800 new homes in $240m Evanston development : Gawler is a suburb of Adelaide. It is not a country town any more

SARAH MARTIN The Advertiser May 21, 2010 12:01AM 20/05/2010 BUSINESS: Evanston Gardens estate aerial view – site of the new Devine homes development A $240 million, 800-home development will be built near Gawler to tap into the growth potential of the northern suburbs, a major developer announced yesterday. Devine property group has entered into an agreement with a landowner to develop a 59ha site at Evanston Gardens, 35km north of Adelaide. The development will provide housing for 2000 residents and will be completed over the next five to six years, with the first stage expected to be ready for release next year. Devine managing director David Keir said the company was keen to tap into the area's growth potential which would be boosted by such government infrastructure projects as the Northern Expressway and the Adelaide-Gawler rail upgrade. The company says it entered into an agreement with the landholder which will enable Devine to develop the land and make staged payments to purchase the site. "From our perspective, it is about conserving our capital to enable us to continue our growth plans," Mr Keir said. He said the development agreement equated to a land purchase price of about $20 million. The development will include 800 homes and will include a network of walking and cycling tracks linking the estate to the Adelaide-Gawler rail line. The area has been earmarked in the State Government's 30-Year Plan for Greater Adelaide as a residential growth area. It is expected to grow by 150 per cent in the next decade. Retail and commercial development adjacent to the railway station and the development site also has been flagged by the Land Management Corporation. Devine's new investment, with its $300 million Lakeside development, indicated the company's faith in the South Australian market, Mr Keir said. "Adelaide is an attractive market for us. It is a very stable market and we have got an established brand and we can produce an affordable offering here," he said. The development site is undergoing rezoning, which is expected by late this year. ============================ Comments on this story Emporer of The North Posted at 1:06 AM May 21, 2010 Oh boy, I can hear the whinging and howls of outrage already. I live not more than 500m from this proposed development and have lived here for over 35 years but it will be those neighbours of mine that have been here 10 years and less that will scream the loudest. I did not care when they built their homes and I dont care about this. I am still waiting for a local supermarket so I dont have to trek 3 to 4 kms every time I do my shopping. Gawler council is notorious for protecting its main street traders, but if this development helps to change things I will be the first to cheer. Maybe Ill be the only one. Emporer of The North Posted at 12:49 PM May 21, 2010 I said it, didnt I. Whinge and complain. Been a Gawlerite all of my life but Ive never heard more whinging than from the Johnnie come latelies who made this "best of town and country" crap up and then destroyed the town trying to make it live up to the claim. Please give up. Gawler can be an outer suburb and still retain its dignity. Complaining and trying to stop the inevitable is the root cause of most of the regions ills. Comment 1 of 40 tony of london Posted at 3:42 AM May 21, 2010 and the sprawl continues... Comment 2 of 40 Paul of Northern Suburbs Posted at 6:08 AM May 21, 2010 Say good bye to the country feel , Gawler, you are about to loose your rural feel........ Comment 3 of 40 red&blueblooded of Location, Location, Location Posted at 6:40 AM May 21, 2010 Just another attempt to eliminate the Green Belt between Smithfield and Gawler. With the ongoing northern expansion of Adelaide from Smithfield soon the Green Belt will cease to exist altogether. So now we will have to find another 60Ha of less productive land somewhere else to grow our food. Comment 4 of 40 scarlet of everywhere Posted at 7:06 AM May 21, 2010 How about some decent sized allotments instead of these ludicrously small blocks we are seeing lately. What ever happened to the standard quarter acre? Comment 5 of 40 Tony of Exeter Posted at 7:15 AM May 21, 2010 800 new homes but not a cent to improve public transport to the region, not a cent to provide for the increased demand on local health care and not a cent to support manufacturing jobs in the northern suburbs! A government with its eye firmly on stamp duty revenue, develepors compaign donations and little if nothing else! Comment 6 of 40 Rob of Adl Posted at 7:26 AM May 21, 2010 Yay another piece of farming land gone Comment 7 of 40 Robert Stewart of Lameroo 5302 Posted at 7:50 AM May 21, 2010 Here's the chance for a green label.Solar for water and energy on the roof, stormwater recovery storage and distribution both as a residential co-operative for service and maintenance of these facilities. SA Water increase of 20% and electricity 30% just to maintain profit margins