Former Tasmanian mayor goes in to bat for controversial hotel proposal opposed by hundreds

A Rosny Hill development proposal has received hundreds of representations against it but a former mayor has backed the plan.

A supplied artist's impression of a proposal for development of the Rosny Hill area on Hobart's Eastern shore, Tasmania.

A FORMER Tasmanian mayor says a controversial luxury hotel proposed for Hobart’s Eastern Shore is “the best option” for the area as hundreds of representations opposing the development have been submitted to council.

The Clarence City Council this week advised it was still tallying the hundreds of submissions it received in regards to the controversial development earmarked for Rosny Hill.

The development application lodged by Hunter Developments almost halved the number of rooms in its original proposal from 100 to 60, but hundreds of residents still oppose the development.

FRESH ALARM SOUNDED OVER ROSNY HILL PLAN

Tasmanian Conservation Trust Director Peter McGlone, who helped gather over 460 representations against the development, said the high number of submissions spoke volumes about the community’s position on the proposal.

“In my 28 years of experience in conservation I cannot recall this many people expressing their opposition to a development assessed by the Clarence Council,” he said.

“Most representations came from local residents who wrote personal comments about their love and enjoyment of Rosny Hill reserve and how the proposed development is too big and will destroy their enjoyment if it.”

Peter McGlone helped gather over 460 representations against the Rosny Hill development. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

Hunter Developments couldn’t be reached for comment when contacted by the Mercury yesterday but has previously said the development aims to improve public access to Rosny Hill and fund the regeneration of the surrounding bushland.

ROSNY HILL: THIS VIEW DESERVES A BETTER FRAME

Jock Campbell, a former Clarence Mayor of six years and Clarence alderman of over three decades, yesterday slammed the project’s opponents saying the development would be of benefit to the area.

“The cost of trying to maintain the hill for just a select few is too much for all tiers of government,” Mr Campbell said.

“I think the proposal is the best option for the situation the hill is in. It’s a great spot to view the city and I think it really needs something up there and something the community can afford.

Former Clarence mayor Jock Campbell at the Bellerive Boardwalk

“Conservationists want it preserved for just a few [people]. One thing they don’t get is it was basically an area with no tree cover at all on it.

“A lot of it boils down to the pure economics of it and in this case it appears better to use five per cent of the hill [for the project] to enhance the other 95 per cent.”

Mr McGlone said TCT had calculated the “true area of impact to be 23 per cent of the reserve.”

FARM GATE MARKET REAPS RICH REWARDS

SUSHI MASTER MASAAKI KOYAMA EXCITED BY HIS NEW RESTAURANT