LAUNCESTON CITY COUNCIL
MEDIA RELEASE
Issued: Thursday 5 November 2015
Council to debate in principle support for UTAS expansion
The City of Launceston will on Monday debate in principle support for the University of Tasmania's proposed Northern campus expansion.
Council officers have recommended that the Council transfer an 11,523 square metre parcel of land at Inveresk and the 9473 square metre Willis Street car park to UTAS, subject to three conditions:
1: The development shall be undertaken by the University of Tasmania in a manner consistent with the commitments and undertakings provided by the University of Tasmania in their document signed by the Vice Chancellor dated 4 November 2015, unless subsequently varied with the agreement of the Council.
2: Agreement by the University of Tasmania that prior to any transfer of title from the Council, the University of Tasmania will provide to the Council written confirmation that funding commitments have been made necessary to enable the relocation of substantially all of the University's operations at Newnham, excluding the AMC and associated facilities.
3: Agreement by the University of Tasmania that if the relocation is not completed on the land by the University of Tasmania within five years from the date of the Development Approval issued by the Council as a Planning Authority, or in the event that the land ceases to be used by the University of Tasmania for educational purposes, the University of Tasmania shall be liable to pay to the Council an amount representing the value of the land, as assessed by a suitably qualified valuer agreed by the Council and the University of Tasmania, or in the absence of agreement nominated by the Valuer-General.
The Inveresk land parcel is currently valued at $1.9m, while the Willis Street car park parcel is currently valued at $2.6m.
Launceston Mayor Albert van Zetten said he was looking forward to the debate on Monday.
"Potentially, a favourable decision from the Council could lead to a $220m capital investment on the doorstep of our CBD," Mayor van Zetten said.
"Modelling from UTAS indicates that by 2025, the economic impact of a relocation to Inveresk could top $290m annually.
"Importantly, UTAS has repeatedly stated on the public record that courses will be expanded in Launceston, providing new educational offerings.
"This will be a very important decision for our city and for its future as a University city, and I look forward to hearing the views around the table on Monday."
2 comments:
The very notion that an issue like this can be debated at council, and meaningfully, in open council is nothing more than self-serving twaddle.
There seems to be evidence of a stitch up here and it smells like hell. People are supposed to put that to one side?
What’s more, to have this debate as some kind of concession to public consultation is a demonstration of the absolute contempt this council has for the city’s ratepayers and residents.
The university’s smoke and mirrors exercise at the Albert Hall some weeks back is likewise a demonstration of its contempt for the citizens of the city.
The high moral ground the university, and the aldermen, assume for themselves would be comedic if it were not for the serious self-belief these people hold for themselves. All this even seems to pose questions about “nice little earners”. There is getting to be a rank smell of it.
Launceston has just gotten over the stupid and counter productive pulp mill debacle and now the city has to deal with a blow-in Vice Chancellor exhibiting all the signs, a strong whiff even, of someone looking to be congratulated for pulling off a money stunt and disappearing to reap the rewards elsewhere.
Then there is the issue of the meeting’s timing. Press release late Thursday, debate the next Monday, and all well away from the gaze of dissidents. The credibility gap is gianormous.
And then there are the university’s students who are being sidelined and patronised in this whole affair.
I think this whole thing looks just a little shonky. What’s worse is that those perpetrating this nonsense claim to be intelligent and assume that 'ordinary people' are basically dumb..
Where under the LGA does the council get the power to freely give away ratepayers' assets?
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