Numerous developments featuring dozens of storeys that would have added hundreds of homes, hotel rooms and office spaces to Hobart have been both rejected and approved in recent years.
The decision made by some City of Hobart councillors last week to refuse a proposed five-storey development for homeless women, despite council staff recommending it be given the green light, has prompted a look back at some of the “major planning applications” handled by the council since June 2019.
Following the rejection, Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said the move was the council’s first for a social housing property that she was aware of and added that “98% of all developments” get the tick of approval.
The City of Hobart classes projects that exceed 2000m2 in floor area or those that are more than three-storeys high in key areas, alongside others deemed particularly interesting and council projects worth more than $1 million, as “major”.
Davey Street apartment block declined
Monday, 1 July 2019: Planning committee councillors Helen Burnet, Jeff Briscoe and Bill Harvey vote against a 13-storey building complete with 52 apartments at 58 Harrington Street on the advice of council planners. Tanya Denison and Simon Behrakis vote in favour of the build. The developers later appealed the decision and lost.
Hotel approved at 179 Macquarie Street
Monday, 12 August 2019: Helen Burnet, Jeff Briscoe, Tanya Denison, Bill Harvey and Simon Behrakis approved a new hotel at 179 Macquarie Street on advice from council staff. The project is scheduled for completion in the middle of 2024.
29 apartments at 431 Elizabeth Street approved and built
Monday, 9 December 2019: Helen Burnet voted against a proposal for 29 apartments and commercial space at 431 Elizabeth Street. Jeff Briscoe, Tanya Denison, Bill Harvey and Simon Behrakis approved the build.
Green light for apartment block at 179-191 Murray Street
Monday, 17 February 2020: Helen Burnet, Jeff Briscoe, Bill Harvey, Simon Behrakis and Mike Dutta approved the proposal to demolish the RACT driver training building at 179-191 Murray Street and construct a new building containing 68 apartment, a large commercial and retail space and parking for 126 cars.
Six-storey Liverpool Street build approved
Monday, 15 June 2020: Helen Burnet, Jeff Briscoe, Bill Harvey, Simon Behrakis, Mike Dutta and Will Coats supported plans to demolish a motor repair workshop and construct a new building containing 25 apartment-style dwellings with one to four bedrooms across six-storeys, with parking for up to 35 vehicles at 283-287 Liverpool Street. Construction is yet to begin.
Private New Town Hospital project refused, then approved, then cancelled
Monday, 17 August 2020: A private hospital on New Town Road was initially blocked by Helen Burnet, Jeff Briscoe, Bill Harvey, Mike Dutta and Will Coats due to concerns about building height, streetscape impact and residential amenity at the recommendation of council staff. Simon Behrakis voted in support. A revised proposal was later approved in March 2021, but was never built due to cost blowouts.
Complex with 45 apartments at 5-7 Sandy Bay Road approved
Monday, 31 August 2020: An amended proposal to demolish the ‘Conservatory of Music’ building and steel tower at 5-7 Sandy Bay Road and construct two apartment buildings with a total of 45 apartments, communal spaces and a cafe was approved by Jeff Briscoe, Bill Harvey, Simon Behrakis and Will Coats. Mike Dutta and Helen Burnet voted against it.
Macquarie Street apartments and childcare centre refused over privacy concerns
Monday, 12 October 2020: The redevelopment of a vacant site at 202-206 Macquarie Street for a new mixed-use building with 40 apartments, a first-floor childcare centre and two ground-floor commercial tenancies, reaching a height of 30 metres, was refused due to privacy concerns from neighbours, including a school. Despite council officers recommending approval, Anna Reynolds, Helen Burnet, Jeff Briscoe, Damon Thomas, Bill Harvey, Mike Dutta, Jax Fox and Zelinda Sherlock voted against it. Marti Zucco, Peter Sexton, Simon Behrakis and Will Coats supported the build. 2024 council data shows the application has since been approved.
