State Planning Policies amendment to support our planning future

Following public consultation in 2024, the Minister for Planning has approved an amendment to the State Planning Policies  to include a new section on the importance of fostering a well-resourced planning industry.

This amendment was initiated in response Australia’s planning skills shortage and the recognition that SA needs a strong cohort of qualified planning professionals to deal with the with challenges of housing affordability, population growth, and climate change.

Thank you to all those who participated in the consultation process. Following a review of all consultation feedback, several minor changes were made to the proposed amendment in response. These final changes, as well as a summary of the feedback received during consultation, are documented in the consultation report (PDF, 19.7 MB).

The final amendment was approved by the Minister for Planning and formally gazetted on Thursday 14 August 2025.

The updated State Planning Policies are now operational.

The Minister has also undertaken design and minor editorial updates to the Special Legislative Schemes for the State Planning Policies.

The State Planning Policies are the highest order policies in our planning system and play a critical role in guiding planning and development in South Australia. They define the state’s interests and provide the policy framework for land use that aims to improve the liveability, sustainability and prosperity of our state.