Dozens of parking spots are being eaten up by Council’s civic centre development

With work on a $150 million CBD development set to begin, issues around carparking have been raised. Read what’s wrong.

An anxious CBD resident is worried about parking as a new long-term construction project gets underway.

A City of Darwin media release last week announced the proposed $150 million, 21-storey Civic Centre development site had been officially handed to DCOH, with preliminary works already underway.

A temporary cyclone fence has been erected around the City of Darwin chamber carpark with pedestrian access points available to enter the building.

“The Civic Centre development will transform the surrounding area into a welcoming precinct with a community plaza and enhanced connection to Civic Park and Cavenagh Street,” City of Darwin said.

Artist’s impression new Darwin Civic Centre.

“The new Civic Centre will be accessible and inclusive and will also feature meeting rooms and function spaces that can be booked by the community.

“The new building will include approximately 410 car spaces that can be used by residents, workers and visitors to the city as well as an improved Customer Service centre. Construction is expected to be complete by 2028.”

The resident, who requested anonymity, said she was anxious about three years of parking disruption along Harry Chan Ave as well as the expected dominance of parking spots by workers on the project.

“There’s about 85 car parks in the civic centre and they have all gone for three years so where are the council workers going to park for a start,” she said.

A resident is concerned about parking when the Civic Centre development goes ahead.

“Then there’s the tradesmen who are working at the site, the customers who want to visit City of Darwin. Where are they all going to park?”

A response has been sought from City of Darwin, which has wasted no time commencing work on the project since receiving Development Consent Authority approval in April.

The start of work comes as opponents of the project have gone to the federal court to try and have it stopped.

Legal firm De Silva Hebron, acting on behalf of Nourse Nominees, Liveris Nominees, Civitas Properties Pty Ltd and Rapid Form Systems want the release of council documents around the project.

“We want to know what contingencies are in place … will they levee rate payers or will they absorb it within their own financial mechanisms,?” a spokesman said.

“This affects every ratepayer. Every ratepayer has a right to have an answer to that question.”

City of Darwin said the project was in alignment with the Local Government Act.

The existing council chambers were built in 1967 and are in a state of disrepair.

Originally published as Dozens of parking spots are being eaten up by Council’s civic centre development