The Hobart City Council has voted down a height limit of 60m for buildings in the Hobart CBD

It was standing room only as the Hobart City Council considered placing a limit on building heights — and not all were happy after the decision.

HOBART will remain without a limit on building heights for the time being after a motion to set a 60m limit was lost.

Aldermen and councillors were considering planning officers’ recommendations from December last year for a maximum building height of 60m in the CBD.

The motion also pointed to the result of the recent elector poll in which 77 per cent voted in favour of a maximum building heights.

There was standing room only in the Council chambers for the vote, and cries of “shame, shame” when it was lost 6-5.

HOBART VOTERS IN SUPPORT OF HEIGHT LIMITS

Aldermen Damon Thomas, Tanya Denison, Peter Sexton, Simon Behrakis and Marti Zucco and Councillor Zelinda Sherlock voted against the motion.

Council will now wait for the outcome of a joint project with the State Government — for which there is no timeline — before making any move on building heights.

LAUNCESTON SETS BUILDING HEIGHT LIMITS

The Central Hobart Precinct Plan will aim to address a number of current issues facing Hobart including the housing shortage and building heights.

Prior to the vote, Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said the time had come for council to make a decision on building heights.

HOBART CITY COMMITTEE CANS NEW BUILDING HEIGHT REPORT

“This will be the third time these officer recommendations have been put to this council. The people want action … Big decisions are hard but that is what we are here for,” she said.

None of the six aldermen who voted against the motion spoke at tonight’s meeting.

No new height limit has been set for Hobart’s CBD. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE

However some had previously raised concerns about the elector poll, arguing it was a waste of ratepayers’ money, that the voter turnout was low and the questions were confusing.

In a statement issued after the meeting Alderman Behrakis said the decision was a win for sound policy making.

“It has been extremely disappointing however to see that once again anti-development lobby groups and some councillors have attempted to push this through Council even after repeated decisions on this issue in the last six months indicating the Council’s decision to seek more information,” he said.