Mount Wellington Cable Car Company lodges extra info to Hobart City Council for divisive project

The Mt Wellington cable car project has taken a step forward today – find out when the proponents are hopeful of opening if the council approves the development application. LATEST >>

• Hobart City Council says Mount Wellington Cable Car Company needs to provide more information on divisive project
• Mt Wellington cable car opponents not satisfied despite Government assurance on Major Projects legislation

ALL bar one piece of extra information on the controversial Mt Wellington cable car project has been provided to the council, say the proponents.

In January, the process for assessing the project was put on hold after the council asked for more information from the Mount Wellington Cable Car Company.

The company lodged documents with the council on January 6 to address a series of questions arising from its original development application, which was made last June.

But further information was required by council on Aboriginal heritage, traffic impacts, bushfire planning, biodiversity impacts, sewage management and geotechnical assessments.

Chris Oldfield, on the summit. Mount Wellington Cableway Company will hold a media event to announce further detail of the development application for the cable car. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

MWCC chair Chris Oldfield said COVID-19 travel restrictions had delayed completion of the company’s response to the council’s requests for further information, but most had been lodged today[FRI].

“We have now finished almost all of the additional work requested by the HCC which we believe substantially strengthens our DA,” he said.

“HCC now has everything it needs from us except our bushfire plan developed in consultation with the Tasmanian Fire Service on which we are awaiting their final feedback. We expect that will be lodged separately very soon.”

Mr Oldfield said the highly divisive project could provide a “much-needed shot in the arm for the COVID-19 ravaged tourism industry.”

“Our DA and the additional information we have now provided demonstrate clearly that the project will address current traffic congestion, enhance the mountain environment, promote its heritage and vastly improve facilities for visitors,” he said.

“It will provide between $79 million to $99 million net economic benefit to Tasmania’s economy each year, 200 jobs during its construction and 80 new jobs (50 FTE) in engineering, hospitality and the tourism sectors once operational.”

He said after council officers assessed the additional information, the company would publicly release the entire DA.

Chris Oldfield, Jude Franks, Adrian Bold and Christian Rainey on the summit. Mount Wellington Cableway Company hold a media event to announce further detail of the development application. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

“Once we get planning approval, we are in a great position to start work with the aim of having the cable car operating by the second half of 2022,” Mr Oldfield said.

Hobart City Council general manager Nick Heath said the new information received on Friday would be given to the external consultants who are assisting the council with the assessment.

“Once the request for further information is satisfied in full, we will be in a position to open the public notification process, which will provide the opportunity for the community to view in full and comment on the proposal,” he said.