State’s old school saved from bulldozers in eastern suburbs
One of the oldest school buildings in South Australia has been saved from demolition after a local campaign to save it from the bulldozers.
One of the state’s oldest school buildings – an old rendered double brick building that has fallen into disrepair at 69 High Street – would not be demolished, the Norwood, Payneham, St Peters Council Assessment Panel decided last night.
The decision came despite engineers and town planners claiming the local heritage-listed 1840s single-storey Victorian building in Kensington was so dilapidated it should be razed.
Kensington Residents’ Association president Roger Bryson said his community was “delighted” with the result.
InDaily yesterday revealed widespread concerns about the local heritage building, with heritage advocates saying the risk to the old building exposed the vulnerability of local heritage status, compared to state protections.
Built in 1847, the saved property is the oldest example still standing of a school associated with the Congregationalist movement. In 1856, school master Septimus Webster occupied the property and advertised for students for Kensington Elementary School.
In a 2025 engineering report the building was found to have significant cracking, debris in the gutter, uneven floors and more destruction that required repairs.
“[Saving the schoolhouse] is the right thing to do, and when you do the right thing obviously you feel satisfied with a result like the one we received last night,” Bryson said.
Bryson said there were about 10 resident’s association members attending last night’s meeting in person, representing his hundreds-strong resident group that wanted to see the former school house saved.
The Kensington Residents Association group made one of six objections to the demolition when the planning application was open for public submissions. Three submissions were in favour of the demolition.
“It certainly indicated to the panel that the Kensington community was very concerned about this situation and was right behind it with their support,” Bryson said.
Of five panel members, including one councillor and external members, four voted against demolition, saying the property was not irredeemable.
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The council assessment panel was told the building had become decrepit, with Finch Constructions quoting the current owners about $617,000 for demolition and reconstruction of the front southern wall and western wall to restore it.
However, heritage consultant Sandy Wilkinson and restoration company Urathane Solutions suggested a chemical resin injection could restore the property for about $100,000.
The current owners purchased the property in 2014 and undertook renovation and structural remedial works at the time to address all known concerns, including building cracking.
The owners would now have the right to appeal the decision through the Environment, Resources and Development court in the next two months.
