A new proposal for the Hobart waterfront deserves serious and open-minded consideration.
Councillor John Kelly has put forward a motion asking Hobart City Council to explore the Regatta Quay concept, a significant mixed-use development proposal for the waterfront area near Macquarie Point and the Regatta Grounds.
The proposal includes a large underground car park, park-and-ride facilities, about 220 new homes, visitor accommodation, commercial space, childcare, health services, a ferry terminal and improved pedestrian and cycling links around Hobart’s waterfront.
Importantly, the motion before council does not ask for the project to be approved. It asks for a briefing from the proponents and a preliminary officer report looking at the opportunities, risks, planning issues, traffic, transport, parking, land implications and community engagement. That is the right approach.
Hobart needs practical solutions for parking, housing, transport and city activation. With the stadium progressing, pressure around the waterfront will only increase.
If private capital can help deliver public infrastructure, council should be willing to examine the proposal carefully.
The finer details matter, but big ideas in Hobart are too often dismissed before they have even had the chance to be properly assessed. This proposal deserves a proper look.
Edwin Johnstone
Chair, Business Greater Hobart
