Towards an Area Plan for Coolalinga & Freds Pass Stage 2

As an industry, we not only have a keen interest, but also a financial investment in the future development of the Northern Territory. We appreciate and take seriously the opportunity to provide comment on the Area Plan for Coolalinga and Fred Pass.

We have the following comments with, where necessary, references to the objective in the Draft Planning Principles:

* Objective 1.1:

We agree that development should be of a nature and scale that provides the services needed to support rural living in Coolalinga and greater Litchfield. This should be the ultimate foundation that guides land use and planning for Coolalinga and Fred's Pass.

* Objectives 4.1 & 4.2:

We recognise the principles working towards consolidating the activity centre and establishing more housing choices. Whilst paying close attention to the SD and MD zonings that surround the activity centre, we should be mindful that Coolalinga and Fred's Pass is still a rural area. The activity centre is to service the surrounding rural residents as opposed to launching a new residential density hub. Higher density residential uses should not erode nor outnumber the rural residential land.

* Objective 4.4:

A subdivision and development for the purposes of retirement living may have a residential density more consistent with zone MD (Multiple Dwelling Residential), subject to meeting the residential density transition requirements. As Retirement Living has no prescribed zoning in the NT Planning Scheme, we request more details on how this would be regulated and to not simply allow a MD development to proceed

We caution the expansion commercial and higher density residential uses South of the Stuart Highway in Precinct 2. We do not see evidence this would be an appropriate strategy for the rural area.