Suburban Land Agency | Gold Creek Homestead Precinct Development

Gold Creek Homestead Precinct Development

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Gold Creek Homestead

Gold Creek Homestead

Development Application (DA) - Update

Lendlease have lodged the DA with the Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate (EPSDD) for the new Gold Creek Homestead Precinct.

The DA key elements include the delivery of 45 premium retirement villas delivered as an addition to the adjoining village, The Grove Ngunnawal, as well as the restoration and activation of the central precinct, which includes original Gold Creek Homestead elements and surrounding grounds. In addition there are plans for a new 118 bed Residential Aged Care facility creating a continuum of care offering and community spaces for both the public and residents of The Grove to enjoy.

The team has also submitted the Statement of Heritage Effect (SHE) for approval by ACT Heritage following excavation works undertaken in accordance with the sites Cultural Heritage Assessment.

For more information and to be kept updated, please visit Lendlease’s website www.visitgoldcreek.com.au

Community Engagement

As part of their agreement with ACT Government, the successful tenderer, Lendlease is fulfilling community engagement as the project evolves.

Phase 1 - Tender concepts and preliminary plan - complete

This phase was guided by community preferences identified in earlier engagement by the Suburban Land Agency. Key phase 1 engagement activities included stakeholder research and development of engagement tools including key messages, web site, frequently asked questions, preliminary plan imagery and letterbox drop.

The Preliminary Plan was presented to the community in September 2021 during Phase 1 Tender Concepts engagement.

Given the impact of Covid 19, all personal interaction was virtual, via video meetings, telephone calls, emails and letters.

Phase 2 - Concept design - complete

Feedback received in Phase 1 informed refinements to the Concept Plan presented to the community in late October 2021.

Phase 3 - Pre Development Application – complete

Community feedback from Phase 3 will be reflected in the plan that will be included in the Lendlease Development Application. This is expected to be made in the coming months.

Engagement activities have included the project website, virtual live community engagement sessions, stakeholder meetings (virtual and face-to-face), virtual ideas wall and stakeholder surveys.

Successful Tenderer Announced

Successful negotiations with the preferred tenderer Lendlease have resulted in a signed contract for the Gold Creek Homestead in Gungahlin, northside’s historic precinct located off Gungahlin Drive.

Lendlease were announced as the preferred tenderer in March 2021. Their tender concept best captured the place and community values of the historic site, ensuring Gold Creek Homestead’s preservation in the future and is the exciting start into the next chapter of its history for this site.

Based on Lendlease’s successful tender concept, the future redevelopment will deliver 45 independent living units and a residential aged care facility. In addition, the original Gold Creek Homestead, Stone Hut Kitchen and Slab Hut will be conserved and restored. Surrounding gardens will be accessible to the wider community for use.

Future uses and potential tenants will be explored through the ongoing community engagement process led by Lendlease. A public walking and cycling link through the site will connect nearby residents from Maray Place and the existing path along Gungahlin Drive to the Homestead historic precinct.

Lendlease will work to continue to refine their development concept as they work towards lodging a development application (DA). Following a successful DA, settlement of the site and construction of this exciting development for the community will occur.

For further information on the precinct please visit www.visitgoldcreek.com.au.

Preferred Tenderer Announced

The Suburban Land Agency (SLA) is pleased to announce Lendlease as the preferred tenderer for the Gold Creek Homestead Precinct, following their proposal responding to a nationally advertised Request for Tender (RFT) process. The RFT asked for an innovative design and development proposal for a benchmark community precinct that responded to a Precinct Development Brief established by a community and stakeholder panel in 2019.

Key themes important to the community and stakeholder panel included a desired visual character as a ‘rural oasis’ and adaptive re-use strategies to retain the historic elements of the Homestead. The future purpose and use of the site offering care and support for those in need was a key aspect.

Lendlease’s unique proposal articulates a well thought-out design and development for residential aged care, retirement living and community facilities by restoring and opening the historic Homestead and slab hut to the broader community and adding a kitchen garden and improved existing gardens. Further benefits to the local community are a public cross-block walking and cycling link through the site, a 5 Green Star Communities Rating for the future development and 30% tree canopy cover and 30% permeable surface cover across the site.

