Sensational-Adelaide.com

Came across this while trawling for other stuff.

OLD HOSPITAL REDEVELOPMENT IN LIMBO (From 22/9/08 The Border Watch)
The $20m redevelpment proposal for the old hospital site remains in limbo today, following Mt Gambier City Council's
planning assessor's opting not tomake a decision on Thursday night.

Lodged by Sky Towers Mount Gambier, the developers sought approval to build a rretirement village, a land subdivision, and a new six story complex. along with redevelping the derelict old hospital bldg.

Council Operational services director Daryl Sextonm, who explained the panel also wanted to canvass all the issues brought up to the mtg by community representatives and developers.

"THe panel decided to let it lay on the table - it will have another look in two weeks"

Mr Sexton said the multi faceted development was one of thebiggest aplications the panel had received in a long time.Yesterday, developer Damien Boots told the Border Watch the project would end more than 10 years of controversy and the concept would be a 'terrific' outcome for one of Mount Gambier's most prominent landmark sites "It would achieve a very high end development...it will be a lift for Mount Gambier's real estate sector", mr Boots said before the meeting. He argued that his company had researched 'long and hard' over the proposal, which would be spread over 4 stages to prevent 'flooding or over saturation' of one product on the market.

Mr Boots said he was 'hopeful' the development would be approved.

I have a sketch of the development. Shows the old nurses home - 6 floors' and now apartments, the old hospital - 6 floors and new apartments, and a third bldg - also 6 floors and also apartments further west from the hospital. As i once mentioned before, the nurses home and hospital are each about 90m long. In all three 6 floor bldgs in a row near the crater rim to the Blue Lake. All would have views into the Blue and Valley Lake craters of the now extinct volcano, and also over the city. Along the actual rim of the crater a line of about 20 - 25 houses overlooking the lakes down below.

A very nice development - much better than a derelict bldg overlooking the city. Hooe all gets through.

Will be interesting to see what happens in the light of the $700b bailout of Wall St being rejected today (30/9/08).
On the knowledge of this Wall St slid 770 points - the highest in history - even more than in the Great Depression.

The Bureau of Statistics considers Mt Gambier as part of Adelaide. Should this be moved to the Metro section?

AtD wrote:The Bureau of Statistics considers Mt Gambier as part of Adelaide. Should this be moved to the Metro section?

Does that make Elizabeth a buzzing cosmoplitain inner city suburb then?

Brainfart. Was thinking Mt. Barker.

Note, I did not add that my post of 30/9/08 is not for the same development as earlier in this thread - the change is -
Last on was approved, this one is not as yet
New one has an addition of a six floor bldg, retirement village and land subdivision.
Same group - Sky Towers.
Mr.Boots - same one as before.

NOTE also - by the time this would be built, MG would have over 25,000 Pop. ABS 2007 June fig 24,494

SA - STATE ON THE MOVE

AtD wrote:Brainfart. Was thinking Mt. Barker.

well, why wouldn't they include Mt Barker?

On 12/5/07 I put in a few comments about a new golf course ($100m dev't) Found this on the same one.

Maybe needs it's own thread - a massive development for a provincial city.($100m)I understand the present MG golf club will have something of a merger with this. Currently there there are two 18 hle courses there. Funding - one Mr Scott.

GREEN LIGHT FOR GOLF PROJECT 6/8/08) UPDATE Found via The Border Watch (MG newspaper)
Developers of the proposed Mt Percy golf course have been given the all clear to begin development of the multi million dollar project.

The state government has provided formal approval of the development plan amended for the project, which sought to re zone the land for the purpose of building the golf course resort amnd housing complex.

Grant district council CEO Russell Peate welcomed the state government decision, which he said would allow the project to move to the next phase.

'This is a major step forward for the developers', Mr. Peate said. 'Effectively all they have to do now is to lodge their building applications'.

Mr. Peate said the given re zoning approval and all complying development applications would be assessed by council officers, without the need to go through councillors or the development Assesment Panel.

Location - west of MG urban area - on outskirts.

Sorry about the late posting - happens when you can't access info. but you know it's there.

SA - STATE ON THE MOVE

hi there, i've just signed up after discovering this sensational site through a link from the border watch web site. i'm an ex pat of both adelaide and the mount desperate to get back to SA permanently but with a wife in brizvegas twho refuses to move because she loves the weather up here so much!

anyhow - i get back to the mount every xmas and have been waiting for something to happen to the old hospital. if i had the $$$ i'd be living on the top floor and enjoying the views.

i wasn' able to track down the particular brock harcourt office that is supposed to be marketing it so can someone link me to them. i really want to see a rendering of the design. also couldn't find boots & ptnrs on the web. howie if you have a copy of the render from (i'm assuming) the 'tiser can you post that up please.

i'm just starting to troll through this site and don't expect to see the light of day for a while - i hear it's over rated anyhow

pete

Would be nice to see this one go ahead. Was down past the Mount a few weeks back
and the old hospital looks a real eyesore. Maybe they need to have a joint development
part hotel part appartments. With the blue lake close by it would be an ideal location
for an upmarket hotel, similar to the one that has spruced up in Port Lincoln.

