Sold to an interstate investor in March of last year, the cottages will be demolished before the five-storey apartment building rises from the site.

A product of the city’s industrial waterfront history – the run-down cottages have been a source of controversy in the past 20 years.

Damage from a fire in 1992 rendered the property irreparable, and since then it has been left to decay. 

In 1998 the cottages were heritage-listed, preventing the previous owner, Michael Newton, from demolishing the building to make way for a proposed car park.

The development of medium-density living at the cottage site will feature two and three bedroom apartments – and a retail space.

The Development Application will be advertised through the City of Launceston from Wednesday.

S.Group associate architect Jono Buist said the brief was to remember and acknowledge the site’s history and relation to Launceston.

In a nod to the past – materials of the cottage will be used in the development of the new apartment building.

“​It was decided we would try and retain the walls and where that’s not going to be possible we’ll salvage the bricks and reinstate them in a similar way,” Mr Buist said.

“While it’s a contemporary facade we’ve shown the form of the cottages in that contemporary facade.

“There’s a reference to the heritage.”

A rooftop garden with views over the city, up the river and across to City Park is likely to lure potential buyers.

Mr Buist has been working on the project for almost one year.

He said the scale of the building – at only five storeys high – meant it would fit in well with the area.

“I think it fits so nicely with what’s happening with Launceston at the moment,” he said.

The development of the neglected cottage site comes as the University of Tasmania progresses its own plan for the precinct.