High-rise hiccup as Fragrance leaves out detail in twin towers plan

AN omission of hydraulics works on a development application for a controversial hotel and residential project in North Hobart has forced council to readvertise the proposal.

An artist’s impression of Fragrance Group’s hotel proposal as seen from Elizabeth St. Picture: SUPPLIED

AN omission of hydraulics works on a development application for a controversial hotel and residential project in North Hobart has forced council to readvertise the proposal.

Fragrance Group has applied to build 12- and 13-storey towers in Elizabeth St near the corner of Warwick St where the building height limit is 11.5m.

When the public consultation period closed on July 12, almost 800 submissions were made against the proposal to the Hobart City Council.

But now, due to the developer’s error, the 800 objectors will need to resubmit their position under the readvertised application before August 24.

More than 400 submissions had come through the Hobart Not Highrise website, a further 356 submissions were collected by the Tasmanian Conservation Trust, and the remaining submissions, most against the proposal, came directly from individuals to the council.

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The council has contacted all submitters to notify them of the error.

“The applicant did not in their original application mention works to be performed at 222-228 Elizabeth St,” Hobart City Council general manager Nick Heath said.

“Once they had notified us of their error, we were required to readvertise the public notification to correct this error.

“While this causes some inconvenience, it is important that all applications are correctly advertised to ensure any decisions made with regard to the developments are valid.”

A Fragrance Group spokesman said it was “happy to conform to all due processes”.

The good news for those resubmitting is that they don’t need to go through the entire process again.

You can advise the City of Hobart by emailing [e-mail] or by writing to the general manager, GPO Box 503, Hobart, 7001, indicating your name and that you wish your current representation for application PLN-17-430 to stand.

Hobart Not Highrise president Brian Corr said the developer may come to rue the error.

“Yes, it’s an inconvenience and means more work but we reckon we will have more than 1000 submitters by August 24.

“We got our 400 submissions in six days.

“There’s a lot of anger and interest and none of that has died down.”

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Later this month, council will receive a report from architect Leigh Woolley, which may affect the development and any other high-rise projects in the city.

Late last year, the council commissioned Mr Woolley to investigate and report on the question of building heights in the city, following growing public disquiet over proposed high-rise developments.