Controversial Defence Housing development to be halved

One group said the new proposal "demonstrates the power of the people" but vowed to continue pushing for the entire development to be scrapped.

DHA had planned to develop 443 homes on 47 hectares of land at the former Belconnen Naval Station, with a mix of houses and multi-unit blocks.

To be delivered over two stages, the proposal included 150 homes for defence employees and their families, while the remaining 293 homes would be sold to the public.

Conservationists and residents slammed the proposal in 2021, saying the development would destroy grasslands that were home to hundreds of native plant and animal species.

There were also concerns the estate proposal would more than double the existing housing allowance for the area, under the territory plan at the time.

Despite the concerns, the plans were submitted to the federal environment department in 2022.

It was deemed a controlled action by the department in late 2022, requiring assessment and approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act before it can proceed.

The department received about 100 public comments on the referral, which included concerns about the impact on threatened species, heritage values and traffic.

In December 2023, Defence Housing submitted a variation to the proposal seeking to reduce the project area by about 23 hectares.

"This action was in response to concerns regarding potential impacts on biodiversity, heritage, values, access, and parking with DHA conducting a thorough investigation to redesign the master plan," a DHA spokesperson said.

The new master plan would see 24 hectares of the site developed in one stage. The number of homes would be reduced to 148, including 99 homes for defence families.

The environment department approved the variation request in January.

The variation also includes a significant reduction in the area of golden sun moth habitat that would be developed on.

Originally the project would have had a direct impact on 18 per cent of the identified 89.5 hectares of golden sun moth habitat that would be "permanent and irreversible", the variation request stated.

The revised plan would develop 4.8 per cent of the habitat instead.

Elle Lawless, executive director at the Conservation Council ACT Region, said the Canberra community had been vocal against the development since 2020.

"The variation in the proposed development at Lawson grasslands demonstrates the power of the people to create better outcomes for nature," she said.

"It's because of community submissions, political pressure and public protests that the proposed project area has been reduced in size."

But the new proposal would still destroy critically endangered grasslands and woodland, Ms Lawless said.

As well as the golden sun moth, species such as the striped legless lizard and the gang-gang cockatoo were all at risk if the development was to continue, she said.

"In a biodiversity crisis this is unacceptable and is pushing our wildlife towards extinction," she said.

DHA is now preparing an environment impact statement as required by the federal environment department.

A spokesperson for DHA said the statement was due to be completed in 2025.

Ms Lawless said the project still faced a "significant hurdle" as to whether it would be approved or rejected under the EPBC Act.

"The Conservation Council and the Canberra community will continue to push for the whole of Lawson grasslands to be protected," she said.