New Fragrance Hotel progresses in Devonport

A Tasmanian city will soon have a new luxury hotel – something it has needed for a long time and is one of the final pieces in a project aimed at reinvigorating the city. LATEST >>

Devonport Mayor Annette Rockliff after the official opening of the paranaple Centre at Devonport, which was stage one of the Living City project. PICTURE CHRIS KIDD

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A TASMANIAN city is a step closer to getting the new up-market hotel it desperately needs with the land on which the $40 million Fragrance Group development is planned formally changing hands.

Construction works will now ramp up and Devonport City Mayor Annette Rockliff said the building activity would help the community recover from the COVID-19 downturn.

The hotel is one of the final pieces in Devonport’s Living City project aimed at returning the city’s heart to the waterfront and injecting life into the CBD.

Concept design of the $40 million Fragrance Group development. Photo: Supplied

The settlement for the $1.298 million parcel of riverfront land has now gone through as part of a contract between Devonport City Council and Fairbrother Pty Ltd.

The contract allowed for final settlement to occur with the end owner, Fragrance Tas – Devonport Pty Ltd, a company owned by Singapore Based hotel giant the Fragrance Group.

While the Fragrance Group has been active in Hobart and Launceston for some years, it is the company’s first investment in the State’s North West.

The hotel, which is expected to open in early 2022, will boast around 200 rooms and be rated 4.5 star.

Fairbrother is undertaking the build and currently have a dozen workers on site.

Fairbrother business development manager Darryn Smith said the focus had been on

progressing the hotel’s design while the in-ground works were done but now building will ramp up.

Senator Steve Martin, former Premier Will Hodgman, Devonport Mayor Annette Rockliff, Jeremy Rockliff MP and Senator Richard Colbeck during the official opening of the paranaple Centre at Devonport. PICTURE CHRIS KIDD

At the peak of construction over 100 local tradesmen and apprentices would be employed, he said.

Mayor Rockliff said the Living City Master Plan would ultimately generate over $57m in construction activity in the CBD with most coming from private enterprise along with a $10 million Federal government contribution.

She said the hotel construction activity would be vital in supporting the community’s recovery from COVID-19.

“While the council has been required to do the heavy lifting with Stage 1, Living City has always been about unlocking this sort of private investment and it couldn’t have come at a better time for our recovering local economy,” she said.