Ms Peggy Danaee Committee Secretary JOINT STANDING COMMITTEE ON THE NATIONAL CAPITAL AND EXTERNAL TERRITORIES PO Box 6021 Parliament House Canberra ACT 2600 Via email: [email protected] Dear Ms Danaee INQUIRY INTO COMMONWEALTH AND PARLIAMENTARY APPROVALS FOR THE PROPOSED STAGE 2 OF THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY LIGHT RAIL PROJECT ACT Division of the Planning Institute of Australia – Response to request for a submission Thank you for the opportunity to provide a submission to the above inquiry. The key points of our submission are as follows: 1. The Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) supports investment in public transport to diversify transport options and provide transport choice. 2. The proposal to create the light rail network as part of the National Triangle and through the Parliamentary Zone is within an area of national significance. 3. The Commonwealth, via the National Capital Authority has planning responsibility for Designated Areas, recognised as areas of national significance. The design quality, breadth of consultation and planning outcomes should represent the significance of the area, in particular the Parliamentary Zone. 4. The National Triangle framed by Commonwealth Avenue, Constitution Avenue and Kings Avenue (including City south, Russell and the Parliamentary Zone) is the centre of the public transport network, providing connections to the rest of the Canberra network. Connecting light rail to the Parliamentary Zone south of the lake also opens up future corridors in Canberra’s south. 5. The PIA supports long term infrastructure planning that integrates land use and transport and is informed by strategic planning and high quality urban design. Planning Institute of Australia Page 1 of 17 Australia’s Trusted Voice on Planning AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY c/- PO Box 5427 KINGSTON ACT 2604 | ABN: 34 151 601 937 Phone: 02 6262 5933 | Fax: 02 6262 9970 | Email: [email protected] | @pia_planning Planning Institute of Australia planning.org.au/act 6. Individual stages of light rail should be considered within the strategic context of the longer-term network as set out in the ACT Light Rail Network Master Plan. 7. A direct route in a separate reserve (right of way) between Woden Town Centre and the City Centre (Civic) is supported by past and present strategic planning policy including: a. the framework of the Griffin Plan which was designed for light rail b. Canberra’s ‘Y plan’ metropolitan structure which was predicated on a north south inter town transit spine c. the current National Capital Plan that includes reservation for the Inter town public transport corridor, and d. the ACT Government’s Light Rail Network Master Plan. 8. The current preferred light rail route proposes a significant diversion via the Barton employment precinct and the Parliamentary Zone and is not fully consistent with the Inter-town Public Transport corridor or the ACT Government’s Light Rail Network Master Plan. PIA acknowledge that servicing the Barton precinct has merit in terms of patronage, access to employment and living opportunities in Barton as well as a potentially earlier stage 2 project rate of return. It is also apparent that parts of the corridor on Adelaide Avenue are likely to have more limited patronage growth and redevelopment opportunities. However, it is not clear that the opportunities arising from the Barton deviation should be part of the stage 2 North-South corridor project – or part of a planned future light rail spur towards the south west. It is also not clear what the implications of the deviation would be on the future extent, staging and role of elements of the Light Rail Network Master Plan. PIA would support a clear statement on the basis for the trade-offs involved. 9. The criteria for preference of the current route option is unclear and when considered against urban renewal opportunities, speed of service and patronage the key objectives of the light rail project need to be clarified. PIA is concerned that by adopting the Barton deviation as part of Stage 2, the opportunity for a faster north-south corridor service will be foregone. The resulting function and role of the light rail system would be different. This potential departure from a more rapid transit role of the network should be further justified against the overarching city planning and transport objectives that surround the project. Ideally a multi-criteria analysis using transparent criteria should be available, addressing each of the options. 10. There are other options that deliver an attractive service to the Barton employment precinct while maintaining the integrity of the ACT Light Rail Network Plan that have not been clearly articulated. Planning Institute of Australia Page 2 of 17 Australia’s Trusted Voice on Planning AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY c/- PO Box 5427 KINGSTON ACT 2604 | ABN: 34 151 601 937 Phone: 02 6262 5933 | Fax: 02 6262 9970 | Email: [email protected] | @pia_planning Planning Institute of Australia planning.org.au/act 11. The NCA as the approvals authority should be adequately resourced to deal with the continued increased workload generated as a consequence of the light rail project (stages 1 and 2). 