Liberal Murrumbidgee MLA Ed Cocks wants to see the vision for the Mawson Group Centre from 2015 realised. Photo: Claire Fenwicke.
In 2015, the ACT Government created a Mawson Group Centre master plan to revitalise what was labelled a “tired and run down” area.
“Mawson group centre will be an attractive, convenient centre offering a diverse range of goods, services and transport and housing options. It will be a centre that is able to evolve in the future as the community’s needs and demands change,” the plan promised.
Now Canberra Liberals Murrumbidgee MLA Ed Cocks has launched a community campaign for what he has called “desperately needed and overdue upgrades” to the area.
“The ACT Labor-Greens government seems to have abandoned this plan in favour of another eight years of decay and broken promises,” he said.
“This plan envisioned Mawson Place as a shared pedestrian zone with ground-level shops and cafes, and offices and residences above.
“A Lonsdale Street of the South.”
An artist’s impression of Mawson Place as a main street, looking north. Photo: Mawson Master Plan 2015.
The plan and its consultation papers have been moved from their original location online to the new planning website.
The master plan identified that the centre could be transformed into a “significant public transport hub” and had the potential for residential development.
There was also room for a new structured car park and land for an additional supermarket.
Key recommendations included improving pedestrian and cyclist connections to and through the centre (including with Athllon Drive) and encouraging various uses to improve perceptions of safety and night-time activity.
It also identified the area’s future potential as a light rail stop.
Mr Cocks said his campaign aimed to deliver a “new vision for Mawson” to recognise its importance as a “hub of the South”.
“The ACT Labor-Greens Government has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars repeatedly asking what needs to change at Mawson but has failed to actually fix the problems,” he said.
“The community has told the government that a new car park, an additional supermarket, upgraded facilities, better public transport and improved pedestrian connections are all needed, Labor and the Greens just seem unwilling to make it happen.
“People in Woden deserve something like a Lonsdale Street of the South, why should our facilities and infrastructure lag behind other areas?”
An artist’s impression of the centre, looking south-west along Mawson Drive. Photo: Mawson Master Plan 2015.
The ACT Government has insisted the plan hasn’t been forgotten, nor has the group centre been neglected.
Planning Minister Chris Steel said “major” placemaking and stormwater improvements, improved paths and landscaping, and upgraded car parking has recently been finished in the area.
“I’ve been out recently consulting with businesses and residents to see what other improvements they’d like to see at Mawson Place and other parts of the shops, including pedestrian crossings, shared zones and public toilets,” he said.
“We’ve also completed works, in partnership with the Australian Government, to improve road and pedestrian safety on Mawson Drive next to the shops, with new raised pedestrian crossings, speed humps and dedicated turning lanes.
“Upgrades to the Mawson playing fields have been completed, with a female-friendly pavilion and new LED lighting and paths to better support this excellent community facility.”
Mr Steel said that most of the actions proposed in the original master plan had, in fact, been implemented through changes to the Territory Plan over time.
“In particular, Variation 345 to the Territory Plan, which commenced in May 2019, implemented a number of actions of the Mawson master plan,” he said.
“The more recent district strategies also outline proposed directions for a range of centres … The ACT Government is building the infrastructure our growing city needs and we’ll continue to make substantial investments around the Mawson Group Centre to realise the outcomes in the new Woden Valley District Strategy.”
He also took issue with the Liberals’ campaign as he said they opposed “key parts” of the plan and the district strategy for the Woden area more broadly.
“A key element in delivering this component of the plan is a future light rail connection, which is being considered as part of further work of Stage 2b to Woden,” he said.
“We all know the Liberals would never build light rail, so they’d never deliver the masterplan or revitalisation of the shops.”
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