A government development plan, which would have 200 homes built in Watson, has been revised in response to community consultation with additional protected natural spaces in the updated design.
The project includes the construction of two apartment blocks, 90 townhouses and a public park on land located between Aspinall Street and the Federal Highway.
The government has lodged a subdivision design application for the site after more than 1200 locals gave their thoughts on the plan.
Revised changes to plan
The plans for the site were put up on the ACT government website for public comment in mid-2023, with pop-up stalls at the Watson shops and stakeholder consultation meetings with community groups.
Nineteen locals expressed concerns about low tree cover, with the revised plan committing to a target of 30 per cent for tree canopy cover and 30 per cent for lawns and gardens on the site, as per Canberra's Living Infrastructure Plan goals. The previous proposal did not fully commit to these targets.
A "large part" of the block will also be rezoned to urban open space, to be protected into perpetuity and made off-limits to development to protect gang-gang cockatoos and the superb parrot.
Community requests for toilets at the new playground were declined however, with the report stating that neighbourhood parks "do not generally allow for toilets" due to the maintenance required.
On the project's website, the ACT government said the next phase is expected to be finalised by September 2024.
"[The public] will have the opportunity to comment on the design for the estate, which will identify block boundaries, site services, landscaping and access into the site," the website read.
"[They] will also have the opportunity to comment on future development proposals submitted through development application by private developers, including for the proposed Demonstration Housing site and residential site being released by the Suburban Land Agency."
The site is next to the Starlight Apartments, and is also known as block 2, section 76.
Community 'pleased' with updates
Simon Clarke from the Watson Community Association said they are "reasonably pleased" with the plans.
"We got a decent size playground, we got the trees and everything retained," he said.
"We got one block made available for co-housing and we got a relatively manageable height limit."
"One would hope that the final plans will have reasonable levels of open space and linkages and opportunities for people to meet."
Sale of the land was originally slated for the 2022-23 financial year, but has been pushed back to 2024/25.
After the subdivision application is approved, the ACT government said it will progress with construction of site services, landscaping and a new access road.
The planned playground is already under construction on the Aspinall Street side of the block, and will open later in 2024.
A co-housing project is also planned for the development, which aims to deliver a housing model with spaces and resources to be shared by residents.
Fears for native birds
Concerns about the superb parrot, which is listed as a vulnerable species, were raised at the start of the consultation process in 2021.
The proposal development is close to Mount Majura Reserve, a known habitat of the superb parrot which nests in red gum, yellow box, red box and eucalypt trees.
Mr Clarke said it's hard to get everything right.
"The reality is it's a balancing act all the time," he said.
"It'll be a maximum of four storeys if it's done well, it's a big site and they're talking about, I think 200 dwellings across the whole site which is not excessive."
The development plan is open for comment until August 2, 2024.
