HCC should reconsider building height restrictions

• Lord Mayor and Council should take advice of Woolley report at tonight’s meeting
• Housing accessibility and affordability should be priority, not restricting heights

Hobart City Councillors and Lord Mayor Anna Reynolds need to take the advice of the council-commissioned report by Leigh Woolley that recommends city building heights of 60 metres.

Shadow Infrastructure Minister David O’Byrne said issues including housing affordability and accessibility and growing business in the city needed to be taken into account when the council votes on height restrictions at its meeting tonight.

“Nobody wants to see the Hobart skyline overpowered by skyscrapers but Labor is calling on the Hobart City Council and the Lord Mayor to accept the height limits proposed in the Woolley report,” Mr O’Byrne said.

“Why would you commission this important report and then ignore its recommendations?

“Ratepayers expect that local government would listen to the advice of the experts it hired.

“Making evidence-based, long term decisions is good for Hobart and sends a positive signal to the business community.

“The Hodgman Liberal Government has form on failing to deliver the vital infrastructure that is needed as Hobart grows by not building roads and housing and failing to deliver critical services like an adequate health and hospital system.

“Premier Hodgman and Treasurer Gutwein need to show some leadership on this issue and should not be allowed to wash their hands of it.”