Issues related to Planning and Development

Drop in information session – Proposed release of land for tourist accommodation – Lyneham – Block 7 Section 64

You are invited to attend a drop-in information session on Tuesday 29 November 2011 at the ACT Hockey Centre, Mouat Street, Lyneham between 6.00pm and 8.00pm. As part of this process, the block, part Section 64 Lyneham, which is bordered by the Lyneham Tennis Courts, Yowani Country Club and part of the residential development known as “The Sanctuary” has been identified for sale. See attached plan. (see attached letter and map)

Design options workshop session – Campbell Section 5 Master Plan Project

The Land Development Agency (LDA) invites residents, business owners and community groups from Campbell to have their say on the future of Campbell Section 5. Campbell Section 5 is ACT Government owned land located on the northern edge of Constitution Avenue and east of Anzac Parade. Consultation is ongoing, and the LDA is working with the local community to design a master plan for the future of the site.

Introduction to ACAT decision 61 Griffith

Have you even been curious about ACT Civic and Administrative Tribunal decisions? ACAT decision 61 of for a 160 bed Residential Aged Care Facility in Griffith was released on 12 September 2011. The Tribunal has constituted that no plot ratio applies to developments of this type on Community Facility Zoned land, and that a number of significant trees on the site can be removed despite advice given by the Conservator of Flora and Fauna. The decision on tree management has wide-ranging implications for challenging the removal of significant tree(s) on un-leased land in the ACT. Read the decision »…

Introduction to inquiry into the ecological carrying capacity of the ACT and region

On 8 September 2011. the Standing Committee on Climate Change, Environment and Water held the first sitting of an inquiry into the ecological carrying capacity of the ACT and region. Representatives of the ACT Government and Regional Development Australia (ACT) addressed the committee. A full transcript of proceedings can be downloaded from the www.hansard.act.gov.au/committees website. Some brief extracts from the inquiry follow

Introduction to ACT Strategic Regional Plan 2011-12

The ACT Strategic Regional Plan 2011-12 was formally launched in mid-September 2011 by the ACT Chief Minister. The Government is providing $4.3 billion of funding to local regions through the Regional Development Australia Fund. The role of Regional Development Australia (ACT) is to support local development. The ACT was unsuccessful in attracting funding for Round 1 of the initial $1 billion fund. The ACT Government and community groups can apply for local project funding, which can range from a minimum $500,000 to maximum $25 per project. The document can be downloaded from www.rdaact.org.au/publications.

Giralang shops redevelopment announcement and wider implications for local shops

On 17 August 2011 the ACT Planning Minister used his call-in powers to approve the contentious redevelopment of the Giralang local shopping centre. The spokeman for the 40 or so independent supermarket operators comprising the Independent Retailers Group has issued a veiled threat to take the decision to the Supreme Court (reported in The Canberra Times 29 August 2011). Criteria 33 in the current Territory Plan requires a development application to take regard of significant impacts on other commercially viable local centres.

Civic, airport mooted as stations in fast-train plan

Canberra Airport and Civic have been short listed for the terminus of a high-speed rail network. The cost for an access corridor and station is estimated to be $3.4 million compared to $1.7 million at Canberra Airport. The airline proportion of Canberra-Sydney travel is currently only 8% and is estimated to drop to 4% if a high-speed rail link between the two centres was provided. So why is the Australian Rail Association recommending a airport terminus rather than a Civic terminus. Where is the triple bottom line take into account social and environment costs (tearing up Majura Valley)? This decision …

Supermarket Planning Policy

Recent articles just published in The Canberra Times reveal the extent to which the flawed ACT Goverment supermarket policy apparently led to a review of the ACT public service and its outcome: the present directorate structure. As reported earlier, developments at the Canberra International Airport with the advent of Costco and Woolworths have exposed the impotence of the ACT Government in attempting to promote supermarket competition. The ACT Government ignored previous Productivity Commission and Australian Competition and Consumer Commision studies in the construction of the policy and managed to earn the flack of the ACTPLA chief executive.