The Government's Approach
The ACT Government has a Surplus Property Policy process that it follows when any property has been declared surplus to its needs. This process may result in the Government deciding to either:
- keep the property for other ACT Government, non-Government or community uses
- demolish buildings on the property where the site can be used for other ACT Government uses
- dispose of or sell the property, either within the current land use or with a change of land use; or
- any combination of these.
In addition, the Government has agreed to four principles that are to be applied to the consideration of the future use of old school sites:
- address the availability of, and demand for, community facilities in an equitable manner across the Territory
- support the Government’s Land Supply Principles, in particular, that it achieves optimal benefits for the community
- deliver a return for the Territory to support other fiscal needs; and
- support the principles of the Spatial Plan, in particular that the Territory locates new residential areas and community facilities close to town centres and transport routes.
Taking the above into account, across the range of sites the objectives of the project are to:
- address key Government and community priorities, including aged care and supported accommodation, affordable housing and facilities for community organisations
- improve service delivery, whether by Government or non Government organisation
- deliver a tangible benefit to the local or broader community
- promote greater sharing of facilities and services by community organisations
- support Government policies such as the Spatial Plan and Social Plan
- comply with, or be made capable of complying with, planning requirements
- promote Government and community goals such as sustainability, improved health or wellbeing
- minimise negative environmental impact
- increase or maintain urban amenity
- promote community cohesion
- be compatible with or complement other nearby facilities and the local community
- minimise the costs to the Territory and community (particularly ongoing costs), and
- deliver a level of return to the Territory, to help meet other fiscal needs.
The Government created an Inter-Departmental Committee earlier in 2007 to look at possible options for using the selected school buildings and sites. With the assistance of a local architectural firm, the Committee developed four possible broad generic Options that could be applied to each of the school sites.
In its consideration to date of the future use of old school sites, the Government has announced that:
- there is currently insufficient demand for community space to fully tenant all buildings
- approximately four buildings (or equivalent) are to be used for community use
- the Government will find alternative accommodation for Department of Education and Training tenants in schools where the space is now required
- Government does not support re-use for independent schools or open space
- there is a high demand for aged care accommodation in Weston Creek and Tuggeranong and thus the Rivett and Mount Neighbour sites may be suitable for this purpose.