Plans for Canberra's largest mixed-use precinct in Belconnen revealed

Canberra’s tallest building, its first glass towers and a 130-room hotel are just a few of the features set to populate Belconnen’s new residential and commercial precinct.

Geocon revealed its plans for the ACT’s largest mixed-use precinct, named Republic, on Friday.

Managing director Nick Georgalis said the precinct would add an extra 1300 apartments to Belconnen.

The $700 million development will take 10 years to complete and employ 2500 workers over the course of the project. 

“We’ve put together the same world-leading design team, Fender Katsalidis Architects and OCULUS, who created NewActon to produce something really special for this part of Canberra,” Mr Georgalis said. 

The 1.6-hectare site is bounded by Cameron Avenue, Emu Bank, Eastern Valley Way and the Labor Club. 

The tallest building will be 27-storeys – the same height as Geocon’s previous development Belconnen Wayfarer and in-line with the town centre’s height limit, which is capped at 27-storeys.

However, high ceilings on the ground floor and an observation deck on the top level will stretch the tower to 113.7-metres – about 25-metres higher than the neighbouring Wayfarer development.

Residential accommodation will include traditional one, two and three-bedroom apartments, as well as terraces, penthouses and Manhattan-style sky homes.

Mr Georgalis said public amenity has been designed to attract visitors as well as residents. 

Republic’s three buildings will range from 16 to 27 storeys and be centred around a large public square and a series of interconnected laneways.

Upon completion it will feature an urban park, amphitheatre, public sky deck and more than 500 public car parks.

A food market hall, urban grocer and gastro pub overlooking the lake are a few of the commercial offerings slated for the precinct.

“It’s going to create a destination,” Mr Georgalis said.

“Having a cultural destination, retail precinct, commercial precinct, street theatre, food hall and residents living in an area like this is going to create more vibrancy, as well as a connection between the UC and the town centre.”

The developers bought the block for $22.1 million at an auction in June.

Republic will be built in three stages, with the first stage expected to start in the second half of 2017.