The Malinauskas Labor Government has delivered legislation to protect the iconic Crown and Anchor Hotel, reserve its rights to play live music, as well as enshrining further safeguards for other key live music pubs in the City of Adelaide.

State Parliament has passed the Planning, Development and Infrastructure (Designated Live Music Venues and Protection of Crown and Anchor Hotel) Amendment, securing the live music venue’s future.

The special purpose legislation was passed after the Government successfully negotiated agreement between developer Wee Hur Holdings Ltd and members of the Save the Cranker campaign on the future of the hotel.

The agreement saw the developer abandon plans to demolish all but the façade of the live music hotel on Grenfell Street to build a 19-storey student accommodation building.

The legislation will ensure that the Crown and Anchor Hotel cannot be demolished, that it cannot be built over, and that its current land use as a hotel and live music venue will be preserved.

Instead, the law permits the developer to build up to 29-storeys on the site adjoining the hotel, with the State Commission Assessment Panel (SCAP) to assess the application within 10 business days of the development application being lodged.

The developer will be permitted to partially demolish and restore the pub’s live music room to install noise attenuation and acoustic treatments.

Once development approval is granted, the Crown and Anchor Hotel will undergo a period of temporary closure for the student accommodation to be built and acoustic treatments to be prepared.

However, the Development Approval will limit any closure period to a maximum of two years.

The current operator of the hotel will be given first right of return to the venue on completion of the works.

The legislation also amends planning laws to protect significant live music pubs in the City of Adelaide area from complaints from future neighbours.

The bill will require the installation of noise attenuation and or acoustic treatments on new housing developments built alongside key live music venues.

A select committee of the Legislative Council will also be established to inquire into and report on local and live creative venues, with particular focus on the impacts of, and reasons for, recent loss of live music and local creative venues in South Australia and understanding the cultural, social, economic and other contributions made by local and live creative venues.

Quotes

Attributable to Peter Malinauskas

This is a significant day for lovers of live music in Adelaide.

It is an example of what can be achieved when government, the private sector, the community, and indeed the Parliament, are prepared to work together in a genuine spirit of goodwill and compromise to achieve a mutually beneficial outcome.

This solution protects one of Adelaide’s great venues, delivers urgently needed student accommodation in a housing crisis and maintains our state’s strong reputation as an investment destination.

Attributable to Member for Adelaide Lucy Hood

What a great day for our city.

This result secures the future of the iconic Cranker for current and future generations.

I’m proud to be part of a Government that has delivered an excellent outcome for live music, for heritage and the character of our CBD.

Attributable to Greens MLC Rob Simms

Today’s outcome represents a win for people power. We welcome the Government listening to the views of the community and moving to protect the iconic pub.

The amendments the Greens have secured ensure that the Cranker is given the same protections as those that apply to state heritage places when it comes to the issuing of repair orders and fines for non-compliance.

This is an important level of protection from demolition by neglect that will prevent the building from facing the fate of so many dilapidated landmarks in the city.

Attributable to Save the Cranker board member Patrick Maher

This is a great outcome for everyone who enjoys the Cranker and will protect the iconic venue into the future.

We’re very happy with the final outcome of the bill, and are particularly pleased to see the Parliament coming together to deliver this legislation through a true spirit of cooperation.