Construction starts on new west Belconnen community, Ginninderry

Construction has started on the ACT’s first cross-border community, which will be named Ginninderry.

The name was revealed at an official sod-turning ceremony on Thursday, marking the start of development and the construction of the community centre.

The development is a joint venture between the ACT government and Riverview Developments and will deliver up to 11,500 homes over the next 30 to 40 years.

Riverview Developments director David Maxwell said the the occasion was an important milestone for the development, which was previously referred to as West Belconnen and Parkwood.

“Commemorating this milestone today, coupled with the announcement of the name for the project, is an important step forward for our development,” Mr Maxwell said.

Ginninderry is derived from an Aboriginal word meaning “sparkling” or “throwing out little rays of light”.

Mr Maxwell said the name refers to the river corridor that runs through the land.

Multi-purpose centre, The Link, will be built near the Strathnairn Homestead and was designed to complement the rural character of the surrounding buildings.

Designed by Collard Clarke Jackson, it will provide spaces for training, community gatherings and additional exhibition spaces for the Strathnairn arts community.

During the initial stages of development, The Link will also house the Ginninderry development and sales team before becoming a centre for the local community.

“The Link will be a facility not only for the new community of Ginninderry, but also the broader west Belconnen residents,” Mr Maxwell said.

Ginninderry will comprise four suburbs, three in the ACT and one in NSW. Strathnairn and Macnamara have been named as the first suburbs.

It is adjacent to Holt and west Macgregor and extends towards Ginninderra Falls. Upon completion it will be home to about 30,000 residents.

About 6500 homes will be situated within the ACT border, with about 5000 slated for development in NSW.

The housing mix will include free-standing homes, apartments, townhouses and terraces.

The ACT government gave the project the green light in July and public consultation on the NSW planning proposal will start early next year.

The Ginninderry site encompasses 1600-hectare parcel of land, but only about 800 hectares will be developed.

A 577-hectare conservation corridor will run alongside the river, protecting the yellow box-red gum grassy woodland, pink-tailed worm-lizards and golden sun moths.

The remaining space will include parkland, bike paths and walkways.

Ginninderry’s first land sales release is planned for early 2017.