New Town social housing development to forge ahead after community appeal fails

A group of New Town residents have lost an appeal against a planned social housing development on an historic tennis club site. Why they wanted to stop the project.

Centacare Evolve Housing will manage a social housing development along New Town Road. Picture: Supplied

A group of New Town residents have lost an appeal against a planned social housing development on an historic tennis club site.

In February this year, Hobart City Council gave the green light for the club to be demolished, and for the construction of a three-storey structure with 22 dwellings for low-income residents.

The site at 73a New Town Rd has been publicly owned by Homes Tasmania since 2020, and will be managed by Catholic organisation, Centacare Evolve Housing.

Following the council approval, neighbouring resident Paul Jacobs lodged an appeal against the social housing plans in the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, on behalf of a number of New Town residents.

In a newly-published decision, following a two-day hearing in May, the tribunal in a preliminary determination dismissed each of Mr Jacobs’ nine grounds of appeal, ruling out concerns including overshadowing, parking and access issues, density and private open space.

Mr Jacobs had also argued it had not been demonstrated the development contributed to a range of dwelling types and sizes for the area, or provided for a specific accommodation need “with significant social or community benefit”.

An artist’s impression of the upcoming social housing development at 73a New Town Road. Picture: Supplied

But during the hearing, Centacare’s CEO Ben Wilson noted the ongoing pressure on accessible housing and rental market stress, which he said combined and created a situation in which “many people are no longer able to continue to live and work in New Town and the wider area”.

“It is self-evident that the provision of housing for members of the community and society will have a community and societal benefit,” the tribunal said in its decision.

“Social housing provides security for those most in need, which will benefit the tenants and the pool of people seeking affordable housing specifically, and benefit society more broadly by reducing rental stress and homelessness.”

However, the tribunal noted a set of civil engineering drawings depicting the development’s access ramp were not correct, and ordered they be updated before delivering its final determination.

The 100-year-old New Town Catholic Tennis Club was previously owned by the Catholic Church until it was sold to public ownership in 2020.

Under the development, the two existing tennis courts, clubhouse and storage shed will all be demolished.

Centacare, which currently manages about 2700 properties across Tasmania, has entered into a 40-year Crown lease from Homes Tasmania to manage the site.

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