Two Wells, north of Adelaide, to grow by nearly 10,000 people as $1.2bn development plan gets government approval Joe Daniele, 75, has been a resident of Two Wells for 51 years. A $1.2 BILLION plan to have up to 9700 more residents living in the small town of Two Wells has been given the green light by the State Government. The project, proposed by Hickinbotham Group, includes plans for more than 3000 new homes, a private birth to Year 12 school, community sporting facilities and a world-class playground. It will create more than 3000 jobs in the region during the next 20 years in industries including retail, manufacturing and agriculture, and more than 450 jobs a year in the construction industry, an economic impact assessment by Hudson Howells shows. Planning Minister John Rau approved the development plan amendment this week after Mallala Council rezoned land surrounding the existing Two Wells township, which currently has about 2300 residents. The 300ha site is about 800m north of the existing town centre. Housing will be split into two "villages" - one featuring large blocks between 1200sq m to 1ha and the other with blocks that will likely be as small as 350sq m up to 1000sq m - that will be sold in stages. Hickinbotham Group managing director Michael Hickinbotham said the project would now go through the development approval process, which would take about six month to fine-tune a detailed plan for the area. He hoped to break soil on the site early next year and for housing construction to start soon afterwards. He anticipates selling about 200 blocks in the first 12 to 18 months. "Growth at Two Wells has been rigorously tested to ensure it will not burden (the) council and the community," Mr Hickinbotham said. An artist's impression of the proposed Two Wells expansion. Mr Rau said the government had approved the use of this land in the context of broader growth opportunities in the north of Adelaide, including connections between Two Wells and the areas that form part of the Playford Growth Project. The future needs of the community will be catered for with a new local centre, provision for a school, improved flood protection and an environmentally friendly design," he said. It will also incorporate a community wastewater treatment plant that will service the proposed development and internal buffers to protect existing land uses. The provision of infrastructure has been thoroughly investigated in the DPA, with two development deeds having been established to set out the responsibilities for the costs of the development and associated services to the support the proposed rezoning. An artist's impression of the proposed Two Wells birth to Year 12 school. Mr Hickinbotham said in addition to the agreed development deeds, extensive community consultation and economic modelling was undertaken before the rezoning of the land was signed off. "Placemaking (community consultation) sessions captured what local people want as the community grows - the timely delivery of infrastructure, retaining the main street, integrating and connecting the expansion with the township, flood mitigation, providing for a new school and choice of block sizes," he said. Planning controls include: CREATION of three new zones - suburban neighbourhood, residential and rural living - will guide development. THE suburban neighbourhood zone will allow a range of housing types as well as the provision of a local centre with a limited range of small-scale community and retail facilities. IMPLEMENTING environmentally sensitive urban design principles, including promoting the re-use of stormwater where possible. A flood management plan has also been created which would also protect existing homes. Lutheran Schools Association of SA, NT and WA executive director John Proeve said it was in advanced discussions with Hickinbotham to establish a birth to Year 12 school within the new development. It's a great site. It's close to the main street, local shops, recreation areas and homes," he said. Two Wells Regional Action Team member Eddie Stubing, who has lived on a farm in the area for 22 years, is an avid advocate for the development. He said the town already had two pubs, a handful of cafes, bakery, post office, police station, RSL, supermarket and hardware stores which would be supported by more residents. There are so many things going for the town and we need to move with the times. This is an opportunity we needed to seize," he said. Local real estate agent Neil Bowden, from Raine and Horne, said there was already a great deal of interest in the area because it has rural charm but is still close to Adelaide. "There is a call for smaller blocks than we have now for the older people and some of the younger ones who don't want huge blocks that they have to look after," he said. The school will be great because there are a lot of kids here who have to go out of the area to Gawler or Balaklava, especially for secondary school. Lorraine Goss, from the Two Wells craft shop, said the development was great. "There's going to be a few hiccups naturally but was can sort them out as they come up," she said. Post office manager Derrick Fryer was another who said it was a "good idea." Main St Cafe and Takeaway owner Ky Van Nguyen said he was looking forward to having more customers and hoped local businesses would be supported. "We don't want big shops coming in here killing off local businesses because there is already Virginia down the road," he said. IGA owner Rosa Settimio said she did not support the development because it would affect her business in the likely event a large supermarket would open - but still understood the need for development in the area. "We'll have to diversify, maybe become more of a continental deli," she said. Councillor Joe Daniele said the town more than doubled around the time he moved to Two Wells with his wife Jasmine for more than 50 years ago. The couple happily raised their sons on their large property at the edge of the town main street, where they have run sheep, grown vegetables and run a garden ornament business. You can't stop progress. People should be free to choose to live in Two Wells if they want to like we did," he said. We have a mix of people but we are one community, all Australians. A lot of people come here because of the friendliness of the people. We all like to get to know one and other.