Hobart City Council protests against Clarence Skylands development

Hobart councillors have given the thumbs down to a controversial mega-development planned on the city’s Eastern Shore. WHAT’S NEXT + HAVE YOUR SAY >>

Hobart City Council has voiced opposition to a scaled-up mega-development at Droughty Point.

The Skylands development is in the Clarence area, but Hobart City Council were asked to weigh into the controversy by planning minister Michael Ferguson.

At Monday’s committee meeting councillors voted against lifting the current Urban Growth Boundary, which would allow the developers to build in areas marked as no-go zones.

Councillor Helen Burnett vehemently opposed the developer’s plan, saying it would have dire knock-on consequences for the Hobart region.

“Good planning is at stake here,” Ms Burnett said.

“It flies in the face of Urban Growth Boundaries, it flies in the face of the 30-year greater Hobart plan, the wider potential impact on traffic, and the potential cumulative impacts of extension to urban growth boundaries.”

Droughty Point protest

Alderman Will Coats said there was an urgent need for housing, and there was insufficient evidence to prove the development would worsen traffic congestion in Hobart.

Mr Coats said Hobart City Council’s opinion should remain neutral until harder evidence was found.

“Ultimately I think it is for the people of Clarence and Clarence City Council to come to a determination, and I would hate to think Hobart was used as a reason for or against,” he said.

“Unless we’ve got very strong evidence it’s going to have a hugely detrimental impact to the City of Hobart, our default position should be to proffer no opinion.”

Alderman Simon Behrakis said this development provided much-needed housing, and would “almost certainly” go ahead with or without Hobart City Council’s support.

However he was outnumbered by councillors Mike Dutta, Bill Harvey, Jeff Briscoe, and Helen Burnett who voted against the proposal.

The alternative Skylands plan put forward by Friends of Tranmere & Droughty Point Peninsula. Picture: Contributed

In a letter put forward to council by the developers, Skylands promised this area would become the “Jewel of Tasmania” under their watch.

“Skylands is a unique opportunity to create what will become one of Australia’s most desirable and sustainable places,” they wrote.

“There are many reasons this is the right approach, and right time for Tasmania, Greater Hobart, Clarence, and the community.”

The development has received stiff opposition from some local residents and the Friends of Tranmere and Droughty Peninsula Association.

The group warns the extended development would lead to the destruction of green space, overcrowding, and severe traffic congestion.

Now that Hobart City Council’s planning committee has opposed the extended boundary, the issue will go forward to the rest of council for another vote.

‘Too American’: Bad news for Eastern Shore developer

Consultation for a major development on the Eastern Shore has suggested the project might not have the backing of the community, with the majority of feedback not in favour of supporting the next step.

The Skylands project at Droughty Point would result in the build of 2600 dwellings on a 350ha site.

The project has a 30 year time frame, with 100 homes to be built each year if the plan goes ahead.

In February, the Clarence Council began community consultation on a request from the developers to amend the urban growth boundary.

There were 801 survey responses, along with multiple emails received about the project in the five week period.

Feedback was received from across Hobart with a handful from Victoria, but the majority of respondents (66.3 per cent) came from Tranmere, Howrah and Rokeby.

Tranmere. Picture: Chris Kidd

Overall, 64.7 per cent of respondents did not support the proposed expansion of the boundary for the project, 23 per cent showed support and 12.4 per cent were undecided.

Of those who were in support of the project 66 respondents said they supported it because of the need for more housing, 49 people said it was a well planned development, 21 said it was a good use of land and 14 it for the potential economic benefits.

Of the responses against, 131 people said the housing density was too high and were concerned the development was “too American”.

“Quite a few comments mentioned the style of development being “too American” and the overseas designers not understanding the Australia/Tasmanian way of life,” the report said.

There were 112 respondent who were concerned about traffic issues, 94 people said there was a lack of infrastructure to support the proposal.

Environmental concerns were also raised with 87 people worried about the skyline and wedgetailed eagles.

Clarence mayor Doug Chipman said the information would be considered by the council.

“The consultation results along with other stakeholder engagement will now inform a report which will be prepared for consideration at a future council meeting, the timing of which is likely to be in the new few months,” Mr Chipman said.

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Originally published as Hobart City Council protests against Clarence Skylands development