Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Northern Suburbs Transit Corridor?
The Northern Suburbs Transit Corridor (NSTC) is the unused railway corridor between Granton and Macquarie Point, and key sections will be the focus for transport projects over the next ten years as outlined in the draft Keeping Hobart Moving – Transport Solutions For Our Future plan and associated urban renewal projects.
What is the Vision for the corridor?
The Growth Strategy’s vision is:
“The NSTC will offer a great lifestyle, housing choice, fast and direct public transport, and a sustainable vibrant economy, nestled between the mountains and river.”
Why do we need a NSTC Growth Strategy?
The Growth Strategy will help drive more community, commercial and residential development along the corridor, serviced by better transport connections across the city.
The development of the corridor is a long-term proposition and will require significant investment in both transport infrastructure and new housing and commercial developments to be built along the corridor.
The Growth Strategy will guide how, when and what areas will be prioritised for both public and private investment into the future.
What area does the Growth Strategy focus on?
The Growth Strategy initially focuses on the four-kilometre stretch between the Glenorchy CBD and New Town and will guide planning and land use changes for areas within a five- to ten-minute walk (approximately 400-800 metres) of the corridor.
What transport mode has been selected for the corridor?
A rapid bus service is proposed along the corridor and proposed to eventually extend across Greater Hobart to encourage and facilitate public transport use across the city.
The Department of State Growth is in the process of developing a strategic business case for the rapid bus network.
What new housing will it provide?
A key part of the strategy is increasing housing diversity along the corridor, which will mean increasing medium density housing such as apartments, townhouses and terrace housing for those seeking an attractive inner-city lifestyle as well as providing social, affordable and key worker housing.
There will also be opportunities for mixed use developments with commercial/retail space at ground level, and residential levels above.
As a local, what’s in it for me?
Development of the corridor will provide more housing options and employment opportunities locally, while the proposed rapid bus network will provide better public transport links to other areas of the city.
It will also provide more local economic activity, access to more job opportunities and better public facilities and infrastructure.
What is the purpose of the ‘growth principles’ in the Strategy?
The growth principles guide the prioritisation of areas for, and types of, development to ensure the corridor develops in a balanced way to make living and working here desirable for individuals and families. The principles cover factors such as housing, transport, liveability, community connections and job creation.
Who will use the Growth Strategy?
The strategy will be used by the Tasmanian Government and Glenorchy and Hobart City Councils to help prioritise development of the corridor through collaboration and engagement with the Australian Government, and by investors to plan potential development opportunities.
The Glenorchy and Hobart City councils will have critical roles to play as the planning authorities. Councils will set the local planning rules for development as well as prioritising local community and public improvements.
Who will fund the development along the corridor?
The changes anticipated along the corridor will be significant and this will require long term commitment and funding from many sources.
The Tasmanian Government will work closely with the Australian Government to share the cost of development of the transport infrastructure as the proposed rapid bus network is developed.
Private sector investment will be important in the development of the corridor through the provision of medium density housing, and Homes Tasmania will have an important role to play in the provision of more social and affordable homes close to the new transport connections.
How was the Growth Strategy developed?
The Department of State Growth engaged COX Architecture to develop the Growth Strategy in collaboration with a number of agencies and the Glenorchy and Hobart City councils.
The development of the strategy also included engagement with a range of industry representatives to provide a business-based view of challenges and opportunities for the corridor.
Can I have my say on the strategy and corridor?
Yes, the next step is to develop a detailed Corridor Plan focusing on the Glenorchy CBD to New Town section.
Community consultation will be undertaken by the Tasmanian Government and the Glenorchy and Hobart City councils as the plan is developed, and engagement with landowners and residents will be important as detailed corridor planning progresses.