Open Space and Public Realm Investment
Quality public space is essential to healthy, liveable communities. Providing access to quality public open spaces which can provide a range of activities and support safe, healthy, connected communities is becoming increasingly important.
The State Government is committed to urban greening and climate change resilience by supporting projects which improve the way our public spaces function, making them more sustainable, more accessible, safer and healthier.
The Planning and Development Fund allows the Government to adopt a state-wide approach to strategically implement open space and public realm projects through direct investment in State Government projects, co-investment opportunities and via two grant programs for local government (Open Space and Places for People).
Open Space and Places for People Grant Programs - successful grant applications announced
The Marshall Government has implemented a $350 million stimulus package aimed at safeguarding South Australia’s economy and to protect local jobs from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic and our recent devastating bushfire season.
$65.5 million worth of funding for local community projects has been announced as part of the State Government’s Open Spaces and Places for People Grants.
In March the State Government doubled the annual Planning and Development Fund to $50 million, when matched with 50:50 local government contribution, with a focus on projects that were considered to be ‘shovel ready’.
During the application process a total of 160 applications were submitted, seeking approximately $116 million in funding – tripling the amount of applications and funding requested from the previous year.
A total of 37 community projects have successfully secured funding across 27 different council areas, with 24 in metropolitan Adelaide and 13 in regional South Australia. Successful grants were received from the following councils:
| Metro | Regional |
|---|---|
| Adelaide | Barossa |
| Burnside | Berri Barmera |
| Campbelltown | Flinders Ranges |
| Charles Sturt | Kangaroo Island |
| Holdfast Bay | Karoonda East Murray |
| Marion | Loxton Waikerie |
| Mitcham | Mount Remarkable |
| Mount Barker | Murray Bridge |
| Onkaparinga | Naracoorte Lucindale |
| Playford | Tumby Bay |
| Port Adelaide Enfield | Victor Harbor |
| Prospect | Yorke Peninsula |
| Salisbury | |
| Tea Tree Gully | |
| West Torrens |
A key element for all of these projects is the creation of local employment, however it is equally important that these projects improve the public realm, provide public health benefits and support climate change initiatives such as through the provision of more tree canopy.
The Open Spaces and Places for People Grants program is part of the State Government’s $1 billion stimulus package aimed at safeguarding the South Australia’s economy following the impacts of COVID-19 and the devastating bushfire season.
Further information
- Open Space and Places for People Grant Program - Metro Summary 2019-20 (PDF, 3288 KB)
- Open Space and Places for People Grant Program - Regional Summary 2019-20 (PDF, 2494 KB)
- Open Space and Places for People Grant Guidelines (PDF, 706 KB)
- Creating Greener Places for Healthy and Sustainable Communities
- Media Release
