Progress Drive among several Nightcliff projects by NT govt hit by delays

Another NT government project has been hit by delays, joining a growing the list of construction and demolition works falling behind schedule.

ANOTHER NT government project has been hit by delays, with the Progress Drive upgrade joining Nightcliff police station on the late list.

More works are planned for Nightcliff, with The Planet tenpin centre set for demolition and a new community space to take its place. Nightcliff police station was due to be completed earlier this year but Planning and Logistics Minister Eva Lawler conceded it has been delayed by “latent conditions”, including asbestos, old pipes and cables.

Landscaping in front of the police station appears complete and the road looks ready to go. Progress Drive was initially scheduled to reopen in September.

“The police station is largely complete, and commissioning is scheduled to begin in the coming months,” Ms Lawler said. “Progress Drive will be open to traffic in the coming weeks.”

Initial delays with the police station included remedial works to resolve latent conditions including asbestos, old pipes and cables, as well as negotiations with adjacent property owners and authorities. Iconic Groove Cafe closed its doors during the partial closure of Progress Drive and construction of the police station.

Road Works at the Nightcliff Police Station.

“We have worked with businesses in the area to make sure they are behind the project and understand how significant it is,” Ms Lawler said.

Also on the old John Stokes Square site, Territory developer Greenspace Group is constructing 78 new public housing apartments in three four-storey blocks. The $27m development will feature 66 one-bedroom and 12 two-bedroom apartments, communal break-out areas and a communal garden. A walkway will link Progress Drive shops with the nearby Nightcliff shopping centre.

Meanwhile, work preparing The Planet for demolition is under way, with temporary fencing surrounding the site.

The Planet has been an icon of Nightcliff for almost four decades but the site has been earmarked for development for years.

The adjacent Skate World site was demolished more than a decade ago and replaced with luxury apartments, overlooking Darwin Harbour, and a gymnasium.

Originally published as Progress Drive among several Nightcliff projects by NT govt hit by delays