Page 376 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 10 February 2021
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development in appropriate locations, while maintaining and enhancing the liveliness and amenity of these areas.
The motion calls on us to support the further development of the Gungahlin region and town centre by implementing best practice mixed-use development through the planning framework. Best practice development will come from a best practice planning system.
I am firmly of the view that our planning system needs to be more outcomes focused. I said this back in 2015 in the Statement of Planning Intent and continue to hold this view. This is a major pillar of our current ACT planning system review and reform project work: to move the planning system from being rather prescriptive to much more outcomes and performance focused. The Planning Strategy already has a clear direction to enhance the diversity and resilience of our centres to meet the needs of the community, support economic viability and improve livability.
While I completely agree that the Gungahlin town centre needs to be a diverse area in the service it provides, and to be attractive and livable for Gungahlin residents, this diversity will be achieved not by continually introducing more regulations and specific requirements but by establishing a planning framework that facilitates and encourages diverse investment.
The motion also refers to a higher level of commercial and business use in the mixed-use development. The ACT government has shown its commitment to employment in the Gungahlin town centre by relocating around 600 of our own employees at Winyu House. The government has also set aside land for large federal government departments, which still has not been taken up.
The ACT government continues to be disappointed that the federal Liberal government has not shown the same commitment to Canberra and its town centres. We have seen the Liberals cut too many jobs and relocate the jobs that are left out of Canberra. While I am pleased that Defence Housing is moving to Gungahlin, we would still like to see a bigger department.
Draft variation 364 proposes to allow residential uses in parts of Gungahlin east that were previously reserved for offices. It also proposes a new provision to allow future community facilities to be located closer to public transport and to be integrated with mixed-use urban development. However, what we have heard from the community, including through Ms Orr’s motion today, shows that there is more work to be done on draft variation 364, and I do want to ensure that development in the Gungahlin town centre has the right mix of commercial and residential uses.
Building design and fit-out is also critical to ensuring that the commercial mix can adapt and change as the population grows. The ACT government will work towards having the right level of flexibility to encourage good design outcomes. As part of the ACT planning system review and reform project, we are looking at districts and identifying valued character elements and aspirations for areas and how the planning system can best protect and enhance these. This strategic planning will assist in
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