[ Information provided by Australian Federal Police, 15 November 2021 ]
Gungahlin Police Station (https://mygungahlin.com.au/anxious-gungahlin-waits-on-police-station-study/8224/)
Earlier this year, The ACT Government announced significant changes to how emergency services are housed in the Gungahlin district.
Part of that announcement was a plan for the Gungahlin Joint Emergency Services Centre (JESC) that currently holds ACT Policing as well as the ACT Ambulance Service (ACTAS), ACT Fire & Rescue (ACT F&R), State Emergency Service (SES) and Rural Fire Service (RFS).
It is well known that due to population growth and increasing demand for services this facility is no longer suitable to house multiple emergency service agencies and ACT Policing is pleased that a sensible and planned approach has been agreed by the ACT Government.
Ultimately, ACT Policing will occupy the whole site, with renovations and modifications to be made to ensure it is fit for our purposes.
The first changes that will occur will be the SES and RFS moving from the facility to accommodation in Mitchell in 2022. Minor building works will be conducted to allow ACT Policing to increase its office space in the building.
A master design will then be developed for ACT Policing to ultimately assume full occupancy of the current JESC site once ACTAS and ACT F&R relocate.
At all times the agencies that currently work out of the JESC will continue to provide their day to day services to the residents, businesses and visitors to Gungahlin. While there may be some disruptions to our accommodation, we will continue to respond to calls for assistance each and every day.
This increase in emergency services accommodation in Gungahlin recognises the continued growth of the district and we look forward continuing to work together in the coming months and years.
The 2021 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Gungahlin Community Council Inc., and December public meeting, will be held in the Gungahlin Club, 51 Hinder Street, Gungahlin commencing at 6.30pm on Wednesday 8 December 2021. The AGM will be held first.
The AGM and meeting will be face-to-face (not online using Zoom). As usual the meeting will be live streamed on Facebook via the GCC Facebook page.
Persons wishing to attend the AGM are strongly encouraged to sign up as a GCC member (it’s FREE!) as only registered members can vote in the event of an election for an executive position.
All executive committee positions will be declared vacant and nominations are now open for the office-bearer positions of President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Public Officer and up to five other Committee Members.
The GCC is a volunteer organisation that advocates for and on behalf of the district of Gungahlin as outlined in What We Do. Our recent activities has been focussed on improving the community’s engagement with the ACT government and ensuring Gungahlin is completed with all the services and facilities residents expect of a Canberra district:
The GCC organises and hosts monthly public meetings. The GCC executive also meets once per month and much of the business of the executive is undertaken online through email, social media, our web site and other online tools. We engage with a wide range of ACT government agencies, MLA’s and Ministers, and members of the executive participate in a number of forums to better interact with the Gungahlin community. The work of the GCC is captured in our newsletters and annual reports (eg. 2020, 2019, 2018).
If you know someone who may be interested in the work of the Gungahlin Community Council, please pass this information on to them.
You must be a registered GCC member to nominate for an executive committee position (signup as a member). A person is not eligible to nominate to be an Office-Bearer of the Council if the person is;
(a) an Executive Officer of a registered political party; (b) a person employed by a registered political party; (c) a registered candidate for a forthcoming election; or (d) an elected member of the ACT Legislative Assembly or any Parliament or a person who has been pre-selected or has nominated for a forthcoming election to any of the aforementioned bodies; or (e) an office bearer in a commercial or industrial lobby group registered with the Federal or ACT Government.
Nominations should be sent by emailing a completed NOMINATION FORM to the Secretary (secretary@gcc.asn.au) no later than 6.00 pm Wednesday 1 December 2021. All nominations will be acknowledged by return email.
JUDD Studio are undertaking the pre Development Application (DA) for Block 4 Section 246 Gungahlin, a site purchased by the Canberra Business and Technical College (CBTC). A presentation was given at the GCC Public Meeting on 13 October (video available) and further details and the ability to provide feedback can be found at the JUDD Studio website.
Two online sessions are being provided by JUDD Studio to described the updated project (click to register):
The next public meeting of the Gungahlin Community Council (GCC) will be held on Wednesday 10 November 2021 starting at 6:30pm.
