Question - Emergency services

1. How is it anticipated that residents will be able to evacuate the Ginninderry area with their vehicles, in the case where Pro Hart Avenue is unusable during an emergency such as a bushfire.
2. Are there any requirements in emergency related legislation that new suburb developments must comply with, such as multiple roads in and out of an area to allow for more routes of escape and access in case of emergency; if so, what are those requirements; if not, are there any planning policies on new suburbs to build more than one access to the suburb.

(1) See responses to Question No. 1425 and Question No. 1482.

  (2)  The Subdivision Policy in the new Territory Plan (that applies to new estate development) includes an assessment outcome that the subdivision design considers, addresses, and mitigates site constraints and environmental risks associated with bushfires. All development of new estates is required to meet this assessment outcome.  

Linking to this assessment outcome the Subdivision Specifications contain a specification that all development in the bushfire prone area (identified by the Emergency Services Agency) is to comply with the ACT Bushfire Management Standards.

The Strategic Bushfire Management Plan (SBMP) is the document which sets out how bushfire risk is managed in the ACT. The SBMP is a requirement of the Emergencies Act 2004.

The ACT Bushfire Management Standards detail the measurable outcomes required under the current and ongoing management policies and procedures detailed in the SBMP. This document, which includes standards for matters such as fuel management and fire trail access, supports the fire services, land managers, developers and the general community in achieving effective results in reducing bushfire risk.

Section 3.4 – Access Arrangements contains specific details about design of access roads to enable safe access and egress for residents and emergency service personnel. 

In a bushfire prone area, the purpose of the road system is to:

• provide firefighters with access to structures, allowing more efficient use of firefighting resources;
• provide evacuation routes for firefighters and the community; and
• provide access to areas of bush fire hazard for firefighting and hazard mitigation purposes.