Question - Planning

1. Does the government intend to grant the direct sale application of government parcels of land to the Woolworths Group in the Hawker Group Centre.
2. Will any development application require a replacement, either indoors or outdoors, of the current outdoor playground facilities.
3. To what height limit would the government limit any development.
4. Will the Woolworths Group be required to provide at least the number of carparks lost to any development and how many additional carparks, if any, will be provided.
5. What steps have the government requested to ensure adequate community consultation is conducted by the Woolworths Group and/or the EPSD Directorate.

(1) Assessment of the Direct Sale application submitted for sale of land in the Hawker Group Centre is underway. The Planning Act 2023 sets out how the Government considers applications for direct sale of land. To be eligible for a direct sale, Woolworths would need to meet at least one grant objective in the Act and demonstrate that selling the land by other means (through an open market process) is unlikely to meet the objective to the same extent as the direct sale of the land. 

(2) Assessment of the application is still underway. All development applications are assessed, independently, by the Territory Planning Authority (the Authority) under the requirements of the Planning Act 2023 and Territory Plan. More detailed information about the DA process can be found on their website at https://www.planning.act.gov.au/applications-and-assessments/development-applications. 

(3) The Territory Plan 2023 sets out the planning principles, district policies, zone policies and other policies that apply to development, such specific assessment outcomes for building height.

(4)  The Territory Plan 2023 sets out the planning principles, district policies, zone policies and other policies that apply to development, such as specific assessment outcomes for parking.

(5) The ACT Government is aware of the community interest in the proposal by Woolworths and has encouraged Woolworths to continue to engage meaningfully with the local community around the direct sale application. Further opportunities for consultation around any future development will be conducted as part of the standard requirements of the development application process.