Northern Territory Business Review: Planning news and updates
The Northern Territory Business Review’s rolling guide to the latest planning applications and business news.
The latest Northern Territory planning applications and business news compiled by Northern Territory Business Review’s Camden Smith.
Regional body muscles up
The Territory branch of Australia’s peak regional development body has muscled up with four new committee appointments.
James Morgan, Angela Sammon, Sid Vashist, and Belinda Urquhart have been appointed to Regional Development Australia’s NT committee, delivering insight and expertise from across the Territory.
RDA NT chair Kon Vatskalis said the appointments reflect the national body’s ongoing commitment to inclusive, regionally informed decision-making that supports growth, innovation and sustainable development in NT communities.
A Bininj man from Kakadu with over a decade of experience in the Commonwealth Public Service, James Morgan has specialised in project management, human resources, communications and operations in both Canberra and Kakadu.
Angela Sammon is an Indigenous entrepreneur in the Barkly region leading Sammon’s Contracting, delivering labour hire and on country programs. She also consults on behalf of Mona Aboriginal Corporation to create local jobs and youth pathways.
Also from the Barkly, Sid Vashist brings extensive experience in local government, regional advocacy, and cross-sector collaboration. Based in Tennant Creek for nearly 15 years, Sid’s first term as Barkly Regional Shire mayor has seen significant economic growth in the region.
Chief Executive Officer of MacDonnell Regional Council, Belinda Urquhart, has joined RDA NT as an Advisory Member.
Mr Vatskalis welcomed the appointments, noting the depth of regional knowledge and leadership the new members bring.
“Our new committee members represent the heart of the Northern Territory, from the Top End to Central Australia and the Barkly. Their diverse perspectives and expertise will strengthen RDA NT’s capacity to deliver on our mission to drive economic growth, collaboration, and innovation across the region.
“RDA NT continues to work with local councils, industry, and community partners to advance strategic priorities that build resilience, strengthen local economies, and enhance the liveability of Northern Territory communities.”
Tivan’s share twist
Territory-listed prospector Tivan has secured final NT Government regulatory approval to commence a maiden drilling project at its Sandover project.
The NT Department of Lands, Planning and Environment approval follows Tivan’s signing in August of a project mineral exploration deed with the Central Land Council, which included consent from traditional owners and Native Title holders to undertake site-based works including the drilling program.
The Sandover Fluorite Project is about 230km northeast of Alice Springs and adjacent to the recently acquired Molyhil Tungsten-Molybdenum project
Tivan announced in July it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Sumitomo Corporation, which is a joint-venture partner in Tivan’s Speewah fluorite project in WA, at Sandover.
Tivan said the drill program was designed to test high-grade fluorite veins identified through two recently completed surface sampling and mapping programs.
Stage 1 drilling prioritises high-grade fluorite targets via diamond core drilling, with a total of 11 diamond core holes planned for 855 metres. and stage 2 drills, expected to begin in February, targets 54 holes planned for 5865 metres.
Tivan executive chairman Grant Wilson said the staged approach ensures subsequent drilling targets areas with the greatest potential for resource definition at Sandover.
Since October 8, Tivan’s share price has almost doubled from 11 cents to 18 cents at close of trading on Monday.
Tamboran cashes up
Fresh from final investment decision in the Beetaloo Basin earlier this month, Tamboran Resources is in the middle of a capital raise targeting up to $175 million in new investment.
The NT gas player reported on Monday it had raised $85m after issuing 2,673,111 shares of common stock at the public offering price of US$21.00 per share.
As well, it was set to secure $44m via subscription agreements entered into with various parties in a private investment in public equity arrangement, subject to approval by company shareholders.
As well, Tamboran intends to launch a share purchase plan worth about $46m allowing existing eligible investors to participate at the same price per share as the public offering.
Tamboran acting chief executive Richard Stonburner thanked existing shareholders and welcomed on board the new.
“We thank our existing shareholders for their continued support in Tamboran and welcome new shareholders on our journey to delivering our world class shale gas development of the Beetaloo Basin,” he said.
“The Strategic Partnership with Baker Hughes is an important step in our cost reduction initiative across our OFS activities in the Beetaloo Basin. Baker Hughes joins Helmerich & Payne and Liberty Energy as our key operational partners as we focus on progressing towards first gas from the Beetaloo Basin.
“The funds from the offer will allow for Tamboran to secure long lead items for the 2026 drilling activities to maintain momentum on the anticipated completion of the farmout process.”
