Canberra is growing and changing. As the City Centre’s resident and worker population grow, and Canberra becomes a more compact city, the importance of providing equitable and accessible social infrastructure increases.

Urbis worked closely with the Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate (EPSDD) to assess the current capacity for social infrastructure and future needs in the City Centre. This included benchmarking assessment, analysis of base practice case studies, and consultation with other ACT Government Directorates.

The study will help the EPSDD take a more contemporary approach to planning social infrastructure in the City Centre to support the growing Canberra region. Key recommendations included determining the City Centre as the preferred location for regional social infrastructure, integrating several community facilities and services into a model of “community hub,” and adopting an imaginative and place-based approach to the future planning of social infrastructure.

The EPSDD has taken a contemporary approach to planning social infrastructure in the city centre to support the growing Canberra region.