Adelaide developers reveal $225 million in plans for sites up for rezoning by State Government
EXCLUSIVE: More than $200 million in housing and commercial projects has been proposed for Adelaide’s east and inner south, as developers capitalise on the State Government’s latest high-rise push.
- Govt delays allowing apartments on main roads, chooses specific sites
- Planning Minister releases finalised update of 30 Year Plan
- 12-storey height limits approved for Glenelg under new rezoning
- Iconic furniture store Le Cornu to close in Adelaide
DEVELOPERS are planning $225 million in new housing and commercial projects in Adelaide’s east and inner south to capitalise on the State Government’s latest high-rise push.
Among the proposals are an $80 million plan to transform the former Caroma factory on Magill Rd into a six-storey apartment complex, a vision for a 90-home estate in Everard Park and a $40 million apartment, office and retail development in Malvern.
The new owners of the former Schweppes plant also have plans to turn the Payneham Rd site into a $30 million homemaker centre, including a Harvey Norman store, Foodland and JB Hi-Fi.
Plans for the sites were outlined this month in submissions from developers and property owners in support of the government’s plan to rezone 10 sites across Adelaide’s east and inner south for high-rise housing.
The release of the documents came as residents made an emotional plea for the plan to be scrapped amid fears it would ruin the amenity of their suburbs.
One submission revealed budget supermarket retailer Aldi and developers Buildtec and Catcorp were in “exclusive” negotiations to buy the Caroma site, where they planned to build a “vibrant hub” of apartments, as well as retail and commercial spaces.
Another submission outlined plans for 90 apartments and townhouses fronting Anzac Highway and Third Ave, Everard Park.
That site was “development ready”, the submission said of the proposal, which was expected to create more than 300 jobs.
The owners of 1-5 Beulah Rd, Norwood, have plans for a four-storey, $10 million mixed-use development, while the Beaurepaires store on The Parade would be redeveloped with a six-storey apartment block under a new $20 million vision for that site.
Click on each site to find out what developers have planned:
Catcorp — a property company owned by the co-founder of developer Commercial & General, Anthony Catinari — also wants to build a $40 million, six-storey development at 301-305 Unley Rd, according to a submission in support of a plan to raise the two-storey building height limit for the Malvern site.
The $40 million project would include apartments, shops, consulting rooms and offices.
Mr Catinari bought the single-storey offices on the 2270sq m site in 2015.
The submission noted the site was “eminently suitable for development” and was close to public transport, schools and shops.
It stated Catcorp would lodge a development application for the project “immediately” after Planning Minister John Rau approved the rezoning.
A group of local residents last week addressed a State Planning Commission meeting amid growing community concerns over plans for the Malvern site.
The Unley community has rallied in opposition to the rezoning plan since it was announced in May, with the local council and residents lodging more than 200 submissions objecting to the proposal.
Trent Fahey, who lives across from it, told the meeting that a multi-storey complex would conflict with its surrounds.
“(It would be) completely inconsistent with any other developments in the area,” Mr Fahey said.
Fellow resident George Sarris was concerned that a loss of sunlight and extra noise from a high-rise building would affect his mental state.
The commission was forced to schedule three extra public meetings after dozens of Malvern residents and Unley state Liberal MP David Pisoni asked to voice their concerns in person.
Mr Rau in May announced plans to rezone the sites, which he believed had the potential to redeveloped in the next 18 months.
A number of property owners whose land was not included in the original plan have since requested to be added to the scheme — including the owners of the now-vacant Schweppes plant.
In a letter to the Planning Department on behalf of the owners of the Payneham Rd site, Future Urban director Chris Vounasis said the 12,000sq m plant was “ripe for redevelopment” as a homemaker centre.
Mr Vounasis said his client had “pre-commitments” from potential tenants for a $30 million complex, as well as a Melbourne-based “up-market retirement operator”.
“Negotiations with all parties are progressing positively, however, without the security of the land being rezoned … the opportunity to realise the masterplan may be lost,” Mr Vounasis’s letter stated.
The Le Cornu family did not put in a submission detailing plans for their 3.6ha Anzac Highway property.
About 80 residents and representatives of property owners are expected to address the remaining public meetings, which will be held on Wednesday (August 16), on August 21 and August 24, from 7pm, at SAGE Hotel, South Tce.
A consultant for Catcorp will speak at the August 24 meeting.