Will the Market District be 'Australia's Great Place'?

To fulfil the potential of the south CBD area, the space is now called the Market District. The area – which includes Chinatown, Central Market Arcade (which will return to Council control in 2018), Gouger Street, the Grote Street Precinct as well as the iconic Adelaide Central Market (also owned by Council) – is a hotbed of food, produce and businesses and will see an influx of future residents due to surrounding apartment developments. By strengthening the appeal of the district, this will mean that the area will be able to become the pre-eminent cluster of food, produce and wine businesses in South Australia.

The District and its future plans were regonised as a Great Place by the Planning Institute of Australia, winning the Great Place Award in the SA Awards in November 2016. The district will now go to the national awards to possibly be hailed as Australia’s Great Place in May. The South Australian jury said the District “has significantly changed this part of Adelaide”.

“The focus on improving experiences of people visiting the locality while enhancing the sustainability of the precinct and operators within it was recognised by the judges as ley elements of the award. The Market District is an iconic location for anyone living in or visiting Adelaide and through further investment will become a celebration of our state and what it has to offer.”

It was labelled the Market District following a strategy group of key stakeholders from the area who advised on plans to shape and influence the district that is surrounded by Victoria Square, Wright Street, Morphett Street and Franklin Street.

A key part of the Market District is the Central Market Arcade, with Adelaide City Council giving the green light for the next stage of redevelopment, and council is looking to commence development in 2020. This will not include the Central Market. Lord Mayor Martin Haese says this is an “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to upgrade the Arcade and create a world class destination offering a thriving mixed-use public space, and expanded fresh food and retail offer”.

“The redevelopment of the Arcade site provides us with the opportunity to grow the Central Market with an expanded and complementary retail and market offer connecting to Victoria Square,” Haese says.

“It will build upon what people already love about the Market District – and make a great place even better. It will create a food and wine destination of international repute, capitalising on the Central Market’s importance as a South Australian icon.

“The Central Market Arcade is a much loved and key part of our Market District and I’m excited about its future.”