of the suppliers must be sufficient reason. Comment 8 of 40 Carol Jackson of Willaston Posted at 8:01 AM May 21, 2010 How can they ! The infrastructure of the north can't cope now. the 'best of town and country' will cease to exist. Comment 9 of 40 Andrew of Adelaide Posted at 8:54 AM May 21, 2010 There goes the neighbourhood. So much for living the quiet life in Gawler, no more! I can see the headline now, 'police captured 2 men from Evanston Gardens overnight after a short police chase through the streets of Gawler'. Comment 10 of 40 Tony Frost of 5118 Posted at 9:05 AM May 21, 2010 Gawler best of town and county? not much county left now!!!!!the main nth road ia saturated with traffic now bet these think tanks in the state goverment don,t live anywhere near Gawler. Five yrs time the traffic will be at Ingle Farm somewhere waiting for the lights at Gepps X to turn green. Comment 11 of 40 Jay of Gawler Posted at 9:44 AM May 21, 2010 R.I.P. the beautiful town of Gawler!!! Comment 12 of 40 Bringing the future to Gawler Posted at 9:48 AM May 21, 2010 woo hoo! about time Gawler was dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century! Maybe now we can get some people to live up here who will realise they are in the metro area and not in the country!!! Comment 13 of 40 ASH of GAWLER Posted at 9:53 AM May 21, 2010 Thank goodnes I am getting OLD . Comment 14 of 40 David Beres of Holden Hill Posted at 10:00 AM May 21, 2010 Tambelin station will be the Next Transit Oriented Development. Comment 15 of 40 Ruth of Adelaide Posted at 10:04 AM May 21, 2010 As usual,the name says it all. A plan for a Greater Adelaide is as absurd as it is pompous. We should be initiating a plan for the re-location of generations of disadvantaged people in the northern region of Adelaide to other cities where they and their children can escape this outcome. Lack of services in education, health, job opportunities have taken their toll. Adding more to this number is just madness and reeks of another real estate venture for the usual quick profits. Comment 16 of 40 Yes please of Reality Posted at 10:07 AM May 21, 2010 Carol...would this create new jobs with the need to build "infrastructure"? I think Adelaide is one of the worst planned cities in Australia....the urban sprawl is ridiculous.. Gawler is a suburb unless you live 10kms out of town on at least 5 acres, dont kid yourselves. Comment 17 of 40 country at heart Posted at 10:12 AM May 21, 2010 And with it all goes not only the "country" lifestyle but some of the best farming land in SA. Someone please explain to our so-called knowledgable experts where their food comes from and the more land we use for housing the more we ALL pay, in the long run. Comment 18 of 40 Gotta love those Bottlenecks every morning! Posted at 10:14 AM May 21, 2010 6 years ago it took about 20-25mins to get from Craigmore to Gepps Cross in peak hour traffic. Currently it is 45-50mins. What will it be after this latest development is completed? Main North Road and Salisbury Hwy just cannot cope with the current traffic congestion. Especially where 3 lanes merge into 2. All for more housing, but fix the roads first! Comment 19 of 40 Tim G of Adelaide Posted at 10:49 AM May 21, 2010 This is funny,as those new residents will take longer to get to the city via main north rd than someone who lives at Pt.Wakefield. I would have thought land closer to the city would be utilised for development first. Comment 20 of 40 Mark SA of Adelaide Posted at 10:54 AM May 21, 2010 Original bushland? Farms? Parks and gardens? Open spaces? Pfft who needs 'em. So long as every new McMansion has a home theatre room we can watch them on TV. In 3D no less! So keep breeding and building people the PM has population targets to meet! (and he doesn't apologise for that) Comment 21 of 40 Shaun of country SA Posted at 10:58 AM May 21, 2010 Typical South Australia, someone announces a new development and every one complains that their 18th century life style will be ruined. Hello... news flash Gawler is a suburb of Adelaide. It is not a country town any more. Comment 22 of 40 Andy of Gawler Posted at 10:58 AM May 21, 2010 How can so many houses be approved without the infrastructure in place required to accommodate the population. Based on this the Gawler - Adelaide train will be full by the time it hit's Smithfield. Comment 23 of 40 my 2c Posted at 11:05 AM May 21, 2010 The land in question was/is used for growing grain. The average yeild, using published data, would be about 155 tonnes of wheat or barley which will have to be grown somewhere else. But it's the loss of the open space and the green belt that's of concern. Gawler is becoming part of the greater Adelaide urban sprawl. Maybe it's time to move to Roseworthy... oh yes the urban sprawl will reach out to Roseworthy in a few more years too. Comment 24 of 40 mike of adelaide Posted at 11:07 AM May 21, 2010 this is great news , but unless they provide a train service its all but useless really........ high speed express trains to the city would make it a very tempting proposition! Comment 25 of 40 Raul Duke of radelaide Posted at 11:12 AM May 21, 2010 to those complaining about main north road and the lack of infrastructure, the northern expressway passes about three minutes drive from this estate. Comment 26 of 40 over an hour from Elizabeth to City of stuck on Main North Road Posted at 11:24 AM May 21, 2010 Gotta love those Bottlenecks - see what happens when the northern expressway is open, giving Gawler commuters another route to get to the city, might ease pressure off Main North Road. I think certain areas of Main North Road could be extended to 90 rather than 80 and traffic light cycles could be improved. Also, the trains are now being upgraded on the Gawler line which may increase commuters on the trains and leaving less traffic on the roads. Comment 27 of 40 Never cross the bogun fence of my own accord Posted at 12:07 PM May 21, 2010 Is this past Gepps Cross? I thought that was the end of the road... Comment 28 of 40 Flossy of North Posted at 12:19 PM May 21, 2010 And the great scab that Adelaide has become festers out even further. What used to be separate communities is now engulfed in a morass of smell, noise, traffic jams and endless shopping complexes. The secret of the north is out and its over! Gawler is about to become the new Old Noarlunga,lost completely and forever. Comment 29 of 40 Andy of Gawler Posted at 12:42 PM May 21, 2010 Raul Duke, and I guess there will be extra trains?? Infrastructure does not just extend to roads! Comment 30 of 40 Comment 31 of 40 Ray of Gawler Posted at 12:50 PM May 21, 2010 Thankyou Tony Picollo for the complete lack of infrastructure to accommodate it and other proposed developments around the town. Comment 32 of 40 Bill of Gawler Posted at 1:21 PM May 21, 2010 Andrew of Adelaide Posted at 8:54 AM Today - the neighbourhood went a long time ago, along with any dream of living the quiet life. You only have to read in the local paper's Police news to realise that Evanston Gardens has a high crime rate already. As for those worried about public transport, don't you know that Piccolo is going to fix the problem? With his mate Pat, they're going to electrify the rail system. Well whoopee doo! Comment 33 of 40 Gee Jay of Adelaide Posted at 1:25 PM May 21, 2010 To all those complaining about road congestion;there is a train service, that will become better with electrification,and much quicker than driving! There should be a decent green belt between all new estates. Comment 34 of 40 Benno of Gawler Posted at 1:47 PM May 21, 2010 How long will it be before Gawler is renamed North Elizabeth? Comment 35 of 40 Clive Charman of Hillier Posted at 2:17 PM May 21, 2010 When is Gawler council gong to get up to date, and realise that the town is no longer a heritage asset, but part of 2010. Comment 36 of 40 John of Adelaide Posted at 2:33 PM May 21, 2010 This is good news along with the new express way and the train track upgrade starting soon out north. The train will make it faster and more efficient than driving. They just need to put enough trains on to handle the capacity. It would also be good to see some sort of fast inter connection service between other suburbs also. Say an O-Bahn track along Main North Road linking into the North-East Suburbs. I don't understand why everyone is complaining. Oh yeah, this is in Adelaide. As for other infrastructure, it will only get better for the people who already live there. More people makes it more cost effective to provide infrastructure, so all you people complaining will get the benefits in infrastructure and house price increases. The North has so much potential that has been wasted over the years. Comment 37 of 40 Steve Harrison of Clare Posted at 3:04 PM May 21, 2010 What a potential nightmare for more little boxes to built on farm land. The Northern Expressway was never planned to carry commuters, it is a freight route designed a decade ago! Can you imagine the tailbacks from Port Wakefiled Road back into Gawler on teh Expressway when Buckland Park comes online as well... what horrendous short term planning. The potential residents of these homes should be living in inner city Adelaide in townhouses and apartments. We really need to change our thinking and stop developers perpetuating the urban myth that we can all have a home, two car garage and front and back yard...it is totally unsustainable. Comment 38 of 40 Brian of Adelaide Posted at 3:22 PM May 21, 2010 Doesn't anyone read the article? This is for 800 homes with 2000 people....not 200,000 people. The impact on infrastructure will be minimal. Comment 39 of 40 Steve T of Evanston Gardens Posted at 3:17 PM September 14, 2011 I have been living in Evanston Gardens for several years and generally speaking it's a pretty good place to live. Of course you get a few yobos who rent from Housing SA & the odd graffiti vandal but everywhere has their share of those morons. What I want to know is - how this will affect the value of my older home? One thing I am looking forward to is having some shops within walking distance. Comment 40 of 40