Been a good news week for Adelaide
Love love this proposal, it would have fantastic views over the Botanic Gardens and the city skyline
Love love this proposal, it would have fantastic views over the Botanic Gardens and the city skyline
Our first six-star hotel
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Artists impression of a six-star hotel at Kent Town by Urban Construct
Source: AAP
PLANS for a $120 million, 15-storey hotel with a boutique retail and cafe centre at Kent Town have been given major project status by the State Government.
The Urban Construct and Marshall & Brougham project is being dubbed Adelaide's first six-star hotel.
It is still in its early concept stage but plans show the project will include penthouse apartments, roof-top recreation facilities, tourist and conference rooms.
The developers first proposed the project, on the corner of Dequetteville Tce and Rundle St, in 2002 but plans were rejected by Norwood, Payneham and St Peters Development Assessment Panel.
The State Government has announced it will be given major project status, which means the proposal will bypass council planning authorities and instead be assessed by the government's independent Development Assessment Commission.
Urban Development and Planning Minister Paul Holloway said previous projects had been constrained by conflicting planning policies, which accommodated an existing 15-storey landmark building, but restricted the height of any adjoining development.
"This proposal raises a number of important issues in terms of planning policies that will require further detailed assessment," he said.
"These include the interface with Marshall House, the impact on adjoining residences and businesses, ecologically sustainable design elements, parking and traffic issues and the capacity to deliver a unique gateway to the Kent Town and Norwood precinct."
Mr Holloway said declaring the project a major development would ensure the proposal would be rigorously assessed with scope for extensive public consultation.
"If approved, this project would create 200 new jobs during the construction phase and 350 permanent jobs within Adelaide's eastern suburbs," he said.
Urban Construct chief executive Todd Brown said the company welcomed the State Government's announcement.
"This is an exciting development that ... incorporates the latest ESD (environmentally sustainable design) design and technology alongside important heritage features from the existing Marshall House," he said.
Property Council of Australia SA executive director Nathan Paine said the Government move tied in "neatly with its earlier announcement of densification of the inner (metropolitan) rung and its commitment to cutting through local government red tape".