News & Discussion: General CBD Development

[gnrc_louis]

Could someone post this article please, which I think might relate to Ben's comment above: https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/subscrib ... our=append

[jimbly_]

Riverbank Precinct code amendment would allow buildings up to 20 levels high near River Torrens
First it emerged plans were afoot to allow buildings on Pinky Flat. Now there could be apartment towers near the Torrens banks. And there’s so much more on the agenda.
Concerns about proposed zoning changes for the parklands have intensified with revelations they could enable high-rise apartments on the banks of the River Torrens.
The Adelaide Park Lands Authority will hold a special meeting on Thursday to discuss its formal response to a raft of changes proposed for the Riverbank Precinct. Adelaide Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor, who is the authority’s presiding member, called the meeting following a council briefing to the authority’s members.
It revealed residential buildings up to 20 levels could be allowed near a new $680m arena while 15-storey commercial buildings were possible near the new Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
The report said possible uses for high-rise buildings near the Riverbank arena announced by Premier Steven Marshall included serviced apartments “which may not be compatible”.
“Rezoning to the City Riverbank Zone (Entertainment Precinct) would allow residential but only where it can be demonstrated that impacts on residential amenity from mix of uses can be adequately addressed,” it said.

Public debate erupted last week when it emerged other potential developments within new zones being proposed near and along the Torrens included bars, cafes, shops, kiosks, offices, healthcare facilities, hotels and other tourist accommodation.

One of the areas which could be developed was Pinky Flat, beside the Morphett St bridge.
The changes were part of an amendment to the new Planning and Design Code, released by Planning Minister Vickie Chapman for community consultation.
Ms Verschoor said she was working with council staff to determine the potential impact on areas classed as parklands, and therefore under the control of the council.
“Council staff are doing a lot of work with the Adelaide Park Lands Authority and I will be taking a briefing to council,” she said.
“It is not as though there are any proposals which have been put forward for consideration but if the code is changed, then we will have to assess a lot of these things.

“What I am trying to interrogate is what the changes mean so I am very clear what our response is going to be.”

Public feedback on the changes closes on October 27, with PlanSA staff also undertaking direct consultation with key stakeholders.

Labor candidate for Adelaide Lucy Hood said the rezoning bid confirmed that “the fears of many in my community are warranted”.

“Rachel Sanderson and Steven Marshall must come clean on their plans to build on the parklands,” she said.

“We already know they want to build a basketball stadium on the parklands during a hospital overcrowding and ramping crisis but what is next?
“This government’s priorities appear to be all wrong.”
Liberal MP for Adelaide Rachel Sanderson said she recognised the parklands were a “much-loved, iconic and historic area”.
Ms Sanderson urged people to have their say about the proposed zoning changes.
“I encourage anyone interested in the code amendment to go online, or attend a public information session, and make a submission,” she said.
“I urge my constituents to contact my office direct with any concerns or feedback about the rezoning proposal so I can continue to advocate their views.”

WHAT COULD CHANGE ALONG THE RIVERBANK
Proposed zoning changes for the Riverbank Precinct are intended to support a “world-class” health, sporting, education and biomedical precinct.

According to an Adelaide City Council report, they will allow serviced apartments, tourist accommodation, hotels, shops, bars, cafes, offices, community centres, consulting rooms, convention facilities, and preschool facilities across four new “subzones”

Health and biomedical precinct
■ Will enable construction of a multistorey carpark to service the new Women’s and Children’s Hospital. Other uses include medical-related activities.
■ Total land area of 22ha.
■ Possible building height of 15 levels or 53m.
■ State-heritage listed Adelaide Gaol and Thebarton Police Barracks to be included for potential “adapted re-use”.
■ Public notification of applications only required for demolition of state or local heritage assets.

Entertainment precinct
■ Will enable the construction of a $680 arena near the Morphett St bridge.
■ Total land area of 9ha.

