20 February 2018

Unveiled: the big new housing option just over the border

| Ian Bushnell
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An artist's impression of the Googong Central development. Images: Supplied.

An artist’s impression of the Googong Central development. Images: Supplied.

Plans for a $143 million town centre with 1,800 new dwellings, two supermarkets, a K-12 public school and community facilities have been unveiled by the developers of the Googong township near Queanbeyan.

Googong Central, the township’s second neighbourhood, will be home for 4,500 residents with a mix of housing choices including 932 standard residential lots from 330 square metres to 1100 sq m and 15 lots for higher density housing.

Googong Project Director Malcolm Leslie said construction was due to start in May 2018 with major supermarkets expected to open in 2024-25.

“This is the biggest development application since the 800-hectare Googong site was first approved in 2011 and it’s an important milestone for the community,” he said.

“Googong Central will bring new facilities and services to town so residents don’t have to leave to access good shopping, great schools, and choices in healthcare and recreation.”

Mr Leslie said the range of housing would be greater to meet growing demand in the wider Canberra market.

“The town centre will cater for different lifestyles, with apartments, compact lots and terraces, as well as traditional lots for families who want space and a big backyard,” he said.

There would also be 12 super lots for small lot housing and community facilities, such as a proposed K-12 public school, fire station, land sales office, community centre and library.

An artist's impression of the town centre lake, boardwalk and and facilities.

An artist’s impression of the town centre lake, boardwalk and and facilities.

The town centre will be built around a feature lake and boardwalk and include more than 15,000 sq m of commercial space with provision for two major supermarkets, specialty stores, professional suites, and health and community services.

Other features include a new tree-lined entrance boulevard off Old Cooma Road, development of the Nangi Pimble hilltop reserve on Googong’s highest peak, multiple playing fields in the Googong Common green spine and a 4,000 sq m site for a new Googong Sports Club to be run by Queanbeyan Whites Rugby Club.

Googong project partners Peet Limited and Mirvac say that fully developed, the precinct is expected to contribute $185 million a year to the retail industry, generating hundreds of local jobs, over 600 flow-on jobs in nearby Queanbeyan, and more than 500 full-time construction positions each year.

The development application for Googong Central was approved by the NSW Southern Joint Regional Planning Panel (which is responsible for assessing projects of regional significance) and endorsed last month by the Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council.

Googong is a master planned, self-contained township 16 kilometres from Canberra’s Parliament House, inside the NSW border and adjacent to Googong Dam.

Over the next 15 years, Googong will grow to 6,200 homes and a population of around 18,000 people. More than 2,300 residents have already moved into Googong North.

A computer generated flyover of the town centre development can be viewed here.

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