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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 8 Hansard (26 June) . . Page.. 2146 ..

MS TUCKER (continuing):

of Kingston, as the type of housing available there is quite suitable for a certain segment of the population; but what has happened in Kingston represents the model of what could happen throughout North Canberra, and we as an Assembly have to be very clear as to whether this is what we want to happen. What we have now in Kingston is a uniformity of housing type based on three-storey flats. The streets are crowded with cars; few of the units face north; they are not designed with children in mind. There is little open space, either public or private. Developers have built up to the maximum that is allowed under the guidelines, regardless of whether this is appropriate for the particular site. Most of the original houses which would be more suitable for families have gone. The change in housing type has generated a significant change in the demographics in the suburb. Families have moved out and childless singles and couples have moved in.

The Greens are not opposed to residential redevelopment in North Canberra. It is more a question of how it is done and what the end result will be. We recognise and have some sympathy for the reasons why the B1 zone was first proposed, which was to restore population levels in North Canberra, renew the ageing housing stock in the area, slow down the greenfields suburban expansion in Gungahlin and facilitate the servicing of this area with public transport down Northbourne Avenue. We also recognise that medium-density housing suits a significant proportion of the population, particularly younger people without children, and that single detached houses are not necessarily the type of housing that they would prefer. It is questionable, however, whether the B1 zone, as currently constituted, will adequately achieve these aims, and whether such issues as the massive disruption to existing residents and the massive change to the urban environment have been adequately taken into account. We do not want planning in this area to be driven by speculative developers without concern for the broader community interest.

Instead of the standardisation of housing engendered by the B1 zone, the Greens want the Planning Authority to initiate a local area planning process in conjunction with the LAPACs and the community to determine the most appropriate location, scale and character of this redevelopment so that it closely matches changing social demands for housing and promotes the ecological sustainability of Canberra. The local area planning process also has to integrate the proposed new housing with transport linkages, public transport, roads, pedestrian paths and cycleways, and also examine the adequacy of public open space provision in the area.

What we are asking the Government to do is to basically start again with the planning of the B1 area. For example, it may indeed be appropriate for high-density housing to be constructed beside Northbourne Avenue, but such housing may not be appropriate in the middle of the suburb or on the bank of Sullivans Creek. Three-storey flats may be appropriate for some people, but what about encouraging other forms of medium-density housing such as terraces and courtyard housing which are more suitable for families with children? There also need to be mechanisms to ensure that people on low incomes can afford to live in this area. The Liberal Government and the Labor Government before it have not responded adequately to the concerns of the community about the B1 zone.

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