CABLE CAR SHORTCUT

EXCLUSIVE New site for terminal proposed

THE Mt Wellington cable car’s base terminal could be built at the end of the quiet Old Farm Rd in South Hobart — cutting out the need for approval from the Cascade Brewery.

Residents have been warned construction of the terminal near a fire trail at the end of the road — several kilometres farther up the mountain than originally planned — would see semi-trailers rattling up their street.

And they were told a new road could be built linking the site with Lenah Val- ley as part of the $54 million project. Once operational, mini-buses would run from the city as often as every 10 minutes, locals were told this week.

THE base terminal for a proposed cable car for Mt Wellington could be built at the end of Old Farm Rd in South Hobart, cutting out the need for approval from the Cascade Brewery, under a new model being pursued by the proponent.

The Mt Wellington Cableway Company has moved on to a Plan B for locating the project, the Mercury has been told.

Under the latest proposal, the base station would be constructed near a fire trail at the end of Old Farm Rd, several kilometres farther up the mountain than originally envisaged.

Residents at Lenah Valley could also be affected by the $54 million project, with a road upgrade to the suburb ensuring access from two points.

Mini-buses running as often as every 10 minutes would transport customers along Old Farm Rd to the terminal.

Locals have also been warned about traffic from trucks during the construction phase.

The Mercury reported last month that the cable car company was assessing alternative routes as landowners became interested in the project.

Height restrictions imposed by the Hobart City Council on the brewery land were proving a significant hurdle, company chair Jude Franks said.

Cascade owner Carlton & United Breweries had agreed to allow the cable car company access to its land as it prepared a development application, but had not yet backed the proposal.

A decision to cut out CUB, who was long considered a potential roadblock, would continue the growing momentum behind the project.

Ms Franks told the Mercury last night a final decision was yet to be made.

“We have considered shortening the route and have been actively consulting residents who may feel, for better or worse, directly affected,” she said.

“These are ongoing and have been extremely productive.

“A decision will be made once all advice is received.

“This does not affect the project solution proposed for the top of the mountain.”

In a separate development, a group of Old Farm Rd residents met with proponents Adrian Bold and Ms Franks on Thursday night.

The group left with heightened concerns about the project, telling the Mercury yesterday it was concerned State Government influence had been the reason public consultation meetings had been cancelled in South Hobart.

State Growth Minister Peter Gutwein granted the company the authority to undertake investigative work in the days before last month’s election.

Locals had been shut out from the community consultation phase, an Old Farm Road Residents Group spokeswoman said.

“Two public meetings have been cancelled and then two weeks ago we got a postcard which asked us to meet with them to discuss the ‘construction phase’ of the project,” she said.

“We felt manipulated into thinking that construction was inevitable, despite the lack of a development application.”

The Government dismissed the claim it had influenced the consultation process.

“That claim is completely false,” a spokesman said.

The residents group declined to say whether the cable car’s location details had been outlined at the meeting, but said Lenah Valley residents now also had reasons to be concerned about the project.

“We hope that the Lenah Valley residents have been better consulted than us,” the spokeswoman said.