The Retirement Living Council (RLC) says the fast-tracking of a major aged care and retirement living development in South Australia is an early sign the state's 'essential infrastructure' pathway is working as intended - accelerating the delivery of critical housing and care projects for older Australians.
The Helping Hand Aged Care project, approved under South Australia's new planning pathway for co-located aged care and retirement living developments, comes amid rising demand for age-friendly housing and growing pressure across the health and aged care systems.
Subject to approval as Crown development by the Minister for Planning, the project will deliver more than 160 additional aged care beds and more than 70 independent living units in stages, with the first stage expected to be completed by the end of 2029.
The reforms create a faster pathway for aged care facilities and co-located retirement village developments by allowing eligible projects to be elevated from the standard council-led development process and instead be assessed directly by the Minister, with support from the State Commission Assessment Panel.
RLC Executive Director Daniel Gannon said the approval sends a strong signal to investors, operators and older South Australians that the state is serious about delivering the housing and care infrastructure needed for an ageing population.
"This is exactly the kind of project these reforms were meant to unlock," Mr Gannon said.
"Getting projects moving faster is important. Keeping them moving is what really matters, so this pathway must not become another stop-start process.
"We argued for retirement living and aged care to be recognised as essential infrastructure because the previous system was too slow for the scale of demand we face for age-friendly homes.
"When the right projects move faster, older South Australians benefit and pressure on hospitals can start to ease.
"This is an important early signal that the pathway is working as intended, and that it can support more investment in the retirement living and aged care projects South Australia needs."
Mr Gannon said South Australia was leading the nation in recognising the role retirement living can play in easing pressure across the broader housing, health and aged care systems.
Under the previous system, most developments were lodged with local councils and assessed against the Planning and Design Code. Projects worth more than $10 million will still require public notification.
Mr Gannon said the reforms reflect a growing understanding that retirement communities are not simply housing developments, but essential infrastructure that help older Australians live independently for longer while reducing demand on hospitals and residential aged care.
