Hobart Council Resurrects Plan to Restrict Whole-Home Short-Stay Conversions
The Hobart City Council has revived a proposal to ban the conversion of entire homes into short-stay accommodations like Airbnb, affecting approximately 20,000 properties zoned as residential. The plan, which failed in 2022 when challenged by the Tasmanian Planning Commission, would only apply to new applications and exempt properties already operating as short-stays, as well as partial conversions and holiday lettings. The move reflects council concerns that short-stay accommodation—which accounts for 8.8% of Hobart dwellings compared to 2.2% in Sydney—is contributing to housing shortages and rising rents.
The Hobart City Council's planning committee has endorsed a revised proposal to restrict whole-home short-stay accommodation conversions in the city, affecting approximately 20,000 residential properties. The plan would apply only to new permit applications and would not impact properties already operating as short-stays, while exempting partial conversions such as spare rooms or granny flats, as well as homes temporarily listed while owners are on holiday. Research by housing expert Peter Phibbs found that short-stay listings account for 8.8% of dwellings in Hobart—significantly higher than Sydney (2.2%) or Melbourne (4.8%)—and that roughly half of recent short-stay conversions were previously long-term rentals. A cost-benefit analysis suggests the policy would deliver $2.11 in benefits for every dollar spent. The proposal now enters a 28-day public exhibition period before the council decides whether to refer it to the Tasmanian Planning Commission for final approval, marking a fresh attempt after a similar ban was rejected in 2022.
What different sources said
- ABC AustraliaCenter
Council plan would make whole-home short-stays off limits for 20k homes
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