Launceston City Deal
Launched in April 2017, the Launceston City Deal is a five-year plan to position Launceston as a highly liveable and innovative regional city. RDA Tasmania has worked collaboratively with the Commonwealth Government, Tasmanian Government and City of Launceston throughout its design stage and will now help implement the City Deal through participation in key activities.
The Launceston City Deal maximises targeted investment commitments, particularly from the Commonwealth Government, Tasmanian Government, University of Tasmania and City of Launceston, to deliver:
- jobs and skills growth
- business, industry and population growth
- a vibrant, liveable city
- innovation and industry engagement
- a healthy Tamar Estuary
Snapshot of City Deal commitments
Jobs and skills growth
- Move the University of Tasmania’s main Launceston campus to the heart of the city by 2020 to transform the city centre and broader region, and establish Launceston as a vibrant university city.
- Deliver local jobs, apprenticeships and training through the university campus and City Heart projects from 2017 to 2020 and assist local job seekers to be more competitive for local job opportunities.
- Establish Aboriginal employment targets for infrastructure projects.
- Provide work experience for disadvantaged youth, including Aboriginal Tasmanians, in Council operations from 2018 to 2022.
- Establish a new Australian Army cadet facility and training facility in Launceston’s northern suburbs to help young people build resilience, leadership, values and team work skills.
- Support schools to extend to years 11 and 12 by 2024 to improve education and employment prospects and build the community skills base.
Business, industry and population growth
- Deliver a Regional Economic Development Strategy by 2018 to identify opportunities for future economic and jobs growth, and implement through to 2022.
- Deliver a regional industry forum, business survey and agreed set of metrics to support development of the Regional Economic Development Strategy.
- Deliver a community-led master plan for the university’s Newnham campus by late 2017 to rethink the best use of the site, and identify opportunities to support the continued growth of the Australian Maritime College.
- Support an Entrepreneurship Facilitator position to 2020 to advise and guide people who want to start their own business.
- Establish a Jobs Pathways Director position from 2017 to 2019 to expand career aspirations, establish a shared vision for education, training and employment outcomes, and strengthen engagement between local education providers and industry.
- Provide information and facilitation services for major projects.
A vibrant, liveable city
- Implement the City Heart project from 2017 to 2020 to revitalise the historic CBD through improved public spaces, transport and signage, delivering jobs and attracting more skilled workers to the city.
- Deliver an updated plan for the central city by 2020 to better integrate city centre planning with other development projects across the city.
- Increase in-fill development in the CBD by identifying options by 2018 to increase density and vibrancy in central Launceston.
- Assist the private sector to redevelop buildings in the CBD to improve residential housing and tourist accommodation options, with a regulatory map, development guide and performance solutions developed by 2018.
- Deliver the Northern Suburbs Revitalisation Plan by 2018 to improve employment, infrastructure, public space, transport and land use in the city’s north, and implement through to 2022.
- Improve transport connections across the city, including support for a more ‘walkable’ city for pedestrians.
- Deliver a Launceston Cultural Strategy by 2017 to enrich local culture, activities and events, promoting the city as a year-round tourist destination and strengthening community pride and belonging.
Innovation and industry engagement
- Deliver a university precinct by 2020 that builds student participation, research and development as well as industry connections and encourages innovation, through an Institute for Applied Science and Design developed as part of the new university campus.
- Establish a $4 million Launceston hub of the National Institute for Forest Products Innovation by late 2017 to investigate innovation in areas such as forest management, advanced manufacturing and the bio-economy.
- Support a Low-Power Wide-Area Network by 2017 to encourage developers and businesses to create, trial and commercialise smart technology solutions for a range of purposes.
- Encourage a consistent approach to the release of public data by regional councils to increase accessibility and use of public data with a strategy to be agreed by 2018.
- Support cooperation across local councils to improve service delivery through smart technology.
- Improve digital literacy in the community, with programs to commence in 2017.
- Develop a Launceston catalogue on data.gov.au and NationalMap to enable the release of more non-sensitive data to improve business decision-making and government service delivery.
A healthy Tamar Estuary
- Establish a Tamar Estuary Management Taskforce (including experts and local stakeholders) to oversee the development of a River Health Action Plan by the end of 2017.
- Invest $2 million in priority actions identified in the River Health Action Plan to reduce pollution in the Tamar Estuary, urban and rural land uses and address pollution from the combined sewerage and stormwater system.
- Investigate funding and financing options for upgrades to Launceston’s combined sewerage and stormwater system.
Implementing the City Deal
A Launceston City Deal Executive Board representing key investment partners, will ensure co-ordinated and accountable delivery of the five-year City Deal.
Executive Board members:
- The Commonwealth Government Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (co-Chair)
- The Tasmanian Government Office of the Coordinator-General (co-Chair)
- The Commonwealth Department of Education and Training
- The City of Launceston
- The University of Tasmania
The Executive Board will meet in Launceston twice in the first year and then annually each remaining year of the City Deal, to coordinate the strategic vision of the City Deal and its major investments.
A Community and Business Advisory Group will support the Executive Board, with members from key City Deal partners, such as Northern Tasmania Development Corporation Ltd and its Council members, the Launceston Chamber of Commerce and RDA Tasmania.
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