Legislative Council Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3) 51 3 Parliament of South Australia Legislative Council published Question Time Planning and Development Fund Grants PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT FUND GRANTS The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO Legislative Council PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT FUND GRANTS The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (15:23): Will the Minister for Urban Development and Planning please provide details of the recent allocation of more than $6 million in Planning and Development Fund grants to local government and support for the Adelaide City Council? The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY Legislative Council Minister for Mineral Resources Development Minister for Urban Development and Planning Minister for Small Business PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT FUND GRANTS The Hon. P. HOLLOWAY (Minister for Mineral Resources Development, Minister for Urban Development and Planning, Minister for Small Business) (15:23): This government has channelled more than $54 million during the past seven years to develop community facilities such as bike and pedestrian tracks, bridges, and picnic and play areas through the Planning and Development Fund. Recent grants under the Planning and Development Fund's Open Space and Places for People programs featured several projects developing community space along our waterways, coast and tramline. I am pleased to advise that the final round of P&D fund grants for the 2008-09 financial year were announced last week. The value of these grants totals more than $4.5 million, and they include: $1 million for the District Council of Mount Barker to purchase and acquire a parcel of land on the outskirts of Mount Barker for open space; $400,000 for the City of Unley to undertake stage 1 of Tramway Park within the City of Unley; and $333,650 for Whyalla City Council to undertake stage 2 of the Whyalla Foreshore redevelopment. The honourable member asked specifically about assistance provided to the Adelaide City Council through these grant programs. I am delighted to inform the honourable member that, last week, this government advised the Adelaide City Council that it will provide $3.275 million to support projects that further enhance our great city. The open space grants sourced from the Planning and Development Fund will support Adelaide City Council projects worth $6.67 million that will beautify key public spaces. The grants to the Adelaide City Council comprise: $675,000 to assist the $2.369 million cost of returning more than 2,000 square metres of alienated Adelaide Zoo land back to public use to provide improved security and pedestrian access to Botanic Park and the Zoo; $600,000 to assist the $2.3 million cost of landscaping required to return about 1.8 hectares of previously alienated land to public open space at the former car park at the rear of the Royal Adelaide Hospital. The government had previously provided significant funds to the Adelaide City Council in relation to that project. When it is completed, with that access to the Botanic Gardens off Frome Road, it will be a real contribution to the quality of life within this city; Also, the government has provided, through the Planning and Development Fund, $2.6 million, comprising $460,000 in the 2008-09 financial year and $1.6 million in the financial year that began yesterday to fund stage 3 of the North Terrace upgrade, and that will focus on the Prince Henry Gardens in front of Government House. These grants highlight how the state government and the Adelaide City Council are working effectively together to add value to Adelaide's premier cultural, civic and educational precinct. The mix of projects will ensure that Adelaide's major attractions, such as the Parklands, North Terrace, the Adelaide Zoo and Botanic Park receive the care and attention they deserve. Support for stage 3 of the North Terrace upgrade will extend the streetscaping work along Adelaide's premier boulevard to King William Street. Extending the North Terrace facelift further east will provide new pavement, lighting, landscaping, public art and street furniture in keeping with the work that has been carried out on the first stages of that project, that is, between Kintore Avenue and Frome Road. I am pleased that the Adelaide City Council has listened to the public and decided to focus stage 3 on improving the Prince Henry Gardens, rather than insisting on more ambitious plans that would have closed Kintore Avenue, removed the Government House wall and shifted the War Memorial. This government and the Adelaide City Council had previously jointly funded the $14 million stage 1 and $7.4 million stage 2 of that North Terrace upgrade. Since July 2002, this government has provided more than $5.3 million in Open Space and Places for People grants to the Adelaide City Council for projects that breathe new life into this state's capital. This investment was part of more than $45 million allocated in the past seven years from the Planning and Development Fund to encourage local government bodies and community groups to develop public space in their local area for recreation and to improve this state's social amenity. This investment in community projects also helps to create jobs for landscapers, designers and tradespeople throughout South Australia, and it complements the billions of dollars being invested by the Rann government in important infrastructure, such as public transport, roads and schools.