The ACT Government has identified parts of the eastern side of the ACT, known as Eastern Broadacre, as a potential future employment, industrial and related uses corridor. The Eastern Broadacre area extends from the Majura Valley to Hume and includes part of Symonston and the Jerrabomberra Valley.

View the study area map [PDF 967KB]

The Eastern Broadacre area lies within the East Canberra District as defined in the Draft East Canberra District Strategy.

The ACT Government is undertaking an environmental strategic assessment of the Eastern Broadacre area (see below). The strategic assessment is required before the development of parts of East Canberra can proceed. It will help us understand those areas of environmental value that can be conserved and the potential for some areas for future employment uses such as industrial and other uses.

Background

The area was originally identified in the Canberra Spatial Plan (2004) as a future potential employment corridor, providing for the growth of industrial, broadacre commercial, tourism, recreation and transport related activities. In 2010, the ACT Eastern Broadacre Economic and Strategic Planning Direction Study (also known as the Eastern Broadacre Planning Study) was completed. It informed a discussion paper and both documents were released for public consultation in the second half of 2010.

The ACT Planning Strategy 2018 establishes how the Territory will develop into the future and maintains the Eastern Broadacre area for further investigations to determine its capability to provide employment generating land such as industrial and other related uses in the future. Most recently, the East Canberra District Strategy identified broad ‘change areas’ for future development while taking into consideration existing uses of the land and environmental values.

Previous studies for Eastern Broadacre include:

The study and discussion paper identified ten potential development areas for further investigations.

In response to the public comments and further consideration, the Pialligo and Mount Majura investigation areas were withdrawn and are not being progressed further.

Current status – Eastern Broadacre Strategic Assessment

The Eastern Broadacre Strategic Assessment is the next step in the process of understanding the use of land in for the Eastern Broadacre area.

View the study area map [PDF 967KB]

An environmental consultant has been appointed to prepare the strategic assessment documentation for community consultation later in 2023.

What is a strategic assessment?

A strategic assessment is an environmental assessment under the Commonwealth’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (the EPBC Act) offers two pathways to achieve approvals under the EPBC Act. The first is known as a Project by Project (referral) assessment where each project is considered in isolation. The second pathway is the strategic assessment process that offers the opportunity to look at a series of proposals over a larger area, the benefits of which are explained below.

Ecological studies have identified that parts of Eastern Broadacre are home to both ACT and Commonwealth listed threatened species and habitats. The EPBC Act lists these species as Matters of National Environmental Significance (MNES). Actions that are likely to have a significant impact on MNES require approval under the EPBC Act.

Why strategic assessment?

A strategic assessment will allow the whole of the Eastern Broadacre area to be considered in one statutory process. The strategic assessment will assess the impacts of potential development on threatened species across the entire area, giving a more holistic picture and prepare a biodiversity commitments strategy comprising avoidance, offsets and other mitigation measures to compensate for the loss or impact on those MNES values from development.

How much will be developed?

The extent of the areas for potential development and conservation will be determined through this project.

What happens next?

There will be an opportunity for the public to comment on the draft strategic assessment documentation once prepared.

Following public consultation, a supplementary report will be prepared which will address comments raised by the public.

It is expected the strategic assessment will be finalised and submitted to the Australian Government, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water in 2023.

Subsequent rezoning to the Territory Plan and National Capital Plan will be required, together with an ACT environmental impact statement process. These will go through separate public consultation processes at the appropriate time.

Final Report

More information

If you are interested in this project, please email EPDEasternBroadacre@act.gov.au and we will send you further project updates.