Government projects 17,000 new homes in five years - here's where the land will be released

Land to support nearly 1000 homes will be released in Belconnen in 2023-24, including 400 in the new Ginninderry suburb of Macnamara and 446 in Lawson.

This will be part of the ACT Government’s plans to release land to deliver 16,935 new homes for people over the next five years, with 1883 in 2023-24.

The ACT Budget included $11 million to accelerate the release of land to meet the housing demands facing the city.

The 2023-27 Indicative Land Release Program released with the budget does not include sites under investigation or negotiation for potential release, including the CSIRO Ginninderra land, the Western Edge and the Australian Institute of Sport precinct in Bruce.

Most of the releases are in the developing northern areas of Belconnen and Gungahlin and in the west in the Molonglo Valley. No releases are planned in the Woden Valley or Weston Creek until 2026-27.

None are planned for Tuggeranong, although the government may release additional land for commercial, residential and mixed-use development at the Erindale group centre in Wanniassa.

The 2023-24 program shows mixed-used sites in the Kippax group centre will yield 80 homes. These were meant to be released last financial year.

The Lawson land is expected to deliver 446 medium to high-density residential dwellings.

This financial year, the final land releases in Gungahlin suburbs will commence in Jacka and Casey in 2023-24 and the new suburb of Kenny to the east of Mitchell in 2025-26.

Overall, land for almost 500 homes will be released – 100 in Casey, 300 in the Town Centre and 99 in Jacka.

In Casey, 24,000 sqm of commercial land is marked for release.

In the inner north suburb of Watson, work is continuing for the release of sites in Watson to support up to 400 dwellings which could include a mix of single-dwelling blocks and multi-unit homes.

A site is set to support a demonstration co-housing project for people wanting a more cooperative village style of residential living.

Land being released this financial year will be enough for 200 homes.

Another land release in the new Molonglo Valley suburb of Whitlam is planned, providing 250 homes.

In 2024-25, the biggest release will be in the Molonglo Valley where 10,000 sqm will be made available for 1238 homes and 20,000 sqm for commercial use.

Also released will be 100,000 sqm for residential/mixed-use/commercial/community use in the new suburb of Molonglo where the Valley’s group centre is to be located, and a site for a government college and high school.

Belconnen can expect land to be released for 345 homes, while in Gungahlin it will be for 489 dwellings.

All up land will be released for 2087 homes.

In 2025-26, releases will continue to ramp up in the Molonglo Valley with 20,000 sqm for 1400 homes and 60,000 sqm for commercial use.

Releases will also continue in Belconnen – 200 homes – and in Gungahlin, 500 homes.

In the inner south, the release of two mixed-use development sites in Kingston will deliver 680 new multi-unit homes.

The first release in the East Lake urban renewal precinct will begin, providing 1150 new homes in the next five years.

Overall, land will be released to support about 2750 homes.

In the final year of the program, 2026-27, a further 20,000 sqm will be released in the Molonglo Valley for 2100 homes, followed by land in Woden for 980 homes, Gungahlin (600), Weston Creek (400), Inner North and City (300), and the Inner South (200).

The Weston Creek releases will be in North Weston, part of plans for 1470 new residential dwellings and 11,258 sqm of new commercial retail and office space in the district.

All up, land for 4895 new homes is planned for release in 2026-27.

Original Article published by Ian Bushnell on Riotact.