Place of worship plan
A Christian order with its headquarters in Coconut Grove and origins in Nigeria, is seeking to open a place worship in Winnellie.
The Redeemed Christian Church of God Bethel Parish Incorporated has engaged One Planning Consult to lodge an application to develop a place of worship at a disused showroom in Winnellie.
Located in tenancy four at 390 Stuart Highway, the application seeks to develop an open hall for a place of worship, children’s activity rooms, ancillary office, kitchenette, toilets and entry foyer meeting area.
Under the 2020 NT Planning Scheme, a place of worship on land zoned Service Commercial requires impact assessment but the developers said the proposal fulfilled requirements around street frontage and loss of amenity.
The proposal details limited days and hours of operation designed to work around current businesses in the area which includes a business equipment supplier and a community services provider.
“Through the combination of acoustic mitigation measures and the proposed hours of operation, which are outside the standard business hours of surrounding land uses, the issues of reverse amenity impacts are minimised,” the application said.
“The development will include acoustic treatments to reduce noise intrusion from surrounding land uses, as noise is considered the most likely adverse amenity impact close to the tenancy,” the application said.
“The proposed treatment will ensure that 40 decibels is maintained within the building when in use and subjected to a maximum 70 decibels of surrounding developments.”
Venue capacity would be up to 80 at peak usage times, particularly Sunday service, and there would be up to four annual events put on by the church, also held outside normal business hours.
RCCG’s Bethyl Parish is headquartered at Totem Road, Coconut Grove.
Founded in Nigeria in 1952, it describes itself as an international megachurch with numerous parishes around the world.
The application said congregation meetings would be held Mondays 6pm to 9pm, Wednesdays 5.30pm to 9pm, Fridays 6pm to 9pm and weekends 9am to 9pm.
Submissions can be lodged until October 31.
Public housing plan
An application has been lodged to develop three new public houses adjacent to one of the largest public residential developments in the Territory.
The Department of Housing has lodged an application to build three two-bedroom, single-level dwellings at 15 Francis Street, Millner, adjacent to The Mansions on Sabine Road.
The block was rezoned low density residential to low medium density residential in 2021 and is 1240 sqm.
It’s understood there has not been previous development at the site.
With access from Francis Street, each unit has two bedrooms, one bathroom and a single carport.
The carports and adjacent hardstand areas provide for one covered bay and one uncovered bay, in a tandem parking arrangement.
Each unit has access to both private open space and common property, including the driveway, bike rack and bin store areas.
Dwellings are complemented by appropriate landscaping in a waterwise and low maintenance setting.
Core blimey
Approaching two years since activity was suspended at its Finniss mine, Core Lithium has reported a significant increase in reserves at its third lithium site as it begins fundraising ahead of potentially resuming production.
Core posted its September quarter activity statement on Monday, including an ore reserve update at its Carlton project site showing a 42 per cent increase in the asset’s reserves to 15.2 million tonnes.
It also described how it had received a $50 million investment before costs to accelerate development at Finniss.
Located 88km from Darwin Port, Commercial production at the mine began in February 2023 and operations were suspended less than 12-months later in January 2024 after a horror plunge in lithium prices.
Located on 500 square kilometres of leases, Core Lithium’s five ore deposits are Grants, BP33, Carlton, Sandras and Hang Gong SW.
Grants was an open-cut pit that led production with work underway on the underground BP33 ore body when the mine closed last year.
Since suspension development work has been taking place at the other ore bodies, with Carlton showing potential for scale.
Core Lithium’s chief executive Paul Brown said there should be more good company news as the year progressed.
“During the September quarter we built on the restart study, delivering a 42 per cent uplift in ore reserves with the inclusion of Carlton,” he said.
“FID-related technical work streams and optimisation activities are progressing well, with improvements to be reflected in subsequent disclosures.
“The $50 million placement, together with the $4.3 million share purchase plan, has strengthened our balance sheet and enables us to accelerate critical early works. With all legacy offtake obligations resolved, 100 per cent of future Finniss production is unencumbered, providing maximum flexibility for the strategic funding process.
“We are well-capitalised and focused on advancing Finniss towards restart and a final investment decision.”
Project Sea Draggin’
The raw prawn that was Seafarms Group’s failed Northern Territory Project Sea Dragon aquaculture project continues to hurt the company - but in spite of this it hasn’t ruled out an attempt to revive the costly development.
