The Demonstration Housing Project is being run in two streams:

  • With a site – proponents who have a housing concept and a site.
  • Without a site – proponents who have a housing concept and do not have a site. The Territory is assisting proponents to identify suitable Territory-owned land, which will be sold at market value to successful proponents.

The application process

Flowchart demonstrating application process as described in the list below

  1. Stage 1: Expression of Interest
  2. Evaluation: Successful Stage 1 projects announced and invited to Stage 2
  3. Stage 2: Request for Proposal (with sites) and Request for Tender (without sites)
  4. Evaluation: Successful Stage 2 projects announced and invited to participate in the Demonstration Housing project

Stage 1 - Expression of Interest

An Expression of Interest (EOI) opened in April 2018 and closed May 2018.

The EOI assessed the market interest, capability and experience of suitably qualified and experienced applicants to provide proposals for Demonstration Housing Projects which met some or all of the project objectives specified by the Legislative Assembly. Applicants included architects, designers, planners, developers, community and social housing providers, builders, community organisations and individuals.

The EOI received 27 proposals, of which 10 ‘with a site’ and 7 ‘without a site’ progressed to the next stage of the process.

See full details of the Evaluation criteria - Stage 1.

Stage 2 - Request for Proposal/Tender

With sites: The Stage 2 Request for Proposal (RFP) opened in September 2018 and closed January 2019. The RFP asked for further detail and refinement of the proponent’s concept and plans, including a landscape plan and solar plan.

Without sites: The process commenced in early 2020.

See full details of the Evaluation criteria - Stage 2.

The process for successful projects

Flowchart demonstrating application process as described in the list below

  1. Proponents to present their project to the National Capital Design Review Panel
  2. Proponents to undertake community engagement
  3. Development Application and site specific Territory Plan Variation lodged and assessed in accordance with statutory processes
  4. Delivery of Demonstration Housing Projects

National Capital Design Review Panel and Community Engagement

All successful proponents must present at the National Capital Design Review Panel (NCDRP) and undertake community engagement prior to lodging their development application.

Territory Plan Variation

As the Demonstration Housing Project seeks to deliver innovative and best practice housing design and typologies not currently available in Canberra, most proponents will be seeking exemptions of one or more Territory Plan planning controls. This may include a reduction in car parking, allowing more dwellings than currently permissible under the zone, and setback reductions. Proponents must justify the sustainable, social, design or other benefits that these exemptions will provide.

The government will lodge a site specific Territory Plan Variation (TPV) for each proponent. The TPV must go through the normal legislative process as set out in the Planning and Development Act 2007, including government agency circulation and community consultation, and its approval cannot be guaranteed.

The ACT Government has prepared the draft new Territory Plan as part of the ACT Planning System Review and Reform Project. In order to progress this work, no new requests to vary the Territory Plan will be progressed until the new Territory Plan is commenced. However, proposed planning changes, including those associated with the four identified Demonstration Housing Projects, have been included within the draft new Territory Plan. For more information and to have your say, go to the ACT Planning System Review and Reform Project on the YourSay website.

An overview of proposed planning changes associated with the nominated Demonstration Housing Projects within the draft new Territory Plan can be found at Draft Territory Plan - Supporting Report, pp 78-86.

The proposed planning changes can be found within the following documents:

ProjectSiteLinks

ECHO

Blocks 24 and 25 Section 38 Lyneham

Draft new Territory Plan: Part D3 – Inner North and City District Policy

Draft District Specification - DS3 - Inner North and City

In Loco Forrest

Block 5 Section 44 Forrest

Draft new Territory Plan: Part D4 – Inner South District Policy

Draft District Specification – DS4 – Inner South

Verdant

Block 2 Section 50 Weston

Draft new Territory Plan: Part D6 – Weston Creek District Policy

Draft District Specification – DS6 – Weston Creek

In Loco O’Connor

Block 1 Section 66 O'Connor

Draft new Territory Plan: Part D3 – Inner North and City District Policy

Draft District Specification - DS3 - Inner North and City

Demonstration Housing Project Register

The purpose of this register is to identify successful Demonstration Housing Project Lessee(s) (proponent) who can develop their site/s in accordance with an approved Territory Plan Variation for the specified site/s.

Variation number Variation referenceSite Demonstration Housing Project Lessee(s)
V376 Co-housing Ainslie,
Block 6 Section 25
Stellulata Pty Ltd

Construction and Post-construction Evaluation Process

The ACT is leading by example in delivering the Demonstration Housing Project and the work of this project compliments other work including the Better Building Quality reforms and ACT Planning System Review and Reform Project. Any planning changes would be considered in conjunction with our commitment to better planning and building as we deliver a compact, efficient and sustainable Canberra into the future.

Demonstration Housing Projects that have successfully completed the application process can then be progressed to construction. Once completed, each of the individual housing projects will become functional dwellings, providing homes for a range of community members across Canberra. An 'open house' session will be organised for selected constructed projects so that members of the public can see the final product.

A plan to evaluate the individual projects as well as the Demonstration Housing Project as a whole is currently being developed.

More information

Email the Demonstration Housing Project team at DemonstrationHousing@act.gov.au.