Petition gathers almost 1600 signatures demanding a poll on building heights

An elector poll may be held to gauge support for capping the CBD building height at 60m.

More than 1500 people have signed a petition calling for a poll on building heights in the Hobart CBD. Picture: MATHEW FARRELL

AN elector poll may be held to gauge whether Hobartians support limiting CBD building heights to 60m.

More than 1500 people have signed a petition calling on the Hobart City Council to hold a public meeting about building heights and conduct an elector poll.

Hobart Not Highrise president Brian Corr will hand the petition to acting Lord Mayor Helen Burnet on Friday.

Under Section 59 of the Local Government Act, if 1000 of the petitioners are Hobart ratepayers, the council must hold a public meeting.

Besides an elector poll, the petition calls for the council to:

INTRODUCE absolute maximum heights.

PROTECT Hobart’s view lines.

PROTECT Hobart’s heritage buildings.

The elector poll question will ask people if they support the council planning officers’ recommendations to the planning committee last year based on the Building Heights Review.

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PROPERTY COUNCIL SLAMS BUILDING HEIGHT DECISION

Hobart Not Highrise president Brian Corr. Picture: MATHEW FARRELL

Mr Corr is concerned the council-commissioned review by architect Leigh Woolley, which cost ratepayers $80,000 and imposed a 60m height limit in zone 1 of the CBD, was never debated by the council.

The report proposed different, non-discretionary, height-limit zones across Hobart, ranging from 15m to 60m in the heart of the CBD.

“We still believe the original officers’ recommendation should be debated on the floor of council,” Mr Corr said.

“In October 2017, we decided to drop the issue of holding a poll on building heights because the Leigh Woolley report was still going through council. But things have changed and this is too important.”

HIGH PRAISE FOR CITY HEIGHT LIMITS REPORT

COUNCIL REJECTS A 45M CBD HEIGHT LIMIT

Mr Corr said almost 1600 signatures had been collected with about 500 of them from non-Hobart rate ratepayers.

“Getting 1500 signatures in a two-week period during holidays shows there is a high level of concern about this issue,” he said.

Last month, aldermen and councillors quashed the planning committee recommendation to lower heights in the CBD to 45m in zone 1.

They instead sought another report into the social, environmental and economic impact any proposed height restrictions would have on the city.