A summary of the company’s annual report, compiled by Bastion Reputation and forwarded to media, indicates the company still hopes to revive Project Sea Dragon, despite its cost to the company so far.
Seafarms Group planned to spend $1.2 billion developing the world’s largest aquaculture operation, with the production of high-value black tiger prawns for export from Legune Station, not far from the Western Australian border.
The original plan also included a hatchery in Bynoe Harbour and the Northern Territory government spent $56 million on roads infrastructure, in part to support development of the project.
Project Sea Dragon spent $32 million lifting Gunn Point Road to a two-lane sealed standard, $7 million for an access road to Point Cylo and $17.5 million to upgrade Keep River Plains Road. In addition, the Commonwealth contributed $63.5 million on roads and the Western Australian government about $15m.
Construction company Canstruct sued Project Sea Dragon, a subsidiary of Seafarms Group, after it canned its $13.9 million contact in April 2022.
In February 2024 a federal court found Project Sea Dragon had been insolvent since at least June 2020 and ordered liquidators to wind the company up.
In the company’s financial report, Seafarms Group announced an increase in its credit facility with Avatar Finance from $8.5 million to $16.5 million.
“The additional funding, granted under an ASX waiver permitting security without shareholder approval, will support working capital needs, finalisation of FY25 accounts, and ongoing Project Sea Dragon operations,” the Bastion summary said.
“The company focused on stabilising its prawn farming operations in Queensland, maintaining production of its premium Crystal Bay prawns while managing the fallout from Project Sea Dragon’s administration.
“Negotiations are underway to reacquire key (Project Sea Dragon) assets, positioning Seafarms to restart stage 1a development when feasible.”
In its Seafarms’ original plan, stage 1a included development of about 400 hectares of production and nursery ponds at Legune Station, plus upstream and downstream facilities at Legune Station and other sites.
Rural Women’s awards
Applications for the Northern Territory Rural Women’s award are now open, with nominations accepted until January 30, 2026.
Sponsored by AgriFutures Australia and now in their 25th year, the award is Australia’s leading platform for recognising and supporting the leadership of women across rural, regional and remote NT.
The Territory took top honours in 2024 with Tanya Egerton being named national winner for her work spearheading and developing the Remote Opshop Project.
Last year’s winner, Carol Mudford from NSW, pioneered a wellness strategy for the shearing industry.
AgriFutures Australia’s chief operating officer Belinda Allitt said the award “celebrates and elevates” women with future shaping ideas.
She said the award wasn’t just recognition, it was about “providing the tools, networks and confidence” to turn ambition into action.
Nominations can be made at https://agrifutures.com.au/opportunities/rural-womens-award/
Nappy valley
As residential construction at Northcrest continues at pace, an application has been lodged by Cunnington Rosse on behalf of HTLEC Pty Ltd to build a new childcare centre at 53 Panquee Boulevard, Berrimah.
Located on land identified for commercial development near the main Stuart Highway entrance to Northcrest, the application seeks “childcare services for the northern stages of the Northcrest residential estate, including stages already developed and occupied”.
The application proposed a single storey building with ground level carparking and up to 116 childcare spaces across age groups from six months to five years, with six separate childcare rooms catering for different ages.
There would be two childcare rooms (six-18 months and 18-24 months), separate babies sleep room, main centre lobby and entry, office, kitchen, food preparation area, staffroom, laundry and amenities.
There would also be a separate childcare building aligned to the site’s Hereford Street boundary, with four childcare rooms for two-to-three, three-to-four and four-to-five year olds, amenities and storage rooms.
There would be separate outdoor play zones for different age groups, with a total of 925 sqm outdoor play area provided with landscaping, softfall and concrete.
Access to a ground level carparking area would be via a double driveway from the Brahman Street frontage, with 28 carparking spaces and separate turning and loading bays.
Submissions can be lodged until midnight October 10.
Warehouse with restaurant
One Planning Consult has been engaged by Christos Kantros as Trustee for C Kantros Property Trust, to prepare a development application for a warehouse with ancillary office and a restaurant in 2 x 1 storey buildings.
Proposed for 77 Jessop Crescent, Berrimah North, the subject site is 2720 sqm and zoned Specific Use.
The site is vacant and has frontages to Jessop Crescent and Castillon Road.
The application seeks planning approval for the warehouse, office and restaurant in a two storey building, 22 carparking bays, four bay bicycle parking, showers with lockers and landscaping along front boundaries.
