Plans open for comment on Windermere Bay Precinct redevelopment of old Claremont Primary School

A new precinct proposed for Hobart’s northern suburbs would feature more than 300 units, a child care centre, shops and a cafe. See the first artist’s impressions >>

• Fire at old Claremont Primary School site prompted emergency order
• Developer wants to build $79m housing subdivision at Claremont

MORE than 300 apartments and townhouses will hit the market before the end of the year as part of a new development in Hobart’s northern suburbs if it receives council approval, says the project architect.

The development application for the approximately $200 million development proposed for the former Claremont Primary School has been submitted to the Glenorchy City Council and is now open for comment.

An artist’s impression of a proposed $200 million development at the former Claremont Primary School site.

The rundown site at Cadbury Road has been the subject of different housing development proposals for several years and has remained empty since the school shut in 2011.

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But, it was purchased in 2019 for an undisclosed sum by Chinese-born Hobart businessman Kai Yang.

The park in front of the restored primary school, which would become a community space, in the Windermere Bay Precinct project.

The Windermere Bay Precinct would feature 315 apartments and townhouses, local shops, a cafe, facilities including a gym and pool and a child care centre within a parkland setting.

The project, designed by Circa Morris-Nunn Architects, would keep the original heritage-listed school building, which developers previously said will be given a “new lease of life” by opening it up to community-accessible facilities.

A pedestrian bridge link in the Windermere Bay Precinct project.

Circa Morris-Nunn associate director Dik Jarman said work developing and designing the project had continued through COVID-19.

“Should we get approval, we’ll go for a building permit towards the end of this year and should start selling to the public later this year,” he said.

Mr Jarman said previous community consultation had informed the final design of the development.

The development will include 315 apartments and townhouses, local shops, a cafe and a child care centre.

“There was a concern about traffic on the road from Cadbury’s [factory] going up around the corner towards the golf course so we made sure none of our entrances or exits were near that,” he said.

“There was a lot of great feedback from empty nesters who are looking for smaller properties close to amenities, which this site is, so we’re looking at making sure the designs can cater for people with mobility issues and independent living units to cater for that.”

A fire at the former Claremont Primary School in 2017. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

A fire at the old school site in November prompted the issuing of an emergency order to make the area safe.

The blaze was significant enough to force the order, which required the property owners to engage building contractors.

A council spokeswoman said the emergency order had since been satisfied.

The application is open for public comment until February 10.