Creating a 20-year vision for Central Hobart

Published on 26 October 2021

 The Hobart City Council has taken the first step in developing a 20-year plan to create five individual community precincts within Central Hobart – a concept it now wants to discuss with the community to gain people’s input and feedback.

A detailed outline of the plan is contained in a Council Discussion Paper released today.

It proposes that in addition to the central business district, the opportunity exists to shape and develop four other individual precincts as logical, inner-city communities with their own individual character, style and personality. Within each, there are areas that could support increased medium density residential and mixed-use development – all within a short walk from the heart of the city.

The idea is to encourage, nurture and guide development of the proposed precincts over the next 20 years by taking full advantage of the individual merits of each precinct and by enriching their appeal to residents, visitors, business, investors and developers.

The area included comprises 64 blocks bounded by Davey Street to the south, Burnett Street to the north, the Brooker Highway to the east, and Molle and Harrington Streets to the west.

Hobart Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds said Council was seeking collective community support for, and ownership of the Precincts Plan, which she saw as a long-term vision to enhance Central Hobart as a vibrant, flourishing, sustainable and globally appealing capital city.

“Over the next few months, Council will be talking to a wide range of stakeholders, from homeowners and retailers to developers and investors, to gather their ideas and opinions of the concept. Once that input has been received, distilled and evaluated,

Council will develop a draft Central Hobart Precincts Plan, which will be released for even further community consultation early next year,” Cr Reynolds said.

“The draft Precincts Plan will provide guidance and clarity on preferred design outcomes for different parts of the city and how each area’s heritage, landscape, sustainability, economic growth and liveability can be enhanced.”

Cr Reynolds said an important outcome of the Plan would be to identify opportunities to increase the city’s residential density and encourage high quality, medium-density housing that contributed positively to city life.

“Inner city living that brings people close to work, services, entertainment and leisure is a growing trend across much of the world, breathing new life into many major cities,” she said.

“An analysis of underutilised land within Central Hobart shows the city could comfortably accommodate up to an extra 7,000 residents between now and 2040, taking the population to more than 10,000. Such an increase in population would enable the city to flourish with an anticipated 28 per cent increase in job opportunities.

“The Precincts Plan will also focus on making Central Hobart more liveable through the provision of more open spaces, laneway development and greater connectivity between precincts – the latter being achieved by reducing motor vehicle traffic and enhancing pedestrian and cycle amenity and access.”