Belconnen

KFC DA next to Belco Skate Park rejected by ACT Government planners

The BCC rarely oppose Development Applications. Hundreds are approved every year and people get on with making Belconnen a better place to live and do business. Occasionally a proposal lacks merit and is inappropriate, or has issues that could be resolved with consultation.

Late last year DA201630298 was lodged to build a drive through takeaway restaurant on Emu Bank, next to the Belco Skate Park.

It was an inappropriate proposal for this site and inconsistent with the direction of Emu Bank, that became clear through the extensive community consultation process for the Belconnen Town Centre Master Plan.

The BCC, and many residents in Belconnen, made submissions to Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development about the DA. Our submission can be found here.  On August 3 2017 the BCC were advised that DA201630298 has been refused.

The DA was refused on three grounds:

  • The DA didn’t satisfy lease purposes allowed for that site
  • The DA was inconsistent with the Precinct Code
  • The DA was inconsistent with the Master Plan objectives.

This site should never have been sold, and other DA’s for the site have failed in the past. The BCC recommend the ACT Government resume this land and expand the Belco Skate Park, or simply grass it and let people enjoy the lake

It’s always refreshing when people see the planning system work well.

 

August 4, 2017 in Community, News, Planning

Belconnen Community Council July 18 public meeting

The BCC Public Meeting for July 2017 is on this Tuesday July 18 at 7.00PM at the Community Room above the Belconnen Library, Chandler St, Belconnen Town Centre.

The meeting will commence at 7PM

After welcoming members and guests, the Chair will present a short report on the previous months activities of the BCC.

Following this, there will be two presentations:

– Suzzane Orr MLA for Yerrabi will speak about Belconnen issues in the Yerrabi electorate (Kaleen, Giralang, Lawson, Mackellar and Evatt).

– Mr. Brett Phillips – Executive Director of Planning Delivery EPSD, will discuss the draft pre-DA Community Consultation Guidelines released by Chief ACT Planner Ben Ponton earlier this month.

The ACT Government is committed to improving the way government engages with the community on planning issues in the ACT. For planning to be successful in the future requires an ongoing partnership between government, industry and the community. The pre-DA guidelines are the first step in bringing together these groups to achieve better outcomes in the planning sector.

More information on the pre-DA Consultation process can be found at the ACT Governments Your Say website here.

Feedback on the draft pre-DA guidelines closes in Mid August.

All members of the public are welcome!

July 13, 2017 in Community, Meetings, News and Events, Notices

GEOCON parking in completed Republic development

GEOCON have provided the Belconnen Community Council with a document containing details of car parking in the completed Republic development.

That document can be found here.

The BCC should note that the Development Application lodged by GEOCON is for Stage 1 only.

A special meeting will be held at the Community Room above the Belconnen Library on June 13 at 7-9PM for members of the public to view the GEOCON DA and ask questions of the architects.

June 9, 2017 in Information, Notices, Planning

University of Canberra design students ideas about improving Belconnen – prize to be awarded at August BCC Public Meeting

Earlier in 2017, the Belconnen Community Council as part of its Belco50 program, created a competition in conjunction with the University of Canberra’s School of Design with the intention of generating ideas that could be used to benefit Belconnen.

The winner of the competition will be announced at theAugust BCC Public meeting by BCC Chair Elizabeth Hirst.

UC is a vital part of Belconnen and is seeking to improve its engagement with the broader community outside its campus. The BCC felt this was a good opportunity to assist students, strengthen UC ties with the community, and tap their students energy and enthusiasm for improving the built environment.

The BCC Committee decided to award a prize to a team of students enrolled in the Faculty of Arts and Design in a User-Centred Design course. This prize would be for a team that identified a problem through interaction and observation in Belconnen, articulated a design opportunity and prepared a brief outlining a solution that is pertinent to the Belconnen community.

The students were extremely keen to get out and explore Belconnen, with many being new to Canberra and Australia. Working in teams they came up with quite different solutions. In May the students presented their ideas to the BCC Committee and Dr Stephen Trathern of UC’s Faculty of Arts and Design.

