$13.7 million Kingston proposal should not be built on community land, says residents group

A proposed new medical centre and office development on the only community facility zoned land in Kingston should be refused, according to the local residents group.

CF Prime Pty Ltd, owned by reclusive developer Jae Choi, has proposed a $13.7 million four-storey building at 19 Giles Street (Block 1 Section 29), currently the site of a child care centre.

According to the plans, the proposed medical centre will occupy one-half of the ground floor, with the rest of the building devoted to office space.

The DA prepared by Purdon Planning says the health facility and office development will meet a strong underlying demand for office space and health care in the Kingston region.

The Kingston & Barton Residents Group (KBRG) says in its representation to the ACT Planning Authority calling for the DA to be refused that there is no guarantee that there will ever be any community facilities in the proposed development,

It says there is no evidence of a “strong underlying demand” for this type of proposal in Kingston.

“There is, in fact, no shortage of this kind of activity in the ‘Kingston region’, at the Kingston shopping centre and Kingston Foreshore,” KBRG says.

“There are also two major pending redevelopment proposals on other sites at the Kingston shopping centre for this kind of development.

“But there are no other ‘Community Facility Zones’ sites in Kingston, apart from two churches and the Causeway Hall, so it is very important that this site is devoted to genuine community facilities of benefit to the local community.”

KBRG says the requested lease variation is biased towards business and office uses, saying “Community use” is limited to early childhood education and care, and health facility”.

“What about other permissible ‘Land Use/Development Types’ such as ‘community activity centre’, ‘community housing’, ‘community theatre’, ‘cultural facility’, ‘educational establishment’, ‘indoor recreation facility’, ‘place of worship’, ‘religious associated use’? Why have all these been excluded?” it says.

One of the proposed land uses is “financial establishment”, which is not permitted in a community facility zone, KBRG says.

It says the proposal fails to meet or mention any policy outcomes for community-zoned land.

Regarding the District Strategy, the DA says the development will deliver social and community infrastructure to help satisfy the all-time high demand for healthcare facilities.

KBRG says there is no evidence of ‘all-time high demand’, and the proposed medical centre only occupies an eighth of the building.

The DA says office spaces could be retrofitted into health care should demand increase, but KBRG says the building could also be used entirely for business offices.

“There is no guarantee that even the health facility will be provided,” it says.

“It appears that the proposal is basically a four-storey office building and is entirely inappropriate in the Community Facility Zone.”

KBRG has also objected to the parking shortfall in the two-level basement.

It says the DA’s traffic report shows that only 59 spaces are provided, 27 short of what is required, nearly half of what is proposed.

The report proposes that the 17-space shortfall on the site be carried over to the new development and that the remaining 10 spaces be found on the street.

But KBRG says it believes government policy for many years has been that all new developments in the Kingston shopping centre and vicinity must include all parking on-site because of the high demand for the limited on-street parking now available in the area.

Purdon Planning CEO Dan Stewart said the project incorporated a health facility and office, which were both permissible uses in the community facility zone.

“The ultimate mix will depend on market demand. However, the proponent views a health facility as a highly desirable outcome for this site,” he said.

Mr Choi bought the site for $3.97 million in August last year.

Comments on the DA close on 13 May.