Property Council ‘deeply concerned’ about proposal for Throb ‘sunset club’ at East Point

THE Property Council says it is deeply concerned about the proposal for a sunset club/bar at East Point and is calling for an urgent review into the NT’s competitive neutrality policy

A concept plan for the proposed Throb on Point open-air ‘sunset lounge’ at East Point. Picture: Supplied

THE Property Council says it is deeply concerned about the proposal for a bar/sunset club at East Point and is calling for an urgent review into the NT’s competitive neutrality policy.

Property Council of Australia Northern Territory executive director Ruth Palmer said the project’s location was problematic and would set a dangerous precedent.

Ms Palmer said taxpayer funded or subsidised projects that competed against the private sector would result in less private sector investment.

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“This is basic economics 101, commercial viability for an equivalent private sector project would be negatively impacted,” she said.

She also warned that approval of the project would result in an unwanted precedent.

“The East Point area is currently zoned Organised Recreation and Public Open Space,” Ms Palmer said.

A concept plan for the proposed Throb on Point open-air ‘sunset lounge’. Picture: Supplied

“A licensed venue is currently prohibited under both zones and if this project goes ahead, the precedent is then created for other similar zones in other locations to also be developed in the same fashion.

“We believe public land should be used for the community and community activities, not commercial developments that destroys private sector investment opportunities.

“As an industry we need planning integrity and certainty for the private sector to invest, not taxpayer funded or subsidised projects.

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“If the City of Darwin and the Northern Territory Government want to be the main developers in the Northern Territory, then the private sector will look to other jurisdictions in which to do business as the expansion of both CoD and NTG into the private sector is adversely impacting on private sector investment.

“Governments should not be picking winners and losers; they should instead develop reasonable and good policy that is fair and balanced to all the market.

“Further to this, the 2016 Darwin Inner Suburbs Area Plan, which is the future planning blueprint for the area, shows no potential area for change to the East Point area current usage.

“What is the point of having master plans and planning process if they are never followed?

“Over the last few years, we have seen council and government actively encouraging vibrancy across our main activity centres.

A concept plan for the proposed Throb on Point open-air ‘sunset lounge’ at East Point. Picture: Supplied

“This just disregards and goes against all that hard work that has been done in this space and will ultimately put us back to square one.

“The whole master planning process is about identifying current and future activity hubs and planning related infrastructure accordingly.

“Sadly, these ‘planned’ activity hubs will never occur if we continue to decentralise the market, creating private investment uncertainty.

“We are calling for an urgent review into the Northern Territory’s competition neutrality policy.”

The Property Council supports strategic projects that achieve a highly desirable policy outcome, coupled where there is no commercial feasibility for the private sector undertaking that project.

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