High-rise developments in SA approvals bonanza
Hundreds of new residential and student apartments will be built across metropolitan Adelaide, including at a long-vacant CBD site.
Five major developments expected to deliver more than 1600 beds have been approved across Adelaide this week.
The State Commission Assessment Panel (SCAP) has approved a new residential tower and two student accommodation projects in the CBD, a student college expansion in North Adelaide and a taller heritage hotel by the beach in Glenelg.
The projects are expected to deliver more than 1400 residential and student apartments to “ease pressure off the private rental market” and add to the vibrancy of the city.
Housing and Urban Development Minister Nick Champion said the approvals were “proof the planning system is delivering the people of South Australia”.
“It’s great to see such a level of enthusiasm and private sector activity in our economy,” Champion said.
“It means accommodation, it means jobs, it means economic activity, and all of that’s tremendously important in the state.”
A 36-storey student accommodation tower at 101 Grenfell Street will provide 858 beds across 724 units in what will be one of Adelaide’s tallest buildings.
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A Grenfell Street building that has long been vacant is set to get a reprisal through the conversion into student accommodation.
The 22-storey building was the former transport department headquarters and has been vacant since 2023. It will be converted into student accommodation with 508 beds across 429 units and ground-level retail and communal spaces.
Property Council of Australia SA executive director Bruce Djite previously told InDaily he was concerned the building would become a “stranded asset”, today saying it was “exceptionally pleasing” to see it repurposed.
“It is very difficult to repurpose buildings. No investors are going to come here to repurpose buildings unless they have a very high level of confidence in regulations, the planning system, and the economic environment that Adelaide currently has and currently enjoys,” Djite said.
“It’s not an easy process. That building’s been empty for several years. But it’s a huge sign of confidence, not only because of the capital required, but also because of the challenges in repurposing buildings.”
Another 22-storey mixed-use building comprising residential flats and a ground floor shop has been approved in the CBD’s west end at 11 Sultram Place.
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The more than 70-metre-tall building is expected to feature 219 residential apartments between levels one and 21, along with 200 bicycle parks.
St Ann’s College in North Adelaide will also see a significant four-storey expansion with 33 student rooms and communal facilities.
SCAP has also approved changes to a hotel development at Moseley Street in Glenelg that will add four levels, bringing the building to 14 levels.
The new hotel, developed by Future Urban, will feature the heritage-listed Alexandra Terrace as frontage and will include a rooftop bar, terrace, swimming pool, and additional rooms.
Champion said the timeline for construction to commence on the developments was “up to individual proponents”.
“What we’re celebrating today is the planning system’s delivery of approvals for these projects,” he said.
“What we know and what you can see around the city is a strong pipeline and lots of cranes in the air, lots of construction going on. You only keep that going if you’ve got this pipeline of projects.”
When asked if the new developments could be used for emergency accommodation for homeless and people sleeping rough, Champion said the government was “reviewing homelessness services” following the Adelaide City Council’s “emergency” declaration.
“We all understand the issue. Nobody wants to see people sleeping in the streets and the Adelaide City Council has an important role to play in that space,” he said.
“We’ve clearly got to have somewhere for these people to go. We’ve been building projects like Tucker Street for women at risk for homelessness, that’s now constructed, people are living in it, and they’re living in it not far from here.
“And we want to do more, but the city council can’t just declare emergencies. Anybody can declare an emergency. We need people, obviously, to participate in solutions to these issues.”
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