At our TCC 5th April, 2016 meeting, the ACT Minister, Mr Mick Gentleman advised the meeting on the proposed new suburb of Thompson. The presentation by the Minister stated this region was a (190 hectare) site situated between the Town Centre and the Murrumbidgee River aimed at “stimulating urban renewal in the area, renewing and reinvigorating Tuggeranong”. Many questions followed his presentation with the majority of the people present seemingly against the proposal, mainly because of environmental concerns and loss of public land.
A large number of people also responded to the ACT Government’s www.haveyoursay.planning.act.gov.au (which is now not operating) and again most of these people were against the proposal. This has lead to the government now calling the site West Greenway and forming a “Western Greenway Community Panel”.
I have been asked to “participate in the stakeholder and community engagement program as a member of the western Greenway community panel” that the government is forming. This panel will be headed by environmental expert David Shorthouse from the ANU with the aim “to see whether a viable, sustainable and equitable development is possible at the site” (Canberra times 1 July 6).
The panel will “guide the broader community engagement program including public workshops, and have input into the development of the brief for assessments and studies of the area” (Official Invitation). The panel is made up of people with community, business, environmental and sporting interests. The first meeting of the panel, to be held in the next couple of weeks, will look at the composition of the panel to see if it is appropriate.
In the meantime if you have any comments on the subject please email us on info@tuggcc.com. If you want to talk directly to the government you can log on to Timetotalk.act.gov.au (as advised above the “HaveYour Say” is no longer available).