The State Government has put a stop on the sale of government owned land earmarked for an Aldinga rail corridor. 

The Liberal Marshall government had intended to sell the land to enable a school expansion and residential development.

Leon Bignell, the Member for Mawson, says that while the Aldinga rail extension is expected to cost at least $2 billion dollars, and is unlikely to go ahead in the next ten years, it was imperative that the land be retained.

“Our government has stepped in and stopped the sale of land which would have prevented a future rail line extension,” he said.

“The previous Liberal government did a secret deal to sell land for a school and houses to be built where the line was originally meant to go.”

“That would have stopped, in its tracks, any chance of an extension into Aldinga and possibly down to Sellicks.”

“While a rail line extension from Seaford to Aldinga is probably a decade away there was no way it could happen if this sale had gone through.”

Onkaparinga Mayor Simon McMahon says council supports the retention of the land but is concerned that it may open the way for the ‘Green Triangle’ around the site of a future Aldinga train station to be developed.

He said he would work with Mr Bignell and the government to save the area from development.

The land at the end of the proposed Aldinga rail corridor (image from Renewal SA)