Toll Warehouse at Brighton Transport Hub Nearing Completion

There hasn't been a lot of fanfare regarding the Brighton Transport hub of late leading many to believe it had died off completely.

However, Toll will be moving there in July:

AUSTRALIA’S largest mover of freight, Toll Group, is on track with the construction of its multi-million dollar custom-designed warehouse and facilities in the Brighton Transport Hub. 

The development is still on track for completion mid June this year with the facility being fully operational from July 1.

Toll Shipping operates between Burnie and Melbourne, so transporting containers by rail to and from Brighton makes a lot of sense.

Cable Car Comments

Comments are up!

Charles Gregory of Hobart POSTED AT 12:19 AM TODAY 

Wow... don't forget, this isn't a vote on a specific plan or for development approval - this is a vote on the general concept. Not blanket approval to build, just a nod to the proponent to say "go ahead and do further studies" - and they still can't pass it? Please tell us who voted against it - it looks like some Aldermen will be losing their seats later this year!

It's still unclear what exactly there is to "pass" here.

Alderman Burnet explains why HCC feels it shouldn't have to do MWCC's work for them:

Alderman Helen Burnet of Hobart POSTED AT 5:35 AM TODAY 

My decision last night was to take no further action on setting parameters for Mr Bold's cable car. The Wellington Park Management Plan exists, and there is no reason for Council to list all the requirements for a proposal that is in no concrete form. My concerns also included that this is a concept, which seems very unclear to me as to its financial viability. I wonder when there will be something that I can consider as part of Council, either as landlord or planning authority.

A quote from another comment perhaps indicates a level of confusion between concrete plans with signed-up backers and big ideas:

Nathan Carswell of Dynnyrne
POSTED AT 11:36 AM TODAY 

Lynda, looking at the proponents team listed on the MWCC website I think they are pretty experienced!

There are still no plans, and as we've seen the first three companies listed under the "International Team" are all the work of Steven Dale. Then there's the issue of finance.

This project certainly has some problems, but they aren't anything to do opposition to it or the Hobart City Council.

Cable Car: Council Vote to do Nothing

Business as usual:

Aldermen last night voted 5-5 – meaning a no vote – on a motion outlining what the criteria the developer needed to meet, for example, cost estimates, plans, associated infrastructure and preliminary environment and social impact assessments. 

The information would be the minimum needed before the council granted “owner consent’’ for any development on the land.

This was to be the next step for Adrian Bold, however it looks like he'll need to provide a development application after all:

Ald Ruzicka foreshadowed an alternative motion that later won six votes to four – to take no action and consider a development application as it would for any other project. 

She said the council had no power to consider any development not consistent with the Wellington Park Management Plan.

Bold may be running into difficulty, however:

Monitoring of the Mt Wellington Cableway Company’s (MWCC) social media sites by ROCC over the past five days found that statements it has secured ‘300% of the financing’[1] for the proposed project as well as ‘written landowner consent from the Cascade Brewery’ have now been removed from its site.[2]

 What did that editorial say again?

Questions are now being asked about the financial backing for the Mt Wellington cable car project — version two.

In the past many of the mooted multi-million developments that have promised to be a magic bullet for the state’s ailing economy have been supported and promoted by governments for political reasons — bread and circuses built on hot air that create the impression of activity.

Update 28/05/2014 - the next day: Glenorchy City Council wades in again. The move may look good for GCC but it isn't particularly significant. It doesn't have to actually do anything and the current preferred route is from Cascade Brewery in Hobart. Also, GCC have no say whatsoever about the pinnacle zone.

Myer Preliminary Works

More good news...perhaps:

HOBART’S new Myer store finally appears to be on its way. 

Seven years after the CBD retail icon was destroyed in a fire, work is about to begin on its replacement. 

Developers Kalis group has promised a $130 million, 12-storey tower, with a two-floor Myer super store with three floors of premium retail space below and a hotel above. 

Hobart City Council and Kalis Properties yesterday confirmed preliminary works on the Liverpool St site would start today.

Some would argue "preliminary works" had already started. Most of the article could be copy and paste from previous ones hyping up the potential development, but let's not get too cynical.

In amongst the supportive platitudes from the usual suspects, there's one key sentence:

A spokeswoman for Kalis Group said the construction timetable for the site would be revealed in coming weeks.

If true, (the spokesperson isn't actually named) then this information would be the best indicator in many years that something may actually be going ahead.

Reporting by the ABC is somewhat more restrained:

The Hobart City Council is removing the walkway between the Cat and Fiddle arcade and Liverpool Street. 

A timeframe for the development is expected to be finalised next month.

That's pretty much the gist of it, but more information was sought:

Myer has declined to make any public statement. 

The developer, Kalis Group, has been contacted for comment. 

Update 28/05/2015 - the next day: Looks like the old 1 - 2 for our local rag. The follow up story has even less information and basically covers the same ground as the ABC article. Except for actually asking Myer or the developer for comment.

Mercury Editorial on Development

There's an editorial talking up the Brooke Street Pier development and promoting the idea of similar scale developments.

TASMANIA’S economic future may be best served by chasing small, quality, achievable, dreams than by wasting time, effort and money in pursuing big, multi-million dollar developments that have little chance of getting off the ground. 

The state has had its share of grand designs — big projects announced in a blaze of publicity that often failed to materialise.

An interesting introduction, considering The Mercury's vocal support for pretty much all of these large-scale failed projects.

