The availability of land in the ACT is driven by the ACT’s Government Land Release Program. A four-year Indicative Land Release Program accompany’s each Territory Budget which sets out the Government’s intended land releases of residential, mixed use, commercial, industrial, and community and non-urban land.
The most recent four-year indicative land release program was published on 4 June 2019 covering the period 2019-20 through to 2022-23. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ACT budget for 2020-21 (normally scheduled for early June) was postponed until after the ACT Election in October 2020. An August 2020 Economic and Fiscal Update was published on 24 August and this contains an updated Indicative Land Release Program for just 2020-21 (p. 149-153).
The table below shows the differences between the original four-year indicative plan (2019) and the August 2020 update for 2020-21. Some further details on are included for each suburb and the GCC thanks staff from the Surban Land Agency (SLA) and Environment Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate (EPSDD) for providing much of this information.
| Suburb | Residential Dwellings | Mixed Use Area | Commercial | Community | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| As of August 2020 | As of June 2019 | As of August 2020 | As of June 2019 | As of August 2020 | As of June 2019 | As of August 2020 | As of June 2019 | |
| Casey | 100 | 100 | 24,000 | 24,000 | ||||
| Gungahlin | 408 | 408 | 22,940 | 10,171 | ||||
| Jacka | 350 | |||||||
| Moncrief | 90 | 90 | 9,264 | 9,200 | 15,476 | 15,400 | ||
| Taylor | 588 | 591 | 5,121 | 5,121 | 6,837 | |||
| Throsby | 82 | 82 | 51,400 | |||||
| Kenny | 100 | 72,000 | ||||||
Casey
The land expected to be released is two large blocks along Kingsland Parade – blocks 12, 13 of section 132 Casey. Although zoned as commercial, they are part of an arrangement associated with the development of the Casey group centre, outlined in a MyGungahlin article in 2018. Essentially these two blocks will be serviced by the developer of the Casey group centre and then handed back to the ACT government for community use. EPSDD are going through a process of consultation to determine what these community uses might be – an early insight on the “needs analysis” part of this consultation was provided at the GCC’s February 2020 meeting. The 100 residential dwellings would be part of this development.
Gungahlin
The large commercal site included in the land release program in 2019-20 (Block 1 Section 228 Gungahlin) is not expected to be brought to market in 2020-21. This site is zoned commercial, but with the option of community use and is currently being used as a car park.
The mixed use developments are unchanged from last year, and are made up of blocks 3, 5 and 6 of section 249 Gungahlin. Notably, Block 6 extends to the proposed linear park. Planning for the linear park will include a consultation commencing after the ACT Election to be undertaken by the SLA. With the potential increase in the number of residential dwellings in the town centre, the GCC would like to see the scale of the linear park, and other green space in the town centre, expanded.
Jacka
The release of 350 dwellings in Jacka won’t happen in 2020-21 – the Development Application for the next phase of Jacka was only submitted in July 2020. The GCC had some concerns with this DA including that it
- Failed to address the significance of the Elm Grove heritage listing,
- Proposes significant loss of Trees and Woodland, and
- Poorly consulted with the community.
These article might also be of interest – Jacka development’s heritage impact on Elm Grove catastrophic, says report
Moncrief
No change for Moncrief with the focus on the likely sale of the blocks that will form the group centre located on Horse Park Drive (Blocks 1 and 2, Section 22). Eactly how these sites will be brought to market is yet to be determined (separately, together, etc.). It’s likely that a supermarket will be included, as well as at least 90 residential dwellings in the mixed use site (lighter blue).
Taylor
Obviously a large number of residential dwellings are scheduled to come to market in Taylor, as well as the commercial site that will form the Taylor local centre. The community site is for the proposed Hindu temple.
Throsby
The headline change for Throsby is the the new primary school for which the Development Application was lodged in July 2020. The school will cater for 450 kindergarten to year 6 students plus 123 preschool students, with space to grow with the population, and is expected to be opened in 2022.
Kenny
The suburb of Kenny is the last suburb planned for Gungahlin. The ACT territory plans shows Kenny as it was originally planned to be prior to the Gungahlin Strategic Assessment (first picture below). As a result of the assessment, the decision to create an additonal environmental offset reserve, and the physical constraints of the remaining area, Kenny will be much smaller. Detailed planning for Kenny is currently underway, but the site for the Kenny high school has been confirmed, and it’s construction is proceeding ahead of the rest of suburb, and is expected to be completed in time for the 2023 school year.
Hi I am interested to apply a land in kenny, when will it happen? could you please send me an email.
Thanks
Puri
We don’t know when land in Kenny will go on sale – some background information here https://gcc.asn.au/gungahlin-land-releases-2020-21/
Please notify when Kenny Suburb is on release
You should contact the Suburban Land Agency for more details – https://suburbanland.act.gov.au/en
Please notify me when Kenny suburb is ready
The estate plan for the suburb of Kenny is still being developed. It will be some time before land is available for sale (probably more than 12 months). Land is typically made available by the Suburban Land Agency – https://suburbanland.act.gov.au/
I am interested in buying a plot of land in Kenny,
Please let me know prior to the release.
The estate plan for the suburb of Kenny is still being developed. It will be some time before land is available for sale (probably more than 12 months). You should contact the Suburban Land Agency for more details – https://suburbanland.act.gov.au/en
Looking for a block of e mail land to build.. please keep me updated .
Make sure you visit the Suburban Land Agency regarding blocks – https://suburbanland.act.gov.au/
If ballot requires
Hello, I’m interested in buying land around Kenny, please advise the process. Thanks.
Keep watching the Suburban Land Agency web site – https://suburbanland.act.gov.au/
Hi , I am interested in buying a plot of land in Kenny. Please notify me. Thanks
Hi Sarah – Unlikely to be land sold in Kenny until 2023 at the earliest – Keep watching the Suburban Land Agency web site – https://suburbanland.act.gov.au/
Why is the residential area of Kenny on the Horse Park Drive side? There is a highly desirable and efficient piece of public transport on the opposite side, why can’t revolve be moved elsewhere, and flip the zones so that residential takes advantage of the light rail route? Surely that is the more desirable outcome
Similar feedback has been provided to the Planning directorate, particualrly by the Mitchell Traders Assoication. There are numerous constraints to the layout of Kenny, particualrly the large area that’s been set aside for a reserve. The most recent Indicative Land Release Program states “Over the next five years, the final land releases in Gungahlin suburbs will commence in Jacka and Casey in 2023-24 and the new suburb of Kenny, located to the east of Mitchell, in 2025-26.”