The ACT Government’s new proposed Territory Plan released today is set to shape the future of our city, so community consultation is a must, according to Minister for Planning and Land Management, Mick Gentleman.

One major update in the Plan is the language used in ‘focusing on outcomes’, particularly by the new planning system describing the desired results rather than just prescribing how things are to be done.

Mr Gentleman said a new layer in the ACT’s planning system that will guide growth and change at a local level is the District Strategies.

The Strategies will cater to each district’s unique characteristics, he said.

“We know, for example, the employment and education needs in Tuggeranong differ from those in Belconnen, just like the environmental and cultural assets in the Inner North are different from those in the Molonglo Valley.

“The draft new Territory Plan we have put forward for community consideration moves away from enforcing compliance with rules about what can be built and where. Instead, it focuses on considering building development and land use proposals based on important community, environmental, cultural and economic outcomes.

“The ACT Government will be running a range of consultation sessions in every district in the coming month and early in the new year. If you can’t make it to one of the sessions, I encourage you to view the information online and share your thoughts via the YourSay webpage.”

A snapshot of some of the changes proposed in the Plan:

Community housing

• Community housing will be added as a use to residential zones and community facility zones.

Dwelling density policies in residential zones

• RZ2 and RZ5 zones will be allowed to be subdivided without the requirement of constructing the new dwellings first to enable ‘vacant’ blocks to be sold in areas close to services and facilities.
• The number of dwellings permitted in a multi-unit development on an RZ2 zone will be increased.
• Development restrictions regarding block amalgamations and maximum number of dwellings within a unit will be removed.
• Dwelling replacement rule will be removed.

Residential policies

• Plot ratio will no longer be a mandatory requirement by moving it to ‘Technical Specifications’.
• Plot ratio change will be a set 50 per cent for multi-unit RZ1 and RZ2 blocks.
• Multi-unit developments will be allowed in RZ2 dwellings in the form of an apartment.
• Removal of basement restrictions under two storeys in RZ1.
• Solar envelope provision will be simplified to have one solar angle.
• Reduction of the maximum height of a lower floor level from 1.8m to 1.0m.

Highlight areas

• New requirement for a ‘buffer’ use within a building between residential dwellings and ‘noisy’ uses.
• Amended vehicle parking requirements to encourage and support active travel and requiring provision of infrastructure for electric vehicle charging facilities.
• Living infrastructure and urban heat provisions added to commercial and community facility zoned land and subdivision applications.
• Enhanced provisions related to bushfire and flood risk mitigation.
• Gas connection prohibited to new residential subdivisions and adding new definitions to enable large battery storage and hydrogen production.

The ACT Government is looking for the Canberra community to provide feedback and to consult on the Plan, particularly on the following focus areas of change:

• Future investigation areas
• Stop-to-centre connection areas
• The ‘proposed, possible, and potential’ change
• Innovation precincts and centres
• Proposed initiative to review local and group centres
• Initiatives for the blue-green network
• 12 implementation pathways
• Character statements for reach district

MBA: short timeframe creates ‘immense task’

Master Builders ACT (MBA) has criticised the Chief Planner for delivering a close to 700-page Territory Plan for review with a “very short time period” of three months over Christmas.

Initially, the Chief Planner outlined a vision for a ‘Territory Plan on One Page’ the MBA said, and preparing a submission within the timeframe will be an “immense task”.

MBA CEO Michael Hopkins said the “real test” for the Territory Plan will be whether it can encourage sufficient private sector investment in order to deliver a sustainable future as the ACT moves into “much tougher” economic conditions.

Mr Hopkins referenced the recent National Housing Accord announcement of supporting the delivery of 200,000 sustainable dwellings per year, calling it a “fantastic opportunity”.

“The ACT Government envisages that the majority of these dwellings will occur in the existing urban footprint. This will require a paradigm shift in planning rules, community attitudes, and design and building quality if this vision is to be successfully delivered,” he said.

“Canberra’s love affair with a car-dependent urban footprint dominated by single houses on quarter acre blocks must change if this vision is to be realised.”

Furthermore, Mr Hopkins said the Plan must deliver a sufficient amount of community, commercial, and industrial infrastructure the ACT requires and be flexible enough to accommodate future market conditions as building innovations and community needs change.

However, these ideals will not be delivered while anyone can appeal to the ACT Civil & Administrative Tribunal and pause innovative development proposals for years, he said.

While he suspects responding to the draft Territory Plan will be difficult, Mr Hopkins said the MBA looks forward to working collaboratively with the ACT Government to ensure the planning vision for Canberra is delivered.

Cain and Clay disagree on Plan consultation

Canberra Liberals Shadow Minister for Planning Peter Cain MLA said the Liberals have had responses from community organisations and industry that the ACT Government has made it difficult to “get the full picture” of the draft Territory Plan.

Mr Cain said keeping community and industry “in the dark” makes the Labor-Green Government’s job of introducing huge reform easier and they are avoiding informed feedback.

“The community has told us they can’t provide meaningful feedback on the future of planning, or even the planning bill, without the District Strategies and Territory Plan. Clearly the Labor-Greens Government doesn’t want to hear community feedback or incorporate it,” he said.

However, ACT Greens Planning Spokesperson Jo Clay MLA said the Directorate expanded targeted consultation, held general and specific sessions for the community which were recorded, and created fact sheets and a video to assist Canberrans’ understanding of the Plan.

Ms Clay said it’s essential the community and stakeholders have their say and the Government meaningfully embrace the feedback.

“We need to protect our environment and act on climate change. We also need to look after our people and create affordable housing. All cities are facing these same challenges. It’s a key moment to make Canberra livable and sustainable,” Ms Clay said.

“I was pleased to hear during Annual Reports questioning yesterday that the lessons learned during previous community engagement will be applied to consultation on the Territory Plan and District Strategies.”

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