Gungahlin Town Centre to expand east with estate development plan lodged

The Gungahlin Town Centre is set to expand towards Franklin with plans to develop more apartment complexes, community facilities, office and retail on vacant land east of the major hub.

A maximum 1121 units will be built between the town centre’s eastern fringe, Anthony Rolfe Avenue, Manning Clark Crescent and Mulanggari Grasslands, if an estate development plan lodged with the Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate is approved.

The ACT Land Development Agency expects early works to begin the middle of next year on the 48.86-hectare site, dubbed Gungahlin Town Centre East, which encompasses sections of land in both Gungahlin and Franklin.

The proposal includes the creation of 11 multi-unit sites, six community facility sites, six office precinct sites and one retail site.

The plan also covers public infrastructure works including roads and paths, landscaping, a playground, earthworks and utilities.

ACT Land Development Agency chief executive officer David Dawes said the estate development plan provided for the expansion of the Gungahlin Town Centre over the next 25 years.

“The immediate goal is to meet the expanded demand for land within the town centre and the demand that is expected to be generated by the light rail development,” he said.

“The longer term goal is to establish a framework for the ACT government to meet the future demand for land within the town centre in a timely manner over the next 25 years.”

Mr Dawes said the plan identified the layout of the main road system, consistent with the territory plan, as well as block layouts and proposed zoning and public infrastructure.

Construction is scheduled to begin in mid-2017 and take 12 months to complete however, could be affected by other projects such as myriad roadworks and work on the Capital Metro light rail line.

The development application comes amid plans for a string of new projects in the existing town centre, including a cinema and entertainment precinct, numerous multi-unit developments and the area’s first Kmart.

Gungahlin Community Council president Peter Elford said the region welcomed more infrastructure however, there were concerns about a lack of cohesion among new projects.

“[We are] very positive about the Gungahlin community being supported by all the normal infrastructure expected in a Canberra satellite town,” he said.

“The cinema is under way, retail has plenty to offer, although it tends to be mass market … The only thing missing for us specifically is a big office complex and major government tenant.”

The council has recently published concerns about the development of multi-unit towers on land earmarked for office space at the western end of the Gungahlin Town Centre.

The proposed estate development plan for land at the opposite end of the town centre is open to public feedback until January 5.

To view the development application, visit: www.planning.act.gov.au

Centre of potential

Rachel Brady of Young and Frisky in Gungahlin. Photo: Jay Cronan

When Young and Frisky owner Nick Parkinson decided to set up shop in the Gungahlin Town Centre he saw more than just a gap in the market.

A string of planned developments, including Infinity Towers; light rail; and future expansion of the town centre influenced his decision to open the funky watering hole and eatery at The Marketplace in April.

Another influence was the perceived oversaturation of similar venues in other social hubs, particularly in the city and Braddon, where his other venture, Hopscotch, is located.

“Gungahlin was the perfect location in terms of a developing area, a younger demographic and a centre that doesn’t have too many options in the area in terms of food and drink venues,” he said. 

“The Marketplace is quite a large precinct but there is a distinct lack of mid-range eating and drink establishments at the moment. It’s very heavily orientated around fast food and there’s not many sit-down dining places.”

But all of this is set to change over the coming years as new residents move into a string of multi-unit developments and more commercial opportunities come to fruition. 

Young and Frisky is one of the earliest establishments to open with a particular focus on the region’s younger crowd however, patronage has already been strong.

“At the time [of opening] we sensed there was going to be a lot of development going on in the next five to 10 years in Gungahlin,” he said.

“The response has been fantastic. We’ve seen a lot of families which we didn’t really target when we opened up which is great. We’ve been surprised to see families with children meeting each other on a Sunday afternoon.”

Parkinson said the town centre’s vibrancy and sense of community was still in its infancy with “a lot of potential”.

“You can see alfresco areas opening up and The Marketplace becoming somewhere families and friends will congregate and go and see a movie and catch up and not just use to get the shopping done and then leave,” he said.