Woden Valley residents are concerned their area will be overrun by the private sector after the government suggested that a site previously flagged for community space would be sold to developers.
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The former Canberra Institute of Technology building in Phillip is currently zoned for community facilities. But the ACT's mid-year budget review, released on Tuesday, slated it for private development, at least in part.
"With Canberra Hospital becoming constrained for space, what are the options? The [university] site should be considered for future health or education facilities," Woden Valley Community Council president Fiona Carrick said.
"The problem is that the development of Woden is taking place in an ad hoc manner with no planning for the future cohesion of the town centre."
The former Strathgordon Court public housing site in Lyons is also set to be up for developers' taking on March 20, when it goes under the hammer at Manuka Oval. A vacant site opposite the Alexander and Albermarle building on Furzer Street in Phillip is on the land release program, and would be used for business purposes.
The Woden town centre master plan allows for buildings of up to 28 metres on the town square's perimeter, as long as one-quarter of it gets three hours of sun a day during the winter solstice.
"This is not adequate to encourage commercial activities in the square," Ms Carrick said.
The master plan recommended new development controls in the wider territory plan to minimise adverse impacts from taller development, a spokesperson for the ACT Planning and Land Authority said.
Any future developments would need to be carefully designed to be sympathetic to the town square.
In October last year, Minister for Community Services and Facilities Chris Steel said a new community centre for Woden Valley would be built. Exactly where it will be remains unclear, although the government intends to start looking at its feasibility and design in 2019-20 - depending on budget availability.
It is not proposed that the community centre be built on the old university site.
"Without planning for community facilities, how do we ensure that we get great outcomes and that community facilities are connected?" Ms Carrick said.
"With the ongoing sale of public assets, opportunities to build a great town centre with social infrastructure in the right positions are reduced."
The town centre's master plan recognises the importance of community facilities, the government spokesperson said. But there are no flagged plans for other services like a sports hall or aquatic centre.
Discussion about more community facilities would likely start when discussion about the future of the university site and the location of the community centre starts, the government spokesperson said.
Woden Valley's resident population was estimated to be about 35,813 people in 2017. This is forecast to reach about 49,000 people in 2041.
