WORK IN PROGRESS
Pipeline of projects to deliver new jobs
TASMANIA is set for a booming 2020 with scores of major projects due to come online or start construction in coming months. Industry groups have welcomed the imminent boost to the economy, but have urged caution about the dangers of boom and bust cycles.
LAST month another large, mixed-use development in greater Hobart was approved, with Hunter Developments’ $50 million Rosny Hill proposal getting the green light from the Clarence City Council.
Subject to the appeals process, it is one of several major projects set to either get under way or be completed in 2020. There are also some big unknowns, with the future of the Mt Wellington cable car, the proposed $40 million redevelopment of the Derwent Entertainment Centre alongside a $200 million revitalisation of Wilkinsons Point and River Derwent ferries up in the air.
SOME OF THE MAJOR, NON-RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS LIKELY TO BEGIN THIS YEAR: Kangaroo Bay hotel and hospitality school
Another contentious Eastern Shore proposal, the developers were given an extension of time for the sale and beginning of development by the Clarence City Council in November. The project originally received council approval in January 2017. The 11-month extension of the sale and development agreement for the $80 million development allowed developers Chambroad and the University of Tasmania to finalise details on the waterfront project. UTAS announced in July last year it had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Chinese petrochemical company for the hospitality training school. Clarence Mayor Doug Chipman said at the time it was expected Chambroad would make a “substantial” beginning to the project within the next 11 months.
Macquarie Point
It’s been a long road to get to this point – almost eight years – but parcels of land for permanent development at Macquarie Point could be offered for sale by as early as April. Last year, the Tasmanian Planning Commission endorsed the revised masterplan for the 9ha site. The masterplan features potential for $1 billion of development including cultural and public spaces alongside a conference centre, hotels, retail and an Antarctic and science precinct.
Kingston playground
Kingborough Council has just this month started work on its self-proclaimed best playground in Tasmania after securing an interest-free loan from the State Government to fully fund it. The $7 million space will include zones specifically designed for babies, toddlers, primary-aged children and teenagers, with features such as flying foxes, bike paths, half-court basketball, street skate parkour and public open space with exercise stations and an amphitheatre.
Some of the major projects due to be completed this year: The Hedberg
The University of Tasmania’s $110 million creative industries and performance arts development is very close to being completed. Students from disciplines such as music, theatre, design and architecture will begin using the site and its state-of-the-art technology from the start of semester later this month. The Hedberg is a partnership between UTAS, the Theatre
Royal and the State Government, and is named after the former Hedberg Brothers Garage, built on the Collins St site in 1925.
Crowne Plaza
The timeline for the opening of Hobart’s Crowne Plaza hotel has been pushed out on more than one occasion, but is slated for opening next month. The 235-room project forms the third and final stage of the Icon Complex development. It was originally due to open in October 2017 after the InterContinental Hotels Group signed a management deal with owners the Kalis Group in 2015 to build the luxury hotel. But progress on the hotel and the overall development was delayed in July 2016 when the Hobart Rivulet wall collapsed and flooded the basement of the Myer store in Liverpool St.
Parliament Square
The Parliament Square development, including a new five-star Marriott hotel, is due for completion in late 2020. Originally slated to open in late 2018, the 128-room hotel, which marks the debut of Marriott International in
Tasmania, will be housed in an assortment of re-purposed heritage buildings. From September, guests can enter the hotel through 12 Murray St.
Mövenpick hotel
The hotel being built in the Elizabeth St Bus Mall was going to be known as the Hyatt Centric Hobart after an announcement in January 2017, but it is understood the property management has since passed from Hyatt to Accor, which will operate the hotel under their premium Mövenpick branding. It will be the first of its kind in Australia and it is understood to be due to open by April.
Vibe Hotel
Also due to open in April is the $46 million Vibe Hotel in Argyle St. The 4.5-star hotel development will include 142 rooms, four levels of office and medical suites, a ground floor restaurant plus it has approval for an airbridge linking it to the Hobart Private Hospital across the road.
Royal Hobart Hospital
The commissioning of the $689 million redeveloped Royal Hobart Hospital has begun, with a range of tests ongoing after concerns were raised about elevated lead levels in drinking water. The project was originally set for completion in December 2018, but was later revised to August 2019, before a further delay to October 2019. NORTHERN PROJECTS:
University of Tasmania Northern Transformation
The University of Tasmania is building a new campus at Inveresk in the heart of Launceston, which it says will become central to the life of the city and a place where community, business, industry and the university connect and collaborate. Developments include a new pedestrian and cycle bridge across the North Esk River, student hubs and innovation spaces, state-of-the-art research facilities including a new Institute for Applied Science and Design and student accommodation on both sides of the river. The project is worth $344 million and is attracting additional funding through partnerships with the private sector. About 300 students will reside at either side of the river. The first buildings will start construction mid-year.
Launceston and Tamar Valley Traffic Vision
Launceston and Tamar Valley Traffic Vision was a key Government election commitment, consisting of a $75 million program of works from 2019 to 2023. Several projects are starting construction under the vision to improve traffic flows and travel time reliability on the north-south corridor. Upgrades include the Mowbray Interchange on the East Tamar Highway, smart traffic signalling and the junctions of Goderich St and Forster St and Goderich St and Gleadow St (due for completion in early 2021). The vision also includes a $36 million commitment to increase the capacity of the Charles St Bridge, $6 million to widen the shoulders of the Batman Highway and plans for a second Tamar River bridge between Newnham and the West Tamar Highway. Upgrades to Prossers Rd worth $2.1 million
are due to be completed mid2020. The new Mowbray connector roundabout, worth $7 million, is due for completion in mid-2020
The Northern Suburbs Community Hub
The Northern Suburbs Community Hub is a council-driven project to provide health and social benefits to disadvantaged neighbourhoods and an economic injection to the city.
