News - Planning & development

Recently there was a story in the media about ACT having the lowest vacancy rate in 16 years for office accommodation. On 11/2/07 I sent the following letter to the editor of the Canberra Times. Unfortunately it didn't get published. But I will pursue it with Minister Corbell and the LDA as the opportunity allows.

Subject: Letter to the editor: Canberra office shortage

So the ACT is facing the lowest office vacancy rates in 16 years?

The time is right then to do something about the oft-promised employment opportunities for the Gungahlin district.

Tenants' staff will enjoy plenty of free car parking in Gungahlin, and an easy drive each day, as they'll be going against the peak flows, or have an easy cycle or bus ride. They'll have lunch-time access to Big W, Coles, Woolworths, Aldi, more than a dozen cafes and as many restaurants, two newsagents, two gyms, two large medical practices, two pathologists, three chemists, four fast-food outlets, a Magnet Mart, banks, Medicare, a library, and a rapidly growing number of takeaway food and retail businesses.

Compare this to the airport's office developments, where several thousand workers battle choked roads every day, pay for car parking, and are within walking distance of just two cafes, a servo and a gym.

Land is available immediately adjacent to the town centre, and the district was designed to accommodate 23,000 jobs. Most of the new housing available in the ACT over the next three to five years will be around Gungahlin.

So if you are one of those Federal Government departments that hopes to bring in many new residents to the Territory, then you really should consider how easy it would be to promote your vacancies when you have work, home and so many shops and facilities so close to each other.

Alan Kerlin
President - Gungahlin Community Council