Residents have lodged 20 objections to a proposed 34-home development in Hobart’s northern suburbs, raising concerns about asbestos contamination, traffic congestion and the loss of native wildlife and informal walking paths.
The Glenorchy City Council will decide the Austins Ferry proposal at a planning meeting today, with council planners recommending approval subject to conditions.
SJM Property Developments plans to build mostly two-storey homes on a 1.3-hectare vacant block at Lot 1 Amaroo Road.
One of the most serious concerns raised by residents is asbestos-containing material discovered on the site, believed to be linked to a former building.
Council environmental health officers confirmed the contamination after it was flagged by locals.
Planners have recommended a full environmental site assessment before work begins, including asbestos removal and monitoring during construction.
Objectors also warned the development would place extra traffic on local streets and questioned whether the sewerage network could handle the additional demand, citing existing issues.
Council planners said TasWater had confirmed there was sufficient capacity.
Some residents argued the proposal amounted to overdevelopment and was out of character with the surrounding neighbourhood.
Planning officers said the site could accommodate up to 40 dwellings under current density rules and noted the zoning “encourages a range of dwelling types”.
Privacy and overshadowing were also raised, with residents arguing two-storey homes close to property boundaries would overlook neighbouring yards.
Other objections cited construction noise, limited communal green space, insufficient car parking, potential harm to native wildlife and the loss of informal walking access to the grounds of St Virgil’s College.
Planners noted the land was privately owned and had no formal public access arrangement.
Some submissions also questioned the absence of a bushfire evacuation plan and sought clarity on whether the homes would be privately owned, social housing or rentals.
Planners said neither requirement applied under the planning scheme.
The planning authority is recommended to approve the development with conditions.
