ACT: CIVIC: #Proposed: Section 96 Canberra Centre

[Canberra Raiders]

I figured the proposed development on the final block of the canberra centre precinct probably deserves it's own thread, so here are some pics from the DA:



http://203.9.249.2/e-registers/pubno...rthEast-01.pdf



http://203.9.249.2/e-registers/pubno...utheast-01.pdf



http://203.9.249.2/e-registers/pubno...72-west-01.pdf



http://203.9.249.2/e-registers/pubno...1120272-01.pdf




$500m towers in Civic

BY JOHN THISTLETON, BUSINESS EDITOR

22 Jul, 2011 04:00 AM


Canberra Centre owner QIC has lodged plans for more than $500million worth of office space and residential apartments in Cooyong Street, Civic.
After years of wrangling with the ACT Government over what to put on the car park site, QIC is proposing 11 storeys of offices, separate towers for 300 apartments and 12,600sqm of retail.

The development application proposed demolishing an existing outdoor car park along Cooyong Street and building a mixed-use development with multiple towers up to 14 storeys high.

They will comprise two basement levels of car parking and ground and first floor commercial tenancies with pedestrian access bridges across Narellan Street to the Canberra Centre.

A third floor, above-ground car park will have a vehicular access bridge across Scotts Crossing to the existing Canberra Centre car park.

QIC Global Real Estate managing director Robert Carter said the project was designed to contribute to the ongoing revitalisation of Civic in line with the Government's vision for apartment living in the city.

He said the proposal was still in the early stages of planning.

The development would deliver numerous benefits including new jobs, infrastructure and investment confidence.

''The proposed development of Section 96 is an opportunity to maximise the site's central location and close proximity to the city's prime retail infrastructure to create a vibrant, mixed-use precinct,'' Mr Carter said.

Colliers International ACT chief executive Paul Powderly said QIC would join a queue of other major developers competing for the Commonwealth Government's office requirements for Customs, and potential future requirement for the Department of Employment, Education and Workplace Relations.

Leighton Holdings has a huge car park site on London Circuit known as Section 63 and billionaire developer Lang Walker has a major site in Northbourne Avenue.

''It's not like anyone is going to rip along and build without a tenant, as we've seen with Leightons on Section 63,'' Mr Powderly said. ''The residential development is a good play for the city because it is a good spot next to the Canberra Centre.''

Under the original plan for developing extensions to the Canberra Centre, the Government did not want offices on the Cooyong Street car park site, preferring residential and/or hotel serviced apartments. Mr Powderly said he was unsure whether the Government would waver from that position. ''Just because QIC has lodged a DA doesn't mean the Government is going to approve it.'' Mr Powderly said QIC had sold the site to a group of Canberra developers, then bought it back in 2005 for $16million.

The former ACT Planning and Land Authority granted extensions on a holding lease, including one until 2011 and then a later extension to 2014.

When Simon Corbell resumed as Planning Minister recently he said time was running out for QIC to get on with the project.

''We want to see the residential component which was part of the condition of the sale delivered for that car park site,'' he said. ''The cooling in the residential sector over the last three to four years has been a factor for the land owner, but that, in the Government's view, does not release them from their obligation.''

http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news...px?storypage=2

[Cristovão471]

It's good to see that many of these new developments include apartments, hopefully it will inject more life into civic.

[Stonedwookie]

argh it looks ugly like the other buildings they built

[nsn]

It's hard to see how Civic will cope with another 12,600 sqm of retail.

[AndyGM]

I really do wonder how long it will take for Canberra to become a very lively and livable place. The number of apartments going up in the city and the town centres is amazing (Canberra has the highest ratio of apartments to houses being built of any city except Sydney).

My rough calculations show over 1000 apartments and student accomodation units going up in Civic alone at the moment, not including this proposal or anything being built in Braddon or Turner

[Urbania]

good stuff