| There is a community group Facebook page at this link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/177344882650001 NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA PROPOSAL TO AMEND NT PLANNING SCHEME PA2024/0093 |  Read this web page |
The Minister for Lands, Planning and Environment has accepted an application to amend the NT Planning Scheme 2020 made by Cunnington Rosse Town Planning and Consulting for exhibition. The application seeks to amend Part 2 (Strategic Framework) of the NT Planning Scheme 2020 to include the Lloyd Creek Area Plan. Under the proposed Area Plan, the Lloyd Creek Rural Village would provide for construction of approximately 4,200 new dwellings over the course of 30 years and provide an orderly expansion of the rural subdivision pattern, clustered around two neighbourhood activity
centres.
Attached are:
a locality map;
a copy of the application; and
a copy of a report from the NT Planning Commission and applicant response.
Period of Exhibition and Lodging a Submission
The exhibition period is from Friday 18 April 2025 to Friday 16 May 2025.
Submissions in relation to this application must be in writing and include the name and postal address of the author and may be made publicly available in full.
Written submissions about the proposed planning scheme amendment are to be received by 11.59pm on Friday 16 May 2025 and addressed to:
NT Planning Commission
GPO Box 1680
DARWIN NT 0801; or
Email: planning.ntg@nt.gov.au; or
Fax: (08) 8999 7189; or
Hand delivered to Level 1, Energy House, 18-20 Cavenagh Street, Darwin.
For more information please contact Lands Planning on telephone (08) 8999 8963.
NT News April 19 – Camden Smith
Intrapac Property: Lloyd Creek rural development proposal moves forward after years of delays.
Developer Intrapac Property has lodged amendments to the NT Planning Scheme for the development of a 4200-home rural village near Noonamah, south of Darwin.
The proposed Lloyd Creek Rural Village Area Plan amendment aims to progress the strategic planning for the site for inclusion of an Area Plan into the planning scheme following community consultation.
The 2641ha proposed development on land owned by Koolpinyah Station Pty Ltd and Norama Enterprises, about 35km south of Darwin, comprises four allotments within the designated Lloyd Creek rural living zone.
The development is bound by Redcliff Rd to the west, Townend Rd to the south, and Mocatto Rd to the east – and is situated about 7km from Humpty Doo.
The land was previously subject to a 2018 rezoning attempt by Intrapac to develop Noonamah Ridge.
That bid was rejected by then Planning Minister Eva Lawler, based on community concerns at amenity loss, proximity to existing developments, infrastructure shortfalls and concerns at depleting groundwater.
Intrapac Property chief executive Max Shifman said he had since engaged local consultants and conducted community surveys to develop a new proposal for the site which, he said, responded to the refusal points from 2018-2020 and considers community feedback.
He said Lloyd Creek Rural Village would be a high-quality rural residential and lifestyle estate that emphasised preservation of the area’s rural character and amenity.
It would include a proposed local village centre, a community centre schools, retail facilities, parks and open space networks including a 500-acre conservation area, walking trails, bush walks, and horse arenas, promoting harmony with nature.
Homes would be designed to integrate with tropical surroundings and feature waste-water recycling capabilities.
The total investment value could be up to $5bn over 30 years, with more than 300 full-time jobs.
“We submitted the draft area plan over a year ago. and we’ve since had discussions with the government about how to proceed with the project,” Mr Shifman said.
“This week we received notification that the minister is prepared to exhibit the draft area plan
“The area plan is designed to set the general guidelines and framework of what the development will ultimately be as Lloyd Creek grows over 40 plus years.”
He said the area plan would provide structure and definition to this development and Darwin’s Rural Area more generally.
“The proposal has always been to look at the rural area and look at large parcels of land in a much more overarching way instead of doing it in a piecemeal manner, which is the way the rural area has grown for a long time,” Mr Shifman said.
“Instead, here there is a draft set of principals and plans that guide that development over the longer term, and not just rolling out the same blocks with nothing to support them in a population that’s isolated.
“You actually plan in what people need in terms of infrastructure, activity ventures and a housing diversity that has not normally been seen in the Territory.
“The idea is to create a diverse and accessible rural village, a bit like the old part of Humpty Doo,” he said.
“I’m trying to bring that housing style back into the Northern Territory.
“It’s a long-term project in the current Darwin Land Use Plan so it’s always been identified for growth. It was always a question of when, not if, and we think the time is now given the significant problems we’ve had in the Territory re new housing supply.
“There aren’t many options in the rural area that would deliver on this scale we’re proposing here. It’s a game changer.
“If it receives approvals it will roll out relatively slowly, and over time it will grow into a rural village.
“We’re not offering blocks that are suburban in nature. The smallest lots were offering are no less than 1000 sqm, and the maximum density is 1.5 dwellings per hectare. It’s nothing like suburban areas and will very much have that rural village feel
“So what you’ll end up with is a pattern of development that has an activity centre with quite large blocks around it. The blocks get larger as you get further away which creates a transition between what’s already in the rural area and the new village we create.
“There will be no negative impact on existing residents. It’s effectively the same type of housing in terms of block sizes.”
Intrapac Property had previously subdivided the Mirawood estate in Berrimah.
Accessible on the Development Consent Authority website from Friday morning, the exhibition phase ends on May 16.
Letter to the Editor NT Independent by Gerry Wood
Dear Editor,
It comes as no surprise that the NT News has come out and supported the revamped Noonamah Ridge, now Lloyd Creek, development.
So, before the public, especially residents living nearby, have had a chance to look at the new plans, they will know that the interstate developer Intrapac has got the support of the NT News.
So, what hope have the locals got if they have differing views on this development, if their local paper has picked a winner already.
The NT News showed its bias in reporting this development in Saturday’s paper by a front-page headline which said this 4,000 lot development will be a ‘game changer’ and showing a nice lake in the background.
Then on page seven, an article by Camden Smith where he interviews the Intrapac chief executive officer who highlights what a wonderful idea this development will be.
Any locals interviewed? None.
Then surprise, surprise the NT News editorial has a headline ‘Houses need to be built. Here’s hoping the 4000-lot Lloyd Creek village goes ahead’.
And to top it off, and amazingly and just coincidentally in the same paper, a half page ad promoting the Lloyd Creek village as the ‘best of both worlds’. The smooth sales talk has begun.
Where is the independence, investigation and integrity in journalism?
Why this blind obedience to this development? Why not an impartial examination of this development? Why not mention that this ‘village’ will have a population similar to Katherine, and have 1000 suburban blocks?
Why not remind readers that the last version of this development was not supported by the vast majority of local residents at meetings held at Elizabeth Valley and Acacia fire stations, and as shown in a survey.
The new proposal may be a little better than the old one, but it still puts 16,000 people in a rural area which is presently zoned for 2 ha and 8 ha blocks.
I’m sure some will say that if you object to this you are NIMBYs and are opposed to development.
But there are already large planned areas around Noonamah on the Stuart Highway which are zoned for small lot development as well as Weddell over the road which won’t interfere with the rural amenity.
That won’t get a mention in this debate. The interesting part of this debate will be, what will the two CLP local rural members say about this development? Maybe call some public meetings or will they be told by their fifth floor masters not to upset the apple cart or the hand that feeds them?
Will they fight to ‘keep rural rural’, or go quiet and support this development of convenience sadly backed by our local newspaper?
Gerry Wood, Howard Springs