12. The NCA’s governance should reflect the need for planning and design expertise. The PIA Infrastructure and its Funding Position Statement https://www.planning.org.au/documents/item/8889 is attached for information (Attachment 1). This reflects the views of the PIA on best practice for infrastructure funding and delivery that is integrated with land use and development. Thank you for the opportunity to respond, and please contact me if you have any questions. Yours sincerely John Brockhoff BSc(Hons), MEnvPlan, MPA, MPIA Principal Policy Officer Planning Institute of Australia Page 3 of 17 Australia’s Trusted Voice on Planning AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY c/- PO Box 5427 KINGSTON ACT 2604 | ABN: 34 151 601 937 Phone: 02 6262 5933 | Fax: 02 6262 9970 | Email: [email protected] | @pia_planning Planning Institute of Australia planning.org.au/act 1. The Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) supports investment in public transport to diversify transport options and provide transport choice. Public transport and sustainable transport options such as light rail are integral to the realisation of more liveable, productive and sustainable cities. Transport plans when integrated with strategic land use plans are a powerful pathway for sustainable city transformation and the delivery of vibrant, connected, inclusive, resilient and healthy urban places for people. The ACT and Commonwealth Government are ideally placed to leverage government land and investment in public transport and the public domain to deliver urban renewal and a more compact city with reduced car dependency and enhanced active travel options. The world’s best and most liveable cities all have excellent integrated public transport networks, designed and planned in tandem with land use to create walkable, people-friendly communities with a range of transport options. The introduction of light rail in Canberra reflects a shift in the world where public investment is moving from highways and sprawl to transit and cities, and the role of design is shifting from building bigger roads to making streets that support quality places. Canberra’s population is projected to increase from 400,000 to over 500,000 within the next two decades. With the highest car dependency of any Australian capital city, this population growth could result in significantly more cars. Through traffic currently dominates the main avenues and approach routes to the National Triangle and Parliament House. Growing Canberra around a light rail spine that is integrated with higher density pedestrian friendly precincts will deliver a National Capital that is more compact, sustainable and well connected, maintaining the world class standard of living experienced by Canberrans. 2. The proposal to create the light rail network as part of the National Triangle and through the Parliamentary Zone is within an area of national significance. The National Triangle (including City, Russell and the Parliamentary Zone) is the centre of the public transport network, providing connections to the rest of the Canberra network. Connecting light rail to this important zone south of the lake also opens up future corridors in Canberra’s south. Planning Institute of Australia Page 4 of 17 Australia’s Trusted Voice on Planning AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY c/- PO Box 5427 KINGSTON ACT 2604 | ABN: 34 151 601 937 Phone: 02 6262 5933 | Fax: 02 6262 9970 | Email: [email protected] | @pia_planning Planning Institute of Australia planning.org.au/act 3. The Commonwealth, via the National Capital Authority has planning responsibility for Designated Areas, recognised as areas of national significance. The design quality, breadth of consultation and planning outcomes should represent the significance of the area, in particular the Parliamentary Zone. The National Triangle formed by Commonwealth, Kings and Constitution Avenues is the heart of the National Capital. These broad 60 metre wide Griffin avenues were sized to accommodate a right of way for light rail, mostly within their central medians. The National Triangle connects the City Centre, Defence Headquarters at Russell, the Barton Office Precinct and Parliament House. This is the centre of employment and economic activity in the national capital holding 60% of all ACT jobs. The national cultural institutions attract more than 5 million visitors annually. The national cultural attractions are fundamental to Canberra’s identity as the showplace of the nation and to its economic livelihood. Yet access to the city’s cultural offerings continues to be hampered by the dispersed nature of their locations, poor legibility and connections, and a lack of transport and activity support. A high quality and efficient light rail network could provide enhanced connection between our national cultural attractions if the route was carefully planned to link these attractions. In addition to supporting Canberra’s growing tourism and education sectors a well connected National Triangle will capitalise on the potential for agglomeration benefits of Inner Canberra.