Darwin council pass motion to urge NT Government to freeze developments at Lee Point

Darwin Council has passed a motion urging the NT government to freeze development at Lee Point.

MEMBERS of the community turned out in high numbers on Tuesday night to watch Darwin Council pass a motion urging the NT government to freeze development at Lee Point.

Work at Lee Point is already under way, with bulldozers sweeping through large swathes of land in Darwin’s northern suburbs to create space for 800 Defence homes.

In response there have been growing calls from members of the community to put a stop to the redevelopment of one of the last major natural bushland sites in Darwin.

Aldermen Rebecca Want De Rowe and Justine Glover submitted a motion at Tuesday’s council meeting calling for Lands, Planning and Environment Minister Eva Lawler to freeze plans for the site.

The motion stated that the NT government should place a moratorium on the development until “the NT Planning Commission has developed a comprehensive area plan for Lee Point that reflects the long-term wishes and needs of the community”.

It comes after Chief Minister Michael Gunner had stated that it was too late to stop the construction and that the development was already a done deal. Ms Want De Rowe delivered the motion, saying that turning a blind eye to the plans at Lee Point went against the council’s own Green Darwin Strategy and that green space was more important than ever.

“The destruction of Lee Point completely goes against our Green Darwin Strategy and the goals we are trying to implement,” she said.

“I am not against development in any way but I am against development here at Lee Point.

“Our open spaces have never been more important and this is the coolest place in Darwin.

“What is the point of us investing so much money when we will sit by and watch the destruction of this beautiful area?

“It really isn’t a done deal.

“There are eight areas of development and construction has (only) started on the first.

“We are the voice of the community and we need to speak up and step up to the government for them.”

Despite many on council voicing concerns that the development was a fait accompli, all councillors stood in support of the motion, which met with applause from the attending public.

Only Lord Mayor Kon Vatskalis stood against the motion.