The National Capital Development Commission was created by the National Capital Development Commission Act 1957 which was assented to on 12 September 1957 and came into operation on 10 October of that year. The Governor-General appointed John Wallace Overall as the first Commissioner with effect from 1 March 1958 and two Associate Commissioners with effect from 8 April 1958.
 
Prior to the establishment of the Commission, planning and development in the National Capital had been carried out jointly by the Departments of the Interior [II] (CA 31) and Works [III] (CA 61).  In his Second Reading Speech, the Minister for the Interior, the Hon Allen Fairhall, stressed the need for unifying all activities involved in the development of the National Capital.  In accordance with this intention, staff were transferred from the Town Planning Section and part of the Policy Co-ordination and Development Section of the Department of the Interior [II], under Section 13 of the Act.
 
The National Capital Development Commission was a statutory corporation (Sections 3-6) with the following function: "to undertake and carry out the planning, development and construction of the city of Canberra as the National Capital of the Commonwealth" (Section 11). The Commission was obliged under the legislation to keep the Minister informed of its decision with respect to matters of policy in relation to the performance of its functions (Section 12). Its accounts were subject to audit by the Auditor-General (Section 23) and it had to present quarterly reports to the Minister as well as an Annual Report (Section 24).
 
The Act also provided for a National Capital Planning Committee to advise the Commission on the planning, development and
construction of the City of Canberra (Section 25). The committee consisted of:

 (a) the Commissioner (Chairman)
 (b) two architects, who may be selected from a list of architects 
     submitted to the Minister by The Royal Australian Institute of 
     Architects
 (c) two engineers, who may be selected from a list of engineers 
     submitted to the Minister by The Institution of Engineers,
     Australia 
 (d) two town planners, who may be selected from a list of town 
     planners submitted to the Minister by The Town Planning
     Institute of  Australia; and
 (e) two other persons with special knowledge and experience in 
     artistic or cultural matters.
 
Members of the Committee (other than the Chairman) were appointed by the Governor-General for a three-year term. The Committee was empowered to request the attendance of any public servant to assist it in its consideration of any matter.
 
Persons appointed as Commissioner were :
 
 1958-1972: J W (later Sir John) Overall
 1973     : W C Andrews
 1974-1985: A J W Powell
 1986-1989: M B M Latham
 
The Commission was abolished on 30 January 1989 and was replaced by the National Capital Planning Authority (CA 7054) on 31 January 1989 and by the Interim Territory Planning Authority of the ACT Government.
Historical agency address
by1958-by1964: MLC Building, Canberra City, ACT 
by1964-by1968: T & G Building, Canberra City, ACT
by1968-  1989: 220 Northbourne Avenue, Braddon, ACT
Legislation administered
Creation: Commonwealth of Australia Acts No 42 of 1957, National Capital Development Commission Act 1957

Subsequent agency unregistered

Feb.1989: (ACT Government) Interim Territory Planning Authority