Greens, YIMBY support housing push for K&D Hobart site

The K&D site in Hobart CBD taking up over a block has just hit the market and already the community has ideas for its future. The groups pushing for a housing development.

No. 103 Melville St and No. 159–163 Harrington St in Hobart is for sale with RWC Tasmania and Burgess Rawson from CBRE. Picture Supplied.

The University of Tasmania is being urged to work with the government and Hobart City Council to transform Hobart’s former K&D into housing and public space – rather than a car park or big box development.

UTAS has finally put the site on the market and it is expected to sell for $30m.

Greens Hobart MLC Cassy O’Connor said the site was “hugely important” for the future of Hobart and was “too important just to leave to the market to decide its use”.

“The evidence is clear on what would be best for that location – well-designed, medium-density housing with a thriving small business precinct on the ground floor for shoppers and diners, she said.

Cassy O'Connor Greens member for Hobart. Budget estimates 2024. Day 2. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“There’s a risk we’ll end up with a fast food or big box type precinct, another car yard, or that a developer will buy it and bank the land. Just what we don’t need in a time of housing stress.

“We encourage UTAS to have a clear eye on what type of buyer will be best for the site and the city.”

Ms O’Connor said Wellington in New Zealand was a good example of a medium density development with mixed use at street level and “the city is full of life”.

“If government is sincere in its commitment to increase housing supply, instead of ever pushing out the urban growth boundary and enabling sprawl, it should work with UTAS and Council to facilitate the transformation of this key site.”

Yes In My Backyard also fears the K&D site could be “lost to car parks or big-box retail.

Spokeswoman Susan Wallace said it was a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” to deliver more homes, better public space and a more vibrant city.

“In addition to a significant housing build, there is an opportunity for the site to become a social and cultural hub for everyone living, working, and visiting the Hobart CBD,” she said.

“We are concerned, however, that if left to the market, the K & D site could wind up as carparking or big-box retail, squandering a generational opportunity to transform the city.

YIMBY spokespeople Susan Wallace and Lachlan Rule at Sandy Bay. Picture: Chris Kidd

“The University, State Government and Council have a collective responsibility to avoid this outcome.”

YIMBY spokesman Lachlan Rule said if the university would not develop the site it should be sold to the government or council “to attract a suitably high-quality development.”

SaveUTAS co-chair Michael Foster said the sale of the big city block was “belated recognition by Vice Chancellor Black that the city relocation project is dead”.

He urged UTAS to immediately sell its other city properties which he said it does not need to self-fund the refurbishment at the Sandy Bay campus including the former Forestry building in Melville Street.

Originally published as Greens, YIMBY support housing push for K&D Hobart site