The City Renewal Authority Precinct has been expanded slightly to include Section 72, Dickson which the ACT Government says will enable it to coordinate future improvements east of Dickson Group Centre.

Section 72, Dickson, is an urban renewal site in Canberra’s inner north, bounded by Antill Street, Cowper Street, and Hawdon Place.

The site is home to the Dickson Pool, which Chief Minister Andrew Barr says “plays a critical role in the area and will remain in place”; the newly built Common Ground housing project, which Mr Barr said “has been praised for its architecture and social outcomes”; a hotel; and other commercial, recreation and community uses.

It is close to the Dickson and Downer shops, Dickson Playing Fields, and residential areas of the inner north.

The site has three vacant or disused ‘opportunity sites’, two of which are government owned (blocks 6 and 25), and one that the Salvation Army privately leases (Block 22).

The City Renewal Authority will first examine short and long-term place renewal strategies for the area, which will build on previous community feedback and new engagement activities. This includes access to and links with community services in the area, such as the Dickson Aquatic Centre and Common Ground, through to the Dickson Shops and public transport interchange.

“Established in 2017, the City Renewal Authority is shaping the renewal of the central parts of Canberra to make it an even better place to live, work, explore and enjoy,” Mr Barr said. “In partnership with the community and local businesses, the Authority aims to create a liveable city heart through design-led urban renewal with a focus on social and environmental sustainability.”

The government decided to extend the Authority’s precinct in accordance with the City Renewal Authority and Suburban Land Agency Act 2017. The decision has been notified in the ACT Legislation Register.