Conservation Council ACT call for Canberra Brickworks

DomaGroup's Environmental Impact Assessment includes the provision that gas might be used in houses and townhouses, commercial cooking and fireplaces where "no viable electrical alternative exists".

The Conservation Council wants the proposed development, which includes 380 residential dwellings, to be an all-electric precinct.

Executive Director Helen Oakey said the impact assessment is incongruent with the ACT Government's long term climate change strategy.

"The ACT Government will soon legislate to stop new gas mains in greenfield developments, and intends to stop new gas connections in infill developments from 2023," Ms Oakey said.

"Developers who have plans in place should be heeding this and taking early action to ensure that they are not constructing new buildings that are reliant on the gas network."

A mix of houses, terraces and apartments have been planned for the 16.1 hectare site of the Old Canberra brickworks, behind the Royal Canberra Golf Club.

Ms Oakey said the buildings could expose tenants to thousands of dollars of future expense to replace gas appliances as the gas grid becomes redundant.

"DomaGroup should show environmental leadership by explicitly ruling out the supply of gas to the precinct and providing information to future homeowners about the advantages of going all-electric," Ms Oakey said.

She said the Council would like to see the ACT Government expedite their timetable for transitioning off gas to provide the building industry and community with certainty to inform investment decisions.

"Now is the time for the ACT Government to stop approving new gas infrastructure and connections," Ms Oakey said.

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