The Belconnen Community Council (BCC) welcomes the release of the Connect Up 2617 findings report, which provides vital insights on the social wellbeing of residents in Belconnen and Bruce.
The BCC was proud to participate in the project’s advisory group and acknowledges the researchers and community members who contributed to this important work.
“This is exactly the kind of community-led evidence base we need to drive better outcomes for Belconnen residents,” said BCC Chair Lachlan Butler.
A central finding of the report is the lack of social infrastructure and accessible third places for people to gather in the Belconnen Town Centre, and the clear impact this is having on the wellbeing of the people who live, work, and socialise in the area. For the BCC, this confirms long-standing concerns consistently raised by residents.
While the Council recognises the efforts of individual ACT Government directorates, the findings show that siloed work may not be delivering the improvements needed on the ACT’s wellbeing indicators.
“The dial simply isn’t shifting enough, and we need a dedicated cross-directorate mechanism to coordinate and deliver social infrastructure in our town centres,” said Mr Butler. “No single directorate can do this alone.”
The BCC also highlights a fundamental tension: the ACT Government has encouraged and financially benefited from, the rapid densification of the Belconnen Town Centre. With that growth comes a responsibility to invest proportionally in the public realm, community spaces, and local amenity that make higher-density living viable.
“You can’t continue driving density and collecting the revenue while failing to deliver the social infrastructure that makes density work,” said Mr Butler. “Our community deserves a fair return on its contribution.”
The BCC calls on the ACT Government to respond to the Connect Up 2617 findings with a concrete action plan, including a funded, coordinated mechanism for social infrastructure and the cohesive uplift of the Belconnen Town Centre across the public realm, transport, employment, streetscapes, and strategic planning.
About the Belconnen Community Council
- The Belconnen Community Council (BCC) is a non-partisan, volunteer-driven organisation that aims to be at the forefront of advocating for our region, making it an even more attractive place to live, work, and enjoy life.
- The BCC represents the interests of its members and the community to the ACT Government and other stakeholders on various matters affecting the people who live, work, and play in the Belconnen District.
- The Belconnen Community Council receives support and funding from the ACT Government
Media Contact
Lachlan Butler
Chair, Belconnen Community Council
Phone: 0438 458 220 | Email: chair@belconnen.org.au