COM: [Gepps Cross] Home HQ Gepp X | $170m

[urban]

It's such a shame to see another one of these god awful places created, taking much needed vitality out of our urban centres. When will our planners catch on that this type of development is why our city (rundle mall excepted) is so dead on weekends. Why Adelaide has the "quiet" tag. Why do we still continue to create the American style car dominated shopping outlets that even the Americans have worked out don't work. Even the Americans have moved on and are now creating strip shopping.

Imagine if the Mile End homemaker centre was constructed adjacent the interstate train terminal with offices above. Interstate train travelers would no longer feel like they are arriving in the middle of nowhere.

[pushbutton]

It's such a shame to see another one of these god awful places created, taking much needed vitality out of our urban centres. When will our planners catch on that this type of development is why our city (rundle mall excepted) is so dead on weekends. Why Adelaide has the "quiet" tag. Why do we still continue to create the American style car dominated shopping outlets that even the Americans have worked out don't work. Even the Americans have moved on and are now creating strip shopping.

You're entitled to your point of view of course, but strip shopping was what we had BEFORE bigger, and far better shopping concepts were thought of.

I wouldn't say Adelaide really lacks vitality at all. I'd say that's a myth that used to have a small element of truth 15-20 years ago, but certainly doesn't now.

Harbourtown is a bit similar to the propsed Home HQ, and it is certainly far from 'dead'. In fact it's so popular that another Harbourtown is being planned for Parafield airport.

Adelaides population continues to grow, as does our economy, which is creating more and more demand for more commercial centres.

This can only be good news for everyone surely.

And if it so happens that you prefer to visit smaller "strip" shopping centres, then take your pick, because Adelaide has hundreds of them including many new ones, and there's no sign of them disappearing any time soon!!!

[urban]

I wouldn't say Adelaide really lacks vitality at all. I'd say that's a myth that used to have a small element of truth 15-20 years ago, but certainly doesn't now.

Harbourtown is a bit similar to the propsed Home HQ, and it is certainly far from 'dead'. In fact it's so popular that another Harbourtown is being planned for Parafield airport.

Next Saturday or Sunday take a walk around the city South of Pirie St (Central Market precinct excluded) and you will find the city to be very quiet indeed. The quietness of the city is one of the reasons I chose not to stay within the square mile when it came time to buy a bigger house.

I think you missed the point of the vitality. Harbourtown etc are busy when they are open but are absolutely dead when they are closed. In vibrant cities the same space gets used many times for different activities. A new activity should be starting up as the first winds down Instead of the "action" moving from one part of the city to the next like they do in Adelaide. Shopping should give way to dining then to entertainment. Vibrant cities have a mixture of uses which flow into one another and support each other.

[crawf]

Whats so bad about a Homemaker Centre?, Its not going to effect the city

I would go of my dial if this was built within the CBD or even in the inner suburbs.

[urban]

I'm not suggesting that this sort of development should be constructed in the city or the inner suburbs. It is an outdated and low quality form of development which has no place in a modern city.

Stores such as Harvey Norman etc could be constructed as the podium for high-rise development in locations like Grote St. Imagine Grote St with these types of stores from the Markets down to Freedom with high density residential above.

[Shuz]

I hate these places. They turn so lifeless after certain hours and fail to contribute anything to society other than sell over-priced poorly made couches for the average suburban Joe to sit on. Not to mention the delirious amount of 'We Sell Crap' stores which people seem to find interesting for whatever reason. Harbortown is crap, Mile End is crap and this will be... yeah - crap.

End of rant.

[thechap]

Urban, there is one reason and one reason only this home hq is being built where it is. And thats because the north has such a large amount of new home property development at the moment. Harvey Norman doesn't give a shit about the vitality of the city - they'll out these things where there goods will sell. Mind you, I agree that they are ugly and not don't contribute to urban planning at all - but from a business perspective, they DO work.

[pushbutton]

If Harbourtown was so crap, nobody would go there. It's not like they don't have a choice where to shop!

I suppose it's really a matter of personal taste, but personally I love the fact that parts of the city centre are peaceful and quiet at certain times, yet busy and thriving at other times. It's one of the things I actually LIKE about living in Adelaide.

I would also say that I'd much rather shops like Harvey Normal etc etc were in places like Home HQ rather than in the middle of the CBD under apartment buildings.

If I was shopping there, I would have to negotiate the usual parking hassles of the city, then probably pay for parking miles away from the store I wanted to visit.

No thanks! I'd much rather park easily in a suburban FREE carpark, have a quiet coffee or snack and browse the shops at a nice leisurely pace without traffic noise and exhaust fumes spoiling the experience for me!

[urban]

Urban, there is one reason and one reason only this home hq is being built where it is. And thats because the north has such a large amount of new home property development at the moment. Harvey Norman doesn't give a shit about the vitality of the city - they'll out these things where there goods will sell. Mind you, I agree that they are ugly and not don't contribute to urban planning at all - but from a business perspective, they DO work.

