New plans for old schools

Published in The Mercury - Tuesday 22nd July, 2014

Two multi-million dollar developments in Hobart’s northern suburbs will give new life to sites vacated as a result of school mergers. The former Abbotsfield Primary School site at Claremont has been vandalised since it closed almost four years ago. Wilson Homes has bought the site in partnership with Centacare Tasmania to build 55 units and communal facilities at a cost of between $10 million and $12 million. “It will be a new retirement village option for people in the northern suburbs.”" Wilson Homes managing director Ben Wilson said. “It’s a good level site with good access on to the highway and close to the Claremont shopping centre. We expect there will be pretty reasonable demand.”

In September last year the Sunday Tasmanian reported that the 3.1ha site, which included an oval and buildings and was for sale for $850,000, was covered in graffiti and had become an eyesore. Glenorchy mayor Stuart Slade said at the time that having abandoned buildings left to decay in the middle of suburbia brought down the mood of the community. The buildings cannot be demolished until the council approves the rezoning of the site from community use to residential. Yesterday Mr Slade told the Mercury the council welcomed all well planned developments in Glenorchy.

Wilson Homes has also bought the former Brent Street Primary School site in G1enorchy for mixed use development. Plans for the subdivision include 20 independent living units plus home-share properties to help low income earners buy their first home. The Brent St School closed in 2009 when it merged with Glenorchy Primary. Mr Wilson said the Brent St development was also expected to exceed $10 million.