Poor planning decisions are setting the scene for conflicts between residents and businesses placed too close together, the state’s Chamber of Mines and Energy says. The Newport Quays development at Port Adelaide was a prime example, according to chamber chief executive Phil Sutherland, with housing approved 500m from Adelaide Brighton’s cement operation. This was despite an Environment Protection Authority-prescribed 1km buffer zone around the operation.

Mr Sutherland said the State Government essentially had given the green light to the construction of 12-storey apartments at Fletcher’s Haven, less than 500m from the southern boundary of Adelaide Brighton. AdBri said yesterday it had strongly objected to the Fletcher’s Haven development because it was "unsuitable, insensitive and unnecessary".

It expected "a high potential for future conflict between residents, the company and other key stakeholders". A spokesman for Infrastructure Minister Patrick Conlon said the new houses were further away than existing residences and discussions with AdBri had led to the project being scaled back.