Allianz Stadium demolition on hold after NSW Court extends injunction

The NSW Land and Environment Court has extended the injunction preventing demolition of Sydney’s Allianz Stadium until 8th March when Justice Nicola Pain rule on the future of the 45,000-seat venue.

Community group Local Democracy Matters’ case relates to the December’s decision by the NSW Government to award a contract for the demolition of Allianz Stadium and construction of a new it says will be the finest in Australia.

However, Local Democracy Matters is arguing that the NSW Government didn’t follow its own planning rules in proceeding with the demolition of the 30-year old venue.

With state elections scheduled for next month, the current NSW Government of Premier Gladys Berejiklian government had hoped to begin demolition of the Allianz Stadium before the te election day on 23rd March. It has already begun stripping out seats even though the design for the new $730 million stadium is yet to get through the planning process.

The opposition Labor party has accused the NSW Government of trying to lock in the decision to knock down the venue before the election.

It has said that if it wins government it will make the Sydney Sports and Cricket Ground Trust borrow the funds rather than spend taxpayer’s money - something the Trust says it cannot afford to do.

Image: The Allianz Stadium and Sydney skyline seen from the Sydney Cricket Ground.