The former K and D site in Nipaluna/Hobart represents a once-in-a-generation, city-shaping opportunity – but only if Federal and State Governments step up and help UTAS to choose a buyer for the site that delivers for the city. UTAS has put this large site on the market, with Expressions of Interest to close in a week.
We are still in the grip of a housing crisis. There are too few affordable homes and rents continue to climb. The K and D site could be catalytic to bringing more life and more opportunity to the city, delivering desperately needed homes for Tasmanians.
Nipaluna/Hobart desperately needs more medium density housing with public spaces and mixed commercial opportunities at street level, but unless Federal and State governments step up and UTAS recognises its responsibility to be part of the solution, the chance could be lost.
The Federal Government can help by promising to allocate urban renewal funds to the site’s redevelopment. There’s $240 million in urban renewal funds for Macquarie Point just sitting there right now. That’s money which the Rockliff Government seems to be counting towards the stadium. It could be unlocked to transform the K and D site so it can realise its full potential.
Homes Tasmania has already undertaken master planning for the site, but it doesn’t have the available funds just to buy it and develop housing. We encourage the new Minister for Housing and Planning, Kerry Vincent MLC, to work with his federal counterpart and Homes Tasmania on this huge opportunity.
We also need the Minister to work with Hobart City Council to fix any impediments to favouring medium density developments over car parks in the planning scheme.
It is critical for Hobart’s future that UTAS selects the right buyer for the site but, given the enormous challenges getting medium density housing projects out of the ground, government backing is needed.
The Greens believe UTAS also has a responsibility to make sure it carefully chooses a buyer. The last thing Hobart needs is another big box retail development there, or a car yard. That won’t deliver for the city or do anything to ease the housing crisis.
With just one week to go before EOIs close, it’s essential all levels of government talk to each other and to UTAS about the levers that can be pulled, and where funding can be found, to ensure the opportunity is seized to transform the Melville Street site into a place for people. This is do-able, it just needs political will.
