Page 3360 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 17 August 2010
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As members would be aware, there is a growing number of people in the community who see the establishment of community gardens similar to those in other cities as a positive contribution to sustainable living. This is particularly important as we move to higher density living, with little or no opportunity for backyard vegie gardens for some.
The committee believes that a designated area for a playground should be allocated within the recreational urban space; however, not directly located near the waterways unless it is appropriately fenced and gated.
To support conservation aims, the committee believes that the design of the Lawson South lineal open space network should take into consideration the need for connectivity between wildlife corridors. It also recommends that native Stipa grasses be primarily maintained near the electrical substation, that cat containment be required in the suburb and that the precinct code should outline how a biodiversity offset approach will be implemented in Lawson South.
The committee also recommends that further threatened species surveys be conducted prior to finalising planning of the new suburb and the development of an estate development plan in order to provide further data on the presence of threatened species in Lawson South.
In regard to neighbourhood design, character and connectivity, the committee recommends that the concept plan should identify trunk cycle routes for Lawson South and that development codes for residential zones need to reinforce the desired character of the streetscape.
The committee would like to thank the planning minister, ACTPLA and officials and all other witnesses for assisting the committee in its inquiry. I would also like to thank my fellow committee members—Ms Le Couteur and Mr Coe—and the committee secretary, Mrs Nicola Kosseck, and the administrative assistant, Ms Lydia Chung, for their support in preparing this report.
MS LE COUTEUR (Molonglo) (12.06): I would like to speak briefly on this. Like Ms Porter, I would like to thank the secretary, Mrs Nicola Kosseck; our admin assistant, Lydia Chung; and my fellow committee members.
Lawson South is, as people will know, just opposite the University of Canberra, is very close to Belconnen town centre and, of course, is very close to the lake. So it seems like an admirable place for some residential development. I would very much agree that this is a place for development, and I very much agree with recommendation 2—that the committee supports the notion of increased density in Lawson South. Unlike some of the places where we are having increased density in Canberra, this place is actually close to services—Belconnen town centre, the University of Canberra and the great recreational possibilities of the lake. As Ms Porter said, the committee supports the notion of increased density and that there may be, in fact, some possibility for Lawson South to be RZ2 rather than RZ1.
We noted the comments of the Australian Institute of Architects, who proposed that the overall density of Lawson South should be increased from 12 dwellings
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