Launceston Council meeting headlined by controversial Rocherlea development application

One of the main talking points is a controversial motorcycle facility development application at 329 George Town Road, Rocherlea.

The application is a retrospective DA after the track was built in 2020 without council permission.

Jan Farquhar, on behalf of Kim Burling, has raised concerns to council that no DA was put forward prior to the build in the public questions on notice.

"We are of course concerned that there was no initial planning application by either the builders or the developers," she wrote to Launceston Council chief executive Michael Stretton.

"The developer Meika Frost also did not submit a planning application, and there is a concern that that there is a pattern of disregard for regulations.

"A previous [motorcycle facility] at Swanwick, created by the Frost family does not appear to have submitted a planning application either."

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There are strict usage conditions and no more than four motorbikes are permitted to be utilised at the track at any one time.

Resident John Parry also wrote to council to express his concern over whether Council could accurately monitor these conditions and enforce them.

Council's plan to deal with a potential compliant regarding non-compliance will be to meet with the owner.

The recommendation is for the application to be approved subject to it complying with several planning conditions.

The upcoming Launceston council meeting will mark the beginning of June but it also means the announcement of council budget is drawing closer.

Council undertook a public consultation process ahead of the announcement to discern what residents would like to see in the 2021/22 budget.

This process saw two submissions received from Karen Gardener and resident Brian.

Brian's submission labelled the council's proposed $1.9 million expenditure on car park systems, signage and parking meters as an "insane amount of money".

Council plans to use the money to replace the outdated car park machines with new ones which will take credit cards and improved signage to indicate parking spaces.

Ms Gardener has submitted a request that the council look at updating the Mt Stuart Park to improve its amenity.

The council response indicates the park is not budgeted for renewal until 2025/26 after it was replaced in 2010 and is listed as a 15 year asset.

The budget will be announced at the June 17 council meeting.

Relbia has been subject to some council discussion in the past year as it was considered a potential growth area for the municipality.

The council is undertaking a comprehensive review to see if the area could transitioned from quaint area to a larger residential area.

A feasibility study found that Relbia does not contain the necessary structural and other conditions to support its transition to a fully serviced urban area but the consultation process was carried out and concluded in Februrary.

That process identified that resident's felt the council was carrying out the feasibility study with a "predetermined position that was being pressured by developers" which council has labelled "inaccurate."

Residents also identified concerns for their lifestyle, traffic congestion and the misleading wording of the study.

The feedback from the consultation process will be noted at the meeting as council works towards the release of the final report on Relbia.

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