Page 4248 - Week 13 - Thursday, 19 November 2015
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developing Canberra’s town centres and suburbs. Quarterly community updates on progress to implement the statement will be made to ensure that these aims are being reached and the best outcomes are those that are occurring.
The statement seeks to address contemporary planning challenges and issues in a way that respects and responds to the unique characteristics of local Canberra and business attitudes. It enables us to respond to new challenges and update our priorities in response to key issues including a recent downsizing of the commonwealth public service and the consequent reduction in business confidence, while at the same time acknowledging the ACT government’s recent transformative projects such as capital metro light rail, urban renewal initiatives and large scale renewable energy facilities which are attracting new investment to the territory.
There is also a strong role for ACT government directorates, industry groups and the broader community to play to achieve the goals of the statement of planning intent. It is through the cooperation of the government departments as well as the private sector that the ACT can build on the work of previous planning statements to ensure that the best city will be built for the benefit of all Canberrans.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Fitzharris.
MS FITZHARRIS: Minister, what are the key actions contained in the statement of planning intent?
MR GENTLEMAN: I thank Ms Fitzharris for her supplementary. The following four priorities for planning in the ACT over the next five years are identified in the statement. The first is creating sustainable, compact and livable neighbourhoods with better transport choices, allowing for ease of access and short commutes to work. The second is delivering high quality public spaces and streets through place making, ensuring that suburbs and town centres are ideal places to live, raise families and do business. The third is delivering an outcome-focused planning system to reward design and excellence in innovation, which would ensure the longevity of utilisation of these spaces as well as gaining the best possible value out of the planning system. Lastly, the statement has sought to engage with the community, business and research sectors to optimise planning outcomes, ones which will satisfy and exceed the requirements and expectations of all members of the community.
For each priority in the statement, a series of actions is identified, with clear time frames for delivery in the immediate term—the next 12 months, the short term—two to three years, and the medium term—four to five years, all with the goal of ensuring the best lives for Canberrans.
Some of the immediate actions which will be implemented in the next year are: to identify demonstration precincts across the city that will undergo an innovative precinct planning process; to develop a place-making policy in collaboration with the community to assist government and also the private sector to deliver better public places and streets across the city; to establish a single design advisory panel that will be responsible for consolidation and will report directly to me; to use visual tools to better convey design planning outcomes for the city, such as digital planning, and
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