FAQs
What is...?
consider and analyse land required for additional housing / employment / industry/ shops,
encourage sustainable development outcomes for medium density and infill development,
investigate the provision of open space / recreation areas,
explore management of environmental hazards such as bushfire, flooding and coastal erosion and inundation; and
promote improvements required to the urban design of shopping strips along Sandy Bay Road
identifying opportunities for residential infill and medium density mixed use development and revitalisation of commercial and retail areas;
responding to the risks of climate change including bushfire, riverine flooding, coastal erosion and inundation;
identifying opportunities to improve sustainable transport options;
protecting areas of significant biodiversity value; and
improving the provision and use of public open space and connect the coastal and mountain environment.
Aboriginal heritage report
Historic heritage report
Economic analysis report
providing more diversity in housing choice;
improving affordability;
accommodating smaller households;
supporting people to ‘age in place’ and
allowing residents to live in areas with high amenity, close to transport, employment, green spaces and services.
What is a Neighbourhood Plan?
The Neighbourhood plan is a spatially based land use plan that will:
What is the purpose of this Neighbourhood Plan?
The Neighbourhood Plan will demonstrate how population growth will be accommodated over the 20-year planning horizon to 2042. The Plan does this by:
What can’t a Neighbourhood Plan do?
A Neighbourhood Plan cannot determine the likelihood or timing of land being developed into the future.
The Plan only makes recommendations as to the appropriate planning controls that should be introduced to the planning scheme to achieve desired forms of development, and investment in certain projects (ie. improvements to open spaces and parks).
How were decisions made about what is in the Discussion Paper?
A range of reference documents and background reports (that are listed in the Discussion Paper) helped inform the ideas and directions in the Discussion Paper. The following reports were prepared for the Neighbourhood Plan:
The Discussion Paper has also been informed by four rounds of workshops with members of the community who represent environmental, community, heritage, transport, urban planning, student and other interest areas.
What is medium density development?
In the Tasmanian context, medium density housing is considered to be multiple dwellings on a site that can range from single-storey to up to six storeys in height. Typical typologies include single-storey villa developments, duplexes and co-joined dwellings, terrace housing, townhouses, apartment buildings up to six storeys, shop top housing and mixed-use residential developments with commercial ground floor tenancies.
What are the benefits of medium density development?
Medium density development assists with:
What is infill development?
There are various definitions of infill development. The report Toward Infill Housing Development, State Growth, 2019, defines ‘Infill development as the development of new dwellings in an existing urban area. In the context of this Neighbourhood Plan, infill development is not limited to residential uses and can also include educational, community and aged care uses.
General questions
the outcomes of the Neighbourhood Plan are only given statutory effect when the planning scheme is amended and this process can be extensive and prolonged;
the design and approval process for new development can be lengthy and drawn out, particularly if the development is contentious;
co-ordinating infrastructure upgrades that new development depends on, including roads, water, sewer, power and telecommunications are costly and require long term planning;
the timing of new development is subject to a multitude of variables such as market and investment conditions, the supply of labour and materials and construction costs
provide guidance to developers with regard to urban design principles and directions and certainty about where future development may occur
provide recommendations for innovative changes to the planning scheme including rezoning land, or applying certain planning provisions such as Specific Area Plans;
guide Council on future decision making around key issues that require investment (i.e.. climate change adaptation, public realm improvements)
provide Council with strategic direction regarding its role in advocating for State Government led projects and services (i.e. public transport, road network upgrades) impacting the study area
Why has Mount Nelson and Sandy Bay been identified as requiring a dedicated Neighbourhood Plan?
The City of Hobart is currently developing a Neighbourhood Plan for Mount Nelson and Sandy Bay because parts of this area have been identified in the STRLUS (Southern Tasmanian Regional Land Use Strategy) as being able to accommodate urban densification and in response to population forecasts in the State Government’s Greater Hobart Plan.
Are there other areas that will also have Neighbourhood Plans?
