ROSNY HILL NATURE RECREATION AREA
HOTEL DEVELOPMENT:
After many long months, Rosny Hill Friends Network has today accepted that we have taken this appeal as far as the process allows, to achieve an outcome consistent with the current planning laws.
On the advice of our legal team, RHFN has undertaken a negotiated settlement, with the other parties, which allowed us to propose and negotiate conditions attached to a development permit.
This has resulted in some concessions that should help to protect threatened vegetation and its supporting habitat.
The collage below shows just a few of the plant species that were recorded by the biologists who submitted reports.
We have been limited by the fact that RMPAT can only consider appeals that are consistent with the Planning Laws. Paradoxically, that has excluded most of our serious worries – traffic; loss of amenity; social licence; privatisation of public land; cost-benefits to the ratepayers…
RHFN remains completely opposed to this development, on grounds that are not within the scope of this Tribunal, which is limited to the existing planning scheme.
The result of this appeal is in no way an endorsement of the development.
We do not support the privatisation of our reserve by Clarence City Council and Hunter Developments.
We are deeply troubled by the fact that there has never been a cost-benefit study by Council to demonstrate that the cost of supporting roads and infrastructure, and the loss of amenity, will be offset by any advantage to the local community or Clarence ratepayers.
It will bring up to 700 vehicles daily onto the Hill and into a small suburban community; it will impose itself on the view of the hill from the city of Hobart, the River Derwent and neighbouring suburbs; it will commercialise what is now a natural, peaceful retreat – an amenity that is increasingly important to social and individual physical, mental and emotional health.
The development has no social licence; the fact that we could arrive at this point is a measure of how much social and financial support we have received from the local community, Clarence City ratepayers, and a great many Tasmanian, Australian and overseas contributors.
We have deep gratitude to the small committee that has worked so hard to bring us to this point, and to the generous support of the wider community that made this possible.
Our solicitor, Alice Prichard, and barrister, Phillip Zeeman, have worked long and hard on this case, and we thank them for their commitment and sage advice.
The fight is not over; there are still many avenues that will be pursued by this group and many others.
Beth Rees
President, Rosny Hill Friends Network Inc.
Email: rosnyhillfriends210@gmail.com
