Green light for apartments

HOBART City Council have approved a North Hobart development despite a shortfall in parking spaces worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The developers of the North Hobart apartment are building an additional eight dwellings on top of the project, putting it 13 car parks short of council requirements.

Councillor Helen Burnett suggested charging the developer the $390,000 needed to build the 13 spaces elsewhere, but was met with fierce opposition.

Alderman Marti Zucco, in an angry media release fired off mid-council-meeting, said it was a last-minute attempt to “sabotage” a much-needed development in North Hobart.

“These are appalling tactics to impose a last minute $400K impost could be considered discriminatory on this developer,” Mr Zucco said.

Alderman Bill Harvey said council should rethink its rules around minimum parking space requirements, saying they should be transitioning to alternative forms of transportation.

“Council has a desire to get people out of their cars to be more involved in active transport. I know there’s always a pushback against that, but it’s a trend occurring all over the world,” he said.

“Furthermore Hobart needs much-needed housing developments and any impost as such will only increase the cost of apartments and housing which is already at its peak.”

Alderman Mike Dutta was the only councillor who opposed the development expansion, since it did not meet council’s minimum parking requirements.

“I hear in this council constantly that we should listen to the experts, and here the experts who have made their recommendation to us that under clause 661, it does not fulfil the provisions,” Mr Dutta said.

“We have so clearly in the recent weeks and months had the problem of parking so loudly and clearly communicated to us.”

Alderman Simon Behrakis said it was unfair to expect the developer to cough up last minute, especially given the shortage of housing in North Hobart.

“I don’t think it’s something we should be dumping on people at the last minute. It’s not a small amount of money,” he said.

“This is a council that time and again talks about the fact we have serious housing issues in our city, and we’re putting on an almost $400,000 additional fee.”

The development extension was approved by all councillors except for Mr Dutta.