[COM] Brickworks Redevelopment | $70m

[Howie]

Summary from Messenger newspaper.

West Torrens Council, was expected to pass resolution at it's Tues 13 Dec Meeting to allow the land status of brickworks to be changed from community land to commercial zone.

Now an eleventh hour complaint to the state's ombudsman has halted progress on the bid to redevelop this site.

The redevelopment, worth $70m is said to be needed in order to ensure the survival of the stallholders and the brickworks complex.

Anyone else heard any more?

[Will]

I haven't heard anything about this project, however I recently visited the Brickworks Market and I got the impression that it is tired and stagnant. However I also noted that it has great potential.

[Howie]

In the messenger today there was an article... "Brickworks all clear".

Just a round up....

* State ombudsman quashed the complaint. Set to go ahead.
* Leasecorp who have been named developer, is wasting no time in having brickworks rezoned.
* plans will be on display at planning sa by the end of the month.
* site includes new supermarket, upgraded market and speciality shops.
* Roger drake was behind the earlier complaint.

[Al]

I've never really felt the brickworks was anything special. It has some stores located within the old brickworks building but apart from that, it seemed pretty boring to me. I hope this development changes things.

[shibby]

brickworks is not a very inviting place to be, although with the new development hopefully that can be turned around.

[Wayno]

Land around brickworks markets to be rezoned

From AdelaideNow:

THE historic Brickworks Markets are to become the centre of a "revitalised" community hub following the rezoning of surrounding land.

Planning Minister Paul Holloway revealed he had today approved the rezoning of 6.65ha around the Torrensville markets, off South Rd, to allow future development.

This is expected to include a supermarket, specialty shops, discount department store, offices, health centre, educational and community facilities and high density residential accommodation.

The market's heritage-listed chimney and kiln will remain a "focal point" while a 60m corridor adjacent the River Torrens will be protected from development.

The move was made possible after the revoking of a community land classification which previously covered the land to be developed.

"This rezoning and the potential redevelopment of the site will ensure that the iconic market remains economically viable," Mr Holloway said.

The amendment to the Brickworks Market Development Plan was initiated in 2006 "due to concerns that the economic potential of this strategic landholding was being severely limited", Mr Holloway said.

Established in 1983, the Brickworks Markets have previosly been restricted to operating only on weekends.

Mr Holloway said previous zoning arrangements had "held back" the site which is near key transport routes, the CBD, Thebarton Biotech Precinct and the River Torrens Linear Park.

He said the rezoning had the support of the local council, Brickworks traders and the local community.

[Nort]

The fact that brickworks traders are apparently in support of this is reassuring...the site has massive potential, but I don't want to see the markets gone. At the moment the markets themselves just aren't at the critical tipping point of attracting enough people. With extra things around pulling people in the markets could become a destination to beat the Brisbane West End or Melbourne markets.

[Omicron]

I've always thought of those markets to be a dreadful hole, to be perfectly honest. More importantly, if allowing their redevelopment acts as the main catalyst for a rejuvenation of the east Underdale/Torrensville area (particularly the strip of light industry along the Torrens), then all the better. Prime near-city land close to essential services, right next to the Torrens and only a short trip to the beach is wasted on dubious flea markets and warehouses.

[Straze]

I think it would be best to give up with the Brickworks Markets, once upon a time flea markets like this were popular amongst South Australians but now with Harbour Town, the Mile End Homemaker Centre and East End markets close by the Brickworks Markets are pretty much dead like the Paddys Market which also used to be popular but has now been dead for last 10 years or so as there is now Parafield Airport City shops and the Gepps Cross Homemaker Centre closeby to compete with. So therefore i think it would be best to sell off the Brickworks land and put some high density housing and commercial developments on the site with maybe a school and medical centre.

[Ben]

Basically it is going to be a Woolworths Limited centre with a Woolworths, BIG W and Dan Murphy's. Nothing too exciting there. I'm more interested in this "high rise residential" componant.

[Wayno]

I think it would be best to give up with the Brickworks Markets.

If you mean get rid of the crappy trinket stalls then agree 100%.

The markets building (chimney and kiln areas) are heritage listed so they will be retained. They just need to be re-purposed in a way that compliments the new development.

[HeapsGood]

I went there not long ago and I agree, get rid of it. It's a few good shops with the rest mainly being utter cheap rubbish.

