Mt Wellington cable car opponents seek further grounds for refusal

A group opposing the proposal for a cable car on Mt Wellington wants to expand the list of 21 grounds for the project’s refusal.

A GROUP opposing the development of a kunanyi/Mt Wellington cable car is seeking to expand the grounds of refusal for the project.

In July, the Hobart City Council rejected a development application for the proposal, which included the construction of the cable car as well as a restaurant and cafe at the summit.

An independent report handed down ahead of the vote made 21 recommendations on why the proposal should be rejected, including that it would diminish the park’s cultural, recreational and landscape values.

The Mount Wellington Cableway Company has since lodged an appeal on all 21 grounds with the Resource Management and Planning Appeals Tribunal.

The Residents Opposed to the Cable Car group wants to add further grounds for refusal for the consideration by RMPAT, including the negative visual impact of the commercial complex on the summit.

Residents Opposed to the Cable Car spokesman Vica Bayley. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

ROCC spokesman Vica Bayley said expert advice to the Hobart City Council on sewerage and odour – and for it to be refused on that condition – didn’t make it into the final decision.

“Expert advice was the development should be refused because of the negative impact it would have on swift parrot habitats, but for some reason masked owls weren’t mentioned in the decision and we believe it should be,” he said.

“Our position is we would prefer the developers didn’t appeal – 21 grounds of refusal are pretty comprehensive and we believe they should acknowledge that and leave the mountain alone, but if they are to appeal, we are within our rights as a joint party to raise additional concerns.”

Battle lines drawn in cable car legal dispute

The legal battle lines have been drawn between the Mount Wellington Cableway Company and its critics, with a firm hearing date for an appeal now being pencilled in for February 28.

The cableway company made its appeal to the planning tribunal in an attempt to overturn Hobart City Council’s decision to reject their plans to build a cable car on Mount Wellington.

Not only will the company be taking on council, but also nine other groups opposed to the project including the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre, Bob Brown Foundation, South Hobart Progress Association, and BirdLife Tasmania.

One group, the Hobart Cable Car Supporters, will be siding with the cable car company.

Residents Opposed to the Cable Car plans to spend the months leading up to the hearing fundraising in order to pay for lawyers and other experts in order to help bolster their case.

Spokesman Vica Bayley said they were “in it for the long haul” and were preparing themselves to fight a lengthy and exhausting legal battle.

CABLE CONFLICT: Christian Rainey and Mount Wellington Cableway Company founder Adrian Bold prepare to plead their case. Picture: Kenji Sato

“While we would prefer the proponent abandoned its cable car obsession in the face of community opposition and comprehensive grounds of refusal, we’re determined to campaign to protect kunanyi from mass tourism and are pleased to be joined as a party to the appeal,” Mr Bayley said.

“We now have a large legal analysis task and massive fundraising effort ahead of us, but we are both defiant and determined to see the end of this destructive proposal.”

In the lead-up to the hearing the cableway company will be meeting with council and community representatives for a mediated discussion.

The mediation date is yet to be confirmed.

The cableway company’s executive chair Chris Oldfield said they were willing to make compromises in order to address the complainants’ concerns.

Chris Oldfield chair of the Mount Wellington Cableway Company. Hobart City Council has rejected the company's application for a cable car on kunanyi/Mount Wellington. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“We think a lot of those matters can be addressed alternatively, either through the provision of additional information or perhaps the imposition of conditions during the construction and operation,” Mr Oldfield said.

Hobart mayor Anna Reynolds said she stood by council’s decision to reject the cable car development, despite the company’s stiff opposition.

“The council made its decision and there was a very thorough process and independent assessment, so I think it was a good and robust process,” Cr Reynolds said.

“[Councillors] will be seeking regular briefings, but at this stage it’s in the hands of the legal representatives.”

[e-mail]