Page 3903 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 25 August 2010
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Mr Smyth has already pointed out the history of retailing in Kambah. When the suburb was planned as the first suburb in Tuggeranong, it had six retail sites identified. The structure of retail sites may have been appropriate back then, but the larger centres, particularly the Tuggeranong town centre, have had their effect on the various retail centres in Kambah. Of those six original sites, only four remain in operation today, while, of the two closed sites, the Marconi Crescent site is now occupied by professional offices, and the Livingston Avenue site remains shut and is becoming more and more run down and dilapidated.
This has all been of concern to the residents for some time, but this government has not listened to the community of Kambah. I applaud Mr Smyth for taking on the call of the concerned business owners and the Kambah Village, and the community who are pushing for a revamp of this area to take place.
The major retail and business centre is Kambah Village, where there is a combination of retail premises, professional offices, a tavern and the Burns Club, which has become a growing hub for this community. Their growth has also raised the need to look at parking in the area, as well as the traffic flow. All of these factors obviously have an impact on the business centre, the Anglican church, the restaurants and the childcare centre. Mr Smyth’s motion highlights their growing concerns and asks a question of this government about what the future holds for the small but significant commercial centre of Kambah Village.
The residents of Kambah have received a number of cutbacks in recent years. From around five smaller shopping centres scattered throughout the suburb, Kambah Village now remains the focal centre. It is high time that their situation was addressed. As the business owners point out, it is over 10 years since any work of any significance has been carried out.
I also support the call for a master plan to be prepared, after appropriate consultation with all interested parties and individuals, that will enable proper consideration to be given to such matters as whether any changes are required to the existing buildings, what potential for new commercial developments could be undertaken and whether any changes are required to parking and traffic flow arrangements to cope with the increased community patronage of their main local business and shopping hub.
I applaud Mr Smyth’s motion, and, indeed, Ms Le Couteur’s amendment, which we have yet to talk about. But I certainly applaud Mr Smyth’s motion and endorse his call on the ACT government to commission a master plan of the Kambah Village site and surrounding environment, taking into account relevant economic, environmental and social objectives, to consult with local businesses, residents, community and sporting organisations and other people with appropriate expertise in preparing this master plan and to take into account in preparing this master plan the potential for redevelopment of existing businesses and infrastructure, the opportunities for new commercial and community activities and the existing road structure and to report to the Legislative Assembly with a completed Kambah Village master plan by the first sitting week in September 2011. Thank you, Mr Assistant Speaker.
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