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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 6 Hansard (17 June) . . Page.. 1921 ..

MR CORBELL

The committee's second recommendation was that the government immediately release details of its forward planning and development intentions for Oaks Estate and commence community consultation on those intentions.

The Oaks Estate planning study was completed in November 2001. The study incorporated significant material from previous studies and identified the need for the Territory Plan variation to respond to specific land use policy issues, including

the need for industrial and commercial uses to be compatible with residential areas;

the need to recognise the current commercial activities and enable lease purpose clauses to be regularised; and

a requirement for more open space, recreation facilities, particularly for residents in medium density housing.

At the same time, the ACT Heritage Council has carried out a heritage assessment of the Oaks Estate precinct and is currently working towards developing a listing on the Interim Heritage Places Register. A heritage listing will provide protection for the village character and heritage significance of the precinct. Specific requirements will be included to protect individual places of heritage significance, landscape and streetscape qualities, and the low-scale, low-density character of the village. A draft interim register will be released for public comment in developing the interim register.

Contrary to the committee's report, heritage protection will be provided as soon as the area is listed on the Interim Heritage Places Register and will not be delayed by the draft variation process to enter the site on the heritage places register in the Territory Plan. This is because, under the Land (Planning and Environment) Act, where there is no heritage register listing, the interim register has effect. The interim register also has effect during the draft variation process.

The committee's third recommendation was that the process for the Oaks Estate master plan should begin immediately, with a view to its completion and agreement with Oaks Estate residents and relevant stakeholders before the end of this calendar year.

Planning and Land Management will commence work on a master plan to draw together the work of both the Oaks Estate planning study of December 2001 and the heritage study. This document will provide detailed design guidelines for residential development, streetscape improvements, land management practices and identify an implementation sequence for these improvements.

The master plan will commence as a priority to allow for effective community consultation and input in the planning and development process. It is unlikely that the plan can be finalised before the end of the calendar year. In the meantime, any land releases scheduled for Oaks Estate will be postponed until more detailed guidelines are in place.

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