Page 4645 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 27 November 2019
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The development of the Molonglo Valley has been informed by numerous environmental and planning assessments over more than one decade under both ACT and commonwealth legislation. The Molonglo Valley, Coombs and the Coombs peninsula were originally zoned for urban residential development back in 2008 through amendments to the Territory Plan and the National Capital Plan. Variation 281 applied a Territory Plan residential RZ1 suburban zoning to the future Coombs peninsula urban area. The Legislative Assembly at the time approved this amendment. On a very practical level, this means that the Coombs peninsula has been identified for residential development, and particularly single dwelling development, since 2008.
Broadly speaking, the environmental assessments demonstrated that the Coombs peninsula had low environmental value; therefore it was not suitable for inclusion in the Molonglo River reserve. Its past status as a pine plantation had already degraded the environmental values of the land.
Commonwealth environmental approvals also recognised that a small portion of land within Coombs peninsula had low quality habitat potential for the pink-tailed worm-lizard and was unlikely to be recolonised through rehabilitation. Commonwealth environmental approval for development of the Coombs peninsula remains valid today, provided development occurs that is consistent with those approvals.
Plans for the Molonglo Valley include lots of open space for a diverse range of sport and recreation, including the opportunities within the Molonglo River reserve. Some of these parks and reserves have already been developed, while others will occur as development proceeds in the Molonglo Valley over the next 15 to 20 years.
The Territory Plan map and ACTmapi, which is the government’s interactive mapping service, have both shown the future residential development intention of the Coombs peninsula since 2008. For the last two years there has been a sign on the site identifying it for future development. The government has openly and publicly communicated its intention to continue to develop Coombs, including the residential development on the Coombs peninsula.
Ongoing discussions about this intention have been well canvassed through the estate development plan subdivision development application and subsequent proceedings in the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal. Consent orders made by ACAT in 2012 required the government to remove the Coombs peninsula from development until a plan of management was released for the Molonglo River reserve. The plan of management is now the Molonglo River reserve management plan, which formally commenced in July this year. The plan protects 1,280 hectares of the river, heritage sites, native plants and animals, and recreation areas.
The development of the peninsula will require future statutory environmental and planning approvals under the provisions of the ACT Planning and Development Act 2007. These have not commenced.
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