The self-government laws passed by the Federal Parliament in 1988 require a National Capital Plan and a Territory Plan. The former was dealt with by the National Capital Planning Authority in the ensuing year and now has the force of law. The territory process required a plan to be drafted by the ACT Planning Authority. This was completed late last year. It was then sent to the Planning, Infrastructure and Development Committee of the Assembly (David Lamont, Trevor Kaine, Tony De Domenico, Annette Ellis and Helen Szuty).
It brought down its proposal yesterday after extensive community consultation. That consultation was centered around people’s comments on the ACTPA plan.
The ACT Government will now look at it (and good sources say the Government will accept it as is) and will formally table it as the Territory Plan in June. When it does, it will be accompanied by a definitive map showing detailed land uses in the city and the rest of the territory, except areas designated as national land, details of which can be found in the National Capital Plan.
The Territory Plan sits on the table of the Assembly for six sitting days, during which time any Member may move disallowance. Given the winter break the six sitting days will not conclude until the third week in August.
By then the Government will have prepared complementary legislation to enforce energy efficiency and other matters.
When the six sitting days elapse, the plan has force of law.
The committee said yesterday, “”In all of its considerations the committee has sought to maintain the integrity of the existing and developing urban culture which is the mainstay of Canberra’s uniqueness as an Australian city.”
The committee’s approach was, however, to deal with the period in which Canberra will grow to 400,000 people, say, 2010. Beyond that, the strategic view will be looked at the by the 2020 Vision Committee.