Hobart City Council’s planning committee has voted against an apartment block at the Welcome Stranger Hotel site

The Hobart City Council planning committee has had its say on the proposal for a 13-storey, 45m-tall apartment block proposal.

THE Welcome Stranger apartment block has failed to win over the Hobart City Council’s planning committee.

Developer Hexa Group wants to build 52 apartments across a 13-storey, 45m-tall building on the corner of Davey and Harrington streets.

The committee voted 3-2 in favour of the council planning officers’ recommendation the application be refused.

Alderman Jeff Briscoe was concerned about the colonial heritage character of Davey St.

“If [this development] was in Macquarie St around the Ibis you could probably get away with it,” he said.

THE REASONS COUNCIL OFFICERS REJECTED THE PLAN

Councillor Bill Harvey commended many aspects of the complex’s design and the efforts made to fit in with the surrounding area.

“Sadly because of the height I won’t be able to support this tonight,” he said.

Deputy Lord Mayor Helen Burnet also voted against the proposal.

An artist’s impression of the proposed Welcome Stranger development, as seen from St David’s Park.

Aldermen Simon Behrakis and Tanya Denison voted in favour of the development.

Ald Behrakis said the council should not be “finicky” about developments when the city needed more housing.

Ald Denison said a rejection of the proposal would be a “lost opportunity”.

“There’s a lot of other buildings [in that area] that don’t have a lot of things going for them,” she said.

Project spokesman Quinten Villaneuva said the project would provide desperately needed housing options in Hobart.

“In the midst of a housing crisis I would ask the full council to look at the merits of this project. It’s difficult to see how the full council can declare a housing crisis one week and then vote against a sensible project like this a couple of weeks later, so hopefully they will support this project,” Mr Villaneuva said.

The project will be considered by the full council next week.