Replies to emails sent to the Launceston City Council have raised the following queries. Alderman Soward has been good enough to contact us through email and social media. Therefore we have responded to Rob’s questions directly and in the interests of transparency have also posted the same material below. “The major issues are that this building is on the wet side of the levee system…” - How is it that a building recommended for heritage listing came to be isolated on the wet side of the levee wall? How can the public have confidence in Monday’s vote if it has not been explained how this occurred? The planning process has clearly failed the public’s expectation for diligence and transparency. “…the old levee walls are going to be reduced in height to reduce risk of failure.” - Again on a question of process, works have already commenced on reducing the height of the levee. Are councillors aware of this and has it obtained appropriate planning approval? - The draft master plan on which the public were consulted, explicitly states that the first stage of the development involves the rehabilitation and retention of a significant part of the Woolstore. If the Woolstore is now to be demolished due to inundation risks, why was the retention and adaptive re-use of the building presented to the public as “an important part of the redevelopment”(Q12 Community Consultation Survey)? How can the council propose to have a mandate for demolition of the Woolstore if all prior consultation and public good will has been gained on the basis that retention and adaptation of the Woolstore was integral to the master plan? - In light of these points, how can councilors, in good conscience, vote to demolish the Woolstore on Monday – a vote that will take place within the last twenty four hours of the councilors current terms? “The other issue relates to the ability to meet the primary objectives of the master plan with this building in place” - North Bank Master Plan Objective 1 – “Facilitate enhanced access to the river edge”. The Woolstore presents no barrier to river edge access. - North Bank Master Plan Objective 2 – “deliver an expansion to the established riverside walking and cycling trails and facilitate enhanced connectivity along the public open space network.” - The Woolstore poses no impediment to any expansion of walking or cycling trails. - North Bank Master Plan Objective 3 – “invest in infrastructure to support community based events and passive recreational activities”: The Woolstore provides a perfect venue for community based events. Investment in adaptation would enhance this infrastructure. Our consultation with the public demonstrates their overwhelming support for using the Woolstore for community based activities. - North Bank Master Plan Objective four – “Provide a framework to identify and inform specific opportunities for both public and private sector investment and to maximise the synergies between these opportunities.” - The wool stores provides a perfect venue for events. It is highly likely that events would increase the demand for hotel accommodation on the site, thereby complimenting the adjacent private sector development. Significant levels of support have been shown from the business community for the prospect of utilising the Woolstore as an events space. “the cost to bring the building up to standard and maintain such a structure in a floodway” - We would like to see this process brought to a point where the building can be assessed for its potential for adaption and reuse. Reuse can occur in a variety of ways. Any consideration of cost in adapting the building can be weighed against the true costs of demolition, subsequent remediation, landscaping and replacement structures. At this point has the council accurately costed these works and presented it to councillors? If councillors have not been presented with the true cost of the works, how can they be expected to vote in favor of starting works on Monday? If yourself and other aldermen are open to a meeting on site at the Woolstore prior to the council meeting, we would be happy to discuss this matter further. Yours sincerely Adaptive Reuse
Posted on: Sat, 25 Oct 2014 20:48:03 +0000
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