Boom towns in the making? Nearly 200 homes in the works across Launceston

The largest of the plans is at 11-45 Abels Hill Road, St Leonards, and was put forward by planning firm 6ty.

Under the proposal 11-45 Abels Hill Road and two neighbouring properties will be subdivided into 74 smaller residential blocks.

These are in addition to a 16-lot subdivision approved at the site by City of Launceston councillors in 2022, and will cover the remainder of the nine-hectare lot.

The proposal complements the previous development, with access to the new sites afforded through the previously-approved residential subdivision.

There are also provisions in the plans to further extend the housing onto nearby vacant lots, however the land in question is currently zoned for agricultural use.

Further up the road, JAC Group has plans to slice part of 169 St Leonards Road into 53 residential lots, with the balance of the lot remaining as agricultural land.

The new homes will be built on the better part of 7.91 hectares, and much like its neighbour is intended to be one part of a larger development project.

Rounding out the trio, and bringing the total to 176, is a proposal to build 49 new homes at 204 George Town Road, Newnham.

This project - put forward by affordable housing provider Centacare Evolve Housing - is at a more advanced stage than the two at St Leonards.

The plans before the council for the actual construction of the units, a mixture of single and multi-bedroom buildings, rather than just subdividing lots.

The site is bordered by residential properties, the Bell Bay rail line and an industrial site currently used as a depot for a construction contractor.

Land availability remains a pressing issue in Launceston.

The state treasury and local council have each released forecasts suggesting Launceston's population will grow by less than one per cent annually in the coming years.

Despite this, Launceston also suffers from a lack of development-ready land - a 2023 study found the city only had enough land available for the equivalent of 1400 single dwellings, but would require 3450 by 2036.

The study also found the bulk of new housing supply will have to be built on greenfield - that is previously undeveloped - sites, rather than infill sites.