Planning Minister Andrew Barr has launched a study of Gungahlin’s future requirements for the supply of commercial and community land.
Calling for community input, Mr Barr said the ACT Government has invested $200,000 in the study which will “focus on the long-term commercial and community land supply for Gungahlin Town Centre, the character of future development in the town centre and its interpretation with existing development.”
Both the ACT Government and the Gungahlin Community Council (GCC) see the opportunity to increase employment opportunities as a key outcome from the study.

Initial general reaction has been positive. President of the Gungahlin Community Council, Alan Kerlin, posted the map above on the GCC website, providing the following comments:
- Our general impression is that it is great to see some planners working on this project who are as passionate about “saving the town centre” as we are.
- We feel that the more intense commercial use could extend into the areas shown as lighter blue (lower density) to th south, as there would be no residential impacts, and more intense equals more jobs.
- The “gateway” treatment of the top end of Hibberson Street will be critical to get right, as only “destination traffic” should proceed into the town centre. “Through traffic” should be diverted around the centre down either of the Valley Way or Anthony Rolfe Drive. Hibberson Street must be a “high friction” thoroughfare (something like Childers Street at ANU) to aid this discouragement of traffic.
- A similar gateway will be needed at the Ginn Street western end of the town centre to discourage morning commuters from going through the centre.
- There will need to be careful controls via the precinct plan on the development of the C5 zone “Mixed Use” development framing the town centre to prevent more of the Anthony Rolfe Drive kind of 3-storey-townhouse-with-shop effect.
- The business park areas should borrow design hints from Brindabella Park, with setbacks rather than built-to-boundary and greenspaces in order to ensure a highly attractive office environment.
- The transition from offices to the existing surrounding residential areas will have to be carefully controlled.
There is a strong general level of engagement between the ACT Government and the GCC, with genuine dialogue and comprehension of the complex issues that the community faces.
The Gungahlin Planning Study is another step in continuing that engagement and focusing on the achievement of positive outcomes for the residents of Gungahlin.