Unley to get $6.1m cultural hub as project cost increases by $803,000

A mayor in one of Adelaide’s most affluent areas has defended the high cost of an ambitious cultural hub while confirming the project will force out a beloved club.

An artist’s impression of the Unley Cultural Hub. Picture: GGArchitects

Unley Council is pushing ahead with plans for a $6.1m cultural hub featuring art and museum spaces after an extra $803,000 was added to the project’s price-tag.

The council last week approved the final design for the redevelopment of three cottages comprising the hub, which would make Unley Museum’s gallery space almost six times bigger and create exhibition spaces, a classroom and a library space.

The council resolved to borrow money for the projected $6.123m cost, which was $803,000 more than what was allocated after the council previously matched a $2.66m federal government Thriving Suburbs grant.

Unley Mayor Michael Hewitson told The Advertiser rates would not be increased as a result of the cost, saying the council was “in a very good condition” financially with ample capacity to borrow.

“I expect it to be delivered on time, under cost, because that’s what we do at Unley,” he said.

A council report said construction was scheduled to finish by December 2026 to meet the grant funding conditions and the hub was anticipated to open around March 2027.

An artist’s impression of the Unley Cultural Hub. Picture: GGArchitects

An artist’s impression of the Unley Cultural Hub. Picture: GGArchitects

The plan previously drew backlash from the Adelaide Potters’ Club, the oldest pottery club in the country, who are set to be forced out of their Edmund Ave cottage amid the redevelopment.

Mr Hewitson on Wednesday confirmed the council was unable to accommodate the pottery club but said he hoped the club could be involved in the future.

“They wanted a third of the building permanently, a hundred per cent for their use,” he said.

“There’s no way. As important as pottery is, and as good as the club is, we couldn’t afford to have more than a third of the building … under permanent control of an external body.”

Mr Hewitson said there would be rooms within the hub that could potentially be used by the club but they would not comprise a third of the development.

Three Edmund Ave cottages opened as coworking spaces in 2023 after they were redeveloped by the council in a “first stage” of the same project.

Another three cottages on the avenue are set to include exhibition areas, a classroom catering for groups of up to 30 people, community exhibition spaces, a studio space for hosting “artists, historians and researchers”, a purpose-built storage facility, and a research, library and collection viewing space.

An artist’s impression of the Unley Cultural Hub. Picture: GGArchitects

The mayor said the hub would deliver community benefits such as giving school students learning spaces and access to local history materials.

The council report said Unley Museum would close over the hub’s 10-12 month construction period, requiring its collection to be transported and stored for up to $120,000 – but council staff were “investigating lower cost storage alternatives”.