Editorial: Fail to plan, plan to fail

How do we want our city to look in the future is a question that’s difficult to answer. But a big-picture precinct plan — to be discussed by our civic leaders tonight — is definitely a step in the right direction.

THE idea of a Central Hobart Precinct plan to be discussed by the city council tonight is an appealing one.

Our city’s development seems to be proceeding at breakneck pace and a masterplan of this type would be an excellent way to create an overall strategy for how we want our city to look and what sort of place it will become in the future.

Planning is a central part of what councils do but so much of it is reactive to specific proposals, often on a small scale. Having an agreed framework for the way development should roll out — so that different levels of government are not working at cross purposes and that all stakeholders have a common understanding — is a great idea.

It is now nearly a decade since the report by famed architect Jan Gehl. That report on public spaces and public life was supposed to create “a city with people in mind”. It resulted in an Inner City Action Plan.

Some of the observations in those documents would be familiar: the dour and dated bus mall, the call for better linkages to access the city for pedestrians and cyclists, the streetscape upgrades.

Piece by piece many of these visionary recommendations have come to pass in the years since or are nearing implementation — to the betterment of our city.

There have never been so many cranes on the Hobart skyline. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

In recent times we have seen increases in traffic congestion in Hobart and a housing crisis. Aspects of a response exist in splendid isolation from each other. Last year’s brought a state election campaign with its associated promises of upgrades to the bus mall and to public transport, the City Deal was laid over the top and no doubt there is a strong chance that one or other of the parties will send some funding Hobart’s way in the current election campaign. And the University of Tasmania is pursuing a vision for its own future which involves a shift into town.

In addition, there are the usual plethora of visions for our city, or at least aspects of it.

Bob Clifford is pushing his plan for a future ferry network to help meet the city’s transport needs.

The RACT has outlined its ideas on how our growing city might shift from over-dependence on the private motor vehicle to more public and active transport.

The idea of a Central Hobart Precinct Plan is an opportunity for the city council to take a leadership role in creating a template for how the city can grow and develop.

Like all good plans, it should take input from a variety of sources — including a rigorous process of public consultation.

It should draw on the work done by Leigh Wooley’s Building Height Standards review and the Gehl report and the planning scheme. It should help inform and co-ordinate the actions of all levels of government to pursue a vision that builds on the previous success this city has enjoyed in becoming such an attractive place to live, work and visit.

And it should be followed up. In a city not short of bold dreams, too often we fall short on execution. A plan, even a good one, is only the first step to success.