Block 800 Gungahlin is designed to provide an attractive gateway to the National Capital and offer much-needed housing with convenient retail. Image: Purdon Planning.
Plans are afoot to develop a 21-hectare parcel of land on the northern approach to Canberra as a greenfield mixed-use precinct with 1000 low to medium-density homes and a commercial hub.
The lessee of Block 800 Gungahlin, CF Group, will need to apply for a rezoning of the land, which sits on the Federal Highway across from Watson, from NUZ1 – Broadacre, NUZ3 – Hills, Ridges and Buffer Areas, and Designated to Residential Zones, Mixed-Use Commercial Zones, and Parks and Recreation Zones.
This will require a Major Plan Amendment for the Territory and a National Capital Plan amendment for the Commonwealth.
Purdon Planning has been engaged to prepare a planning report for both applications and is conducting community consultation on early development plans. The feedback will be included in the planning report.
An early master plan for the site has been released, showing a number of ‘human scale’ residential areas and the commercial hub in a northern section.
Purdon says there would be a mix of residential options, including 2-3 storey townhouses fronting the Federal Highway and small-scale, 4-6 storey apartment blocks towards the rear of the site pitched at ‘missing middle’ housing.
It says the townhouses and apartments should appeal to a broad demographic, including singles, couples, young families and downsizers/retirees. The total population could more than 2000, depending on the final, approved layout.
The local centre sized commercial hub will service the site, the North Watson community, Exhibition Park, the upcoming suburb of Kenny, and residents in adjoining NSW.
A key feature of the proposal is for the development to sit in a natural setting with communal open spaces, parks and gardens, and many trees on the block retained, as well as formal plantings.
“The site’s proximity to existing services and development, and its landscape, size and natural amenity provide a unique opportunity for its redevelopment into an ecologically low-impact, efficient mixed-use estate,” says Purdon.
The site is bound by Morisset Road and the Bimberi Youth Justice Centre to the north, the Nadjung Mada Nature Reserve to the east, the Federal Highway to the south, and the Canberra Park accommodation park to the west.
It is only about 7 km to the city via the highway and then Northbourne Avenue, with light rail and bus connections close enough to provide good bike-and-ride/park-and-ride opportunities.
Purdon says the ACT Government may eventually extend Morisset Road to the Federal Highway, which would boost connectivity to the site for cars, bikes and pedestrians via a shared path.
“The proposed rezoning represents an exciting opportunity to create a landmark mixed-use, mixed-density development at the gateway to Canberra that will boost housing supply and enhance the unique environmental aspects of the site,” says Purdon.
The approval process is expected to take up to 12 months from now, with the development to then be delivered in stages over 10 or more years.
Purdon will also host an online consultation session on Thursday, 12 December, at 5:30 pm.
Consultation runs until Wednesday, 18 December.
To learn more, register for the online session and provide feedback, visit the Purdon website.
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