The ACT government will continue to pursue a site south of Holt for its new green waste facility, despite the development application for the location being rejected.
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City Services Minister Chris Steel said on Friday the government would deliver the green waste facility in Belconnen as promised.
The Stockdill Drive land was knocked back as a solution to green waste disposal in Belconnen, following closure of the Parkwood Road facility in 2021.
Plans had been submitted for the construction of a temporary green waste facility, access road, shed, landscaping, earthworks and associated works, with capacity to establish a long-term solution at the site just south of Holt.
The planning and land authority rejected the application based on a range of issues, including its potential to impact future development otherwise permitted in the area.
The proposal was deemed a recycling facility, which was not permitted for the site. The application was also rejected on the grounds that it was not proposing a temporary development, as indicated.
"The traffic generation for the proposed development was considered inconsistent with a development that is temporary in nature," the authority found.
"The outlined traffic generation for the proposed development is deemed likely to impact the existing road system."
"The application was referred to the ACT Heritage. ACT Heritage did not provide support for the application."
ACT fire and rescue has also made a submission, opposing the current design based on insufficient bushfire protection and water supply for firefighting purposes.
The proposed site is within a bushfire prone area and given its intended use, presented increased risk of fire, the submission said.
Mr Steel said the government was working through the feedback on the development application and would continue to work through the planning system to deliver the north side facility, addressing the issues raised.
"For some time we've been undertaking planning work on where north side waste facilities can be located," he said.
"This is a preferred site and that's why we'll work through the planning system to deliver this important facility for the north side."
Liberal MLA for Ginninderra Peter Cain said he'd asked for clarification on why the development application was rejected, and what the government would do to ensure a facility stays open in the Belconnen area.
"As far as I can see, the concerns that caused the DA to be rejected are largely to do with internal ACT government agencies not communicating," he said.
The Shadow Planning Minister sponsored a petition to keep the current green waste facility at Parkwood Road open, which attracted around 2000 signatures.
The government has kept the current facility open since then, providing a temporary solution until a permanent site can be found in the Belconnen area.
Mr Cain said Belconnen desperately needed a green waste facility.
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Alex Crowe
Alex covers science and environment issues, with a focus on local Canberra stories. alex.crowe@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Alex covers science and environment issues, with a focus on local Canberra stories. alex.crowe@austcommunitymedia.com.au
