Woolworths Wins $50m Moncrieff Mixed-Use Project

The Suburban Land Agency has awarded Woolworths Group the development tender for the Moncrieff Group Centre that will serve Canberra’s northern suburbs.

The 24,740sq m site at the corner of Horse Park and Mirrabei drives, 14km north of the Canberra CBD, is to become home to the mixed-use development comprising retail, dining, recreational and residential components.

The project includes up to 90 multi-unit homes and 16 affordable housing units alongside commercial spaces and open green areas.

Settlement took place on June 24 and Woolworths said it would begin detailed design work with the Suburban Land Agency and National Capital Design Review Panel immediately.

“We’re aiming to lodge our DA before the end of the year and from there we’ll work closely with the ACT Planning Authority towards a timely planning approval,” a Woolworths spokesperson said.

Suburban Land Agency chief executive Adam Davey said the tender decision was an exciting step forward for the Moncrieff community and would “deliver what locals have asked for—more services close to home, more green spaces and more opportunities to connect with each other”.

The development is to include sustainability features such as rooftop solar installations, electric-vehicle charging points and a 7.5-star or higher NatHERS rating.

Woolworths state manager property development NSW & ACT Wesley Dose said the Moncrieff Group Centre would “support new, quality housing supply in the region and ensure a growing community has convenient access to fresh food and household goods”.

The Moncrieff development is part of broader growth in Canberra’s Gungahlin district.

Recent planning documents indicate the district requires 5900 more homes by 2063 to meet the demands of forecast population growth.

Land in Moncrieff was released by the ACT Government between 2014 and 2017, and the community has grown steadily.

The suburb has about 2200 homes across its village-style layout, which is 4km north of the Gungahlin Town Centre.

In the neighbourhood, CF Group has proposed a 1000-home development on Block 800 Gungahlin, about 10km north of the city centre.

That 21ha site would include residential and commercial components, requiring rezoning of broadacre land north of the Federal Highway.

The new Moncrieff centre addresses long-standing resident requests for neighbourhood shopping and services within the masterplanned community.

Fabcot remains one of the most active developers in Australia and recently submitted plans for a $166-million shoptop development of 110 apartments in Sydney’s Waterloo as well as a $30-million warehouse proposal at Macquarie Park.