Growth and Development

The National Capital Plan is the statutory ‘blueprint’ for Canberra’s future development. The object of the plan is to ensure that ‘Canberra and the Territory are planned and developed in accordance with their National Significance.’

The National Capital Plan establishes principles and policies for the Parliamentary Zone. These include a requirement that planning and development of the National Capital should ‘respect and enhance the main principles’ of the Griffin plan.

The landscape of the Parliamentary Zone, as conceived by Griffin and developed over time by Charles Weston and others, gives it a unique structure and inspiring sense of scale, openness and grandeur. Buildings do not dominate this composition.

While much growth has already occurred, there will be a need to accommodate additional development associated with the expansion of the cultural institutions, the planning of new institutions and the space requirements of Parliament.

At present the National Capital Plan nominates the 1986 Parliamentary Zone Development Plan (approved by Parliament in 1987) as a guide for all future development in the Parliamentary Zone.

This plan gives priority to developments that symbolise the Capital, and through it the nation. In the plan, preferred uses for the Zone are those associated with government, cultural and judicial institutions.

Under the plan, permissible land uses include parliamentary uses, appropriate National Capital uses and other uses that complement and enhance the function and character of the area. This can include limited commercial and tourism facilities.

There has been debate about whether residential uses such as housing or hotels should be allowed in the Parliamentary Zone. Certainly residential uses associated with state hospitality, scholarship or similar national affairs could be considered but not general housing. There have been suggestions that State Circle’s land uses should be changed from residential to allow for future growth in parliamentary requirements. At present there are no sound planning reasons or evidence to support this position.

Without compromising the character or structure of the landscape, there is ample space for parliamentary and National Capital uses in the Parliamentary Zone for at least the next 50 years. In addition, the Central National Area outside the Zone can readily accommodate any growth in ancillary uses such as offices and hotels.

How growth and development might look with an integration of buildings and landscape.

Parliamentary Zone in 2001 (above) and in 2050 (below)