New ABC studios could form part of the revitalised theatre precinct in Canberra's city centre, the ACT's Chief Minister believes.
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Andrew Barr said national broadcasters had a history of moving into arts precincts and he would welcome such a move in the capital.
The ACT government on Thursday announced $28.44 million would be allocated in next week's territory budget to fund detailed design and consultation for a new 2000-seat theatre in the city centre.
"Part of the economics of the project is that there will be some off setting contribution from the value of the land and associated development rights in a mixed-use precinct, but ... first and foremost, this is a theatre project," Mr Barr said at a press conference in the foyer of the Playhouse.
Mr Barr said the territory could ask for Commonwealth assistance with the project under expected changes to infrastructure funding guidelines following the change of federal government.
"If SBS or the ABC or others wanted to move into the precinct, that would be a way to help," he said.
"I'm aware that it's not a particularly well kept secret that the ABC are looking at their asset holdings across the nation. I'm not so sure about SBS's position and what they may wish to do with their Canberra presence.
"But given the growth of this region - the fact that there's more to Canberra than Parliament House - I would hope that they and other broadcasters might consider this precinct. We can certainly work towards that.
"But the ACT government's role would not be to subsidise those organisations to do so but to provide an opportunity if they were considering relocating to move into a precinct like this."
A spokesman for the ABC declined to comment on Thursday as to whether there was work underway to consider relocating staff from the Northbourne Avenue studios.
The broadcaster told The Canberra Times in 2019 it had no plans to redevelop or sell the site.
A decision not to sell to private developers would mean the ACT government continues to miss out on a potential revenue windfall, because the ABC, as a Commonwealth entity, is exempt from paying commercial rates.
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The Northbourne Avenue site, from where the ABC has broadcast since August 3, 1964 after it left Civic studios opened in 1957, has been rezoned and offers one of the highest future height limits along the avenue.
The ABC in 1993 invited developers to express an interest in the 1.5 hectare site at the corner of Wakefield and Northbourne Avenues, describing the buildings at the time as "operationally inefficient".
This followed a decision to axe the local television news bulletin in 1991 after budget cuts. The site was not redeveloped and the local television bulletin was reintroduced in 2001.
The ABC on Thursday announced it would move 300 staff to a new office in Parramatta, away from the broadcaster's flagship Ultimo headquarters in Sydney's east by the end of 2024.
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