Fragrance Group wants to build residential apartments on the Conservatorium of Music site

The Singaporean developer behind some of Hobart’s most controversial recent hotel development proposals has lodged a new application with council this week.

Real estate agents Scott Newton and Hayden Peck who sold the Conservatorium of Music building on Sandy Bay Rd to the Fragrance Group in 2017. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

THE Fragrance Group has lodged a development application for a central Hobart site – but it is not for a hotel.

The Singaporean developer, which is behind the Ibis Styles hotel and many other proposals in Hobart plus one in Launceston, this week lodged with the Hobart City Council an application for a Sandy Bay Road project.

The building is currently home to the University of Tasmania’s Conservatorium of Music.

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While most of Fragrance’s proposals have been for commercial developments, predominantly hotels, the application lodged on Tuesday is listed as being for “demolition and construction of residential apartments”.

No further details of the project are known and Fragrance has been contacted for comment.

The Conservatorium of Music building on Sandy Bay Rd. Picture: KNIGHT FRANK

Overlooking St David’s Park and opposite the Welcome Stranger Hotel, Fragrance added the site to its portfolio of prime Hobart real estate in May 2017 — buying the property for $13.3 million, according to Corelogic RP Data records.

The site includes the main conservatorium building, a warehouse, three brick buildings on Heathfield Ave, three heritage-listed conjoined cottages on Wilmot St and a communications tower.

UTAS has been leasing the conservatorium from the developer and is expected to do so until its $96 million Hedberg performing arts centre near the Theatre Royal is completed.

A spokesman said the shift to the Hedberg was on track for semester one next year, but the lease of the Sandy Bay Rd building continues until mid-next year.

Tourism Industry Council Tasmania chief executive Luke Martin said with a hotel already next door and another previously mooted on the other side, the site would be great for visitor accommodation.

“Fragrance has a bunch of hotel projects in the wings and maybe they believe on that particular site it’s most appropriate to be residential accommodation,” Mr Martin said.

“People might have their conniptions with Fragrance, but we have really got a slow moving train smash on top of a crisis at the moment around supply in housing, visitor accommodation and student accommodation.”

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An artist’s impression of Fragrance Group’s proposed Elizabeth St hotel. Picture: SUPPLIED

Another Fragrance project is continuing to make its way through the mediation process with the HCC after being refused by the council last year.

The $80 million mixed-use development on Elizabeth St was refused on height and heritage grounds, but the application is going through the mediation process at the Resource Management and Planning Appeal Tribunal.

Last month, the council approved an application for archaeological investigations at the site.

The matter is listed for mention at RMPAT tomorrow.