STUNNING VISION FOR FORMER KINGSTON SCHOOL SITE

All Seven of Architect’s Renderings to be Revealed At Community Meeting On Saturday
Nick McKim MP
Member for Franklin

The Tasmanian Greens today welcomed a vision for the development of the former Kingston High School site, which puts social infrastructure and the needs of the Kingborough community front and centre.

Greens Member for Franklin Nick McKim MP said a site as large, central and critically-located at this one should be developed with the community’s needs put first and that it was vital the community was widely and genuinely consulted over how the site could be developed in future.

“The visionary renderings of architect Sam Aukland, which give his take on how the former Kingston High School site could be developed, show that this could be a world-class development. Done properly, retrofitting the former school building and providing green open spaces and community facilities could add another feather to Kingston and Tasmania’s cap, and make Kingborough residents proud,” said Mr McKim.

“Kingborough residents are concerned this critically located site could simply be sold off to the highest bidder, flattened and turned into a warehouse retail outlet, without their input, without providing community facilities and without realising the huge potential of this site, which Mr Aukland’s renderings demonstrate.”

“And that is potential which could be realised not by flattening the site but by sensitively and cost-effectively retaining and retrofitting the former school building.”

“This vision shows you can have a real-world mixed-use site which provides community facilities, open space, retail outlets, trade trading facilities, a transport hub and residential accommodation all in one place, as well as world-class features, such as a grey-water pond, a bike and skate park and a sustainable industries centre.”

“But Mr Aukland’s renderings are simply his take on a possible development. They aren’t intended to be proscriptive. But what they are intended to do is to get everyone, including Kingborough residents, Kingborough Council and the State Government, thinking.”

“I invite anyone interested to view all seven of Mr Aukland’s renderings tomorrow at Kingston Beach Hall, from 3pm to 5pm, where they can have their say and sign the petition calling for public consultation and for the site to be developed in a similar way,” said Mr McKim.
Nick McKim MP Member for Franklin