Housing Tasmania invests $9m into affordable housing block in Hobart CBD

PEOPLE looking for apartments within Hobart’s CBD will be spoilt for choice if two major developments looking to make inner-city living a reality are approved.

Artist impressions of plans for apartments in Goulburn Street, West Hobart. SUPPLIED

PEOPLE looking for apartments within Hobart’s CBD will be spoilt for choice if two major developments looking to make inner-city living a reality are approved.

The University of Tasmania’s 14-storey, $50 million student accommodation complex in Hobart’s CBD is now out for public consultation and is expected to be built by February 2020.

Artist impressions of plans for apartments in Goulburn Street, West Hobart. SUPPLIED

Meanwhile a development application for a $9 million residential block by Housing Tasmania as part of its affordable housing development program is also out for public feedback.

The Housing Tasmania proposal is for a five-level block at Goulburn St between Barrack and Harrington streets to accomodate elderly and special needs residents.

It will house 25 apartments - seven one-bedroom units and 18 two-bedroom units.

In the development application, Housing Tasmania states: “Our action plan includes a range of initiatives targeted at older people and people living with a disability and that is why we are investing $9 million to construct a unit development in inner city 23-25 Goulburn Street”.

The site at 23-25 Goulburn St is used as a car park by Hobart City Council.

According to documents lodged with Hobart City Council by the university, the Melville St building will house more than 421 student beds across 189 apartments in mix of single and multi-occupant rooms.

The ground level will include a residential hub, study spaces, retail spaces with outdoor recreation areas, laundry and bike store.

The developer suggests a small bakery, cafe or co-working space could fit into the retail spaces.

Each student will have their own bedroom, study desk, wardrobe and storage space.

The site is located diagonally opposite the university’s recently constructed student accommodation complex at the corner of Elizabeth and Melville streets.

It is also adjacent to the west of the university’s future STEM site at 70-82 Argyle Street.

The development will include the demolition of the Red Cross buildings but retain and reuse the existing three-storey classical heritage building.

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It will also involve a new 5-storey building on the Melville Street frontage.

Nettleton Tribe, the architect behind the project, outlined in its report the strengths of the project being the building’s proximity to buses and shops which will reduce the demand for car parks.

A secure and undercover bicycle store is provided for residents with the capacity for about 90

bicycles.

If approved, construction could begin swiftly by the end of the year.

The public consultation period for the UTAS building closes next Friday. To view the plan visit www.hobartcity.com.au.