Aspen Reveals Adelaide BtR, Townhouse Precinct

Aspen Group has revealed plans to replace a former caravan park with a residential development that includes a build-to-rent component.

The ASX-listed group bought the 46 Richmond Street, Hackney, property in Adelaide’s inner-east for $9.25 million in 2015 with “future redevelopment in mind”.

It is planning a build-to-rent/co-living complex of 78 apartments and 46 townhouses at the site along Adelaide’s winding River Torrens.

The site, formerly the Aspen Holidays Adelaide Caravan Park, in the city’s inner-east is separated from the CBD by the Adelaide Botanic Park. It has 45 cabins and 40 caravan sites.

Two firms are behind the designs for the scheme—Grieve Gillett Architects for the apartments and Forum for the townhouses—which have been filed with the City of Norwood Payneham and St Peters council.

Plans for the 1.4ha site include a six-storey building, gym, co-working space, office, meeting room, laundry, 158sq m riverfront cafe and pathways.

▲ Rendering of the build-to-rent/co-living building alongside the townhouses.

There are also heritage elements in the development, including a 1906-built Uniting Church with a main hall and two classrooms as well as a house formerly used as a barn.

Newer additions to those structures will be demolished and the stone and masonry restored to become part of the new development.

The project is on exhibition with PlanSA until June 20. 

Aspen Group also acquired the 4.64ha Highway 1 Caravan and Tourist Park in 2015 for $23 million at Bolivar, north of Adelaide.

Work has begun to transform that tourist park into an over-50s lifestyle community of 322 sites.