ACT Zoning Changes Drive Buyer Demand Toward Belconnen, Gungahlin

The ACT government gazetted changes to the Territory Plan on 1 July 2026 that lift the cap on dual-occupancy blocks in selected RZ2 zones but impose new stormwater setbacks within 400 metres of the Gungahlin Pond.

These amendments arrive as Canberra’s median house price sits at $835,000 and the federal housing target requires the territory to deliver an extra 12,000 dwellings by 2029, yet local approvals have lagged behind that pace since the start of the financial year.

Targeted streets see faster approvals

Blocks along Aikman Drive in Belconnen and in the Palmerston section of Gungahlin now qualify for streamlined dual-occupancy applications lodged through the ACT Planning Authority, while properties near the Gungahlin Community Hub face extra environmental referrals that add eight to ten weeks to processing times. Public servants working at the nearby Belconnen office precinct have already lodged 27 applications in the first week of the new rules, according to authority records.

Clearance rates and price signals

Domain Group data for the June quarter showed Canberra auction clearance rates averaging 65 per cent, with Belconnen properties on Aikman Drive achieving 72 per cent clearance and median prices 2.4 per cent above reserve. In contrast, three Palmerston listings withdrawn last month carried asking prices 3 per cent below the $835,000 median after buyers cited the new pond setbacks. Vacancy rates across both corridors remain below 1 per cent, according to CoreLogic’s June rental report.

Prospective buyers should review the updated Territory Plan maps on the ACT Planning Authority website before making offers and factor an extra inspection for stormwater compliance on any Gungahlin Pond fringe block.