Yes. Neighbourhood Plans are also being prepared for North Hobart and the Inner North East (the Macquarie Point precinct and areas directly surrounding Mac Point).
This is a 20 year plan, why are we doing this work now?
Neighbourhood Plans set the regulatory framework for future development to occur and this process is a long term proposition.
It is necessary to plan 20 years ahead because:
What ‘weight’ will be given to a Neighbourhood Plan in decisions about development?
The Neighbourhood Plan will be given ‘statutory’ weight when its recommendations are implemented into the Hobart Planning Scheme via the process of a planning scheme amendment.
This process can involve the rezoning of land and / or introducing new, innovative planning provisions to achieve certain development outcomes that can be realised through the development approval process.
Can this Neighbourhood Plan stop development from occurring?
No. The Neighbourhood Plan can recommend that certain areas of land be protected from future development, for example, to conserve biodiversity values.
These sorts of recommendations can be given 'statutory' weight through the planning scheme amendment process which occurs following Council’s adoption of the Neighbourhood Plan.
What does the elector poll result mean for the Neighbourhood Plan?
The City of Hobart received a petition signed by over 1,000 electors of the Hobart Local Government Area for an elector poll to be held on the subject the UTAS relocation into Hobart’s central business district. As the petition met the requirements of the Local Government Act 1993 the City was obliged to hold an elector poll.
Elector polls are not binding on a Council and as a body it cannot direct UTAS to act in a certain way.
The elector poll was held in October 2022 (alongside the Local Government elections) – the question asked was:
‘Do you support the UTAS proposal to relocate the Sandy Bay campus into Hobart’s central business district?
The results of the elector poll were 74% voted no and 26% voted yes.
The elector poll results were considered at the 12 December 2022 Council meeting when it was resolved to prepare a Neighbourhood Plan for Mount Nelson and Sandy Bay to consider future land use and development in the area.
While Council does not have the authority to direct UTAS on its location, its role and responsibility as a Planning Authority is to lead the strategic land use planning for the whole community and through this process, to ensure the appropriate planning controls in the planning scheme are in place to facilitate sustainable future development. Conversely, this process is not directed by a singular stakeholder group such as the development industry or a particular community group. A Neighbourhood Plan represents the strategic planning vision for a place which ultimately is translated into statutory planning controls via a planning scheme amendment.
As the planning authority for the whole community, it would be remiss of Council not to acknowledge some of the aging building stock and intentions of the University of Tasmania to relocate some faculties that will likely leave some of the campus underutilised.
In developing the Discussion Paper, Council has considered the highest and best use of the Sandy Bay campus land that considers a range of issues and stakeholder views as well as the needs of the broader community.
What is the timeline for writing and delivering the Neighbourhood Plan?
It is anticipated that the Neighbourhood Plan be recommended for adoption by Council in mid to late 2024.
How will the Neighbourhood Plan be used once it is adopted?
The Neighbourhood Plan will be used for the following purposes:
How will my feedback be used?
Your feedback will help us to better understand what’s most important to our community so we can create a Neighbourhood Plan that carefully considers how we prioritise what’s important.
Community feedback received on the Discussion Paper will be reviewed and evaluated and will inform the development of the Neighbourhood Plan. The Neighbourhood Plan will also be informed by technical advice from Government Agencies, specific interest groups such as peak bodies and stakeholder and community organisations.
The community will also have a chance to have their say on the draft Neighbourhood Plan.
The final Neighbourhood Plan will be available for public viewing mid to late 2024. The final outcomes of the consultation will be included. This may include a summary of all feedback received as well as recommendations for future action.
How can I access more information?
You can download a range of documents that informed the preparation of the Discussion Paper here on the Your Say website from the documents section.
