A SECTION of the North Curtin Horse Paddocks, unaffected by the controversial West Basin land swap, may fall victim to high-rise development under a Barr government.

That’s the fear of the Canberra Liberals, who believe the nine-hectare strip along Yarra Glen and Adelaide Avenue, left over from the land swap with the National Capital Authority (NCA), remains in the ACT government’s hand.

While its future is officially undecided, Liberal member for Murrumbidgee Giulia Jones fears it’s headed in the direction of a “Northbourne Avenue style” multi-storey development.

“The 30 per cent of land obviously is adjacent to that part of Adelaide Avenue and Yarra Glen and we assume that it will be for multi-storey along that route,” said Jones.

The Canberra Liberals have already announced they would abandon the ACT government’s proposed redevelopment of West Basin, and obstruct a Commonwealth deal to build a new embassy precinct on nearby horse paddocks in Curtin, retaining the paddocks for recreational use.

“CityNews” has viewed a section of the National Capital Plan Draft Amendment 95 which states that 30 per cent of the Curtin horse paddocks adjacent to Adelaide Avenue “be identified for residential development”.

The parcel of land’s inner-south location and proximity to the route of the planned city-to-Woden light rail line makes it a top development prospect. 

Jones says the Barr government must come clean on its plans for the area.

“They like to talk about the shiny tram, but they don’t like to talk about the high-rise that tends to accompany it, everywhere else that light rail has been built there’s high rise; it’s a significant change to lifestyle and travel and the look and feel of the place, and the government needs to be honest about it,” she says.

“There’s a lot of discussions and a vision clearly for that part of the world from government personnel, but they are not being upfront with people about it. What I’m saying is be honest, just tell people, people have a right to know what the plans are.”

The purpose of Draft Amendment 95 – North Curtin Diplomatic Estate and Urban Areas is to change the land-use policy of Block 4 Section 106 and part of Block 5 Section 121 Curtin to facilitate the development of a new diplomatic estate. The amendment also includes provisions to create a new urban area on the remaining ACT land adjacent to the estate, at the request of the ACT government and agreed to by the NCA.

Future residential development on the site would be subject to strict oversight from the authority. Buildings and major structures must be set back 15 metres from block boundaries adjacent to Yarra Glen, and no access is permitted from Yarra Glen. 

The amendment stipulates that detailed conditions of planning, design and development must be prepared in the context of a strategic planning exercise for the Adelaide Avenue/Yarra Glen corridor, and is subject to public consultation.

Public consultation on Draft Amendment 95 closed on July 7. A spokesperson for the NCA said 127 submissions received from individuals, industry, community and the ACT government in response to DA 95 are currently being reviewed and a full consultation report is being compiled.

A spokesperson for the ACT government said the proposed amendment for the nine-hectare portion of land would be subject to a future city-to-Woden joint planning strategy. 

The ACT government wouldn’t be drawn in on whether the plans for the nine-hectare portion of land would include high-rise development.

“The problem we have with the ACT government is that they are never open about these things until after they’ve announced it’s happening,” Jones said. 

“It’s like so many things under Andrew Barr and Shane Rattenbury, they say: ‘We know better than you what’s good for you, rather than justifying what the vision for Canberra should be, we are going to tell you at the last minute when it can’t be undone’.

“People have a right to know what the plans are and that’s why we would not go ahead with that especially given it has not been discussed with the community.”

Jones says the Canberra Liberals position on the entirety of the North Curtin horse paddocks, including the block of land in question, remains clear.

“We will not be building residential on that block or any of the horse paddocks, they’ll be handed back to the people of the ACT,” said Jones.