The George Street Upgrade is the first stage of implementation of The Parade Masterplan.

The Parade Masterplan was endorsed by the Council in 2019. As part of The Parade Masterplan development, a concept design for George Street was developed and presented to the community for consultation.

Following this, feedback was used to further refine the concept design which has since been finalised and endorsed for construction.

For further information on The Parade Masterplan, visit The Parade Masterplan.

The upgrade of George Street will convert the existing on-street carparking spaces on both the eastern and western sides of the street into wider pedestrian footpaths with new street trees, garden beds, street furniture and lighting.

This will provide new space, opportunity and purpose to visit, stay and participate in public life and the economic, cultural and civic offerings of The Parade precinct.

When completed, visitors to George Street will see:

• improved safety for pedestrians

• improved amenity including shading, greenery and improved public lighting more places for people to rest and connect

• improved traffic operations and safety

• improved stormwater drainage.

Yes – pedestrian access to shopfronts will remain available throughout the works. Temporary signage will help guide pedestrians and cyclists safely around any changes. Visitors will still be able to access parking facilities located within the area, which will be supported by additional signage where there are changes in to access these facilities

The Council undertook extensive consultation with the community and key stakeholders to help inform the final concepts and designs for The Parade Masterplan, including the George Street Upgrade Project.

The Parade Masterplan

The Parade Masterplan was developed over a number of phases involving significant engagement and consultation with visitors, residents and businesses, as well as key State Government stakeholders.

• Stage 1 — Seeking thoughts, feedback and ideas about what people love and want to change about The Parade

• Stage 2 — Development of key concepts and changes based on the feedback from Stage 1.

• Stage 3 — Development of a Masterplan that articulates the long-term vision and strategic direction and guides future development of The Parade.

Each of the three stages presented opportunities for community engagement and feedback through a variety of ways including online and in-person surveys and feedback forms, dedicated workshops and information sessions, hosting stalls at community events and targeted engagement with key stakeholders such as trader groups, business owners and operators, residents, schools, visitors and State Government departments and decision makers.

For further information on The Parade Masterplan, visit The Parade Masterplan.

George Street

A key component of The Parade Masterplan consultation activities was the concept design for George Street. Two concepts were presented based on Stage 1 feedback and aspirations for the precinct.

As part of the consultation, participants were asked to select a preferred concept option for George Street. Based on the community’s feedback and aspirations for the street, Option 2 was selected as the basis for the George Street design.

In preparing the detail design for George Street, the Council has also undertaken extensive consultation with key stakeholders to ensure that the design achieves an appropriate balance between providing new opportunities to activate the street which is currently underutilised, improve safety and amenity for people whilst also addressing the access needs for people who visit the area along with operational requirements for businesses.

Funding for the stormwater works to George Street and Harris Street is funded through the Council’s Long-term Stormwater Drainage Program.

Refer to the Council’s Long-term Financial Plan.

We’ll minimise disruption through early and ongoing communication with affected residents and businesses. This includes: • Advance notice of noisy or out-of-hours works, with details on timing, location and noise levels • Regular project updates via newsletters and site signage • Noise and vibration monitoring, where required • Avoiding high-impact works during sensitive times

Clay brick pavers manufactured in South Australia will be used for the project. As part of the design process, the Council installed samples in George Street to assess the pavers performance including slip resistance, durability and ongoing maintenance requirements.

Additional trees will be planted in George Street as part of the upgrade to increase canopy cover, cool the local environment and beautify the streetscape.

A number of tree species will be planted including Jacaranda's which will be used to provide shading on footpaths whilst also providing a splash of colour in the summer months. Jacaranda trees are a native species that have a good track record of performing well in urban settings.

Crepe Myrtle trees will also be used where there are building verandahs that are close to the widened footpaths which will limit the amount of space that trees will be able to grow in yet still provide shade whilst not obstructing site lines for people and vehicles. Crepe Myrtles have been used and performed well in many of the small streets within the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters where space is restricted.

New street lighting will be installed over footpaths and the roadway as part of the project. The lighting levels will result in improved safety for pedestrians and visitors.

Additional feature lighting will also be installed to activate the Norwood Concert Hall which is located on George Street.

The Concert Hall is an iconic entertainment destination that, together with the adjacent Hoyts Cinema complex, attracts a diverse range of patrons.

The feature lighting will be flexible and able to be changed to cater for specific events at the Concert Hall and other events that are hosted in The Parade precinct.

The stormwater works will see new stormwater drainage infrastructure constructed in Harris Street and George Street to address localised flooding issues. The works were identified in the Council’s Long-term Drainage Program and were scheduled to be undertaken in 2035.

These works have been bought forward and integrated into the George Street Upgrade Project to ensure that the risks associated with flooding in and around George Street are addressed now rather than in the future.

Integrating the stormwater drainage works from the Long-term Drainage Program in the George Street Upgrade will also ensure that the Council delivers its assets to the community in an efficient and cost-effective manner.

The George Street Upgrade will commence construction in early September 2025. The project team has been working closely with local stakeholders to minimise business and community disruption as much as possible.

The construction works are scheduled to be completed by mid-2026.

Construction will pause over the Christmas trading period from 6 December 2025 to 2 January 2026.

The construction of the George Street Upgrade will be undertaken in a number of smaller stages.

By staging the project, we are able to maintain access in around the project area as much as possible and construction works can be efficiently undertaken.

Key stages of the construction will involve:

• Stormwater drainage works in Harris Street

• Stormwater drainage works across George Street (to be undertaken at night to minimise disruption)

• Stormwater drainage and footpath works on George Street between Wall Street and Webbe Street (eastern side)

• Stormwater drainage and streetscape works on the eastern side of George Street between Webbe Street and The Parade

• Streetscape works on the western side of George Street between Webbe Street and The Parade

• Road reseal works on George Street between Webbe Street and The Parade ( to be undertaken at nigh to minimise disruption).