[Ben]

Woolies plans new shopping centre

by Inside Retailing Online on May 19, 2010

Woolworths wants to buy part of the Brickworks Markets site at Torrensville in Adelaide's western suburbs and build a shopping centre there.

The group says it would preserve the historic brickwords kiln and existing weekend market.

West Torrens Council has discussed the proposal behind closed doors but has not yet said if it will accept the offer.

Nigel Smith from Woolworths told the ABC the company will abandon the $80 million plan if the council fails to back it.

"We've been talking to council for just over 12 months now. We were offered the site by other developers a few years back and, as I said in the council meeting, those developers couldn't agree terms with council," he said.

"We know that their offer was substantially lower than ours. If council doesn't accept it then it'll be unfortunate but we'll just need to look for other opportunities elsewhere in town."

Woolworths is keen to build a supermarket, Big W department store and up to 40 specialty shops.

Source: ABC News

[The Scooter Guy]

Woolies plans new shopping centre

by Inside Retailing Online on May 19, 2010

Woolworths wants to buy part of the Brickworks Markets site at Torrensville in Adelaide's western suburbs and build a shopping centre there.

The group says it would preserve the historic brickwords kiln and existing weekend market.

West Torrens Council has discussed the proposal behind closed doors but has not yet said if it will accept the offer.

Nigel Smith from Woolworths told the ABC the company will abandon the $80 million plan if the council fails to back it.

"We've been talking to council for just over 12 months now. We were offered the site by other developers a few years back and, as I said in the council meeting, those developers couldn't agree terms with council," he said.

"We know that their offer was substantially lower than ours. If council doesn't accept it then it'll be unfortunate but we'll just need to look for other opportunities elsewhere in town."

Woolworths is keen to build a supermarket, Big W department store and up to 40 specialty shops.

Source: ABC News

Does this mean that the former Plant Liqudators garden centre will likely be demolished soon?

[Straze]

This article is from the Weekly Times Messenger:

Pollution sticking point in Brickworks arm-wrestle

CAR bodies, tyres, agricultural chemicals and building materials containing asbestos fill the pugholes that tell the story of the Brickworks’ former life at Thebarton.

The contamination is now at the centre of an argy-bargy over how much Woolworths is willing to pay for the land for a shopping centre.

West Torrens Council is expected to decide the site’s future over the next fortnight, knowing the extensive contamination limits the development options.

CEO Terry Buss said the council was still “optimistic” it could close a deal with Woolworths to develop a shopping centre.

“We’re certainly hopeful but we need to stress to the community that council is not in the position of gifting land away at an undervalued price,” he said.

At a council meeting on May 18, Big W national development manager Nigel Smith said “extensive contamination” below the surface would limit the price the company would pay.

“It’s extremely challenging and risky but investigations have allowed us to have some confidence we can fix up the site with a no-risk position for the council and the community,” he said.

The land, at Ashwin Pde, Thebarton, was used for agriculture before 1910 and then as a brickworks before the markets started in 1983.

Council contamination reports say the land’s pugholes have been used to store “uncontrolled fill”, including industrial and demolition waste.

Woolworths, which has uncovered car bodies, tyres and old timber, estimates it would cost up to $6 million to remediate the site.

“There are things that almost glow in the dark,” Mr Smith told the meeting.

“The offer we have is the best offer we can put forward.”

The council wrote to Woolworths last Wednesday, to lodge a counter offer. All offers have been kept confidential and the council is expected to make a decision on the deal on Tuesday, June 1.

Mr Smith appealed to councillors to “consider the raft of other developers who have come and spoken to council over a number of years, and after breaking the surface of the site found it’s too much work to fix”.

“The pool of developers who can deliver a project like this is relatively shallow.”

Mr Smith said the $80 million development likely to include a Big W, Woolworths and specialty shops would create 1000 temporary and permanent jobs during construction and after the centre was built.

Woolworths would also protect the heritage kiln and the market traders could stay in their current shed.

Brickworks Market Tenants Committee chairman Peter Athans said the traders had spent the past five years lobbying for a development at the site, hoping it would rejuvenate the area and draw more customers.

About 65 stallholders work at the Brickworks from Friday to Sunday, down from about 100 in the late 1990s.

“We’ve created a name so we need to improve that, not destroy it,” Mr Athans said.

“I’m grateful to the mayor, CEO and councillors for the support we’ve had so the shed may stay there.”