THE MEETING WILL BE ONLINE – NOT FACE TO FACE
We will be runing the meeting on the Zoom videoconferencing platform and as usual the meeting will be live streamed on Facebook via the GCC Facebook page.
Attendees are strongly encouraged to join the Zoom virtual room meeting. Please REGISTER HERE and you will be emailed the link needed to join the Zoom meeting.
Agenda
GCC Update
Suburban Land Agency Mega Update – Gungahlin Town Centre, Jacka 2, Jacka Community-Battery, Taylor+Moncrief commercial sites
Community-Owned, Community Batteries, Kevin Cox This talk will explain what a community battery is and why they are important to Gungahlin. The ACT government has committed to providing community batteries and are seeking ideas on how to choose who will own the batteries. The presentation will outline a proposal for a co-operative of Gungahlin households to finance and own community batteries for Jacka.
AAMI publish an annual national Crash Index based on motor accident insurance claims across their various companies. Their 2021 results for Canberra includes 3 Gungahlin roads in the top ten list for accidents all of which are new entrants to the list:
The report notes that “Many of these roads take commuters to and from the city centre”. The GCC has written to the Minister for Transport, who spoke at the GCC’s May 2021 meeting, seeking a response to this data.
Bronte Group is conducting pre-DA community consultation on behalf of the landowners in relation to a proposed residential development on Block 8 Section 51 Taylor. The development offers a range of dwelling typologies including 30 apartments and 42 townhouses. The site currently provides for a vacant parcel of land located adjacent to the future Taylor Local Centre.
As part of the preparation of the Development Application for on the subject site, the Proponent is undertaking a program of Community Information and Consultation to engage with the neighbouring community and key stakeholders. In relation to the information presented by the Proponent and the Design Team, we would appreciate any comments you may have regarding the proposal.
The virtual information session will be held on Tuesday the 26th of October from 5pm to 6pm. To register for the information session, send your name, surname and email address to admin@canberratownplanning.com.au. The link to the meeting will be sent to you by the 25th of October 2021. On the day, use the link and follow the prompts to the meeting.
The GCC welcomes the report of the Inquiry into Draft Variation 364 undertaken by the ACT Assembly Standing Committee on Planning, and strongly recommends the ACT Government adopt all of the Committee’s recommendations as a matter of urgency. It should be noted that the members of the Committee represent all three political parties in the ACT Assembly – we thank them for their work and report.
The report acknowledges the concerns that have been raised by the GCC as part of our Call to Suspend Land Sales campaign, and its recommendations are broadly inline with the actions proposed in our petition, our requests to the Minister for Planning (Example 1, Example 2), and the motions proposed by Suzanne Orr and Andrew Braddock passed by the ACT Assembly.
The current planning and development settings and processes are not facilitating the development of a Town Centre with all the employment, retail, community, and entertainment services Gungahlin residents expect of a town centre. To improve the outcomes of any further land sales within the Town Centre, it is imperative that the ACT Government action the recommendations of the Inquiry urgently, as further land releases are expected in the ACT budget to be announced on 6 October 2021.
The GCC notes in particular the following comments of the Committee (our emphasis):
The committee is of the opinion that the Draft Variation is not fully formed and that the technical documents don’t serve to realise the objectives of the town centre plans. The committee also questions how the DV will shape the town centre and interact with the indicative land releases to lead to the stated outcomes. [4.10]
The Committee is concerned by the methodology used to determine the demand for commercial land within the town centre and the subsequent decrease in land reserved for commercial use. Most concerning is that a commercial needs assessment was not undertaken to inform the decision that demand had in fact decreased. … [5.13]
It was clear from all evidence before the Committee that mixed use development and the planning settings are very broad and not necessarily achieving the outcomes the Government, community or developers are wanting. The testimony highlighted the obstacles to achieving a mixed use precinct when developers only have responsibility for one single block and how a precinct scale development has more potential to achieve the outcomes sought. [5.26]
Report Recommendations
RECOMMENDATION 1
To inform the Territory Plan planning regulations a thorough investigation be completed by the ACT Government that:
identifies retail, community and commercial activity that can prosper in the town centre including activities that can anchor further growth;
identifies options for the ACT Government to support potential commercial activity through appropriate land provision and complementary policy settings; and
the findings of the investigation be used to inform the sale and development requirements of future land releases in the town centre.
