“The location of Commonwealth employment at the town centres was put in the too-hard basket by the ACT government, despite the clear benefits of the policy,” writes MIKE QUIRK.

THE announcement of a collaborative National Capital Investment Framework reflects a renewed interest by the federal government in the planning and development of the ACT. 

Such involvement is crucial given the importance of the Commonwealth to the growth and functioning of the city. The maxim of when the Commonwealth sneezes, the ACT catches a cold, rings true.

PM Anthony Albanese and Chief Minister Andrew Barr should seize the moment and commission a review of how best to accommodate growth while promoting liveability, affordability and long-term sustainability in the context of demographic, social, economic, environmental and technological changes. The Framework should be based on its outcomes. 

There are many suggestions lacking a firm analytical base about how the city should develop. For example, think redevelopment policy, light rail to Woden (or the airport), stadiums and the rebirth of the City to the Lake project including the sinking of Parkes Way. 

A key element of the review should be an exploration of the potential to increase the amount of Commonwealth office space at town centres, a neglected part of policy since 1990. Up to then, office dispersal was a key element of Canberra’s “jobs to the people” post-war planning strategy with the location of offices determined by a centralised committee. 

The functioning of the city, especially transport impacts, was a major consideration. The large Commonwealth office workforce provided an ideal lever to facilitate the strategy of strong sub-centres.

The establishment of major government offices at the Belconnen, Woden and Tuggeranong Town centres was the outcome of such deliberations. 

The rationale for employment dispersal

The rationale for employment dispersal was that it provided major transport benefits including shorter journeys to work, higher use of public transport, reduced traffic congestion, opportunities for multi-purpose trips, lower fuel consumption and reduced parking and transport infrastructure requirements. 

Employment at the centres reinforced the trading position of businesses and those employed at the centres have the opportunity to walk to shops, financial services, libraries, gyms etcetera.

Once offices were established they provided a base for ongoing growth of the centres. The loss of a major department at Belconnen, Woden or Tuggeranong would severely diminish the attractiveness and success of the centres and lead to increased traffic congestion, infrastructure costs and greenhouse emissions. 

The responsibility for office location was transferred to individual departments as part of a neo-liberal agenda. Departments were able to negotiate directly with developers. The limited employment in the Gungahlin Town centre and the significant office development at the airport precinct are outcomes. 

Between 2001 and 2016 the amount of office floorspace at the town centres increased by 186,000 square metres while the amount of space at the airport increased from 4000 square metres to 191,500 square metres. The amount of floorspace at the Gungahlin Town Centre in 2016 was 13,600 square metres.

The location of Commonwealth employment at the town centres was put in the too-hard basket by the ACT government, despite the clear benefits of the policy, with only limited efforts made to influence a disinterested Commonwealth. 

The ACT government adopted a “people to the jobs” strategy placing additional housing opportunities at major employment centres and along major transport routes. The aims to reduce travel, car use and associated greenhouse gas emissions, to support public transport and encourage walking and cycling are also those of the employment dispersal strategy. 

Other aims of the current ACT planning strategy are to make better use of existing social and physical infrastructure, to ease infrastructure demands on the fringe, to widen housing choice and contribute to a more diverse, vibrant, urban environment.

The re-introduction of the office location policy would improve the effectiveness and complement the current strategy. The successful implementation requires the identification and protection of sites at town centres for office development.

Review transport and land-use policies

Some recognition of the changed employment parameters, especially increased working from home, is occurring with the ACT government establishing flexi-hubs in Belconnen and Tuggeranong Town Centres to reduce the need for ACT employees to travel to Civic or Dickson. 

It would be prudent to review transport and land-use policies and to investigate the need for major transport investments, which could result in funds being diverted to projects including social housing, stadiums, convention centres, electric buses and national cultural institutions. 

Employment dispersal assists in housing affordability and minimises “sprawl” by increasing the attractiveness of properties outside inner Canberra reducing demand for inner-city properties. In doing so it should assist the fuller consideration of redevelopment policies and proposals including whether the relaxation of RZ 1 policies is necessary. 

Increased working from home could assist the ability of local centres to provide a community focus by facilitating the provision of locally available goods and services. Successful centres would also reduce car usage and encourage walking and cycling. The revitalisation should be supported by improvements of in-centre infrastructure and pedestrian and cycling connections.

The review would assist in identifying the relative priority of infrastructure projects. The provision of all major projects should be supported by business cases. This would reassure Mr Albanese any project supported by the Commonwealth is a good use of public funds. 

Mike Quirk is a former NCDC and ACT government planner.