The Hobart City Council has approved a significant CBD development that will see the former Conservatorium of Music site on Sandy Bay Road transformed into serviced apartments and townhouses.
The Planning Authority Committee gave the go-ahead for the project at 5-7 and 1-3 Sandy Bay Road, along with 2A Heathfield Avenue, approving demolition, alterations and new construction works.
Council planning officers had earlier recommended the application be refused because it would involve the demolition of the building at Healthfield Avenue that is of “historic cultural heritage significance”.
The Planning Authority Committee tonight deemed the demolition would “not significantly impact the historic cultural heritage of the Hampden Road Heritage Precinct” and allowed the project to proceed under performance criteria.
The development, led by Singapore-based Fragrance Group, will include a six-storey building known as “Block A” featuring 75 serviced apartments with a total of 102 bedrooms and a ground-floor cafe.
A second building, “Block B”, will house 12 townhouses, with 10 three-bedroom and two two-bedroom units.
As part of the development approval, the use of the property has been changed to allow for Food Services and Visitor Accommodation.
The project includes the demolition of parts of the former Conservatorium of Music building, a brick warehouse on Wilmot Street and a dwelling on Heathfield Avenue.
Approval was also formally granted for the demolition of the red steel microwave transmission tower, which was removed by the developers in late 2024.
Car parking has been incorporated into the plans, with 23 spaces allocated for the apartments and cafe, while the townhouses will have 25 basement parking spaces.
The construction will utilise various materials and include vegetative planting throughout the site.
A large mural from 1960 on the front of the building, made from 150,000 glass tiles, will be retained.
The mural, created by George Davis – the late father of Tasmanian actor Essie Davis, had been permanently heritage listed.
The existing building is the former Tasmanian home of ABC TV in Tasmania, before it was bought by the University of Tasmania to become the Conservatorium of Music.
Fragrance Group purchased the building from the University in 2017.