Incorporating these shops into Mawson Lakes, Salisbury, Nourlunga or Elizabeth urban centres would provide them with much needed vitality and a critical mass of people which might then support a quality public transport system.
I'm well aware that they work from a business perspective because they are easy to set up. My argument, as you have noted, is that they don't work from an urban planning point of view. This is the purpose of planning laws, to direct development to create the best urban environment possible.

No thanks! I'd much rather park easily in a suburban FREE carpark, have a quiet coffee or snack and browse the shops at a nice leisurely pace without traffic noise and exhaust fumes spoiling the experience for me!

The traffic noise and pollution caused by poor planning requiring everyone to drive everywhere. Gepps X for your homewares. TTP for your groceries. North east Rd for your hardware. City for your meal out. All the time welded to your car hastening global warming and ruining the amenity of the city. What a visionary.

[Cruise]

The traffic noise and pollution caused by poor planning requiring everyone to drive everywhere. Gepps X for your homewares. TTP for your groceries. North east Rd for your hardware. City for your meal out. All the time welded to your car hastening global warming and ruining the amenity of the city. What a visionary.

I know what your saying but if im going to buy a new lounge im not going to take it on the train or bus. im going to put it in my trailer on the back of my car.

[ynotsfables]

I see your point of view to a certain degree. Planning needs to ergonomically evolve around certain needs.
The big car parking dominated shopping complexes may have no choice but to change one day. Maybe back to a village street shop frontage style.eg (Mawson Lakes)?
Environmental changes may be the reason for this.
Public transport may dominate the roads more.

However Adelaide can cope with this development , it's needed, it will improve the looks of the area and it doesn't mean we can't design better in the near future elsewhere.

[urban]

The traffic noise and pollution caused by poor planning requiring everyone to drive everywhere. Gepps X for your homewares. TTP for your groceries. North east Rd for your hardware. City for your meal out. All the time welded to your car hastening global warming and ruining the amenity of the city. What a visionary.

I know what your saying but if im going to buy a new lounge im not going to take it on the train or bus. im going to put it in my trailer on the back of my car.

If I buy a new lounge I get them to deliver it. That way if the lounge gets damaged on the way to your house they have to replace it. $40 well spent if you ask me.

[quote="ynotsfables"However Adelaide can cope with this development , it's needed, it will improve the looks of the area and it doesn't mean we can't design better in the near future elsewhere.[/quote]

Adelaide could cope with this development if it was the exception rather than the rule. We currently have an urban growth and land shortage crisis yet we allow inefficient land uses such as this. This type of development is bad for all the dominant issues on this website. PT, urban growth, vitality, housing affordability, tall buildings. It's time to look holistically. Development at Gepps X affects the city, Mawson Lakes, Salisbury, even Gawler.

[ynotsfables]

Adelaide could cope with this development if it was the exception rather than the rule. We currently have an urban growth and land shortage crisis yet we allow inefficient land uses such as this. This type of development is bad for all the dominant issues on this website. PT, urban growth, vitality, housing affordability, tall buildings. It's time to look holistically. Development at Gepps X affects the city, Mawson Lakes, Salisbury, even Gawler.

I agree that this sort of design will no doubt be dated one day if not soon, however for going as far as affecting surrounding precincts at the moment until they develope these areas can only bennefit.
If i were bulding at Mawson lakes i would find this very handy.

Ps I know urban sprawl is a dirty word these days, however there is plenty of land in South Australia. I don't see our cities planning at crisis piont yet. Still we need to think ahead.

[Ero]

There hasn't been enough information yet for me to form a proper opinion about this development. I am assuming it's going to be comparable to the Keswick home centre, only larger. I can see some pro's and cons here. good points are that it will create more jobs for people living in the surrounding area, it will (hopefully) offer more variety and increased competition which is always good for the consumers. I am hoping to see some better quality products at cheaper prices.
I do have some concerns. How will this affect traffic at Gepps cross? that intersection gets pretty crazy at times and the traffic management in that area isn't anything to brag about. I am also concerned about Adelaide becoming too Americanised. I just hope they give it a modern image and make some effort to make the place look tidy and attractive. The home maker centre in Keswick looks kind of bland and scruffy at best, as does Bunning. It needs some nice paving, benches maybe some trees or a fountain/water feature, I dunno, anything!!. Developers, if you are reading this, please show some creativity in the architecture.
I have no complaint about harbour town, its quite attractive. if this development resembles harbour town, I can't complain too much.


ero.

[Howie]

I do have some concerns. How will this affect traffic at Gepps cross? that intersection gets pretty crazy at times and the traffic management in that area isn't anything to brag about. I am also concerned about Adelaide becoming too Americanised.

Hopefully when they do the Gepps Cross / Grand Junction underpass that won't be so much of a problem.