City project draws fire

Residents oppose six-storey residential and retail complex

PATRICK St residents are fuming that a six-storey mixed retail and residential complex could be given the green light, saying it will ruin the streetscape forever.

The proposed Hobart development is earmarked for 209-215 Harrington St and will comprise 36 residential apartments, ground-floor retail businesses and 61 car parking spaces, mainly on the basement level.

Seven of eight public submissions on the proposal were against it.

Complaints included insuf- ficient car parking and that the height and bulk of the building diminishes the residential character of the area.

As part of the development’s performance criteria the building must “be compatible with the scale of nearby buildings” and “allow for a transition in height between adjoining buildings”.

The applicant, listed as 6ty, has cited two buildings near the site — the RACT building at 179-191 Murray St, with a height of about 17m, and St Mary’s Cathedral at 180 Harrington St, with a height of about 19m — as examples of buildings of similar size in the area.

But Ben van der Veer, who lives next to the proposed complex, said the RACT building and St Mary’s Cathedral were on larger blocks of land.

He said the 19.6m building would take up of two of his boundaries and go well above the 15m height recommendations under the Hobart interim planning scheme.

“I was hoping for respectful development,” Mr van der Veer said.

“This is going right to the boundary and going over 15m.

Mr van der Veer, who has lived at his home for about five years, said he also had concerns about potential damage to the foundations of his home during the construction phase.

“They are going five storeys around my complete boundaries with no integration. Why the council officers are even considering this is really frustrating for me.”

Margaret Johnston also lives next to the proposed development and said it did not integrate with existing buildings.

“That’s our biggest concern,” she said.

“The overall concern is the mass and size of this development and how it will change the streetscape forever.”

In the planning submission, the developer states the building has been designed to “reflect the art deco period and the detail and opulence it stood for”.

The development will go before the Hobart City Council on April 9.