Ginninderry has been recognised for its commitment to effective stakeholder and community engagement by winning the Planning Institute of Australia’s (ACT) 2016 Award for Public Engagement and Community Planning.

Joint venture partners, the ACT Government and Riverview Developments, welcomed the announcement as the development prepares for its first land sales release in early 2017.

Riverview Developments CEO David Maxwell said Ginninderry has community consultation at the core of its approach.

“Our community consultation method is based on a genuine respect for the community and the natural environment,” Mr Maxwell said. “It is absolutely transparent in engaging with the community and is complemented by a strong desire to involve the community in plans for the long-term future and vision of Ginninderry”.

“Receiving this award from the Planning Institute of Australia (ACT) is a true testament to all of the work that has been done to date and we thank everyone who has helped make this possible.”

In a tight contest for the award the judging panel labelled both finalists ‘exceptional’ and said they were ‘delighted to see a public and a private sector entry in this category, reflecting the depth of experience and scope of public engagement undertaken’. The commendation was awarded to the Minister for Planning’s Statement of Planning Intent Community Engagement by the ACT Environment and Planning Directorate and Elton Consulting.

Ginninderry will now be included in the PIA National Awards for Planning Excellence in May 2017.

Ginninderry will consist of four suburbs, three in the ACT and one in New South Wales (subject to rezoning approval), with the first of these being Strathnairn and Macnamara.

With the potential to deliver up to 11,500 new homes accommodating about 30,000 people by 2055, it will set a new benchmark in liveability by building a community that provides diverse, affordable and inclusive places to live, work and play.