Hobart military barracks slated for housing development

A render of a proposed housing development at Dowsing Point in Hobart. (Supplied) A mix of social, affordable and private housing has been proposed for a 1,000 home development at Dowsing Point, in Hobart's north. The proposal, a joint co-investment between the federal, state and local government, will replace the Derwent Barracks, which will be sold as part of a national defence estate sell-off. The commercial value of the land and the timeline for development is yet to be determined. Link copiedShareShare articleUp to 1,000 new homes could be built on the site of a military barracks in Hobart's northern suburbs under a redevelopment agreement between the Tasmanian and federal governments, but a timeline and cost have yet to be determined. The 31-hectare Derwent Barracks site at Dowsing Point has been slated for divestment as part of a national defence property sell-off in February. According to the state government, early planning indicates up to 1,000 new homes could be considered for the waterfront site, including a mix of social, affordable and private housing made up of family homes, townhouses and medium-density options. Open spaces, along with amenities and community infrastructure would also be considered. "One of the good things about a site like this is that you can have a mix," said Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the announcement of the development in Hobart on Sunday. Located about 10 kilometres from the CBD, and with close access to key transport routes and the nearby suburb of Glenorchy, Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff said the proposed development was a "no-brainer". "This is an area of land that is under-utilised and an area of land that could be better utilised by the Tasmanian people by putting a thousand houses on it," Mr Rockliff said. The proposal will replace the Derwent Barracks, which is to be sold as part of a national defence estate sell-off. (Supplied) Tasmania's capital is experiencing intense housing demand, with the state's rental availability becoming increasingly thin. Despite the enthusiasm from all levels of government for the development proposal, the timeline to deliver the homes and the commercial value of the land remains unclear. Assistant Defence Minister Peter Khalil said all the defence sites that are part of the divestment would go through a valuation process through the Department of Finance. "We look at heritage, we look at issues around transition of personnel, which we're doing on this site," Mr Khalil said. The proposed development features a mix of social, affordable and private homes. (Supplied) Mr Rockliff said the development would be a "co-investment" between the federal and state governments, along with the Glenorchy City Council. "We'll work through those details," he said. "It'll be very good value for money for Tasmanians because it'll increase supply, it'll increase affordability, it'll increase public housing." Nearby Wilkinsons Point has also been earmarked for development, however negotiations between the state government and developer Larry Kestelman have recently stalled. Mr Rockliff said he envisioned both sites would be activated "within a decade". Asked if there were any conditions placed on the sale regarding the amount of social and affordable housing to be built on site, Mr Albanese said the details would be worked through at a later date. Derwent Barracks currently hosts Army Reserve units and functions, logistics facilities and cadet programs. Once the Commonwealth land is transferred to the state government, the 20 full time defence personnel at the site, as well as reservists and cadets, will relocate to Anglesea Barracks, about 10 kilometres south. The federal government said it expected the process to transfer personnel from the site would take at least 12 months. The Housing Institute Association said the development was well placed to benefit from infrastructure funding announced in last week's federal budget to speed up the delivery of the proposal. The Albanese government has identified 67 defence sites for potential sale, aiming to unlock up to $1.8 billion. "Well-located land like Dowsing Point is exactly the kind of site that should be prioritised under the infrastructure funding announced in the federal budget," HIA Tasmania executive director Benjamin Price said. "Targeted investment in enabling infrastructure can make the difference between land sitting idle for years and homes being built." Civil Contractors Federation chief executive Andrew Winch said the project should be treated as a major infrastructure priority. "Projects like this, alongside the stadium, mean we can plan for the future of the sector with confidence," Mr Winch said. In early February, the federal government announced that it would sell off 67 under-utilised Australian Defence Force sites. The decision was made based off an independent audit commissioned after the 2023 Defence Strategic Review, and was aimed at u

Hobart military barracks slated for housing development

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