Student accommodation on Davey Street refused for being ‘too tall’
Monday, 9 November 2020: The demolition of a building and construction of a new one with 30 apartments and 21 student accommodation units at 63 Davey Street and 186 Macquarie Street was referred to the full council due to height, heritage and dominance concerns. It was deferred and ultimately refused by Anna Reynolds, Helen Burnet, Jeff Briscoe, Damon Thomas, Bill Harvey, Mike Dutta, Jax Fox and Zelinda Sherlock. Only Marti Zucco, Simon Behrakis and Will Coats supported it.
Burnett Street, North Hobart apartments and shops approved
Monday, 16 November 2020: Helen Burnet, Jeff Briscoe, Bill Harvey, Mike Dutta and Will Coats approved a new building with 31 apartment and general retail and hire at 40 and 42-44 Burnett Street, North Hobart. The application proposed the demolition of existing buildings and the construction of a new mixed-use building with five floors, two basement levels, a roof and rooftop plant, with a maximum height of 16.9 metres.
Murray Street apartments approved
Monday, 30 November 2020: Helen Burnet, Jeff Briscoe, Bill Harvey and Mike Dutta approved the partial demolition and construction of a new building for seven apartments and food services at 130 Murray Street. The seven-floor building would include car parking and residential properties. The site remains untouched.
125 Bathurst Street hotel approved
Monday, 19 April 2021: A 10-storey, 68-room hotel with a café, restaurant and bars at 125 Bathurst Street was approved by Helen Burnet, Jeff Briscoe, Bill Harvey, Mike Dutta and Anna Reynolds. The site was reportedly listed for sale several months later and construction never began.
20 apartments given go ahead on Argyle Street
Monday, 21 June 2021: A six-storey building with a total of 20 apartments at 98 Argyle Street and a maximum height of approximately 19.6 metres was approved by Marti Zucco, Jeff Briscoe, Peter Sexton, Damon Thomas, Bill Harvey, Simon Behrakis, Jax Fox, Zelinda Sherlock and Will Coats. Mike Dutta and Helen Burnet did not support the project.
14-storey Collins Street hotel initially declined, taken to tribunal
Monday, 28 June 2021: An ‘art deco’ style 14-storey hotel at 79 Collins Street with a bar, restaurant and 175 hotel rooms was refused due to heritage, height and dominance concerns. Helen Burnet, Bill Harvey and Mike Dutta supported the staff’s recommendation for refusal. Jeff Briscoe, Simon Behrakis and Will Coats voted for the project. Council data indicates the development was later approved after an appeal in the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
kunanyi/Mount Wellington cable car
Tuesday, 27 July 2021: A cable car project up kunanyi/Mount Wellington with three towers, a three-storey base station and a four-level summit building was refused by the City of Hobart. The project received 16,589 representations. Premier Jeremy Rockliff has previously indicated his support for reviving the plan.
Waterfront hotel with 176 rooms refused by council, approved after appeal
Monday, 2 August 2021: A new 13-floor hotel with 176 rooms, conference facilities, a restaurant, retail space, a pool, a gym and car parking was refused by Helen Burnet, Jeff Briscoe, Bill Harvey, Mike Dutta and Will Coats due to multiple issues related to pedestrian safety, overall appearance and the surrounding area. Only Simon Behrakis supported the project. It was later put to the full council where Anna Reynolds, Peter Sexton, Damon Thomas, Jax Fox and Zelinda Sherlock also refused it. Marti Zucco was in support. A tribunal later ruled a subsequent design appropriate and approved the project.
Campbell Street units for at risk youth approved
Monday, 13 December 2021: A five-storey building with 26 units for at-risk youth at 87-91 Campbell Street was approved by Simon Behrakis, Jeff Briscoe, Bill Harvey, Mike Dutta and Will Coats. Council officers recommended approval. The development was recently completed.