The SLA will now enter into negotiations with the preferred tenderer to agree principles for project delivery and ongoing community engagement, prior to exchanging contracts for the sale of the site.

Commendation at the 2020 Planning Institute of Australia
ACT Awards for Planning Excellence

We are delighted to announce that the Suburban Land Agency, Communication Link, Place Laboratory and Philip Leeson Architects were recognised for the place-led engagement for Ngunnawal Gold Creek Homestead through a Commendation at the 2020 PIA (Planning Institute of Australia) ACT Awards for Planning Excellence for Public Engagement and Community Planning.

It has been a privilege and honour to receive this industry recognition, which is a testament to the dedication of the Ngunnawal Gold Creek Community & Stakeholder Panel (the Panel) and the passion and care members demonstrated when developing the Precinct Development Brief. The Panel clearly articulated what success would look like for redeveloping the site and the brief has been front and centre of the RFT during the land sale process. We are confident that it will drive a great place outcome for the broader community.

To view the 2020 PIA ACT Public Engagement and Community Planning commendation announcement and an acceptance speech from Suburban Land Agency CEO John Dietz please click here (the announcement starts at 30:15).

Tender Closed

The Gold Creek Homestead site (Ngunnawal Section 23 Block 109) was released to the market for sale on 23 June 2020. We are pleased to announce that the Request For Tender (RFT) closed on the 15th October 2020 and the evaluation process is currently underway. We are hoping to have a preferred tenderer selected and be in the position to provide further updates early in the new year.

The RFT asked for innovative concept designs and development proposals in response to the Precinct Development Brief from the Gold Creek Homestead Community and Stakeholder Panel. All tender proposals will be assessed against the community’s brief and other financial and non-financial criteria. Minimum requirements will apply to the redevelopment of the site, such as a minimum of 5 Green Star Communities Rating, 30% tree canopy cover and 30% permeable surface cover, and a public footpath and cycle link through the site to better connect the local community to the precinct. SLA sought innovative proposals from the industry that respect the historic nature of the site and establish a benchmark community precinct.

Background

The Ngunnawal Gold Creek Homestead (Block 109 Section 23) in Gungahlin was acquired by the ACT Government in 1998. It is bound by Monty Place, Gungahlin Drive and neighbouring residences.

Approximately 8,000m2 of the 4.8ha site is home to the remnant Gold Creek Homestead dating back to 1860.

Today the remnant structures and surrounding gardens of the homestead create a distinct sense of arrival when entering the site, especially apparent through its location within the development area.

Very little of the original homestead building fabric remains. Much of the original cottage has been lost or compromised by unsympathetic modifications and the building is in very poor condition.

The ACT Heritage Council considered several heritage nomination applications in 1999, 2009 and 2018 to register any of the homestead structures, however it found no formal heritage value and therefore no grounds for heritage listing and inclusion on the Heritage Register.

The Suburban Land Agency is facilitating a community engagement process to capture the community values before the site is put to the market. To do this, an independently facilitated community and stakeholder panel has been formed.

This approach will help Proponents interested in the Tender for the Sale of the Land to formulate a design response for the site that takes into account community and historic place values and offers a financial return to the Territory for the sale of the site.

Gold Creek Homestead Map

The Panel

The Gold Creek Homestead Community and Stakeholder Panel process presents an opportunity to capture the place and community values of this historic site so it can be considered and preserved in the future development of the site.

The panel processes will support key community representatives to:

articulate clearly the community values of the site and
to identify non-financial site objectives and development principles.

The Panel will be working with place planning consultants who are preparing a Precinct Development Brief based on the Panel’s discussion and input.

The community panel is comprised of a diverse mix of local residents and key stakeholders who have expressed interest in helping to determine the future of the Homestead site.

Get involved

There are a number of ways that you can get involved during this project:

Register to stay up to date on the project and related events;
Visit this site frequently to follow the discussion of the Community and Stakeholder Panel;
Send us an email to provide us with your thoughts on how you value the Homestead site and we can forward it to the panel for their consideration.