Exhibition Period: Friday, 24 October 2025 – Midnight Friday, 7 November 2025
Address: Lot 09742 Town of Nightcliff, 107 DICK WARD DR
COCONUT GROVE
Lot 09743 Town of Nightcliff, 115 DICK WARD DR
COCONUT GROVE
Current Zones: CP (Community Purpose)
Proposed Development:
Changes to the development approved by DP24/0106 for the purpose of extending the time limit to allow the community centre to operate from 21 September 2026 until 20 September 2029.
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Proposed Development
This application seeks a development permit for the use of the subject land and existing buildings from 20 September
2026 until 20 September 2029. Condition 6 of DP24/0106 stipulates:
- The use of the land for the purpose of community centre (day services) must cease within 2 years of from
the date of issue of the Certificate of Occupancy.
The Certificate of Occupancy (Attachment D) was issued on 20 September 2024. In effect, this application comprises
an application for an amendment to DP24/0106 for use of the existing site and buildings as a community centre (day
services) until 20 September 2029.
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The purpose of this application is to provide sufficient time to enable the selection, procurement, design,
development and occupation of a permanent site and facility. Together with the Larrakia Nation Aboriginal
Corporation Pty Ltd, St Vincent de Paul have been part of an inter-agency Project Control Group with Northern
Territory Government representatives to locate crown land available for Direct Application under the Release of
Crown Land Policy and pursuant to the Northern Territory Crown Lands Act 1992. The Project Control Group meets
monthly, and (in addition to the identification and coordination of a permanent site) includes representatives from
the City of Darwin, NT Department of Children and Families, NT Department of Lands, Planning and Environment to
discuss issues or complaints regarding the existing temporary facility.
In December 2024 St Vincent de Paul and Larrakia Nation submitted a Project Charter to DLPE outlining the proposal
for a permanent site (without identifying a specific site) for the Ozanam House day centre, and broader service
offering including supported accommodation (as an Interim Accommodation Facility / IAF). The Northern Territory
Government accepted the Project Charter in May 2025 in the form of a Community Land Grant Enquiry, approving
St Vincent de Paul and Larrakia Nation as eligible to apply for a grant of crown land.
Per the advice from DLPE in Attachment E, the Northern Territory Government has confirmed both the entities and
the project (the permanent Ozanam House site) are eligible to be considered. St Vincent de Paul in partnership with
Larrakia Nation are currently preparing a Direct Application for Crown Lease, with lodgement of the full application
expected by the end of December 2025. From there, the expected timeframe is as follows:
- December 2025 – Mid-2026: Acceptance of Direct Application by Department of Lands, Planning and
Environment; assessment; stakeholder, authority and public consultation; consideration of whether to
grant Crown Lease by the Minister for Lands, Planning and Environment; Minister’s decision; Crown Lease
granted (subject to approval); - Mid-2026 – December 2026: Preliminary site investigations and reports (geotechnical, survey, land
suitability); - Mid-2026 – December 2026: Concept Design; Planning applications and approvals;
- December 2026 – Mid-2027: Detail Design; and
- Mid-2027 – Mid-2028: Procurement and construction to Occupancy Permit for stage 1 (day services).
Whilst the above timeline falls short of the requested three year extension, a contingency allowance has been
factored into the time requested as part of this application to provide sufficient time for potential delays, e.g. delays
in the Direct Application process and decision, the Planning process/es, or potential for external headworks /
enabling infrastructure.
Planning Action Network (PLAN) Submission
Application: PA2025/0363 – Ozanam House, 107 & 115 Dick Ward Drive, Coconut Grove
Subject: Request to extend use of land for Community Centre (Day Services) until 20 September 2029
To: Development Consent Authority / Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment
1. Background – Basis of Previous Consent (DP24/0106, May 2024)
The 2024 Development Consent Authority (DCA) approval for Ozanam House was issued only as a temporary exception. The Notice of Consent records that “the ongoing/permanent use of the site for a community centre [is] unacceptable … and [is] only justified by the temporary nature of the proposal.” The Authority limited the approval to two years, noting that “concerns regarding safety, amenity and land suitability indicated that conditional approval, with a 2 year time limit, would be more appropriate. A time limit … would provide some oversight to ensure that the procurement of a permanent site was progressing and that the monitoring of amenity and safety could occur.” Condition 6 of the permit required that “the use of the land for the purpose of community centre (day services) must cease within 2 years from the date of issue of the Certificate of Occupancy.” The Certificate of Occupancy was issued on 20 September 2024, establishing a clear cessation date of 20 September 2026. This limitation reflected the site’s classification under Clause 3.7 (Land Subject to Storm Surge) and the Authority’s conclusion that any ongoing use would otherwise be inconsistent with the NT Planning Scheme 2020.
