Multi-million dollar transformation of Jetty Road, Glenelg set to begin

Jetty Road, Glenelg will be transformed into a modern, vibrant and world-class destination – that will be loved by locals and tourists alike.

Holdfast Bay Mayor Amanda Wilson says the multi-million dollar project will start in late 2024 and will continue over the next three years in a staged approach.

“The Transforming Jetty Road, Glenelg project is the biggest undertaking our Council has committed to,” Mayor Wilson said.

“If we want Holdfast Bay to continue to be a desirable destination, where people want to live, do business and visit, then we need to invest in the future of our city.

“The Transforming Jetty Road project will not only benefit Glenelg, it will have a positive impact on the full breadth of the city, including residents, local traders, visitors and the wider southern and western region of Adelaide.

“This will be a development of state significance.”

Mayor Wilson said the $40 million project will transform our flagship precinct that supports more than 330 local businesses and up to a million visitors annually.

“We want our residents to be proud of our commercial and tourism hub and our mission is to deliver a place where Holdfast Bay locals want to go and shop, eat and enjoy – and then show it off to their visiting family and friends,” she said.

“We also want to preserve the rich historical fabric and unique character of Jetty Road, which has long been a destination for families travelling down to Glenelg beach from all over South Australia.

“Already, more than a million tourists venture to Glenelg each year as we are Adelaide’s favourite seaside destination.

“This project will ensure that they want to return to the Bay and tell their friends about it when they head back home.

“This investment will also allow us to keep up with the growth that is taking place around the state and will ensure our city and Glenelg remain relevant and front of mind as Adelaide’s coastal shopping and tourism precinct.”

The project will be undertaken in three zones – City, Transition and Coast - over three years.

This will ensure minimal disruption to traders, residents and visitors throughout the precinct, which is one kilometre in length and supports 19 side streets and laneways.

Plans for each of the zones are based on feedback received from the community consultation on the Jetty Road Masterplan in 2017-18.

“We’ve heard what the community has told us about the need to upgrade Jetty Road and we’re further improving and building on the ideas first proposed in the masterplan,” Mayor Wilson said.

Renewal works will start in spring 2024 in the City zone which starts at the Brighton Road intersection and extends west to the Partridge Street/Gordon Street intersection.

Plans for the City zone include:

• A new entry statement at the Brighton Road corner to create a sense of arrival
• Installation of new continuous paved footpaths
• Enhanced pedestrian safety with Disability Discrimination Act compliant and improved pedestrian areas
• Improved stormwater to reduce ponding on the footpaths, parking bays and the road
• Increased greenery and use of water-sensitive urban design elements to reduce urban heat
• Beautifying the existing street amenities and retaining its current function
  

“The real magic however will take place over the coming two years, as the project moves throughout the Transition and Coast zones,” Mayor Wilson said.

Within the Transition zone are Chapel Plaza and Bouchee Walk, which were upgraded in 2021 as the first stage of the Transforming Jetty Road, Glenelg project.

Chapel Plaza was converted from a small, one-way road into a spacious public plaza with seating, new lighting, public art, more trees and greened resting spots.

The upgrade of Hindmarsh Lane, which then became Bouchee Walk, helped strengthen pedestrian connections within the precinct, along with new public toilets, a parent room and a fully accessible Changing Places toilet.

“This was just the start of our work to future-proof the Jetty Road precinct and is a great example of what to expect where a side street was transformed into a flexible space for events and activations.”

Other plans for the Transition zone, which runs from Nile Street up to and including the Partridge Street/Gordon Road intersection, include:

• Replacement of footpaths with stone pavers and improving accessibility for the whole community
• Raised multi-use areas that suit both on-street parking, activation activities and outdoor dining
• Improved accessibility with upgraded infrastructure that is socially inclusive and compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act
• Better connection between laneways and side streets off Jetty Road with continuous footpath treatments that extend into these streets and laneways
• Increased pedestrian safety throughout the street
• Improved stormwater management that uses of water sensitive urban design features to reuse stormwater and reduce ponding on the road, parking bays and footpaths
• Increased greenery, low-level planting to decrease urban heat and increase a sense of wellbeing
• New creative and functional street lighting and furniture to enhance how people experience Jetty Road
  

The major piece of the upgrade is the Coast zone which extends west of Nile Street along Jetty Road and includes the Moseley Street junction with Jetty Road, Colley Terrace and the fringes of Moseley Square.

“The Coast zone is our iconic tourist destination point. The focus for this area is the creation of a flexible space, with footpaths extending seamlessly to merge with Moseley Square to create a plaza, when the road can be closed to vehicles for events and activations,” Mayor Wilson said.

“We want to change the function of this space, with a focus on people-based activities at the forefront of our minds.”

Plans for the Coast zone include:

• Raised multi-use areas to allow vehicle access and on-street parking that can be transformed for outdoor dining and events
• Increased pedestrian safety throughout the street
• Improved accessibility and socially-inclusive infrastructure to meet Disability Discrimination Act compliance
• Better connection between laneway and side streets off Jetty Road with continuous footpath treatments that extend into these spaces
• Better use and removal of stormwater through upgraded systems and the use of water-sensitive urban design
• Returning hardscape surfaces back to greened spaces to create comfortable resting spots along the street
• Embedding public art in functional infrastructure to enhance the aesthetic and cultural value of the precinct
  

The community will have the chance to provide feedback once the final concept plans for the Coast zone are confirmed.

“Jetty Road, Glenelg is our flagship destination for shopping, local services, dining, entertainment and events and it is time to transform it into a modern, five-star coastal mainstreet which is safe, vibrant and welcoming for both locals and visitors,” Mayor Wilson said.

“As residents of Holdfast Bay, we already have a lot to be proud of in our part of the world - our pristine coastline, our community-minded residents, our focus on sustainability, protecting our environment for future generations and our capacity to host some of the state’s best events.

“When the transformation of Jetty Road, Glenelg is complete, we’ll have even more to be proud of.

“Not only do we live in the best part of the world, we will have the very best modern, safe and vibrant seaside shopping, dining and entertainment village that caters to and services the needs of our residents while offering visitors to the Bay an experience they’ll never forget.”

Council will allocate $30 million to the project along with a $10 million commitment already secured by the Australian Government for the Coast zone.