The Evolution Business Park would deliver 80,000 sqm of floor space. Image: ACTmapi.
A major new business park is being proposed for Symonston and Jerrabomberra but there are rumblings already about the loss of tree cover, grassland and habitat, as well as traffic concerns.
A development application (DA) from Sustainable Data Resource Pty Ltd proposes the subdivision of a 56 hectare, NUZ1 – Broadacre Zone site at 722 Canberra Avenue, of which 26 ha or 43 per cent is considered developable land.
The DA also seeks to add a long list of uses to the Crown lease for the light industrial/commercial Evolution Business Park that would deliver 80,000 sqm of industrial leasable floor area.
The site, adjacent HMAS Harman naval base, would be cleared of existing structures and trees.
Seven superblocks are proposed, as well as a proposed stormwater attenuation pond, substation and road reserve which would be handed back to the ACT Government.
According to the DA, ecologically protected areas would be excluded from development.
“Loss of native habitat and biodiversity is avoided and/or minimised,” it says. “Subdivision is primarily proposed within areas identified as exotic grassland.”
The DA says areas of native grassland are protected by a no-development clause and the proposed blocks are strategically designed to avoid areas with higher concentrations of native biodiversity and sensitive habitats.
But 288 trees, 168 of which are protected, would need to be removed, although only 56 are native. The DA says the landscape plan provides for 3213 new plantings, resulting in a greater overall canopy cover compared with existing conditions.
The DA says this will be offset by the planting of numerous large native tree species throughout the site.
But a petition launched about the proposal cites the tree loss, and critically endangered natural temperate grassland that is a known habitat for the striped legless lizard and golden sun moth as concerns.
The petition, which is now being shared by the ACT Conservation Council, also raises questions about the DA’s environmental surveys, including out-of-season fieldwork and limited sampling.
A full environmental impact statement is being called for.
The petition also has concerns about the traffic modelling and active travel plan.
“Some intersections with known delays are described as functioning adequately, despite technical modelling indicating otherwise,” it says.
“The proposal also includes shared paths that appear to fall short of ACT Government standards — both in terms of width and safety for pedestrians and cyclists.”
This includes shared paths narrowed to 1.5 m, and unprotected crossings for cyclists and pedestrians exposed to B-double turning paths.
But the DA’s traffic report concludes that modelling indicates the proposed development will not have a significant impact on the operation of the external road network, which is already expected to become more congested in years to come.
The Evolution Business Park master plan. Image: DNA Architects.
It estimates the proposal will generate a peak hour traffic generation of 200 vehicles per hour for both the AM and PM peak hours, with 2264 vehicle movements per day.
Access will be via a signalised T-intersection at the mid-point between the two existing intersections of Canberra Avenue/Woods Lane and Canberra Avenue/Tom Price Street.
“This spacing is intended to support traffic flow and minimise the potential for queuing, weaving and congestion at the new intersection, reducing the impact of traffic from adjacent intersections,” the traffic report says.
For cyclists and pedestrians, there will be a signalised pedestrian crossing on Canberra Avenue, connecting to the cycling network, and shared paths for all active site frontages.
The Conservation Council and the Inner South Canberra Community Council do not have a position as yet but are looking at the proposal.
Comment was sought from the Canberra property developer Peter Micalos, who is a director of Sustainable Data Resource Pty Ltd.
Comment on the DA closes on 8 August.
