[PRO] 10 Anzac Highway | Forestville | Mixed Use

[Norman]

The site is for sale, so it's still a possibility. But I'm not getting my hopes up, especially during these crazy times.

[flat04]

There's an article on Adelaidenow regarding the State Government possibly buying the site. I'm sorry I don't haves access to the full article.

Le Cornu site on government radar.
It’s one of the biggest development sites on offer near the city. Now there’s speculation the State Government could snap up the Le Cornu site on Anzac Hwy.

[SRW]

Playford used the Housing Trust to underwrite the state's economic expansion in the 40s and 50s. Renewal SA should be supercharged as a development corp to get this state moving again. This site, and several other CBD and inner-city sites, should be booming construction zones for mid-to-high density affordable housing.

[Ho Really]

There's an article on Adelaidenow regarding the State Government possibly buying the site. I'm sorry I don't haves access to the full article.

Le Cornu site on government radar.
It’s one of the biggest development sites on offer near the city. Now there’s speculation the State Government could snap up the Le Cornu site on Anzac Hwy.

Your wish granted...

State Government reportedly in talks to buy old Le Cornu site on Anzac Hwy and abandoned Kaufland site on Churchill Rd
Cameron England, Business Editor, The Messenger
June 8, 2020 5:20pm

The State Government should not be competing with the private sector for prime development sites such as the former Le Cornu site on Anzac Hwy, unless there’s a compelling public interest reason to do so, the Urban Development Institute of Australia says.

UDIA SA chief executive Pat Gerace also said that if the government was seeking to buy the site, and German retailer Kaufland’s other site on Churchill Rd, the cost would run into the tens of millions - money which would be better spent helping new home buyers get into the market.

The State Government is refusing to comment on whether it is in negotiations to buy the two sites.

The selling agent, Colliers International, will not comment on whether the sites remain for sale and Planning Minister Stephan Knoll has declined to comment on the issue.

Sources have told The Advertiser that the government is in talks to buy both sites, which when last sold, were worth $37.5 million, with Kaufland buying the Anzac Hwy site for $25 million and paying $12.5 million for Churchill Rd.

Kaufland bought the former Le Cornu site at Forestville for $25 million three years ago but it was placed on the market earlier this year when the company abandoned its plans for a nationwide rollout of discount supermarkets.

Mr Gerace said the reason for buying the former Le Cornu site was unclear.

“If the government is considering purchasing this site, they would need to have a very convincing case about what the public threshold test, about why they would use government money to compete with the private sector,’’ Mr Gerace said.

“If we’re talking about a residential development to compete with other people who already do that, it doesn’t pass the test for why government should be using taxpayer money.

“I’m not sure what articulated goal the government’s had so far in their term, that points to this decision being consistent with a strategy.’’

Mr Gerace said, assuming a $30 million purchase price for the Anzac Hwy site alone, that amount of money could instead be used to deliver 1200 grants of $25,000 for people looking to get into the housing market.

Property Council SA executive director Daniel Gannon said if there was the opportunity to involve the private sector in any future development it would be welcome.

“Renewal SA has long partnered with private operators to deliver government services, and long may that continue in a productive way,’’ Mr Gannon said.

In March, Adelaide property identity Theo Maras said, while he wouldn’t be the one to build it, a new mixed-use suburb should be built stretching from the Le Cornu site up to the intersection of Anzac Hwy and Greenhill Rd, taking in the Keswick army barracks.

That idea has been enthusiastically backed by Unley Mayor Michael Hewitson.

“We think the area is perfectly situated for a cool, green development, perfectly sited next to the Wayville train station,’’ he said this week.

Mr Hewitson said the council welcome the chance to work on future plans for the site if the government did indeed buy it.

Prospect Mayor David O’Loughlin said his council had spoken with a number of potential users of the Kaufland site on Churchill Rd including the State Government, but was not aware of any pending transaction.

Mr O’Loughlin said the site was well-positioned next to a train station and had flexible zoning, so he hoped to see a creative approach to developing it.

Le Cornu closed its doors on Anzac Hwy in October 2016.

The Messenger

Cheers

[SRW]

Unusually strident words from UDIA. I wonder if someone there is connected to a private bid? Either way, their argument is undone by this statement:

“If we’re talking about a residential development to compete with other people who already do that, it doesn’t pass the test for why government should be using taxpayer money.

