Seven Storey Simon strikes suburbs

Someone should tell Simon that ‘recommendations’ and ‘occur’ are Basic Spelling (especially if you’re an ACT MLA) also that a seven storey construction would not be in the best interests of the denizens of the Diplomatic Quarter (a sniper would have a field day potting the occupants of DCs licence plated vehicles from that seventh storey. Has someone notified the feds ?

Simon, do you or do you not have responsibility over policy regarding maximum height as set out within the land use policies ?

Yes or No would be fine, but I’ll understand if you want to talk around the subject a little.

Have we hit a nerve Simon ?

We can’t play Simon Says without Simon.

Is realistic and unbiased public opinion a little bit too hard to fathom ?

So you are effectively saying that there is not one single item covering maximum height in the ACT Government land use policies ?

Just what kind of policies are we talking about, because I would have assumed that a policy governing height would have been right up there in my own priority books.

I just cannot accept that there is no ACT Government land use policy governing height restrictions. For starters it opens you up to civil negligence charges when buildings happen to fall over because they are too tall.

You might want to have a quick meeting to rustle something up Simon before this one gets out of hand. I’ve got two words to say to you.

Risk Assessment.

Thanks for your comments.

In relation to the most recent questions from johnboy, I would like to emphasise that at this stage there is no development application in place for the Deakin site.

The change to the Territory Plan allows multi unit residential to occour on this site, however the owner would still need to lodge a development application to proceed with any form of development and this has not occoured.

In simple terms, there is no development to assess at this time, and the issue of maximum height is set by the NCA. I cannot override their statutory powers in this regard.

Simon, your comments are much appreciated.

Sadly an explanation of your decision is still not available online. We would love to link to such a document to balance our reportage.

If the height is undesirable, and you have no control over it, then why not use your power to halt the development until appropriate assurances are given in writing?

We have every reason to believe the comment is genuine and from Simon himself.

But bonus marks for actually ringing his office Sam.

K

About half an hour ago I rang Mr. Corbell’s office to find out if the comment was actually his…the staff didn’t seem to know about it, but were unable to contact Simon at the time as he was in the assembly chamber.
As much as I’m not a fan of his work, I would rather that comments made under his name are actually his.

They said they’ll look into it, so I guess that if it isn’t his comment we may hear more about it.

I don’t know why we in Canberra have such a phobia of tall buildings…there must be a name for this???? The Embassy site would be a great spot for a high-rise, it would be a landmark on boring Adelaide Ave. And anyway there is nothing around the site but a club, gas station and football field but still the NIMBY’s want to have a whinge…what sooky la-la’s!

And Mr Corbell, after we’ve finished discussing the policy, I would like to chat about how much light rail you could purchase for the infrastructure of this city instead of a new palace for yourself.