Page 1306 - Week 04 - Thursday, 30 March 2017
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This must not be a city of bland and boring building of boxes. It has to be about creating buildings that make statements about this city and excite interest in those living and working in them or simply walking past them. They should be destinations as well as useful and modern spaces. They should be able to stand the test of time and have people still talking about them in 50 years. Through these reforms we will foster a culture and set a challenge, a challenge for our developers to aim to win national and international awards for their work.
While Canberra continues to grow, luckily we are not having to deal with unsustainable and choking population growth. We are not having to rehabilitate or repurpose industrial land or buildings. Our task is to transform the heart of our city, in partnership with our community, and on a footprint that allows interesting and exciting building design. It is, in the simplest possible terms, about creating better places for people. It will also have a commercial operation: buying and selling land and undertaking urban renewal within urban renewal precincts.
Supporting the objects of the CRA, the bill provides for including the community and relevant entities in the planning and delivery of urban renewal, growing and diversifying the economy and creating opportunities for private sector investment in urban renewal.
The CRA’s first precinct will incorporate either side of Northbourne Avenue from Flemington Road, incorporating the Dickson centre and Haig Park, and moving through the city to the lake’s edge. It is important to note that while the CRA’s first precinct captures all of Haig Park this is to ensure improvements to the park are coordinated and implemented in partnership with surrounding residents and park users. It will not entail any residential development, units or houses, in the park.
It should be noted that the bill does not directly task the CRA to exercise the responsibilities of other statutory bodies, including the Planning and Land Authority, which will continue to exercise its functions relating to the territory plan and development assessment.
The bill establishes the Suburban Land Agency. The SLA will be responsible for delivering new greenfield residential estates and more affordable housing. Its focus will be on land release, housing supply, better suburbs and associated urban renewal projects outside declared urban renewal precincts. The objects of the SLA are to encourage and promote inclusive communities through the delivery of people-focused neighbourhoods, suburbs that support affordable housing, a safe and healthy population, social inclusion and housing choice, urban renewal outside of declared urban renewal precincts and the growth and diversification of the territory’s economy.
The bill provides for genuine engagement, consultation and collaboration. One of the Suburban Land Agency’s functions is to support cooperation between it, the community and relevant entities; for example, industry groups. In addition, I draw members’ attention to clauses 10 and 39 of the bill, which require the CRA and the SLA respectively to work with any entity that has an interest in land, to encourage cohesive urban renewal and suburban development.
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