INDEPENDENT polling conducted late last year shows strong public support for new multistorey
hotel developments in Hobart and significant support for projects 45 metres in height
and above.
Polling conducted in October last year by Tasmanian research company EMRS showed that
68 percent of people supported new hotel developments, with just 24 percent opposed.
Of those who supported new hotel developments, some 75 percent supported buildings up
to a maximum height of 45 metres, 26 percent supported up to 75 metres and 20 percent
supported developments up to 180 metres. The remaining 25 percent of people either had
other building heights in mind or could not provide a definitive response.
The EMRS research was conducted at the height of the public debate on proposed new
hotel developments, to obtain independent feedback from residents in the City of Hobart
and surrounding municipalities to assist in assessing community opinion regarding building
height options. The numbers polled were weighted in favour of Hobart City ratepayers, but
the research also covered the local government areas of Clarence, Glenorchy, Kingborough
and Brighton. A total of 600 adult residents were polled.
Respondents agreed strongly that the proposed new hotel developments would provide
employment and new jobs for Tasmanians, would help meet the need for new visitor
accommodation in Hobart and increase economic activity in the State. However, a number
believed the developments would create more traffic issues and congestion in the city and
would have a negative impact on Hobart’s visual appeal.
Support for new hotel developments in Hobart remained very similar even after
respondents were presented with various arguments for and against the new hotel
developments. It is likely that respondents were aware of the positives and negatives of the
hotel developments generally and had already considered those arguments presented in
forming their initial opinions.
The release of the independent research follows the Fragrance Group’s lodgement of
development applications (DA) with the Hobart City Council for a four-star hotel and
apartment complex in Elizabeth Street and progress towards the lodgement of a DA for a
lower hotel and convention centre development in Collins Street. Fragrance also announced
a temporary hold on a proposed Davey Street development and is prepared to scale down
the development if necessary.
Fragrance Principal James Koh said the research outcome was encouraging and had assisted
the company to move forward with projects that would help meet the identified need for
new hotel rooms in Hobart but also more accurately reflect the aspirations and desires of
the local community.
Mr Koh said while opposition to proposed developments had gained considerable publicity,
the independent research reinforced the Fragrance belief that the wider community in fact
supported hotel projects and also was happy with a reasonable building height. Fragrance
was confident that this view had not diminished and in fact had likely strengthened in view
of the growth in the tourism sector coupled with the accommodation shortage in Hobart.
As reported previously, a separate poll conducted late last year by Emerging Architects
Tasmania showed that around three quarters of respondents were agreeable to building
heights of up to 45metres. This further supports the idea that the revised building heights of
around 45-55m could be accepted by a significant majority of the Hobart community.
As indicated by these findings, Fragrance Group’s proposed Elizabeth Street and Collins
Street projects are in line with community support and also not dissimilar to other building
heights in Hobart (lower than the new Royal Hobart Hospital towers, currently under
construction).
As well, Mr Koh confirmed that Fragrance is prepared to lower the height of the proposed
Davey Street building in a manner similar to the Elizabeth Street and Collins Street projects.
Fragrance is hopeful the development applications for the new Elizabeth Street
development and the revised Collins Street project will be approved, so that construction
can commence as soon as possible.
Mr Koh said the Fragrance Group remained strongly committed to Tasmania and had
additional property interests in Hobart and Launceston. Plans would be announced for
those sites over time.
The Fragrance projects will bring significant new investment to Tasmania and are not reliant
on any government grants or subsidies, taxation or rates relief, or any other form of
assistance. As the investment funds are coming from outside Australia, the projects will not
impact on funding for other development activity in Tasmania.
About Fragrance Group
Fragrance Group headed by Mr James Koh (Koh Wee Meng) is an established developer in Singapore, to date
having successfully completed more than 100 developments comprising hotel, residential and commercial /
industrial buildings. The Group has been active in Australia since 2014 and has major developments in
Melbourne and Perth, as well as Hobart.
Fragrance Principal James Koh
