Henley Beach Road: A Thriving, Cosmopolitan Future
Completed in January, the Henley Beach Road Vision sets an exciting new direction for this key corridor in Adelaide’s west. Developed by Jensen PLUS in partnership with the City of West Torrens, local businesses, and the community, the vision aims to transform Henley Beach Road into a vibrant, cosmopolitan and people-friendly boulevard.
We were pleased to be joined on our team once again by experts David Snoswell (property advisory), Steven Burgess (traffic, transport and walking), and main street retail guru David West, all of whom contributed to shaping a strategy that balances transport, retail, and urban life.
Building on Henley Beach Road’s rich multicultural identity, the vision introduces five key principles: creating great public spaces, celebrating cultural heritage, improving accessibility, supporting local business growth, and ensuring a greener, sustainable main street. Among the nine big ideas for transformation are a “Foods of the World” district showcasing diverse dining options, a new side-street located community piazza, and major streetscape upgrades flagged to enhance walkability, safety, and outdoor dining opportunities. Public transport improvements (high quality buses but maybe some kind of tram one day?) and well-planned urban development will also support a thriving local economy.
Jensen PLUS Director Michael McKeown highlighted the vision’s significance: “Adelaide has some fantastic main streets—Prospect Road and Norwood Parade, for example—vibrant, mixed-use destinations with high quality urban design that are among the best in Australia. As one gentleman said during our consultation, maybe it’s time to create another great main street, this time for the west.”
Shaped by strong community input, the vision received overwhelming support including for improvements to green space, pedestrian access, and public transport. Those interested in learning more can visit the City of West Torrens’ website, where the full vision document, guiding principles, community consultation outcomes, and next steps for implementation are available: Henley Beach Road Visioning Project.
