Plans for two major developments in Nicholls have fallen flat following rejections from the ACT government and National Capital Authority.
Local developer Rakesh Bhutani sought approval for a $13 million precinct that would be home for a new event space and hotel.
The plan included building a 550-seat function and wedding venue and a 60-room hotel at, 7 O'Hanlon Place, known as Gold Creek Square.
The application was later amended, but was refused in August 2024 for 14 reasons.
A notice of decision said it did not meet the "objective" of a leisure and commercial zone, and that the proposed design was not consistent with the Territory Plan.
"The application is not currently supported by the ACT Heritage Council or Transport Canberra and City Services," it read.
Reasons included included that "design amendments" would be needed to ensure the development did not diminish the village's "heritage significance".
The development application did not have enough landscaping and earthworks were too extensive.
Concern about parking was also raised, as more landscaping could mean limited parks for an adjacent Catholic church and unsafe loading areas.
Most elements of the application were not able to be further amended for further review because of changes to ACT planning laws.
Mr Bhutani purchased the two-acre block for $3.9 million in late 2022, records show.
Major build-to-rent project unlikely to go ahead
Less than a kilometre up the road, a series of development applications were submitted for Gold Creek Golf Club, in a bid to keep the business running.
Konstantinou Group, the owner of the 88-hectare site through its company Gungahlin Golf Investments, planned to spend more than $330 million over 10 years on the project.
Plans included building about 700 build-to-rent homes on an "underutilised" portion of the golf course on Curran Drive, the group said.
These would be spread across townhouses, multi-storey apartments and terraces.
But the plan, lodged through eight developments applications, is now virtually unviable after an application to vary the Crown lease was rejected.
This included a request to expand the area of the site able to be used for commercial use and subdivision of the block.
The application was referred by the ACT planning directorate to the National Capital Authority, who said varying the Crown lease did not work with the National Capital Plan.
"This is the main reason the authority has refused this proposal," the notice of decision read.
It also said the proposed use of the land was not possible given where the golf course sits.
While multiple development applications for the site are allowed, the notice of decision said submitting all eight at the same time may be a "misuse" of the planning system.
The Canberra Times understands the decision against the Crown lease variation could not be appealed, but an application to change the boundaries of the subdivision could be lodged.
