The Tasmanian government has backflipped on its controversial decision to relocate the Burnie court complex to a residential area after community backlash.
In August 2020, the state government announced plans to build a new court at the former University of Tasmania's Cradle Coast campus on Mooreville Road at a cost of $40 million.
But there has been growing unrest in the community — including from the Burnie City Council — that it's the wrong site.
There are calls for another site in the CBD to be found.
Instead, the government will open an expression of interest process to find potential new sites in the city centre.
Premier Peter Gutwein said the government had listened to the community.
"While the Mooreville Road site was identified as a suitable Crown land site for a new court complex following a significant review process," he said.
"It is clear there may be additional sites in the CBD that could now also be suitable, pending consideration by landowners."
Law Society of Tasmania president Simon Gates has welcomed the backflip on the old university site, which had been identified as the best option by the Department of Justice.
"The Law Society has for some time had concerns about people travelling to and from a court located out of the CBD," Mr Gates said.
"There's no question that the current Burnie court facility isn't fit for purpose and so the question really now is whether a suitable alternative site can be identified."
Options already identified
Burnie Mayor Steve Kons said transport, the effect on residents near Mooreville Road, and a loss of business in the city were among the council's concerns.
"Taking an enterprise which is a large people-generating place out of our CBD was always going to be difficult," he said.
"Courts are not just about criminal courts, civil actions, family law issues — there's plenty of other things that the courts do and having it in our CBD is the most appropriate place to have it."
He said several sites have been identified in the CBD, and one had already been presented to council.
"To make a decision without canvassing all options was something we didn't agree with," he said.
Relief from business lobby
Business North-West chamber of commerce president Ian Jones said the CBD would have suffered if the court was built at the old university site.
"We didn't want all of that revenue being taken out of the central business district because that helps prop up some of those smaller businesses," Mr Jones said.
His group had suggested an option across the road from the police station.
"That, and some other buildings adjacent to it, are capable of providing an excellent footprint for the new courthouse," Mr Jones said.
The EOI process is expected to be completed within three months.
