13 May 2026
YRA Submission - North Curtin Residential Area Development
CONTEXT
The North Curtin Residential Area development in the Curtin Horse Paddocks is the first major infill development under the ACT Governments Southern Gateway Corridor urban intensification project. The focus of the Southern Gateway Corridor is urban infill through densification of the Light Rail Stage 2B (LRS2B) route along Yarra Glen and Adelaide Avenue.
KEY POINTS SUMMARY
The North Curtin Residential Area DCPDD does not meet the requirements of the National Capital Plan – there is no strategic plan, no integration with LRS2B and no guidelines for this urban infill development. Nor does it meet the requirements for assessment of listed threatened species under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999).
There is no provision for the essential road infrastructure, namely the Mint Interchange. This is essential to deal with the current Adelaide Avenue-Yarra Glen- Cotter Road peak traffic congestion, plus the projected growth in arterial traffic due to the Molonglo suburbs and adjacent major urban infill developments, of 720 dwellings in Yarralumla, plus the North Curtin Residential Area of 1,200 dwellings plus the proposed Diplomatic Estate (32 hectares).
The high density of the development of 92 dwelling per hectare, is on a par with Singapore New Town Developments.
The proposed high density of the development is based on the 2019 advisory valuation report for the site referred to in the 2021 Final Report to Government (Confidential) by Mecone and Atlas “Canberra Light Rail Stage2B Urban Infill Ability Assessment” . This indicates that the adoption of the high-density is driven by the financial return to government.
The above matters need to be addressed and the North Curtin Residential Area development should not proceed in its current form.
