Plans for a mobile sauna in a southern Hobart suburb have taken a first step forward with planning approval.
Hobart City Council’s planning committee has approved an application from Harnon Saunas for a partial change of zoning at the site (recreational to retail/hire).
The change would allow it to run an eight-person sauna heated by a wood-fire oven to operate at the beach in Sandy Bay from April to October.
The committee’s minutes from its May 20 meeting states the timber-Colorbond clad sauna will be mounted on a nine-metre long trailer with a change area, seating for up to eight people and a rear deck with showers and disability lift.
There will be low-level interior music only, supervision provided and water supplied and removed during specific hours; wastewater and refuse will be disposed either into the site’s existing bathing pavilion storage tanks or trucked away.
The stated operating hours in the application are: closed Mondays and Tuesdays and open 3.30pm to 9.15pm from Wednesdays to Fridays, 8am-9.15pm on Saturdays and 8am-6.15pm on Sundays.
SAUNA PLAN OBJECTIONS
The DA was publicised from April 17 to May 1 and drew eight objections. Concerns were raised about public access, the site, its visual impact, traffic and parking, noise, smoke and the application.
The council officials ruled that most of the issues raised were not a consideration under the Tasmanian Planning Scheme.
Current parking space was deemed sufficient given the sauna is mobile and will operate seasonally for limited customers at a time, council says.
It also notes that the sauna is a registered trailer and not subject to the building code.
The city council officers also noted that community consultations revealed strong support for the sauna at the site which was identified as the only suitable one out of potential sites assessed by them.
No excavations work is planned for the site and the planning officials say there should be no smoke plumes although there would be a smell.
The application is likely to go to full council whose next scheduled meeting is on Monday, May 25.
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