Cricket legend David Boon’s fight with council almost over after it overturns Sandy Bay extension refusal
The planning stoush between Hobart City Council and David Boon is almost over after the council overturned its refusal of the sporting star’s Sandy Bay home extension. Latest >>
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TASMANIAN cricket legend David Boon is set to get the tick of approval for a contentious extension to his Sandy Bay home after the Hobart City Council overturned its refusal on advice from the state’s planning tribunal.
Boon was set to fight the council at the Resource Management and Planning Appeal Tribunal next week over its refusal for plans to extend the Sandy Bay property.
The sporting star and his wife Philippa bought the 1923-built, three-bedroom Inter-War Californian bungalow in 2019 for $980,000.
Their $485,000 development proposal included the demolition of a lean-to, shed and garage plus a new two-storey extension of the rear of the existing property, which would feature two bedrooms, a kitchen, bathrooms, living/dining room and a deck.
Council planning officers recommended the application for approval, but elected members refused it 7-4 in December on heritage grounds, including that the extension to the existing building would “detract from the historic cultural heritage significance of the precinct.”
The Boons appealed the refusal and the matter was discussed in the closed portion of the council’s meeting earlier this month, with the outcome being made public in the minutes released on Wednesday.
The council agreed to an order from the tribunal to replace its refusal with a permit, subject to the conditions and advice.
The decision was reached with a majority of 6-4, with Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds, Deputy Lord Mayor Helen Burnet, Alderman Jeff Briscoe and Councillor Mike Dutta voting against the recommendation to overturn the refusal.
Despite the resolution being made public, all documentation including the conditions and advice which the permit hinges on, remain in closed council and will not be made public at this time.
RMPAT registrar Jarrod Bryan said the hearing dates for the appeal for next week had been vacated.
“The tribunal has received a consent memorandum regarding this appeal and it is under consideration by the tribunal – no determination has yet [been] issued,” he said.
The Mercury understands that legal advice to the council was to grant a permit for the work or face paying hefty legal fees should it lose its case.
Alderman Marti Zucco said planning matters which came back for reconsideration based on advice from the planning tribunal should not be discussed behind closed doors.
“The community has an expectation that all planning matters are determined in an open and transparent environment so why is it that when we’re considering what the tribunal has asked us to do, to overturn a decision, it’s in closed” he said.
“It was originally determined in an opening planning meeting – there may be some legal aspects to it that need to be a matter for closed, but not the entire matter.”
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