To be held on Saturday 23 July 2011. Planners, developers, engineers, historians, archaeologists and heritage professionals will present topics including heritage and planning in new areas, archaeological techniques, conservation projects and priorities, and the significance of local heritage places. Click for details
The ACT is banning plastic bags from 1 November 2011. Plastic bags made of polyethylene polymer with a thickness of less than 35 microns will be banned. These thin plastic bags with handles are generally used to carry retail goods, groceries and take-away food.
The ACT Government, including both the Labor Party and the Liberal Party, seem hell bent on persisting with planning for a new four-lane Majura Parkway rather than upgrading the existing two lane Majura Road, which is the route favoured by the NCCC and the ACT Greens. The only noise pollution being felt at the moment is endless political squabbling over who will pay what and when. Adding to the mix of public comments is the Gungahlin Community Council, which apparently favours construction of the more costly and environment-damaging Majura Parkway. Recent articles have been published in the Canberra Times and …
The ACT Government is seeking public comment on draft changes to the Territory Plan affecting residential estate development, solar access and consolidation of blocks in established suburbs. To explain draft variation 306 the ACT Government have produced a number of fact sheets which are available on its website. Draft variation 306 is available for public comment until COB Tuesday 2 August 2011.
The ACT Government has issued a subpoena against two Flynn community groups, ordering them to hand over private membership lists and three years of bank records. The ACT Government solicitor has also written to the groups, demanding a $40,000 security bond to cover potential legal costs that could be awarded against the groups if they lose a Supreme Court appeal against the ACT Heritage Council.
The ACT Government has given a glimpse of Canberra’s high-density future in its plans for the Northbourne Flats precinct in the city’s inner-north. A national competition will be launched today to find the architects to design the transformation of the much-maligned public housing complexes into a new and modern 800-dwelling neighbourhood.
Next meeting of the NCCC Community Council is Wednesday 22 June 2011. Topics include: a presentation by Shane Rattenbury on the proposed Residential Tenancies Bill; and Shannon Savage from AECOM will introduce the Proposed improvements to the Belconnen to City Transitway.
Northbourne Avenue is dangerous and dysfunctional according to the Canberra Pedestrian Forum. It qualifies as a road danger Black Spot on the basis of pedestrian casualties alone, with at least three pedestrian deaths in the past five years between Macarthur Avenue Lake Burley Griffin. Unnecessary traffic signal delays and inappropriate lighting, together with long distances between bus stops and safe crossing points, all contribute to a high rate of dangerous crossings.
The North Canberra Community Council (NCCC) has questioned the proposed route of the planned Realignment of Majura Road. The Chair of NCCC, Jochen Zeil, has said that while the NCCC agrees that an Upgrade to the road is needed, the proposed Realignment is more expensive and more damaging to both heritage values and to endangered ecological communities, compared with upgrading the existing road. Read the media release here»… Read The Submission on the Eastern Broadacre Area here »… Read the submission regarding the Majura Parkway EIS here »…
