Development of Muirhead North by DHA - Lee Point

Written on 06 November 2018.

5.11.2018

Dear Friends,

1. Over the years the DHA has been developing Lee Point, successively working northwards, first with Lyons, and then with Muirhead. It is now in the process of developing the last available northern parts, on either side of Lee Point Road.

2. DHA is an agency of the Commonwealth Department of Defence, and its brief is to build housing for defence families who are stationed in various bases around Australia.

3. It is a major developer on the Darwin scene, but uses its own guidelines. These are not always seen as suitable for sustainable tropical living.

For instance, DHA is responsible for the demolition of hundreds of naturally breeze cooled louvred elevated houses on the RAAF land at Winnellie.

4. The current NT Planning Notices at 'https://www.ntlis.nt.gov.au/planning/lta.dar.list’, or Search 'Development applications on line’, includes a copy of the current DHA application (yellow shading ) for new development at Muirhead North ( blank at Lot 9730), above the already developed part of Muirhead.

It is reproduced here, and below the long established Morandini Caravan and Camping Resort. This copy here is not an active copy. The total application does not need to be studied in all aspects.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

[View Proposal][Make Submission]

Address:

Lot 09370 Town of Nightcliff
544 LEE POINT RD
LEE POINT

Town Planning Zone:

FD (Future Development)

Description of Proposal:

Subdivision to create 283 lots in five stages

Consent Authority:

Development Consent Authority (Darwin Division)

Exhibition period:

Friday, 26 October 2018 - 12 Midnight Friday, 09 November 2018

Applicants:

Northern Planning Consultants Pty Ltd

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5. What we think may concern many Darwin residents is the number, and proposed size of the lots. This is why we are drawing it to your attention urgently.

Map of proposed Muirhead North development covering 51.17 hectares in total. The colours are for differentiation but are not formal zones.

The sizes are as follows:

5.1 Lots 4000 square metres (sm's), and larger (biting insects at Leanyer Swamp)) = 32 lots, or 12% of total lots.

5.2 Lots 600 -700sm = 62 lots, or 24% of total lots.

5.3 Lots 540 - 599sm = 56 lots, or 22% of total lots.

5.4 Lots 450 - 539sm = 110 lots, or 42% of total lots.

This means that 64% of these residential lots would be less than 599sm, with the most available homes being just 450-539sm.

PROPERTY DESCRIPTION LOT 9370 ON S901068

LEGEND
SUBJECT SITE

TOTAL AREA

51.17 ha

PLANNERS
URBAN DESIGNERS SURVEYORS
ENGINEERS
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS

MN OVERALL PROPOSAL PLAN

544 LEE POINT ROAD, LEE POINT, DARWIN

DEFENCE HOUSING AUSTRALIA

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

6. We are extremely concerned about the suitability of these small lots for living in the tropics. There are examples of similar homes now being built on the RAAF base where you can see them crowded together, with almost no back gardens at all. Simply speaking, they are just not suitable for tropical suburbs.

As the long term future of Darwin and its families is involved we should not be limited to DHA’s first thoughts for layout in the ‘exploitation' of these rare pieces of remaining good suburban land.

They are very close together. The ‘building envelopes' provide very little space between the actual houses, and between the houses and their fences, so that there is virtually no space for trees for natural shade. No room on the lot for a boat, and very little for a barbecue with family or neighbours. Where will the children play ? Not in the street either. Street trees lining roads do not shade homes.

We are told by DHA staff that these houses must have air-conditioning to every room, making for dependence on artificial cooling, and a big added pull on Darwin's electrical generation. These are ‘solid houses’. We cannot asses ‘orientation, but the overall layout appears to limit it severely. With dependence on public transport, the roads look narrow. What about garbage trucks and deliveries.

During Prince Harry’s recent visit, we have heard a lot about PSTD, amongst defence personnel. Small house lots cannot provide separation and space when individuals, spouses, and children families need it for their mental health. Also there is nowhere for a wife to keep a guard dog, or house a big boat. There are no front fences, so that the front gardens can be enjoyed for relaxation.

7. HOW TO MAKE A SUBMISSION

Submissions become part of the public record, and are be considered by the Development Consent Authority (DCA). Anyone in the public can attend a DCA Hearing. But submitters have a right to speak.

There are several ways of making a submission in your own words, including your points, and name and address, and make a copy of it to keep.

7.1 An easy way is to go into the live online NT Planning Notices (www.ntlis.nt.gov.au/planning') above, and send it by clicking ‘Make Submission’ at the bottom the relevant online map.

7.2 Another is to compose a submission to The Director, Development Assessment Services, and send it by email to:

‘This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.’ OR. ‘This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.'

7.3 If you are submitting a hard copy, it must be posted in time to:

The Director,

Development Assessment Services,

Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics,

GPO Box 1680,

Darwin, NT 0801

7.4 OR Hand deliver by 4pm on 9 November, 2018 to the counter at the First Floor, Energy House, 18-20 Cavenagh Street, Darwin.

8. VERY IMPORTANT ADDITIONAL NOTE

It is important that many people now make submissions, however short, on this application for the subdivision of lots at Muirhead North, as outlined above.

This is especially important because, when the parallel DHA subdivision application for the over 500 lots, on 132 hectares, on the sea side of Lee Point Road, was public exhibited last year, from 1 December to 15 December, 2017, that it is at Darwin’s holiday time, only one submission was received.

We need your help to demonstrate that people are committed to consultation, and that their views need to be heard and taken seriously.,

It is PLan’s view that the application for the first subdivision (2CRU) must be re-exhibited to allow a proper consultation processes. The public is currently unaware of major issues there.

DHA has kept the development quiet.

The 2CRU site has additional considerations to be addressed in relation to the land clearing, the impact on Casuarina Coastal Coastal Reserve, the proposed 2X12 storey buildings in a tourist precinct, and the need, or otherwise for a neighbourhood development. This is a beautiful piece of land which demands respect if it is to be cleared.

Perhaps you will agree that the ‘forgotten application' should be re-exhibited in the first half of 2019. Many cannot see the current Darwin urgency for the development of 700 new lots at Lee Point, and that it may be better to have an attitude to wait and see.

Please consider this issue seriously.

Regards,

M A CLINCH

PLan: the Planning Action Network, Inc