Adelaide’s first skyscraper has been given the green light, with the 38-storey Festival Plaza Tower 2 gaining approval from the State Commission Assessment Panel (SCAP).

The 160m tower will be the tallest commercial building in Adelaide once completed.

The approval follows a rigorous assessment process, with the development carefully considered against updated planning policies and community feedback.

The new tower, which has been approved with minor amendments to certain elements of the design, will complement the existing 29-level Festival Tower and further activate the Riverbank Precinct as a hub for business, culture and community.

Tower 2 will be the most sustainable office building in Australia and will become the first building in Adelaide to receive a 6-star NABERS energy rating.

It will also be the largest all-electric commercial building in South Australia, with the biggest solar array of any commercial building in the city and will achieve carbon neutrality by 2028.

The approved plans follow feedback from the Design Review Panel and the Office for Design and Architecture SA and will ensure the Plaza becomes more of a community hub, with landscaped plazas, pedestrian laneways, outdoor dining and improved connections to the Adelaide Railway Station, Adelaide Oval and Parliament House.

When finished, the site will be home to up to 5000 office workers and support a further 100 retail positions across its lower-level restaurants, cafes and bars, driving more than $1 billion in yearly economic activity.

More than 1300 jobs will be generated during the execution of the project, including roles in construction, engineering and project management.

The design also integrates narratives from Traditional Owners, referencing historical Kaurna nation stories through landmarks like Tarnda Kanya (Red Kangaroo Rock) and the Karrawirra Pari (River Torrens).