The ACT Government plans to introduce an Urban Growth Boundary as part of a Landscape Plan that would manage urban growth while conserving nature, adapting to climate change, and mitigating urban heat.
To protect Canberra’s environment, planning and sustainable development minister Chris Steel MLA said, the government would focus on urban infill and gentle densification as the city grew. The Boundary would limit urban sprawl, in tandem with missing middle housing.
“The ACT Landscape plan is crucial to maintaining Canberra’s design as a ‘city within a landscape’,” Mr Steel said.
Suzanne Orr MLA, minister for climate change, environment, energy and water, said the plan would “unite and resolve the conflicts between environmental protection and urban development” by using holistic spatial mapping to identify areas for conservation and development.
“By integrating the Urban Growth Boundary into our holistic planning, we are laying the foundation for a successful conservation approach, while delivering on our housing commitments to Canberra.”
The Government is also consulting on a new Nature Conservation Strategy for the next 10 years.
However, environmental groups are sceptical about the pace of progress. The Conservation Council ACT Region welcomed the government’s commitment to protecting environmentally important areas, but urged faster action.
Executive director Dr Simon Copland said: “While the government is saying a lot of the right things at the moment, the proof will be in the pudding. The government committed to both an urban boundary and landscape plan over a year ago now, but we are yet to see much progress on either. We are a little disappointed it is taking this long to get this far.”
The Council called on the government to speed up the process, by declaring the Western Edge and Eastern Broadacre grasslands (near the airport) off-limits for development.
“Until the government formally takes these areas off consideration for future development, Canberrans will be rightfully worried that they still intend to destroy these valuable areas.”