Five-storey crisis and mental health accommodation given green light
Monday, 13 December 2021: A five-storey building at 225 Harrington Street with 16 car parking spaces and 50 units for transitional, crisis and mental health accommodation, with a maximum height of approximately 19.73 metres, was approved by Simon Behrakis, Jeff Briscoe, Bill Harvey, Mike Dutta and Will Coats.
UTAS gets go ahead for CBD upgrades
Tuesday, 26 April 2022: University of Tasmania upgrades to existing buildings at 83 Melville Street and 80 Brisbane Street for educational use were approved by Helen Burnet, Mike Dutta, Bill Harvey and Simon Behrakis. Jeff Briscoe voted against the project due to concerns about UTAS’s move to the city. A later council meeting also backed the build, with Anna Reynolds, Marti Zucco, Peter Sexton, Damon Thomas and Jax Fox voting in support.
Eight-storey Battery Point building good to go after several changes
Monday, 25 July 2022: An eight-storey Battery Point development with 26 apartments and food services at 1 Knopwood Street was refused by Helen Burnet, Bill Harvey and Mike Dutta. Jeff Briscoe and Simon Behrakis supported the project, which would have included a lap pool, yoga studio, gym, multiple penthouses and a two-level car park with 48 spaces. The project was later moved to the full council where a motion was passed to defer the project at the request of the applicant before being approved in 2023.
11-storey Bathurst Street building not assessed
October 2022: An 11-storey building with basement parking and an office tenancy over nine floor levels at 118-124 Bathurst Street was withdrawn before it could be assessed. The building would have fronted both Watchorn and Bathurst Streets and included a covered walkway down to In the Hanging Garden.
Approval of Campbell Street development delayed
Wednesday, 15 February 2023: A development from 175 to 179 Campbell Street that with 31 apartments across a maximum of six-storeys with a basement car park and commercial tenancies was deferred on 19 September 2022, 14 December 2022 and then refused on 15 February 2023 on advice from council staff. Helen Burnet, Bill Harvey, Mike Dutta, Ryan Posselt and Ben Lohberger voted against the project, while Simon Behrakis, Louise Elliot, Marti Zucco and Louise Bloomfield supported it. Changes meant a later design was approved and the site was listed for sale.
Five-storey Macquarie Street office extension refused
Wednesday, 22 November 2023: A five-storey extension to an existing building at 199 Macquarie Street was refused by Ryan Posselt, Helen Burnet, Marti Zucco, Bill Harvey, Mike Dutta, John Kelly, Louise Elliot and Ben Lohberger due to failure to allow for a transition in height between the proposed works and adjoining buildings.
Five new units approved in Battery Point
Wednesday, 20 December 2023: A Battery Point development with five new units across six levels and a basement car park at 23 and 25 Kirksway Place was approved by Helen Burnet, Marti Zucco, Bill Harvey, John Kelly, Louise Elliot, Ryan Posselt and Ben Lohberger with support from council staff. Anna Reynolds and Louise Bloomfield voted against the units.
Former Macquarie Street car showroom to become 56 apartments
Wednesday, 10 April 2024: Plans to demolish a former car showroom to build commercial space at ground level and 56 apartments above, with 61 car parking spaces in a six-storey building, were approved by Mike Dutta, Anna Reynolds, Marti Zucco, Bill Harvey, Zelinda Sherlock, John Kelly, Louise Elliot, Louise Bloomfield, Ryan Posselt and Ben Lohberger.
Apartment block for women experiencing homelessness refused
Wednesday, 8 May 2024: A five-storey apartment building with 38 studio units for homeless women was blocked over height and parking concerns by Marti Zucco, John Kelly, Louise Elliot, Louise Bloomfield and Ben Lohberger. Zelinda Sherlock, Anna Reynolds, Gemma Kitsos and Bill Harvey supported the development, which was recommended for approval by council staff.
Note to readers: Story updated on May 15 to include ‘Davey Street apartment block declined’.
