The University of Tasmania's proposed $5 million car park at Invermay will demolish a shed with state heritage significance and is likely to attract an additional 4272 vehicles to the area a day.
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A development application has been lodged by UTAS with the City of Launceston council to build the car park at the northern end of the 2 Invermay Road site, off Forster Street.
The car park will have more than 850 spaces for the public and UTAS students/staff as part of the university's $360 million relocation plans.
A traffic impact assessment found the car park met traffic requirements despite likely attracting an additional 4272 vehicles per day. This included 602 vehicles per hour during the morning rush hour and 475 vehicles per hour during the afternoon rush hour.
The assessment also looked at the impacts of the additional traffic on the intersection on Forster Street and Invermay Road. It found the impact was acceptable.
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The two access point to the site, off Forster Street, will be upgraded as part of the development to incorporate turning lanes into the car park to reduce the impact on traffic.
At the council's March 19 meeting, it voted in favour to lease the land to UTAS for a period of 20 years with an option to extend. However, the public had to be notified and allowed to comment before it could go ahead.
On June 25, the council found leasing the land to UTAS for the car park was not contrary to public interest, despite four objections from the public. A signed lease is subject to the DA being approved.
In order for UTAS to lodge the DA the council had to give consent and consent was given on June 5 before the DA was lodged on July 11.
A historical archeological assessment gave four recommendations for the development:
- Conservation of heritage sites: Railway turntable, roundhouse remains and relocated locomotive shed
- The alignments of the Scottsdale-Launceston line and the alignment leading to the roundhouse have 'some' heritage value
- Relocated locomotive shed can be retained or relocated elsewhere on the Invermay site
- The area was considered to have a low potential in containing significant archaeological features or deposits
The locomotive shed was found to have state heritage significance but will be demolished to build the car park and relocated again on site.
In other news:
As part of the works the RV dump point will be removed and the roundhouse pavilion will be removed too. Rotten sleepers and worn rail will be replaced on the rail line to the turntable.
The university is also considering installing electric vehicle charging stations at the site but has promised they would not effect the number of car parks.
The DA is available for public comment until July 27 on the council's website.
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Isobel Cootes
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
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