The council will officially state its position by vote on December 17.

Property Council of Australia state executive director Brian Wightman reiterated a call on Tuesday for planning powers on big projects to be taken out of the hands of councils and placed with independent development assessment panels.

Mr Wightman said the eleventh-hour decision made it difficult for investors to have confidence in Tasmania. 

“We don’t want to put at risk the investment that is coming into the state and these sort of decisions that are made without any public consultation are a huge risk to Tasmania’s brand as a great place to invest,” Mr Wightman said. 

“We don’t think that these decisions should actually sit within the Hobart City Council,” he said. 

“Development assessment panels are used right across Australia and it takes the politics out of planning.”

Tasmanian Small Business Council chief executive Robert Mallett accused the council of being determined to “snuff out” Hobart’s economic boom.

“By modifying the recommendations of expensive expert opinions, including council officers, the Lord Mayor has sent a signal to investors and developers, that Hobart City Council can change their mind with a stroke of a pen,” he said.

Hobart Alderman Tanya Denison said she was alarmed the decision was made without information about the potential financial impacts on Hobart and Tasmania. 

“However, this decision may encourage large developments in other Tasmanian cities with less oppressive height restrictions,” she said. 

The City of Launceston surveyed the public on building heights in Launceston based on a report by consultant Paul Davies.

The consultation found that a maximum height limit was desired as was the need to protect heritage values.

There were 117 survey respondents of which:

Most respondents believed future developments should have a maximum height of between 11 to 20 metres.