Question 2. Do you support the key outcomes and initiatives identified in the Draft Adelaide Road Framework?
(e) Outcome 5: Recognising and protecting employment opportunities while enabling a transition to suitable ‘new economy’ activities.
Mt Cook Mobilised initial response to Outcome 5.
| strongly agree |
agree |
no opinion |
disagree |
disagree strongly |
Comments
We are concerned about the potential situation where tall buildings are constructed in Adelaide Road that have unoccupied lower floors, waiting for suitable commercial tenants. We are unsure about how “making the transition to suitable ‘new economy’ activities will be
actively managed.
Questions about the nature of commercial activities
- What activities fit in a mixed commercial/residential area, and what control does Council have over this? Can guidelines be developed?
- Given the precedent-setting importance of the first new buildings - both in terms of design and mixed use, would a private-public partnership be the most suitable approach to early construction? Could the Council invest in the first 2-3 structures and actively manage the design and use of the buildings for a time? This would permit the Council to conduct evaluations (including ‘post-occupancy’) that would include owner, occupier, community and Council perspectives that would assist Council sensitively guide further development.
Add further comments please
To go to other parts of the WCC feedback form and our response, click on the links below
Index | Question 1 | Question 2 (a) | (b) | (c) | (d) | (e) | (f) | Question 3 | Question 4 | Question 5
Relevant background information from WCC
From the WCC Draft Adelaide Road Framework (3.32Mb PDF), p18
Adelaide Road is one of the most mixed-use areas in the city. It is also an area of changing land uses and activities, is subject to increasing land values, and is of growing interest from developers and investors.
Adelaide Road exhibits the classic characteristics of a traditional city ‘fringe area’ adjoining the CBD with a mix of manufacturing, wholesaling, business and vehicle services, and institutional jobs. While many of these activities fulfil an important economic role and should be supported in their continued operation, the area also runs the risk of declining unless the area stimulates ‘new economy’ local business and employment (eg businesses based on new information and communication technologies) in conjunction with residential intensification.
The quality of previous development has been quite varied, primarily a result of the area’s permissive ‘Suburban Centre’ zoning. This has resulted in relatively poor-quality urban development.
Key concepts
- attracting workers from businesses and institutions into the area by developing good-quality streetscape and public spaces, a quality public transport system and good parking
- working with landowners and developers to redevelop under-utilised sites
- encouraging new development that includes a mix of employment and residential activities (eg apartments above ground-floor employment uses - see Figure 14(a) )
- protecting existing employment activities and encouraging new employment activity by providing additional employment space through greater building-height allowances along Adelaide Road - see Figures 14(a) and (b)
- encouraging the growth of commercial activity supporting the hospital and university ensuring the development of active street frontages.