Whyalla’s Kloeden Reserve is poised to play a pivotal role in the city’s transition to a new era as Australia’s green energy capital, with plans in progress to convert it into a significant housing community tailored for workers.

The 18-hectare parcel of Crown land along the Lincoln Highway will be subdivided into four allotments. The subdivision will enable the development of a mix of short, medium and long-stay accommodation options as well as new civic spaces. All development being considered will be permanent in nature representing long-term investment in Whyalla.

Any future development on the four allotments - bound by Kloeden Street, Heurich Terrace, Lincoln Highway and Mcdouall Stuart Avenue - will be subject to relevant planning and development approvals. This will provide opportunities for input from the local community.

Renewal SA will acquire three of the four Whyalla Norrie lots to support a range of development opportunities.

Two allotments, facing Kloeden Street on the northern boundary of the site, will be developed to provide a mix of high-quality permanent housing and complementary uses.

As many as 50 permanent homes could be delivered across a 1.7-hectare north-west portion, creating much needed housing supply for the city. Whilst a 2.5-hectare allotment in the site’s north-east will be put to market, with tenders sought for appropriate civic, residential or even commercial uses.

These developments will ensure an appropriate transition between the existing neighbourhood and further development to the south.

Two larger allotments of just under seven hectares each will be created on the southern portion of the site with these parcels earmarked for short-and-medium term accommodation.

Renewal SA is in discussions with GFG Alliance regarding a potential lease for the large allotment on the south-western corner of the site.

GFG Alliance is proposing residential accommodation in keeping with the surrounding environment for its steelworks and mine employees as it prepares for an expansion of its operations in the area. GFG Alliance is currently working through their draft plans and will engage with local residents and businesses in coming days.

Family-run business Bentley’s Cabin Parks – which operate facilities in Port Pirie and Port Augusta – is seeking to purchase the other large allotment on the south-eastern corner of the site for the development of a new cabin park catering for workers and visitors to the region.

The Government of South Australia announced at the weekend, it had signed a Heads of Agreement with the Upper Spencer Gulf business to expedite construction at the greenfield site for an initial 50 cabins to house contractors delivering the early stages of the $593 million Hydrogen Jobs Plan. It also announced the private construction of an additional 32 high quality cabins at Discovery Parks’ Whyalla Foreshore Caravan and Holiday Park.

Future development opportunities

The state government will continue to work closely with the Whyalla City Council and other key stakeholders to identity strategically located parcels of government-owned land to assist the city’s long-term growth, not only with the supply of housing, but also the civic spaces and infrastructure required to provide a quality of life to match Whyalla’s economic potential.

Priority sites under consideration for future development include the former Whyalla High School site on Whyalla’s foreshore, the former Whyalla Pony Club site in Whyalla Playford and vacant Crown land in Whyalla Stuart.

Development will be guided by a master planning exercise for the city of Whyalla, which is currently being led by the Department of Trade and Investment Planning and Land Use Services team.