Page 2170 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 5 June 2019

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MR GENTLEMAN (Brindabella—Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Minister for Planning and Land Management, Minister for Police and Emergency Services and Minister assisting the Chief Minister on Advanced Technology and Space Industries) (5.39): I thank Mr Pettersson for bringing forward this important motion today. The government, through the ACT planning strategy 2018, has a robust and contemporary planning framework to guide Canberra’s future growth and prosperity as a compact and efficient city. The planning strategy includes as a key target supporting sustainable urban growth by delivering up to 70 per cent of new housing within our existing urban footprint.

As our city’s population continues to grow and change, we are making sure that social infrastructure is delivered that meets community needs and supports strong communities. Great and convenient local facilities and amenities are a key feature of why Canberra is so livable. Stimulating urban renewal where it is appropriate means that we also assess the capacity of current social infrastructure in potential locations for urban renewal and what is needed to support growing communities.

Investigations have commenced into the capacity of existing social infrastructure to support potential urban intensification in locations identified within the ACT planning strategy. A key focus for this work is to document existing assets and identify thresholds for existing social infrastructure and issues facing the network of facilities and open spaces across our city as a whole.

By combining an understanding of best practice and trends in social infrastructure provision alongside current community infrastructure evidence, this work will provide policy and strategy recommendations that will assist in guiding social infrastructure investment in the ACT. These social infrastructure investigations are providing the evidence on which to plan for appropriate community facilities and open space, and guide and prioritise opportunities for further development within the areas identified for potential urban intensification in the planning strategy.

The approach is positioning the government to pursue collaborative partnerships with key stakeholders, including the private sector and community organisations, to fund and deliver new social infrastructure and facilitate better use of existing infrastructure. The work is also informing potential changes to the statutory planning framework through the ACT planning review, which commenced this year, and relevant policy settings in relation to social infrastructure.

Within the ACT planning strategy, the Gungahlin suburb of Casey is identified as an urban intensification location. Land is already identified in Casey for future release to accommodate a mix of community, recreation, commercial and residential uses. As I have explained, careful consideration must be given to the appropriate mix of future uses to make sure land is provided for facilities and services that meet the needs of the people who live in Casey and the surrounding catchment, now and into the future.

I note that any discussion with the community about planning, and specifically planning for community facilities and services, should be informed and shaped by


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