Article: 'Emporium' plan for iconic Milton Tennis Centre site

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

'Emporium' plan for iconic Milton Tennis Centre site

'Emporium' plan for iconic Milton Tennis Centre site
ELLEN LUTTON
January 10, 2010 - 6:18AM

The rich history of Milton Tennis Centre has not been forgotten.

While international tennis superstars play the mens final at Brisbane's new Pat Rafter Arena today, Brisbane City Council is currently assessing developer plans to take Brisbane's original tennis site and home to eight Australian Opens from desolate to dazzling.

More than 10 years after it was closed down and sold by Tennis Queensland, the Milton Tennis Centre, together with the adjoining Milton Bowls site, has a development application on it to create a new "Emporium" style precinct, with residential, retail and commercial facilities.

The Seymour Group, owned by Queensland business identity Kevin Seymour, put in their application to the Brisbane City Council just before Christmas and although it is "extremely early days", the group are very excited about their plans for this famous parcel of land, according to a company spokesperson.

"The Milton Tennis Centre site is iconic in Brisbane and it has been vacant for so long. We've written into the code that we've submitted to council that there will certainly be a reference to the original centre somewhere in the new development," the spokesperson said.

Located at Frew Park, Milton Rd was the home of Queensland tennis from 1915. It consisted of 19 hard courts and four grass courts and hosted eight Australian Opens and 16 Davis Cup ties (including three finals).

It hosted its last Davis Cup tie in 1990, the quarterfinal win over New Zealand featuring John Fitzgerald and Wally Masur.

Lindsay Davenport won the last world tour event at Milton in 1994, after which the wooden grandstands were declared unsafe. The Milton Tennis Centre closed in 1999 when Tennis Queensland sold the property to cover more than $1 million in debts.

Doncaster Holdings sold the site to Multiplex for a reported $5.9 million in April 2002. Derelict and having suffered two fires, the stadium was demolished in May 2002. It has sat deserted and derelict since then.

It is understood the Seymour Group paid a total of $30.15 million for the tennis and the bowls sites in 2008.

It currently has approval for 174 residential apartments but the Seymour Group wants to create a whole new precinct for both plots of the land, which total about 3.2 hectares.

"We're thinking it would be a modern version of the Emporium in the Valley," the spokeswoman said.

Apart from tennis, the Milton centre also hosted concerts featuring acts such as the Rolling Stones, Elton John and Johnny Cash and 10,000 fans witnessed Jeff White retain his national lightweight title against Lionel Rose in 1971.

The Milton courts were converted into Australia's major tennis centre for the Davis Cup final in 1958 and were the venue for the first Australian Open in 1969.

Rod Laver's 6-3 win in the deciding fifth set of his 1969 Australian Open semi-final against Tony Roche, having won the first two sets 7-5 and 22-20 before losing the third set 9-11 and the fourth 1-6, is one of the many memorable moments in the Centre's history.

The Davis Cup final wins by Australia in 1962 featured Rod Laver, Roy Emerson, Neale Fraser and coach Harry Hopman and in 1967, Emerson, Hopman, Tony Roche and John Newcombe.

Source: The Sun-Herald

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Milton highrise 'on wrong side of track'

Milton highrise 'on wrong side of track'
TONY MOORE
February 6, 2010 - 6:17AM

Lord Mayor Campbell Newman's administration last night said it would oppose plans for a 20-storey highrise development on the old Milton Tennis Centre site.

Local councillor Peter Matic (Toowong) said it was a bid to protect the area's "tin and timber" from encroaching development.

A major developer had lodged a development application with Brisbane City Council for 10 buildings on the site, ranging from three to 20 storeys in height, and capable of housing up to 2000 people.

The Seymour Group, owned by Queensland business identity Kevin Seymour, lodged the application with the council just before Christmas.

Cr Matic said the Lord Mayor and Cabinet believed the site was "on the wrong side of the tracks" for such a significant development.

He said he and the Lord Mayor supported development on the 34,557 square metre site because it was a longstanding eyesore twice ravaged by fire since 1999.

However, Cr Matic said highrise living was not the answer for the land on the northern side of the Milton railway station.

"This sports land should never have been rezoned for this style of development," Cr Matic said.

"While we cannot unscramble that particular egg, we can ensure that the development that occurs there is appropriate for the local community."

Cr Matic said it was "too close to the tin and timber suburbs" of Milton and Auchenflower.

A court tussle, which came after residents opposed a 2003 decision by the former Labor administration to rezone the site from sports and recreational usage, set a height limit of eight storeys for buildings on the site.

"Since there is already a court decision, that is where council will draw the line," Cr Matic said.

Cr Matic said the site was outside the area of the Milton Station Neighbourhood Plan, which allowed for higher building height limits.

Council approved a 30-storey tower complex over Milton Station, next to the famous Milton Brewery. in September 2008, just down the road from the old tennis centre.

