Hobart's urban growth boundary extended to allow fast-growing areas to continue to expand

Australia Broadcast Center

22-05-2025

Some of the fastest-growing areas near Hobart could double in size after the region's urban growth boundary was extended, allowing for more suburban development.
Housing Minister Felix Ellis approved the extension of the boundary by 615 hectares, including areas to the outer north, south and east of the city.
The largest extension was 176 hectares to the immediate north of the Glebe Hill housing estate at Rokeby, on Hobart's eastern shore, potentially allowing for more than 3,100 dwellings to be added.
The changes also include 166 hectares to the south-east of Sorell, south of the Arthur Highway bypass, for close to another 3,000 dwellings.
The urban growth boundary extension allows for greater residential rezoning but is subject to all planning approvals.
Mr Ellis said the changes could provide 10,000 additional homes.
Other main changes include 73 hectares at Richardsons Road in Sandford, 36 hectares at Brighton Road in Brighton, and 33 hectares on the Channel Highway at Margate.
In its submission as part of the process, Clarence City Council was broadly supportive — including of the Rokeby extensions — but had concerns with the Sandford urban growth extension.
It was one of two land parcels in the government's list that were identified "through dialogue with a developer", the other being at Mannata Road in nearby Lauderdale, which was also approved.
The council's submission, signed by chief executive officer Ian Nelson, described the inclusion of the Sandford land as "opportunistic and not strategically justified".
"It does not promote the consolidation of development within a contained area, rather, it encourages unrestrained urban sprawl in a southerly direction on the South Arm Peninsula," the submission reads.
The land is subject to overlays for coastal inundation, potential contaminated land, flood-prone hazard, waterway protection and landslip hazard.
Nik Masters and Dean Richards also provided a submission "on behalf of the project team" for the potential Sandford development.
They described the site as being "thoroughly assessed, with extensive independent reports and modelling already completed" as part of a master plan.
"Including 52 Richardsons Road within the [urban growth boundary] would enable short-term housing development on serviced land free from flood or inundation overlays," the submission reads.
Under the urban growth boundary changes, Sorell could expect significant additional residential development proposed in the coming decades.
The land south of the Arthur Highway bypass is yet to be served by TasWater.
Mayor Janet Gatehouse said development in the area was "not going to happen overnight", and she would like to see it progress in a "sustainable, holistic fashion".
"Council is trying to manage it in the most holistic way — considering environmental and community interests, and what's best for new residents," she said.
Sorell has been promised a Medicare urban care clinic, its public school has recently expanded with room for further expansion, and it has a park-and-ride service for public transport.
Cr Gatehouse said these services would assist in the area's continued growth, and she wanted to ensure that Sorell's rural areas could also receive adequate services.
Most of the changes to the urban growth boundary were identified as part of a review of the Southern Tasmania Regional Land Use Strategy, which is ongoing.
Clarence City Council described changing the urban growth boundary before this review is finished as "premature".
The Greater Hobart Plan, released in 2022, stated that the previous boundary could provide for 34,000 dwellings through infill development to accommodate for the region's estimated population growth over the next 25 years.
It did not recommend changes to the urban growth boundary.
Other changes to the boundary, approved by Mr Ellis, include 13 hectares at Risdon Vale, 18 hectares at Gagebrook, 24 hectares at Old Beach and a further 31 hectares at Sorell.