Queanbeyan Civic and Cultural Precinct given the green light

The Queanbeyan Civic and Cultural Precinct development was given the green light from the NSW Southern Regional Planning Panel.

It will replace the former council's administration at 257 Crawford Street, which was demolished in 2018 and 2019, and will be built next to the Lowe Street car park.

The council headquarters will move to the new precinct alongside commercial, retail and community space.

The council said more than 40 per cent of the precinct would have community spaces.

A concept design by Cox Architecture showed two buildings of three and five storeys and it would be connected to the existing Bicentennial Hall and the Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre.

It would have 6500 square metres of "public realm" space, 1450 square metres of community space, 2050 square metres of commercial space and 4000 square metres would be for council administration, this would include a shop front and a public library space.

As well, there would be a public basement parking and 100 spaces for council staff and there would be a rooftop garden.

A development application for the project was lodged in January this year.

"This is a significant milestone for this project and one that I am very pleased to see occur," Queanbeyan-Palerang mayor Tim Overall said.

"The QCCP has been subject to extensive planning and community engagement and will have a lasting impact on the Queanbeyan CBD."

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QPRC will take out a loan for the project, which they said will be paid for by merger savings, lease income and review of services.

QPRC said they hoped the building would be the catalyst for further redevelopment in the Queanbeyan CBD.

Council-owned buildings along Rutledge Street are expected to be sold next year to make way for mixed-use developments.

A tender for the construction of the development is currently opened, and QPRC said the tender should be awarded early next year.

Construction on the precinct is expected to be completed in late 2022.

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