Sue Hickey blasts Glenorchy Council over social housing decision

Glenorchy alderman Sue Hickey has slammed the council’s decision to reject a social housing project and questioned its “appalling lack of governance”.

Glenorchy alderman Sue Hickey has slammed the council’s decision to reject a social housing project and questioned its “appalling lack of governance”.

Ms Hickey, who is standing for deputy mayor, said three of the five Glenorchy Planning Authority members who made the decision would not be seeking re-election and major decisions should be made by the full council.

“It flies in the face of common sense and is an embarrassment to those of us who have recognised the desperate plight of those in need of secure housing,” she said.

“I apologise to those whose homes will be unduly delayed by this nonsensical decision during a caretaker provision at the Council because of the current election period.”

Despite council officers recommending approval for the 18-dwelling residential complex at Allunga Rd, Chigwell the Glenorchy Planning Authority unanimously voted to reject the development.

Centacare Evolve Housing has appealed the decision to the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal and hopes it will be overturned.

Sue Hickey. Picture: Chris Kidd

Ms Hickey, a strong advocate for more social and affordable housing when she was an MP said the Tribunal hearing would be costly for ratepayers.

“The decision will be most likely overturned, and the homes will be built but Council must employ outside specialists to represent it as its own officers are now conflicted,” she said.

“This will result in Council incurring the costs of both these professionals in defending the indefensible, as well as the costs of the applicant.”

The Glenorchy Planning Authority is a committee of aldermen delegated the complete authority to make planning decisions on behalf of the Glenorchy City Council.

Ms Hickey said important planning decisions should be made by the full Council and live streamed “so the community can understand the aldermen’s justifications for support or otherwise”.

She said the council’s Statement of Commitment on Housing included commitments to “actively explore opportunities to increase affordable and social housing and supported accommodation in Glenorchy”.

“Clearly, in this instance the Planning Authority’s decision is a rejection of our Statement of Commitment on Housing which is incredibly disappointing,” Ms Hickey said.

“If re-elected, I will move a motion the Authority be abolished and that all planning decisions of a specified value be approved by the full council, as happens in almost all other councils in Tasmania.”

Labor leader Rebecca White also was critical of the council’s decision.

“It is very disappointing that the council has rejected advice from their planners to build social housing at a time when we desperately need more,” Ms White said.

‘Very disappointed’: Council knocks back key social housing project

A social housing development proposed for Hobart’s northern suburbs has been knocked back by aldermen, despite council officers recommending it for approval.

Centacare Evolve Housing, a leading community housing provider, had applied to build an 18-dwelling residential complex on a 2071m2 Housing Tasmania-owned site at 1-3 Allunga Rd, Chigwell.

But the Glenorchy City Council’s Planning Authority unanimously voted to reject the development application in the wake of concerns from the public about potential adverse impacts on traffic and parking in the area.

This was after council’s senior statutory planner Vanessa Tomlin said the proposed development was “not expected to have any significant detrimental impacts on the surrounding road network in terms of traffic efficiency, parking or road safety”.

The Planning Authority is chaired by Deputy Mayor Steven King and also includes Mayor Bec Thomas, and aldermen Kelly Sims, Jan Dunsby, Gaye Richardson, Melissa Carlton, and Angela Ryan.

Ms Thomas and Ms Sims were absent from the August 8 meeting at which the decision was made to reject the development application.

“We are very disappointed with the decision made by elected members based on the detailed development application that has support of council’s own staff,” Centacare Evolve Housing CEO Ben Wilson said.

“Each day we are delayed is another day people are going without a home.”

The provider has appealed the council’s decision to the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (TASCAT).

Centacare Evolve Housing CEO Ben Wilson. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Mr Wilson said he hoped the appeal would see the decision overturned “to ensure we continue to provide safe and secure housing to those most in need”.

There are currently 4,419 applications for social housing on Tasmania’s Housing Register.

Mr King said it wouldn’t be appropriate for him to comment on the matter when an appeal was before TASCAT but noted that “we’re trying to work through it at the moment and it’s a work in progress”.

The Chigwell development would have consisted of three buildings, with 12 one-bedroom dwellings across two double-storey buildings, and six two-bedroom dwellings over two levels in a three-storey building.

It would also have included 17 on-site parking spaces, new fencing and landscaped grounds, and a waste bin enclosure.

State Development, Construction and Housing Minister Guy Barnett said the decision to reject the proposal was “a matter for the Glenorchy councillors to explain” but that it was “essential that we get co-operation from all tiers of government and the community to help address housing stress and put a roof over the heads of more Tasmanians”.

Mr Barnett and representatives from Centacare Evolve Housing unveiled 28 newly built two-bedroom units in the Launceston suburb of Ravenswood on Friday, with the minister saying they would provide “safe and secure” homes for priority applicants on the Housing Register.

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