Belconnen - Urban Structure

Urban Structure

Belconnen consists of 25 suburbs, the majority of which are predominantly characterised by detached single family homes on suburban blocks. Many suburbs now also have pockets of medium density units or town houses, such as Hawker and Holt, Kaleen, Melba, Cook, Macquarie, Scullin and Page. In the suburbs of Bruce, Emu Ridge and within the Belconnen Town Centre, the bulk of housing is medium density. Residential development is still taking place in the central suburb of Bruce and the outer suburb of Dunlop in 2012. A new suburb named Lawson is proposed for development shortly, with infrastructure works already underway.

There is almost no 'heavy' industry in Belconnen, however there is some light industry and manufacturing, including automotive repair, plumbing, electrical, building, and similar services as well as small arts and crafts manufacturing and sales outlets. A variety of medical practitioners and veterinarians also service the region. There is an established artistic community which includes aspiring performing musicians, theatre groups and visual artists.

Belconnen houses a recycling industry, involving organic as well as plastic and metals collection which takes place at the Parkwood Recycling Estate on the outermost western boundary, and at the ACT government facility in Mitchell. Mitchell is zoned to allow medium to heavy industry. The Parkwood Eggs poultry farm is also situated on the western boundary, it is a significant primary industry producer providing eggs to the surrounding district.

The Westfield Belconnen shopping centre, and the surrounding Belconnen Town Centre are locations for a great deal of local commerce with large and smaller department stores, clothes retailers, car dealerships, homeware, supermarkets, and specialist grocery outlets. There are numerous restaurants and a variety of licenced premises within the Belconnen Town Centre, many close to the shores of Lake Ginninderra. The Belconnen Markets are a fresh food market area within this commercial district operating from Tuesday to Sunday during business hours. The Jamison Centre in the suburb of Macquarie is a small retail Plaza which houses two major food retailers. Kippax centre in the suburb of Holt, and the Kaleen shopping centre are of similar size, and provide similar services. The surrounding suburbs were designed each to have their own smaller shopping areas, with small supermarkets, chemists, hairdressers etc., and these continue to perform well in many suburbs, however, have failed in a number, this has been presumed to be due largely to competition of the growing town centre and oversupply of services.

The Calvary Hospital is a Public Hospital which sits within the suburb of Bruce, on the eastern side of Belconnen, it is one of Canberras two public hospitals, and, being such, is a major item of public infrastructure.

The University of Canberra (UC) stretches on an area between Calvary Hospital and the town centre, and the Canberra Institute of Technology (or CIT) occupies its own stretch of land nearby.