The federal government’s $9.98 million Bruce Precinct Master Plan has come under fire for failing to settle the future location, cost or delivery timetable for a new Canberra stadium, while its own traffic modelling warns of worsening congestion as the precinct grows.

Independent ACT Senator David Pocock and Liberal Senate candidate Nick Tyrrell criticised the plan for presenting two scenarios rather than a preferred stadium option, while the Property Council warned that without clear timeframes and milestones the document risked remaining a concept rather than leading to construction.

The Australian Government says it committed $9.98 million over two years to develop the master plan, which is intended to explore opportunities and constraints and inform future government decisions.

The report itself says it does not represent current ACT or Australian Government policy decisions and tests two scenarios, one involving relocating the stadium to the CIT site and another retaining and redeveloping it on its existing site.

Its conclusion confirms major decisions are still outstanding, including land ownership, “the future of the stadium” and upgrades to the surrounding transport network. It also calls for further structure planning, market sounding, a governance model and a detailed planning pathway.

Senator Pocock said the document did not provide a preferred stadium location, detailed business case, costing or timeline and instead pointed to further studies.

“I would have expected a lot more for $10 million than a document that fails to provide us with key details and is nowhere near a plan to start detailed design,” he said.

The plan’s indicative costing is limited to enabling infrastructure and precinct-wide works rather than the full redevelopment. It specifically excludes stadium and anchor-related enablement costs, as well as construction of residential and commercial buildings and development within the AIS and North Canberra Hospital precincts.

It does, however, identify another $8.85 million for further studies and design fees, including due diligence, a detailed master plan, approvals and detailed design.

Mr Tyrrell said Canberra had already spent years considering stadium options and argued the latest report still left residents without a firm site, construction commitment or completion date.

“This isn’t planning. It’s a plan to have a plan, about a plan for a plan,” Mr Tyrrell said.

He also renewed his support for a Civic stadium, arguing a city location would better support hospitality, nightlife and small businesses than retaining the venue at Bruce.

Senator Pocock similarly questioned the Bruce location, particularly given the transport challenges of combining a major stadium with an expanding hospital precinct.

Those concerns are reflected in the master plan’s transport analysis. It estimates future development could generate about 3000 additional vehicle movements during morning and afternoon peaks and says modelling shows a “significant deterioration” in road network performance.

Event traffic would add further congestion, with the report saying it would place additional pressure on the road network and require further measures and specific event traffic management.

The report identifies upgrades that could be required, including work at the Belconnen Way-Haydon Drive intersection, changes to internal intersections, additional precinct access and measures to shift more journeys away from private vehicles.

The master plan envisages high-capacity public transport playing a major role in handling the precinct’s growth and event crowds, with buses complementing a future light rail service.

However, the proposed Stage 3 light rail extension from Civic to Belconnen, with Bruce expected to be a key stop, is not funded.

Property Council ACT executive director Ashlee Berry was more supportive of the broader plan, saying Bruce offered significant opportunities for housing, jobs and mixed-use development around its existing health, education and sporting institutions.

The master plan envisages infrastructure supporting about 5800 dwellings, while its broader vision includes residential, commercial and community uses around the precinct’s major institutions.

Ms Berry said the Property Council supported the focus on housing and the continued recognition of Canberra Stadium as an important piece of infrastructure, but warned transport would have to keep pace with development.

“The success of the precinct will ultimately depend on turning the vision into delivery,” she said.

“The Master Plan provides an important blueprint, but industry and the community need certainty and a clear pathway to delivery.”

She warned that without clear timeframes and milestones, the master plan risked remaining “a concept rather than a catalyst for change”.

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