A bid to stop a government housing development in Canberra's inner south has failed, despite a doctor and a community group arguing the project did not adhere to the ACT's "salt and pepper" public housing policy.
The proposed development included the consolidation of two blocks in Griffith, on which four units would be built by Housing ACT.
The site has been used for public housing since 1999.
But community members went to the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal with 11 concerns, including disability requirements and what they said was a failure of the territory government's usual public housing approach.
Failure to 'salt and pepper'
The ACT government uses a "salt and pepper" policy, meaning social housing is designed to be scattered throughout suburbs.
Submissions to the tribunal said the development application was a policy failure because 70 per cent of the street would be public housing if construction went ahead.
An argument was made for the land to be sold and the money used for other developments.
But the "peppering" technique is not a game of precise percentages.
It is a "high-level policy" to show the territory government's approach to bettering social housing, the Commissioner for Social Housing, who was defending the development application, told the tribunal.
The commissioner did concede that clusters of social housing could have more than just an "environmental" impact on the street.
'Inadequate' accessibility
Four of the arguments against the development were explicitly about limited accessibility for vulnerable residents.
The doctor argued the development plans were not fit for the purpose of supportive housing; a kind of dwelling is designed to provide help to residents with additional needs, or those who need a safe, long-term home to live in.
His concerns were echoed by the community group.
Submissions to the tribunal said a driveway - which would replace two existing ones - was too steep and would not be an "accessible path".
They also said bin collection at the site would be difficult for frail or unwell residents as a result of the steep driveway.
An alternate bin collection service had been proposed by the ACT government, but the community group said the tribunal should not accept it as "adequate".
Arguments against the design of a "continuous pathway" were also made by the doctor, in which he said fences and gates made the paths inaccessible for disabled residents.
These submissions were rejected by ACAT, though when handing down their decision, tribunal members said care should be taken to make sure the driveway did not slope too far once built.
A revised floor plan was tabled before the tribunal to address concerns about adequate circulation space for wheelchairs to move in the homes, and more space around beds in several apartments was added as a result.
Amber light for development
The doctor's proceedings against the development began on August 25, 2023, separately to proceedings by the Griffith Narrabundah Community Association, which began on September 4 the same year.
The proceedings were then heard together.
The community made other arguments, including that the housing design differed too much from other houses on the street and overshadowing of a neighbouring building.
But the development application was granted additional approval following ACAT's handing down of a decision in May.
Reasons were published on September 10.
Some minor changes to the plans were ordered by the commissioner, including a restriction on Crown lease variations for supportive housing.
The driveway design was endorsed provided it met slope requirements when built.
