About 1,600 property owners in greater Kingborough face uncertainty over their land-use rights as the council pushes ahead with zoning changes under Tasmania’s new statewide planning scheme.
The proposed shift from Environmental Living to Landscape Conservation Zone has sparked strong pushback from residents, who say they weren’t properly consulted about rules that could restrict how they use their land.
Under the changes, locals claim building things like sheds, granny flats or even vegetable enclosures would no longer be automatically permitted but instead need discretionary council approval.
Property consultant Alison Rogers said the uncertainty was already denting property values and mortgage approvals across the region.
She pointed to a recent case where a $750,000 offer fell through after a bank refused to lend on land tied up in discretionary zoning.
Insurance companies are also becoming wary, with some only offering cash settlements to rebuild in other municipalities.
Rogers warned that residents could also face dramatically higher costs for development applications.
One town planner estimated that building a three-bedroom home on a five-acre semi-rural block could cost $163,000 in fees and reports before construction even started.
Even simple projects are being delayed, with one shed application on a nine-acre property held up for more than a year.
Some blocks may end up unbuildable altogether under the new scheme.
“There’s no certainty around what someone can or can’t do until they’ve actually gone through the planning process, which for a lot of people that have been through that process in Kingborough can be lengthy,” Rogers told the ABC.
“It’s not something that you can make a decision on quickly.”
Residents have also criticised the council for apparently failing to directly notify landowners about the rezoning.
Many only found out through social media rather than official channels, while others said their land had been rezoned multiple times without proper notice.
Acting Mayor Clare Glade-Wright defended the council’s approach and insisted residents could still undertake most development activities under the new zoning rules.
“Development is … still allowed under Landscape Conservation Zone. So the name of the zone has not been helpful here,” she told ABC Radio.
“My understanding is that when people ring up council and they say, ‘What is going on? I’m hearing all this noise, all these alarming things in the community’, … [most] are getting feedback … that they can still do what they’re wanting to do with their land.”
“And they’re actually getting off the phone call going, ‘Oh, that’s not as concerning as it was kind of made out to sound’.”
The final call now rests with the Tasmanian Planning Commission, which is holding hearings through December. A decision is expected by April or May 2026.
Most affected residents are pushing for reclassification to Rural Living Zone, which would protect their development rights without the extra layer of discretionary approval.
