The site of the Gold Creek Homestead is on the market

It came after the agency held an engagement panel late last year to gather the views of relevant stakeholders and community members about what they wanted for the future of the site.

As part of that process, the panel created a precinct development brief with five themes they would like a successful tenderer to follow. This would be assessed through the tenders.

These included a recognition of the local history, a caring and inclusive place, sustainability and the visual character with its rural element to be retained.

This is the second time the ACT government has placed the former sheep farm on the market. In early 2018, the Suburban Land Agency called for a tender for residential care accommodation with at least 160 beds on the 4.8 hectare block.

It was taken off the market as the agency wanted to work towards a "better balance of social and financial benefits for the ACT community" and it wanted to provide more time to do this.

This followed calls from the National Trust that the homestead should be heritage-listed. The ACT Heritage Council has rejected its inclusion multiple times.

But despite it not being heritage-listed, a Suburban Land Agency spokeswoman indicated tenders which submitted plans with the homestead retained would be looked upon favourably, as the panel indicated this was important.

"That is clear through the community's development precinct brief, they have been clear because it's got that historic value they would value that element of that homestead to be retained," she said.

"It's quite valued by the community."

READ MORE:

A developer would be required to meet a green star rating of at least five, a 30 per cent tree canopy and build a public cycling and walking path through the site.

"It's not just residential aged care, it should really meet the needs of vulnerable people more broadly and that includes the aged, the young, veterans, disabled or disadvantaged people and really providing that ongoing access for the community to the site, not creating a gated community that only serves a few but really having access for the broader community," she said.

"We really hope the site becomes a destination for the broader community."

While aged care is an option for the site, the spokeswoman said the panel also wanted community facilities to ensure there was public access to the site.

A request for tenders will be opened until September 10. A successful tenderer will be announced early next year.