City Deal to tackle river

Focus turns to Tamar clean-up

IMPROVING the health of the Ta mar estuary will be a priority project for Launceston as the 10-year $509 million Launceston City Deal continues to progress.

The third annual progress report was released on Wednesday detailing the achievements of the 2019-20 financial year and the next steps of key projects. The City Deal is a 10-year plan and joint initiative of state, federal and local government to see Launceston become one of Australia’ s most liveable and innovative regional cities.

State Growth Minister Michael Ferguson said an extra $44m had been committed to the Tamar Estuary River Health Action Plan (RHAP) making it a $130m project. A $90m mixed use Creative Precinct at the former Birchalls site in the CBD was announced in June. Mr Ferguson said the City Deal was already changing Launceston.

“People in Northern Tasmania can expect to see… a lot more delivery with the university transformation gearing up to see 10,000 students on campus by 2032,”hesaid.

City of Launceston mayor Albert van Zetten said much of the progress seen related to the University of Tasmania’ s Northern Transformation developments at its Inver es k Precinct.

UTAS’s new pedestrian and cycle bridge connecting Invermay to the CB D is under construction and expected to be finished by the end of 2020. Works have begun at the new library and human services building site.

Cr van Zetten said the River Health Action Plan was“a priority project ”.

About 175km of riparian areas have been fenced off to keep livestock away from waterways and prevent “the unnecessary discharge of silt and faeces into the catchment ”. A further 185 km is expected to be fenced off in 2021.

“It’s starting to make a difference, but you’ll see a very significant difference in the next three to five years .”