Written by Alan Kerlin Sunday, 22 August 2010 16:44
Since I started working with GCC almost four years ago, I’ve been lobbying Planning Ministers Simon Corbell then Andrew Barr, and every planning official I can, for an overhaul of the ACT Territory Plan to ensure future subdivisions are designed so that passive solar design is not just possible, but also hard to get wrong, no matter how careless the builder.
Coupled with this, I’ve hammered the need for changes to the Residential Zone Code to ensure setbacks ensure people can build passive solar homes without their solar access being blocked by inappropriate surrounding design.
The ACT Planning and Land Authority (ACTPLA) finally started working on these changes through a series of “Sustainable Futures” workshops. Recently they released the culmination of this work and lobbying: two draft Variations to the Territory Plan that seek to make exactly these changes.



Imagine if the ACT Government could start over again with the Canberra Hospital at Garran? Master planned from Day 1, the current problems of car park congestion, and more could all be avoided.
The Gungahlin Community Council has objected to the proposal to auction a block behind The G shopping centre as a ‘club’ site. Irrespective of our concerns, the ACT ALP has pushed ahead with the proposal, and the rezoning application has been approved by ACTPLA. We will continue to combat this bad idea.