TasTAFE Launceston redevelopment: DA lodged for Stage 1 of reUNION Precinct

More than a year after a Tasmanian developer revealed his $65–$70m hotel precinct plans for a disused, heritage-listed TasTAFE, the matter is formally progressing. See the latest update.

Artistic render of reUNION Precinct, Red Panda Property Group's $65-70m redevelopment of Launceston's defunct TasTAFE building on Wellington St. Picture: Red Panda Property Group

The developer behind the proposed transformation of Launceston’s disused TasTAFE campus into a mixed-use precinct with boutique apartments, a five-star hotel, and a variety of food and beverage has lodged an application for planning approval.

Red Panda Property Group revealed last April its acquisition of and plans for the site at 10–16 Wellington St for a new tourism and lifestyle hub to be known as reUNION Precinct.

Stage 1 of the development, for which an application has been lodged with the City of Launceston, would see construction of 13 boutique apartments with shared amenities, two restaurants, a wine bar, a brewery, a cafe and a specialty food and beverage tenancy using the existing heritage-listed buildings on-site.

Stage 2 would eventually see the construction of a 139-room, 25m-high hotel tower, with the total cost of the development an estimated $65–$70m.

The Mercury reporter previously that Red Panda’s director Andrew McCullagh was splitting the development application (DA) into two stages due to a belief that the hotel component would encounter opposition and he wanted to get the ball rolling.

Developer Andrew McCullagh. Picture: Facebook

“It’s easier for everybody if I split it up, so if [the hotel] gets delayed, the town is still getting a new, vibrant centre anyway,” Mr McCullagh said.

His bid to have council discount the additional $34,405 fee for lodging two DAs rather than one was unsuccessful.

Artistic render of reUNION Precinct, Red Panda Property Group's $65-70m redevelopment of Launceston's defunct TasTAFE building on Wellington St. Picture: Red Panda Property Group

Launceston’s two other large-scale tourism accommodation proposals, JAC Group’s Gorge Hotel and Global Premium Hotels Limited’s Fragrance hotel, have both weathered appeals to Tasmania’s planning tribunal, JAC Group twice.

Two key voices in Launceston’s development wars have been campaign group Launceston Heritage Not High-rise, a member of whose president Jim Collier brought the Fragrance appeal, and Councillor Susie Cai.

Ms Cai, the restaurateur of local favourite Golden Brumby Chinese Restaurant, was elected to council last year riding a wave of name recognition brought about by her long campaign against the proposed Gorge Hotel, which is approximately 100m away from her premises.

Heritage Not Highrise president Jim Collier and Golden Brumby restaurant owner Susie Cai, who will appeal against the Gorge Hotel at the tribunal. Picture: CHRISTOPHER TESTA.

The hotel tower would be up to 39m tall and contain 145 rooms, according to a DA lodged by JAC Group last year. Managing director Dean Cocker previously said the hotel was slated for completion in 2027.

The Fragrance proposal, on Cimitere St within the heritage-listed Alfred Harrap & Son warehouse precinct, is also progressing, with the recent lodgement of a new DA seeking approval for a slimmed down design with fewer rooms.