Page 4509 - Week 14 - Thursday, 9 December 1993
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MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, LAND AND PLANNING
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY QUESTION
QUESTION NUMBER 1057
Residential Properties - Front Fences and Hedges
Mr Westende - asked the Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning -
(1) Is there a policy in place dealing with front fences and/or hedges on residential blocks.
(2) Are there any special conditions for residents of corner blocks; if so, (a) what are they; and (b) if not, will the Minister be prepared to provide special conditions in regard to front fences and/or hedges for corner blocks.
Mr Wood - the answer to the Members question is as follows:
(1) The prohibition of front fences in Canberra is a long standing policy having its origins in the early development of the city based on the 1918 Walter Burley Griffin Plan. Griffin envisaged a garden city which would be unique in design to be enjoyed by all Australians. The policy has been reviewed by and reaffirmed by the Federal Capital Advisory Committee in 1926 and the National Capital Development Commission (NCDC) in 1958. This Committee, did, however, permit and promote the planting of perimeter hedges that can provide the protection and privacy sought by some lessees.
In 1983 the NCDC, at the request of the then Minister, again reviewed the front fence policy and decided on a change which permitted the creation of front courtyards. This policy allows a lessee to enclose up to half the width of his or her frontage up to three metres from the. property line. Since the introduction of this policy a comparatively small number of lessees have sought approval to construct courtyards.
The policy has been carried over into the new Territory Plan. Fencing otherwise shall not be erected in front of residential building lines except where provided for in planning guidelines or development conditions. These development conditions provide that the materials used for the construction of front fences should be consistent with the existing streetscape
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