The 12-bed drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility will open within weeks after final development approval was granted by state Planning Minister Nick Champion.

To be run by not-for-profit Uniting Communities, the centre will assist the rehabilitation of drug and alcohol-dependent people with the assistance of a multi-disciplinary team on site for 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Champion approved the change of use designation for the building after the Supreme Court ruled in Health Minister Chris Picton’s favour in March, noting that he correctly applied planning laws in designating the facility as an “essential service”.

The government’s move to declare the facility “essential infrastructure” and a “Crown Project of State Significance” meant it bypassed the local council.

The Supreme Court case was instigated by a group of Glenelg residents including a former federal MP who argued Glenelg was the wrong place for the Uniting Communities therapeutic facility among residents and near a primary school.

The government says the facility will be alcohol, drug and smoke-free and will assist people in learning constructive coping strategies for addressing long-term recovery.

Residents of the facility will be guided through proactive steps to address their dependency issues including counselling, goal setting, and building life skills.

Uniting Communities chief executive Simon Schrapel said Picton’s decision “affirms our position that the site is the right choice for this program”.

“Our focus remains on providing the best support possible for South Australians taking proactive, voluntary steps to address dependency issues. This is a positive step for people seeking support on their recovery journey, which ultimately benefits the broader community,” he said.

“We are part of this community, and we’ll continue to consult with residents and local representatives as we have done throughout this process. With the site approved, we’re confident that any remaining concerns will be put to rest once residents see the facility operating smoothly.

“Uniting Communities has been delivering safe residential services for 60 years – and this facility will be no exception.”

Mary Hajistassi lives on the the same street as the planned facility and said she supported it.

“I am very community-minded and feel that these are people who genuinely want to do better in their lives and as a community we should absolutely support people,” she said.

“Fundamentally, we don’t have a say on anyone who lives on our street, so why should we have a say now?

“They’re people who are trying to do better in their lives, and as a community and as a street we have a role to play to make it as welcoming and supportive as possible and to give everyone the best chance.”

Health Minister Picton said he was “extremely pleased” that the facility had been given the green light.

“It is a much-needed service that will help the many people in our community actively choosing to overcome alcohol and drug dependency,” he said.

“Substance dependency and misuse are issues that can affect anyone and we should all provide compassion and support.”

The decision will “ultimately help to improve the lives of many South Australians” too, according to Drug and Alcohol Services South Australia Statewide Clinical Director Dr Victoria Cock.

“The service will provide an evidence-based and holistic approach to treatment to best support people wanting to address dependence concerns and achieve long-term recovery,” she said.

“It is essential to recover that, while receiving this treatment and living in a supported environment, people are interacting with the wider community to build connections and everyday life skills.”