Page 1646 - Week 05 - Thursday, 5 May 2016
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As I am sure all members have, I have closely followed the public discussion on this proposal, and last week I attended a public meeting on the issue hosted by the Inner South Community Council. It is evident there is a high level of concern about both the proposal itself and the process involved in the unsolicited bid.
In principle, I am open to the concept of developer contributions to upgrade the facilities at Manuka Oval. However, there are significant issues that need to be addressed, such as the scale of development; potential traffic and parking impacts in the surrounding areas; and ensuring the heritage values of Manuka Pool and its grounds, other buildings in the precinct, and Telopea Park are respected and maintained.
I have also spoken with representatives of the Giants. They are passionate about this project and convey a commitment to Canberra. They have stressed to me they are keen to work with the community, to take feedback on board and to develop an idea this city can embrace. This motion seeks to take on board both the community concern and the spirit presented by the Giants to see if we can build common ground.
The Greens support quality urban renewal, particularly in contrast to continued urban sprawl on the city’s fringe. As our city continues to grow, inner areas will see more development pressure, but it is essential these developments are of high quality and that the community is engaged in the process. The strong views I am receiving from the community, whether it is from people who are supportive of development of the precinct or not, is that the unsolicited bid process should see a stronger role from government in consultation with the community to define the parameters of any project.
Following concerns raised by residents in response to an unsolicited bid to develop Manuka Oval, I am calling for greater community involvement in planning for the Manuka precinct and for a comprehensive community consultation process. Of course there are many steps to go—and I have noted this in the motion—if the proposal is to proceed through the territory plan variation, any development applications that might be proceeding and the like, but now is a good time to undertake further community consultation.
Ideally any development proposal should be consistent with the outcomes of a master planning process within the context of the wider Manuka precinct. I acknowledge that previous plans have been developed for the Manuka Oval in 2009 and 2013, and they are available on the ACT government website. However, I think it is fair to observe that there is a feeling in parts of the community that these plans do not adequately consider the context within which the Manuka Oval sits, they do not demonstrate a depth of analysis that would be expected in a comprehensive master plan, and they do not adequately acknowledge or protect the heritage values in the precinct. I think it is fair to say that many in the community do not feel a sense of ownership of these plans. That is not to diminish the work that went in to them but to simply reflect that that is clearly an opinion out there in our community.
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