Waterfront tower plans shelved

The Fragrance Group has put its plans for a 210-metre hotel tower on the Hobart waterfront on hold.

And the proposed height of its other hotel near the city centre has been drastically reduced, almost halved.

This came after its proposal for the tower on Davey Street attracted widespread criticism.

The plans came under fire when the height was revealed.

At first, the building was to be 120 metres.

But in July 2017, that nearly doubled to 210 metres with 186 metres of inhabitable floors.

Added to that was the prospect of a 24-metre spire.

This development would have dwarfed anything in Hobart now.

Right now, the city's tallest building is Wrest Point casino standing at 73 metres.

As a result of the negative feedback, the Fragrance Group has announced that it has put the Davey Street tower on hold.

And the hotel has also been reconfigured.

Back in July 2017, the Collins Street hotel proposal jumped in height, going from 73 metres to 94 metres stretching to the top of that building's spire.

Now it’s dropped the Collins Street proposal to 50 metres.

The Fragrance Group says it’s redesigned the hotel to put it more in keeping with the neighbourhood. As a result, the height it’s proposing now is similar to a number of nearby existing and approved buildings.

It will now comprise 256 rooms, an 800-seat conference room and associated facilities with a construction budget estimated at $60 million, plus fit-out costs.

Fragrance Group has also lodged a development application with the Hobart City Council for a third development on Elizabeth Street.

That 13 storey building will be 45 metres tall, with 214 hotel suites.

The plan is to build the development over several titles on Elizabeth Street.

It will house a hotel, retail, food venues and businesses.

The hotel was criticised by the Tasmanian Conservation Trust which has warned it would diminish the character of the area.

Leon Getler 22nd March 2018.