Building heights in Belconnen will be limited to 27 storeys under a new draft master plan for the town centre.
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The long-awaited plans will be released for public consultation this week.
The draft master plan includes the retrospective application of maximum height limits to parts of the town centre, something left out of the master plan released in 2001.
The new master plan recommends a range of building heights across the town centre.
Five sites will allow heights up to 27 storeys, including what will be Canberra's tallest residential tower . Geocon's 27-storey Wayfarer tower, located on the corner of Eastern Valley Way and Aikman Drive, was approved in November 2013.
Land next to the Belconnen Labor Club was recently snapped up by the same builders for $22.1 million. This site has also been marked for high-rise development.
In June, Geocon managing director Nick Georgalis said following the success of the Wayfarer project, the company wanted to appeal to Canberra's appetite for high-rise towers.
Westfield, now called Scentre Group, had already had development applications approved in 2012 for the construction of 24-, 16- and 12-storey towers on blocks next to the retail complex along Emu Bank.
Other sites to be capped to the maximum height of 27 storeys include the car park between Swanson Court and Cohen Street and two blocks of land on the corner of Eastern Valley Way and College Street.
The Belconnen draft master plan includes 12 strategies to guide development and planning for the town centre.
Notable changes include an offer of incentives for developers to provide public domain improvements and more sustainable buildings, the improvement of cycle and pedestrian connections and provide clear building height requirements and design guidelines.
The master plan details an increase in the number of people living in the town centre from 6020 to 8450 by 2031.
It notes that the relocation of the Department of Immigration and Border Protection would remove 25 per cent of jobs from the town centre and that would cause a significant impact on the local economy.
"The threat highlights the need for Belconnen to diversify its economy and reduce the reliance on the Australian government to provide jobs," it says.
The ACT government is seeking community feedback on the plan, which can be made until November 20 at www.act.gov.au/belconnen
