Throsby development halved for parrot habitat
Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 13:31 
Superb parrot (Polytelis swainsonii). Image Stuart HarrisThe ACT Government will halve residential development potential for a new Gungahlin suburb to comply with Commonwealth environment laws to protect nationally significant threatened species.
Instead of developing land for 3500 dwellings, the government will make do with 1700 dwellings, leaving aside an area identified as habitat for the endangered superb parrot.
ACT Economic Development director David Dawes said the amount of land set aside for a nature park could be increased, making Throsby even smaller than earlier plans.
His department wants a one-off approval from the Commonwealth Government for a new Catholic secondary school site at Throsby, which has been in the planning since 2004. The Catholic Education Office estimates more than 800 students are travelling to nearby Belconnen and by next year, when a large cohort of Year 7 students finish, the existing Catholic schools in Canberra's north won't be able to accommodate them.
The archdiocese had hoped to be teaching at the Throsby high school by next year, had construction begun in the first quarter of this year on the land, north of Horse Park Drive near Harrison.
The new school has already received more than 500 intentions to enrol.
Plans have been delayed while the Commonwealth assesses the impact on critically endangered species, including the superb parrot, golden sun moth and striped legless lizard, and whether further studies are needed.
Over 9ha, the school construction would replace bushland with buildings, courtyards and play and sports areas.
The government also proposes a 25ha Throsby playing fields precinct - the largest of its kind in the Gungahlin area.
Mr Dawes has asked the Commonwealth to look at the Throsby school site on its own, rather than a full assessment of a broader area, which he said could add unnecessary cost and delay to the delivery of urgently needed education facilities to the community.
Longer term, consultants are working on a strategic offsets package, which would include revaluation of all of Gungahlin, assessment of national environmental issues and others covered by the ACT Nature Conservation Act, and new reserves to make up for loss of valuable habitat.
The Gungahlin Strategic Offsets Package would then be assessed by the Commonwealth, so that all future developments would not have to be referred individually.