Council responds to Inveresk car park safety issues

Published on 04 September 2024

As set out in the Council's Homelessness Statement of Commitment, the City of Launceston has been working closely with established support agencies to facilitate improved outcomes for people experiencing homelessness in our community.

City of Launceston Mayor Matthew Garwood said that unfortunately the growing number of people congregating with those living in the Northern Inveresk Car Park at the Round House shed had resulted in a serious level of threat to the safety of users of the car park.

This extended to those living, working and studying in the surrounding area, including University of Tasmania students and staff, and children and parents using the surrounding sports grounds.

"The Council has been really sensitive to the situation at the Round House for some time and have been aware of a number of people intermittently staying in tents and makeshift shelters on this Council-owned property," Mayor Garwood said.

"This has resulted in more than 30 calls to the Council's Customer Service Centre in recent weeks in which our community members are telling us they feel unsafe, in danger and unable to go about their normal business as a direct result of the anti-social behaviour taking place at all hours in the car park."

The City of Launceston has issued trespass notices to persons living in the Round House and those notices have been served by Tasmania Police.

The continued presence of those issued with trespass orders is considered to be an unacceptable risk to community members, service providers, and City of Launceston employees, and is inconsistent with the property's defined usage as a car park, and public walkway and thoroughfare, and its proximal recreation spaces.