Apartments, offices to tower above historic Unley Town Hall, library
UP TO 150 apartments would tower over a suburban Town Hall as part of a bold vision to reshape the city’s historic heart.
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TELL US BELOW: What do you think of the plan?
UP TO 150 apartments would tower over Unley Town Hall as part of a bold vision to reshape the district’s historic heart.
Unley Council has unveiled an ambitious plan to bring in a private developer to build housing above its town hall, library and council offices at 181 Unley Rd.
It will call for bids to build an apartment and office block of up to seven storeys, while retaining the town hall’s local-heritage listed facade, as well as an underground carpark next to the Village Green.
New community buildings — possibly a library, museum or art gallery to be owned and run by the council — would also be part of the project.
But while the council is heralding the project as a “winning idea”, it is unlikely to gain the support of the local residents’ group.
The Friends of the City of Unley Society (FOCUS) this month letterboxed 2000 homes in the area calling for the civic centre precinct to be off limits to developers.
Mayor Lachlan Clyne last week told Eastern Courier Messenger he hoped the project would be a catalyst for more development on Unley Rd.
“This is a great site and a great opportunity to take a lead role in the revitalisation of the precinct,” Mr Clyne said.
“It is a winning idea because for every apartment constructed, we reduce pressure on the need to demolish and subdivide our heritage suburbs.”
Under the plan, a developer would be required to build between 100 and 150 apartments and retain the Village Green as open space.
Mr Clyne was hopeful to strike a deal within “nine to 12 months”.
He expected the successful developer to pay between $500,000 and $1 million for the right to the site.
But he noted any developer would be required to build new community spaces at the precinct as part of the deal.
The council’s offices, library and associated staff would likely move to other council-owned buildings around the district — such as Unley Community Centre on Arthur St — when the Unley Rd site was sold, he said.
The redevelopment would be the first step in the council’s push for high-density housing, which includes provisions for 500 new homes in the heart of Unley in the coming decades.
Under the Unley Central Precinct Plan, which is out for consultation, buildings of up to 11 storeys will be allowed around Unley Shopping Centre, while eight-storey blocks are earmarked for the civic precinct.
The Eastern Courier Messenger last month reported that an anonymous flyer was circulating Unley stating the Village Green would be “replaced” under that plan — a claim denied by the council.
Since then, FOCUS has distributed a letter around the suburb calling for “no high rise in the Civic Precinct”.
“Do you want a glut of apartments in the historic heart of Unley and traffic disruptions on and around Unley Rd?” the letter stated.
Community consultation on the proposal will start next month.
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