Shadows have been cast over Adelaide's beloved Thebarton Theatre after the State Government's refusal to rule out its demolition to make way for the South Road upgrade.
Acting Transport Minister David Speirs has confirmed that between 600 and 1,000 buildings in the western suburbs could be compulsorily acquired for the "trickiest section" of the North-South Corridor road project.
He said a number of significant and heritage-listed buildings were in the mix.
"I'm not going to rule anything in or out," he told ABC Radio Adelaide's Breakfast program.
"But I acknowledge there are a lot of people in South Australia who have an affection for that building and others along that route."
Queen of Angels church The risk to heritage buildings was raised in a NewsCorp article at the weekend, which also pointed out the Queen Of Angels and Holder Memorial churches were among those along the upgrade route, as well as the Maid of Auckland Hotel, two schools and a former Adelaide Electric Supply Company building.
Thebarton Theatre, a venue that regularly features national and international acts, was built as a town hall in the late 1920s and was inducted into the SA Music Hall of Fame last year.
Mr Speirs said planning was in its very early stages for the upgrade's stretch from Darlington to the River Torrens, and, with three models being considered, "two of them included a lot of tunnelling".
"If tunnelling were the option, that would see a lot less buildings acquired," he said.
