Key Information

What DPA-14 proposes

DPA-14 is an Authority-initiated major plan amendment. It proposes to amend the Belconnen District Policy in the ACT Territory Plan to include "recycling facility" and "bulk landscape supplies" as additional assessable uses for Block 1653 Belconnen. The formal DPA-14 consultation period ran from 5 June 2026 to 20 July 2026. ACT Planning accepted late comments until 3 August 2026. The ACT Planning comment period has now ended. A separate ACT Legislative Assembly petition about DPA-14 remains open and closes on 14 September 2026. See Take Action for details on both.

Block 1653 and its relationship to Block 1582

Block 1653 Belconnen, was created by subdividing the former Block 1582. The two blocks are related: Block 1653 is a new parcel created from land that was previously part of Block 1582. This matters for the evidence base because technical studies conducted when the land was identified as Block 1582 may not address the specific characteristics, boundaries, access arrangements, or drainage of Block 1653 as a separate parcel.

Where the ACT Government relies on Block 1582 evidence to support the DPA-14 amendment for Block 1653, it must demonstrate that the evidence remains current and site-specific for the new parcel. See the Evidence Gaps page for more detail.

Location and surroundings

Block 1653 Belconnen is the site subject to the DPA-14 proposed amendment.

Who is affected

Residents in Macnamara, Strathnairn, Holt and surrounding West Belconnen suburbs may be affected if DPA-14 is approved and operations proceed. Possible impacts include traffic, odour, dust, noise, visual amenity and other operational impacts, depending on the final design, scale of operations, weather conditions, access arrangements and separation from homes and other sensitive places.

Road users on Stockdill Drive and other routes used by vehicles accessing Block 1653 Belconnen may also be affected by changes in traffic, including trailer, truck and heavy vehicle movements.

Timeline

• Public consultation opened: 5 June 2026 — closed
• Formal consultation period closed: 20 July 2026 — closed
• Late comments accepted until: 3 August 2026, according to ACT Planning — closed
• ACT Legislative Assembly petition closes: 14 September 2026 — currently open
• Decision expected:[to be confirmed — see Source Documents]

The ACT Planning comment process and the Legislative Assembly petition are separate processes. The ACT Planning comment period, including the late-comment window, has now ended. The petition remains open and goes to the ACT Legislative Assembly, not to ACT Planning. See Take Action for details.

Process: how Territory Plan amendments work

DPA-14 is a draft planning amendment under the Planning Act 2023 (ACT). Territory Plan amendments follow a statutory process:

1. The ACT Government prepares a draft amendment and supporting documents.
2. The draft is publicly notified and a consultation period opens.
3. Residents and stakeholders can make formal submissions.
4. Submissions are considered before a decision is made by the Minister for Planning.
5. Once made, the Territory Plan amendment is a legislative instrument and determines what is permissible on the affected land going forward.

Because the outcome creates permanent land-use entitlements, the standard of evidence required to support a Territory Plan amendment is correspondingly high. For the ACT Auditor-General's assessment of what that standard requires in practice, see the Auditor-General Lessons page.