The Canberra Spatial Plan: Engaging Community in a Planned City

Angharad D¹, Reza F²* and Joanne M¹

1. Spatial and Transport Strategy, ACT Planning and Land Authority, Canberra, ACT, Australia
2. ACT Planning and Land Authority, Canberra, ACT, Australia

In March 2004, the ACT Government released its strategic plan for the next 30 years: The Canberra Spatial Plan. The development of the Canberra Spatial Plan commenced in April 2002, following a commitment from the government to develop a new strategic plan for Canberra, as recommended by the OECD as a part of its Urban Renaissance review of the city.
The government had also made a strong commitment to participative approaches in planning. The implementation of this commitment was the responsibility of the ACT Planning and Land Authority. The result was the most comprehensive community engagement process for planning ever undertaken in the ACT’s history.

The methodology developed aimed to work closely with the community to ensure that the Plan reflected their aspirations whilst also achieving the overall goal of sustainable development for the future of the ACT. Our aims were to produce a plan that:

• enabled all Canberrans to participate in shaping the future of the city;
• ensured that policies were coherent and integrated, across issues and between places; and
• provided a clear framework within which all stakeholders in Canberra’s future could plan their own activities to best effect.

The Draft Canberra Spatial Plan was released on 3 November 2003 and was open for public comment until December 2003. The public consultation program for this 6 week period provided an opportunity for members of the public and key stakeholders to provide input on the draft plan.

ACT Government representatives gave briefings and presentations to key groups and peak representative bodies and held public forums to enable people to learn more about the key elements of the Spatial Plan and the Preferred Direction. They also provided an opportunity for members of the public to provide verbal input and make suggestions on the draft plan.

A display centre was also set up in City Walk for a period of three days to provide people with the opportunity to discuss issues in the draft plan with the Authority staff. The Canberra Spatial Plan is the result of more than 19 months community consultation. In response to the careful consideration of the numerous issues raised through public consultation, a number of modifications have been made throughout the process and ideas and concerns addressed.

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