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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 10 Hansard (5 September) . . Page.. 3141 ..

MS McRAE (continuing):

there are some people who fervently believe that, and I sincerely hope you test that to its utmost limits. There are certainly people with very serious and good intent who do believe that at least some of it could be saved. Could you follow that idea and, at the very least, test the notion that there might be some level of compromise that could be had.

The further question Mr Moore raised about a future definition of all of this, I think, is an important one. In particular, this estate has the potential to hold over 1,000 townhouses, and the notion of wall-to-wall townhouses with absolutely no green zones, just because that is what residential rules generally allow, seems a bit unlivable with. I would again strongly urge your advisers to provide you with an alternative approach even to just this site, never mind every site in the ACT, because this does have a unique and special place. There have not been many variations of the size of this one for townhouse development, and it is one that always had the potential to be an extremely beautiful and expensive development which was further amplified by the notion that the green zones would be there. It is a site where a developer is going to be able to get a lot of money for the townhouses, so the notion that he cannot sell quite as much land may not be as pressing as it is on smaller sites that are surrounded by ordinary urban amenities.

On those points, I would urge you to relook and talk again to your advisers to ensure that, because they are frightened of compensation, they have not clouded their decision on a possible compromise. I would not think it was the end of the world if some level of compensation in this case was considered because of the uniqueness of this particular site and the potential for what is yet to develop on that site. Of course, I defer to your advisers and your judgment on that because, clearly, it is in the Government's hands if it is left in a position of having to pay compensation. The green zone, may I point out to all members, is green, well and truly alive and thriving. It is not just an arbitrary collection of tiny trees. It is a very visible, beautifully planted area of trees and grass and has become a feature that is a bit more than a wish. It becomes slightly more painful to remove it than would the removal of such zones on the rest of the site. I thank you for your thoughtful consideration of the issues and urge you to consider further the issues that have been raised.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

MR MOORE: I seek leave to make a statement on behalf of the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment on developments affecting Kingston, section 25, blocks 4, 5 and 6.

Leave granted.

MR MOORE: I make this statement on behalf of the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment. The committee has been disturbed by reports in the press, subsequently confirmed by officials, about developments on the above site.

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