Former Schweppes plant on Payneham Rd up for sale
DEVELOPERS are expected to snap up the site of a former factory in Adelaide’s east which is now up for sale — all 12,000sq m of it.
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THE former Schweppes plant at Payneham is on the market after being home to the drink manufacturer for more than 60 years.
The 12,000sq m Payneham Rd site was put up for sale this month following the closure of the business in March.
Leedwell Property partner Steve Smith is heading the sale on behalf of Japanese giant Asahi that has owned the site since the 1950s.
Mr Smith would not put a price tag on the site, across from the international IT company Hewlett-Packard.
The site is zoned “light industry” and has houses backing onto it.
Mr Smith said it would likely be snapped up by developers and would be perfect for a new retirement village – which would required a zoning change – or a mixed-use commercial business.
“Those outcomes are very opportunistic and will significantly add value to the surrounding locations in the event they were approved by (the) council,” Mr Smith said.
“It’s a great opportunity because it’s a rough diamond in a prime location.
“It’s not often that a site this large comes up in the prime location of the eastern suburbs.”
NP&SP Mayor Robert Bria did not want to comment on any potential redevelopment of the site.
Mr Bria said Schweppes’ closure was “unfortunate” because the business was well-known and had “almost became an institution on Payneham Rd”.
Earlier this year, Schweppes’ head of corporate affairs and communications Robyn Newman the company’s products could be made more efficiently elsewhere, forcing the closure of the local site and 27 job losses.
Asahi Beverages was also closing factories in Moorebank, NSW, and MacGregor, Queensland.
The company’s sales, services and distribution office at the Francis Industrial Estate, Wingfield – which has more than 70 staff – was unaffected by the Payneham plant’s closure.
Expressions of interest for the site close on Friday.
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