Canberra’s Sixth Satellite Centre Plan Lands Amid Tower Rush

A masterplan for Canberra’s proposed sixth town centre has been released amidst a flurry of high-rise projects making progress across the city’s existing satellite settlements. Housing Industry Association executive director ACT &amp; southern NSW Geordan Murray said this week’s publication of the Molonglo Town Centre Master Plan was an important step for Canberra’s long-term housing supply and economic development. Molonglo is expected to eventually accommodate 7000 homes and commercial, retail and community developments. The town centre in Canberra’s south-west would be the sixth in the national capital’s unique settlement pattern— after the CBD (locally known as Civic, established in 1927), Woden (1966), Belconnen (1970), Tuggeranong (1987) and Gungahlin (1998). “The Molonglo Valley has experienced enormous population growth over recent years, and it will be positive for residents to see more jobs, services and economic activity closer to where they live,” Murray said. “The Molonglo Town Centre is an important part of the ACT’s future housing supply but in context of the ACT Government’s 30,000-by-2030 housing supply target, we need to be realistic about the timeline. “We are already halfway through 2026, and the project is still at the master planning stage; the majority of the 7000 homes will be delivered beyond 2030.” Satellite city towers rise Independent of the release of the Molonglo plan, the ACT-based Englobo Group is proposing a five-tower, mixed-use project at the Gungahlin town centre in Canberra’s north. Designed by Cox Architecture, the project would have 10,942sqm of office space and 14,345sq m of retail space including a 4637sq m supermarket. Also proposed are 350 apartments and a 200-room hotel with rooftop pool and bar. Restaurants, a medical centre, gymnasium and entertainment venues are also in the mix for the “G2030” project that developer Englobo has billed as an “18/7 neighbourhood”. ▲ Englobo’s five-tower G2030 project at Gungahlin. The project’s 16,341sq m vacant and undeveloped block on the corner of Hinder and Hibberson streets is beside the light rail line that extends to Civic and is close to the Gungahlin Place light rail station and the town’s bus interchange. Englobo director John Susa told The Urban Developer the block was the last major undeveloped site in the commercial heart of Gungahlin. “We see it as an opportunity to create a precinct that gives locals more of what they have been asking for including better dining, shopping, entertainment, places to work, visitor accommodation, new homes and high-quality public spaces,” he said. “The vision is to create a locally loved destination that supports everyday life, not just a development people pass through. “For the ACT, this is about delivering well-planned growth in the right location, close to transport and existing services, while creating a more vibrant, sustainable and resilient town centre for the future.” Public comment on the proposal closes on June 23. Meanwhile, at Swanson Court in the Belconnen town centre of Canberra’s north-west, a two-tower mixed-use project has been revised to cut basement parking and the number of apartments from 550 to 544. ▲ A rendering of JW Land’s two-tower project at Belconnen. Canberra-based JW Land plans to excise the apartments from its 20-storey residential tower where two basement levels would also be removed. This would reduce the project’s parking spaces from 768 to 612. Designed by Cox Architecture, the apartment tower and a 24-storey office building were approved in 2023 for a 7125sq m site that is currently a surface-level car park. Public comment on the revised plans closes on June 16. Finally, for a 1212sq m site on Furzer Street in the Woden town centre of southern Canberra, ACT-based DOMA has filed an amendment for a 207-apartment tower with two commercial tenancies. ▲ A rendering of DOMA’s 24-storey tower, right. The 20-storey tower, designed by Stewart Architecture and approved in 2022, is the third of four in a wider project. DOMA wants to change its basement layout to provide lock up garages, relocate bicycle spaces and make internal alterations among other changes. Public comment on DOMA’s revised plans closed on May 29. JW Land and DOMA have been contacted for comment.

Apartments
Chris Thomson
Fri 29 May 26

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ApartmentsChris ThomsonFri 29 May 26

Canberra’s Sixth Satellite Centre Plan Lands Amid Tower Rush

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Apartments
Chris Thomson
Fri 29 May 26