As well as being used in their grading, and providing useful field research, the teams that place first and second will be awarded a cash prize, from the Belco50 funds provided by the ACT Government to celebrate Belconnens 50th Birthday.

We encourage the Belconnen public to attend our public meeting in August, view the different ideas, and applaud the teams that win the two prizes being awarded. They range from: improving Emu Bank, a tuk-tuk service, an improved bus interchange, and a Farmers market (there are more ideas!).

All the ideas the BCC Committee have examined are good, and each team has satisfied the brief. It will be very difficult to come up with a winner!

June 1, 2017 in Arts, Community, Culture, Meetings, News and Events

Public meeting on June 13 to discuss Section 200 Development Application

Are you interested in the development occurring on Section 200 by Geocon? It is being marketed to the public ahead of DA approval as ‘Republic of Belconnen‘. The development of this very large block of land in the Belconnen Town centre is one of the biggest developments in Belconnen in recent years.

Initial concept drawings of the proposed development were first presented to the Belconnen community in June 2016. The official launch of the Republic of Belconnen development occurred in December 2016. Concept drawings and imagery associated with the development have been available since then.

In April the developer lodged a Development Application. The BCC and others, requested that the period to respond to the DA be extended, as the scale of the development was so large, and the associated documentation was also voluminous. The ACT Government have extended the period in which submissions can be made by three weeks, until 21 June.

Special meeting 13 June 2017

The BCC will be holding a special meeting on 13 June 2017 at 7PM at the Community Room above the Belconnen Library.

All members of the public are welcome to attend.

Geocon will be sending representatives, including architects, to answer questions from the public, a week ahead of the DA period closing for submissions.

Why is this meeting being held?

The BCC are supportive of this development, and support the mix of retail and residential proposed by Geocon. This DA is for two buildings of 17 and 22 storeys, fronting Emu Bank and Eastern Valley Way.

The purpose of community consultation is to present ideas and proposals for public, government and community scrutiny. This brings about better outcomes for all.

In addition to the short timeframe for submissions to be made on such a significant development in the Belconnen Town Centre, the BCC have concerns over the level of community consultation that has occurred to date.

There are also significant community concerns about the lack of parking for Belconnen Labor Club patrons in the new development (this parking was a condition of sale).

Does the Section 200 DA affect you? 

Do you have any questions or concerns about the proposed development?

You can contact the BCC at [email protected] or attend the public meeting and ask Geocon directly.

Information about the Section 200 Development

The information at the ACT Governments Development Application page is:

Development Application: 201731563

Address: EMU BANK, EASTERN VALLEYWAY & CAMERON AVENUE

Block: 2 Section: 200

Proposal: PROPOSAL FOR A SEVENTEEN AND A TWENTY TWO STOREY MIXED USE
COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT + Demolition of the existing
structures, removal of trees, construction of mixed use development
comprising of 6 commercial tenancies, 414 dwellings, basement car
parking, signage and associated works.

Period for representations closes: 21/06/2017

May 31, 2017 in Community, Meetings, News and Events, Notices, Planning

BCC March public meeting – Kippax Raiders 21 March 7.30PM

Belconnen Community Council Inc.

General Meeting 21 March 2017, 7:30 – 9:00 pm

Venue: Kippax Raiders Club, Hardwick Cres, Holt

AGENDA

  1. 7:30 pm Welcome & and call for apologies

BCC Chair, Elizabeth Hirst

  1. 7:35 pm Chairs report,

BCC Chair, Elizabeth Hirst  

  1. 7:45 pm Kippax Master Plan

ACT Government planner Helena Seabrot, or her manager will update the community on the Status of the Kippax Master Plan

  1. 8:15 pm Break
  1. 8:25 pm Strathnairn at Ginninderry

 Steve Harding and Tony Adams will talk bout the DA and negotiations with NSW and update the Belconnen community on the first stage of development at Ginninderry

  1. 9:00 pm Meeting Close
March 13, 2017 in Community, Meetings, News and Events, Notices, Planning

BCC February Public Meeting – Tuesday 21 Feb 7.30PM

The very first public meeting of the Belconnen Community Council will be held at 7.30PM on 21 February 2017 at the Community Room, Belconnen Library.

This month we will have two speakers:
– Attorney General Gordon Ramsay MLA on public art in Belconnen
– Amanda Doelle on Canberra Pet Rescue (cat rescue)

A brief agenda:
7.30 – Meeting Open
7.30 -7.45 – Chairs Report on BCC activities
7.45 – 8.30 – Gordon Ramsay MLA on public art in Belconnen
8.40 – 9.10 – Amanda Doelle – Canberra Pet Rescue

9.30 Meeting closes

All members of the public are welcome.

February 17, 2017 in Arts, Community, Government, Meetings, News, News and Events, Notices

Water Police Building Open Day 26 Feb 2017 – 1 to 5 PM

water police open day 26 feb

This is your last chance to see this building before demolition! The ACT Government through the Land Development Agency have agreed to let the Belconnen Community Council and the Belco50 committee host an open day prior to demolition.

There will be a sausage sizzle provided by the Lake Ginninderra Sea Scouts and face painting and a jumping castle to keep the kids amused. The Sea Scouts are also holding a regatta beforehand, and there is a jetty – so why not arrive by canoe!
Guided access to the building will be provided, including the upper level. Unfortunately, there is no disabled access to the upper level.

The AFP Museum has provided some historical documents related to the building that will also be on display.

This is it folks, in the days after this event the building will be prepared for demolition, ahead of the sale of the site.

February 15, 2017 in Community, Meetings, News and Events, Notices, Relax

Belconnen Community Council submission for the 2017-18 ACT Budget

In December 2016 the BCC provided  a  comprehensive submission to  the  ACT  Government  covering  short  and long-­‐term  budget  items  it  has  identified  that  can  best serve  Belconnen  residents,  workers  and  visitors.  
 
The  BCC  submission  has  a  distinct  concentration  on the capital  infrastructure  priorities  the  Government  should consider  implementing  in  the  next  four  years.  
 
While  the  BCC  submission  should be viewed  through  a Belconnen community  lens, a  number  of  our  suggestions apply across  the ACT.    
 
As  the  Belconnen  area  straddles the electorates of Ginninderra  and  Yerrabi,  the  items suggested  by  the  BCC  are  of  benefit  to  residents  of  both electorates,  and  those  who  visit  for  work,  education  or recreation.

These items represent the focus of our lobbying activities for 2017/18.

The full BCC Budget Submission can be read at this link. 

BCC  2017/18  BUDGET  SUBMISSION  HIGHLIGHTS  

  • Enhancing  community  consultation  with  representative  reference  groups
  • Updating  the  Belconnen  Town  Centre  Precinct  Code
  • Improving  parking  payment  at  Calvary  Hospital
  • Mobile  Coffee  carts  around  Lake  Ginninderra
  • Enhancing  public  transport  linkages  from  West  Belconnen  to  prepare  for  growth
  • Increasing  bus  services  to  reflect  current  and  future  need
  • Park  &  Ride improvements
  • Light  Rail  engineering  study  from Civic to Belconnen
  • Improving  bus  stops  on  arterial  roads
  • Construction  of  a  multi-­‐level  car-­‐park  in  the  Belconnen  Town  Centre.
  • Smart  parking  technology  in  the  Belconnen  Town  Centre
  • Completing  the  Belconnen  Arts  Centre
  • Temporary  use  of  the  Remand  Centre  site  on  Lathlain  Street
  • Increasing  amenity  in  Margaret  Timpson  Park  and  around  Lake  Ginninderra
  • Constructing a Margaret  Timpson  Park public  toilet  facility
  • Beautification  of  Benjamin  Way
  • Dog  waste  bag  dispenser  at  Lake Ginninderra
  • William  Slim  Drive  duplication
  • Upgrade Kuringa  Drive  intersections  in  West  Belconnen
  • New  cycleway  linking  Lawson  to  the  Town  Centre
December 12, 2016 in Community, Government, News, Notices, Reports