Councillor warns UTAS could abandon a $5m car park plan if a lease agreement can’t be settled

A councillor has warned that if the terms of a commercial lease agreement for a key city site can’t be agreed, UTAS might walk away from its planned $5m car park despite a development application being approved.

• City of Launceston Council to lease a key city site to the University of Tasmania
• Council sets major University of Tasmania development in motion

A FINAL decision to approve the University of Tasmania’s planned 852 space car park at Inveresk has been handed down by City of Launceston Council.

However councillor Hugh McKenzie warned that if a lease agreement between council and the University cannot be reach, it is unlikely the car park will be built.

All but one councillor voted in favour of the development application at its ordinary meeting on Thursday after an independent consultant recommended it for approval.

The development site includes the former Inveresk Showgrounds and heritage features including a railway turntable, a 1922 roundhouse and a relocated locomotive shed.

The $5m car park forms part of the University’s $300m Northern Transformation Project, including the construction of new facilities and a pedestrian and cycle bridge at the Inveresk Precinct.

It will be available for use by students, UTAS staff and the general public and will also benefit UTAS Stadium.

The Northern car park redevelopment Inveresk – Proposed design. Picture: SUPPLIED

There were six representations against the development, but UTAS project director Sam Tucker said they mostly raised concerns with traffic.

A traffic impact assessment by Midson Traffic Pty Ltd said the fully developed car park was likely to generate 4272 vehicle movements at the precinct each day, with the equivalent of 5400 full-time students and 491 full-time staff expected to be on site by 2032.

It found the overall performance of the Inveresk intersection at the junction of Forster St and Invermay Rd was capable of handling the additional traffic.

“The comprehensive traffic management reports do endorse that the road networks will support the likely increase in light vehicle movements,” Mr Tucker said.

Councillor Hugh McKenzie said a number of opposing representations were opposing the University’s move to the site.

“It’s not a DA for a decision about whether UTAS should move to the site,” he said.

“In my view that has already passed and we decided to move through that process.

Launceston mayor Albert van Zetten at the announcement of the construction tender for the next stage of UTAS' northern transformation in Launceston. Picture: PATRICK GEE

“This is purely about a carpark providing facility for the University of Tasmania and other users.”

The Tasmanian Heritage Council approved the development subject to several conditions.

They included that the 1922 concrete Roundhouse base, rail lines and central railway turntable must be protected during the works.

Council voted in March to lease the land to UTAS for 20 years pending the approval of the development application, but the terms of the lease have not yet been set.

Councillor Tim Walker said concerns the ratepayer may be left with the cost of maintaining the facility were valid.

“That won’t be a great thing,” he said.

“By all accounts, we would expect that wouldn’t happen, but it is a concern.”

Cr McKenzie said if the DA was approved, but the council and UTAS could not agree on commercial terms of the lease, then the car park would likely not go ahead.