Plans for the eight-storey, 28.5-metre-tall building on Cimitiere Street include a cafe and a large open space on the ground floor for events, meetings or artistic displays, with the rest of the space comprising offices.

READ MORE: Ravenswood residents growing frustrated at trail bike riders

The Cimitiere Street proposal arrives not long after several notable large-scale projects that were hoping to transform parts of Launceston - such as the much-debated Gorge Hotel application and the embattled Fragrance Group development.

But with new development comes fears of overdevelopment, and president of the Heritage Society of Tasmania, Lionel Morrell, believes a project of the size proposed by St.Lukes isn't necessary. "It's simply too high," he said.

Mr Lionel also raised concerns about the appropriateness of a glass-and-timber structure in the industrial setting of Cimitiere Street, despite St.Lukes stating the design is in line with the area's aesthetic and heritage.

READ MORE: Third day of search for missing boat resumes

HST, along with local action group Heritage Not High-rise have gained attention in recent years by formally opposing contentious applications, such as the aforementioned Gorge and Fragrance proposals, as well as the Boland Street Hotel, which was approved by the council back in June.

Spokesman for the Launceston chapter of Heritage Not High-rise Jim Collier has yet to take a position on the recent St.Lukes application but has raised broader concerns about what he calls "an acceleration in the proliferation of high-rise development in historic low-rise Launceston".

READ MORE: Line-up for Party In The Apocalypse announced

According to City of Launceston Mayor Albert van Zetten, however, that "proliferation" is actually part of a broader trend throughout the city.

"While larger-scale proposals often result in more headlines and community interest, what we are seeing is an increase in planning projects right across the board, from families building an extension, small businesses looking to upgrade, and some more significant proposals from larger businesses," he said.

And with the council continuing to receive a record-breaking number of applications, the public is likely to continue seeing larger scale proposals come forward, according to Launceston developer Errol Stewart.

"I don't think you're going to see 20-storey buildings in Launceston, but the five- to ten-level builds will come over time," he said.

READ MORE: Surfers, swimmers warned after dead whale washes ashore

But for Mr Morrell, that isn't a future he hopes to see any time soon.

"Launceston is a low-rise city," he said.

"That's its charm - that's its raison d'être."

What do you think? Send us a letter to the editor: