Stromlo Reach, new subdivision in Denman Prospect, under way with Capital Estate Developments

To be called Stromlo Reach, the estate would also have space reserved for a new school and a "showpiece" recreational area.

Capital Estate Developments, part of Terry Snow's Capital Airport Group, has launched community consultation to gather feedback ahead of submitting the estate development plan for approval.

The plan involves the subdivision of block 11 and block 12, section one in Denman Prospect. The majority of housing and facilities would be located in block 11, the area closest to the existing shops and community centre.

It is estimated the entire Stromlo Reach estate would comprise 839 dwellings, with about 330 of those to be affordable apartments and the remainder a mix of detached houses and townhouses.

The apartments would be housed in stage three of The Borough, Capital Estate Developments' rental-only apartment precinct planned for Holborow Avenue.

Denman Prospect director of project delivery Nick McDonald Crowley said the affordable rental component was subject to ACT government endorsement but so far discussions had been positive.

"We're conscious to provide the affordability but we don't want the affordability to come at the cost of residential amenity. We want to provide nice buildings at an affordable rate, so that's the intent of what we're trying to achieve," he said.

Part of the estate would also be reserved for a future school, with publicly accessible playing fields, located just north of the existing village shops and playground.

Mr McDonald Crowley was unable to provide details on the school as the site would be handed back to the ACT government.

"But we have been talking to ACT education about the possibility of us getting in and actually constructing the oval so that that part of the school is actually done for them," he said.

A new community park with playgrounds and recreational facilities is also proposed, including toilets and car parking.

"The shops and the community centre have been a very big focus for us to date in terms of getting them established and getting the amenity there for our residents," Mr McDonald Crowley said.

"The Ridgeline Park was the first park that we put in, but the showpiece eventually will be Cravens Creek and the linkages that it will have heading up towards Stromlo Forest Park to the south-west and then also linkages through to native bushland to the west of what will be the perimeter of our subdivision."

Internal access roads, associated service infrastructure and utilities and verge landscaping will also be included within the proposal.

The developer intends to begin construction of the estate at the end of 2023, subject to approvals, with the works to be staged over several years.

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The proposed estate has been subject to criticism from conservation groups in the past, who have raised concerns of the impact development would have on an adjoining area known as Bluetts Block.

The developer applied to the ACT government for an exemption from requiring an environmental impact statement for block 12 late last year. A formal decision has not been published.

According to the ACT government, an EIS exemption can be granted if the planning minister is satisfied that recent studies have adequately addressed the environmental impacts of a proposal.

Block 11, where most of the development will be located, was already covered by an existing exemption granted in 2013.

Capital Estate Developments has invited the public to attend two community consultation sessions on April 26 and 29 at the Denman Village Community Centre.

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