“I’m not sure what articulated goal the government’s had so far in their term, that points to this decision being consistent with a strategy.’’

Mr Gerace said, assuming a $30 million purchase price for the Anzac Hwy site alone, that amount of money could instead be used to deliver 1200 grants of $25,000 for people looking to get into the housing market.

So in their estimation, the role of government is not to act as a public interest developer but to subsidise private profiteering? That's almost as noxious an attitude as the Commonwealth's Homebuilder rort.

In any event:

Property Council SA executive director Daniel Gannon said if there was the opportunity to involve the private sector in any future development it would be welcome.

“Renewal SA has long partnered with private operators to deliver government services, and long may that continue in a productive way,’’ Mr Gannon said.

Exactly. Bowden is the template here. The government can determine the standards of design and affordability and partner with the private sector to deliver it.

[Patrick_27]

Unusually strident words from UDIA. I wonder if someone there is connected to a private bid? Either way, their argument is undone by this statement:

“If we’re talking about a residential development to compete with other people who already do that, it doesn’t pass the test for why government should be using taxpayer money.

“I’m not sure what articulated goal the government’s had so far in their term, that points to this decision being consistent with a strategy.’’

Mr Gerace said, assuming a $30 million purchase price for the Anzac Hwy site alone, that amount of money could instead be used to deliver 1200 grants of $25,000 for people looking to get into the housing market.

So in their estimation, the role of government is not to act as a public interest developer but to subsidise private profiteering? That's almost as noxious an attitude as the Commonwealth's Homebuilder rort.

In any event:

Property Council SA executive director Daniel Gannon said if there was the opportunity to involve the private sector in any future development it would be welcome.

“Renewal SA has long partnered with private operators to deliver government services, and long may that continue in a productive way,’’ Mr Gannon said.

Exactly. Bowden is the template here. The government can determine the standards of design and affordability and partner with the private sector to deliver it.

I'm not overly concerned with private investors putting forward a bid, saves our government money and will surely fast-track the knock on effect in the surrounding areas like Dudley Park and Islington from all the Churchill Road developments.

[SRW]

Unusually strident words from UDIA. I wonder if someone there is connected to a private bid? Either way, their argument is undone by this statement:

“If we’re talking about a residential development to compete with other people who already do that, it doesn’t pass the test for why government should be using taxpayer money.

“I’m not sure what articulated goal the government’s had so far in their term, that points to this decision being consistent with a strategy.’’

Mr Gerace said, assuming a $30 million purchase price for the Anzac Hwy site alone, that amount of money could instead be used to deliver 1200 grants of $25,000 for people looking to get into the housing market.

So in their estimation, the role of government is not to act as a public interest developer but to subsidise private profiteering? That's almost as noxious an attitude as the Commonwealth's Homebuilder rort.

In any event:

Property Council SA executive director Daniel Gannon said if there was the opportunity to involve the private sector in any future development it would be welcome.

“Renewal SA has long partnered with private operators to deliver government services, and long may that continue in a productive way,’’ Mr Gannon said.

Exactly. Bowden is the template here. The government can determine the standards of design and affordability and partner with the private sector to deliver it.

I'm not overly concerned with private investors putting forward a bid, saves our government money and will surely fast-track the knock on effect in the surrounding areas like Dudley Park and Islington from all the Churchill Road developments.

Yeah, I'm not fussed if it gets up without government, that'd be obviously good. I just reject the implication that the government shouldn't be involved or only involved to the extent of subsidizing private profit.

[Norman]

A great outcome for the Prospect site would be the purchase by the government, rebuild of the Islington station (and renaming it Churchill or Prospect North), master planning the site and releasing it to the private sector with reasonably strict guidelines on design, density and open space. Something like a mini Bowden.

[Nort]

Yup, this is a unique plot of land. A good outcome would be for the government to buy it, plan out a Bowden style development and then sell parcels of land to developers with affordable housing included in the mix (much like Norman suggested for Prospect as well).

Private developers will scream and complain if it means they make a cent less profit, but there is a weird juxtaposition in Adelaide where inside the parklands everyone is proud of the way the city was carefully planned out but then seem to be against any larger scale planning outside the city centre.

