The controversial Yarralumla brickworks redevelopment faces a loud chorus of dissent over building heights, and even the powerful National Capital Authority is concerned some proposed structures would be too tall.
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The draft plan for a redevelopment, which would see another 1600 dwellings built, includes buildings as high as eight storeys.
Criticism over planned building heights comes as a petition with thousands of signatures is about to be handed to the ACT government on Monday calling for the plan to be scrapped.
A reduction in building heights at the 40-hectare Yarralumla site would reduce the number of planned residences at a time when Canberra needs to increase its density to fit in a growing population.
The authority's chief executive Malcolm Snow has submitted advice to the Land Development Agency saying his organisation was concerned about the proposed height of some of the buildings, particularly those closest to Adelaide Avenue.
Mr Snow, whose job includes protecting the grandeur of important roads leading to Parliament House and other icons in the national capital, has told the ACT government that buildings above the tree line might "be excessive".
Under the draft plan, which is currently going through the community consultation process, three buildings on the Deakin side of Adelaide Avenue could reach a maximum height of eight storeys.
The tallest building on the Yarralumla side of Adelaide Avenue would reach six storeys.
The NCA's development control plan for Adelaide Avenue released in 2007 generally aimed to keep buildings to two storeys, while those adjacent to the important road were allowed four storeys.
"We have indicated some concern about the issue of building heights, particularly the encroachment of taller buildings onto things like Adelaide Avenue, which are specifically within the remit of the agency for protection in terms of amenity, as well as the approach to Government House, Dunrossil Drive, and about buildings that are above the tree line, which really then start to have an impact upon the broader landscape setting," Mr Snow told a recent parliamentary hearing.
"Yarralumla is identified because of its particular tree coverage, and I think we are concerned that some of the heights that are being discussed might well be excessive."
Canberra MP Gai Brodtmann said she too had submitted concerns about building heights and the closeness of residences to Dunrossil Drive, which some describe as the Governor-General's driveway.
"The maximum building height has gone from six storeys in the previous proposal, to eight storeys in the current proposal, without any explanation,” Ms Brodtmann told The Canberra Times.
Yarralumla Residents Association president Marea Fatseas said the NCA's comments were an important reminder the debate was not just a local, parochial discussion but a conversation about how Canberra was viewed nationally and globally.
Even federal Queensland MP Bruce Scott, a member of the national capital and external territories committee, told the same parliamentary hearing: "I would not have thought eight storeys in Yarralumla was in keeping with the ambience of Yarralumla because it is in a suburb that is considered the diplomatic zone as well."
Land Development Agency chief executive David Dawes said concerns about building heights and encroachment on Dunrossil Drive, like all other issues raised during consultation, would be taken on board and the future would bring more opportunities to debate the details.
"[The LDA] will be preparing responses to facilitate the next phase of community engagement process," Mr Dawes said.
"Concurrently, the LDA is also updating the traffic modelling and this too will be included in the response.
"A newsletter, providing the LDA’s responses, will be distributed to all residents in Yarralumla, Deakin and Curtin in September 2014, and made available on the LDA website.
"There will then be further opportunity for the community to provide feedback in relation to the responses."
The LDA was preparing visual and landscaping analysis of tree heights along Dunrossil Drive to demonstrate the visual impacts, possible landscaping treatments, and the potential building relationships, including height.
Liberal MLA Steve Doszpot said the plans for development of land around the Canberra brickworks site were ill-conceived and failed to account for the future impact on residents in Yarralumla and surrounding suburbs.
"Thousands of people have signed the petition highlighting their concerns and they deserve to be heard,” Mr Doszpot said.
