Page 2739 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 16 August 2005
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Land (Planning and Environment) Act, pursuant to subsection 29 (1)—Approval of Variation No 237 to the Territory Plan—Deakin, Section 12 Blocks 9, 13 and 19—Embassy Motel redevelopment—Proposed residential use, dated 30 June 2005, together with background papers, a copy of the summaries and reports, and a copy of any direction or report required.
I ask for leave to make a statement in relation to the paper.
Leave granted.
MR CORBELL: Mr Speaker, draft variation 237 proposes to remove the entertainment, accommodation and leisure land use policy and replace it with a residential land use policy for the B15 area specific policy for section 12 blocks 9, 13 and 19 Deakin to provide for the potential redevelopment of the site for residential purposes.
This variation was released for public comment on 27 May last year and comments closed on 8 July last year. Six written submissions were received during that period. These submissions raised no objection to the land use policy change to enable residential redevelopment of the site. One submission was from an adjoining sporting club concerned that future residents might complain about noise and general club activity. A minor revision was made to the variation as a result of the consultation process. In addition, to recognise the existing motel and to retain the potential for this type of development on the site, commercial accommodation was added to the B15 area specific policy.
In its report No 6 of this year, the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment made three recommendations in relation to this variation. Its first recommendation supported the replacement of the entertainment, accommodation and leisure land use policy with a residential land use policy and a new B15 area specific policy. However, the committee considered that the B15 area specific policy needed to require that the residential buildings on the site be generally no higher than three to five storeys. The committee formed the view that a building any higher than three to five storeys would be out of character with the surrounding landscape and main avenue ceremonial route of Adelaide Avenue and took Deakin residents’ views into account in forming this view.
Mr Speaker, whilst the government recognises that the committee’s deliberations are an attempt to resolve the issue of an appropriate building height for development on the site, imposing a building height control for this site under the territory plan is not supported. The reason for this is that the National Capital Authority controls the building height of future development on this site. Sites fronting Adelaide Avenue outside the central national area are subject to special requirements of the national capital plan, which seek to ensure buildings are at least three storeys in height along the final approach routes to the parliamentary zone. This site is also subject to building height controls under a development control plan adopted by the National Capital Authority that states that buildings at the crossing of Hopetoun Circuit by Adelaide Avenue should be predominantly three storeys and a maximum of four storeys in height.
The committee further considered that the B15 area specific policy needed to require high quality landscaping of the site consistent with a landmark development. This recommendation is supported by the government and the B15 area specific policy has
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