■ Boatsheds for two rowing clubs will be demolished.
■ Possible building height of 20 levels or 71m.
■ New policies to improve pedestrian and cycling access across Montefiore Rd.
■ Changes also provide for range of health, education and research facilities west of Montefiore Rd.

Active waterfront precinct
■ Aimed at generating “a diverse range of small, low-scale shops, cafes, community, cultural and tourism activities” on both sides of the Torrens.
■ Total land area of around 37ha.
■ New buildings must not exceed footprints of 200sq m.
■ No height limit indicated.
■ Elder Park to be protected as open public space.
■ Pedestrian and bicycle movement to be further developed.

Innovation precinct
■ Botanic High School will be removed from parklands zone and put into new Riverbank Precinct zone.
■ Total land area of 2-3ha.
■ Possible new uses include education facilities, including preschool.

[Patrick_27]

Irrespective of whether or not the Parklands Authority are just stirring up unnecessary hysteria; I find the Libs decision to rezone these areas as quite the double standard considering their strong opposition to apartment buildings on the Lot 14 site, just as I find Labor's response to these potential changes to be hypercritical. More needs to be done to activate the parklands, sure, I think most of us agree on this point but the mentality of building commercial crap on the land (even if it's in the Riverside precinct) is just lazy and shows how flawed the protection of these areas are if it can simply be rezoned at the government's leisure. For instance, the N-W&CH carpark, I would argue that they don't need it; but if they so desperately do, spend the extra money and find ways to make it work within its surrounds rather than just building your stock standard multi-storey carpark. Burry it on the desired site and then cover over it with parklands, build it over the rail yards, there are so many options but they've chosen this cost effective way that doesn't consider the visual impact of the area.

[SRW]

It's complete overreach and smacks of sneakiness. Aside the nWCH, none of this has been canvassed previously and departs radically from the established masterplan. Why? What's the vision and how do they justify it over alternatives? The sort of lazy governance I've come to expect from the Liberals. The rezoning should be resisted.

[ChillyPhilly]

It's complete overreach and smacks of sneakiness. Aside the nWCH, none of this has been canvassed previously and departs radically from the established masterplan. Why? What's the vision and how do they justify it over alternatives? The sort of lazy governance I've come to expect from the Liberals. The rezoning should be resisted.

100%.

When a council or government makes only 'little' developments on Parklands - where does it stop?

[Nort]

The parklands are an amazing asset for Adelaide, even if parts of them are currently under-utilized. I'm not someone who thinks they should all be manicured lawns or native scrub, however they should be utilized as the unique asset they are. Apartments and the like aren't that, but are instead just an expansion of the city into the parklands.

I'd personally love to see the uniqueness of the parklands embraced by bringing samples of things from around the state into them. Expand Adelaide zoo, and bring some elements of Monarto into the parklands. Have a native wildlife park in the parklands. Setup a small working vineyard in the parklands. Have an entertainment precinct for sure, but make sure that everything going in there improves it as a public space. Build the parklands loop running trail that has been talked about, that alone would get hundreds of people using the parklands each week, and thousands during events. Establish large native gardens. Build a large adventure playground. Set aside more space as community gardens, and encourage their use.

There's so many things like that we could be doing to take advantage of the unique opportunities the parklands offer, instead of just treating them as unused CBD real-estate.

[1NEEDS2POST]

I'd personally love to see the uniqueness of the parklands embraced by bringing samples of things from around the state into them.

This is a great idea! The aboriginal art centre in Lot 14 could be incorporated into this too.

[Nort]

I'd personally love to see the uniqueness of the parklands embraced by bringing samples of things from around the state into them.

This is a great idea! The aboriginal art centre in Lot 14 could be incorporated into this too.

Exactly. The way they seem to be planning to blend more seamlessly between that area and the botanic gardens is a great example.

The parklands could be the back yard of Adelaide, and the vision and long term commitment should be to making them a destination in their own right. When international tourists are visiting South Australia there is no reason that one of the must-do's on travel guides shouldn't be "...spend a day strolling the several kilometers of parklands that encircle the city, taking in the gardens, food, views, markets and lively atmosphere along the way..."

