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Builders back Kingston Quarter housing

The site of the Kingston Arts Precinct. Photo: Paul Costigan

Master Builders ACT has welcomed the release of land for the Kingston Quarter, saying the project will help deliver more housing while providing work for the local construction industry.

The ACT Government has released the mixed-use site at Section 49 Kingston for sale by design-based tender, paving the way for up to 250 homes alongside hotel, retail, hospitality and commercial development as part of the first stage of the Kingston Arts Precinct.

Master Builders ACT chief executive Anna Neelagama said the development would boost housing supply and urban renewal but urged the government to ensure local builders and contractors had a fair opportunity to compete for the work.

She also said that while it was disappointing the broader Kingston Arts Precinct had been delayed in this year’s Budget, releasing the land was a positive sign the government remained committed to the project.

The site, next to the Powerhouse, Former Transport Depot and Fitters Workshop, will also include a public car park and associated facilities.

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3 Responses to Builders back Kingston Quarter housing

cbrapsycho says: 1 July 2026 at 12:25 pm

There are masses of apartments in the area, many vacant and unsold due to their high prices. This does not provide affordable housing, nor reduce inequity or homelessness. It’s housing for the wealthy and high profits for developers, as well as revenue for the banks via loans for developers and home buyers. No help for ordinary people struggling.

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Colin says: 1 July 2026 at 1:13 pm

Good luck to them but there are still units aplenty for sale nearby in Manuka which were completed 2 years ago. How much unmet demand is there really in the apartment market? The Government is clamping down on migration under pressure from Hanson. The halcyon days for international student numbers are in the past. And the Government has dealt a severe blow to the investment market, since any units bought now can’t be resold to negative gearing investors. What’s more, there are many other new unit developments in the pipeline.

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B.M. Bodart-Bailey says: 1 July 2026 at 2:50 pm

What about having architects design what is visually most attractive together with what is most appropriate with regard to the rising temperatures of climate change rather than developers working out what proposal would bring them the greatest profit margin?

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