Fragrance Group says EMRS poll backs Hobart hotel high-rise
FRAGRANCE Group has fired another shot in the battle over high-rise buildings in Hobart.
Tasmania
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MORE than two-thirds of southern Tasmanians want more multi-storey hotel development in the city, independent polling released by developer Fragrance Group shows.
An EMRS poll conducted in October last year has just been released by Fragrance as it pushes hotel proposals for North Hobart and Collins St in the CBD.
The developer says 68 per cent of 600 residents surveyed supported hotel development, with 24 per cent opposed.
Three-quarters of those supporting development agreed buildings could be up to 45m high.
The release of the polling comes after Fragrance lodged a development application for 12- and 13-storey towers for Elizabeth St in North Hobart.
The $80 million development will house a 214-room four-star hotel, 91 apartments and parking for nearly 200 cars.
MORE: HOTEL MOCK-UP OBVIOUS SCAREMONGERING, SAYS DEVELOPER
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The developer is expected to lodge a DA for a hotel and convention centre in Collins St soon after reducing its height to 50m.
But Fragrance has put a temporary hold on a Davey St skyscraper that was to rise 200m above the waterfront while it considers lowering its height.
MORE: CHANGE OF PLAN FOR DAVEY ST SKYSCRAPER
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In a statement, Fragrance principal James Koh said the polling had helped shape the developer’s plans for Hobart.
“The independent research reinforced the Fragrance belief that the wider community in fact supported hotel projects and also was happy with a reasonable building height,” the statement said.
“Fragrance was confident that this view had not diminished and in fact had likely strengthened in view of the growth in the tourism sector coupled with the accommodation shortage in Hobart.”
Fragrance’s proposals have sparked a debate about building heights in Hobart as the capital deals with a hotel beds shortage.
The Tourism Industry Council Tasmania has questioned the need for skyscrapers, while community group Hobart Not High-Rise has condemned the North Hobart project as inappropriate for the surrounding environment.
Fragrance said both current proposals were lower in height than the Royal Hobart Hospital redevelopment.
A separate poll conducted last year by Emerging Architects Tasmania found three-quarters of respondents agreeable to building heights of 45m.
MORE: YOUNG DESIGNERS SURVEY COLLEAGUES ON BUILDING HEIGHT
The result contrasted with a ReachTEL poll for the Mercury that found 62.4 per cent of Tasmanians opposed to skyscrapers in central Hobart.
MORE: THUMBS DOWN TO SKYSCRAPERS IN HOBART
The EMRS poll surveyed residents in Hobart, Clarence, Glenorchy, Kingborough and Brighton.
Respondents agreed the proposed hotels would deliver jobs and meet visitor demand but raised concerns about traffic and Hobart’s visual appeal, the Fragrance statement said.
Plans would be announced for more Fragrance properties in Hobart and Launceston, the developer said.
“Fragrance is hopeful the development applications for the new Elizabeth Street development and the revised Collins Street project will be approved so that construction can commence as soon as possible,” the statement said.
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