Wellington Park management plan

THE Minister for Environment, Parks and Heritage, Brian Wightman, has welcomed the new Management Plan for Wellington Park, which came into effect on 1 January.

Mr Wightman said that after thorough consultation with the Tasmanian community, there was now a plan that would help to facilitate a range of developments in the park, including projects like a cable car.

“The revised plan allows for consideration of commercial development at the Springs and the Pinnacle,” he said.

“While the Liberals have continued to try and use political stunts to show their support on the mountain, the Tasmanian Government has been getting on with the real work, which was revising the plan.”

Mr Wightman said the management plan outlines how Wellington Park will be managed in the coming years.

“The new plan strongly promotes the development of new visitor services and infrastructure on Mount Wellington, but will also ensure its special values are protected.”

However, Shadow Minister for Planning Elise Archer said the Liberals had led the way on allowing development on Mt Wellington.

“Our Bill to remove the veto power of the Mt Wellington Trust passed by the Parliament late last year,” she said.

Ms Archer said proposed commercial developments on Mt Wellington would still need to go through the usual council planning approvals process.

“In addition, our legislation also now provides that applications for development on Mt Wellington will have to take into account the standards, values and conditions set out in the Wellington Park Management Plan.”

Wellington Park and the Wellington Park Management Trust are established through the Wellington Park Act.

The Park, which spans more than 18,250 hectares, comprises most of the Wellington Range area.