A developer with plans to build 1175 new homes in Darwin has questioned the effectiveness of going cap-in-hand to overseas developers when homegrown projects are denied government approvals.
Bayview developer Dover Investment’s Edgar Hung said the letter sent by Tourism Minister Marie-Clare Boothby to the Trump Corporation requesting they build Trump Tower in Darwin ignored the reality that a few kilometres up the road, a shovel-ready housing development had been unable to secure NT Government support.
Mr Hung wrote to the CLP Government in April calling for it reactivate the original Bayview masterplan, that was scrapped by the Labor government in 2016.
The project included an 1175-home residential housing development and construction of a new road from the estate onto Tiger Brennan Drive.
Planning Minister Josh Burgoyne has opposed the project, and despite intervention during budget week from Treasurer Bill Yan, who said the NT government should be backing private developments, Mr Hung has now been formally told the project is off the table.
A letter from Mr Burgoyne this month offered no explanation about why the government would not restore the masterplan.
“Residential land supply decisions are considered within a Territory-wide strategic context, having regard to market conditions, infrastructure delivery and the orderly progression of development fronts,” Mr Burgoyne said.
“The government continues to monitor land supply to ensure releases occur at the right time, and in the right locations to support long-term economic and community outcomes.
“The Northern Territory remains open for business, with substantial land release and development activity in train and a clear focus on providing certainty and transparency for industry and investors.
“Thank you for taking the time to write to me, your interest in the Crown land at Bayview is noted. Should this area form part of any government land release program in the future I will ensure the Department of Lands, Planning and Environment contacts you to let you know.”
Earlier this year, Mr Burgoyne questioned the involvement of former CLP deputy chief minister David Tollner in the Bayview project.
Mr Tollner is lobbying on behalf of Dover Investments to reinstate the master plan.
Mr Tollner, a life member of the CLP, has since quit the party.
Mr Hung said he would now focus on the much smaller 18-lot residential development at Bayview.
“The government has said what it wants at Bayview, and I’m not going to argue with that,” he said.
“The Trump Tower is never going to come to Darwin, but the government won’t reinstate the original Bayview masterplan, which could happen immediately. It doesn’t make sense.”
Master Builders NT chief executive Sallyann Innes said the government should remain open to private sector opportunities such as that created by Dover.
“If there’s a valid development application we should be looking at letting the market decide,” Ms Innes said.
“Builders want to build and we need houses and housing supply in Darwin and Master Builders support the application for construction.”
Reinstating the original Bayview master plan has been backed by Lord Mayor Peter Styles, Urban Development Institute’s Drew Wagner and Tanzil Rahman, the CLP’s Fong Lim MLA.