Page 891 - Week 03 - Thursday, 10 March 2005
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information of members, I present the following approval of variation to the territory plan:
Land (Planning and Environment) Act, pursuant to subsection 29(1)—Approval of Variation No 209 to the Territory Plan—East O’Malley—Extension of Mount Mugga Mugga Nature Reserve, dated 7 March 2005, together with background papers, a copy of the summaries and reports, and a copy of any direction or report required
In accordance with the provisions of the act, this variation is presented with the background papers and copies of the summaries and reports. I seek leave to make a statement in relation to the papers.
Leave granted.
MR CORBELL: Draft variation No 209 proposes to:
• include a further 66 hectares of important yellow box and red gum woodlands into the Mount Mugga Mugga Nature Reserve by changing the land use policy in the territory plan from residential and major roads to hills, ridges and buffer areas and adding a public land PC overlay;
• identify an urban open space corridor through the East O’Malley residential estate to link the knoll with the reserve; and
• remove the major roads status for the constructed portion of Ngunnawal Drive between the existing residential areas in section 32 in O’Malley and section 506 in Isaacs.
The variation was released for public comment on 12 December 2003, with comments closing on 18 February 2004. A total of three written submissions was received during that period. A minor amendment has been made to the draft variation so as to include a playground in urban open space rather than hills, ridges and buffer areas. This permits a more appropriate land management regime to be undertaken.
In its report No 3 of January 2005, the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment made four recommendations in relation to the draft variation. The committee’s first recommendation related to future draft variations concerning expansion of residential areas or impacting on Canberra nature park. The committee recommended that these variations should include maps and data to demonstrate how proposals contribute to ecological connectivity and meet regional targets for protection of species. The committee also suggested that these variations should show the location of the proposal in the broader context.
The draft variation for east O’Malley changes the existing residential land use policy to allow for the expansion of the Canberra nature park. As such, it involves a reduction rather than an increase in the amount of land identified for residential development. Earlier documents, including the planning study and preliminary assessment, addressed conservation issues in greater detail and were subject to community consultation. The committee’s recommendations in relation to ecological connectivity, species protection
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