About Us
Development - Good for community ... but fair for residents?
We are fighting for a fair go, for residents, ratepayers and small business. The Hobart Interim Planning Scheme, soon to become the state-wide Tasmanian Planning Scheme, is ‘faster, simpler, cheaper and fairer’ for developers with deep pockets, not for ordinary residents.
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Last month the Hobart City Council approved plans for a large-scale residential development on former Blundstone’s site in Wynyard Street, South Hobart. We have been trying to work with council officers and the developer since early 2016 when we first became aware of the proposed development however, we were unsuccessful leaving us with no choice but to take it to appeal.
This appeal is NOT trying to block development, instead we are trying to achieve a more appropriate, eco-friendly, sustainable development that fits in with the local character and amenity of the area. There are some excellent examples of multiple-dwelling developments in South Hobart that have achieved this, such as the co-housing in Marlyn Road.
The Wynyard Street development is nothing like that. It consists of 24, two parallel rows of 3 bedroom, two storey units separated by a narrow roadway that runs down the site towards the rivulet. The units are surrounded by concrete across most of the site. There is very little open/green space, and less than is required by the planning scheme. There is also insufficient on-site car parking for the cars the developer estimates will be generated by the development- 168 cars per day in Wynyard Street alone- a 187% increase. The Interim Planning Scheme says a 40% increase is allowable.
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Although there is less open space and fewer car parks on site than are required by the Interim Planning Scheme, Council approved the development. This means that some residents, their visitors and trades people will have to park in the narrow, ‘no through road’ of Wynyard Street, and in other streets near the South Hobart Village. Macquarie Street and other streets in the Village area are already heavily congested by all-day parkers who are either employees of local businesses or, more particularly, are people who drive to South Hobart, park their cars in these streets and then either walk or cycle to work in the CBD, often along the rivulet track. This has turned much of the commercial end of South Hobart into a de facto car park.
Several local businesses estimate that over 40% of their business comes from outside South Hobart, including Fern Tree, Mt Nelson, Dynnyrne, Sandy Bay and parts of South Hobart such as the Louden Street area, Strickland Ave and Marlyn Road which are not within walking or cycling distance of the Village for most people. If parking is removed then the local businesses will suffer.
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While the Wynyard street site has good access to shops, community facilities and public transport infrastructure, Metro has cut back its services in the past 12 months or so. Our public transport system will, hopefully, improve in the years ahead. However, not everyone is able to use public transport to go where they need around Hobart or further afield, especially if it is not on a bus route.
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The Hobart Interim Planning Scheme and its successor the state-wide Tasmanian Planning Scheme which comes into effect by 2017, discourage positive interaction between developers, ratepayers and community groups, and force all parties into a confrontational situation, which, is most disappointing and counterproductive to achieving a sustainable future for all Tasmanians.
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Please help us to raise the $20,000 that we require for legal fees for the appeal by donating or attending fundraising events