The Save The Cranker campaign says a second rally will be held at Victoria Square on Sunday August 18, ahead of a decision on an application to build a 19-storey student housing block on the site.

Singapore developer Wee Hur Holdings plans to retain only two walls of the historic pub as a facade and also demolish neighbouring Roxie’s and Chateau Apollo along a Grenfell St frontage from Union to Frome streets.

The application is due to be decided by the State Planning Assessment Commission (SCAP) in September.

The 19-storey student housing block proposed for the Crown & Anchor site and Grenfell St frontage between Frome and Union streets. Image: Plan SA

The South Australian Government Architect said in a report prepared for SCAP that the East End landmark should be retained as a working pub due to its “cultural and social significance.”

But campaigners are planning a sequel to the April rally in which thousands marched to Parliament House.

Save The Cranker campaign chair Evan Morony said pressure needed to be kept up on the Malinauskas Government as the “silence on this matter from the Labor party is deafening”.

The state government has previously said that a building’s cultural values were not protected under planning laws, overruled a bid to amend them and said that the application would be considered by the usual process.

“We’ve called our second rally on Sunday, 18th of August because we’re in a fight for the life of the Crown & Anchor,” Morony told InDaily.

“For too long we’ve seen those with money have their way with this town due to unbalanced and flawed legislation.

“We’re not against development, but we are against development that completely disregards our heritage and living culture. Culture isn’t interchangeable; it is a long-term investment.”

The Crown & Anchor hotel would be demolished but its facade would remain as a “heritage” item under plans for a 19-storey student apartment tower. Image: Brown Falconer/Plan SA

Morony said community support for the Crown & Anchor was reinforced by the number of submissions calling for it to be protected from development.

“There were 1328 submissions as the final tally to the SCAP process—a record under the system,” Morony said.

“As far as we understand it, that is more than three times the previous record. The public has spoken. Loudly and decisively. We question just when will they be published publicly?”

Plan SA was contacted for comment.

Morony said the campaign “has to put pressure on those decision-makers to stand for us”.

“We are left with no choice but to take the fight to them. We will then take our fight to the State Heritage application. Our heritage and research branch is busily preparing our application and it will be epic. It has to be.”

The Crown & Anchor is currently under provisional State Heritage Register listing while the state government undertakes a heritage assessment.

An application has also been made for full State Heritage Listing due to a well and tunnel believed to be more than 170 years old under the pub’s front bar, along with a 30 metre bluestone wall.

A well and tunnel believed to be at least 171 years old are located beneath the Crown & Anchor’s front bar. Photos: InDaily/Jason Andrews/Facebook