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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 14 Hansard (12 December) . . Page.. 4834 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

7,400 square metres, approximately 6,200 square metres of specialty shops, and some new mini-majors, to a total capacity of 22,000 square metres additional floor space. The population of the Woden Plaza primary trade area is ageing and is predicted to decline over the next few years, although the population of the total of the secondary trade area is still growing. PALM's assessment is that the primary trade area has an oversupply of retail space per capita, although some of the space is of a lesser standard than that in newer centres.

The PER includes a very thorough assessment of economic and social impacts. It indicates that the Woden Plaza proposal without the Hyperdome would have negative impacts on the Civic and Tuggeranong town centres of over 10 per cent in the short term and a similar magnitude of impacts on several surrounding group and local centres. These figures are of particular concern because they were calculated on 1994 population projections, which have been revised down twice since then.

As I said earlier, population forecasts are prone to change; but we can be fairly clear that, to be viable, the full expansion would impose significant impacts on Civic and adjacent group and local centres for some years. Lend Lease, the proponent of this proposal, may claim that many of the impacts are not attributable to their proposal and arise only because of the direction to consider the proposed project in combination with the Hyperdome proposal. However, the figures in their PER do not bear this claim out. If both proposals are approved in full, the impacts in group centres apart from those in Tuggeranong remain similar, with the negative impact on the Hyperdome reversed and a 2 to 3 per cent increase in the adverse impacts on Civic. This analysis is borne out by modelling, using the Ibecon model, with the only significant differences being assessed greater impacts on the Curtin group centre and the local centres at Lyons, Garran and Hughes, and into South Canberra suburbs such as Deakin and Red Hill.

As the Assembly knows, the Government's strategic plan emphasises the importance of Civic as the metropolitan centre for Canberra and its region.

Mr Moore: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: The Government does not have a strategic plan. That is reflecting on a vote of the Assembly.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, as the Assembly knows, the Government's proposed strategic plan - no - the Government's drafted strategic plan - - -

Mr Berry: The document entitled "strategic plan".

MR HUMPHRIES: The Government's document entitled "strategic plan"? Yes, it was that. Mr Speaker, I think that is a fair description. What the Government's document entitled "strategic plan" emphasises is the importance of Civic as the metropolitan centre - - - (Extension of time granted)

In the circumstances, I recommend that the project not be approved in full at this stage. I have recommended a first stage, involving relocation and expansion of the supermarkets and an increment of 11,000 square metres over the existing size of the Woden Plaza. That is approximately half of what was being sought for immediate approval, Mr Speaker.

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