Plan to plug the gap in housing options for Adelaide

BRINGING back missing middle housing will help address the gap between traditional detached homes and larger apartment buildings.

That is the plan the South Australian government has in train for Adelaide.

Missing middle housing is the range of low-rise, medium-density home types – like duplexes, manor homes and small apartment buildings – that fit between a single detached house and a large apartment tower.

They deliver smaller, well-designed options within established suburbs while maintaining neighbourhood character and supporting affordability.

In recent decades, national building codes have made it easier to build detached houses and large apartment buildings but put restrictions on types of housing in between.

From the street, these new developments will appear as townhouses or large manor homes. However, they are thoughtfully designed apartments in a “one up, one down” configuration, providing low-density, two-bedroom homes.

The homes are designed to blend more naturally into existing streetscapes providing an alternative affordable housing option for people who may not wish to live in high-rise apartment buildings or move to outer growth areas.

The SA Housing Trust is piloting a ‘manor house’ development in Blair Athol, with a new complex approved by the State Commission Assessment Panel last week.

These homes will be available for private ownership through the Malinauskas Government’s Rent to Own scheme.

All homes include off-street parking for residents and visitors, helping to reduce congestion that parked cars can create on suburban streets.

The design improves the flow of foot traffic around homes, with staircases directly to upstairs apartments and no central staircases.

Upper-level homes will have generous balconies, while ground-floor units feature private courtyards.

Ground-floor homes are accessible and a shared on-site greenspace/community garden promotes outdoor activity and wellbeing.

The initiative is being developed collaboratively with industry, including the Housing Industry Association (HIA), Master Builders Association (MBA), private sector builders and the State Planning Commission.

Nick Champion, minister for housing and urban development, said missing middle homes will give South Australians a genuine new option to live affordably in the suburbs they know and love.

“This type of housing is a perfect affordable option for first homebuyers or South Australians looking to downsize at a modest price,” Champion said.

“This is another example of our government refusing to put something in the ‘too hard basket’ and, instead, innovating to increase housing supply and build more homes faster.

“We want South Australian builders to look at these homes and see the opportunity to build more just like them.”