RECOMMENDATION 2
The Committee recommends the ACT Government remove criterion 43 and the new R44 from DV364 in order to reserve priority commercial space.
RECOMMENDATION 3
In order to realise the objectives of the planning provisions, the ACT Government amend the indicative land release program so that the unsold blocks in Gungahlin East precinct:
be sold as a precinct rather than as individual blocks;
have contractual and lease requirements applied to the sale to deliver a precinct that includes retail, business, and community facility developments;
apply a maximum number of residential dwellings allowable so that residential dwellings are not the primary or majority use;
apply a minimum square metre requirement for commercial development; and
be designed in consultation with the community.
RECOMMENDATION 4
If the remaining blocks in the Gungahlin East Precinct are sold as individual blocks, the Committee recommends the ACT Government maintain a commercial zoning for these blocks and apply a maximum number of residential dwellings and a minimum square metre requirement for commercial development permitted for each block to ensure that residential dwellings are not the primary or majority use.
RECOMMENDATION 5
The ACT Government apply the provision for an additional two storeys of building height to all blocks with height limit provisions in the town centre.
RECOMMENDATION 6
The Committee recommends active travel and vehicle and parking arrangements are reconsidered following the completion of the traffic and transport assessments being undertaken by Transport Canberra and City Services.
RECOMMENDATION 7
The Committee recommends active frontage placements are reconsidered with priority to having active frontages in areas identified as pedestrian throughfares.
RECOMMENDATION 8
The Committee recommends the study area for the Gungahlin Town Centre Draft Variation be extended to incorporate Yerrabi Pond recreational and commercial area and the key connections of Gungahlin Place north of Anthony Rolfe Ave and Nellie Hamilton Ave as well as Camtamessa Avenue.
The next public meeting of the Gungahlin Community Council (GCC) will be held on Wednesday 13 October 2021 starting at 6:30pm.
THE MEETING WILL BE ONLINE – NOT FACE TO FACE
We will be runing the meeting on the Zoom videoconferencing platform and as usual the meeting will be live streamed on Facebook via the GCC Facebook page.
Attendees are strongly encouraged to join the Zoom virtual room meeting. Please REGISTER HERE and you will be emailed the link needed to join the Zoom meeting.
Pre-DA Consultancy for Canberra Business and Training College Development (corner of Camilleri Way and Gungahlin Place – Block 4, Section 246), JUDD.studio
Since 1996 the Gungahlin Community Council has issued a periodic newsletter/magazine. In the early days it was one of the few ways of promoting local events and activities. In recent times Social Media has taken over that role and Gunsmoke has become a record of local issues.
Mixe-use developments in the Gungahlin Town Centre – mostly spaces For Lease
On 7 July 2021, the GCC wrote to the Minister for Planning, Mick Gentleman, citing the approval of “The Establishment” development as an example of the poor outcomes that the planning system is deliverying in the Gungahlin Town Centre:
CC: Yerrabi MLAs,
Dear Mick,
The reconsidered Development Application (DA) for the high-rise residential project known as The Establishment (formerly Air Towers) has been approved (with a long list of conditions). Additional details, documents and history can be found here https://gcc.asn.au/reconsidered-da-for-the-establishment-approved/.
The GCC does not support this development and is very disappointed with this outcome.
Draft Variation 364 has utterly failed to make any impact, despite being initiated by the community in 2016. It is obvious that the Planning System Reform is going to be equally ineffective in the relevant timeframe.
This is further evidence that:
– the ACT government needs to acknowledge that the planning system has failed to enable the development of a viable Gungahlin Town Centre, and
– specific and immediate action needs to be taken to adopt a different approach for the Gungahlin Town Centre that will have immediate and positive impact.
We again ask that you provide a specific response to these two issues.
