Singaporean developers the Fragrance Group lodge development application with Launceston City Council

The Fragrance Group has lodged a new development application for a hotel redevelopment.

Clarion Hotel in Launceston

THE Fragrance Group has lodged a development application for its first hotel proposed for Launceston.

During a Resource, Management and Planning Appeal Tribunal hearing in Hobart yesterday Launceston City Council town planner Iain More said the Fragrance Group had lodged a development application with the council.

Artist’s impression of Fragrance Group’s 124m 424-room hotel proposal for Davey St in Hobart.

He said it was under assessment and council had requested more information from the developer.

Global Premium Hotels bought Launceston’s Clarion Hotel in 2016 for a reported $7.2 million.

The Fragrance Group, of which Global Premium Hotels is a subsidiary, initially suggested a plan for a 70m building on the site, but it is understood that was reduced after public concern.

Once the council has assessed all information provided, the next step would be to publicly advertise the application.

The Singaporean developers have been behind some of Hobart’s more controversial proposals in recent years, including a plan for a 424-room, 126m-high hotel on the Hobart waterfront that attracted enough criticism the project was shelved by the company.

Under the LCC’s new building heights policy, proposed new buildings taller than 24m in the Launceston CBD have to demonstrate their “design excellence” to be approved.

The new policy was based on an extensive analysis by consultant Paul Davies, who had initially recommended absolute maximum height limits be imposed across Launceston.

But the Launceston Chamber of Commerce warned such criteria — which would have required developments taller than 24m to pass a planning scheme amendment process — would have been practically insurmountable for developers.

The Fragrance Group was contacted for comment.