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  • 6 hours ago
Land next to Margaret Timpson Park in Belconnen is currently slated for community housing, but some residents want it transformed into more parkland instead. As the ACT government promises 30,000 new homes by the end of the decade, there are concerns green spaces like the park should be given greater priority.

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00:00A city rapidly expanding and still facing a serious housing shortage.
00:08But some Belconnen residents are concerned development is compromising green spaces.
00:14We did a Belconnen Town Centre survey at the start of this year
00:17and we had about 80% of people respond that they wanted to see Margaret Timpson Park be expanded.
00:21This block neighbouring the park has been empty for at least a decade and some can see an opportunity.
00:27There's so much densification happened around the Belconnen Town Centre
00:31and will continue to happen particularly the other side of the mall
00:35and so a slightly bigger community park would be much appreciated by I think those who are coming to live here.
00:42But the land is currently zoned for residential use and affordable housing advocates say it presents an important opportunity.
00:50We do see a lot of merit in building more social and affordable housing on this site.
00:56But we do also recognise that it's very important that when we are building more homes
01:00it's not just about each dwelling or each block of land.
01:03It's about ensuring that we're creating connected and inclusive communities.
01:08A petition to expand the park and rezone the empty block has drawn the support of Liberal MLA Peter Kane.
01:15He says Belconnen's ongoing development means affordable housing and green space aren't mutually exclusive.
01:22It's in the government's control how much of that is community housing, affordable housing, social housing.
01:28A slightly bigger park over what's been a hole in the ground for a decade I think would be appreciated by the people who live near here.
01:36An important balance for a growing city.
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