Hobart City Council planning committee rejected the Ocean Child DA

Grand plans for Hobart Pub, the Ocean Child Inn, have been rejected by the Hobart City Council planning committee. What councillors said.

Ocean Child. Image: Google Maps

The owners of the Ocean Child Inn in Hobart will need to go back to the drawing board if they want to revamp the iconic pub, after recent designs were rejected by the Hobart City planning committee.

Under the proposed plans, the ground level and first floor would be refurbished, an open air bar on the second floor would be added and a third storey for self contained hotel rooms would be built.

The changes would increase the height of the building from 8m to 13.5m.

On Wednesday the planning committee considered issuing a permit, but the majority of councillors agreed with council staff that the application be rejected on heritage grounds.

“The Ocean Child Hotel is such a beautiful building … There’s nothing like that stream line, post deco that’s got those classic clean line elements,” Cr John Kelly said on Wednesday.

“I get it, these corner pubs have to have new life breathed into them … the trick is to get the design right.

“I fully support the notion of the development, I cannot support this design … I’m sure with some alterations, this will and should happen.”

Councillor Ryan Posselt was the only elected member who voted in support of granting a permit.

“It’s (the pub) not currently doing well, it’s not currently thriving or surviving,” he said.

“The culture of this place have been a watering hole for the people, the people have told me it’s important it remains a watering hole.

“To modify it to make it future proof and usable moving forward, in the vain it has always been intended, as a pub, I think we can’t go past that.

“That’s why I’ve moved to approve this.”

Ocean Child revamp could be knocked back

December 5, 5am

It’s been recommended the Hobart City Council reject plans to revamp a well-known Hobart pub and hotel, amid concerns around heritage.

The owners of the Ocean Child, on Argyle Street, hope to refurbish the ground level and first floor, add an open air bar on the second floor and build a third storey for self contained hotel rooms.

The changes would increase the height of the building from 8m to 13.5m.

Plans for the Ocean Child Hotel. Image: S Group

The pub, established in 1844, is not on the Tasmanian Heritage Register, but the properties on either side of it are heritage listed.

On Wednesday the Hobart City Council planning committee will decide whether the owners may proceed with the plans.

Ahead of the decision, the council’s planning experts have advised the changes would not be suitable, recommending the development application be refused.

“The proposed demolition will result in the loss of significant fabric that contributes to the historic cultural heritage significance of the place and it has not been demonstrated: that there are environmental, social, economic or safety reasons of greater value to the community than the historic cultural heritage values of the place; or that there are no prudent and feasible alternatives,” they said in the planning report.

Old images of the Ocean Child. Image: Libraries Tasmania.

The council planners also said the design was not compatible because the height, bulk, materials and other factors would result in a loss of heritage significance of the heritage listed buildings next to it.

There were four submissions objecting to the proposal and one in support.

One submission opposing the changes said the work would “ruin one of Hobart’s twentieth century gems” and that it was “over the top in more ways than one”.

The Ocean Child was first licensed in 1844, and was later acquired by the Cascade Brewery Company in 1883. It was sold more than 100 years later in 1988.

Originally published as Hobart City Council planning committee rejected the Ocean Child DA