The development is expected to cost in excess of $2.2 million
Submissions can be lodged until October 10.
Coolalinga Central
Coolalinga Central shopping centre looks set to break a six-year construction drought with Cunnington Rosse lodging an application on behalf of owner Forest Endeavour OP1 Pty Ltd for a significant expansion at the site.
The application seeks construction of four large format retail (LFR) tenancies intended for showroom sales, an extension to the existing raised deck above the basement carparking areas and a new ground level carparking in front of the proposed LFR tenancies.
In addition to the LFR extension, a new fast food premises would be constructed on the external pad site adjacent the Stuart Highway Service Road-Fairweather Crescent intersection.
The proposed large format retail tenancies would be built on existing vacant land immediately west of the existing main centre building and shopping mall.
It’s the first significant development planned for the centre since 2018 when approvals for a new hotel and gym were granted.
Last year the NT News reported Coolalinga Central was experiencing a retail and hospitality purple patch, with the arrival of Dollars and Sense, Smokey J’s Brew and Cue and Opa Greek Grill opening.
Submissions can be lodged until October 10.
Katherine housing plan
The urgent need for more housing in Katherine forms part of a submission to construct 16 new units in a floodzone at an existing development on the corner of Victoria Highway and Rundle Street.
An application was approved at the site for the development in 2021 and revised in 2024, with 10 dwellings from a development previously approved and constructed at the complex.
With the latest application the proponents wants to enhance flood protection by amending the size of the western setback at the building’s rear from 1000mm to 4430mm.
The site is zoned Specific Use SK4 ‘Rundle Street’, with multiple dwellings deemed discretionary.
The application requires consent through the Impact Assessable pathway because it is “within an area mapped as being flood-affected”.
The project would otherwise be Merit Assessable.
The site is 4746 square metres and the proposed homes would be two-storey.
Homes would have three car parks each, a large private deck extending off the living area at the rear of each dwelling.
A swimming pool and BBQ area would also be supplied.
Specific Use Zoned SK4 sets a density of 1 per 300 sqm, with the proposal density at one dwelling per 297 sqm a 1 per cent departure from the requirement.
The application said the proposed development would bring vacant land into economic use to the benefit of the local community and the regional economy.
“The proposed development meets the zone’s purpose and aligns with the Strategic Framework,” the application said.
“The site’s development in accordance with a use permitted by the zone will improve the local amenity by bringing vacant land into use.
“The investment in housing is for the public benefit, particularly when the town is suffering from a shortage.”
Submissions can be lodged until midnight, Friday October 10.
Where the Dover’s white
The DCA will consider an application to build a three bedroom home with car port in a tourist commercial zone on Doris Road, Berry Springs.
The dwelling is about 275 sqm and the land is 1250 sqm which, the application said, left a “very large” area for private open spaces.
Promising neighbour-friendly fencing along both sides, the three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom dwelling, if approved, would include an attached car port and landscaped street frontage front, back and sideways.
Using Colorbond’s “new Australian inspired pallet colours such as Dover White and Blue Gum”, the building would be a steel-framed structure with colour bond cladding, roofing and fencing.
“The primary use of the locality (water skiing, kayak and swimming) will not be compromised,” the application said.
The development is in line with the Litchfield regional land use plan and the property was cleared prior to purchase.
The application said the land was already part of a previously approved unit title subdivision that includes road, power, water and sewage services.
The development proposal is consistent with the intent of the unit title development.
Submissions can be lodged until midnight October 17.
Hands are tyred
The want-to-be developers of a new mango farm stalled by environmental issues around the disposal of tyres on the property are seeking to double the land clearing base period from two to four years while the issue is resolved.
An application to clear 43.8ha to develop a mango orchard on Section 1513 in Acacia Hills was granted in November 2022 however “works had not substantially commenced before the end of the base period” due to the unresolved tyre issue, which involved the Environmental Protection Authority.
“There were discussions between the land owner and NT EPA in relation to the fate of a quantity of tyres stored on the property,” the application said.
“This issue is yet to be resolved and there are ongoing discussions with NT EPA in relation to tyres stored.
“It is expected that an agreement will be reached between the land owner and the NT EPA as to the fate of the tyres in the foreseeable future.
“Given the uncertain time frame for the resolution of the tyre storage issue on the property, an extended base period is being requested as the uncertainty around the issue of the tyres impacts the location of permanent and costly irrigation infrastructure.”
Submissions can be lodged until October 31.
