For community use

The government identifies vacant community zoned land and undertakes site investigations and community consultation prior to commencing the sale process. The range of uses permitted on the block may be restricted in order to meet a gap in community facilities. Gaps in community facilities can be determined by using:

• community and recreational facilities assessments and other relevant planning studies
• current and projected population data
• community feedback (both individuals and organisations)
• government priorities, objectives and strategies and
• feedback and advice from all directorates through various governance bodies.

Stage 1 - Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI)

The government publishes a REOI document which calls for interested community organisations to submit a response to the REOI. Responses need to address the evaluation criteria listed in the REOI. Evaluation criteria can include organisations needing to demonstrate:

• they have the financial capability to fund the project
• their need for the proposed facility
• how members of the broader community can benefit from the proposed facility and
• how the proposed facility will not have a negative impact on the surrounding environment.

The release of the REOI will be notified on the Tenders ACT website. The government will also notify adjacent residents, relevant district community councils and community organisations that have advised government they are looking for land.

An evaluation panel will assess each response against the evaluation criteria and will shortlist the respondents to include those who can demonstrate their development proposal has the greatest community benefit. These respondents will be invited to participate in the second stage of the sales process.

Stage 2 – Tender or Direct Sale

Shortlisted respondents will be invited to participate in a request for tender (RFT). RFT responses will need to address similar evaluation criteria listed in the REOI, however, RFT responses will need provide a greater level of detail compared to their REOI response.

An evaluation panel will assess each RFT response against the evaluation criteria and identify a single respondent which has demonstrated their proposal has the greatest community benefit. The panel will recommend a preferred tenderer for the delegate to consider.

The delegate may provide conditional approval to grant a community concessional lease. This approval may be subject to:

• development application (DA) approval and/or
• building and compliance checks of the proposed facilities and/or
• meeting a Project Delivery Agreement or Deed.

The government is not required to continue the sales process if no preferred purchaser is identified.

If required as a condition of an offer of land, the preferred proponent must submit a development application (DA) for approval. The proponent must ensure the DA is consistent with the approved tender or direct sale application.

Once the DA is approved, the government will have the block of land valued and finalise the sale by granting the lease. The valuation will be undertaken by independent valuers and will reflect the range of uses that will be included in the Lease Purpose Clause.

The government identifies vacant community zoned land and undertakes site investigations and community consultation prior to commencing the sale process. The government will nominate the site's primary use which is mandatory and the secondary use/s which are optional. These uses usually meet a gap in community facilities which can be determined by using:

• community and recreational facilities assessments and other relevant planning studies;
• current and projected population data;
• community feedback (both individuals and organisations);
• government priorities, objectives and strategies; and
• feedback and advice from all directorates through various governance bodies.

Stage 1 - Request for Expressions of Interest

The government publishes a Request for Expression of Interest (REOI) document which calls for interested community organisations to submit a response. REOI responses need to address the evaluation criteria in section 68 of the Planning (General) Regulation 2023.

The publishing of an REOI will be notified on the TendersACT website, a media release and a newspaper article. The government may also contact community organisations directly if it is aware they are looking for land.

Responses will be access against the evaluation criteria by an evaluation panel who will shortlist the respondents to those that can demonstrate their development proposal has the greatest community benefit. These respondents will be invited to participate in the second stage of the sales process.

Stage 2 - Request for Tender

Shortlisted community organisations will be invited to participate in a request for tender (RFT). They will need to respond to the threshold criteria and extra criteria which can be found in sections 67 (2) and 68 of the Planning (General) Regulation 2023.

The Panel will assess the responses against the criteria and will recommend a preferred tenderer for the delegates approval. The delegate for the two-stage tender process is the government.

The delegate may provide conditional approval to grant a community concessional lease. This approval may be subject to:

• development application (DA) approval and/or
• building and compliance checks of the proposed facilities and/or
• meeting a Project Delivery Agreement or Deed.

The government is not required to continue the sales process if they cannot find a preferred tenderer, or if the site is withdrawn from release.

If required as a condition of the offer of land, the successful tenderer must submit a development application (DA) for approval. The tenderer must ensure the DA is consistent with their approved tender application.

Once the DA is approved, the government will finalise the sale and include any associated agreements in a contract of sale.

Community concessional lessee/s are required to complete a report each financial year and provide information about how they are using the land in line with the lease including access to the facility by the broader community.