A call to arms has been issued to Launceston residents concerned about high-rise developments, with planning guru Sophie Underwood suggesting a group be formed to galvanise the community.
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Global Premium Hotels bought the Clarion Hotel site in November 2016 for $7.2 million.
Singaporean company Fragrance Group, of which GBH is a subsidiary, is understood to have plans to build a 25-storey hotel across from City Park on Tamar Street.
The development could reach 70 metres in height, which would be considered too high under the City of Launceston’s Interim Planning Scheme.
The scheme states that a new building in the CBD must not exceed 14.5 metres in height, equating to one metre higher than the nearby building height average.
But the council may choose to make an amendment to the planning scheme.
Ms Underwood, coordinator of Planning Matters Alliance Tasmania, said that, without a community group to spearhead the anti-high-rise cause, the issue would end up being “no-one’s responsibility”.
“If I was in Launceston, I would be forming a group of people and getting ready and informing ourselves but also starting to have discussions with local council,” she said.
“In my view, if you don’t have a group that’s … spearheading that, then it’s no-one’s responsibility.”
City of Launceston general manager Michael Stretton said a development application from Fragrance Group had not yet been lodged with the council.
“We're aware of many different proposals for Launceston, some of which are advanced, and others which are only just on the drawing board,” Mr Stretton said.
On Friday, Planning Minister Peter Gutwein announced that the state government planned to strengthen ‘call-in’ laws for major projects, which would prevent high-rises from being considered as major projects.
This would mean decisions around such developments would be made at council’s discretion.
