Alderman Jeff Briscoe said today that he would be introducing a motion at the next Council meeting for the Hobart City Council to support the school community in its endeavors to save the Sandy Bay Infant School from closure. The school is one of the 20 targeted for closure last week by the State Government.
The land occupied by this school may require a subdivision and a change of use from an educational to residential use under the Hobart City Planning Scheme said Alderman Briscoe, to enable the land and the buildings (some very new) to be sold off for residential use.
“The Council in my view would not want to facilitate this change of use if it means that this vibrant and quality school is closed.”
“My motion of support would be seeking an investigation of all the planning issues involved.”
“Many in the community believe that the Government is eying to selling off this prime near waterfront property for huge sums ignoring the greater public good.
“Questions need to be asked.
“These planning issues could arise with the other land that is occupied by other Schools in the greater Hobart area that the Government intends to close and may require the Government to do a rethink of this process” said Alderman Briscoe.
“Hobart is known as an education city which relies on providing world class education from Kinder to University. Supporting education is part of the city’s strategic vision.
“If my motion is successful then lobbying by Council could be wide ranging and could take the form of offering the free use of the Hobart Town Hall for any meeting of the SAVE Sandy Bay Infant School group to writing to the Government and writing to the other members of Parliament on behalf of the community to seek the stopping of the closure of this successful and sustainable school.”
