19 Apr, 2016

Adelaide's CBD is a destination

New research has been commissioned to better understand how to encourage more people to live in Adelaide’s CBD.

The research has been commissioned by the Capital City Committee, the peak partnership organisation of the State Government and City of Adelaide.

Although Adelaide’s CBD has one of the highest growth rates in the State, improvements can be made.

The research will also paint a picture of emerging and future employment markets in the city and how to leverage these opportunities to grow the CBD population.

The research will be made available to CBD developers to help them develop homes suited to the needs and desires of local, national and international homebuyers.

Following a public tender, the research contract was awarded to Adelaide market research company Hudson Howells. The research will include a sample of over 2,400 people including residents of greater metropolitan Adelaide, people who have recently moved into the city, the interstate market, international students, industry and investors.

Background

The City of Adelaide has a population of just over 23,000 – up from a low of 12,290 in 1986. It was at its highest in 1915 with 43,000 people. Adelaide’s CBD has grown at an average of 2.5 per cent, or by 529 people, each year over the past five years.

The Capital City Committee is chaired by City of Adelaide Minister John Rau. Members include Lord Mayor Martin Haese, Housing and Urban Development Minister Stephen Mullighan, Employment Minister Kyam Maher MLC and Councillors Natasha Malani and Houssam Abiad.

The committee is a high level partnership formed to drive the development (economic, physical, social and environmental) of the city of Adelaide as the gateway to and capital of South Australia.

Quotes attributable to City of Adelaide Minister John Rau

There are many benefits to increasing the number of people living in the CBD.

Having more people living in the city will breathe new life into the CBD, support local businesses and lead to more and more things for locals and tourists to do – which is why we have commissioned this research.

There are wider benefits too, such as reducing carbon emissions, preventing urban sprawl, and making it more cost effective to improve public transport in and around the CBD.

Quotes attributable to Lord Mayor Martin Haese

The research will be vital in helping to grow the number of city residents.

Many people already appreciate what the CBD offers with Adelaide Oval and the Festival Centre on the doorstep of city residents, world renowned festivals and events, a huge choice of first class restaurants, bars and hotels, internationally recognised park lands and everything in walking distance.

The research will analyse existing and potential local, interstate and international residential markets for the city, how to attract them, what the barriers are and what’s important to people in considering the city as a place to live.

Sign up to receive further information on this project

Matthew Halliwell