A carbon-positive vision of protected bushland, sporting facilities, mixed types of housing, retail and tourism operations has emerged from community conversations about the long-term future of the University of Tasmania Sandy Bay campus.
Community consultation enters the third of four rounds today, as the current draft plan is 'played back' to the community to see if it captures and enhances the values people have identified as being important to them about the site.
The University is producing a draft Concept Masterplan which will guide future development of the Sandy Bay campus as operations move to a new inner-city campus.
The emerging view is one of a model future precinct which is carbon positive in both energy and construction, has greater biodiversity and a diverse range of housing options, including attainable housing.
The draft proposes to divide the existing campus into five precincts, each with its own character, responding to different aspects of the site. The precincts include: lifestyle and sporting, an innovation and civic quarter, learning precinct, a peri urban neighbourhood, bushland reserve, and Mount Nelson Tourism and Residential Neighbourhood.
"We see a longer-term future for the Sandy Bay campus which captures and enhances the things which make it special to staff, students, surrounding residents and the broader Hobart community," University Vice-Chancellor Professor Rufus Black said.
"Our conversations during the first two rounds of community engagement have been very clear what those values are, producing eight key themes, and shaping how we are planning for the long-term future of the area."
Features within the current draft Concept Masterplan include:
- the preservation of 50 hectares of bushland reserve, with new planting to create a net biodiversity gain
- eight hectares of community open space including parks, playgrounds, civic squares, sporting fields and community gardens
- a diverse range of housing options including detached, townhouses and apartments, including attainable housing, student accommodation, aged care and retirement living
- an upgraded sporting complex at the Sandy Bay Road end of the campus, including new synthetic multi-sport playing fields and indoor sporting facilities
- dedicated arts, performance and cultural facilities
- a commitment zero-carbon energy by 2030 and climate positive construction by 2040.
- an eco-tourism attraction at the Mount Nelson end of the campus
The current draft envisages about 2500 new dwellings and creation of about 2000 new jobs.
The entire site would be designed to be walkable and pedestrian friendly and have smart sustainable transit options - both throughout the site and linking it to surrounding parts of Hobart, including the inner city.
The University established a wholly owned subsidiary, UTAS Properties Pty Ltd (UPPL), to undertake the draft concept masterplan and future development of the Sandy Bay site. The creation of UPPL was designed to ensure the project did not distract the University from its core mission of teaching and research.
People can review progress on the draft Concept Masterplan and provide feedback at www.reimaginesandybay.com.au.
The plan will be available to view in person at the Sandy Bay Bowls Club between Wednesday, October 20 and Sunday, October 31. Interested parties can find more information and register for interactive online workshops via www.reimaginesandybay.com.au.
The fourth and final stage of the engagement process will result in the draft masterplan finalised to inform a Planning Scheme Amendment that will be submitted to the City of Hobart.
