Burgeoning Denman Prospect is about to take shape, with work beginning on the Molonglo Valley suburb’s first homes.
Blackett Homes was the first builder on site on Thursday, marking the beginning of residential construction in the suburb with a sod turning.
The first three houses being built by the organisation are due to be completed and ready to live in by Christmas.
The milestone comes off the back of the 2001 dwellings sites released in the suburb in the 2015-2016 year – an extra 300 dwellings than originally earmarked for release by the ACT government.
Capital Estate Developments project director Nick McDonald Crowley said it was an exciting time in the suburb’s progress, with residential works well on track.
Denman Prospect’s first blocks hit the market in October last year, while a display village is due to open in mid-2017.
Available land in Denman Prospect costs about $900 a square metre.
Broader development throughout the suburb is also accelerating, including an upcoming development application for a local shopping precinct.
Mr McDonald Crowley said the first local shops were not part of stage 1A but were due to open in early 2018.
“We’ve got architects working on the design of those shops currently,” he said.
“We’re hoping to lodge those plans in the next six to eight weeks with the ACT Planning and Land Authority.”
Mr McDonald Crowley said there had been a slight delay to civil works due to recent wet weather and a “slight technical glitch” with some street lights.
But pre-landscaping works were underway and the suburb’s first piece of public art was due to be installed in September.
Mr McDonald Crowley said landscaping, “tasteful public art” and enhanced playgrounds would be an integral part of the suburb’s fabric and set Denman Prospect apart.
About 20 per cent of dwellings have been earmarked for affordable housing, alongside 72 public housing dwellings.
Capital Estate Developments has teamed up with ActewAGL to bulk purchase solar systems for the suburb’s first 350 houses.
The electricity generated by these homes will be the equivalent of a 1.05MW solar farm.
The Molonglo Valley is expected to house at least 55,000 new residents in the next 30 years.