The approval of an apartment block development in the Hobart suburb of Taroona has rankled residents who say Kingborough councillors should have had the final say on the project. A calendar quirk gave the developer the option to bypass elected members, but the Kingborough mayor says the process was still robust.
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00:00This dilapidated former nursing home will become 15 apartments if developer Errol Stewart has his way.
00:10We've had a look at a couple of different options to build higher level buildings,
00:15but we've changed to try to modify most of the buildings that are there and build one new building.
00:22Plans have now been approved, but they took an unusual path through Kingborough Council.
00:27An extra Monday in March meant the council's meeting schedule didn't line up with the time frame for assessment.
00:33In this case the developer didn't want to provide an extension of time
00:37and what that meant was that the decision needed to be made under delegated authority by our CEO.
00:45Deemed compliant with the planning scheme by an external consultant, it was ticked off.
00:50Something the council says is standard process, but which has angered residents.
00:55The community did not get an opportunity to speak to our elected members
01:00and there were 42 representations for this development.
01:03There is significant community concern.
01:05They say process and planning are front of mind for them, not nimbyism.
01:10We feel that there should be some sort of development here that actually allows for low density residential
01:17and that's what it's zoned as.
01:19As with many planning battles, council approval isn't the end of the road.
01:23Residents are now preparing appeals to Tasmania's civil and administrative tribunal.
01:28I think that's fine, we'll go to the tribunal and go through the process and hopefully we get approval.