Residents react to developer’s plan to transform Perth into a ‘Mona-esque’ residential and tourism hotspot

Soil could be turned by May 2021 in the development proposed to transform a Tasmanian town into an urbane residential and tourist hotspot designed to appeal to mainlanders. Find out what the locals think of the project >>

The site of a major new development proposed for Perth, Tasmania by Red Panda Property. Picture: PATRICK GEE

A TASMANIAN developer’s bold vision to transform peaceful Perth into a “Mona-esque” residential and tourist hot spot has locals pondering what the plans might mean for them.

Tasmanian owned developer Red Panda Property (RPP) is expected to present a rezoning application for 50ha of land adjoining the town to the Northern Midlands council in coming weeks.

RPP director Andrew McCullagh said the $300 million project dubbed ‘The Villages at the Q’ would include 390 homes across four ‘villages’, boutique bars, providores, restaurants, shops, a $20 million hotel, a national standard health hub, nation leading broadband speeds and parks, lakes and gardens.

Mr McCullagh said subject to rezoning and planning approvals “an optimistic world” would see soil turned in May next year.

Fifty residential blocks would be developed first with the rest constructed subject to demand over the next six to eight years.

Perth cafe owners and residents Felicity Clark and Lewis Cheetham. Picture: PATRICK GEE

Mr McCullagh said he believed the villages would attract “tree changers”, which he describes as mainlanders sick of inner city living and looking to find a “substantially better quality of life”

Husband and wife Felicity Clark and Lewis Cheetham moved their young family to Perth from Evandale in December and opened Feast cafe on the Main Rd.

Mrs Clark said the development sounded like a lovely idea.

“But it will be interesting to see how it works,” she said.

“It’s an unusual plan, but the space is here and it’s better to do it now that they’ve got the bypass. More is more.”

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Perth resident Robert Featherstone, 63, who has lived directly across the road from the paddock now earmarked for the development for 30 years, said there was a lot to consider.

“I don’t know whether to be in favour yet, until I see the fine details,” he said.

“We’ve enjoyed this property for 30 years with this tranquillity and looking out across the paddocks and seeing the sunset and the cattle and all that goes on.

“We’ve worked to make this property how we want it.”

Red Panda Property's plans for a major development in Perth Tasmania. Picture: SUPPLIED

Julie Brown, 66, has lived opposite the paddock set for development for 37 years and said she was open-minded about the project.

“I just wonder whether Perth can actually sustain another hotel,” she said.

“We’ve already got one. How will this affect the business on the main road?”

“Reading about it, it sounds like it could be really good for the town.

“Whether or not it goes ahead remains to be seen.”

Red Panda Property owns the land proposed for development after Mr McCullagh bought it from a farmer.

The developer has dubbed the project the “most exciting residential subdivision in Northern Tasmania ever”.

“The brief to my team was to make thevillages@Q ‘Mona-esque’ and have it do for the North of the state what Mona did for the South,” Mr McCullagh said.

Red Panda Property's plans for a major development in Perth Tasmania. Picture: SUPPLIED

Mr McCullagh said RPP had partnered with a number of companies for the development including DKO Architects from Melbourne, energy equipment and solutions company The Green Guys Group and Tasmanian engineering company GHD.

He said a number of differences will set The Villages apart from other subdivisions.

“We’ll be looking to do a lot of wind and solar in our own embedded network, which will keep costs down and make it sustainable.

“We are also going to eliminate letterboxes. We are set to provide a communal post office where all mail deliveries and parcels are kept for residents and an SMS notification will be provided only when you have mail.”

The villages will also adopt a European system of storing wheelie bins in the ground “for a new standard in residential waste management”.