Ginninderry will be a community 30,000 strong and will need a business and services precinct. Photo: Ginninderry.
The Belconnen and Ginninderry communities are being asked what kinds of services, businesses and amenity they would like to see in a new Urban Support Precinct being planned for West Belconnen.
The Belconnen Community Council has launched the survey after the ACT Government went to the market seeking a consultant to design the precinct and deliver subdivision development applications (SDAs).
The precinct will be located on Blocks 1582 and 1600, which the former Land Development Agency (LDA) acquired in 2017.
Block 1582 is a 62.1-hectare site formerly owned by Hardy’s wines, located at 135 Stockdill Drive, Holt, adjacent to Block 1600.
Block 1600 is a 164-hectare site located at 29 Pro Hart Avenue, Holt, used for equestrian activities, agistment, and cattle grazing.
“The USP (Urban Support Precinct) will be designed to accommodate essential infrastructure, services, and facilities that support the functioning of the surrounding residential community, including the adjacent Ginninderry development,” the tender says.
It will be developed in two stages over the rest of the decade, with Block 1582 first and construction starting by September 2028.
Where the precinct is located. Image: ACT Government.
Belconnen Community Council chair Lachlan Butler said the growing West Belconnen area needed services and businesses closer to home than Mitchell or Fyshwick.
Mr Butler said the tender was a good opportunity to gather community input on what may be needed in the precinct, so people didn’t have to travel so far.
“Everyone has to travel into the town centre or Civic through a couple of key roads and some not-so-great public transport options, so we think there’s definitely an opportunity to get a good outcome with this site, with the right preparation,” he said.
Mr Butler said the survey was fairly general to avoid being too prescriptive.
“The government hasn’t even started its consultation on it, but we want to hear from people and have the most evidence-based consultation,” he said.
“Some community councils and community groups tend to have a very narrow input of community voices, and this is just one way we’re trying to get as many voices as possible heard.”
He said the development of a more local business and service precinct was also becoming more pressing due to the creeping residential development on the Town Centre encroaching on trade areas.
There would be no more town centre land available for trade, and what was there would be under pressure, Mr Butler said.
The council also believed that the survey results may have some application to the CSIRO Ginninderra site for non-residential uses when the ACT finally got the deal done with the Commonwealth.
