Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith at the Griffith site. Photo: Ian Bushnell.
A zoning change is being proposed so a new $22 million Inner South health centre can be built behind the Griffith shops.
Infrastructure Canberra is also proposing to designate the government health centre as a Territory Priority Project, ensuring it won’t be delayed by a third-party appeal in the event of community opposition.
Griffith Narrabundah Community Association president John Edquist believes the use of TPPs to stop a body like his going to the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal was appalling in a democratic society, particularly when that was where agency mistakes usually came to light.
Mr Edquist said the GCNA had yet to examine the Draft Major Plan Amendment to rezone the land to community facilities (CFZ), but welcomed a new health centre for the Inner South, although there were other sites that would be better suited.
He said a more central site in Manuka or the Kingston Foreshore would better serve the Inner South.
Health Minister Rachel Stephen announced the site, located on the corner of Throsby Crescent and Throsby Lane, Blocks 33, 34, and 39, Section 78, in July 2024.
She said at the time that the government had investigated whether existing facilities could be refurbished, but there wasn’t anything suitable, and blocks of land were scarce.
Mr Edquist said the minister had informed the GNCA that a site analysis had been conducted, but it had not been published.
It is proposed that the site will include most of the rear carpark of the Griffith shops, but Mr Edquist said it was believed that there would be a net gain of 16 spaces once the centre is delivered.
He did not know if this would be enough.
“The question is, even with 16 extra [car spaces], how much more business will it bring to the shops for people parking there and then going to the centre?
“I don’t know if there’s been a full analysis of that. I’ll have to read the traffic and parking analysis.”
Mr Edquist said a few trees were slated to go, but he hoped they could be saved with a slight adjustment to the carpark.
Ms Stephen-Smith said parking would be a significant issue for the community, and this was being addressed in the design phase of the project.
The nearby playground would also be moved to a section of Blaxland Park near the shops, to make way for a stormwater project.
Mr Edquist said that in a recent meeting with the minister, the number of services the centre would provide was still to be finalised.
“It’s not really clear what it’s going to be offering,” he said.
“We’ve been told it’s going to deal with chronic conditions.”
Mr Edquist said that would be good because there were lots of people in this part of Canberra who had arthritis and diabetes.
Pathology sample collection and dentistry were also expected to be part of the offering.
Mr Edquist said the centre should be a net positive as long as it didn’t damage the shops.
“We don’t want to look a gift horse in the mouth, and no doubt more health centres are better, but I’m not sure just how focused it is on the local residents or even the sort of demographic the Inner South is,” he said.
Ms Stephen-Smith said co-locating the centre with Griffith shops would be convenient for patients, staff and visitors.
She said the Inner South centre would complement the existing network of nurse-led Walk-in Centres and Community Health Centres.
Services would include oral health, pathology collection, post-acute care and support, rapid access clinics and chronic disease management.
Ms Stephen-Smith said the government wanted to build the centre as quickly as possible.
The Inner South health centre was first promised in 2020, along with three others across Canberra, in Molonglo, South Tuggeranong and West Belconnen. Molonglo has been delivered and construction has started on the South Tuggeranong facility. The Inner South health centre is expected to be completed in 2027.
Planning Minister Chris Steel said Infrastructure Canberra had proposed the centre be declared a Territory Priority Project.
“If declared, the project would be exempt from third-party appeals. I would like to hear the community’s views on the proposal through comments to the Territory Planning Authority, which I will consider before I make a decision on the declaration,” he said.
Public consultation on the proposed Territory Priority Project and Draft Major Plan Amendment closes 19 November.
Copies of the proposed declaration and DPA-06 are available on the ACT Planning website at Major plan amendments – City and Environment Directorate – Planning and Territory Priority Project – City and Environment Directorate – Planning.
