Hundreds of households are set to benefit from a significant new road extension in Adelaide’s northern suburbs, designed to bypass one of South Australia’s busiest suburban strips.
The final 260m extension of Newton Boulevard at Renewal SA’s Playford Alive development will open on Monday, connecting the housing estate with nearby Stebonheath Road, providing some traffic with alternative routes bypassing the busy Curtis Road.
Peter Gatsios, Renewal SA’s Executive Director of Residential Project Delivery and Assets, said the extension would pave the way for growth in the area and improve access to public transport.
“Newton Boulevard will now realise its potential as a key access point for Playford Alive, providing a direct path from Munno Para West to Munno Para Railway Station,” Mr Gatsios said.
The completed Newton Boulevard spans 1.95 km, featuring two single-lane roads separated by a wide landscaped median strip.
The road extension formed part of a greater $5.7m civil works project for the surrounding area unlocking and servicing many of the 282 allotments that were released and sold last year on the western edge of the development.
It also creates a second main access route to Mark Oliphant College, Adelaide North Special School, and the 1,300 new residential allotments to the east announced earlier this year.
“Our eastern extension of Playford Alive will be a significant addition to the area, requiring multiple access points for the thousands of new residents it will attract,” Mr Gatsios added.
The first blocks of land in the new eastern section of Playford Alive will hit the market within the next week, helping more people realise their dream of home ownership in the popular suburb.
Thirty-five blocks will go on sale this Thursday, with six in the affordable price range, with Mr Gatsios expecting sales to be particularly popular among young families and first home buyers.
“We have been working at pace to bring sales online for Playford Alive East as quickly as possible, following the landmark sellout of our final release of 2024, where buyers snapped up almost 300 allotments in just nine months,” he said.
“First home buyers looking to start their lives in an affordable and convenient location have been the primary drivers behind the demand, and I anticipate that will continue throughout the sales period for Playford Alive’s eastern parcel.”
Playford Alive’s eastern extension will target a minimum of 30% affordable housing, with Renewal SA hoping to release about 240 allotments for sale per year in line with ongoing civil works.
Throughout the project expansion, an average of 590 full-time equivalent jobs will be supported annually, contributing $570 million to Gross State Product over the development period.
Renewal SA also recently announced three development ready land parcels in the heart of the precinct were up for sale, which includes the last opportunity for additional commercial space to be built in the Playford Alive town centre.
Mr Gatsios said the land presented an exceptional opportunity for private developers to blend commercial potential with high-quality residential living.
“We are looking for a developer to work with us to enrich housing diversity at Playford Alive, while delivering additional commercial space, supporting the area’s continued growth,” he said.
Two of the three allotments, about 1,500 m² in size, offer the potential for up to 20 homes, while the smaller, highly visible corner allotment is suited to the delivery of a three to four-storey commercial building.
Located 30 km north of Adelaide, Playford Alive was first announced in 2008 as a partnership project between Renewal SA, the South Australian Housing Trust, the City of Playford, and the local community, renewing 500 hectares of greenfield land in Andrews Farm, Munno Para, and the renewal of Smithfield Plains and Davoren Park.
Since commencement, it has introduced thousands of homes and community facilities, including schools, a medical centre, a railway station, wetlands and parklands, a $250 million town centre, and much more.
On completion, it’s anticipated there will be more than 43,000 people living in Playford Alive.