planning · City of Hobart
Tied vote sends West Hobart visitor accommodation application to director
Hobart’s Planning Authority Committee split evenly on a Newdegate Street change-of-use application, triggering a delegated decision by the Director Strategic and Regulatory Services.
A planning application for visitor accommodation in West Hobart was not decided by Hobart councillors on Wednesday after the city’s Planning Authority Committee split 5-5 on the officer recommendation.
The tied vote happened on item 7.1.1, covering Unit 2, 55A Newdegate Street, West Hobart and common property of the parent title, for a change of use to visitor accommodation. The public minutes record that the motion to adopt the officer recommendation was lost.
Because the committee did not reach a decision, the application has been deferred to the Director Strategic and Regulatory Services under delegation in sections 57 and 58 of the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993.
For the applicant and nearby residents, that means the matter will now be determined administratively rather than by elected members at the meeting. The minutes do not set out the officer recommendation in the extract, only that no committee decision was made because of the tied vote.
The same meeting also dealt with several broader planning matters. The committee endorsed the City of Hobart’s submission on Draft SPP Amendment 01-2026 of the State Planning Provisions for secondary residences, and resolved to publish that submission on the city’s website once it has been lodged with the State Planning Office.
Councillors also carried an amended motion on the Macquarie Point Precinct planning scheme amendment. The final resolution noted the proposed amendments to the Hobart Local Provision Schedule, noted that the Tasmanian Planning Commission recommended against the Macquarie Point Precinct Project proceeding, restated the council’s previously endorsed opposition to the project proceeding, and said any amendment to the Local Provision Schedule should be conditional on contracts being signed and substantial commencement of the project.
Two regular planning reports were also noted, the Delegated Decision Report and the Planning Advertised Applications Report.
The open portion of the meeting began at 4.06pm and closed at 5.06pm before the committee moved into a closed session, the minutes show. The next steps recorded were for the city’s secondary residences submission to be lodged and published, and for the West Hobart application to be determined by the director under delegated authority.
Reference minutes
Based on the public minutes of the City of Hobart Planning Authority Committee meeting held on 8 April 2026.
Key facts from the minutes
- The Planning Authority Committee met on 8 April 2026 in the open portion from 4.06pm to 5.06pm.
- Item 7.1.1 concerned Unit 2, 55A Newdegate Street, West Hobart and common property of the parent title, for change of use to visitor accommodation.
- The motion to adopt the officer recommendation on item 7.1.1 was lost after a tied vote.
- In the absence of a committee decision, the item was deferred to the Director Strategic and Regulatory Services under sections 57 and 58 of the Land Use Planning and Approvals Act 1993.
- The committee endorsed Hobart’s submission on Draft SPP Amendment 01-2026 of the State Planning Provisions, Secondary Residences.
- The committee resolved that the secondary residences submission be published on the City of Hobart website upon lodgment with the State Planning Office.
- The committee carried an amended resolution on the Macquarie Point Precinct planning scheme amendment.
- The Delegated Decision Report and Planning Advertised Applications Report were received and noted.
Why it matters
- A planning application affecting a West Hobart property was not resolved by elected members and will instead be decided under delegated authority, while the committee also formalised Hobart’s position on proposed state planning changes for secondary residences.