Developer Tony Bush said the project was expected to cost about $5 million.

He hoped the apartments would be ready to lease by January. 

“Inner city living is a new concept for Launceston. There are not many residential apartments in the city,” Mr Bush said. 

The building is currently occupied by several businesses, including IT and financial companies on the lower levels, which would remain as commercial office tenancies. 

Launceston’s Chamber of Commerce chief executive Neil Gross said the development was what Launceston needed. 

“That is precisely the sort of development the chamber have been talking about,” Mr Grose said.

“Anything that brings more people to live in Launceston, particularly working people, we will welcome.”

Commercial Project Delivery’s planning and development consultant Chloe Lyne said the proposal was an “appropriate adaptive reuse of an existing building” in the development application, lodged with the City of Launceston council. 

“The proposed adaptive reuse of the existing building furthers many of the council’s strategic directions around promoting inner city living, particularly above ground floor,” Ms Lyne said. 

Between 1964 and 1980, the site had a licence for storage of fuel, chemicals and drum bottles, but the contamination risk is being investigated.

“The site is listed on council’s list of potentially contaminated sites, however the application … has concluded that there are grounds to suggest that historical contamination has not occurred,” Ms Lyne said. 

The apartments would be one and two bedrooms, and targeted towards tertiary students and professionals. 

Fifteen apartments are planned to have a mezzanine level, which will house the apartment’s bedrooms and bathrooms, the rest would be single-level.