Some developed land is yet to be released at Jacka but the new suburb’s second stage may never come to fruition due to the discovery of a koala. Photo: SLA.
The development of Jacka’s second stage might be permanently stalled due to the discovery of a dead koala in neighbouring Taylor.
ACT Wildlife notified the government on 18 September this year that it had recovered the animal’s body. Development was put on hold in October 2024 when a live koala was spotted in a tree.
Suburban Land Agency (SLA) CEO Adam Davey told an annual report hearing the last available Jacka block recently sold and “we may not have more land there in the future” due to the potential of more koalas in the area.
An SLA spokesperson said it was still undertaking further surveys to inform a self-assessment (under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999) which was expected to end early next year.
“Mr Davey was acknowledging [in the hearings] there is uncertainty at this stage about the final development area proceeding,” the SLA spokesperson told Region.
“Subsequent steps will be determined based on [the self-assessment’s] outcome.”
This final development stage comprises 189 potential homes, and is included in the Housing Supply and Land Release Program which represents one contributor to the ACT Government’s aim to build 30,000 new homes by 2030.
Homes and New Suburbs Minister Yvette Berry told the same annual report hearing some unpredictable “unique challenges” had arisen as the ACT Government continued work towards the “ambitious” housing target.
“It’s going to be challenging [to reach the target]. Possible, but challenging,” she said.
Region asked what unique challenges had impeded the delivery of these homes, but was not provided a further answer.
“SLA land development projects are complex, multi-year projects that can be impacted by a multitude of factors,” an ACT Government spokesperson said.
“If challenges emerge, SLA seeks to manage these to the extent possible to facilitate release, and where there is a material impact on the project, these will be reported through the SLA annual report.”
The 2024-25 SLA annual report showed the agency released enough land to allow 3734 homes to be built – 24 per cent less than its target of 4930.
It reasoned this was because 1324 dwellings (across the Molonglo Town Centre, Gungahlin Town Centre, Whitlam and Macnamara) were deferred to future financial years.
The target was also partially offset by additional releases and re-releases of 119 homes (not in the indicative land release program for 2024-25) in Denman Prospect stage 3, Macnamara, Whitlam, Wright and Coombs.
It also released 11,124 square metres of community-zoned land, mainly to support the development of affordable rentals by the community housing sector.
It had aimed to release enough sites for 608 affordable, public and community housing homes to be built, but fell short of this target by the equivalent of 157 dwellings.
“Where sites were released but did not sell, we ensured the associated affordable, public or community housing targets remained in place,” the annual report noted.
“We continue to administer the Affordable Home Purchase Scheme (AHPS). However, no offerings have occurred during 2024–25 as developers with current obligations did not receive development application approvals during the financial year.
“Notably, construction of AHPS House and Land Packages progressed significantly, with most homes now completed and the remaining homes expected to be finalised by April 2026.”
Ms Berry told the hearing the government was continuing to consider ways it could make it easier for people to either buy their own home or secure long-term affordable rentals.
“I think everyone knows there’s very little chance of housing prices going down,” she said.
“The market is where [it] has put itself, so now it’s [about] looking at what are the other opportunities we need to look at for people who can’t compete in that market, and will never be able to … have the chance to get into a house of their own.”
