Launceston Council’s carpark cash drives CH Smith site redevelopment

A PRIME Launceston site left derelict for decades is finally set for redevelopment.

An artist's impression of the soon-to-be redeveloped CH Smith site in Launceston. Picture: SUPPLIED

A $9 million car park deal involving Launceston developer Errol Stewart, Launceston City Council and the State Government will be the catalyst for a $20 million inner Launceston office development.

The 1ha CH Smith site has been abandoned and derelict for more than 20 years.

Mr Stewart said it had proved a very difficult project to get off the ground, with heritage buildings in need of repair and concerns that retail development on the site would be detrimental to the city’s existing business operators.

An artist's impression of the soon to be redeveloped CH Smith site in Launceston. Picture: SUPPLIED

He said without a $9 million contribution from the council — which would put the money into a carpark on the site to help underwrite the development — it could not have happened.

Mayor Albert van Zetten said the council, which approved the deal at its meeting yesterday, would now apply for a $9 million interest-free loan from the State Government.

Treasurer Peter Gutwein said he was “very pleased” the council had unanimously agreed to bring forward the request, which would draw on the $60 million of interest-free loans offered to councils under the Northern Economic Stimulus package.

An artist's impression of the soon-to-be redeveloped CH Smith site in Launceston. Picture: SUPPLIED

“This is exactly the sort of economic development that we’ve been looking for. It is a great fit,” Mr Gutwein said.

“It will revitalise what for many in Launceston has simply been a hole in the ground for two decades.”

Mr Stewart said his company, JMC Construction, hoped to start on the carpark and development of the heritage buildings by February next year, and then complete the construction of a large new office building on the site in 2018.

He said the heritage buildings, including a 1830 brick building that was “just about ready to fall down”, would add as much as $2 million to the cost of the redevelopment, proposed by Launceston architectural firm ARTAS.