Developers say Liberals’ UTAS land sale plan at Sandy Bay is a ’belly flop’

A Liberal plan to force the University of Tasmania to continue operating at its Sandy Bay campus has been slammed as “baffling” by the Property Council. Reaction to the pledge.

A Liberal plan to force the University of Tasmania to continue operating at its Sandy Bay campus was “not just a backflip but a belly flop”, the Property Council says.

The Liberals on Tuesday announced plans for urgent legislation to restrict the university from selling land at the campus or offering it for long-term lease.

The university is in the midst of moving much of its operations into the Hobart CBD, with around 40 per cent of faculties already there.

Tasmanian Executive Director of the Property Council Rebecca Ellston said the Liberals’ new policy made no sense when new housing was so urgently needed.

Executive Director of the Property Council, Rebecca Ellston Picture: Linda Higginson

“For a government so verbally committed to planning reform and appropriate development, this latest announcement is not just a backflip but a belly flop.” she said.

“It is baffling that any party would announce it would block good strategic planning and much needed inner urban development, inclusive of mixed use and housing, by adding more layers of bureaucracy”

“This particular development they have chosen to single out, is going to provide more than 2,000 additional dwellings for Tasmanians, but the Liberals have effectively slammed the door shut with this announcement.”

“What Tasmanians want to see is the depoliticisation of development to legitimately address issues such as the housing crisis.

“Scaremongering policies like the one announced will do nothing more than worsen the housing crisis, she said.

“We need to be doing all we can to encourage private investment into housing, and that requires a commitment to collaboration between industry and government to address some of the biggest handbrakes on growth, and not impose further blockages.”

Save UTAS Campus group’s Prof Pam Sharpe and Mike Foster at Hobart Town Hall. Picture: Chris Kidd

SaveUTAS co-chair Mike Foster said the announcement showed the Liberals had lost confidence in UTAS leadership and both Chancellor Alison Watkins and Vice Chancellor Black should resign.

“Fresh leadership will give hope to disillusioned staff and students. UTAS can be restored as the preferred university for young Tasmanians.”

“Hundreds of millions of dollars have been squandered on this ill-conceived relocation project. UTAS is presently wasting a further $130M on what might be Hobart’s most extravagant refurbishment, a useless building in Melville Street which will be far from the campus and too small to be useful.

“All expenditure needs to stop.”

Labor’s Rebecca White asked why the announcement came when it did.

“What the Liberals have announced today is something they could have done something about over the last 10 years,” she said.

“But three weeks out from an election they’re looking after themselves instead of thinking about what’s in the best interest for students going to University in Tasmania.

“If they’d been serious about taking action like this, why didn’t they do it before an election was called.

“Forty per cent of the campus in the south of the state is already in the city. So what did the Liberals propose to do with the campus that’s a sitting there at Sandy Bay?

“They’ve proposing that it can’t be sold. Can it still be leased? Because my understanding is that’s what the university had planned to do with that land. Are they going to stop them doing that?”

Comment was sought from the University of Tasmania.

University of Tasmania building and signage, Sandy Bay Campus. Picture: Richard Jupe

Save UTAS back on the agenda: Libs pledge to block uni move

The Liberals say they would ban the University of Tasmania from selling off the land at its Sandy Bay campus if re-elected to majority government at the March 23 state election.

The party’s candidates for the seat of Clark issued a statement saying they wanted to keep the university at Sandy Bay — and pledged to pass legislation to ban it from selling any of its current land.

“We will amend the University of Tasmania Act 1992 to require that the land at Sandy Bay currently held by the University of Tasmania cannot be sold except with the explicit support of both Houses of the parliament,” the party said in a statement headed “Liberal Government will keep UTAS in Sandy Bay”.

“The current site of the University of Tasmania was gifted by the people of Tasmania to the University in 1951.

Liberal candidates for Clark Simon Behrakis and Madeleine Ogilvie speak to the media at Sandy Bay on Tuesday, February 27, 2024.

“The original University of Tasmania Act (1951) contained a provision preventing the University from disposing of the land at this site.

“This provision was removed by Labor when they amended the Act in 1992.”

Around 40 per cent the university’s operations have already been transferred to the city with a total of 60 per cent to shifted by 2026.

The medical science precinct, fine arts, the media school, the Hedberg and IMAS are already operating in Hobart.

The statement acknowledged the government could not stop the university expanding beyond the campus.

“The Liberal Party respects the right of the University to establish new facilities in the Hobart CBD, and elsewhere if they wish,” the statement said.

“This arrangement strikes the right balance between protecting the public interest, and allowing the University to get on with their business – which is educating young Tasmanians.

“If re-elected, we will introduce legislation to this effect into the parliament within our first 100 days.”

An elector poll in 2022 showed 74 per cent opposition by City of Hobart electors to the university

The university has withdrawn a planning scheme amendment which would have further progressed the plan.

Hobart City Council is producing a neighbourhood plan for Sandy Bay and Mt Nelson, which the university will use to guide its next move.

Originally published as Developers say Liberals’ UTAS land sale plan at Sandy Bay is a ’belly flop’