ROAD TO RUIN

Legal battle brewing over new airport roundabout

THE $50m upgrade of the Hobart Airport roundabout has hit another snag – with local landowners saying it locks them out of their properties and they are starting legal action.

Construction has recently started on the long-delayed project, but it is now heading for the courts after talks to solve an impasse over access broke down.

The upgrade was first announced in 2016 as part of the federal election campaign, and the state government has promised it will be finished by mid-2022. But local landowner Greg Casimaty – who is part of a consortium with plans for a multimillion-dollar development at Cambridge – says talks with the government over access have broken down.

“By choosing to renege on their commitment and now abandoning negotiations, the government is treating us with contempt and riding roughshod over our rights as Tasmanians,” Mr Casimaty said.

“Unfortunately, this means the Airport Interchange now again faces likely delay, with a planning appeal on 24 and 25 September which could see the new design thrown out.

“What is worse is that this Liberal government was content to scuttle advanced negotiations between the Department of State Growth and the landowners which would have resolved many of the issues despite its previous commitment to do otherwise.

“It broke its commitment on the pretext that because the landowners were appealing it could not talk, mediate or resolve the matter.”

The consortium which owns 86ha of land at the site has plans to develop a light industrial and bulky goods business park.

They say that they were promised a two-way access road between the airport interchange and a location near the Golf Park, with a one-way on-ramp on to the city-bound side of the highway.

But it was left out of the latest design, Mr Casimaty said.

“It’s unfortunate that even though an agreement was in sight for road access to our land, the government walked away,” he said. “We’re more than happy to pay our fair share, but the government needs to also be reasonable when it comes to an accurate cost for the roadworks needed to connect our property.”

A Department of State Growth spokeswoman said it had “engaged extensively” with the landowners on the matter over a “considerable period of time”.

“The development application for the revised design of the Hobart Airport Interchange provides an upgraded access for the landowners and was approved by the Clarence City Council in early July.

“Ground preparation works and clearing are occurring on site under the current approval. The project remains on track for completion in mid-2022.”