A neighbourhood plan is a guide for how a local area should develop and improve over time. They have a forward focus of up to 30 years and plan for future population growth and community needs. For this project, the plan will also provide an infrastructure funding framework, to enable the infrastructure to be appropriately funded and delivered as the area develops.

Neighbourhood plans identify how land can be developed and provide a framework for a Council to deliver liveable communities. They can influence:

• How land is used

• What planning controls apply

• Where future housing can occur

• What housing types are appropriate for the area

• Where commercial and business uses can occur

• The location of open space areas such as parks and playgrounds

• The location of infrastructure and services, including roads and transport links.

In 2014, the Greater Launceston Plan identified the St Leonards and Waverley area as a growth corridor. The Plan also identified the area immediately surrounding St Leonards as a Priority Investigation Area for residential development.

This means the St Leonards and Waverley area will start to experience more development associated with housing, businesses and other services, and it’s important to make sure that the area develops in the right way.

Based on the area identified in the Greater Launceston Plan, this neighbourhood plan will be focused on the St Leonards and Waverley areas.

The St Leonards community was consulted in 2018 on future plans for the area. Some of the feedback we received then includes:

• A need for traffic calming infrastructure and improved pedestrian pathways before there is further growth;

• Support for local businesses, services and local schools;

• A need for improvements to existing infrastructure and services to support growth;

• The community values the heritage buildings within the area and would support a heritage precinct, particularly around the village centre or along Station Road;

• There is a preference for a lower growth scenario;

• The community value green space and recreational opportunities and believe the biggest thing to encourage walkability in the area would be to improve footpaths and provide more off-road walking tracks.

We are interested to understand whether the community’s views have changed and whether these areas of interest are still relevant. This feedback, and any additional feedback we receive, will help shape the neighbourhood plan.

The Neighbourhood Plan recommends a staged release of land in the St Leonards and Waverley area. Some areas will be zoned for residential development to support the delivery of new homes and infrastructure such as roads, shared paths and open space.

There is land within St Leonards and Waverley that is zoned General Residential which can be subdivided and developed for housing now. This zoned land could support up to 1,000 new homes.

We know that Launceston is growing, and the Greater Launceston Plan identified the St Leonards and Waverley area as a growth corridor.

Tasmania’s housing profile is also changing, with an increase in the number of single person and two person households. This reflects an aging population as people’s housing needs change, which creates demand for housing around our state.

The neighbourhood plan will follow a staged approach, which will highlight which areas should be developed first to assist with infrastructure development.

Its complete implementation may occur over a 15-30 year period.

Strategic planning documents should be updated regularly. This neighbourhood plan will have an interim review after 5 years to consider how the project is progressing. Following 10-15 years, depending on the implementation of the plan, it may be significantly reviewed.

If your land is located within the Neighbourhood Plan area this does not force you to develop your land.

As a next step, the Neighbourhood Plan will be included in the local Planning Scheme. Therefore, if you own a large or significant parcel of land in the area and did choose to subdivide or develop in the future, you will need to develop your land in a way that is consistent with the plan. This may include things like road layouts for large lots being subdivided, or open space or other infrastructure requirements.

Our project team has started working on the St Leonards and Waverley Neighbourhood Plan. The team engaged with the community in November and December 2024 to understand their needs today and in the future.

The following studies have informed the Draft Neighbourhood Plan:

• Retail and Community Needs Assessment,
• Integrated Transport Assessment
• Stormwater Assessment
• Cultural Heritage Assessment
• Historic Heritage Assessment
• Bushfire Advice
• Natural Values Assessment.

The Draft Neighbourhood Plan is now complete and open for feedback. See the document library on the right to download the Draft Neighbourhood Plan and provide your feedback via the online survey, or at an in-person community event. See the ‘Get involved’ section of this page to find out more.

Rates are allocated based on each property’s Assessed Annual Value (AAV). The AAV is determined by the State Government Office of the Valuer-General.

For most properties, this neighbourhood plan won’t make any recommendations for changes. However if the area sees an overall increase in value of properties, it could impact the AAV, which in turn could impact rates.

Further information about how City of Launceston’s rates are calculated can be found here.

For most properties, the Neighbourhood Plan will not rezone your land. However, for some larger land holdings, these are identified for proposed residential development which will require rezoning. Any rezoning would need to go through a separate statutory planning process called a Planning Scheme Amendment.

Further information about Planning Scheme amendments can be found here.

The Neighbourhood Plan includes an Infrastructure Funding Framework (IFF) which sets out the shared infrastructure projects required to support growth, such as new road intersections, stormwater management infrastructure and sport and recreation facilities.

The IFF outlines how the cost and delivery of these projects will be shared by developers in the future. Some projects will also be delivered directly be Council with funding allocated through their Capital Works Program or through other sources such as grants.

The vision for the Neighbourhood Plan is:

“The St Leonards and Waverley growth area is a dynamic community balancing new homes with its existing semi-rural surrounds. It safeguards the environment, including waterways, landforms, and vegetation, while honouring the area’s history.

Building homes here focuses on accessibility, sustainability, and community through integrated transport, open spaces, and local amenities. This is where people come to live, work, and thrive in an inclusive and vibrant community”

There are lots of ways to be involved in the next stage of the project, including:

• You can attend the community workshop

• You can join us at a pop-up coffee in the park

• You can complete the survey

• You can call our project team on 03 6323 3220

• You can send us an email at neighbourhoods@launceston.tas.gov.au