Submission on the Molonglo Residential Development Plan

ACT Planning and Land Authority
GPO Box 1908
CANBERRA ACT 2601 November 8^th 2005

As one of Canberra’s first parkcare groups, incorporated in1992 and with a particular responsibility to care for the land adjacent to the proposed Molonglo Valley Project we would like to comment on your current planning document.

1. We are pleased to see the retention of the woodland area, known as Karma Forest, providing a wildlife corridor between The Pinnacles and the Molonglo Valley. However, we would urge that it be given a statutory conservation status to protect it from trail bikes, mountain bikes, horses and domestic pets so that it can indeed function as a wildlife corridor.

2. We are still concerned about the inadequate provision for the viability of the riparian zone of the Molonglo River.
(i) we believe the urban development is too close to the river and that there should be a much wider riparian zone set aside and
(ii) we would like to see a clear distinction made between land use for conservation and land use for recreational purposes.

3. We are concerned about the so-called Pond options. We believe that for the health of the river system, it is important that provision for storm water retention and the filtering and cleansing of the urban run-off should take place before the water reaches the river, in a system of wet-lands and holding ponds

4. We would like to repeat our original submission that we see The Molonglo Valley project as an opportunity to demonstrate a state-of-the-art approach to urban design, an ecovillage/ecosuburb which respects its rural environment and its river.

We would like to see best practice of world class sustainability principles, including siting and location for energy and water conservation, including passive solar heating and cooling, solar heating and water recycling and rain water collection.

We would like to see this concept incorporated into the planning at this stage as it affects infrastructure planning and overall development as much as it affects individual homes. It also sets a standard of expectation from developers and prospective home buyers.
Mary E. Falconer
Convenor
Friends of the Aranda Bushland Inc.