Anger at plan to clear way for hundreds of homes on UTAS Sandy Bay campus

Plans to sell off part of the university’s campus for housing has gained support of the government, and UTAS says it has big plans on what to do with any funding from the sale.

Save UTAS Co-Chair Angela Bird and supporters speak to the media at Sandy Bay on Wednesday, November 6, 2024.

The University of Tasmania has welcomed the government’s decision to allow residential development on part of its Sandy Bay Campus.

The Liberals announced on Thursday that legislation to protect part of the campus from being sold would include the rezoning of two large parcels above Churchill Ave.

University of Tasmania Pro Vice-Chancellor for Campus Life (Southern Tasmania) Professor Nicholas Farrelly welcomed the government’s announcement.

Professor Kristyn Harman chair of Academic Senate, Professor Rufus Black Vice Chancellor, Professor Nicholas Farrelly Pro Vice Chancellor (southern Tasmania) at the UTAS Sandy Bay campus. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“If passed as proposed, it would enable the University to realise value from some of the land above Churchill Ave to help fund new STEM facilities at Sandy Bay,” he said.

“For the university, that’s what this is about: providing the new and upgraded STEM facilities that are vital for students, staff and the teaching and research we do for Tasmania.”

The government’s move has angered Save UTas Campus group who were instrumental in an elector poll of Hobart ratepayers which rejected the university’s proposed city move by a margin of three to one.

Pro-development group YIMBY Hobart has called for a commitment to increased density and affordable housing.

Sandy Bay UTAS sale to rezone section for housing

Large parts of the University of Tasmania’s Sandy Bay campus will be rezoned for housing in a move which Save UTAS Campus activists have branded “a betrayal”.

Last-minute amendments to a government bill revealed on Thursday rezone more than 20 hectares of university land above Churchill Ave into residential land to be sold for hundreds of new homes.

The Liberals insist they are sticking with their election policy that any such sell-off be approved by both Houses of Parliament.

The proceeds of the land sale will go towards a new $500m Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics centre on the Lower Sandy Bay campus.

Save UTAS Campus accused the government of abandoning an election promise.

Save UTAS Co-Chairs Mike Foster and Angela Bird speak to the media in Hobart on Tuesday, July 16, 2024.

“Save UTAS strongly opposes a bill in this form and would prefer no bill at all,” spokeswoman Angela Bird said.

“We are stunned by the government’s betrayal of both the community and the UTAS staff, and also by the complete failure to consult with any stakeholder, including Save UTAS, other than UTAS.

“Once hollowed-out, in line with UTAS’ plan there would be no logical reason to retain any southern university campus and Sandy Bay would close.”

It is the second election promise the state government has been accused of abandoning this week after it announced changes to poker machine reforms.

Member for Clark Madeleine Ogilvie said she had not spoken to Save UTAS, but there would be consultation before the government tried to pass the bill in the year’s last sitting of parliament next week.

She said the government has been successful in keeping the University at Sandy Bay and denied the Liberals had misled voters.

Liberal member for Clark Madeleine Ogilvie speaks to the media at Parliament Square in Hobart on Thursday, November 21, 2024.

“I said a number of times, and I’ll just reiterate, we have never said we’re going to prevent development,” she said.

“We have always said, and what our bill did was to require development proposals and sale of land to come through both Houses of Parliament.

“I just would like to again suggest that it is the policy we’ve taken to the election, but I appreciate that we have brought the two pieces together at the same time: the land gets rezoned and the rezoning means that it can be used in residential.”

In her February 27 press conference unveiling the Liberal’s pre-election policy, Ms Ogilvie made no mention of rezoning.

“This is not land use planning,” she said. “This is an amendment to an act … on selling or otherwise disposing or dealing with land if it doesn’t deliver the educational purpose,” she said.

Clark candidate Simon Behrakis was at the same press conference.

“Our priority here is to ensure that that piece of land remains with its primary use being to provide that education,’ he said

Labor leader Dean Winter said it was a backflip, but a welcome one.

“During the election, the government promised to effectively freeze the assets of the University of Tasmania and its Sandy Bay campus, the entire campus.

Leader of the Opposition Dean Winter in Parliament on Tuesday 19th November 2024. Picture: Linda Higginson

“What the government appears to be prepared to do, is to completely change their position, to backflip on their position, and take on Labor’s policy and I want to say that I really welcome that.

“We’re in a housing crisis and looking to rezone land like this means that more Tasmanians can get into a home, that homes become more affordable, and that we can support the university to undertake a massive new STEM redevelopment, which will be fantastic for young people in this state.”

Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff said the community had been blindsided.

“The people of Hobart definitely understood that the Liberals were going to stand with them and make sure that the university remained as a campus of education,” she said.

“What the Liberals have now delivered is an opportunity for the university to be property developers without the community having a say at all.”