Page 1258 - Week 04 - Thursday, 21 March 2013
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In accordance with the provisions of the act, these variations are presented with the background papers and copies of the summaries and reports. I ask leave to make a statement in relation to the papers.
Leave granted.
MR CORBELL: Today I am tabling two variations to the territory plan that will deliver new emergency services facilities to the ACT community. The Emergency Services Agency has completed a station upgrade and relocation strategy and an implementation plan to determine where ambulance and fire stations should be located in the territory for at least the next 20 years. This is to improve emergency services coverage and response times in the community. Following detailed site investigation and analysis, it was determined that these sites would be the most suitable locations available for the relocation of current facilities.
The ambulance station in Lathlain Street, Belconnen is considered no longer fit for purpose and the existing fire station in Greenway in Tuggeranong will be refitted for use as a new ambulance station.
The first variation is for land at Aranda and the second is for land in the area of Calwell and Conder. While both the variations allow development of an emergency services facility at the subject site, the existing list of prohibited developments are retained as no change in zoning has been made to the subject land parcels.
Variation No 315 enables the development of the Aranda ambulance and fire station by including an emergency services facility as an additional merit track development for the subject site located on Bindubi Street near the corner of Belconnen Way. The draft variation was released for public comment between 20 July and Monday, 3 September 2012. Fourteen written public submissions were received, which included submissions from the Aranda Residents Group and Friends of Aranda Bushland. The main issues raised by submitters included concerns regarding the loss of open space, recreational land and trees, impacts upon traffic, road safety and parking, noise generated by sirens, visual amenity and issues regarding the site selection and consultation process.
In response to these issues I can advise that concerns such as tree removal, vehicle egress and visual amenity would be subject to detailed consideration at the development assessment stage for the operation of the station. No further planning studies are considered necessary for this stage of the planning process and no changes were made to the variation resulting from issues raised during public consultation.
Variation No 316 allows development of a fire station near the intersection of Tharwa Drive and Drakeford Drive traversing the suburbs of Calwell and Conder. This is achieved by amending the territory plan to include an emergency services facility as merit track development for the subject site and establishing planning controls in the precinct codes.
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