Page 2629 - Week 07 - Thursday, 3 August 2017

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video


engaged in October 2016 to carry out several maintenance items including technical cleaning of switchboard rooms, emergency lighting testing and repairs, reviewing and updating the technical switchboard drawings and labels as necessary, checking safety equipment and signage within switchboard rooms and reviewing, updating and replacing required labelling to switchboards, while simultaneously reviewing and attending to minor open cable penetrations in the main electrical switch boards.

Planning—Phillip

Mr Gentleman (in reply to a question and supplementary questions by Ms Le Couteur and Ms Lawder on Wednesday, 10 May 2017):

Ms Le Couteur’s Questions:

In regard to Ms Le Couteur’s specific question relating to the multistorey car park at Block 54 and 84 Section 8 (49 Furzer Street) Phillip, the Development Application (DA) for this proposal (DA No. 201629116) was approved with conditions on 8 May 2017. The DA was carefully considered by the planning and land authority, particularly in relation to issues such as potential overshadowing impacts on Woden Town Square.

While the new car park will be higher than the existing building (Borrowdale House) located on this site by approximately 4 metres, there may be a slight increase in the overshadowing of the Woden Town Square, particularly during the winter solstice on 21 June. However I understand one reason the owners of the nearby Lovett Tower, which is largely vacant, are struggling to find new tenants is the lack of existing car parking spaces for the building. The approval of the DA assists in addressing this concern and the wider context of trying to attract new employment opportunities to Woden Town Centre.

I also note that the new multistorey car park will also consist of 425 square metres of commercial space at ground level which will provide for active frontages to open out to Woden Town Square. Accordingly, there is no need to amend the approved Woden Town Centre Master Plan or Draft Variation 344 in regard to offset any minor adverse impacts of this particular DA.

In relation to Ms Le Couteur’s second question, about what changes the ACT government is considering to the Woden Town Centre Master Plan and Draft Variation 344 to make sure the Woden Town Square and other open spaces are not surrounded by multistorey car parks, it is not intended to have the Town Square and open space areas solely surrounded by multi storey car parks.

The intention is to attract a mix of uses and employment opportunities to the Woden Town Centre, and a proposed new building may consist of a car parking component depending on individual design proposals. Any new development in the town centre will be subject to assessment, and approval by the planning and land authority. While the variation is in draft form, it includes a Criterion, C16 in relation to solar access, which requires that any proposed development retains reasonable solar access to the town square and the main pedestrian spine.


Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video