Page 1294 - Week 05 - Thursday, 18 June 2020
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
The revised car park design means that we will need to remove only four trees and will retain the remaining 15 trees on site, including several trees adjacent to Watling Place. Further, we will offset those removed by planting 11 additional trees. We will also plant 125 westringia shrubs on the eastern edge of the car park, to provide further privacy to adjacent residents. Again, this responds to concerns raised during the consultation. The car park will be landscaped, including the installation of timber bollards along the perimeter.
The development application for the project has been notified and is out for comment until tomorrow, 19 June. I encourage the community to have their say on the proposal.
The ACT government expects that the site will be released as a community facility zone when the car park is no longer required, which is consistent with the uses in the Weston Creek group centre master plan, which has undergone significant consultation. Indeed, the associated Territory Plan variation came before this Assembly for consideration.
Planning—Chisholm—petition 9-20
MR WALL (Brindabella) (10.14): Today I presented a petition on behalf of 71 residents of Chisholm who petitioned for the revision of a development proposal that has been put forward for blocks 18 and 19, section 532, in Chisholm. This petition has been developed and driven by residents and has only been circulated amongst Durham Place and Swanton Street residents.
These residents rightly deserve some consideration in light of the upcoming development proposed by Housing ACT in Durham Place, Chisholm, which is on a property owned by Housing. Effectively, the proposed development will more than double the number of properties on two blocks and continues a significant increase in the density of properties in this street, a significant increase in density that is occurring in an RZ1 zone.
After speaking to residents, I can see that they feel completely overlooked and cannot see any recourse or ability to have any input into the decision-making process around this development. I have met with them and it is clear that they feel that the decision has, in fact, been made and is a finalised deal.
That is particularly the case in light of the fact that ACT Fire & Rescue have been given the opportunity to use one of the properties, 2 Durham Place, for a training exercise which is proposed to commence today and continue into next week. This is on a home that neighbours and residents in the area believe to be a property that should be considered still fit for occupation. The exercises will involve crews accessing the property to extinguish simulated training fires. The residents’ view is that this type of exercise would only be undertaken if the property were to be demolished. That is evidenced by correspondence that ACT Fire & Rescue have provided to neighbours, which stipulates that there will be damage to the property which will ultimately render it uninhabitable.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video