$70m first-of-its-kind housing project for Park Court at Eastwood

A city-fringe site will be transformed into an affordable housing project, providing cheap rentals for frontline workers and social housing.

More than 130 apartments will be built on Adelaide’s city fringe in a first-of-its-kind $70m project providing crucial social housing and cheap rentals for frontline workers.

The new complex, to be constructed on the site known as Park Court on Greenhill Rd next to the Air Apartments in Eastwood, will provide up to 50 social housing properties for people on low and fixed incomes.

The rest of the homes will be a mixture of one, two and three-bedroom apartments rented at 25 per cent below market rates on offer for key frontline workers including nurses, police officers and ambulance workers.

Park Court is the former site of 29 public housing homes, which are being demolished to make way for the ‘build to rent’ project, valued at $70m.

Artist impressions of the project show a modern design facing the southern parklands.

Artist impressions of a new ‘Build to Rent’ project on Park Court, Greenhill Road, Eastwood. The project will provide more than 130 affordable rental apartments and social housing. Picture: Supplied

Artist impressions of a new ‘Build to Rent’ project on Park Court, Greenhill Road, Eastwood. The project will provide more than 130 affordable rental apartments and social housing. Picture: Supplied

It is the first project to be unveiled after the federal government widened the National Housing Infrastructure Facility to include funding for new social and affordable housing.

Federal Housing Minister Julie Collins said up to $575m in funding nationwide had been unlocked under the initiative.

“We came to government promising to address the housing crisis that is making life tough for people across Australia (and) we are pleased to get this work underway in South Australia,” Ms Collins said.

The project is funded with up to $50m in federal government housing grants, while the SA Housing Authority will invest $15m.

The authority will select a community housing provider early this year to build and manage the development. The successful bidder will invest at least $5m, bringing the project’s total value to $70m.

Previous tenants in the existing run-down housing trust homes at Park Court have been relocated to new homes, meaning the site is ready to be demolished.

The former Liberal government first flagged the redevelopment in December 2021, when between 100 and 180 affordable apartments were being considered at a mooted price tag of $60m.

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