An aerial view of the coastline and suburb of Aldinga.

Published on 24 November 2021

Can Aldinga become Australia’s most sustainable suburb?

Onkaparinga Mayor Erin Thompson says the state government’s release of 60 hectares of land in Aldinga presents an unprecedented opportunity to set a new benchmark for sustainable housing development in Australia.

“Our community wants this to be a sustainable and climate resilient development, as they’ve demonstrated through dozens of community submissions and a recent 1500 signature petition to state parliament seeking sustainable development outcomes,” Mayor Thompson said.

“This is why the City of Onkaparinga has developed a detailed vision for sustainable and climate resilient suburban development in Aldinga, which can also serve as a model for similar developments across the state and the nation.

“Together, we can create better public spaces and more efficient homes that are less impactful on the environment, delivering a suburb that can support a fantastic lifestyle for generations to come.

“This is chance to do something powerful, to align environmental, social and economic interests, to draw a line in the sand and say ‘this is the new minimum standard for housing development in our state’, one that responds to and respects the environment into which it is placed,” Mayor Thompson said.

The council has set 17 key targets for the Aldinga development, based on ensuring the best possible sustainability standards are embedded in the master plan, along with clearly defined and enforceable Climate Smart Design Guidelines and strong ongoing compliance mechanisms.

A focus on water sensitive urban design, matched with extensive planting of trees and urban greening on private and public land, will create a cooler, highly walkable and visually appealing development that complements the rural coastal landscape and sensitive environmental surrounds of Aldinga, while supporting natural biodiversity and habitat creation.

Offering a diverse range of innovative and well-designed homes, both affordable and high-end, will ensure more people can build a sustainable and energy-efficient life for their families in one of the most enviable coastal locations in Australia.  

The council’s vision includes powerful endorsements by local business, industry and community leaders including d’Arenberg’s Chester Osborn; Jock Harvey, Proprietor and Managing Director, Chalk Hill Viticulture; Anthony Kittel, Managing Director Redarc Electronics; Leonie Hick Chair, Business and Tourism Aldinga; and Stephanie Johnston, Chair, Friends of Port Willunga.

“We’re energised and excited about the prospect of working with Renewal SA, the state government, our community and the development partner to deliver a new standard for sustainable development,” Mayor Thompson said.

The council’s Aldinga vision document can be downloaded at the City of Onkaparinga website.