MINISTER APPROVES AINSLIE OVAL REZONING
MINISTER APPROVES AINSLIE OVAL REZONING TO ALLOW HIGH-DENSITY BUILDING
22 August 2025 | The Canberra Times | By Jasper Lindell and Steve Evans
Up to 400 high-density homes will be allowed around an inner north sports oval after the Planning Minister signed off on a major change to ACT planning laws.
Video: Urban planner David Shearer on why Canberra needs dense housing in the inner suburbs.
Chris Steel has approved a major Territory Plan amendment to rezone the north and north-western sides of Ainslie's Alan Ray Oval to allow high density residential and commercial mixed use.
The amendment was put forward by Spacelab working with the Ainslie Football Club. A Legislative Assembly standing committee had decided not to hold an inquiry into the change.
Mr Steel said the change was approved because it was consistent with the objectives of the ACT Planning Strategy, Inner North District Strategy and the government's housing priorities.
"The site of the Ainslie Football and Social Club is specifically identified as a category 3 change area in the Inner North District Strategy, meaning it is a prime location for considered, thoughtful, and well-designed changes," Mr Steel said.
"This site is well-located and will help to meet the growing housing needs of the community. "The amendment also enables between 200 and 400 residential dwellings. This will mean more homes close to amenities, public transport, community facilities and only a short distance from the heart of the city."
Spacelab's David Shearer, the club's planning consultant for the project, welcomed the decision and said he was hopeful it would be formalised by the Legislative Assembly.
"It's been a long and arduous pathway to get to this position. It's such a complex process which helps to explain why the provision of housing like this urban infill in Canberra is in such short supply," Mr Shearer said.
"This plan amendment process is just the first step of many that will see development applications for 'missing middle' and ageing-in-place housing (where people stay in the same area as they grow older) lodged in the years ahead."
Mr Shearer said the development would create 400 dwellings but the government had projected a need for another 15,000 dwellings.
Planning Minister Chris Steel, inset, and Alan Ray Oval in Ainslie. Pictures by Karleen Minneyand Sitthixay Ditthavong.
One of the opponents of the plan was disappointed. "The decision is frustrating and concerning," Barbara Livesey who organised a petition against the development said.
"It means major rezoning to the Territory Plan can go ahead without real consideration of community input and feedback."
The government said the major plan amendment introduced "assessment outcomes and requirements relating to residential density, commercial uses, vehicular parking, building heights and active travel".
The amendment was out for public consultation between December 2, 2024 and February 3, 2025.
"The [Planning] Authority recommended changes to the original proposed amendment to address some concerns raised by community and to make the site more consistent with other areas in the Territory Plan," Mr Steel said.
Development will be limited to three storeys (12.5 metres) where it fronts Angas Street.
"There will be a further opportunity for the community to provide their feedback on this site. If this major plan amendment is accepted by the Assembly, a development application is required to be lodged with Territory Planning Authority setting out designs for the development," Mr Steel said.
"This will enable the community to have their say on the more detailed design elements of development on the site."
The Legislative Assembly has the power to vote to block the change after it is approved by the minister.
