Urban housing eyed for brighter future

Builders urged to make a pitch

HOBART’S Lord Mayor says the city is open for business and has invited residential developers eyeing off inner-city blocks to submit building proposals.

Cr Anna Reynolds said the city is experiencing a building boom and now is the best time to capitalise on that development.

“There is plenty of opportunity for well-designed, medium-density apartment blocks right through the midtown area of the city,” she said.

“There are a lot of underutilised sites between the inner city and North Hobart – the area between Argyle St and Campbell St – and I’d like to see a lot of proposals come in, especially for five to six-storey apartment developments as they’re in high demand.”

Cr Reynolds has earmarked a 52-block-size development precinct in central Hobart bounded by Federal St, Davey St and the Brooker Hwy that the council says is ripe for inner-city dwellings.

“Obviously that precinct will have design guidelines and we will need to identify the population-carrying ability of the city in regards to roads and infrastructure to address this site,” she said. “Hobart has a good opportunity now to create a high-density, but still humanscale urban city. There’s a vision here for the future.”

Almost 600 new, privately developed apartments in central Hobart have current approval, been proposed, or are in mediation with the planning tribunal.

ABS figures show that Hobart City Council has forged ahead with residential building approvals. The latest figures show that based on dollar values, the city is well ahead of the other greater Hobart councils.

In 2018-19 Australian Bureau of Statistics building approvals data, the city netted $398 million worth of developments, with the next closest Clarence council at $232 million.

Cr Reynolds said along with Hobart city, greater Hobart showed strong residential development growth – particularly in Clarence and Kingborough – but Glenorchy lagged behind, recording just $45 million in approvals.

“It’s a shame because I think there’s so much more potential for residential development [at Glenorchy] that is really easily connected to the city though transport corridors,” Cr Reynolds said.

“There’s clearly a need for a way to capitalise on more development, both for the provision of housing and in the economic development of the northern suburbs of Hobart.”

Glenorchy Mayor Kristy Johnston agrees.

She says the city is ready for a significant increase in housing supply.

“We have a fantastic opportunity through the City Deal to deliver passenger rail transport to the northern suburbs, and with that comes the opportunity to develop the land adjacent for medium and highdensity housing that’s accessible, affordable and conveniently located to education, jobs and services,” she said.

“We obviously know that it’s a very attractive proposition to develop in Glenorchy, with not only land available but brownfield sites ready to be developed into residential areas.

“With a $1 billion private building pipeline already occurring in Glenorchy, we’re creating the jobs for our residents and improving the amenities for the people that live here.”