$4m North Adelaide mansion set to be bulldozed for $15m Calvary hospital upgrade

A NORTH Adelaide mansion — which was sold last year with the second highest price tag in the suburb’s history — would be bulldozed under a proposed $15 million private hospital upgrade.

Earmarked for demolition: 306 Ward St, North Adelaide

• Historic mansion at Tennyson may make way for retirement village
• Savage backlash over Estcourt House demolition plan
• Gothic city mansion sells after almost a year on market
• Gilberton mansion Ivanhoe sold for $7 million

A HISTORIC North Adelaide mansion — which was sold last year with the second highest price tag in the suburb’s history — would be bulldozed under a proposed $15 million private hospital upgrade.

Calvary has applied to the State Planning Commission to expand its North Adelaide hospital to include 29 extra beds and a 112-space underground carpark.

The additions would require demolition of the property next door at 306 Ward St, which the hospital bought last year for $4 million.

The back view of 306 Ward St, showing the pool and tennis court.

It is topped only by the $4.4 million purchase of 24 Brougham Place in 2013 as North Adelaide’s highest ever house sale.

The 2460sq m Ward St block includes a five-bedroom house, tennis court, swimming pool and converted two-storey horse stable.

Although it is not heritage-listed, Adelaide City councillor Phil Martin said the 1880s-built house contributed to the “historic character” of North Adelaide and should not be razed.

Cr Martin said the hospital’s expansion bid was an “appalling” consequence of rules former Planning Minister John Rau introduced last year to allow North Adelaide’s school and hospitals to redevelop and buy land anywhere in the suburb.

“It has opened the door for them to gobble up the whole of North Adelaide,” Cr Martin said.

The City understands Adelaide City Council had this week scheduled a committee meeting to discuss Calvary’s proposal, before a last-minute cancellation.

Plenty of room for a pool table.

Calvary North Adelaide chief executive Sharon Kendall said the expansion would allow the hospital to create space for more single rooms, improving “privacy and dignity for patients”.

Bed numbers would increase from 153 to 180 as part of the expansion.

“This will have flow-on effects for palliative care, maternity and cancer services,” Ms Kendall said.

Ms Kendall said the “much-needed” two-level carpark would also help “relieve street parking pressure” at the hospital, which overlooks North Adelaide Golf Course.

She declined to comment on a timeline for the upgrade, saying it would be inappropriate to speculate while the plans were being assessed

Consultation on the hospital’s plan is open until May 7 at saplanningcommission.sa.gov.au