However, Cr Matic said that did not set the precedent for development in the rest of the suburb.

"This is on the northern side of the railway tracks, and we would prefer highrise development between the railway and Coronation Drive," he said.

"It is outside that plan area for a good reason - to protect the tin and timber of the local area."

The Milton Tennis Centre closed in 1999 when Tennis Queensland sold the property to cover more than $1 million in debts.

Doncaster Holdings sold the site to Multiplex for a reported $5.9 million in April 2002.

Derelict and having suffered two fires, the stadium was demolished in May 2002 and has sat deserted and derelict since.

It is understood the Seymour Group paid $30.15 million for the tennis and Milton Bowl sites in 2008.

It currently has approval for 174 residential apartments, but the Seymour Group wants to create a whole new precinct for both plots of the land, which total about 3.2 hectares.

"Were thinking it would be a modern version of the Emporium in the Valley," a spokeswoman said last week.

- with Ellen Lutton, Sun Herald.

[Mozz]

The original developer started with a plan to put around a gazillion units of accommodation on the site initially, and over the past 10 years, slowly, slowly wound back down from this number, but here we are 10 years later with still a non complaint plan to build on the site.

[O_128]

I really hate nimbys. They dont own the land so why should they have a say in what goes on it. If they want it to be a park then they can buy it

[#Metro]

Doesn't that site back on to the rail line? Perhaps a bikeway path could go from there to the station?
It could also be a good TOD if the buses that run down there- which bus goes down Milton rd again was turned into a BUZ.

I can't see why not- it would be hard to argue that traffic concerns would be huge as Suncorp Stadium is down the road.
BCC needs to plan where this metro system will go so that when land gets re-developed, the station can be put in or specific parts of the site preserved for integration...

[Derwan]

Doesn't that site back on to the rail line?

Not quite.  It's the other side of Milton Rd.  And then there is a park between Milton Rd and the railway line.

View on Google Maps.

[Jon Bryant]

It would be on thd edge of the 200 metre TOD core.  So spply the TOD Desihn principles and determine the scale from that.  As a TOD so closevto the CBD it should be very high density.

[#Metro]

Great. NIMBYs vs TODs...

[#Metro]

What is that empty land on the other side of Milton Rd?
They own 2 sites, so that other site is probably part of the project as well.

This proposed project is so close to Milton Rail Station it isn't funny.
The site is a mere 320 m from the station, mere walking distance!
And the council did not approve it, what is their problem? There is already a big park right next door (Gregory Pk)

It would be on thd edge of the 200 metre TOD core.

Sounds like "One size fits all" from the BCC. Within 200m is the Brewery and restaurants. None of which could ever hope to be demolished...

TODs NOW!

[verbatim9]

Doesn't that site back on to the rail line? Perhaps a bikeway path could go from there to the station?
It could also be a good TOD if the buses that run down there- which bus goes down Milton rd again was turned into a BUZ.

I can't see why not- it would be hard to argue that traffic concerns would be huge as Suncorp Stadium is down the road.
BCC needs to plan where this metro system will go so that when land gets re-developed, the station can be put in or specific parts of the site preserved for integration...

Is Brisbane City council truly considering a World Class Metro System that Rivals Montreal, Paris etc.......?

[stephenk]

Doesn't that site back on to the rail line? Perhaps a bikeway path could go from there to the station?
It could also be a good TOD if the buses that run down there- which bus goes down Milton rd again was turned into a BUZ.

I can't see why not- it would be hard to argue that traffic concerns would be huge as Suncorp Stadium is down the road.
BCC needs to plan where this metro system will go so that when land gets re-developed, the station can be put in or specific parts of the site preserved for integration...

Is Brisbane City council truly considering a World Class Metro System that Rivals Montreal, Paris etc.......?

No, but Tramtrain is.

[#Metro]

Yes, here it is, from the 2007 Lord Mayor's Mass Transit Report
There isn't much by the way of Going through Milton Rd/Paddington/The Gap. There should be.

http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/BCC:BASE::pc=PC_2698

[verbatim9]

Yes, here it is, from the 2007 Lord Mayor's Mass Transit Report
There isn't much by the way of Going through Milton Rd/Paddington/The Gap. There should be.

http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/BCC:BASE::pc=PC_2698

The UQ line should extend underground via Indooroopilly station - Indroopilly SC - Chapel Hill - Kenmore Central. This then inturn will create an alternative route to the city for people who live in the West.

[#Metro]

This is a very good idea. Metro directly underneath Indooroopilly Shopping Centre.
Alternatively there could be a heavy rail spur, but I just don't see how that would cope (crossing conflicts, bottlenecks, timetabling etc)

[O_128]

This is a very good idea. Metro directly underneath Indooroopilly Shopping Centre.
Alternatively there could be a heavy rail spur, but I just don't see how that would cope (crossing conflicts, bottlenecks, timetabling etc)

The second cross river rail line could be this instead though spur off at chelmer next station at indro??