Reid Housing Precinct

Why is it Significant?

A key example of housing and landscape planned by the Federal Capital Commission in the early development of Canberra.  The housing was specially designed for Canberra and exhibits influences of Arts and Crafts, Georgian Revival and Mediterranean Georgian styles.  The planning around public gardens with axial walkways followed the precepts of English Garden Suburb planning.

Why is it at Risk?

The absence of a conservation management plan for Reid is a major contributor to the ongoing decline of the original Garden City design heritage values.  The heritage fabric of the precinct is being allowed to run down, municipal worksare often inconsistent with the stated heritage values and a lack meaningful compliance action by ACT Government is compromising heritage values which have resulted in deterioration of values.

What needs to be done?

• Adoption of a Conservation Management Plan for Reid by the ACT Government that has the support of the key stakeholders including residents;
• Consistent action by the ACT Government to ensure compliance with existing mandatory and other heritage guidelines for Reid as well as ACTPLA’s building, land use and other regulations or requirements relating to renovations, extensions or redevelopment;
• ACT Government to ensure that ongoing breaches of regulation are followed up with warnings or penalties (eg flagrant parking of vehicles on verges that is clearly degrading the surface vegetation, impacting and/or eroding the soil, and putting the health of street trees at risk).