A scaled-down six-storey, 67-room boutique hotel on Davey Street has been approved by the Hobart City Council, following years of design revisions to meet strict height and heritage requirements.
The development at 61–63 Davey Street will include a ground-floor bar, valet-accessed basement parking for up to 39 cars, and a green rooftop space.
The project replaces an existing single-storey building and features a three-storey podium at street level, with upper levels set back to reduce visual impact within the heritage precinct.
The site is surrounded by heritage-significant buildings, including the RAAF Association Memorial Centre, the former St Helens Private Hospital site, and the art deco Welcome Stranger Hotel.
The planning application stated that the hotel façade would be “articulated with window openings reflecting the proportions and rhythm of the adjoining heritage building, expressed in a contemporary manner.”
Councillor Bill Harvey said the latest design was a substantial improvement on earlier proposals rejected in previous years.
“It’s a far better outcome than the previous two incarnations,” he said. “The podium area looks quite nice. The height is less.”
While the development will partly obstruct views of kunanyi / Mount Wellington from St David’s Park, Harvey described it as an acceptable trade-off.
“There’s no entitlement to own the view,” he said. “Previous incarnations blocked more than this one.”
Councillor Gemma Kitsos said she was pleased with the project’s sensitivity to its surroundings.
“I’m really pleased to see the thought that’s gone into this application,” she said. “Previous iterations were higher, and this one has come down in height and seems very reasonable within the urban landscape it sits within.”
Kitsos noted concerns from the RAAF Association, which may lose temporary parking access during sewer works linked to construction. Planning staff said these issues would be resolved through a construction management plan in consultation with neighbouring landowners.
Council also recommended that bicycle parking be added for hotel guests. The Planning Authority Committee approved the development unanimously after a period of public consultation.