Postal Address: PO Box 3701 Weston Creek 2611

Phone: 6288 8975

Fax: 6288 9179

Web Site http://www2.dynamite.com.au/wccc

Bob Sutherland welcomed the committee and members of the public. The guest speakers were Colonel Paul Appleton, Defence Force Staff College and Tony Beauchamp, Defence Housing Authority. Bob also acknowledged the attendance of Annette Ellis MP., Simon Corbell MLA and Ted Quinlan MLA.

Bob Sutherland reminded the meeting that the WCCC sincerely thanked the Royals Football Club for their continued support in providing a room for the monthly meetings of the WCCC. Once again we needed the auditorium to hold the 80+ attendees. Bob indicated that although a number of issues have been raised in the preceding weeks with the WCCC the meeting would focus specifically on two of these, namely the Defence Force College - Stirling/Holder infill and the electoral boundary changes.

The meeting was advised that the Weston Creek Community Service (no connection to the WCCC) was still looking for volunteers to assist with their assistance programs. Other issues to be held over include;

• Use of closed service station sites
• Liardet Street, Weston traffic problems
• Blackwood Terrace, Holder pedestrian crossing.

Superintendent Chris Lines, AFP

Bob Sutherland provided an overview of the background to the decision of the Federal Parliamentary Committee of Public Works, which recommended the collocation of Australia's Defence Force Colleges from various sites around the Australia to the Cotter Road site. Paul Appleton would speak on the Defence Force College courses and Tony Beauchamp would provide details on the housing requirements for the staff and students.

Paul provided an overview of the location of other staff colleges and the types of training they provide for the Defence Force staff. These colleges from Sydney, Queenscliff, Vic and RAAF Fairbairn were to be collocated with existing teaching courses at the Cotter Road site.

The students would be equivalent or higher rank of major, many would be at the College accompanied by their family. The courses could range in duration from 12 months to 3 years. There would be no student accommodation on site.

Tony Beauchamp from Defence Housing Authority introduced to the meeting Robb Gourgaud, Construction Manager, and Mike Breen from the consulting traffic engineers, Hughes, Trueman and Reinhold. Tony indicated that 100 houses were required and that approximately 50 were to be built on the Streeton Drive site and they were looking at the possibility of building others on a site adjacent to the former Holder High School.

Tony indicated that that DHA were offered the parcel of land in Streeton Drive, Stirling from the ACT Government as part of the normal land release program. The land had been identified as residential purposes in the Territory plan. It was indicated that that an access road would be provided from Streeton Drive to an internal road network and that approximately 50 houses would be built. These would range from 2/3/4 bedrooms with some single and double storey townhouses. The exact configuration was yet to be determined.

Robb advised the meeting of the construction details including commencement in June 2000, completion in December 2000 and occupation in January 2001 to start the new academic year at the Defence College.

Mike Breen provided the meeting with an overview of possible options for traffic measures in Streeton Drive to cope with the increased traffic and to improve pedestrian access and safety.

• Why is there a requirement for a roundabout on the Cotter Road?
• Is there any information on the extent of the increased delays for traffic exiting Weston Creek?
• What is the impact on the congestion at the Streeton Drive/Cotter Road intersection, which is already overloaded at peak times and you cannot even get through when the lights are green.
• Is the 'form one lane' problem to be removed by duplication?
• Will giving way at a roundabout exacerbate the problems at the 'form one lane'?
• Are traffic lights being considered?
• Are there any other options for an entry?
• Could a tunnel under from the Cotter Road (from the western- parkway side) be considered, to go under Cotter Rd? [Similar to that at CSIRO under Barry Drive to Dryandra Street].
• Will the roundabout be double lane? [Like Cotter Road/Lady Denman Drive].
• Can the lanes from the proposed roundabout to the parkway over-pass be double lanes?
• Can the single lane from Streeton Drive uphill to the roundabout be double even if the downhill lane remains single?
• Will the external lighting from the extra Defence College buildings adversely affect Mt Stromlo?

• Why is the exact number of dwellings at the Streeton Drive Site not known?
• What type of dwellings will be built?
• What will be the effect on bird life?
• Why is a previously zoned open space being used?
• Why can't other sites in Weston Creek be considered?
• How many trees are to be removed?
• How will children cross Streeton Drive to Rivett Primary?
• Will students from Rivett still have access to Canberra College (Stirling Campus)?
• How long will the tenants stay in the houses?
• When will the plans be open for public comment?
• How may houses will have direct driveways onto Stretton Drive

• Why are speed humps being placed on a main road like Stretton Drive?
• How big are the pedestrian refuges? [Compared with Namitjira Drive and/or Badimara Street].
• How will cars get past buses stopped at bus stops on Streeton Drive, which are alongside pedestrian refuges?
• Will the options on the plan increase congestion on the road?
• Will there be turning lanes?
• Are pedestrian lights to be installed
• Why can't a proper intersection be formed at Bangalay Cres?
• When will plans be available to comment on?
• Could the raised speed humps be moved further along the road to help slow traffic near where parents drop off and collect children for Chapman Primary School?
• Will the pedestrian refuges help children move to Rivett primary and Canberra College -Stirling? Will they be opposite existing footpaths?
• Will the options for Streeton Drive be available for public comment in DA?

• What was the area adjacent to the former Holder High which was to be used for Houses?
• How many were expected to be built?
• Were the ovals to be used for houses?
• Is there any documentation available for public use?
• When will the ACT government advise residents?
• Why does DHA know so little?
• What is the effect on the use of the current building and the adjacent primary school?

Bob Sutherland thanked the visiting speakers: Paul, Tony, Robb and Mike. The WCCC would continue to monitor developments and would pass on all the questions raised to the ACT Government. The WCCC will continue to make appropriate representations on these issues.

Bob Sutherland summarised for the meeting the 4 options for electoral boundary redistribution proposed by the ACT Electoral Commission. There did, however, need to be an uneven number of electorates; no electorates could have an even number of members and no electorate could have less than 5 members. The model currently in use in the ACT was agreed by a referendum of the ACT people several years ago and this model was still in use. The electorates are Molonglo, Ginninderra and Brindabella.

It was possible for several approaches to be considered to re-align population numbers between electorates.

• The electorate of Molonglo could continue to include Weston Creek and move some northern suburbs to the Ginninderra electorate
• Weston Creek could join Belconnen and leave Molonglo and join Ginninderra
• Weston Creek could join Tuggeranong and be part of Brindabella

The discussion focused on the best outcome for Weston Creek. It was agreed that Weston Creek should remain complete and not be segregated in any way. It was also agreed that it was more advantageous for Weston Creek to be included in the 7-member electorate because, in the short history of the ACT Assembly, the 7-member electorate determined the Government of the day.

The meeting agreed that Bob Sutherland was to develop a submission on behalf of the WCCC. Mr Sutherland encouraged individuals to also lodge submissions by the 15 March 2000.

Next Meeting will be 22 March 2000

Meeting closed at 9.50 pm