Land for Future Communities Project

What is Land for Future Communities?

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is currently exploring the feasibility of releasing parcels of Tasmanian Government owned land for residential development. These investigations are part of the Tasmanian Government Land for Future Communities Project which aims to increase the supply of affordable housing across Tasmania.

If appropriate, this land will be released to provide a mixture of private, social and affordable housing options to best suit the needs of local communities.

Multi-disciplinary consultancy firm Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM) has been engaged to assess the suitability of each site for residential development and to assess local need for different types and tenures (buy and rent) of housing

SKM are conducting on-site investigations and are consulting with key stakeholders, including local councils, government authorities and nearby residents about the appropriate use of the land.

Master plans will be developed to guide future development of each site considered suitable for housing. Master plans will provide a mixture of private, social and affordable housing options to best suit the needs of local communities.

What land is being assessed?

Land is being assessed for housing development at the following locations:

  • Huntingfield, adjacent to Channel Highway (±71 hectares)
  • Lindisfarne in Gordons Hill Road (±11 hectares);
  • Rokeby, 13 Bland Street (±23 hectares); and
  • Penguin, adjacent to South Road (±5 hectares)

Maps of each site can be downloaded below:

The assessment will establish if these areas are suitable for residential development. If zoned residential, these four sites have the potential to deliver much needed additional housing for the community.

Any future development of this land is most likely to combine private residential development, together with a mix of social and affordable housing, including shared equity home ownership*, private rental stock and public housing.

*Shared equity schemes allow low or middle income earners to part purchase a property (using a deposit and bank loan), with a housing association or the Tasmanian Government providing the remainder of the purchase cost (up to 25%). No rent or interest is charged on the housing association or Government share. However, you must pay rates, insurance and maintain the home.

Assessment Process

For each site, the Land for Future Communities project will include the following stages in the assessment process to determine housing need and the suitability of the land for residential development:

  • Stage 1 – Strategic Assessment
  • Stage 2 – Background Review and Constraints Analysis
  • Stage 3 – Development Options and Analysis
  • Stage 4 – Master Planning
  • Stage 5 – Planning Scheme Amendment Application / Approval Process

The project is on track to have draft master plans for each site considered suitable for housing completed by the end of 2009. These master plans will then be used by the Tasmanian Government to make informed decisions about future use of the sites.

Further Information

For further information about the Land for Future Communities Project phone Philip Williams on 6233 0585 or email hiu@dhhs.tas.gov.au.