Media release – Felix Ellis, Minister for Housing and Planning, 17 October 2024
Kangaroo Bay Hotel declared a Major Project
The Tasmanian Government has declared the Kangaroo Bay Hotel a Major Project under the Government’s landmark major projects legislation.
The $65 million, 155-room hotel development is anticipated to create 100 full-time equivalent jobs in the construction phase, and up to 443 full-time equivalent positions once the hotel is operational, as demonstrated in the Major Project Proposal.
Minister for Housing and Planning, Felix Ellis, said our Government introduced the Major Projects pathway to balance certainty for proponents and transparency for the community.
“After consideration of the Major Project Proposal, and on advice from the State Planning Office, I am of the opinion that the project has the necessary attributes to be declared a Major Project,” Minister Ellis said.
“Developments like the Kangaroo Bay Hotel are driving forces for economic growth, job creation, and progress.
“The Proposal sets out that 100 full-time equivalent jobs will be created for the hotel’s construction alone, adding to the continued pipeline of work for our tradies, including our next generation of apprentices who will have more opportunities to learn their craft on site.
“This development will have a direct impact on the region’s economy, with forecast visitor expenditure growth of $500 million over 10 years.
“Through our Government’s 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future, we’re supporting local jobs and driving investment by backing in developments that benefit our communities.”
Now that it has been declared a Major Project, the Kangaroo Bay Hotel proposal will be assessed by an independent expert panel, appointed by the Tasmanian Planning Commission, along with relevant statutory regulators.
The independent panel will develop draft assessment criteria for public exhibition. The community will have multiple opportunities to have their say on the project over the course of its assessment.
The hotel will feature indoor and outdoor bar and dining, a premium specialty restaurant, 1000m2 of meeting spaces, landscaped foreshore open space, a public boardwalk, and a space for capacity for up to 120 vendors and guests for outdoor events.
Media release – Chambroad Australia, 16 October 2024
KANGAROO BAY ACHIEVES MAJOR PROJECT STATUS
Chambroad Australia today congratulated the Tasmanian State Government on its decision to declare the Kangaroo Bay Hotel as a Major Project.
Kangaroo Bay Project Manager Greg Hudson said Minister for Planning Felix Ellis’ Declaration gives the $65 million hotel development the opportunity for a fair hearing in front to the independent assessment panel of the Tasmanian Planning Commission.
“Declaration as a Major Project demonstrates the significant impact this project will have across the entire southern region,” Mr Hudson said.
“It also defines its strategic significance because it activates a 20-year commitment to planning objectives of the Rosny/Kangaroo Bay Particular Purpose Zone (PPZ).
“The Kangaroo Bay Hotel development will generate new vigour and bring vitality to the Kangaroo Bay foreshore and the Bellerive village precinct.”
Mr Hudson said Chambroad Australia’s Major Project will deliver:
· Increased visitor spend of more than $500 million over the first 10 years
· Hotel construction investment of $65 million
· 100 construction jobs and 443 full-time equivalent ongoing jobs across the southern region
· Demonstrates the dispersal of jobs across the southern region with about 50 per cent of the newly created jobs in Clarence and the remaining 50 per cent shared between Glenorchy, Hobart, Sorell, Brighton, Kingborough, Derwent Valley and Southern Midlands
· Increases the number of luxury rooms (4.5 and 5 star) in the southern region by approximately 50 per cent.
“The Kangaroo Bay Hotel project will be extremely beneficial to all eastern shore residents by creating better facilities and services for the southern region, for visitors and for the Tasmanian hospitality and tourism industry.
“If we gain the approval of the independent panel, Chambroad will commence construction of the new hotel about 6 months later.”
BACKGROUND
To qualify as a Major Project, the project must meet at least two of the three eligibility criteria:
(a) the project will have a significant impact on, or make a significant contribution to, a region’s economy, environment or social fabric
(b) the project is of strategic importance to a region
(c) the project is of significant scale and complexity.
Media release – Clarence City Council, 17 October 2024
Clarence City Council responds to Kangaroo Bay hotel being granted major project status
Clarence City Council Mayor Brendan Blomeley has expressed deep disappointment at the Minister for Planning’s decision to grant Chambroad’s hotel development at Kangaroo Bay major project status.
“This is absolutely not the right decision. Not only for our city, but for southern Tasmania, and the state,” said Mayor Blomeley.
“In our opinion, the proposal was identical to that which was rejected by Minister Fergusson last September and still does not possess the necessary attributes to qualify as a major project. We cannot understand how Minister Ellis could have arrived at this decision.
“We are in the middle of a legal process to buy back the land, at the very least, a decision on the major project status should have been deferred until the issue of land ownership has been resolved.
“The City of Clarence has the legal right to buy the land back from Chambroad. We have already invested significant time and resources, including public funds, into exercising council’s legal right to return this land back to public ownership.
“Granting major project status before the legal proceedings have concluded risks wasting a significant about of public money, and resources at a state and local government level.
“This decision sets a dangerous precedent and a very low threshold for future major projects applications in Tasmania.
“This will lead to more and more local planning authorities being bypassed.
“Along with the draft Development Assessment Panel Bill, and the Land Use Planning and Approvals Amendment (Supporting Development) Bill introduced to Parliament this week, the Minister is seemingly seeking to take planning control away from local governments and place those decisions under his direct control.
“These proposed legislative changes, evidenced by this most recent decision, risk undermining the entire Tasmanian Planning Scheme mechanism in favour of a system that is less transparent and potentially contrary to the wishes of our communities.
“This government has stated they want to take the politics out of planning, and their answer to that is to put the power squarely in the hands of a single Minister – How is that taking the politics out of planning?”
Media release – Shane Broad MP, Shadow Minister for Planning; Luke Edmunds MLC, Labor Member for Pembroke, 17 October 2024
Another big announcement, still nothing delivered
The party of big announcements with no follow-through was at it again as Minister Ellis announced the Kangaroo Bay Hotel has been declared a Major Project by the Liberal minority government.
Getting an approval has never been the issue for Kangaroo Bay, it has had several approvals and extensions, the problem has been actually building something on the site.
We see no evidence that this project is going ahead and support the Clarence City Council’s position.
So far, this project has not employed a single hi-vis or hospitality worker. All the money has been spent on consultants, PR, and lawyers.
Labor’s position remains that the best way to see some actual development at Kangaroo Bay is to honour the buy-back clause in the contract and let the Clarence Council get on with it.
