Former Alice Springs councillor Jane Clark opposes Madigan Park being rezoned for housing
A former councillor is fighting the body she served on their plan to rezone a Red Centre park into housing – with the report on the plan hinting council may do the same elsewhere.
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Opposition against a park being rezoned in the Red Centre capital is “not NIMBYism” but a call to “pay some f---ing attention to the suburbs” a former councillor says.
Alice Springs Town Council is looking to rezone Braitling’s Madigan Park from public open space to low-density residential to facilitate three lots, the first of several under-utilised parks that could endure the same fate.
Former councillor and Braitling resident Jane Clark said the decision to rezone “completely lacks vision”.
“Once you lose the park, you lose it,” she said.
“It’s a long-term thing and to just quickly, within a few months, make a decision like this completely lacks vision.
“It’s not NIMBYism, it’s pay some f---ing attention to the suburbs.”
When this masthead visited the site on Tuesday, the grass was overgrown and half-dead, with rubbish littered throughout the park.
As part of the application, the council commissioned a report titled Madigan Park Rezoning, prepared by J.C. Engineers’ town planner Blake Coulston.
Mr Coulston’s report said the “merit” of rezoning the park will “increase the amount of available residential land to be used without contributing towards urban sprawl” in Alice Springs.
“The nature of the proposal in itself is not in the public interest, however, since the parent lot is owned by council and was previously dedicated as park land, it has become a public interest in the endeavours of council,” the report stated.
“The overall outcomes is for council to undertake similar proposal across their under-utilised and over supplied park lands to minimise maintenance costs while contributing to more residential potential for the community.”
According to Mr Coulston’s report, the park has long been slated for such a fate.
A 2013 report from Ross Planning marked Madigan Park as “one of council’s parklands that are overembellished and duplicates existing recreation opportunities”.
No “relevant community consultation” was undertaken as part of the rezoning, the report stated.
“The only community consultation currently planned is the consultation required under this Act (Planning Act 1999),” it said.
Ms Clark said she received no notice of the proposed rezoning – other than the sign which was put up in the park.
“There has been no letterbox dropping around the neighbourhood. There’s been no canvassing of people who live in Braitling,” she said.
“So I think that we’ve been deceived by council.
“I think council has purposely not kept the community informed.”
The public consultation on the Madigan Park rezoning shuts midnight Friday, October 25.
Alice Springs Town Council Mayor Matt Paterson said “it’s difficult for council to maintain 75 parks and open spaces in Alice Springs, which is why we’re investigating alternative options”.
“Council began consultation at Madigan Park in 2019 which included a public information session at the park on August 20, with 19 residents attending. A further information session was held on October 23, 2019 with 14 residents in attendance. Letters were distributed to residents for both sessions,” he said.
“Most residents at these sessions voiced their support for the sale of a portion of the park, with the remaining portion to be enhanced with those funds.
“Based off the feedback from residents, council endorsed a rezoning of the park and submitted an application with the Department of Lands and Planning. Unfortunately, that process has been delayed until this year.
“Council has endorsed a Parks and Playgrounds Masterplan to go out to consultation, which will begin shortly.”
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Originally published as Former Alice Springs councillor Jane Clark opposes Madigan Park being rezoned for housing
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