Minister Barr: Community views sought on higher ed proposal for Watson
- Written by ACT Government
Released 15/12/2017
The community will be asked to consider the future use of the Canberra Technology Park site in Watson in the new year.
Subject to community support, a proposed redevelopment would modernise the existing buildings as a contemporary higher education facility, improve public green space and add student accommodation to the site.
The consultation on the former Watson High School site at Block 1, Section 13 Watson will seek the local residents’ and the wider community’s views on upgrading and modernising the site. The parameters of the consultation will be clear: if the redevelopment is supported, the community will continue to have access to attractive and appealing green space, and any development on site can only be used for higher education and accommodation for students.
With this in mind, we particularly want to know how the community is currently using the public open space on this site, and how they would like to use it in the future. This will help decide how much of the open space could be used for student accommodation and how much should be set aside for upgraded green space – so, subject to strict planning rules, a multi-level accommodation complex could allow for more open space and vice-versa.
The consultation for Canberra Technology Park has been prompted by the need to renew ageing infrastructure and a proposal received from The Academy of Interactive Entertainment (AIE), a tenant at the site since 1997. The AIE has approached the government to transform the site into a state-of-the-art learning and technology hub over the next 10 years.
Information on the Canberra Technology Park consultation is available now for the public to consider before the consultation process begins on 5 February 2018, once Canberrans have returned from their summer holidays. For details visit http://www.yoursay.act.gov.au/home.
Subject to feedback on this consultation process the ACT Government will conduct a competitive process for the sale of the land, limiting it to use as a higher education and student accommodation facility. The competitive model would give AIE, which prompted the process, the opportunity to match the winning bid.
- Statement ends -
Section: Andrew Barr, MLA | Media Releases
