Hobart’s Waratah Hotel a step closer to affordable housing conversion
Plans to redevelop a former Hobart pub into affordable accommodation to address the city’s housing crisis are a step closer to reality.
In August, the State Government confirmed it had entered into an agreement to buy the Waratah Hotel to turn it into affordable housing.
It was revealed in October, the Government had paid $5.3 million for the Murray St pub and it was hoped the accommodation could be operational by early 2020.
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A development application has now been lodged with the Hobart City Council for partial demolition, alterations, car parking and change of use to communal residence with 24 en suite one-bedroom units.
The application was submitted by Tasmanian firm Philp Lighton Architects on behalf of the Director of Housing.
The redevelopment would includes the demolition of the former bottle shop and gaming areas, which will be replaced with a new screened courtyard for residents.
Other upgrades include works for ancillary services including administration, a communal lounge, dining and kitchen.
The Waratah Hotel will close next year after being bought by the State Government.
In the application, Philp Lighton Architects associate director Pip Bilson wrote to the council that as the development aims to assist meeting the demand for social housing in Tasmania, “this project is time sensitive and your urgent attention would be most appreciated”.
Housing Minister Roger Jaensch previously said the project formed part of the Government’s $125 million Affordable Housing Action Plan 2, but did not provide a figure on what the refurbishment would cost.
A statement of archaeological potential by senior archaeological consultant Parry Kostoglou identified the history of the Murray St property as having begun in the mid-1820s, when much
of the outskirts of the Hobart CBD were first surveyed and subdivided.
“The subject property was accordingly subdivided into two constituent historic allotments and granted to George Munday and George Babtie,” Kostoglou wrote.
A hotel structure was first licensed in 1832 to Alexander Mcleod under the name the Blue Bell Tavern.
“It is alleged the bushranger Martin Cash attempted to hide in this hotel during an escape attempt,” Kostoglou wrote.
“He duly departed and upon entering the nearby Brisbane Hotel, shot a police constable and was then captured.”
Kostoglou says the hotel name was changed in the early 1900s to the Waratah and the current building was constructed in the 1960s.
This article from The Mercury originally appeared as “Redevelopment plans for former Waratah Hotel moving ahead with development application lodged”.
