Design Matters: Should Canberra landowners try their hand at development?

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A slightly odd vice of mine is an appreciation of the joy of acronyms.

Some might consider this an annoying affectation but I prefer the tag of charming foible. Four years ago, in a quixotic flurry of self-righteous indignation aimed at the lumbering leviathan that is our planning system, I instigated a national competition to address the dearth of housing choices available in the ACT.

In thinking of a catchy title for the enterprise I focused primarily on the potency of the acronym and managed to boil the almost incomprehensible “New Experimental Architectural Typology” Housing into the more palatable NEAT Housing.

The competition garnered enthusiastic support from the ACT government, the Land Development, ACTPLA, Defence Housing, and ACT Housing.

Fifty-seven innovative entries from around the country and many heavy hitters in the development diaspora voiced support.

Three weary years later this Don Quixote continues to tilt at windmills to see it realised.

“If this initiative fails to get up it will be over my dead body” is a quote from the head of a major government organisation promising a change to the housing options in Canberra. That promise still lies on fallow ground.

This column has had a particularly strong focus in recent times on the lack of housing choices for those wishing to age in place.

Related: Driverless cars in Canberra part two

Related: Driverless cars in Canberra part one

Related: Is Canberra age-friendly for downsizers?

There are many in the community marooned on large blocks by reactionary planning policies. They would love to downsize, not to an apartment block but rather stay in location with a smaller house and garden and better use their monster blocks of land.

These blocks have been arbitrarily zoned as inappropriate for more than one dwelling. Let’s be frank, Canberra is one of the most spreadeagled cities on the planet. The notion that everyone wants a quarter-acre block is outdated.

Perhaps something can be achieved “despite” the government rather than “because of it”.

Developers generally incite disdain. Many in their Walter Mitty moments, however, have entertained the notion of dipping their toes in the shark-infested development pond to make an easy buck on an undercapitalised asset.

While advising developers on how best to go about developing a block, I often wonder why more people don’t weaken to capitalist tendencies themselves; they could be the ones swanning around in the new Beemer. They have the asset in the land but I guess they don’t have access to the design, building and financing skill set necessary to pull it all together.

How about his for a thought experiment: perhaps owners of suitable blocks of land (even in groups owning adjacent properties) might act as their own developer in a joint venture with an architect, a builder and a financier?

They would all jointly take the risk and share the potential rewards in an equitable manner.

The mechanics of this could be fairly straightforward with the land owner either sharing in the overall profit or retaining a home in the development and thus realising the ambition of ageing in place.

I propose to start a register of interested parties who would like to investigate this notion and have called it “In Loco”.

In addition, and more importantly, this may provide a base group to lobby the government to amend its archaic attitude to zoning and urban infill in the ‘burbs.

Drop me a line if you are interested.

Tony Trobe is director of the local practice TT Architecture. Is there a planning or design issue in Canberra you’d like to discuss? Email tonytrobe@ttarchitecture.com.au.