Macquarie Point anger at water plant delays

KEY players in the redevelopment of the old railyards on Hobart’s waterfront have expressed “frustration” and “disappointment” over issues they say have created investor uncertainty.

Macquarie Point Development Corporation chief executive Liz Jack is concerned by delays in a decision on the future of a wastewater treatment. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

KEY players in the redevelopment of the old railyards on Hobart’s waterfront have expressed “frustration” and “disappointment” over issues they say have pushed back timelines and created investor uncertainty.

The frank admissions about problems with the project — forecast to generate $1 billion of investment — come as alternative plans for the site by Mona founder David Walsh and his creative team are set to be unveiled before the end of the year.

Macquarie Point Development Corporation chief executive Liz Jack has hit out at the time it has taken to get a resolution to the issue of the nearby wastewater treatment plant that threatens to derail any meaningful development on the 9.3ha site.

Board chairman Mark Ryan has expressed concern that “the expected decision on the Macquarie Point ­Development Plan by the Tasmanian Planning Commission ... was not delivered”.

“This resulted in the corporation having to extend its timing on the competitive bid process,” Mr Ryan said in the corporation’s annual report.

Mr Ryan’s concerns have been played down by Planning Minister Peter Gutwein, who told the Sunday Tasmanian: “It’s important that we get the planning right for this major project.”

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Mr Gutwein also reiterated the Government’s commitment “to remediating the site, including working with TasWater and Macquarie Point Development Corporation to relocate the waste treatment facility.”

He did not, however, say when the plant would be moved or who was expected to pay for it.

TasWater chief Mike Brewster told the Sunday Tasmanian the water corporation was committed to helping find a solution but “the issue remains a matter for the State Government and the corporation”.

Removal of the treatment plant has been estimated to cost more than $100 million.

Ms Jack said trying to resolve the timing of the decommissioning of the treatment plant with Tas­Water had been be frustrating.

“It is critical to give investors certainty and, without knowing the timing of the decommissioning, we cannot provide that certainty,” she said.

The corporation released its master plan for the site in June 2015.

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While Mona’s creative team has been commissioned by Macquarie Point specifically to look at the public space at the site, the Sunday Tasmanian revealed in July that the team would consider proposing new ideas in addition to the agreed scope of work.

Originally published as Macquarie Point anger at water plant delays