Residents in the Tuggeranong suburb of Conder were celebrating what they see as a partial planning victory yesterday.
The Department of Environment Land and Planning has listened to some of their objections over medium-density re-zoning of a site in their street, Darebin Place.
Residents’ spokesman Neville Shelley said the department had agreed to set a maximum of 10 private dwellings on the site, previously it had been open-ended. The department had also set conditions that would result in the protection of several mature eucalyt trees on the site.
The department agreed to the lease variation to medium density with conditions that access and building layout are to be designated to incorporate these trees; no buildings are permitted within 10 metres of the trunks; no excavation within 3.5 metres; and protection by fencing during construction is to be provided.
The department rejected objections about nearby house valuations, saying the Australian Valuation Office had advised that they would not be affected.
Darebin Place residents still have some concerns about the site, however. They want the dwellings to be single-storey. The department said this was a matter for design and siting, not changes to lease purpose and territory plan.
This difference has caused some public disquiet in both new and older areas of Canberra. With the ACT Government’s 50-50 in-fill/greenfields policy many people in Canberra are facing the prospect of medium density nearby.
Residents near in-fill and medium density sites argue that at the time of application for planning and lease-purpose changes there are only vague building plans available. Detailed plans are only available later when design and siting applications are made. By then, it is generally too late or too difficult, under present law, to make an objection and existing residents can be stuck with poor standard development or redevelopment nearby with no redress.
Darebin Place residents, for example, have no idea of the precise nature of the units going up. The department said of their objection on the position and size of the units, “”These are design and siting objections which will be propoerly assessed when plans are submitted for approval.”
The Darebin Place residents objected in March on the lease variation, citing increased the trees, traffic flows, noise, light, parking overflow and other matters. They now feel they have some redress.
It is understood that the Assembly’s planning and infrastructure committee will recommend changes to the law to allow objections after detailed design and siting approvals are sought. It is understood that the Minister, Bill Wood, and his department are in broad agreement, provided a non-legalistic, cheap and quick way can be found that meets existing residents’ needs without unnecessarily impeding development or adding costs.