The developer working to transform the long-dormant Braddon bowls club site says he wants to incorporate community spaces and sports in a boutique residential project.
Nik Bulum, who bought the site more than a decade ago, said he had listened to the community and applied for rezoning to allow residential development on the northern part of the block.
But more feedback had prompted him to take a different approach that would allow padel or pickleball courts to be built underneath new apartments, he said.
"There's no padel in the area or pickleball. So I'm exploring that and I'll open up to the community for other ideas," Mr Bulum said.
"I might be missing something that I'm not thinking about. I don't mind having a pottery workshop where people can come and learn. There's lots of things that can happen there."
A parliamentary committee issued sharp criticism of the project on Friday, condemning an "extraordinary" last-minute request to change a rezoning proposal for the former inner city bowls club.
That request had showed the developer had failed to complete basic due diligence and consultation needed for a high-quality proposal, the Assembly inquiry said.
Mr Bulum said he had listened to the community and changed tack to seek permission for residential alongside commercial uses.
"Otherwise I can stick with RZ4 and just do [residential] and lock the community out of a site that I'm willing to open up so that people can use," he said on Sunday.
The committee considering the plan to rezone the former City Bowling Club site said the planning minister should withdraw the proposal and let the developer make a new rezoning application.
"If spot rezonings are to occur, a higher level of consideration needs to go into the planning work than was evident in this proposal," the Legislative Assembly committee said.
A draft amendment to the Territory Plan had in February sought to rezone the northern part of the former bowls club site - between Elder Street and Farrer Street - from CZ6 Leisure and Accommodation to RZ4 Medium Density Residential.
In June, Mr Bulum emailed the Assembly's environment and planning standing committee to say he wanted the committee to consider updating the rezoning proposal to retain CZ6 zoning and allow residential as an additional permitted use, along with similar height controls as the RZ4 zone.
"In developing plans for this site, I have taken the time to listen carefully to community feedback and concerns," Mr Bulum wrote.
"A consistent theme raised by local residents is the fear that continued residential development may result in the loss of community connection, open spaces, and opportunities for social interaction. I believe these concerns are valid and should be addressed through thoughtful planning outcomes."
The committee said the draft major plan should be withdrawn and a revised proposal submitted given the plans now differed materially from the one originally referred to the committee.
"The committee notes the extraordinary request by the proponent of the DPA to amend the proposal after the minister had referred it to the committee," the committee said in a report released on Friday.
"This demonstrates that the proponent themselves has not genuinely thought through their development and have not performed the basic due diligence and consultation required to develop a high-quality proposal that engages with valid local concerns.
"As well as reflecting a very poor process and approach to project management, such an amendment is not in the committees power to approve. The committee is also concerned that the proposed amended DPA fails to address the concerns raised in evidence to this inquiry."
Planning Minister Chris Steel told the committee's inquiry in June the ACT Planning Authority would need to further consider the issues raised by the possible change to the rezoning proposal.
The committee's report noted the lack of support among local residents and the information provided in the draft plan amendment had neither convinced the community nor the committee to support it.
"The committee accepts that this site is close to the city with its civic functions, major employment and commercial uses, public transport and access to open space areas. All of these support higher levels of densification," the committee said.
"But at the same time, the landscape and built form elements that define the established residential area have to be considered in a new development and rezoning proposal.
"In its present form and based on the views submitted to the committee, this proposal is considered inconsistent with the planning framework, including the district strategy."
Mr Bulum bought the former Canberra Bowls Club block in 2015 from the Ainslie Group, and the following year revealed intentions to build a "vibrant community hub" featuring a restaurant, new resort-style pool, free outdoor cinema, day spa and boutique hotel.
But Mr Bulum put plans for serviced apartments on hold in 2023 and earlier this year released separate, scaled-back plans for a hotel on the southern part of the site.
