Page 251 - Week 01 - Thursday, 12 February 2015
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students close to the amenities of the city centre. Investment by the government in upgrading streetscapes and improving bus facilities has also attracted significant additional commercial office space in the area, with around 82,000 square metres of new office space constructed. The final stage of the Canberra Centre was approved in 2011, which will provide 300 apartments, 41,000 square metres of additional commercial office space and 12,500 square metres of new retail floor area.
New Acton, which was completed last year, has set a new benchmark in terms of the quality of urban renewal projects. This precinct has created a new destination for the city through its innovative events programs, a highly sustainable approach also to building design and the diverse range of uses including residential, cinemas, restaurants, hotels and commercial space. New Acton has gained at least 20 awards from a variety of peak design and property bodies, including the 2014 national award for urban design. I congratulate the Molonglo Group on their sustainable, high density, high amenity development and for their ongoing investment in Canberra.
The city remains the location of choice for both commonwealth and private tenants, with almost 350,000 square metres of new office space developed over the last 10 years. During this period an additional 1,300 apartments were also constructed in the city. The city is a key active travel destination, and the government is working hard to improve access to, from and within the city centre for people on foot, bikes and public transport. The government remains committed to improving the quality of pedestrian and cycle infrastructure in the city, and the civic area action plan released in October 2010 identified a range of projects, including upgrades to footpaths, lighting and general accessibility. Over $20 million has been invested in these improvements, including the completion of the city cycle loop which has seen a significant increase in cyclists in the city area.
Stage 1 of the Belconnen to city transit way has provided significantly improved sustainable transport options on the Belconnen to city transport corridor, one of the busiest bus routes in Canberra. The project has seen the construction of a new dedicated bus lane on Barry Drive from Clunies Ross Street through to Kingsley Street in the city, a new bus station at city west servicing the new ANU exchange development, with improved bus connections and access, on and off-road cycling facilities along Barry Drive and new pedestrian facilities.
To ensure that Canberra develops as a more compact and sustainable city, the government’s transport and planning strategies are working together to manage projected population growth and high quality transport infrastructure, often referred to as transit-oriented development. Although a range of transport modes are encouraged, the government acknowledges that the car will continue to be used by a large number of Canberrans and that parking supply and demand need to be well managed. A parking action plan, which the government will consider in the coming months, will make parking more accessible by improving the availability of different types of parking and making parking easier to locate. The parking action plan will build upon existing government policy and use the latest technologies to administer parking.
Earlier this year, 300 new off-street pay parking machines were rolled out across Canberra, including the city centre, with new payment options including credit card
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