2016 National Landscape Architecture Awards: Award for Land Conservation

Jury comment

The West Belconnen Landscape and Open Space Strategy project firmly shakes off the belief that greenfield development is always bad for the environment. With conservation at its core, the project paves a way for a new community of thirty thousand people to share their environment with threatened species, while also providing opportunities for more traditional recreational activity. Incorporating historical landfill sites, the plans show protection of specialized natural habitats, enhancement of ecological features, and opportunities for large-scale revegetation. This is balanced with the provision of space for renewable energy projects, community facilities and urban agriculture. The strategy is focused on positioning West Belconnen as a world-leading green community.