Federal Government Approves Canberra Redevelopment Amid Community Opposition

The federal government has approved an amendment which will pave the way for the redevelopment of an area in Canberra's inner-south, despite some community opposition.

Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories Kristy McBain has signed off on changes to the National Capital Plan, which will allow for increased housing in the area of Hume Circle, close to Griffith and Narrabundah.

However, the National Capital Authority (NCA), who is responsible for the redevelopment, has bowed to community calls to significantly reduce proposed building height limits after facing opposition from locals worried about traffic and overshadowing.

It says the design it has landed on is based on the original vision of Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin, and is an opportunity to "revitalise, embed design excellence, and celebrate Canberra's unique landscape character".

Changes made to retain 'character'

In response to community feedback, the maximum allowable building height has been reduced in several sections of Hume Circle, including to three storeys in a southern section of the circle.

Further planning and design work is expected and will need to be submitted for NCA approval and public consultation before it can proceed to construction.

But NCA chief executive Karen Doran said they had made changes to the plan to "make sure that the precinct code was clear on what was expected in those areas to preserve their existing character".

"So building height there, for instance in an existing low-rise residential area, was brought down to three storeys which is the current height in that area," Ms Doran said.

"In other areas of the precinct, [like] the industrial area which is on the eastern side of the precinct, the heights there have also been reduced from the 15 storeys down to a maximum of 12 storeys, and eight storeys in other sections."

Residents who opposed the plans due to the proposed building heights say they are still concerned about the redevelopment, despite the reduction to three storeys for their particular neighbourhood.

Ludmilla Milo lives on Staffordshire Terrace, which is just a few hundred metres from Hume Circle.

"Changing the planning permissions to keep this as three storeys, well that's a small win for us," she said.

"But ... there's no guarantees. Down the track ... it could be a landmark 15-storey development here.

Traffic, overshadowing concerns addressed

Residents had also previously aired concerns about the impact of the development on the aspect at their properties, which Ms Doran said had been considered in the updated plan.

"It covers off the issues of solar access overshadowing, not only where the development is happening but in the surrounding areas as well," she said.

Ms Doran said further feedback from those worried the development would cause traffic congestion had also been heard, observing that it would be installed "close to public transport and close to employment".

"So one of the initiatives we have set up is a ... governance steering committee to oversight the potential development in the Hume Circle precinct.

"That will bring NCA and ACT government representatives to the table and ensure a coordinated and an integrated approach to development in the precinct."

Federal government taking on responsibility

The changes to the National Capital Plan mean some residential areas will now fall under the NCA's control, rather than the ACT government's.

Extending the Hume Circle precinct to McMillan Crescent — and thereby taking in streets such as Staffordshire Terrace — is a key part of the plan.

"The junctions between the main avenues were planned to be important gateways to the National Capital marked by elegant nodes framed by mixed land use and urban form," the amendment says.

"The Griffins' plans for Canberra envisaged the main avenues and approach routes as axial lines and principal ordering elements of the city.

"A new shared way through Sub-Precinct C completes the Griffin geometry of the Outer Circle of McMillan Crescent.

But Kevin Gibbs, who has lived on Staffordshire Terrace for more than 20 years, said he was worried the NCA wanted to "take control of our apartments".

"We want to be taken out of the National Capital Authority Plan," he said.

"They can have the Hume Circle over the other side, but we're existing residential.

Ms Milo added that the approval was "not the news we wanted to hear today, that we're under NCA control now".

'Who's going to buy?

Mr Gibbs said another concern among residents was that, should they want to sell their property, they would have to reveal to potential buyers the oversight of the NCA.

He said he was also concerned about the word "should" appearing in the amendment documents, which he had interpreted to mean building heights could still be raised in the future.

"It's written there that they at any stage can change [the limit] to 15 or 12 storeys," he said.

"Who's going to buy?"

But Ms Doran said those fears were unfounded.

"What's now in the National Capital Plan is legislation, and so any amendment of that requires the full process of a legislative change, approval by our minister and the government as well as agreement through ACT government," she said.

"We are hoping that that gives them comfort as to uncertainty as to preserving the character and the nature of their existing homes."

'We need to plan for liveability'

Earlier this year, a petition against the plans put to the ACT Legislative Assembly and sponsored by independent MLA Thomas Emerson attracted more than 600 signatures.

Today Mr Emerson said a "range of outstanding concerns still need to be addressed".

He is backing calls for the development application to be referred to an inquiry by the Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories.

"That should include clearly mapping out community infrastructure like active travel connections, playgrounds, schools and early learning centres, shared green spaces and other local neighbourhood amenities.

"There should be adequate representation of all impacted parties, including residents, in the working group tasked with progressing this proposal."

Federal ACT Senator David Pocock also called for an inquiry.

He said he had contacted Ms McBain earlier in the year to make a range of requests which have since been ignored.

These requests included indications of what the urban structure, pedestrian connections and landscape structure would look like as a result of the redevelopment, as well as an overshadowing analysis and preliminary traffic studies.