The Phillip Swimming and Ice-Skating Centre (PSISC) is a privately owned ice sports and public swimming pool centre located in Phillip. In 2023 changes were made to the Territory Plan requirements for the site, which allowed for the 50-metre outdoor pool to be replaced by a 25-metre indoor pool and additional aquatic facilities, if the site was redeveloped. These changes were criticised by some members of the ACT community.

• PSISC facilities were ageing and required increased maintenance and repair activity. The site’s ongoing viability was also impacted by the announcement of a new ice sports facility to be built in Tuggeranong.
• Prior to the changes to the Territory Plan requirements ACT Government agencies had been considering the provision of future aquatic facilities on the site in light of potential redevelopment. This included consideration of the nature and size of pool facilities.
• In late October 2022 ACT Government officials recognised the opportunity to change the Territory Plan requirements for the PSISC site as part of the broader reform to the Territory planning system.

• There was no rigorous or specific analysis of needs or options for the PSISC site or Phillip pool, as it was then or into the future, that identified the proposed changes to the Territory Plan requirements for the site as appropriate.
• A Consultation Report that asserted that a needs analysis had determined that 25-metre pool would meet the community’s requirements misrepresented the nature and extent of analysis that was used to support the changes to the Territory Plan requirements.

• The report made two recommendations aimed at ensuring community needs, interests and feedback collected for planning purposes are considered and accurately presented in future changes to the Territory Plan.