What does the Discussion Paper say about...?
continued use for educational purposes;
incremental and gradual redevelopment over time for mixed-use medium density development including for residential, retail, commercial purposes;
adaptive reuse of the ageing building stock;
provision of a variety of housing types including (but not limited to) affordable, social and co-housing models;
a multi-use Community Centre providing services such as allied health, library, laundromat, op shops and community hub;
preservation of the sports fields for community use; and
protection of sensitive environmental areas on the upper slopes of the land.
a potential ferry terminal in this location or in the vicinity providing a public transport option;
a diverse offering of food, beverage and entertainment uses that enhance the waterfront location;
improvements to the waterfront public areas and experience by encouraging public access and usable spaces
improvements to pedestrian and micro-mobility connections to the waterfront from the surrounding area
mixed-use medium density development while retaining public access to green open space and waterfront areas
Potential redevelopment opportunities at Sandy Bay Activity Centre and Lower Sandy Bay Activity Centre, the UTAS campus and Wrest Point. These areas are identified as having capacity to accommodate mixed-use medium density residential, retail and commercial development and;
sensitively designed, small scale infill development in Sandy Bay and Lower Sandy Bay in areas of high amenity and good accessibility (see Infill Map, page 55 of the discussion paper).
upgrades to public open space, walking trails and community facilities;
new parks for community use;
new historic heritage and Aboriginal heritage trails, interpretation and public art;
improved access to and use of the waterfront for all users
upgraded signage linking walking trails
revitalisation of existing shopping centres in the study area
activation of underutilised areas of the waterfront for public benefit
a more vibrant neighbourhood for future generations through high quality design of new buildings
increased numbers of street trees for urban amenity and biodiversity
flood mitigation through water sensitive urban design
increased visitors to the area, through improved walking trail connections from the potential ferry terminal to the Signal Station via the Lambert Rivulet track as an Iconic urban ‘coast to mountain’ walk;
a continuous coastal trail to connect Marieville Esplanade to Cartwright Creek
...the future of the Sandy Bay UTAS campus?
The UTAS Sandy Bay campus is identified as one of the key redevelopment areas in the Discussion Paper that has potential for:
...Wrest Point?
Wrest Point is identified as being a key redevelopment opportunity with options for:
...the Battery Point coastal walkway from Marieville Esplanade to Castray Place?
The proposed location for the beginning of this coastal walk is shown at the Marieville Esplanade foreshore on the connectivity map (see page 77 of the Discussion Paper). It is worth noting that most of the proposed walkway is located outside the study area of this Plan, however this plan notes the importance of at-grade accessible, pedestrian walkways and the amenity and cultural enrichment values they bring.
...bushfire risk?
The Bushfire Prone Land Overlay is a planning tool under the Hobart Interim Planning Scheme 2015 that already applies to a considerable amount of land in the study area, predominately covering the steeply sloped and vegetated areas leading up to the Mount Nelson ridgeline. This planning tool is used to regulate the use and development of land within the Overlay area.
This means that planning applications in bushfire prone areas will generally need to demonstrate that risks to people or property from bushfires can be minimised through providing defendable space around dwellings, adequate access for fire-fighting vehicles and adequate water supply.
Due to bushfire risk, the Discussion Paper proposes the idea that the land which falls within the area of this Overlay is not appropriate for further urban densification; either infill development or medium density.
...coastal inundation and erosion risks?
Some of the coastal areas in Sandy Bay and Lower Sandy Bay are subject to Coastal Inundation Hazard and Coastal Erosion Hazard mapping. This mapping triggers the appropriate assessment of these hazards under the Hobart Interim Planning Scheme 2015, when a development application is being considered.
In addition, the Discussion Paper supports the implementation of two City of Hobart projects: the Nutgrove and Long Beach Coastal Adaptation Project and the Marieville Esplanade Adaptation Project.
These projects are aimed at appropriately responding to the impacts of coastal inundation and coastal erosion resulting from sea level rise and increased frequency and severity of storm events.
...future population growth?
Population forecasts indicate there will be addition 7850 people living in Sandy Bay in the next 20 years.
The Discussion Paper is proposing a number of ways to accommodate future population growth through the following means:
What are the benefits of population growth?
The new development that is envisaged in the Discussion Paper has the potential to positively impact the way of life in Sandy Bay by the following means: