Welcome to 2007! With the festive season well and truly behind us we are preparing for a very busy start to the year in the GCC.

The ACT Government's Planning and Land Authority (ACTPLA) is in the midst of a major overhaul of its key planning regulation - the Territory Plan. GCC Executive Member Kevin Cox and I attended several consultation workshops prior to Christmas that were looking at the proposed structure of the new Plan. My overall impression is that ACTPLA is heading in the right direction, but there is a lot more work still to be done. The next stage of this project will be the actual detail of the regulations themselves, and as always, 'the devil is in the detail'...

So it will a critical time for GCC and the wider community to get involved in making sure this new Plan is set up in such a way that we have certainty about where our community is headed, and that the sorts of planning mistakes we see around us every day in Gungahlin are not repeated.
If you are interested in town planning issues, we are keen to set up a sub-committee looking specifically at planning and development, so please give me a call.

Also before Christmas the Land Development Agency (LDA - the ACT Government's semi-autonomous development business) lodged a development application for redevelopment of the Gungahlin Town Centre Park. As I've explained in some detail earlier, this was the first we'd heard about the plans, and we were disappointed (to say the least) that the LDA hadn't thought to consult with the community on such a pivotal development for our community. We lodged a submission pointing this out, plus raising some concerns we could glean from the DA. ACTPLA agreed and while approving the DA, also included a requirement in the approval that the LAD engage with the GCC, and through us the wider community, about the design.
We recently started surveying people in the street in Gungahlin, and the response to date seems to be on a par with the concerns we raised in our submission. Briefly, too much paving, not enough grassy play areas near the playground, not enough shade around the playground and surrounds, and a critical need for fencing around the playground and surrounds, given that busy streets surround this small park on all sides. We welcome your comment on the plans - we'll put the LDA's plans up on our website for you.

Construction has commenced on the East Gungahlin School in Harrison. This is meant in time to be a K-10 school, with preschool and before-and-after-school care on site. We would like to see a childcare centre co-located, as this would avoid the dreaded 'double drop-off' for many parents, and maybe even help boost patronage of the bus services through Harrison

Personally, our household has been very busy sorting the details out for our new house. However, bucking against the Canberra building trade's apparent addiction to brick veneer, tiled roofs and disregard for the hot end of our climate is proving quite frustrating. And trying to do it all within a reasonable budget is making it that much harder...We can well understand why so many people abandon their good intentions when faced with the barriers the local trade places in the way. But as we look around at the dust clouds and drought-ravaged gardens, we reassure ourselves that it will be worth the effort. Our house will be comfortable and cheap to live in summer and winter, and our yard will be pleasant for the children to play in, regardless of water restrictions.

I'm happy to hear your thoughts on these or any other concerns you have with your community. Email is always the best method - president at gcc.asn.au. Until next edition.

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