St Clair Village shopping centre owners seek approval for seven-storey makeover

Melbourne-based owners of an Adelaide shopping centre have lodged bold plans to transform the suburban skyline in the area.

A huge redevelopment is proposed for St Clair Village shopping centre in Cheltenham.

A proposed redevelopment of a suburban shopping centre in Adelaide’s west could end with buildings climbing up to seven storeys under a push from owners.

Melbourne-based ISPT, which owns the St Clair Village shopping centre, unveiled plans for housing, new retail, eateries and childcare at the site and a neighbouring block of vacant land earlier this year.

This month ISPT lodged a land rezoning bid for St Clair, in Cheltenham, proposing to increase maximum building heights across the site from four to seven levels and expand the zoning over the shopping centre to the nearby vacant block.

The Suburban Activity Centre Zone would allow for development of retail, mixed-use, commercial, childcare, and accommodation.

The site is currently characterised as a “a predominantly single-level neighbourhood shopping centre” but nearby residential buildings go up to four and five storeys.

St Clair shopping centre owners ISPT have applied to increase building heights across the site from four to seven levels. Picture: supplied

Infrastructure consulting firm AECOM Australia, on behalf of ISPT, said current retail limitations are “unfavourable policy restrictions in an area with a growing local population with growing demand for retail offerings”.

The land rezoning bid applies to the area in red.

“The proposed increase in maximum building heights from four levels to seven levels across the affected area … seeks to better support future mixed-use development options, and contextually respond to the existing four-five level buildings near the site,” its documents stated.

“The increased building height will reinforce the ‘gateway’ nature of the site to the wider St Clair development and surrounds.”

Documents further state the proposed amendment has considered overshadowing effects to the neighbouring buildings, stating a “small setback of 5.4m” to levels six and seven near Post Parade could be may be necessary to provide a certain amount of direct sunlight hours in winter.

The firm noted no buildings are proposed as part of the code amendment and “due consideration” will be given to planning matters including interface, building design and land use when a development application is lodged.

When the rezoning bid was launched earlier this year, Planning Minister Nick Champion said the push would investigate the potential to add more housing and shops next to St Clair railway station and along a major urban corridor.

He’s previously backed high-rise developments at public transport hubs.

The Advertiser has contacted ISPT for comment. The public can provide feedback on the proposed change until the end of August.