by Shane Sody

Work has now begun on what will go down in Adelaide’s history as the most blatant commercial sellout of your Park Lands.

Premier, Peter Malinauskas has been spruiking artist’s impressions of a 38-storey office tower on the former Festival Plaza in Park 26, as if it was something of which Adelaide could be proud. But he’s copping plenty of flack from Adelaideans who can see through the spin.

On social media, the Premier has commented on these images, saying:

These iconic designs are for Adelaide’s first ever skyscraper. The 38-storey tower has been proposed for Festival Plaza - featuring a rooftop bar and restaurant to take in panoramic views of the Riverbank, Adelaide Oval and the Adelaide Hills. Our state’s economy is growing, and our city is growing up. And this will be an iconic building that will define Adelaide’s skyline.

However many of the readers’ comments below the Premier’s pictures (on LinkedIn and Facebook) are less than enthusiastic.

Adam Riach:
I am all for development, however this really should be built within the square mile.

Toby Miller
Another great glass edifice reflecting heat into the concrete plaza and creating horrendous wind tunnels. But so long as the billionaire gets to build on our communal space...

Anthony John Bishop
Paris isn’t adorned with big skyscrapers and that hasn’t affected their economy. Festival Plaza could have been something special. Thanks to poor Govt and the Walker Group 1 tower ruined it. Why not double down and complete the ruination. Completely wrong decision for this arts/entertainment area. A concert hall would have been a far better choice.

Brian Lee
This site is still in a part of the original parklands . . . .Is there a trade deal where the developers will provide an equivalent area being returned to the state for a green space & part of the 30% tree cover?? Maybe a green cover for the vertical surfaces?? Rather than big glass areas that require more energy for air conditioning . . . .

Greth Howard
Brian Lee No commercial rubbish in the parklands, they are there for a reason.

Steven Brayshaw
I must admit I really feel a building like this is located in the wrong location. It should be deeper within the CBD and not on the outer frontal edge where it takes all the optical aesthetics away from Adelaide.

Jan Bowman
Going high is good, I'm very disappointed about the location, which is essentially Park lands.

Viv Claassens
Is that really the best location? I’m very much for progress but question the location.

Catherine Natasha Campbell
This development is in the WRONG place. It destroys exactly what makes Adelaide liveable and gives it character. No Brisvegas for Adelaide - scale it back to the original size and put the skyscraper somewhere else. Don’t sacrifice the best parts of the city and dwarf the arts and parliament so mega rich people can have never-interrupted views.

Josie Alvaro
You really couldn't find a more appropriate location for all these "workers" and "economic activity"? If this was in the Square Mile then great, bring it on! But this is the Parklands. The place for modestly scaled, public institutions set in gardens. Colonel Light would be horrified at what you've done to his plan.

Jan Rennie
Would prefer to not join the skyscraper race especially when being built on our parkland.

Lynn Warner
Not on designated parkland!!!!!

Lisa Laycock
A sky scraper has no place on our parklands. It’s not a community asset and should not be built on community-owned land. Office space should be built within the city mile, not on the parklands bordering it. Will the tenants be paying land tax and council rates? Or will this office space have an unfair financial advantage over every other office building in Adelaide?

Kristian Winger
Commercial property should be within the boundaries of the original square mile of Adelaide as originally planned to ensure our city remains beautiful and desirable… the original parklands (where this is) should only be used for public amenities, like it has been (Adelaide Baths and then Festival Plaza) and not skyscrapers! Otherwise we’ll end up just like Melbourne or Brisbane with no point of difference…

Glenda Inverarity
You STOLE this land from the parklands!

Jo McCarthy Scott
Your priorities are way off base

John Vass
I thought that area was Community Land ? Not anymore it seems.

Julian Thompson
A project we did not need on land that could have been used for public purposes but was given away to private developers in a dodgy deal.

John McGowan
And remember, it's being built on parklands! How much has been paid to the public for this invaluable piece of real estate, I wonder. Plenty of market real estate is available elsewhere in the 'City Mile'.

Christian Legg
So another public space has gone. Sure, the concrete gardens aged a bit from when they were opened (having been there on the day myself) but at least it was open and accessible to the public. Sorry - this just seems like more privatisation of public space for the benefit of a few - if you can call living or working in such a tower a benefit.

John Michael
Progress is actually considering the heritage aspects of North Terrace & keeping that for future generations. This high rise could be a built in anywhere in the CBD. It should NOT be built behind Parliament House!

Daniel Halls
Why there? Would have been better keeping festival plaza for the people.

Douglas Blazely
But did it really have to go there?

Margaret Biancucci
Looks awful Adelaide is Losing Colonel lights vision.

Craig Birrell
It’s public land is it not?

Of course, some of the social media feedback praises either the Premier or these images. But neither the Premier, nor any of those commenting positively on these images, have acknowledged that this site is part of Tarntanya Wama (Park 26 of your Adelaide Park Lands).

Last month

A few weeks ago, you had the option of contacting State Parliament’s Environment, Resources and Development Committee (ERDC) which was seeking submissions on the State Government’s proposed change in zoning rules, to allow a tower of up to 40 storeys on your former Festival Plaza.

Plaza giveaway update - (23 February 2025)

However, as expected, the ERDC simply rubber-stamped the zoning changes, without giving any explanation or feedback.

Despite asking for, and receiving submissions on the zoning changes, many of them critical, the ERDC resolved on 12 March to raise no objection to the re-zoning. The Committee does not release Minutes or any record of its decision-making process.

*The six members of State Parliament’s Environment, Resources and Development Committee.*

It took only days after the ERDC decision was announced before the Premier released the images above, of what he said would become “Adelaide’s first skyscraper.”

Last year

Given that this political decision was publicly announced in April 2024, there was already some cynicism about the subsequent process of seeking public comment on a Code Amendment that would endorse what State Cabinet had already decided.

Festival Plaza condemned - but how badly? (31 October 2024)

*Premier Peter Malinauskas unveiling the proposed second new Festival Plaza tower on 9 April 2024. (ABC News: Rory McClaren)*

Earlier background

Over the past decade both Liberal and Labor State Governments have supported privatisation of your Festival Plaza by Walker Corporation.

The sorry ten-year saga (2015 to 2025) of how you lost your Festival Plaza to an interstate property developer has been chronicled here: www.adelaide-parklands.asn.au/festival-plaza

An artist’s impression (from April 2024) of the proposed second Walker Corporation tower, 38 storeys, (left) next to the newly constructed 29-storey tower, both on Festival Plaza, part of your Adelaide Park Lands.

The Marshall Liberal State Government (2018-2022) approved the now-constructed 29-Level Tower One; along with a separate four-level retail building.

In April 2024, the Malinauskas Labor Government approved allowing Walker Corporation to scrap the proposed four-level building, and replace it instead with a 38-storey tower.

However, the Plaza could have been easily and cheaply returned to Park Lands to celebrate Adelaide’s world-unique asset.

A design competition for this purpose was run in 2015, by the then-leader of the Greens Party in SA, the Hon. Mark Parnell: