Building Communities from the Ground Up

Building a new Villawood master planned community is, in essence, building a new town or new suburb.

And it’s building from the ground up. Starting with earthworks and excavations through pipes and drains, conduits, and networks, to roads and kerbs, gutters and footpaths – all before you even start looking at building on housing lots.

But even before any of that gets under way, developers like Villawood must design plans, arrange land zonings, planning permits and a welter of utility approvals – water, electricity, sewerage and the likes.

Then there are parks, reserves, playgrounds, walking tracks, retail facilities, schools, residents’ clubs with pools and gyms and cafes and family facilities – and that’s still really just warming up. Once new home buyers move in, the community really gets moving.

Villawood staff Peter Gatsios and Tundi Pawley evisited Northgate’s Cedar College recently to explain to Year 3 and 4 students some of the details to building a new community.

With Oakden Rise rapidly coming to life next door to the school, they were introduced to the planning process of a new suburb: the green spaces, community areas, access roads and services, house lot sizes and orientation.

As teacher Phil Klassen said: “The students were able to get an inside look at the development process of the new suburb … and the many considerations that need to take place.

“Just like the different pieces of a puzzle, every part of our local community, from the police officers to the teachers to the supermarket workers, plays an important role in making our neighbourhood a happy and safe place to live.”

Villawood has engaged with numerous community bodies and schools since its arrival in South Australia two years ago, similarly, working from the ground up to help its new communities build and grow.

The ethos is simple: giving back to the community that supports Villawood.

So, Villawood has taken on work experience students such as Jethro, at Cedar College, as well as others at Kapunda High, close to Villawood’s new William Lakes community, where presentations on building new communities have also been staged.

Oakden Rise, a joint venture with Renewal South Australia, is a ground-breaking project which will deliver 1,500 lots just nine kilometres from the Adelaide CBD with a new level of urban design and lot options, residents’ club, green open spaces and parklands, playgrounds, walking trails and leafy streets.

Sharp urban design, a highly resourced community focus, strong landscaping, environmental and sustainability credentials will be par for the course. Added to them will be high-end architect-designed affordable homes, park-front offerings, hill views and full amenities otherwise unmatchable so close to the CBD.