THE ACT Government has abandoned its widely unpopular redevelopment of the land around the Yarralumla Brickworks, replacing it with a more restrained plan that’s been welcomed cautiously by the Yarralumla Residents Association.

The Government has scaled back the redevelopment from 1180 new residences to a new maximum of 340 and reduced the maximum height of dwellings from eight storeys to three storeys, which is line with community requests and no longer contravenes the government’s own planning rules.

Thanking the efforts of its members, local residents and people across who have raised concerns during recent years, the association says that “such efforts have made the government rethink what had been a series of unacceptable proposals.”

“We hope this marks a new era of improved government consultation with across the ACT.”

“The YRA is particularly pleased that the walking circuit that follows the ‘Old Uriarra Track’ and links Yarralumla to Dunrossil Drive will now be retained.

“Big winners from the government’s announcement of a smaller scale development appear to be the Golden Sunmoth, the native grasslands and the Governor-General, all now lying outside the designated boundary. The Governor-General will not face the prospect of having to share a driveway with the brickworks.

“Other big winners are future residents not being forced into an inappropriate grid design on the site, Canberrans who support the principles of the Griffin plan, and local residents that may have been subject to rat running through the suburbs.

“While cautiously optimistic about the government’s new proposal, we are yet to see the details of street layout and location of residential sites within the new precinct boundaries. We also need more details on the protection of the public realm and funding for the brickworks, which should be at the heart of the development.

“The development will also exacerbate the current congestion on Dudley Street, and put additional pressure on the Yarralumla shops (which suffer a chronic shortage of car spaces). We will continue to press the government on how to resolve these issues.”