On 5 March 2013 the Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development, Simon Corbell, approved Draft Variation 306 (thereby transforming it into Variation 306) and tabled it in the Legislative Assembly. On Tuesday 9 April the Liberals moved a motion of disallowance in relation to DV 306. The motion was debated and defeated on Wednesday 8 May 2013. The Minister has yet to notify a commencement date, but this is expected to be soon.
Variation 306 introduces a number of changes to the Territory Plan. Amongst the changes introduced are:
- changes to the single dwelling and multi unit housing development codes, including restrictions on development in RZ2 residential zones
- revisions to the residential zones objectives and development tables, introduction of an overarching Residential Zones Development Code and a Lease Variation General Code
- replacement of existing Residential Subdivision Development Code with a new Estate Development Code.
Many of these changes have been a long time in gestation, as Draft Variation (DV) 306 is itself partly the product of merging earlier draft variations DV301 and DV303 which were withdrawn in June 2011.
The ACT Assembly Standing committee on Planning, Public Works and Territory and Municipal Services has released its report on Draft Variation to the Territory Plan No 306 – Residential development, estate development and leasing codes. You can read the report at
http://www.parliament.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/373660/PPW15_DV306.pdf
The GNCA has examined the 21 recommendations. We support some of the recommendations, but regard others as misguided. You can read our views here: GNCA comments on DV306 Inquiry recommendations.
Shane Rattenbury, the Minister for Territory and Municipal Services, was very pleased to launch Canberra’s newest park, Blaxland Park, at our Centenary Street Party on 18 May at the M16 (Blaxland Centre). He was also delighted that Gregory Blaxland’s great-great-great grandson, John Blaxland joined in the announcement. Read the full media release here.
Apart from the issues reported on in the posts below, the Association is involved in the following activities and issues:
- Plot Ratio in RZ1. Despite the changes introduced by DV 306 the Plot Ratio rules are clearly not working effectively and need further modification.
- Clarification of RZ1 Zoning. For historical reasons some blocks zoned RZ1 can be developed as multi-unit sites. We believe the Planning Codes could be simplified if such anomalies were removed and only single dwellings were permitted in RZ1.
- Exempt Developments in built up areas. There are a number of problems flowing from the extension of a policy to speed up construction in greenfield areas to established suburbs.
- Protection of trees and verges. Street trees and verges adjacent to construction sites are vulnerable to damage. As public assets these need to be protected.
- Traffic and parking arrangements. There are no current requirements to minimize inconvenience from construction generated traffic and construction worker parking for local residents nor the community at large
- Precinct Codes. Neighbourhood Plans have been removed from the Territory Plan and are to be replaced by Precinct Codes. We are working with the ISCCC to develop a suitable Precinct Code(s) for the inner South Canberra area.
To read further about these issues, click here.
DV 306 has been approved by Minister Corbell and was tabled in the Assembly on 5 March 2013. The Liberals moved a motion of disallowance on Tuesday 9 April 2013. If the matter is not debated and the disallowance motion defeated within 5 sitting days the Variation will lapse. It seems likely that the Government will use its majority to prevent this happening. Further details are available here.
The Brumbies application for development approval to redevelop their club house site in Griffith has been called in and approved by Minister Corbell, after four months of consideration by the planning elements within the Environment and sustainable Development Directorate. Read further details here. The Ministers media release is here, and the University of Canberra media release is here.
The Government has now released the May 2012 “Flinders Way Traffic Calming Scheme Evaluation”, at the same time that Minister Rattenbury released the Government’s proposed response to the Evaluation, thereby preempting any possibility of public input into the next steps.
The GNCA has studied the evaluation and has made a number of recommendations as to how traffic flows along Flinders Way could be made safer without the need for “speed cushions”, together with a number of comments about the evaluation itself. Our comments can be read here GNCA recommendations on Flinders Way calmers.
The Brumbies have lodged a DA proposing the construction of 134 apartments of various sizes (one, two and three bedroom) at their club house site in Griffith. These will be located in seven three storey buildings with one level of basement parking below ground (and flood water) level. The period for comments closed on 21 November 2012. This had been extended by two weeks from 7 November when we pointed out to ACTPLA that not all the information required had initially been provided by the proponents.
We now await ACTPLA’s decision on the application. The GNCA lodged a submission about the DA. You can read it here GNCA Submission on DA 2012222261
As expected, the Brumbies have now lodged a DA for the construction of 134 one, two and three bedroom apartments on their current club house site. The DA is very large, comprising 448 pages which takes up over 185 MB. You can access the documents at http://apps.actpla.act.gov.au/pubnote/pubnoteDetail_new.asp?DA_no=201222226. Any objections must be lodged with ACTPLA by cob Wednesday 7 November 2012.