Future for Elizabeth Street (Midtown)

Midtown retail precinct upgrade project

Commencing in 2019, the City of Hobart undertook planning for a streetscape upgrade in Elizabeth Street (Midtown).

The aim of the project was to revitalise the section of Elizabeth Street between Melville Street and Warwick Street, to improve walkability, accessibility and amenity for pedestrians and to create a more vibrant and sociable main street environment.

A comprehensive community engagement program took place in 2019. During this process the City collaborated with Midtown's traders, residents, property owners and other stakeholders (who formed a Project Action Team - PAT) in a co-design process, to identify priorities to upgrade Elizabeth Street.

A draft streetscape concept design for Midtown has been developed in response to the PAT's vision. This plan re-imagines Elizabeth Street as a more welcoming accessible and people-focused main street. The plan can be viewed on the Your Say Hobart website.

Following further consultation with key stakeholders and the wider community, this concept design was endorsed by Council in December 2020 as a framework for future streetscape development in the project area.

Central Hobart Plan

The Central Hobart Plan (CHP) which was adopted by the Council in September 2023, proposes a number of built form controls, open space improvements and other actions to improve the liveability of our city centre over the next two decades.

Midtown plays a very important role within the context of the CHP.

The small and boutique businesses, the heritage shopfronts, and the emerging night-time economy are all highlighted in the CHP as objectives in the newly identified Innovation Precinct along with Midtown’s role in providing new opportunities for a vibrant city.

Midtown will also form part of a wider Elizabeth Street Vision Plan - a key action identified in the CHP.

Looking at Elizabeth Street as a whole, will allow the future of the street to be explored in a way that considers how people and vehicles move through the space, as well as opportunities to improve the quality of the street.

The Street Vision Plan will be developed in collaboration with stakeholders over the coming year and will be informed by the previous work of Midtown Project Action Team and the results of the Midtown extended outdoor dining trial.

The Elizabeth Street Vision is expected to take at least two years to develop to a stage where a detailed design will be ready to deliver.

Due to the support of both the majority of the business and the community the trial will remain in place until a more permanent streetscape upgrade is delivered as part of the Elizabeth Street Vision.

Location

Elizabeth Street, Hobart 7000  View Map