Skylands developer Greg Carr responds to Droughty Point public backlash

The man behind a mega development on the Eastern Shore has responded to critics who say the plans will ruin the environment and create traffic chaos on the peninsula. LATEST >>

Developers have responded to public backlash surrounding their 2600-dwelling development plans for the Droughty Point neighbourhood.

One of the men behind the Skylands development is American businessman Greg Carr, who responded to criticisms from the Friends of Tranmere and Droughty Point Peninsula group.

Mr Carr said the development would bolster Hobart’s scarce housing supply and bring in more infrastructure as the city continues to grow.

“If not at this beautiful site for homes, where else should new residents go?” Mr Carr said.

“Skylands is fortunate to be a large enough site that it can be developed as a complete sustainable community, providing residential, commercial, retail, and civic opportunities.

“The anticipated growth of this area is expected to mirror current trends, meaning people will continue to move to the greater Hobart area as it continues to be a highly desirable place to live.”

Greg Carr and Architext Marina Khoury. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

Mr Carr said the development would be gradual, with plans to build around 100 homes per year within a 30-ish-year time span.

Responding to complaints that the development would eradicate the she-oak forest, Mr Carr said the trees were probably not native to the peninsula and represented a bushfire hazard.

He also dismissed claims that the connector roads were too steep and dangerous, insisting they were “appropriately graded” and unobtrusive to nearby residents.

Cr Carr said they had taken other complaints on-board and were working to incorporate them into an updated masterplan.

Droughty Point protest

However Tranmere resident Michael Fawcett said he was not at all reassured by Mr Carr’s response, maintaining that community concerns had not been listened to.

“We’re disappointed with the response. The whole point of the [public workshop] was community consultation, which only works when there’s two-way communication, but that two-way communication has not taken place,” Mr Fawcett said.

“We appreciate the time they’ve taken, but our position stands. We would like to sit down with the Carr family and discuss our concerns in person.”

In a letter to Mr Fawcett, housing and transport minister Michael Ferguson said the state government would build infrastructure to offset the extra traffic congestion.

“As part of the recent state election, the Tasmanian Government committed to improve transport efficiency and choice on Hobart’s eastern shore,” Mr Ferguson said.

“Construction of a four-lane upgrade of the South Arm Highway from Pass Road to south of the Rokeby commercial district is due to commence in 2025.”

A full copy of Skyland’s response can be found on their website.

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Eastern Shore outraged over American ‘mega-sized’ development

Angry residents are voicing their fury to an American mega development at Droughty Point, which they say will create traffic chaos and destroy fragile ecosystems in their backyards.

The disgruntled locals have labelled the 300-hectare Skylands development as “unAustralian”, and are demanding Clarence City Council to put a stop to the plans.

The group, calling themselves Friends of Tranmere and Droughty Peninsula, have so far amassed over 1800 signatures from aggrieved inhabitants.

Tranmere, Skylands development. Picture: Chris Kiddd

One of them is Tranmere paramedic Michael Fawcett, who said the project would “disfigure the skyline” with a network of interlinking roads right through the middle of the peninsula.

He and other group members have made their case to Clarence councillors, who will vote on whether to change the current planning scheme to allow the development to go ahead.

Under the current rules, developments cannot extend above the 70 metre mark above the hill and must stay out of areas currently marked as no-go zones for developers.

“We do hope there’s no change to the current planning scheme to allow that mega-sized development; 2600 dwellings on the end of a peninsula doesn’t make sense,” Mr Fawcett said.

“We’re not against development, but we are completely against the sheer scale of the Skylands proposal.”

Tranmere, Skylands development site. Picture: Chris Kidd

Currently that area of the peninsula is set aside as “environmental living” space and is a habitat for echidnas, wallabies, and wedge-tailed eagles living among the Sheoak trees.

Clarence City mayor Doug Chipman and the other councillors have been briefed on the Skylands proposal and expect to see a draft masterplan handed down in the coming weeks.

Once the concrete plans come through, Cr Chipman said they planned to meet with the residents once more to discuss the proposal and take their complaints on-board.

“Council is generally aware of the significant concerns expressed by numerous residents of the area and is fully committed to consulting with them before statutory planning processes begin,” Cr Chipman said.

“It is important to note that while most of Droughty Point is already zoned either Urban Growth or Environmental Living, it is vital that any master plan for such a large and prominent part of the Derwent basin is well thought out and has good acceptance in the wider community.”

Mr Fawcett said the group would be putting forward alternative proposals, such as a scaled-down version of the Skylands development fitting within the existing planning scheme.

Such a proposal would only be 130 hectares in size instead of 300, leaving the current environmental living space untouched.

The project is being run by the American company DPZ CoDesign, which is planning to roll out the development over the next 30 years.

Developer Gregory Carr said they had taken onboard residents’ concerns and had been working behind the scenes to address the points made in their petition.

“The petition was posted just after the Charette [public workshop] and since then extensive work has been done, including some magnificent landscape planning by award winning landscape architects from Sydney, Turf Design Studio, to develop the plan and address community concerns,” Mr Carr said.

“As development of the masterplan nears completion we’ve been creating an information package for those who prepared the petition, and all who have posted comments on the petition website. This will be issued in the next few days.”

In its previous incarnation, the plan would be five times the size of Battery Point and include a school, a network of bicycle lanes, and rows of multi-dwellings buildings.

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