Holtze, Kowandi development: Litchfield mayor says council will fight to keep new suburbs

Litchfield Mayor Doug Barden has accused Chief Minister Eva Lawler of dudding residents of his municipality by advocating for a future mega suburb to be taken out of his council and given to Palmerston.

Halkitis Brothers Group director Nick Halkitis, Holtze Land Company director Jessie Risk, and Chief Minister Eva Lawler announcing the tender to develop the Greater Holtze area. Picture: Fia Walsh.

A regional council adjoining Darwin says it will resist any moves to redraw municipality boundaries to deprive it of the future residential development at Holtze after Chief Minister Eva Lawler voiced her support for the new suburb to become a part of Palmerston.

The issue of whether Holtze (and Kowandi, which will be developed at a later date) will form a part of Palmerston or Litchfield has been bubbling away since at least 2021, when former Chief Minister Michael Gunner said he didn’t believe Litchfield Council would have the capacity to service the new suburbs.

The two future development areas currently sit within Litchfield’s boundaries.

Speaking at last month’s unveiling of Holtze Land Company as the developer of the first tranche of what is ultimately expected to be thousands of new lots, Ms Lawler said that, like her predecessor, she favoured change.

“If you ask me personally, I think it should be Palmerston, I’m the local member in Palmerston,” Ms Lawler said.

Litchfield Mayor Doug Barden. Picture: Litchfield Council

“But that decision will be made by the Local Government Minister.

“They’ll do a proper process, going through the criteria around who can provide the best services for the people who are going to be living here.”

In a statement, Litchfield Mayor Doug Barden said his council had been unnerved by Ms Lawler’s comments.

“Council have long been excited at the prospect of land in Holtze and Kowandi being the next residential land release,” he said.

“These areas have, and should continue to, sit within the Litchfield municipality and council have been investing in preparations to service these areas for over four years.

“Council is committed and well placed to service further urban developments within the municipality and looks forward to welcoming new residents to Holtze.”

The proposed plans for 'Greater Holtze' include the development of land to Palmerston's east. Picture: NT Planning Commission

This masthead asked Litchfield chief executive Stephen Hoyne for more detail as to exactly what investments and planning had been made, but did not receive a response.

Mr Barden accused Ms Lawler of “politicising” the issue and failing to govern for all Territorians.

“Media releases alluding to Holtze and Kowandi land releases having a direct impact on growth to Palmerston’s population are premature and insulting to the residents of Litchfield,” he said.

He also claimed that Local Government Minister Chansey Paech had given the council a rolled-gold assurance that the boundaries would not change.

This was not refuted by the NT government when Litchfield Council’s full statement was shared with it.

Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro has previously voiced her belief the boundaries should not be redrawn.

A City of Palmerston spokeswoman told this masthead her council had not made any representations to the NT government as to whether it should gain Holtze and Kowandi.

She did, however, note that either way, the council expected future residents of the developments to lean heavily on Palmerston infrastructure, such as SWELL, Palmerston Library and nearby playgrounds.

More than 5000 lots – and possibly as many as 11,000 – are planned for Holtze and Kowandi, with the first tranche of 550 lots at Holtze expected to come on market by 2025.

The NT government has previously said the question of council boundaries will be resolved by then.

Originally published as Holtze, Kowandi development: Litchfield mayor says council will fight to keep new suburbs