The action was recommended prior to its meeting and on Thursday all eight councillors present voted in favour of the motion.

A SAP is different from a development application which will have to be put to council at a later date. Rather, it provides an amended building framework which would facilitate the construction of the hotel on the site.

During the public session, Susan Kai spoke against the development and raised areas of concern with the application.

"A SAP is supposed to apply to an area to either promote or defend a unique character of that area. The proponent has failed to explain what unique character justifies the SAP," she said.

"They have failed failed to address the importance of clause 15.4.1 in maintaining the streetscape and character of the area.

"And they have failed to explain why the SAP should apply to their site but not the remainder of the mixed used zone."

Speaking in favour of the SAP, councillor Hugh Mckenzie described the hotel as a "great opportunity" for Launceston and a "statement hotel" for the area.

Councillor Alan Harris said the potential development of the hotel would encourage the council's vision of inner-city living going forward.

"I believe this is a time of opportunity for us ... and see a renaissance in this [area] of what we as a city want, where inner-city living will become the norm," he said.

However, the discussion of the hotel was not without contention.

Members of the public levelled unfounded accusations at councillors and JAC regarding the development.

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Later in the discussion, mayor Albert van Zetten labelled the claims put against the council as "very false and wild" and urged any future debates "deal with the facts" of the proposal.

"We need to talk about what the issues are and not start to make assumptions, not to start [making] assertions out there that have no foundations what so ever," he said.

"I fully understand it is emotional for people but when I get emotional, I still need to be considered in what I say and how I say it, that's what we all want to do."

"Let's deal with the facts, let's prove the facts."

Cr Mckenzie took "umbrage" with the "level of vitriol" directed at council by public speakers in the discussion of the proposal.

Councillor Andrea Dawkins described seeing members of the public "accuse you of corruption" as a "pretty difficult job" in her role as a councillor.

"It's a pretty difficult job when you stand here and people can accuse you of corruption, but you have no opportunity to address that other than to perhaps show them your bank account," she said.

The development of the Gorge Hotel has been a longstanding issue for council which initially approved the original proposal for the hotel on June 13, 2019 with a 10-1 vote.

The proposal was later quashed on an appeal due to the lack of similar tall buildings in the surrounding area which would impact the streetscape.

However, the case did not find concerns about overshadowing which had concerned restaurateur Susie Chai and the Launceston Heritage Not Highrise group.

JAC managing director Dean Cocker said that there was no reason for the SAP to not be initiated.

"There is no unreasonable overshadowing and the project is compatible with the broader surrounding area of the city, where there are similar buildings," he said.

The nine storey hotel proposes 145 rooms, a 200-seat bar and restaurant, 500-seat function centre, rooftop cocktail bar, gym, day spa, retail space and parking for up to 175 vehicles.

The development will go on public exhibition for 28 days before the proposal will return to council.

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