New Tasmanian Youth Justice Facility

Project overview

A commitment has been made to close the Ashley Youth Detention Centre (AYDC) as soon as possible.

The decision to close AYDC and build a new facility aligns with the recommendations of the Youth Justice Blueprint and the Tasmanian Government’s Commission of Inquiry. These recommendations prioritise therapeutic trauma informed approaches. Evidence shows that therapeutic approaches prevent reoffending and keep the community safer.

The new Tasmanian Youth Justice Facility will play a role in the broader reforms to Tasmania’s youth justice system. The main focus of the reforms is on diversion and early intervention, with detention being a last resort. The new Facility will focus on providing care for the small number of children and young people who need secure accommodation, within a therapeutic, trauma-informed and culturally safe environment.

For the small number of children and young people who require care within a secure environment, the Facility will provide:

• A safe, secure and rehabilitative facility for children and young people.
• A facility where healing and wellbeing is the primary focus.
• An environment where children and young people are supported to address their offending behaviour and successfully return to the community as positive, contributing members of society.
• An environment where children, young people, staff and visitors feel safe and supported.
• The community with confidence that children and young people in detention are in a secure, safe, purpose-built facility that provides a high standard of care and rehabilitation support.

The Facility will be built at 466 Brighton Road, Pontville, with access off Rifle Range Road. Rifle Range Road will be upgraded to support this use.

The Facility will provide an environment where children and young people experience the highest standards of child centred, rights-based and therapeutic care. It will also provide them with education, services and opportunities that support them to enhance connections and return successfully to the community.

The Facility will have a non-institutional feel and be made up of individual buildings. A ‘Building as Perimeter’ model has been adopted. This means views from within the buildings and houses in the Facility will have clear sight lines to the surrounding rural land and the hills forming the valley in which it sits.

The large site (~32ha) allows the Facility to sit approximately 150m away from surrounding uses. It is expected that the open space around the Facility will continue to be used as horse grazing land. This provides further opportunity for windows from the facility to look directly out to the landscape.

The safety, both physical and psychological, of children and young people, staff and neighbours will be at the forefront as the design for the Facility progresses.

Watch a video fly through of the new Facility.

Consultation on the draft Tasmanian Youth Justice Facility Model of Care

The design of the Facility is being guided by the draft Tasmanian Youth Justice Facility Model of Care which adopts evidence-based trauma-informed principles to provide a therapeutic environment that acknowledges the trauma histories that exist for many of the children and young people in the youth justice system.

Public consultation closed on 17 April 2026. Feedback will inform the development of the final Facility Model of Care, which is planned for release in mid-2026.

Learn more about the draft Facility Model of Care.

Development Application

The Development Application was considered by the Southern Midlands Council for the new Tasmanian Youth Justice Facility at 466 Brighton Road, Pontville.

Artist’s impression of the new Tasmanian Youth Justice Facility – View from entry building to visitor centre

---

The Development Application submitted was for a 24-bed facility, including 20 residential beds for children and young people.

The Development Application includes four more beds than outlined in the Masterplan. These beds are not currently funded for construction, but they have been included in the plans as a forward planning measure, enabling the facility to be expanded if required. This responds to consultation feedback about possible long-term demand, ensuring that this limited expansion could proceed without the need for further planning approval.

Council assessed the Development Application against the Tasmanian Planning Scheme in accordance with Land Use Planning Approvals Act 1993 and issued a planning permit in December 2025. However, appeals of the permit are currently being considered by the Tasmanian Civil & Administrative Tribunal (TASCAT).

The appeals introduce a level of uncertainty and impact the previously communicated forecast construction completion date of late 2027.

While the appeals process is ongoing, it is not possible to confirm a revised completion date. However, the appeal could impact construction completion by up to 12 months.

Any delay to the project will have flow on impacts on the timing of the closure of the Ashley Youth Detention Centre.

A revised completion date will be confirmed once the outcome of the appeal is known. 

The Government remains committed to the closure of AYDC and the implementation of the COI recommendations.

Early works

While a planning appeal is underway, the Department is progressing preparatory planning, procurement activities, and early works.

Proceeding with planning and procurement activities while approvals are being finalised is a standard and accepted practice in complex public infrastructure projects.

This approach ensures the State is ready to proceed efficiently if/when approvals are valid, avoids unnecessary delay and cost escalation, and protects public interest.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

A list of frequently asked questions about the new youth justice facility has been developed.

Click through to learn more about the project, including the design and construction phase, operation and community consultation and feedback.

Further information

If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact us at the below details.

Contact: New Tasmanian Youth Justice Facility

• Address: GPO Box 123, HOBART, TASMANIA 7001
• Email: newyjfacility@decyp.tas.gov.au
• Phone: (03) 6165 0443

Published April 18, 2026