Launceston city block revamped, mental health centre due mid-year

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Initial designs for the facility at 62-64 Canning Street were submitted to the City of Launceston council late last year and were prepared for site owners Pharos Properties.

The plans outline a multi-site development that stretches from the Canning Street plot through the city block to the 78-96 Wellington Street.

The Wellington Street site was previously home to vacuum and cleaning specialist Godfreys Launceston, but that building was demolished to make way for the development when construction began late last year.

It should be noted that the Mood Food petrol station will not be affected by the block's development.

Pride of place in the new development will be a purpose-built adult mental health facility, which will eventually house Launceston's newest mental health services provider Head to Health.

The Head to Health centre opened its doors earlier this year at an interim site on Paterson Street and is expected to expand its services once the operation moves into its permanent Canning Street location.

The centre, operated by service provider Stride and funded by the federal government, provides free mental health services for people who need immediate support.

A planning report from JMG Engineers & Planners noted that the facility will operate 24 hours a day for telehealth consultation and from 10am to 10pm for in-person services.

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Soil was first turned on the Canning Street site in December last year by Bass Liberal MLC Bridget Archer, Stride's Nicci Dickson and Mark Broxton from Primary Health Tasmania.

Around the same time construction on Canning Street was getting underway, Pharos Properties was securing another sizable plot of land nearby.

The private company made Launceston history that same month after its $4 million purchase of a Brisbane Street plot where J.A. Dunn Funeral Directors currently operates.

At the time of purchase, the site had previously been owned by the Dunn family for more than a century. When asked about future plans for the site, a spokesperson for funeral services multinational Invocare - which purchased the J A Dunn funeral business in 2018 - said the company fully intends to continue to support the Launceston community.

"Nothing has changed for our business except that we now have a different landlord. We have a new long-term lease with the new landlord which is normal with any transfer of tenancy ownership," they added.

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