ACT government to sell old Canberra Brickworks site in Yarralumla

The ACT government will sell the old Canberra Brickworks site in Yarralumla off the back of an unprecedented level of community consultation.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr will on Saturday announce the sale of the 16-hectare development area, which is expected to be snapped up by a developer by early 2017.

The ACT Land Development Agency has met with a committee of stakeholders six times since November to develop a list of objectives guiding the future development of the site.

These considerations will form part of a request for proposal, forcing developers vying for the land to consider a range of community concerns, such as the site’s heritage value and traffic flow, as part of their submissions.

It is the first time the ACT government has tried this model of community engagement.

The original proposal for the development of the Yarralumla Brickworks site was marred with a slew of concerns from the National Capital Authority and the community, including the scale of the project and its environmental impact.

In August the government dramatically scaled back its proposal from 1800 dwellings to a maximum of 380.

The development site was also reduced from 49 hectares to 16 hectares, while building heights were capped at three storeys.

Land Development Agency deputy chief executive Ben Ponton said the final number of dwellings would fall between 175 and 380 depending on the project’s density.

The request for proposal will remain open until June and the top three submissions cemented by August.

These finalists will then submit more detailed proposals as part of the request for tender stage and a preferred developer should be chosen between the end of the year and early 2017.

Mr Ponton would not comment on the expected revenue from the sale but said he expected local and interstate interest.

“It’s a unique site, the fact that we do have the brickworks there – a heritage asset that can be revitalised into a really exciting community hub,” he said.

“I think there will be strong interest for this site both locally and, I’d like to think, nationally.”

Mr Ponton said the involvement of a community panel during the request for proposal stage had been “very successful”.

“We expect we’ll roll this out in future engagement processes”.

He said the restoration and conservation of the brickworks was a key objective raised by the community and has been incorporated into the request for proposal documentation.

Land Development Agency director of urban projects Nicholas Holt said the quality of the design, traffic and parking, noise, and how the development blended with the surrounding suburb were among other key considerations raised.

He said the financial sustainability of the brickworks itself was also discussed.

“They [the panel] don’t want this to be something that is built and then struggles,” he said. “They want a proposal that’s put forward that will see the ongoing sustainability of the brickworks as a community asset.”

Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the redevelopment would “restore and activate” the brickworks site, which will include two new heritage parks and an opportunity for a variety of commercial uses.

He said the objectives outlined as part of the request for proposal would make it clear to prospective developers what the community valued and its expectations for the project.

“These include conservation and reuse of heritage buildings, diverse and sustainable housing options, integrating open spaces and recreation facilities into existing networks and minimising adverse impacts on traffic, parking and privacy,” he said.

Inner South Canberra Community Council chairman Gary Kent described the government’s level of community engagement as “unprecedented”.

He said previous consultation around the future of the brickworks site had gone “off the rails for many years”.

“It’s the first time to my knowledge the community has been involved at such an early stage,” he said.

Mr Kent congratulated the government and the LDA for creating the panel and said he hoped a similar form of consultation would be adopted for other major projects, such as the proposed $800 million redevelopment of the Manuka Oval and surrounding precinct​.

Chairwoman of the Yarralumla Residents Association’s brickworks subcommittee, Marea Fatseas​ was also involved in the consultation process. 

She also praised the level of engagement but said it was important it continued as the project  progressed to ensure any issues that arose were dealt with in a timely and collaborative manner.