A sliver of land behind the main Palace Nova cinema building, running between Ayers House and Rundle Street, is currently on sale, along with most of the remainder of the cinema complex to its east.

Renewal SA boss John Hanlon told InDaily this presented a rare opportunity to potentially open up pedestrian access from the old Royal Adelaide Hospital site, through the Ayers House site into the East End, if the Adelaide City Council is interested in buying it.

Dr Darren Peacock, CEO of the National Trust of South Australia, which manages the historic house, says he is “very keen to maximise public access” to Ayers House, and that a new pedestrian walkway through the site would do just that.

Lord Mayor Martin Haese says it would not be “unprecedented” for the council to buy a strip of land to improve pedestrian access, but that it would only consider buying it if modelling could be produced to demonstrate high future pedestrian demand.

Ayers House, the only surviving colonial mansion on North Terrace, was home to five-time Premier of South Australia Sir Henry Ayers between 1855 and 1897, and now operates as a museum and function centre.

Hanlon told told InDaily he was “trying to get the parties interested” in the potential to buy the strip of land, which opens next Sugar night club onto Rundle Street, and “the obvious group that would show an interest in that is the council”.

“That laneway leads directly into the (… East End).

“This could be a passageway for people.

“It’s an interesting connection that needs to be explored.”

He said it was possible the land could be bought separately from the rest of the cinema complex on sale, and that a redeveloped old Royal Adelaide Hospital site, along with a new North Terrace tram stop at the front of Ayers House, would see a significant increase in pedestrian movement in that part of the city.

“It may or may not be possible; it may or may not work; but at least it’s worth exploring,” said Hanlon.

“I’m having a chat to the council … I’m bringing it to their attention.”

The Government may carve a pedestrian thoroughfare through the Ayers House site to connect the old Royal Adelaide Hospital site to the East End. Image: Leah Zahorujko / InDaily

The total land package up for sale includes most of the Palace Nova cinema complex. Image: Realcommercial.com.au

Peacock told InDaily a new pedestrian laneway connecting North Terrace to the East End could be an opportunity for Ayers House.

“We’re very keen to maximise public access to Ayers House, and that would certainly do that,” he said.

“There’s an argument for doing it.

“I don’t think it would be a bad thing.”

He acknowledged that a pedestrian laneway through to Rundle Street would also require significant changes to the front of the Ayers House site, and to the east of the main building, including the likely removal of its car park.

But he said “from our perspective, car parking isn’t critical” and that there were plenty of alternative parking options nearby.

Haese said “the only way we could look at this” was if pedestrian modelling was produced demonstrating high future demand.

“To me, it’s a numbers thing,” he told InDaily.

“There’s a lot of ‘hypothetical’ about this. There just may not be a need for it.”

However, Hanlon’s efforts to drum up interest in the purchase may be too little, too late – because the real estate agent handling the sale has already shortlisted a series of potential buyers.

“We’re very close to (moving) into due diligence,” said Guy Bennett of Knight Frank.

Currently, pedestrians on North Terrace can either use the footpath along East Terrace or Paxton Walk, bordering the western extremity of Ayers House, to access Rundle Street.

Haese added that Paxton Walk would “respond well” to public realm upgrades, as an alternative to building a pedestrian laneway through the Ayers House site.

InDaily understands the potential purchase is on the agenda for a meeting between council CEO Mark Goldstone and Hanlon next week.

More to come

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