THE 43-year-old government office tower at 10 Murray St is part of a “threatened generation of city buildings” and should be saved from demolition, a planning tribunal has heard.
Final arguments in the appeal against Citta Property Group’s $100 million Parliament Square development were heard in the Resource Management Planning and Appeal Tribunal yesterday.
The main objector is the Save 10 Murray group which wants the building preserved because of its heritage significance and architectural qualities.
The Parliament Square redevelopment is intended to revitalise the block of government buildings between Parliament House and Davey St.
It has prompted controversy because the plans include the demolition of several historically or architecturally significant buildings including the 14-storey Murray St office tower and the former Government Printing Office in Salamanca Place.
Save 10 Murray’s lawyer Shaun McElwaine said two reports used to bolster the case for redevelopment were flawed.
“The evidence put forward in favour of demolition suffers a number of defects and should be rejected,” he said.
“The persons who say this building is of such low significance it should be knocked down did not study here, do not practise here and have not spent much time here.
“It is an important building in the Tasmanian context, although it is maligned by some.”
Mr McElwaine said 10 Murray St was one of just five surviving state office blocks built during the post-war boom.
“We’ve got a heritage watchdog with their eye off the ball. They swallowed the developer’s line,” he said.
A revised proposal for the site is being considered by the Sullivans Cove Waterfront Authority.
Save 10 Murray 