In the 1960s and 1970s the deficiencies in the 1945 Hobart city plan (Cook 1945) were clearly evident in Battery Point and North Hobart. Overly-ambitious transport plans, and over-zoning for industrial/commercial uses threatened houses and depleted the residential neighbourhood (Vincent 1984).

A Planning Scheme review commenced in the Hobart suburb of Battery Point in 1973 producing the first exercise in citizen participation. It was based on ideas of social justice in planning and a response to unrestricted height provision in a residential Zone. This led to residential urban activism in another inner suburb, North Hobart. The North Hobart Residents’ Group was a social movement that went beyond mere protest to develop an alternative strategy for the area from 1979-1993. The activity, actors and outcomes in this strategic exercise were remarkable, leading to:

• Reversing a decline in residential population and slightly increasing the residential population;
• Reversing dwelling demolition;
• Amending road-widening plans to retain sound buildings, especially houses that had been acquired for road widening and proposed for demolition; and
• The revival of a flagging suburban shopping centre.

The earlier success based on community development has now been eroded by the recent conversion of a number of dwellings to Bed & Breakfast accommodation. This has resulted in housing being commodified at the expense of the permanent residents and local community, and there are now new and insidious threats to the residential environment.