[SRW]

Renewal SA has finalised an agreement to purchase both this and the Prospect site:
https://renewalsa.sa.gov.au/sites-purch ... restville/
These are massive sites so the potential is huge. RenewalSA will now be develop masterplans 'with a focus on delivering affordable and social housing'. Forestville construction expected to start 2021.

[rev]

Renewal SA acquires former Kaufland sites at Forestville and Prospect

Giuseppe Tauriello, The Advertiser
October 1, 2020 5:12pm
Subscriber only

The State Government’s development body has confirmed its acquisition of two major tracts of land abandoned by international supermarket group Kaufland, and is in talks with the Federal Government about a potential development of the nearby Keswick Barracks.

The two sites, on Anzac Highway at Forestville and Churchill Road at Prospect, have been acquired for an undisclosed sum following Kaufland’s exit from the Australian grocery market at the start of the year.

Kaufland acquired the Anzac Hwy property for $25m in 2017 and paid $12.5m for the Churchill Rd site last year.

The Forestville site comprises close to 36,000sq m of land and was formerly home to the Le Cornu furniture store, while the Prospect site stretches across 23,600sq m.

Renewal SA will develop masterplans for each site and will seek interest from the private sector to partner on the projects later this year.

Early designs suggest 300 homes could be built at Forestville, with 15 per cent set aside for affordable housing, while more than 180 homes could be delivered at Prospect, with 60 per cent dedicated to affordable and social housing.

The developments are expected to support an average of 170 jobs over the five-to-six year development period, with construction expected to commence next year.

Renewal SA said the Forestville site was one of the last remaining vacant city fringe sites, and was suited to a mixed-use development comprising residential, commercial and retail components.

“They are a bit different - Prospect we probably see as slightly lower density, low rise apartments and townhouses,” Renewal SA chief executive Chris Menz said.

“Given the location of the Anzac Highway site and the zoning, it’s probably more likely to be medium density, so medium rise apartments and townhouses.

“We will be working with the private sector and seeking their additional investment and timely delivery of Forestville and Prospect developments.”

Mr Menz said Renewal SA would likely partner with a single developer on the Forestville project, while multiple development partners could be engaged at Prospect, including community housing providers.

He also confirmed discussions were being held with the Commonwealth on a potential development of the nearby Keswick Barracks.

“I think that would be a great outcome but speed is critical here,” he said.

“If we want to see investment in the state then we need to move quickly on the old Le Cornu site.”

The Advertiser reported on the Government’s interest in acquiring the two sites in June, when Urban Development Institute SA chief executive Pat Gerace warned it should only compete with the private sector for prime development sites when there’s a compelling public interest reason to do so.

On Thursday he said the industry group would retain a strong interest in the Government’s plans for the Forestville site.

“There’s no doubt with the significant investment in the train station, the proximity to the city and the blue chip nature of the surrounding suburbs, what is critical is that whatever happens is of a quality that people expect in that area,” he said.

“I think there’s an opportunity to have medium density on that site and what would need to accompany that is a very substantial investment in the surrounding public realm.”

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/business ... 3a5ab0ed8f

Sorry but more public housing is wrong. There isn't enough employment, so why should such an even bigger burden be put on those who do have jobs?
Provide employment, fix the damn economy and there wont be such an increased need for the government to provide housing.

These two sites should be sold off to private developers to develop, housing, apartments, retail.

[gnrc_louis]

Actually, during the “full employment” years of the 50s and 60s there was probably more public housing for low and middle income workers. It also didn’t have the stigma that it sadly has now.

[Eurostar]

Renewal SA has finalised an agreement to purchase both this and the Prospect site:
https://renewalsa.sa.gov.au/sites-purch ... restville/
These are massive sites so the potential is huge. RenewalSA will now be develop masterplans 'with a focus on delivering affordable and social housing'. Forestville construction expected to start 2021.

Ideal as a Transit Oriented Development with frequent buses on Anzac Highway and trains at Wayville

[rev]

Actually, during the “full employment” years of the 50s and 60s there was probably more public housing for low and middle income workers. It also didn’t have the stigma that it sadly has now.

You mean like the housing provided for returned service people as part of their service to the nation?

[gnrc_louis]

Actually, during the “full employment” years of the 50s and 60s there was probably more public housing for low and middle income workers. It also didn’t have the stigma that it sadly has now.

You mean like the housing provided for returned service people as part of their service to the nation?

Yes, but also just public housing in general was more common and accepted in that era for people on lower incomes.