Community engagement

Since 2012, consultation on housing, transport and other areas has shown the community’s attitudes towards planning and transport are changing.

Canberrans want to see more diverse housing, lifestyle and transport options to support a wider range of people and households. They want better public transport connectivity, and an increased range of sustainable travel options. They have a continued strong interest in achieving high quality design in public and private developments with improved interfaces with public and private spaces.

During 2018, the government consulted widely as part of the Planning Strategy refresh, including with professionals, peak bodies, regional neighbours, industry groups and community members.

The consultation confirmed the appropriateness of the Strategy’s five strategic directions and helped shape the detailed directions and their actions.

The consultation report is available at www.yoursay.act.gov.au.

What we heard

The consultation process highlighted the above considerations with particular emphasis on the following issues.

Leadership and innovation

Canberra is a growing city that needs to have a vision for leadership. We should become the ground-breaking city of the country and provide a 100% renewable energy model for the rest of the Australia and the world to follow.
Our city has the ideal layout and population to lead early adoption of new trends. We should pursue the concept of the city as an urban living lab to test new ideas and innovative solutions.

Sustainable transport

Support an inclusive and integrated transport system for a connected community. We should embrace new transport technologies and have flexible transport options available for everyone.
We need to improve connectivity to reduce private vehicle use. We should trial and support new technologies, such as automated vehicles, electric cars and bikes.

Living infrastructure

Increased urban density needs to be balanced with green integration of city and environment, green spaces and trees. We need to respect our natural environments.
If private space gets smaller with urban intensification then the importance of public space increases. We need to plan for climate change impacts and grow the urban forest to manage urban heat.

Housing choice

Housing choice and affordability are critical. We need to think about the needs of younger and older people. Place transit orientated developments with affordable and social housing.
Provide infill housing to cater for families closer to the city, such as more apartments with 4 bedrooms not just 1 and 2 bedrooms.

Building and design

Improve the quality of the built environment and tighten-up building codes. Have better housing with low energy consumption.
Provide incentives for good quality building and design outcomes. Allocate more resources to good planning, maintenance, implementation and regulation.

Urban form and density

Plan the city to balance a growing population and high quality of living while protecting landscape features and the bushland setting of the city. Create accessible and friendly community spaces that connect people. Promote healthy lifestyles and an active community.
It’s important to build neighbourhoods in Canberra. Think about where we want density and what we want from it, and plan so these areas have high liveability and social amenity.

Work actively to engage with communities. Require developers to involve and act on input from citizens early in the design process.
Continue engaging the public and build on governments’ commitment to community involvement, co-design and participative future visioning.