[Patrick_27]

I'd personally love to see the uniqueness of the parklands embraced by bringing samples of things from around the state into them.

This is a great idea! The aboriginal art centre in Lot 14 could be incorporated into this too.

Exactly. The way they seem to be planning to blend more seamlessly between that area and the botanic gardens is a great example.

The parklands could be the back yard of Adelaide, and the vision and long term commitment should be to making them a destination in their own right. When international tourists are visiting South Australia there is no reason that one of the must-do's on travel guides shouldn't be "...spend a day strolling the several kilometers of parklands that encircle the city, taking in the gardens, food, views, markets and lively atmosphere along the way..."

When you consider other cultural institutions (i.e. the NVG or Melbourne Museum in Melbourne and the National War Memorial in Canberra), I tend to rate the quality of these venues by how long it generally takes one to see everything they have to offer. If I'm paying a reasonable admission fee and spending upwards of four to five hours there and still find myself having to come back again on a separate occasion to finish taking everything in, that to me is a obvious sign of how great that attraction.

What I think you're saying in your idea, and I completely agree, is that the parklands should be amass of activities that showcase our state and provide a unique smorgasbord to those visiting and those within. Similar to that of the Adelaide Hills region, where you go between the various townships and each have something to offer. The core of it should start with the cultural precinct that is the SA Museum, AGSA, State Library, Migration Museum, and eventually the new Indigenous Cultures Gallery; this area alone could be enhanced with a South Australian War Memorial Museum based out of the Torrens Parade Grounds (I realise that already have something of this sort there but expanding upon that further), plus opening Government House more often to the public. I like the idea of a wine precinct within the parklands also (I know they tried growing vines alongside the National Wine Centre only to then remove them but this could be done more large scale in the Western Parklands where the soil is better suited to wine crop), orchards are another thought considering the mass fruit industry up in the Riverland. I do think the Parklands should still be considered for things such as a multi-purpose arena, but not with all the other commercial focused crap like cafes and bars etc (the CBD block itself provides enough of those that people can easily get to).

[NTRabbit]

It's complete overreach and smacks of sneakiness. Aside the nWCH, none of this has been canvassed previously and departs radically from the established masterplan. Why? What's the vision and how do they justify it over alternatives? The sort of lazy governance I've come to expect from the Liberals. The rezoning should be resisted.

The vision is developer money in their pockets, and nothing more. The same poison that has permanently corrupted both Liberal and Labor in NSW.

[1NEEDS2POST]

Here is a suggestion for part of SA to put in the parklands: a miniature Wilpena Pound.



Not only will it be an attraction, it could be set up as an actual amphitheatre. This gives us another stadium in Adelaide. Also, it could be built from the spoil from the South Road tunnel, saving the cost of removing the spoil to somewhere further away.

[wilkiebarkid]

Property developer Simon Chappel to build a 15 storey retirement apartment building on the corner of Angas and Gunson Streets. Adelaide Adveriser.

[Nathan]

Property developer Simon Chappel to build a 15 storey retirement apartment building on the corner of Angas and Gunson Streets. Adelaide Adveriser.

[Norman]

Looks fairly bland, and the pink/purple mesh just looks out of place.

[Patrick_27]

Two concept plans for a potential upgrade of the SA Museum forecourt. Personally I'm not a fan of either concept as neither one addresses the shortage of exhibition space, however if I had to choose one I'd go for the second design that doesn't involve building a structure, why block out the heritage elements of the site? In case anyone is wondering why they are looking to retain the forecourt, two reasons: 1. money, they can't afford the $100m mooted expansion from ten years ago that involved building a glass building on this space. The second is that the neighbouring AGSA have long argued that the if the Museum were to build a full-scale structure on this space, North Terrace would lose some of the only portion of public grass space...I'll let you be the judge of that argument.

Anyway, enjoy.