Questions on planning for Curtin shops sent to ACT Election Candidates

The following email was sent to Candidates in the Electorate of Murrumbidgee about the Proposed Development of 44 Curtin Place (Curtin Shops)

We are writing to you as a candidate for the seat of Murrumbidgee in the upcoming ACT election.

The Curtin Residents Association (CRA) is a recently established community group intended to support the Curtin community to maintain and enhance the qualities of the suburb. The CRA has been involved in discussion among Curtin residents on the Master Plan for the Curtin Group Centre being developed by the ACT Government.  I imagine you are aware that a draft Master Plan was released in November 2015 and that the final version is due to be approved after the election.

In recent months, the owners of one of the blocks of shops in the Curtin Centre (44 Curtin Place) have proposed replacing the existing single storey building with a multi-storey shopping and residential building.

The owners have undertaken consultations with Curtin residents including through a series of community meetings.  The CRA appreciates this consultative approach and acknowledges the owners’ long association with the Curtin Group Centre.

However, the CRA has concerns about some aspects of the proposal which are inconsistent with the recommendations of the draft Curtin Group Centre Master Plan.  There is also concern that the proposal may be lodged and assessed as a development application before the final Master Plan is issued and its key recommendations incorporated in the Territory Plan.  The 44 Curtin Place website envisages that demolition could start by October 2017.

We are seeking advice of election candidates as to their views.  The first of the two attached documents contains four questions on aspects of the proposal to develop 44 Curtin Place.  The second contains more detailed background on the proposal and CRA’s position with respect to it; the results of public consultations conducted in connection with the Curtin Group Centre Master Planning process; relevant suggestions and recommendations of the draft Master Plan; and about CRA itself.

We hope you will be able to provide us with answers to the questions in a form that would allow us to place them on the CRA website for Curtin residents, and the public more generally.  We think you will find answering the questions relatively easy.  Please contact us, however, if you would like to discuss any of the questions before answering them or

if you have any concern about your response being placed on our website.

We aim to start putting answers on our website from the beginning of October and we would ask for your response no later than Friday 7 October.

Chris Johnson Honorary Secretary, Curtin Residents Association m 0401 498 684 e info@curtinresidents.asn.au w www.curtinresidents.asn.au

Posted in Current Issues, Curtin