-model-transit-oriented-development
[iv] https://urbis.com.au/insights-news/singapores-secrets-to-density-done-well/