The $15 million hub, to be based in Mowbray, will include recreational facilities like an outdoor soccer pitch, climbing and cycling facilities, basketball courts, boxing facilities, a cafe and offices for community organisations like PCYC. A feasibility study estimated the hub would be used 300,000 times each year.
Implementation plan for ‘My Place My Future’
The My Place My Future plan aims to revitalise Launceston’s northern suburbs by supporting improved lifestyle, social and economic outcomes. The revitalisation is a commitment of the Launceston City Deal. The plan will focus on Invermay,
Mowbray, Newnham, Mayfield, Rocherlea, Waverley and Ravenswood, which make up one-third of the Launceston population. It presents six areas of action: enterprise growth; employment and wage growth; celebration of community strengths; liveability; strengthening the next generations; and access.
City Heart Project – Stage 2
This $20 million project, part of the Launceston City Deal, aims to make central Launceston the premiere business, retail and lifestyle hub of Northern Tasmania. Through the redevelopment of infrastructure and enhanced support for events and business capability, the project seeks to attract future private investment and ensure activity in public spaces. It will give public areas and streetscapes new life, make the city easier to navigate and create safer, more accessible pedestrian and bicycle links. Stage two includes Cameron St, St John St North, Brisbane St (The Avenue), Charles St Central North and George St Central North.
Inner City Living Project
The council is encouraging and aiding residents to move into the CBD through its Inner City Living project to improve Launceston’s economy and make it a safer, more vibrant city, more condensed with minimised urban sprawl. It says the centre of Launceston has a large area of unused and underused floor space, as well as some small sites that remain undeveloped and urban ‘shop-top’ living is becoming increasingly achievable, viable and desirable. Chamber of Commerce CEO Neil Grose said the infill development progress in Launceston was continuing “very strongly” with multiple small to medium works in planing or already under construction.
City Of Launceston Sustainability Strategy
Last year the City of Launceston Council recognised the global climate emergency and the need for carbon reduction and action to be taken. A Sustainability Strategy was completed at the end of 2019 to start implementation in 2020. It included plans to make Launceston carbon neutral by 2025, for it to move towards 100 per cent renewable energy by 2025 and engage community, business and non-for-profit sectors to reduce emissions and move towards renewables.
Upgrades to Albert Hall Work is expected to get under way to give Launceston’s much-loved heritage convention centre, the Albert Hall, an interior facelift. Upgrades are yet to be fully scoped but at this stage they will include upgrades to the toilets, the kitchen facilities, seating, new carpeting and modernising meeting rooms.
Fragrance Hotel
The Fragrance Hotel plan is expected to reach to the development application stage soon. If successful, the developers will break ground on the $50 million-60 million project as soon as they are able.
Parking Strategy
The City of Launceston is in the process of developing a new parking strategy that will shape how parking is managed over coming years.
CAMERON WHITELEY
TASMANIA is set for a booming 2020 with scores of major projects due to either come online or start construction in coming months.
Industry groups have welcomed imminent boosts to the economy and associated sectors, but have urged caution about the dangers of boom and bust construction cycles.
The Property Council of Australia’s Tasmanian executive director Brian Wightman said many of its members have indicated current conditions were the best they had ever seen.
Mr Wightman said businesses were “confident and buoyant” but he said more work needed to be done to sustain the successful period.
“Tasmania has a history of boom and bust cycles and we need to do our best to avoid that continuing,’’ he said.
“The key component to keep continuous economic growth going is confidence.
“When we find there is confidence in the business community in Tasmania, then they will continue to invest.
“It’s good for Tasmania we have a pipeline of work, particularly large developments such as hotels and commercial buildings, that will mean there is jobs now into the future.”
Mr Wightman suggested reforms to assist business confidence, including finalisation of the Tasmanian Planning Scheme and shortening the time it takes for major developments to be shovel ready.
Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Michael Bailey said the developments would have a significant impact on the local economy.
But Mr Bailey said it was important there was a plan to manage future demand and ensure Tasmanian businesses and workers were seeing the most benefit.
“What’s disappointing is hearing that interstate workers are being brought in to do the build,’’ he said.
“Our focus is on encouraging government to level it out as much as possible to make a pathway of consistent work that allows local businesses to invest in skills and workers, and to ensure the money stays local.
“We’d also be really encouraging government to fulfil obligations on the numbers of apprentices used, and we’d be encouraging local businesses to do the same.”
Mr Bailey said the State Government’s continued efforts to get more affordable housing stock on the market, and the proposed second Bass Strait electricity interconnector, Project Marinus, would create employment opportunities.
But he said there was more work to do to ensure the state had the capacity to adequately service these projects from a skills perspective.
Tasmanian Small Business Council executive officer Robert Mallett said the imminent opening of several innercity hotels in Hobart would be a boon to local retailers.
“Because the hotels are in the CBD and they virtually have no parking whatsoever, which means many of their guests will be on foot,’’ she said. “They will be on foot, shopping, looking in windows, eating and hopefully buying goods.
“The only problem is Hobart is rapidly becoming an oversized restaurant rather than a good eclectic mix of businesses which is typical of a CBD.
“I think retailers are hoping they will prosper in the interim and when the increased numbers of people in the city staying overnight occur, I think they will adjust their offerings to meet the market.”
TASMANIA HAS A HISTORY OF BOOM AND BUST CYCLES AND WE NEED TO DO OUR BEST TO AVOID THAT CONTINUING
BRIAN WIGHTMAN