The ACT government is set to overhaul plans for the next stage of Whitlam with a proposed gas connection to be removed.
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It comes as the government says it will not connect new suburbs to gas networks, ahead of proposed legislation to ban connections to greenfield estates.
In light of this, the government will lodge an amendment to its proposed estate development plan for the next stage of Whitlam to remove the gas network.
The Suburban Land Agency submitted a development application for the third stage of the Molonglo Valley suburb earlier this year.
It proposed 379 single residential blocks, nine multi-unit blocks to include 237 dwellings, two commercial blocks and a community facility block.
The application also included a provision for a gas network but ACT Housing Minister Yvette Berry confirmed the territory government would seek an amendment to remove the gas connection.
Before June last year, it was mandatory for gas infrastructure to be built in new suburbs and subdivisions in the ACT. But an amendment to the territory plan removed the gas requirement.
Ms Berry said the design of stage three of Whitlam had started prior to the changes, hence why it was planned with a gas network.
"Works had progressed in the design and approval with gas network prior to June 2020, however as construction has not commenced a development application amendment to remove the gas network is being undertaken and it will not be installed," she said in an answer to a question on notice.
The plan to make future stages of Whitlam gas-free was promised in the Labor and Greens power-sharing agreement.
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As well, future stages of the Gungahlin-suburb of Jacka will also be gas-free.
The agreement also says the territory government will introduce laws to ban new gas main network connections to future greenfield developments.
It is promised in the agreement this will be done next financial year but the entire process could take up to 18 months as it will require consultation and a territory plan variation.
While the agreement only stipulates for Whitlam and Jacka to be gas-free prior to proposed laws, Ms Berry said it was not envisaged that any new suburb would be connected to gas.
Stages one and two of Whitlam have already been connected to gas.
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