A city-defining opportunity now exists in Adelaide’s re-imagined inner west with the release-to-market of the former Brompton Gasworks site within the greater Bowden redevelopment project.

A 5.81-hectare land parcel on Chief Street, the former Gasworks site forms a key part of Bowden’s history and its future transformation.

Renewal SA is seeking a visionary development partner to remediate and redevelop the site into an active and vibrant mixed-use precinct that blends heritage, sustainability and community in a way that seamlessly connects to the wider Bowden project and complements its vision, scale and success.

The process

An open market tender process is being undertaken in two stages—a Registration of Interest followed by a Request for Proposal—to best determine how to develop this significant historic site as a thriving, vibrant part of the Bowden neighbourhood.

The Registration of Interest stage is now open, with submissions invited from the development sector via the SA Tenders and Contracts website (tender code: URA049630) until 2:00pm (ACST) on 2 September 2021.

Proponents who are shortlisted through this initial Registration of Interest stage will be further invited to participate in a formal Request for Proposal process, at which point they will be required to deliver a draft master plan for the site that addresses in detail their proposed approach to site remediation and redevelopment.

The vision

It is envisaged that any future development of the site will adaptively reuse existing structures of cultural significance to complete the vision for Bowden, which is to be a truly people-focused, accessible and sustainable city-fringe neighbourhood that embraces its history, sets new standards in urban design and capitalises on its outstanding proximity to the CBD.

Potential new development is also expected to deliver enduring benefits to the surrounding community and make an important social and economic contribution to the state as a whole.

Specifically, potential development partners are invited to consider how future development might incorporate the following:

• a combination of housing, retail outlets, commercial premises and recreational spaces that complement and strengthen the surrounding community
• the adaptive and sensitive re-use of the retained historic structures including (but not limited to) the State heritage-listed Retort House, the Retort House chimney and the Chief Street wall
• a minimum of 15% Affordable Housing (where residential development is undertaken)
• a minimum 5-Star Green Star rating for each new building and a 6-Star Green Star communities rating for the development as a whole
• at least 1.26 hectares of public open space
• meaningful engagement with the local community and other stakeholders throughout the planning, design and delivery of the project
• training and employment opportunities through the Renewal SA Works Program
• the creation of an Industry Participation Plan.

About the site

The former Gasworks site is the largest surviving coal carbonisation gasworks site from the 19th and early 20th centuries in the entire state, having produced the gas to light the streets of Adelaide during the 1800s and been the catalyst for western Adelaide’s early industrial and economic growth.

It is both a place of archaeological significance and a defining aspect of the western suburbs’ cultural identity and industrial character, with the southern end of the site being listed as a State Heritage Place.

Purchased by the state government in 2010, the site is bounded by the Outer Harbor Railway Line, Drayton, Chief and Second Streets. It is only 250 metres from the Bowden Train Station and a short walk to the tramline on Port Road

The former Gasworks site is located within the Urban Neighbourhood Zone of the City of Charles Sturt, which seeks to promote the development of walkable, active streets that encourage social interaction and public vibrancy, high-quality public realm and mixed-use built form.

For more information on the multi-award-winning Bowden project, see A change in direction and a property boom make Bowden a mecca for developers with vision or visit the Life More Interesting website.

All enquiries regarding the initial Registration of Interest process for the former Gasworks site should be addressed in writing to:

Ben Parkinson

Managing Director, South Australia

Jones Lang Lesalle

M: +61 407 710 389

E: [email protected]