Hang on to our nature strips

DEVELOPMENT

I AM saddened by the rapid degradation of Hobart’s green, leafy suburbs as a result of the rapid rush of infill unit developments unleashed by the Government’s controversial planning reforms. With more and more high-density units and concrete consuming our precious green open space, trees and gardens, it is more important than ever for councils to ramp up their efforts to care for the open space that remains. I’m talking about nature strips — those neglected ribbons of noman’s land that wend their way through our suburbs. It’s time to change the way we think about nature strips.

With council commitment to thoughtful landscape planning, providing guidelines for plantings, and a council-led community program to encourage residents to get involved in beautifying their streetscape, dramatic improvements could be achieved for relatively little cost. Some helpful advice, some support with landscaping supplies, and an annual opportunity for ratepayers to pick up a few free local native plants might go a long way towards beautifying our suburbs and transforming nature strips into wonderful ribbons of nature.

Silent majority

READER Anne Held said the majority of councillors voted in favour of the Cambria development (Letters, December 5). All they did was vote to refer the s39 report to the Tasmanian Planning Commission (TPC) for public hearings in line with the planning process. She expressed disappointment in the councillors’ “apparent disregard” of the 623 submissions. This is wrong. The purpose of the s39 report sent to the TPC is to respond to all submissions; it is not possible for them to be disregarded. Secondly, the report shows 186 ratepayers of Glamorgan Spring Bay made a submission, not all necessarily opposed. In contrast, 3538 people voted in the Glamorgan Spring Bay Council elections. Perhaps most of the councillors were mindful of the silent majority. It would be an abdication of councillors’ broader representative responsibility to vote according to the written wishes of 186 ratepayers alone.

Invest in our reputation

NICK Johnston is spot on in his Talking Point (“Coles Bay not ready for boom”, December 7) and he is correct in stating the State Government has become obsessed with foreign investment at the expense of infrastructure. Hindsight is a marvellous virtue but when the culmination of marketing exceeds capability of infrastructure and basics needs of visitors there is a serious problem. With the explosion in tourist numbers to the region the time is now for both state and local government to act to protect our global tourism reputation.

Monster plans

THE photo of Simon Behrakis standing in front of and supporting the monster multiresidential development in Sandy Bay shows why I did not vote for Alderman Behrakis ( Mercury, December 8). In my view the development is simply awful, and A new way to have your say themercury.com.au readers have a new way to have their say. It’s free to use, just register and have your say. For more details and to register, visit the website. epitomises what happens when developer plans are not properly constrained. There is not a blade of grass left on the site, the building is massive, neighbours are completely overshadowed and it is an indictment of our planning laws and the Hobart City Council that allowed such overdevelopment. Development is important, but we need to constrain developer plans to get buildings which enhance our built environment and not overwhelm it. The Premier says he wants to keep the Tasmanian way of life, but if suburbs are filled with rubbish like this development we are all doomed to live like sardines and there will be no more Tasmanian way of life.

National park status

KUNANYI/Mt Wellington should be declared a national park. It is extraordinary this has not already happened, given the cultural, environmental and historical significance of the mountain and Wellington Park. National park status would ensure statutory frameworks are adhered to in a manner consistent with other parks in Tasmania. It would deliver a single point of management, through the Parks and Wildlife Service, allowing interest groups to liaise with the agency. The idea of heritage listing elements of the park, such as the Organ Pipes proposal, is representative of the failure of the Wellington Park Management Trust to deliver a focused, strategic plan to manage the park. National park status would protect kunanyi/Mt Wellington for the benefit of all Tasmanians and visitors.

Cherished churches

WHILE I am pleased for the communities that get to keep their cherished churches and cemeteries I feel very upset for the communities that are less lucky. I believe that the many heritage-listed churches shouldn’t be sold off, and how disturbing is it that along with many of those churches they are selling the bodies of our families to strangers.

Tale of two bridges

IN three years to tighten its grip on the former British colony, China built a 50km bridge to connect Hong Kong with mainland China. In three years of planning and partial construction, the commemorative raised pedestrian walkway has yet to be completed. Maybe China should have been asked to give a quote.

Move roadkill

WITH all the roadkill on our roads why don’t the drivers, instead of going over the top of them, just get out and move them off the road. That would save other drivers not to cause an accident.

President Bush eulogy

PRIME MINISTER Scott Morrison could do no better on his long break than reflect on part of the eulogy to President Bush senior “We cannot hope to leave our children only a bigger bank account … but hope to give them a sense of what it means to be a citizen who leaves his home, his neighbourhood and town better than he found it.” On Thursday the PM left our parliament bankrupt of decency.