Questions are now being asked about the financial backing for the Mt Wellington cable car project — version two.

Also interesting, both because of The Mercury's high profile support for the cable car project and because people have been questioning the financial backing, and capacity to build it, for quite some time.

The question of the capacity of a "consortium" of one man and his companies was always left unanswered.

The lack of proactive, investigative journalism in this case could probably be explained by the need for the local paper to support big ideas, but it does give the impression it's not quite on the ball.

The new Liberal Government would do well to instead concentrate on creating a development climate for projects that are achievable and sustainable. 

A number of successful, smaller developments can easily add up to create a vibrant economy, jobs, and a future for coming generations — a big dream come true.

Indeed.

Brooke Street Floating Pier Progressing

Some good news at last:

Construction of the pontoon level of the pier, which will sit below water level, is 40 per cent complete. The entire structure is expected to be in place by November — ready for the summer influx of tourists to Sullivans Cove

It's an interesting article which goes into the design and construction of the pier in more depth than any previous story.

It's worth noting the four levels included in the design, with the lowest to be underwater:

Some 2000 tonnes of concrete had already been poured into the vast pontoon structure, which will be an underwater space for public toilets, kitchen preparation and storage, Mr Ashton-Jones said.

And the rest:

She said the second storey – the level above the underwater pontoon level – would be called the “Berth Deck” and include an outdoor deck at water level. 

The Berth Deck will be a departure lounge by day and function space by night for up to 800 people. It will also have cafe and retail space. 

The third storey Main Deck, will offer the market spaces for boutique businesses. The top level, called the Crow’s Nest, will house a restaurant and offices.

There's also an editorial talking it up and promoting the idea of similar scale developments.

Brooke Street Ferry Terminal

There's been no recent news on the floating Brooke Street Ferry Terminal, but it looks like it's scheduled to be completed by the end of 2014, in time for the summer season.

It's certainly a major improvement over existing infrastructure: http://www.circamorrisnunn.com.au/brooke-street-ferry-terminal/

Further information:

• http://macquariepoint.com/about/brook-street-pier/
• https://www.facebook.com/BrookeStreetPier

Council's Cable Car Capers

Further shenanigans for the Mount Wellington Cable Car project:

http://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/query-over-hobart-lord-mayor-damon-thomas-letter-backing-mt-wellington-cable-car-plan/story-fnj4f7k1-1226924676869

Despite his public assertions over the past few weeks the council would not provide in-principle support before the lodgement of a development application, Ald Thomas, right, has written to cable-car proponent Adrian Bold providing his personal backing for the concept.

Lord Mayor Damon Thomas is either getting ahead of himself, or he knows something other Aldermen don't:

Ald Jeff Briscoe obtained a copy of Ald Thomas’ letter to Mr Bold through a Right to Information request.

At least they're aware of the letter.

Yesterday, Tuesday the 20th of May 2014, it was reported:

Hobart City Council meets today to decide what information it needs from Mr Bold before considering whether to give landowner consent for the project.

Yet in the comments on this article, written after the Hobart City Council's meeting, Ald Jeff Briscoe states:

Today, I received the 50 page document that contained the request to the HCc by Mt Wellington cable car company - only minutes before the HCC meeting on the issue. Mr Bold stated on abc radio he had given the document to the council to consider. 

I only gained the document thru’ a right to information request following external legal advice that I was entitled to have it. Strange days when an HCC alderman cannot have the materials required to make decisions and needs to revert to the law to gain it. 

This whole current cable car process needs more transparency. The document itself lacks detail - a significant part of it are letters of support including one from The Lord Mayor. I have called tonight for Lord Mayor to consider his position. 

Posted by (ALD) Jeff Briscoe on 20/05/14 at 08:39 PM

So has Bold already decided what HCC need? Or was he just handing over a bunch of supporting letters?

I imagine the next step is HCC stating exactly what they need from from the Mount Wellington Cable Car company to be able to offer "in-principle support", whatever that actually means.

Some related reading: Cable car company to be sold to Canadian investor

Update: Commenting on the comments of the most recent article: It seems some people are still labelling anyone who questions the business case, backers or approvals processes as "anti-everything" and/or "NIMBYs", often attacking the aforementioned "dinosaur" based on any irrelevant attribute without adequately addressing any of the points. 

Should there be development at any cost or no development ever? I don't think anyone is advocating either of those viewpoints, so why accuse them of it?

Myer No Progress Report

Another article from The Mercury regarding the Myer non-development:

http://www.themercury.com.au/news/tasmania/we-just-want-hobart-store-built-says-myer-boss-admitting-to-deep-concerns/story-fnj4f7k1-1226903952358

Myer boss Bernie Brookes:

“I have been speaking to government people in the last few days about my concerns because it seems like nothing is moving,” Mr Brookes said yesterday. 

“We are encouraging the Government to try and get it going.”

Developer Kalis Group spokeswoman Alexia Kalis:

“The Kalis Group is extremely committed to this project,” she said. 

“We want to get it done for Hobart and Tasmania and we are working with the State Government and local govern­ment and Myer to make this happen. 

“We agree with all of the Myer terms and we are pushing to get it done.

Cocktails all round then! Although as The Mercury's Matt Smith states:

It is unclear what the State Government could do to get the project up and going.

This development is much needed and I suspect articles like these are just to remind us it hasn't been totally forgotten. The general public aren't privy to the details of the hold up so it's easy to become weary of these non-updates.