Prime Minister Scott Morrison finally signs off on Darwin City Deal which will unlock $500 million of new infrastructure in CBD

DARWIN’S long-awaited City Deal is finally a reality and will unlock $500 million of new infrastructure in the CBD, including a state-of-the-art university precinct

DARWIN’S long-awaited City Deal is finally a reality and will unlock $500 million of new infrastructure in the CBD, including a state-of-the-art university precinct.

The $200 million City Deal – equally funded by the Northern Territory and Commonwealth governments – was signed off on this morning.

It is expected $100 million will go towards the Charles Darwin University project.

A further $300 million will be privately invested in the CDU project, taking the total for all new city projects to $500 million.

Darwin City Council is also a party to the deal, but won’t have to contribute financially. Instead, it will free up land for development. First floated in May 2017, the Commonwealth and Territory governments were poised to sign the deal mid-year, but it was postponed when Malcolm Turnbull was axed as prime minister. It was revived under his successor Scott Morrison as an election sweetener as the Coalition try to reclaim Solomon from Labor’s Luke Gosling.

An artist’s impression shows the proposed education and civic precinct to be built under the City Deal

Mr Morrison told the NT News the City Deal would boost the city’s ailing economy.

“Darwin is already a great place to live and work and our investment in long-term infrastructure will ensure it remains such an attractive destination,” he said.

Under the deal, Cavenagh St will be transformed into an “education and civic precinct” featuring a new CDU campus and more retail, commercial and community spaces.

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The NT News understands the new campus precinct will cost $400 million to build.

It’s expected the North Australia Infrastructure Facility will contribute to the mega project.

Private investment will also be sought for the development, which could possibly have three or four towers up to 26 storeys high.

As many as 1000 students, many targeted from overseas, could live and study at the new precinct. Initial plans have been developed but now the City Deal has been finalised, CDU is expected to fast-track the development. Completion could be within three years.

The precinct will be built directly alongside the new Garramilla Boulevard (previously known as Barneson Boulevard) providing an exciting perspective for people driving into the CBD.

The Federal Government estimates the new campus could increase economic output in the Top End by more than $250 million over the next 15 years and sustain an additional 100 jobs by 2023.

The development is expected to complement CDU’s Casuarina campus, which is also tipped to undergo significant transformation over the next decade. Other elements of the deal, with the remaining $100 million, include:

● Construction of a fine arts gallery at State Square.

● Transformation of public spaces in the CBD to create cooler, greener streetscapes.

● Establishing a CSIRO-led “urban living lab” to use science to test and evaluate improvements in Darwin’s liveability.

● Freeing up of Defence’s tank farm site for development.

● $2 million for Larrakia Development Corporation’s economic development projects.

Originally published as Prime Minister Scott Morrison finally signs off on Darwin City Deal which will unlock $500 million of new infrastructure in CBD