The Northbourne Flats on Canberra's Northbourne Avenue. Public housing renewal dominates the 2017-18 land release schedule. Photo: Richard Briggs -
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Public housing renewal and accommodation for Canberra’s ageing population will dominate land released across the ACT in the 2017-18 year.
New shops in Wanniassa and Moncrieff and a mixed-use precinct in Wright are among the highlights outlined in the ACT government’s indicative land release program for the next financial year.
The Bega Flats site opposite the Canberra Centre in Reid will be razed and sold to make way for development, similar to the overhaul of the Currong and Allawah flats sites opposite.
The 50,600 square metres of land slated for mixed-use, high-density living in central Canberra as part of this year’s ACT budget also includes the demolition of the Northbourne Flats in Turner and Braddon.
Those sites will also be redeveloped as part of the continued rejuvenation of the Northbourne Avenue corridor.
The replacement of Red Hill public housing units with a large residential development will also contribute to the government’s shedding of deteriorating public housing infrastructure in the 2017-18 year.
A significant chunk of land has been slated for aged care and retirement living, with 47,400 square metres of community space to be released in Ngunnawal.
The property sector has long bemoaned Canberra’s lack of medium-density housing for older residents, with Australian retirees given a $300,000 incentive to downsize as part of this year’s federal budget.
The ACT budget papers released on Tuesday also show a drop in expected revenue from land released throughout the existing 2016-17 year.
The outgoing Land Development Agency is expected to rake in $563,419,000 in revenue, $66,382 less than the $629,801,000 budgeted 12 months ago.
ACT Environment, Planning and Sustainable development head Ben Ponton attributed the shortfall to unsold residential sites in Throsby.
He said blocks in the new Gungahlin suburb would continue to sell over the coming months, with outstanding revenue to “carry over” to the 2017-18 year.
The Land Development Agency will be replaced with the City Renewal Authority and the Suburban Land Agency from July 1.
The new agency is projected to raise $575,832,000 in land revenue over the upcoming fiscal year, while the authority is expected to raise a modest $432,000.
A total 4120 new residential dwelling sites will be released across the territory over this period, including 1450 dwellings across greenfield sites in parts of Gungahlin, the Molonglo Valley and the new Belconnen suburb of Strathnairn.
Aside from units on former public housing sites, the figure also encompasses the second stage of land release in Lawson (700 dwelling sites) and 480 dwelling sites for medium-density housing in Greenway.
Wanniassa is set to get a new supermarket with 7600 square metres of commercial land to be released at Erindale Shopping Centre.
The Gungahlin suburb of Moncrieff is also set for more retail with 15,400 square metres of commercial land and another 9200 square metres of mixed-use land earmarked.
Other mixed-use site releases include 15,700 squares metres in Wright and 1500 square metres in Lawson.
Further highlights include 3500 square metres of community space in Macgregor, 2000 square metres of community land in O’Malley, and 1070 square metres of commercial space zoned for for leisure and accommodation in the Belconnen Town Centre.
The 2017-2018 land release schedule includes 77,000 square metres of mixed-use space, 24,070 square metres of commercial land and 56,200 square metres of community space.
Another 30,000 square metres of industrial land is slated for release including 20,000 square metres in Hume and 10,000 square metres in Symonston.