TLDR -
- Art Group Development on MacArthur Ave
- Commercial floor space reduced from 11,052m² to 329m²
- Residential units increased from 424 to 537
- Car parking reduced from 764 spaces to 749 spaces
- The height of the site is greater than the surrounding area because it’s meant to have commercial floor space.
- Public submissions close 29 July
I'm hoping to raise awareness about a proposed amendment to DA 202139747 in the Northbourne Corridor (the Midtown/Macarthur Avenue area), as public submissions close on 29 July. Development Application no. 202139747 - City and Environment Directorate - Planning
The original approval included 11,052m² of commercial floor space and 424 apartments. The developer is now seeking to amend the approval so that commercial space is reduced to just 329m² (a reduction of more than 97%) while increasing the number of apartments to 537 units.
The justification appears to be that they have been unable to secure commercial tenants, so they're pivoting to a predominantly residential project.
On one hand, I understand the commercial reality. Office markets have changed and finding large tenants can be difficult.
On the other hand, this raises a much bigger question: what is the point of planning for mixed-use precincts if the commercial component can simply be removed later?
The Northbourne Corridor has been the focus of decades of planning policy tied to Light Rail, urban renewal and creating employment opportunities outside the city centre. This particular area (often referred to as the Macarthur Node or Midtown precinct) was intended to be an employment and activity hub, not just another apartment complex.
My concern is that these sites were granted additional height and development capacity because they were supposed to deliver a mix of residential and commercial uses. If the commercial component disappears after approval, the public loses the jobs, business activity and daytime activation that justified the extra density in the first place.
I'm also concerned about the precedent. If market conditions become the reason for converting employment space to apartments, what stops other mixed-use developments along the corridor from doing the same thing?
With the Southern Gateway Framework currently on exhibition, this proposal raises an uncomfortable question: what is the point of these strategic planning documents if we simply walk away from them whenever they become inconvenient for a developer?
The ACT has spent years promoting the idea of mixed-use, transit-oriented precincts along the light rail corridor, where people can live, work and access services without needing to travel across the city. Yet here we have a proposal to remove more than 97% of the approved commercial space from a site specifically identified as an employment node.
If this is accepted, how seriously should the community take future planning frameworks, strategies and vision documents? If employment outcomes can be negotiated away after approval, then these plans risk becoming little more than aspirational brochures rather than genuine commitments guiding Canberra's growth.
Canberra desperately needs housing, but it also needs places for people to work. A successful city isn't just more apartments connected by light rail; it's apartments, jobs, services and businesses located together.
Whatever your view on the proposal, I'd encourage people to have a look at the amendment and make a submission before 29 July. Planning decisions like this can have long-term consequences for how Canberra grows and whether we actually deliver on the mixed-use, transit-oriented communities that have been promised along the light rail corridor.
Public submissions close 29 July -Representation for Current Development Application
This isn't simply about one development, it's about whether strategic planning commitments for the Northbourne Corridor are being maintained or progressively watered down over time.
