Can we actually afford to say No

Can we actually afford to say No?The Property Council today welcomed proposed hotel developments in Launceston. Executive Director Brian Wightman encouraged the community to remain open minded about investment and development. “Northern Tasmanian continues to face the challenges of a transitioning economy. “We must increase our contribution to Gross State Product through investment and development in commercial, education and hotel experiences,” he said. To complement the proposed development, the Property Council recognised the importance of the Launceston City Deal and the potential for ongoing economic leverage. “To take full advantage of the Launceston City Deal we must be prepared to consider opportunities when presented which will add to our city’s reputation, service provision and charm. It’s wonderful to have a City Deal and the increased population that will result, however we need to recognise that with tourism numbers also growing, high quality accomodation spaces will be required to cater for the increase. “Inner-city infill should be front of mind when community leaders are making decisions on our behalf,” he said. Mr Wightman further encouraged Northern Tasmanian’s to embrace difference and challenging ideas as a way to deliver continuous economic growth for a generation. “When investors show interest in our city, we should find a way to bring the community along with the proposal. “And while we will always remain supportive of Horizontal Fiscal Equalisation, the challenges associated with our reliance on the GST, and associated employment, health and education issues, means that full and holistic consideration of all aspects of any such proposal, including “knock-on” economic benefits, needs to be given,” he said.