CHIEF Planning Executive, Dorte Ekelund, says the ACT Government is proposing changes to the Territory Plan that will increase opportunities for development in some non-residential zones and make the Territory Plan easier to understand.

“Territory Plan Draft Variation Number 353 will allow mobile phone facilities on land zoned as Public Open Space, allow a convenience supermarket in the Canberra Outlet Centre and a fast food outlet at Beard Industrial Estate and clarify provisions relating to lease variations,” Dorte said.

“There are obvious good outcomes from these changes.

“Allowing ‘communications facility’ in the Public Open Space, which includes hills and ridges, will provide increased opportunities for mobile phone coverage. However, any proposal would need to be assessed on its appropriateness for the area and the surrounding environment, including consideration of any nearby residential areas.

“The suburb of Beard, nestled between Fyshwick and Queanbeyan, has a growing workforce so it makes sense to allow eating establishments such as ‘takeaways’ in the suburb. This will benefit both staff and their employers as workers will no longer have to go off-site to buy food.

“By the same token, allowing a supermarket of up to 1000m2 will broaden the range of retail facilities and serve the needs of workers and visitors in and around the Canberra Outlet Centre in Fyshwick.

“Other proposed changes will reduce ambiguity and improve clarity of some of the Territory Plan provisions and terms surrounding lease variations and the Estate Development Code.

“The draft variation was prepared in response to feedback received from development assessors, the community and industry representatives during the ongoing monitoring of the functionality of the Territory Plan.

“I would like to invite those interested in submitting comments to do so by the closing date of 4 July 2016. The draft variation is available online at act.gov.au/draftvariations.

“Together I hope we can continue to make improvements to the Territory Plan, to make it a more contemporary document that better meets the needs of the community, industry and government.”

[Photo by KFCSpike, attribution licence]