To Alan Scott, how about doing something great for your own home city...

ozisnowman wrote:To Alan Scott, how about doing something great for your own home city...

Timing is everything, Snowman. Alan Scott died today.

Anyone have figures for population growth for Mount Gambier ?
The figures I have from ABS are 0.6% per year for 2006, but that is just 144 people, less I'd say that the number that could live in these proposed apartment complex(s).

So any predictions as to what effect this will have on the population of this small city. Sounds like the apartments won't be in the price range of those in nearby towns, so that rules out simple migration from nearby areas.

Would be great to see a few more developments in Mt Gambier. SA regional cities really need some work.

fabricator wrote:Anyone have figures for population growth for Mount Gambier ?
The figures I have from ABS are 0.6% per year for 2006, but that is just 144 people, less I'd say that the number that could live in these proposed apartment complex(s).

So any predictions as to what effect this will have on the population of this small city. Sounds like the apartments won't be in the price range of those in nearby towns, so that rules out simple migration from nearby areas.

Your figures are quite accurate Fabricator. The latest total I've seen (for June 2007) showed 24650. Also, growth will be enhanced by the Pulp Mill (still going ahead at Penola) and the outcomes of Gunns failure in Tasmania - a proposed factory in MG asoociated with wood products. (cost $30m) Source - 'the Border Watch' homepage. search - Gunns. Also the rail link - now being looked into by the SA gov't for passengers to MG.Overall admittedly, MG is not growing fast, BUT it is picking up after stagnation up to about 2005 for about 10 years.

ALSO this was approved by the MG DAP 4 - 3 with one missing (Trawled info on the 'BORDER WATCH' under 'Sky Towers'). The approval excluded the housing development along the crater rim but included a new 6 floor apartment tower, the complete referbishment/renewal of the old hospital block (7 floors) and construction of retiremrent village - thus resulting in a row of higher bldgs - the 6 floor 'nurses home' (now apartments), the old hospital and the new tower.

MUCH resistance to this project it seems, but far better than a 7 floor shell in a prominent location.

It seems finances are OK and developers want to get on with it.

No new renders found as yet guys.

SA - STATE ON THE MOVE

fabricator wrote:Anyone have figures for population growth for Mount Gambier ?
The figures I have from ABS are 0.6% per year for 2006, but that is just 144 people, less I'd say that the number that could live in these proposed apartment complex(s).

So any predictions as to what effect this will have on the population of this small city. Sounds like the apartments won't be in the price range of those in nearby towns, so that rules out simple migration from nearby areas.

Fabricator - Latest ABS growth rate projection for MG is 14% based on 24 450 in mid 2006 and linking to 2026 as 28 000. However I KNOW the population in 2006 was just over 23 000 (hometown) and is NOW a shade under 25 000 - so work that out. Quite adequate for the proposed complex I feel.

SA - STATE ON THE MOVE

Latest info

OLD HOSPITAL REDEVELOPMENT ON TRACK. (the Border Watch - tags - development) 10/3/09

Developers of the old MG development site are pushing ahead with its $20m redevelopment, despite the economic crisis sweeping Aust.
The developers are expected to lodge an application with MG city council within the next two weeks to gain approval for demolition works to begin.
The MG Sky Towers development will include the transformation of the current derelict bldg into 41 modern apartments.
The plan also makes way for construction of 22 retirement units and another possible multi storey apartment complex.
Developer, Damien Boots, of Boots and Partners (66 Wyatt St Adelaide - inserted by yours truly) said the consortium funding the proposal had huge confidence in the project and was moving ahead with the development.
He said the project had been temporarily held up by an appeal that was lodged over traffic concerns, which now had been resolved.

'We are definitely moving ahead with the project,' said Mr Boots, who claimed the developers had no concerns about the economic climate.
He said stage one of the development would focus on the old hospital.
'We expect construction will take between 15 to 18 months", Mr Boots said.
The developer said demolition of parts of the site would be the project's first major works.

He said the project would be a huge boom for the MG economy, following the dxeveloper's commitment to use local contractors when possible.
'It will be good for the local economy. It makes sense economically and logistically to involve local construction and sales people', Mr Boots said.
Once the demolition application was approved, he said tenders would be called for these works.
Meanwhile, MG city council operational services director Daryl Sexton said he expected the project would be a large boost for the local economy.
'When the developers get on with it, the project will employ a lot of people', Mr Sexton said.
He said the project would help stimulate the building industry during it's construction phase.
'Projects like these are always important, but they are particularly important during economic downturns,' Mr Sexton said.

In the current building and construction climate/condition and this being in a provincial city, this is impressive. Makes you wonder where their money tree is.

SA - STATE ON THE MOVE