2. Public Submissions and Community Expectations
During the 2024 exhibition period (13 February – 8 March 2024) 90 public submissions were received: “82 submitters expressed an objection … and 8 submitters expressed support … 1 of the objecting submitters was in the form of a petition with 20 signatures. Of the 5 late submissions, 4 submitters expressed objections and 1 expressed support for the community centre’s relocation.” In total, the Authority considered 95 submissions (86 objecting and 9 supporting) plus a petition of 20 signatures. Public acceptance of the 2024 decision rested entirely on the assurance that the facility was temporary and would cease by 2026.
3. The Current Application (PA2025/0363)
The new application seeks to continue the use “from 20 September 2026 until 20 September 2029.” Its stated purpose is “to provide sufficient time to enable the selection, procurement, design, development and occupation of a permanent site and facility.” The consultant’s report further notes that “In December 2024 St Vincent de Paul and Larrakia Nation submitted a Project Charter … for a permanent site (without identifying a specific site) … The Northern Territory Government accepted the Project Charter in May 2025 … preparing a Direct Application for Crown Lease … lodgement expected by the end of December 2025.” The same document sets an indicative timeline: “December 2025 – Mid-2026 … Crown Lease granted (subject to approval); Mid-2027 – Mid-2028 Procurement and construction to Occupancy Permit for Stage 1 (day services).” These extracts show that while a permanent facility is contemplated, no site has been identified, and the current proposal would extend the Dick Ward Drive use for an additional three years within the Primary Storm Surge Area.
4. Conflict with the 2024 Consent
The applicant’s own records include the entries “Reaffirm facility is temporary” and “working with Northern Territory Government toward a permanent solution for an alternate site.” However, by seeking to continue operations until September 2029 while no relocation site has been identified, the application abandons the commitment made under the 2024 consent to vacate the Dick Ward Drive site after the two-year period. The request therefore conflicts with the Development Consent Authority’s express finding that “ongoing/permanent use of the site … is unacceptable and is only justified by the temporary nature of the proposal.”
5. Planning Consistency and Clause 3.7 Integrity
The Authority’s 2024 reasoning established that approval within the Primary Storm Surge Area was acceptable only because of its temporary nature. Extending occupation for a further three years, still “without identifying a specific site,” risks converting that temporary exception into a continuing use contrary to the intent of Clause 3.7 (Land Subject to Storm Surge) of the NT Planning Scheme 2020. Repeating a temporary variation would erode the precautionary purpose of the Overlay and undermine the oversight function that the Authority itself described in 2024 as ensuring progress toward relocation.
6. Request to the Consent Authority
PLAN respectfully requests that the Development Consent Authority:
1. Re-affirm the 2024 finding that permanent or ongoing use of 107 & 115 Dick Ward Drive for community services is unacceptable within the Primary Storm Surge Area;
2. Maintain the classification of the facility as a strictly temporary exception;
3. Refuse the proposed three-year extension on the basis that it conflicts with the 2024 determination and Condition 6 of DP24/0106; and
4. Ensure that monitoring of amenity and safety, referenced by the Authority in 2024, continues under the existing two-year consent conditions.
7. Closing
PLAN submits that the current application (PA2025/0363) directly contradicts the intent of the 2024 determination. Approval of a further three-year period would reverse the rationale on which the original consent was granted and disregard the community’s understanding, formed through the 2024 consultation process, in which 95 submissions were received and 86 objected to the proposal on grounds of risk, location and permanence.