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Govt cites ‘complex issues’ as Brompton Crows review drags on

An independent review into the former Marshall Government’s choice of a Victorian developer over the Adelaide Crows to redevelop the Brompton gasworks is weeks behind schedule, with the Malinauskas Government blaming “complex issues” in the investigation.

Aug 15, 2022, updated Aug 15, 2022
The former gasworks site in Bowden. Photo: Renewal SA

The former gasworks site in Bowden. Photo: Renewal SA

US multinational engineering firm AECOM is currently reviewing the previous government’s decision to award Victorian-based MAB Corporation exclusive negotiating rights to remediate the 5.8-hectare Bowden site just north of the CBD.

Former Treasurer Rob Lucas selected MAB’s $459 million master-planned village proposal – featuring a 120-room hotel, 207 townhouses, 305 market sale apartments and 120 affordable apartments – ahead of the Adelaide Football Club’s bid for a new headquarters.

But Labor’s pre-election promise to review the decision, citing “widespread community disappointment” about the Crows snub, threw the club’s Brompton HQ plan a lifeline.

Planning Minister Nick Champion announced AECOM’s appointment and the commencement of the review on Tuesday, May 31.

He told parliament at the time the Brompton review will “aim to be completed within the six to eight-week time frame as previously advised to this chamber”.

Tomorrow will mark 11 weeks since Champion outlined that schedule. The minister confirmed to InDaily over the weekend that AECOM’s review was still ongoing.

“The review is assessing complex issues that remain subject to investigation,” he said in a statement on Saturday.

“It is expected that a final report will be presented to Government in the near future for its deliberation.”

A render of the successful bidder’s plans to redevelop the former Brompton Gasworks. Photo: MAB Corporation

Champion told a parliamentary committee on June 23 that Renewal SA remains in “good faith negotiations” with MAB Corporation, despite the outcome of AECOM’s review looming large over their potential $459m investment.

“I have not met with MAB, I have left all the negotiations to Renewal SA,” he said at the time.

Champion also told the committee that MAB had enquired to Renewal SA about the timeline of the review, but he refused to say whether the Victorian developer expressed any concerns about project delays.

MAB’s master planned village proposal was initially scheduled to begin construction in the second half of this year.

The Opposition today accused the state government of delaying the release of the Brompton review.

“There’s a huge amount of interest in the Brompton Gasworks site and South Australians deserve to know the outcome of this review,” shadow planning spokesperson Michelle Lensink said in a statement.

“The former Liberal Government undertook an open process when it came to the Brompton project and there was a clear recommendation from an independent specialist board.

“Peter Malinauskas’ penchant for making a captain’s call on a project like this sends a terrible message to those looking to invest in South Australia. Who would want to do business here when you’re guaranteed uncertainty and delays?”

Around 1.5 hectares or 25 per cent of the total site would be set aside for public open space under the plan. Credit: MAB Corporation

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AECOM’s review, which is being overseen by the Department for Trade and Investment, is examining:

  • the original government approval of the Bowden project for both consistency and appropriateness,
  • the master planning and market strategy of this project,
  • the appropriateness of the methodology and the cost of the remediation strategy,
  • consistency with the objectives of the 30 Year Plan for Greater Adelaide, which includes the use of the land, community considerations and the Planning and Design Code,
  • the economic and community benefit, and
  • the 20 year State Infrastructure Strategy.

Champion has previously highlighted environmental issues with the site, telling reporters on June 17 the Brompton gasworks has a “high degree of environmental contamination”.

“That contamination is on the public record, you can go and google it and find out quite a bit of information about the level of environmental contamination and the level of remediation that’s needed,” he said at the time.

The former gasworks site on Chief Street once produced the gas to light Adelaide streets during the 1800s, with its southern end listed as a state heritage place.

It was purchased by the state government in 2010 and is part of the wider $1 billion Bowden apartment and townhouse development.

The Adelaide Football Club has since shifted its sights to building a new HQ at Thebarton Oval after their initial Brompton bid fell through.

Four parties were shortlisted by Renewal SA before a final decision was made by the former treasurer in January.

The criteria weighting behind Renewal SA’s recommendation was disclosed by the Malinauskas Government in May:

  • Commercial Offer (27.5 per cent)
  • Remediation and Environmental Strategy (27.5 per cent)
  • Draft Master Plan, Vision and Guiding Principles (25 per cent)
  • Development Delivery Team (10 per cent)
  • Development Program and Timing (10 per cent).

Insiders told InDaily in April that the points-based judging criteria that awarded exclusive negotiation rights to MAB Corporation “wasn’t even close”, both as an aggregate score and “in each of the individual categories”.

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