5 February 2026
The Greens say that the State Government must guarantee that any redevelopment of the Woodside Barracks prioritises social and affordable housing and public green space and protects assets that could be used by the community. The call comes as the South Australian government says it is "ready" to work with the federal government to redevelop the site following yesterday’s announcement that it will be sold.
“With SA in the grips of a housing crisis and over 15,000 people on the public housing waiting list, it’s clear that we urgently need more affordable and social housing in our state,” said Greens MLC Robert Simms.
“If the State Government intends to purchase the land for housing, it must ensure that assets like the pool facilities are preserved for community use and that the bulk of any new housing is social and affordable to meet the needs of the community — otherwise there’s a real risk developers will be the real winners here.”
“Appropriate infrastructure planning will also be vital for any redevelopment of the Woodside Barracks site. New housing developments in Mount Barker have been dogged by poor planning decisions, from traffic congestion to lack of green space. The State Government must avoid repeating these mistakes and ensure that there are adequate public transport linkages and that developers contribute to providing the infrastructure required for any redevelopment to be successful.”