Foley backs a high-rise Adelaide
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July 19, 2008 12:30am
SOUTH Australians should "not be afraid to embrace height" in any proposed developments, Deputy Premier Kevin Foley says.
Mr Foley said a "modern city like Adelaide needs height" in order to progress and attract commercial and residentialinterest.
He said new transport-oriented development zones, such as the 10ha Clipsal site at Bowden, will have height and density.
High rise: See the options
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/files/buildings.pdf
"We will allow serious height on that (Clipsal) site," he told The Advertiser yesterday.
"But I am not suggesting we are going to have massive skyscrapers there.
"Yet, developers should be able to look at serious height, whether that be 15 or 20 storey buildings – something that allows commercial property to be built there as well as residential."
Mr Foley said given Adelaide's population and geographical size, there were a lot of 15 to 20 storey buildings being built.
"Personally, I like height. I think this city should not be afraid to embrace height," he said. "That's why, since Labor has come to office, there has been a number of projects that have been given major project status.
"In that way, we have been able to accelerate development and not have it stymied."
Mr Foley said initial advice was for unlimited height at the Clipsal site, and while he personally was not opposed to that, it was not something to which the Government could agree.
"We need to come to an agreement with the council and residents, if we can, about what they would accept," he said.
Sites such as the one at Bowden provided an opportunity to "house thousands of South Australians in affordable accommodation on transport links, relatively close to the city".
"It gives us a good opportunity to cater for our population growth without having the suburbs falling too far north and too far south," Mr Foley said.
Earlier this week, during a speech at a property industry function, Mr Foley said development at Bowden would be unlike anything seen before in Adelaide.
Colliers International has been enlisted to sell the 10.2ha site but its industrial zoning must be changed before any mixed-used development can occur.
Under a State Government review, Urban Development and Planning Minister Paul Holloway would have responsibility for the rezoning taking it out of the hands of the Charles Sturt City Council and classifying it as a "state significant development".
John O'Neill, part owner of the nearby Brompton Hotel, said removing height or density restrictions on the old Clipsal site would be a great "step forward"
