Page 2912 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 14 September 1994
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Dual Occupancies - Banks
MR CORNWELL: My question is directed to Mr Wood as Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning. I refer Mr Wood to an answer he provided to me yesterday in relation to dual occupancies at Banks. He said, among other things:
... it is open to any lessee to apply to vary the terms of his or her lease and to apply for approval of the development of more than one dwelling on a block.
I ask Mr Wood: What procedures apply in new suburbs such as Banks and others where adjacent blocks might not yet be built upon? What procedures apply to seek the approval of or even to advise the owners of these adjacent but still vacant blocks that a dual occupancy is proposed to be built next-door to them?
MR WOOD: Madam Speaker, there was a particular problem in Banks that, I have to say, the Planning Authority and others had not anticipated, and it relates to the problem that Mr Cornwell raises: How do you tell someone what is proposed on a block when the land nearby has not been sold? With that land in Banks, as in other greenfields areas, no public notification was required for dual occupancies. We will take steps to amend those procedures so that, when the developers bring in an implementation plan for the larger suburban area, they will need to indicate what allotments might be used for dual occupancies, so that that is known. Then there will be a prohibition for, say, five years before any claim can be made for a dual occupancy.
In Banks the blocks could be purchased, a lease variation for dual occupancy could be sought, and in the circumstances no public notification was required. We believe that we can fix that for the future. I believe that we have settled the issue there for the present. I have met with residents there. We have indicated that because of the number of dual occupancies in two parts of southern Tuggeranong it would be inappropriate to have any more; and, on amenity grounds, there will be no more.
MR CORNWELL: I ask a supplementary question, Madam Speaker. I thank the Minister for his assurance that this is going to be corrected in the future. Is he aware, and, if he is not, could any steps be taken to ascertain, whether in other new greenfields developments such as Gungahlin there are any other dual occupancy situations such as that encountered in Banks? If there are, what action could be taken?
MR WOOD: Madam Speaker, we are monitoring that situation to see what is happening, just to ensure that the interests of future purchasers are protected. We are watching it. The planners are taking care to assess applications coming in. The leasing branch are doing likewise. We believe that the situation is under scrutiny now and is okay and will be quite clearly established in the future.
Ms Follett: I ask that further questions be placed on the notice paper, Madam Speaker.
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