The Hobart City Council voted to refuse the kunanyi/Mt Wellington cable car proposal on 27 July 2021. The proponent commenced an appeal of that decision on 11 August 2021 (to the recently renamed Planning and Resource Management Stream of the Tasmanian Civil and Administrative Tribunal). A total of ten parties including the TCT have joined the appeal (nine of whom oppose the proposal). As was expected, the proponent made a proposal to the tribunal to amend the development. We believe the amendment includes very significant changes.
Nevertheless, the tribunal decided on 24 December 2021 that the proposed changes were acceptable and therefore the appeal would continue and address this version of the proposal. A significant concession to parties opposed to the proposal is that the proponent will be required to submit to the tribunal and all parties revised assessment reports (on a date yet to be decided) taking into account the changes to the development. The Tribunal has set down the hearing dates for 22 August to 9 September 2022.
Peter McGlone
The long-delayed Arm End golf course and associated recycled water pipeline has not moved closer to any actual construction even with the announcement of a federal government grant of $5 million. There are now three connected projects – golf course, pipeline and a water treatment plant – and one proponent under different names. The golf course proposed for Arm End reserve was approved in 2016 and the pipeline in 2019, both by the Clarence City Council. Neither has commenced.
On 9 September 2021 the Minister for the Parks and Wildlife Service, Jacquie Petrusma, issued a media release regarding the ‘reform’ of ‘the Reserve Activity Assessment (RAA) system’. This came just prior to the 16 September 2021 announcement by the Minister for Primary Industries, Guy Barnett, of the state government’s intention to create a new ten-year salmon plan (see article ‘A New Ten Year Salmon Plan’).
Although the original plans to build the controversial Gorge Hotel were rejected by the Resource Management and Planning Appeals Tribunal in late 2019, the developer, Josef Chromy’s JAC Group, submitted an amendment in mid-2021 to Launceston City Council’s Interim Planning Scheme that saw the project back on the drawing board. The Draft Amendment 66 was to allow a Specific Area Plan (SAP) for the Paterson Street site. Approval would enable construction of the nine-storey, 145-room proposal to proceed.
In the lead-up to the 2014 state election the Liberal party had a policy to: ‘Immediately after the election ... commence drafting state policies to provide the necessary guidance to councils on how to implement the single statewide planning scheme and plan for Tasmania’s future land use needs.’ The election policy made it clear the policies were to focus on economic development but it offered some hope that development of the proposed statewide planning scheme would be based on new or revised polices.
It appears that the government has done everything it can to hide the proposed changes to the planning appeals tribunal. The only document released in the consultation process was a 121 page Draft Bill. No explanatory document to make it clear what the legislation was aiming to achieve. Most people who were aware of the Draft Bill would not have read it and few who did would have understood it. The government did not previously flag these changes with the community. Cynically the government released this draft bill on the 21 December 2021 when most people were on leave or distracted by Christmas.
This level of deceit, with a piece of legislation, with such a high level of public interest, is just about unprecedented in modern Tasmanian political history.
The Major Projects Bill (MPB) gives developers a special process and cuts the community out by removing appeal rights and limiting our input to development assessments. The MPB removes fairness and balance from the planning system and seriously weakens our democracy. The MPB sets up a special pathway similar to those gifted to mining, forestry and industrial fish farms.
The East Coast Alliance (ECA) was formed by a small group of community volunteers concerned about the potential impacts of the Cambria Green Specific Area Plan and Masterplan. The ECA is not opposed to, and supports, appropriate, reasonable, and sustainable development. The ECA is now more than ever focused on presenting a strong case against the Cambria Green Draft Amendment and proposed development.
The State Government’s changes to planning legislation have sown the seeds for overdevelopment in Tasmania’s iconic cities, coastal hideaways, heritage towns and wilderness areas, whilst creating opaque processes that empower the Planning Minister and strip the community’s rights. They have plans for more draconian changes.
First, let me apologise for the long period since the last newsletter. We have had a few changes here at the TCT, most significant being the departure last December of long serving TCT officer manager Trish McKeown. Those who knew Trish would know she didn’t want a great fuss being made about her, but I do feel it necessary to say thank you to her publically on behalf of all TCT members, councillors and staff, past and present.
