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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 8 Hansard (26 August) . . Page.. 2475 ..
MR HIRD (continuing):
that this would be one of the shortest of inquiries because we have authorised the report and will be tabling our findings in the house next Thursday, it is hoped, Mr Speaker, on 2 September. While it may well be one of the shortest inquiries that my committee has undertaken, it has been conducted in depth. The report will be useful not only to the parliament but also to those other stakeholders I mentioned earlier. I look forward to the support of the chamber.
MR HIRD (10.58): Mr Speaker, I present Report No. 29 of the Standing Committee on Urban Services, entitled "Draft Variation to the Territory Plan No. 137 - O'Connor, section 86, block 2, Macpherson Court", together with a copy of the extracts of the minutes of proceedings. I move:
That the report be noted.
Mr Speaker, in presenting this report, I would like to quickly advise members of the committee's position. In considering this issue the committee met with witnesses from the local community, from PALM and from Canberra Community Housing Ltd at two public hearings. Following these meetings, the committee has endorsed the draft variation to the Territory Plan in relation to Macpherson Court in O'Connor.
In doing so we have noted that the draft variation deals only with a proposed change of land use for the site, and that it does not deal with ancillary issues which may affect the surrounding areas. In recognition of this fact, we have also recommended that we be fully briefed on the section master plan for the Macpherson Court area before it is signed off. I am delighted to inform the house that officers of PALM have indicated that they will do that. It is a strong recommendation within our report. This will enable us to be satisfied that all issues have been satisfactorily addressed as well as the concerns that were raised by witnesses who gave evidence to my committee. I look forward to the support of the house.
MR CORBELL (11.00): Mr Speaker, I want to add briefly to the comments of my colleague Mr Hird in relation to this report. The draft variation relating to Macpherson Court was a matter that I had some fairly serious reservations about. Whilst on the face of it the change is a straightforward one in providing for the B11-B12 overlay to be applied to section 86, block 2 of O'Connor to allow for the redevelopment of Macpherson Court, and whilst the design proposals for Macpherson Court appear to be innovative and responsive to a range of issues needed, both in terms of community housing and the wider community, there were a wide range of fairly serious concerns expressed by members of the immediate community in O'Connor, Turner and the inner north generally about the impact of the proposed development in relation to a number of areas. Specifically, Mr Speaker, these related to public car parking spaces, the use of what is existing green space for car parking, issues to do with the location of a road adjacent to Sullivan's Creek, and a range of other matters relating to the density of the proposed redevelopment.
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