It follows a call by Labor MLA Chris Steel for a wider discussion about the town centre, and in the wake of residents' concerns two major buildings have lain dormant but not demolished for seven years.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr announced the roundtable would be held in the first half of this year during legislative assembly Question Time on Thursday, but has not yet set a date for the event.

Mr Steel said it would be part of a bigger "pop-up Cabinet" meeting to be held in Woden at the same time, and he hoped the government would invite residents groups, developers, ministers and other community members to take part.

He said the ultimate purpose was to get a wide range of views to help create a new masterplan for the town centre, including what building heights would be allowed under variation to the Territory Plan currently out for public comment.

"We need to move away from the town centre just being a commercial centre and try to generate more residential developments in the town centre," he said.

Mr Steel said he wanted to see a new plan that would help attract more people to live in the town centre, generating more activity, rather than it being a place only for businesses and health services.

But he said health services would remain a key "strength" to be expanded, given the hospitals and Woden Community Services major base in the area.

Mr Steel said he also hoped plans for Stage Two of the light rail project to Woden would create a greater incentive for more residential development close by.

Correction: This article previously misspelled "canvass" as "canvas". It has been corrected.