Sydney-based developers Traders in Purple has released its master plan for the $450 million Ridgeside Lane development. 

In May this year, the idea to develop the 242-hectare plot of land was announced. The land lot spans from Logan Road to White Hills. 

The developers bought two adjoining lots to make up the area, which chief executive Brett Robinson said would be used to create a “mixed-use development”. 

The proposal was met with hesitation from residents in nearby Evandale. 

Traders in Purple held a number of community consultations, which cost about $100,000, Mr Robinson said. 

“We came to the community consultations with a blank piece of paper and not many people knew why,” Mr Robinson said. 

“Now we’ve got this.” 

There are six different land sizes available for the 600 lots. 

The general residential lots, ranging in size from 450 metres-square to 699 sqm, will be the most popular, with 407 lots available. 

A number of general residential lots with park frontage will also be offered. 

There are seven residential super lots available, with the developers saying multiple dwellings will be constructed with a variety of affordable housing options. 

More than 45 low-density residential lots will be offered. The land will range in size from 1500 sqm to 5500 sqm. Thirty-one rural zone A lots will range in size from about one hectare to 1.5 hectares. 

Rural zone B will have lots about 5.5 hectare to 1.5 hectare lots available. These sites include private access driveways off Logan Road. 

“The smaller lots are designed as downsized lots for people who want to have a rural sort of lifestyle but don’t really want to maintain a farm and that sort of thing," Mr Robinson said.

“And also it’s an affordable option for young families. A big part of this is trying to increase the numbers in the school. We really want to do that and not compete with that.

“On the outskirts you get those much bigger lots called rural lots and there is a very diverse product.”

Traders in Purple principal Charlie Daoud said one of the major concerns raised during the community consultation was access. Mr Daoud said residents did not want new residents to come in via Russel Street and Logan Road. 

“There are beautiful Georgian buildings located close to the road and we don’t want to impact any of those,” he said. 

“We had to find an alternative traffic route and we’ve done that. We’re in the process of finalising that.”

The proposed main access would now be located off White Hills Road. 

“After we put this back to the community, some businesses said well it would be okay if some traffic comes through [Logan Road and Russel Street]. So we have the bigger rural lots, that will front Logan Road. So Logan Road will still be activated as part of the development,” Mr Daoud said. 

The main entry is about keeping the region’s rural feel, with a chamomile and lavender plantation and an olive orchard.

“You see that as you drive in and that will be retained in ownership by ourselves and it will be maintained by us, too. It’s an opportunity also for residents to get involved if they want to.” 

Through the middle of the development will be large open space and landscaping, functioning as the development’s ‘spine’, Mr Daoud said.

“The idea of that is to have a beautiful vista as you drive into the site, but also is also to encourage the streetscape,” he said. 

Access to the houses will also from be behind the road networks. 

“That’s so when you’re out sitting on your balcony and porch you can actually see people walking passed, as opposed to your traditional frontage with a big house and garage and front door,” he said. 

“It’s all about encouraging community.” 

Curves will be a feature of the streetscape, with Mr Daoud saying there were two purposes for this. 

“Firstly, it improves the street space and secondly it’s traffic calming without having to have speed humps or roundabouts,” he said.

Also in the spine is an AFL-sized football ground.

“At the moment, it is forming part of our landscaping and outlook, but we do hope that we can attract games and training,” he said. 

The stadium will also be used to attract guests to the site’s hotel.

Three different accommodation options are proposed. 

The hotel

In addition to the 600 land lots, the proposal includes a 100-room hotel, which already has a commitment from a hotel chain. 

“The idea behind the short stay is that we’re so close to the airport, and it’s doing something a little different outside of Launceston by giving people the opportunity to stay in a rural setting, but within a very comfortable area,” Mr Daoud said. 

The hotel would be at least 4.5 stars, and would have conference and wedding facilities. 

“The maximum conference capacity in the North is about 380, which is the Grand Chancellor and we’ve been told by a number of people that there is always a need for more,” he said. 

A hotel management education facility is also proposed and aims to provide training to about 25 students. 

Health and well-being retreat 

The area would include a central activities hub and an eco-resort that could provide accommodation for up to 40 guests. 

Tranquil gardens with areas for “quiet contemplation” and meditation are also proposed. 

Eco Resort

The eco resort, or ‘glamping’ area, provides space for an extra 20 villas. 

“I want to do the Northern Antarctic-style, where they’ve got the igloo-style glamping and you can actually see the stars or the Aurora Australis,” Mr Daoud said.  

“And given you’re looking the right way and an area where there isn’t much city life, you’re likely to get the benefits of the whole lights.” 

An 80-unit independent aged-care facility is also proposed. A 25-bed specialist aged care facility is also on the cards along with a 20-bed dementia facility. 

“It’s been proven that if you build things a certain way you can actually reduce the progression of dementia,” Mr Daoud said. 

“So this part of the precinct is a European concept of building for people with dementia.” 

A blend of natives and exotic plants will make up the proposed botanic gardens. 

“It’s going to be a place where people can come and walk through. The trees and natives will all be labelled for identification,” Mr Daoud said. 

The surrounding wetlands are also part of the garden plans and urban design, he said. The developers plan to harness rain water. 

“The whole idea is to store the water and reuse it.” 

A neighbourhood demonstration farm and agribusiness will house an organic vegetable garden, livestock paddocks, set around the main building that will include a a plant nursery and farm workshop. 

“It’s really designed for people who haven’t done farming before and have a [bigger land] lot and want make the best use of their land,” Mr Daoud said. 

“But, it’s also a demonstration for tourists as well and we’d love to get some full-time students in there.” 

A sustainability centre, education hub and artisan village will also be located close by.

The facility will have classrooms for sustainable living, backyard growing and small-holder farm courses. Along with the farm courses, culinary arts, and art and craft courses are proposed. 

In the village, a cafe, restaurant and cellar door showcasing local produce is proposed. 

The far north-east of the site will be what Mr Daoud claims is the development’s engine room. 

“That’s really where the batteries will be located, and it’s where we’re hoping to do all the onsite water treatment,” he said. 

The proposal includes being off the grid and treating, and using, waste water on site. 

“There are so many developments with technology now where these sorts of things are very passive and don’t create obnoxious odours, and visually they’re not ugly but aren’t like old power stations,” he said.

A green waste and composting facility is also proposed.

The master plan is yet to be presented to the Northern Midlands Council for any sort of decision. 

However, Traders in Purple hope to lodge a request to the council before Christmas to ask for its regional strategy to be changed. 

“What we have to do is apply to the council and then they will consult the community and ask them to incorporate this into their regional strategy,” Mr Daoud said. 

“After they do that, and hopefully it’s positive and we move forward, they then apply to the Tasmanian Planning Commission to have their regional strategy changed.”

If that gets approved, the developers can then present the master plan to the council for a decision. 

City of Launceston Council and West Tamar Council are already trying to change their regional strategy. Meander Valley Council has already successfully changed its strategy.

“We’re hoping it can be a pretty coordinated approach, because part of changing that regional strategy is presenting to another council and getting their comments to make it happen,” he said. 

The community has been at the forefront of the developer’s minds. 

“A block of land like this could have yielded four, five six thousands lots,” Mr Daoud said. 

“And the built form is probably going to be 1.5 per cent by way of what is actually going to be built.”

The developers are also not proposing anything that Evandale already has, such as a school, post office or supermarket. 

“We’re not proposing a school, or any sort of business that is going to compete with anything existing in Evandale.”