An agenda item has been put before the council by Claire Fawdry, senior town planner policy and projects, recommending the council considers the Relbia Feasability Study Report for public consultation.

"Relbia is a strategically important location for the City of Launceston," Ms Fawdry said.

"It is within close proximity to the city centre and the airport, the nearby activity centres of Youngtown and Kings Meadows and the future Waverley/St Leonards growth corridor.

"In some respects, Relbia is in an ideal location to enable the city to consolidate its urban growth areas."

IN OTHER NEWS:

The GLP recommended that the City of Launceston undertake a comprehensive and strategic review of Relbia to investigate opportunities for restructure to facilitate a diversified residential area.

The report was put together in conjunction with Mesh Liveable Urban Communities to provide the council with information and analysis on which to base future decision making on potential rezoning, sequencing, and cost associated with infrastructure planning and delivery.

As part of the report's development, community workshops were held with Relbia residents to ascertain what they enjoyed about living there and what they wanted to see as change for the future.

"The common themes were that residents appreciated things such as the rural setting; the nature, wildlife and scenic character; larger lots and privacy; and the proximity to non-residential land uses," Ms Fawdry said.

"It became apparent that the majority of residents were not supportive of broadscale residential subdivision, yet there was an appreciation that Relbia had the potential to accommodate some level of growth."

The key finding of the report was that Relbia did not contain the necessary pre-conditions to support redevelopment for urban purposes, and that

"the 'cost' of supporting rezoning of land to allow significantly increased subdivision would be a combination of negative impact on the character, quality and composition of Relbia, and inability to deliver new or upgraded transport and other infrastructure to service the potential growth in a cost effective and coordinated way."

The report also found that notwithstanding the general finding, Relbia has the potential to accommodate a limited change scenario in accordance with some of the GLP's objectives, so that "the point of difference Relbia offers is maintained and enhanced into the future."

After considering three different scenarios, the report recommended a limited change scenario, offering a balance between allowing subdivision potential while not threatening the character of Relbia or triggering the need for funding additional services.

The council will vote on the report at a meeting on Thursday.

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