Two inner-suburban barracks are being lined up for redevelopment ahead of schedule, with another Defence site also being investigated for potential housing.
Plans are underway to fast track the release of land at Hampstead and Keswick barracks for housing.
The state and Commonwealth governments are working together to bring forward the redevelopment of both sites, with Defence personnel set to relocate two years ahead of schedule.
At Hampstead alone, preliminary plans by the state government’s Renewal SA show around 400 homes could be built on the Greenacres site.
Here’s what’s being planned, when the sites are expected to become available and the other South Australian Defence sites being considered for new housing.
Hampstead Barracks: 400 homes and a new park
The seven-hectare Hampstead Barracks site on Muller Road at Greenacres is about 9km north-east of the CBD.
Renewal SA has drawn up preliminary plans for around 400 homes, including apartment buildings and two and three-storey townhouses centred around a large public park.
The state and Commonwealth governments have entered formal negotiations for the state government to acquire the land, which has been identified as surplus to Defence requirements.
The state’s $500 million Housing Fast-Track Fund could help fund the purchase, with the aim of getting new homes built sooner.
Renewal SA has already begun investigating the site’s redevelopment potential, with more detailed planning and community consultation to follow.
Keswick Barracks: Another inner-city opportunity
Just 4km south-west of the CBD, the 12.8-hectare Keswick Barracks site is also earmarked for redevelopment.
Renewal SA secured ownership of the land in 2023 through a land swap with the Commonwealth Government connected to the AUKUS submarine project at Osborne, with Defence continuing to use the site in the meantime.
Keswick Barracks represents a longer-term urban renewal opportunity.
Renewal SA has begun assessing the site’s housing potential, with detailed heritage investigations of historic buildings on the site underway and investigations into infrastructure and services.
At least 15 per cent of homes in any future development will be reserved for affordable housing.
The site is also part of the state’s Inner South Masterplan, which brings together plans for housing, public spaces and transport connections at Keswick, the former Le Cornu site at Forestville and the Adelaide Showgrounds at Wayville.
When could the new homes be built?
Construction dates haven’t been set, but Defence is preparing to leave both sites ahead of schedule.
Personnel at Hampstead Barracks, including administration staff, cadets and reservists, are due to move temporarily to Keswick in 2027.
By 2030, personnel from both sites are expected to move permanently to upgraded and expanded facilities at Warradale – two years earlier than originally planned.
The earlier release is intended to get construction of new homes underway sooner.
What other Defence sites could become housing?
Hampstead and Keswick aren’t the only Defence sites being considered for new housing.
The state government is also investigating one other Defence site for housing potential redevelopment.
Part of the Warradale Barracks, about 11km south of the CBD, has been identified for possible redevelopment in the future. The parcel under consideration sits at the corner of Oaklands and Morphett roads, with Defence to retain other facilities.
Find out more about Renewal SA’s projects here.
