NATIONAL CAPITAL AUTHORITY

Australian Capital Territory

(Planning and Land Management) Act 1988

NATIONAL CAPITAL PLAN

AMENDMENT 24

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR NORTHBOURNE AVENUE

Gazetted on 21 July 1999

AMENDMENT 24 OF THE NATIONAL CAPITAL PLAN

Special Requirements for Northbourne Avenue

1. Delete the whole of clause "2.3 Special Requirements for Main Avenues" from Chapter 2 and substitute the following:

"2.3 Special Requirements for Main Avenues

It is in the interests of the National Capital that development flanking main avenues in the city is of a type and quality that will enhance the role and status of the city. For the purposes of Special Requirements the Main Avenues are:

•     Northbourne Avenue, between Antill/Mouat Streets and Barry Drive/ Cooyong Street

•     Adelaide Avenue, outside the Central National Area

•     Canberra Avenue, between Hume Circle and the Central National Area

•     Wentworth Avenue, from Hume Circle to Brisbane Avenue

•     Brisbane Avenue outside the Central National Area

•     Constitution Avenue

These Special Requirements apply to development on land (not included within any Designated Area) adjacent to the Main Avenues.

Special Requirements

Development, except in relation to Northbourne Avenue, is to conform to Development Control Plans (agreed by the Authority) which seek to secure the integrity of the Main Avenues as approaches to the Parliamentary Zone and ensure that the setting, buildings and purposes of development enhance that function.

For Northbourne Avenue, the requirement for a Development Control Plan has been met by the passage of Variation No. 96 to the Territory Plan. The integrity of the approach to the Parliamentary Zone remains an objective, however, and Special Requirements for development continue to be necessary.

Development Controls Plans and (in relation to Northbourne Avenue) development, shall:

i)    make provision for national uses, offices for national associations, tourist accommodation and residential development

ii)   seek high standards of building design and finish. External materials should be predominantly light in tone and require little maintenance. Continuous glass facades should be avoided. Criteria for controlling the use of reflective glass should be incorporated

iii)  incorporate the following where Main Avenues are the final approaches to the Parliamentary Zone:

•     building height controls, to ensure that buildings are at least 3 storeys in height unless specifically shown otherwise in an agreed Development Control Plan. Plant rooms to be additional to these heights

•     building lines, to be 10 metres unless specifically shown otherwise in an agreed Development Control Plan. The area in front of the building line is to be landscaped, and exclusive of parking. Minor encroachment of basement parking into this area may be considered where this would not detract from the quality of the landscape treatment and where the parking is located beneath a driveway or other paved area. Canopies may cover set-down areas forward of the building line. Minor encroachment by balconies, awnings and porticos may be considered if the materials and designs are such that the visual integrity of the building line is retained

iv) for Main Avenues having predominantly commercial frontages:

Building Height

•     ensure that buildings adjacent to Northbourne Avenue are not less than 3 storeys plus plant rooms in height, provided that for special non-commercial uses such as a tourist information centre exceptions to this requirement may be considered

•     ensure that the parapets of buildings adjacent to Northbourne Avenue are not higher than 25 metres above natural ground level except for the two 'landmark nodes' at the intersections of Mouat/Antill Streets and Macarthur/Wakefield Avenues with Northbourne Avenue where parapets may be up to 32 metres above natural ground level

•     provide that buildings adjacent to Main Avenues other than Northbourne Avenue may be up to 4 storeys, plus plantrooms, in height

Note:

Where these maximum heights are already exceeded by existing buildings, extensions or rebuilding up to the height of the existing building may be permitted.

Building Lines

•     for Northbourne Avenue, ensure building lines are 10 metres except for the east side of the Avenue between Wakefield Avenue and Ipima Street and for the "landmark nodes" where Northbourne Avenue is crossed by Mouat/Antill Streets and Macarthur/Wakefield Avenues, where increased building lines may be permitted

•     for Main Avenues other than Northbourne Avenue, ensure building lines are 10 metres except within the City Division or unless specifically shown otherwise in an agreed Development Control Plan

Note:

The area in front of the building line is to be landscaped, and exclusive of parking. Minor encroachment of basement parking into this area may be considered where this would not detract from the quality of the landscape treatment and where the parking is located beneath a driveway or other paved area. Canopies may cover set-down areas forward of the building line. Minor encroachment by balconies, awnings and porticos may be considered if the materials and designs are such that the visual integrity of the building line is retained

v)   for Main. Avenues having predominantly landscaped frontages, generally provide for buildings to not exceed the height of the established tree canopy (typically 3-4 storeys)

vi)  consider parking, vehicle access, and the traffic impacts of development. Access from and to the Avenues shall be permitted where practicable and where traffic safety will not be affected adversely."

2. Amend "4.5.4 Civic" at Chapter 4 as follows, and make consequential amendments to Figure 21, to remove lands in Turner Sections 41, 42 and 43 and Braddon Sections 18 and 19 (bounded by Moore, Masson, Girrahween and Mort Streets) from the effect of the Special Requirements for Civic:

i)  Delete the last paragraph under the heading "National Interest in Civic" which starts with the words "Land which is subject to Special Requirements....." and substitute the following:

"Land which is subject to Special Requirements in Civic, for the purposes of this section, is part of the City Division plus the parts of Turner and Braddon bounded respectively by Watson, Masson and Moore Streets and Mort, Girrahween and Torrens Streets, but excluding those parts of Civic in the Central National Area."

ii) Delete the paragraph (and all subsequent sub-paragraphs) under the heading "Special Requirements" which starts with the words "For Braddon Sections 18 & 19......". Section 4.5.4 will then finish with the sentence "Buildings in Civic must be of permanent construction and generally white to light buff/grey in colour."