From the day after the fire, the ACT Planning and Land Authority has worked to help people affected by the fire in restoration and rebuilding.
In doing so it has had to balance the desire of many to get on with the job as quickly as possible against safety needs and long-term considerations about the design of the city and the buildings within it to withstand future fires. It has also been concerned to advise people rebuilding their homes how to get the best from the land and building on it.
The day after the fire ACTPLA (formerly Planning and Land Management) helped set up a cross-government and industry Property Assessment and Recovery Team.
The team, called PART, had up to 50 organisations represented.
The Bushfire Coordinator at the ACT Planning and Land Authority, Ros Chivers, said the PART meetings ensured that a whole range of organisations knew what was happening across the recovery effort at the same time.
She said that a quick trawl of the PART meeting would reveal updates on restoring essential services of electricity, water and gas; site inspections and data collection; demolition and development approval, insurance, housing and new offers of help.
Within the first week, ACTPLA had produced, on behalf of PART, the first step-by-step guide for Canberrans to make their property safe. Within a month, a series of five fact sheets were available, which is now called the Guide to Rebuilding After Bushfire.
Building Controller Mahinda Nandagopan said ACTPLA inspected sites to assess the nature and extent of the damage. Inspections included looking at footings and electrical wiring because safety was very important for people returning to their properties. The inspections helped moves on insurance payouts, demolition and rebuilding.
With data from the inspections and reports collected by the police, fire brigade and other emergency services, ACTPLA put together a comprehensive database of the affected properties. The ACT Land Information Centre, part of ACTPLA, organised aerial photos and other spatial mapping data. Maps of the areas affected and topographic information is being used in the analysis by the bushfire reviews.
ACTPLA put together a streamlined approvals process for houses to be rebuilt as quickly as possible. The ACT Government waived thousands of dollars of development application fees and levies. A $5000 rebuilding grant is paid on completion of building.
PART was one of the first groups to give advice to affected residents at the ACT Recovery Centre in Lyons. Joining them shortly afterwards was the Design Advisory Service. This was set up by ACTPLA and the Royal Australian Institute of Architects (ACT chapter).
ACTPLA staff member Jo Howard has been at the Recovery Centre from the beginning.
She said, “There are many competing interests to balance in the rebuilding process — the design rules, the neighbours’ right to comment, protecting amenity, and giving approval as quickly as possible.”
Some ACTPLA staff were more directly affected. Wanda Kaucz, one of two ACTPLA staff who lost their homes, said looking forward was the only way.
ACTPLA mailed a package of information on demolition and rebuilding to more than 1700 licensed ACT builders. ACTPLA also prepared brochures on fences, fire-wise home design and gardens, and what neighbours can expect with consultation during the rebuilding process.