The GCC received a response to this email on 14 September 2021, that clearly indicated the Minister believed everything that could be done had been done, and no further action was required – he has given up on Gungahlin. The text of the letter is included below.
The response:
blames the lack of any susbtantial commercial employment in the town centre on the Federal government for not moving a government agency there (beyond the ACT govermnet staff in Winyu House)
ignores the obvious requirement to create incentives/obligations to encourage the establishment of employment in the town centres, since this is what happened in the other Canberra town centres
suggests “the ACT Government’s thinking” rather than its actions will create a thriving town centre, despite the clear evidence that mixed-use in the town centre in its current form HAS NOT AND IS NOT WORKING
This is an utterly underwhelming response. If you agree, please leave a comment and/or share your views with one or more ofthe Yerrabi Memmbers of the Legislative Assembly (MLA):
Mixed-Use Developments In the Gungahlin Town Centre – Mostly Vacant Leases
Text of Minister’s Response:
Dear Me Elford
Thank you for your email of 7 July 2021 on behalf of the Gungahlin Community Council (GCC) regarding concerns for the viability of the Gungahlin town centre and the outcome of the development application (DA 201732666) relating to ‘the Establishment’.
As you are aware, the independent nature of the planning and land authority (the authority) means that politicians, including Ministers, are unable to interfere in decisions of the authority.
I have been in strong agreement with you for a long time about the need for more commercial development in Gungahlin Town Centre. I have written to you in the past about the ACT Government’s actions in providing office workers to Gungahlin Town Centre and also our shared disappointment that there is no appetite from the Federal Liberal Government to locate a large Government Department in the Gungahlin Town Centre.
From a planning perspective, the ACT Government has done all that it can to enable commercial development in the Gungahlin Town Centre. The ACT Government also wants to see more commercial activity and it’s clear that continuing to do what we have always done is unlikely to get this outcome. The Property Council of Australia reinforced this in their contribution to the Standing Committee on Planning, Transport and City Services hearings into Draft Variation 364. Planning levers can only go so far, and without the interest from a significant Federal Government Department, it will be difficult to drive commercial activity in the Gungahlin Town Centre.
The changes proposed in Draft Variation 364 attempt to drive commercial activity through demand provided by residents in the Gungahlin Town Centre. The ACT Government’s thinking is that the Gungahlin Town Centre can be a genuine mixed-use area, which has a thriving commercial life throughout the daytime, into the evening, and also on weekends. I appreciate that Gungahlin Community Council does not agree with this approach; however, simply keeping the land reserved for commercial activity has not successfully led to large-scale commercial investment in the Gungahlin Town Centre to date and the ACT Government is actively working to find solutions. The ACT Government is not able to force people to open a business or dictate locations to people wanting to open a business.
The ACT Government needs to find 100,000 homes for Canberrans over the next 25 years as our population continues to grow. Canberrans are also ageing, and living in smaller households, so I am mindful that these homes must be suitable for older people and close to shops, services, community facilities, and public transport. This is not confined to Gungahlin – all town centres are seeing greater residential development as we build a city that is compact and efficient. Building ‘up’ rather than ‘out’ protects our bush landscape including Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve and Goorooyarroo Nature Reserve. I know that Gungahlin residents enjoy having such great access to nature reserves, and I’m proud that we have been able to continue to expand our parks and reserves in Gungahlin.
The ACT Government already has substantial work underway to make thoughtful planning decisions in Gungahlin in addition to the Planning System Review and Reform Project. The Community and Recreational Facilities Analysis, which was commenced due to strong advocacy from the Gungahlin Community Council, will provide valuable information about what community facilities are wanted and needed by the Gungahlin community. The investigation into mixed-use zoning will assist Gungahlin Town Centre to be a place where people will want to not just live and work, but also visit for community, shopping, and recreation. I am aware that you are after immediate action in the Gungahlin Town Centre but I am of the view that a considered approach will deliver the best outcomes for Gungahlin and the broader ACT community.
I look forward to continuing to work with you on making Gungahlin Town Centre a thriving hub of commercial and community activity.
