The new planning policy regime in South Australia has some very useful elements that are facilitating the adaptive reuse of properties of heritage value, and not just the building.
State Planning Policy 3 for Adaptive Reuse clearly indicates that adaptive reuse extends beyond historic buildings to sites and places.
This State Planning Policy is supported by a key provision in the Planning & Design Code which anticipates less on-site parking in circumstances where there is the adaptive reuse of a State or Local Heritage Place.
URPS put this policy to the test with the recent approval of a new function facility on the grounds of Rymill House (also known as Rymill®) in the Adelaide CBD. The development introduces an additional land use to this State Heritage Place, constituting adaptive reuse.
The function facility at Rymill® involves a dispensation from typical on-site parking rates, underpinned by the fact that there is an abundance of on-street parking and a range of land uses in the locality with different peak parking demands.
This is great example of planning policy working effectively to breathe economic life into our important heritage assets and support their ongoing management.
And it’s a great piece of elegant architecture by Enzo Caroscio that enhances Rymill® and the streetscape in Hutt Street. We also extend our thanks to MFY, Andrew Stevens and Resonate for great specialist support.
Even more rewarding is that the approval allows the Rymill House Foundation to expand the impact of its flagship “living heritage” grant programs and continue to grow the “Rymill®” brand as a symbol of philanthropy in South Australia.