LAUNCESTON Alderman Ted Sands wants the buildings on the controversial C. H. Smith site removed from the Tasmanian Heritage Register so they can be demolished.
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According to Alderman Sands, the C. .H. Smith buildings and street facade are ``beyond redemption''.
``In my view, the Tasmanian Heritage Council needs to understand and seriously consider the difficulties that would-be developers have encountered to date,'' Alderman Sands said.
``The buildings should be removed from the Tasmanian Heritage Register to enable the proponent to demolish and build a new building on the brownfield site.
``This course of action may cause despair amongst some, but after 24 years the derelict site will not be developed.''
Alderman Sands said the buildings were semi-derelict after years of neglect.
``To retain the facade of the building, any developer would naturally have serious concerns about the strength of the old lime mortar supporting the brickwork,'' Alderman Sands said.
``We, as a council, have an obligation to seek a solution to this sorry affair.''
Alderman Sands will move a motion at the council's Monday meeting for the council to delve into the site's development hold-ups, and meet with its owners, property investment group Brile, and the Tasmanian Heritage Council over the issues.
Brile announced in 2011 that it would build a $30 million three-storey retail complex on the site.
No physical development has progressed since a two-stage demotion in 2012.
The heritage-listed site has been subject to a number of failed proposals for more than two decades.
Tamanian Heritage Council chairman Dianne Snowden said any person could apply for a place to be removed from the Heritage Register.
``For a place to be removed it must no longer meet any of the criteria that support its inclusion in the Heritage Register,'' she said.
``The owner, local council and community are invited to make submissions or objections in respect of any proposed removal.''