Shocking photos show Allianz Stadium flattened as demolition work gathers pace

It was the demolition that divided a city. Now, a shocking new aerial photo shows Allianz Stadium has been all but flattened.

New photos reveal Sydney’s Allianz Stadium is almost unrecognisable, as demolition of the iconic venue continues.

Most of the stadium’s walls have been razed, leaving only dirt and concrete rubble at the Moore Park site in Sydney’s inner east.

The stadium’s demolition caused controversy before the NSW state election, with the State Opposition and critics saying the knockdown and rebuild was unnecessary and costly to the state.

The stadium, originally built in the 1980s, is to be replaced with a reconfigured 40,000-45,000-seat rectangular venue with a roof, giving it the capability to cover all patrons in the event of rain. It will also have improved food and beverage facilities and more women’s toilets. The new stadium is set to be delivered in 2022.

The new design will turn the venue into “a modern, world-class venue to ensure Sydney has a sporting and entertainment precinct of international standard”, according to the NSW government website. According to the site, the old stadium was the “oldest top-tier rectangular stadium in Australia” and had significant safety and compliance issues. It also did not have adequate toilet facilities for women.

The knockdown comes at a cost of $730 million and is expected to create more than 600 construction jobs and another 300 once the stadium operational in early 2022.

What Allianz Stadium looked like before demolition. Picture: Toby Zerna

What Allianz Stadium looks like today. Picture: Jonathan Ng

The large stadium is being taken apart by a number of bulldozers and other machinery. Picture: Jonathan Ng

The controversial knockdown was hotly contested at the NSW state election. Picture: Jonathan Ng

The State Government says the new stadium will be delivered by 2022. Picture: Jonathan Ng

The new stadium will seat 40,00-45,000 people. Picture: Jonathan Ng

A local group attempted a legal fight to block the demolition. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Their attempts were ultimately rejected in court. Picture: Jonathan Ng

A noisy critic of the project, journalist and former rugby player, Peter FitzSimons, spoke out against the redevelopment before the NSW state election, calling it “economic madness” to “destroy a valuable public asset nine days before the election”.

“If it was a private asset, owned by the NSW Cabinet, and there was a 50/50 chance that in nine days the value of the asset could be realised, would they have sent the dozers in?” he asked on Twitter.

Greens-supported group Local Democracy Matters also tried to stop the redevelopment. They were granted a temporary injunction in late May to pause the demolition, run by Lendlease, on the grounds the State Government did not consider soil contamination or “design excellence” before approving the project. They also argued the demolition project was not displayed for long enough before the demolition began.

This injunction was later dismissed by Justice Nicola Pain who said the group failed to properly demonstrate any of their concerns.