Intrapac Property: Lloyd Creek rural development proposal moves forward after years of delays
A new Top End residential development could redefine rural living in the tropics. Read what’s planned.
Northern Territory
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Developer Intrapac Property has lodged amendments to the NT Planning Scheme for the development of a 4200-home rural village near Noonamah, south of Darwin.
The proposed Lloyd Creek Rural Village Area Plan amendment aims to progress the strategic planning for the site for inclusion of an Area Plan into the planning scheme following community consultation.
The 2641ha proposed development on land owned by Koolpinyah Station Pty Ltd and Norama Enterprises, about 35km south of Darwin, comprises four allotments within the designated Lloyd Creek rural living zone.
The development is bound by Redcliff Rd to the west, Townend Rd to the south, and Mocatto Rd to the east – and is situated about 7km from Humpty Doo.
The land was previously subject to a 2018 rezoning attempt by Intrapac to develop Noonamah Ridge.
That bid was rejected by then Planning Minister Eva Lawler, based on community concerns at amenity loss, proximity to existing developments, infrastructure shortfalls and concerns at depleting groundwater.
Intrapac Property chief executive Max Shifman said he had since engaged local consultants and conducted community surveys to develop a new proposal for the site which, he said, responded to the refusal points from 2018-2020 and considers community feedback.
He said Lloyd Creek Rural Village would be a high-quality rural residential and lifestyle estate that emphasised preservation of the area’s rural character and amenity.
It would include a proposed local village centre, a community centre schools, retail facilities, parks and open space networks including a 500-acre conservation area, walking trails, bush walks, and horse arenas, promoting harmony with nature.
Homes would be designed to integrate with tropical surroundings and feature waste-water recycling capabilities.
The total investment value could be up to $5bn over 30 years, with more than 300 full-time jobs.
“We submitted the draft area plan over a year ago. and we’ve since had discussions with the government about how to proceed with the project,” Mr Shifman said.
“This week we received notification that the minister is prepared to exhibit the draft area plan
“The area plan is designed to set the general guidelines and framework of what the development will ultimately be as Lloyd Creek grows over 40 plus years.”
He said the area plan would provide structure and definition to this development and Darwin’s Rural Area more generally.
“The proposal has always been to look at the rural area and look at large parcels of land in a much more overarching way instead of doing it in a piecemeal manner, which is the way the rural area has grown for a long time,” Mr Shifman said.
“Instead, here there is a draft set of principals and plans that guide that development over the longer term, and not just rolling out the same blocks with nothing to support them in a population that’s isolated.
“You actually plan in what people need in terms of infrastructure, activity ventures and a housing diversity that has not normally been seen in the Territory.
“The idea is to create a diverse and accessible rural village, a bit like the old part of Humpty Doo,” he said.
“I’m trying to bring that housing style back into the Northern Territory.
“It’s a long-term project in the current Darwin Land Use Plan so it’s always been identified for growth. It was always a question of when, not if, and we think the time is now given the significant problems we’ve had in the Territory re new housing supply.
“There aren’t many options in the rural area that would deliver on this scale we’re proposing here. It’s a game changer.
“If it receives approvals it will roll out relatively slowly, and over time it will grow into a rural village.
“We’re not offering blocks that are suburban in nature. The smallest lots were offering are no less than 1000 sqm, and the maximum density is 1.5 dwellings per hectare. It’s nothing like suburban areas and will very much have that rural village feel
“So what you’ll end up with is a pattern of development that has an activity centre with quite large blocks around it. The blocks get larger as you get further away which creates a transition between what’s already in the rural area and the new village we create.
“There will be no negative impact on existing residents. It’s effectively the same type of housing in terms of block sizes.”
Intrapac Property had previously subdivided the Mirawood estate in Berrimah.
Accessible on the Development Consent Authority website from Friday morning, the exhibition phase ends on May 16.
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Originally published as Intrapac Property: Lloyd Creek rural development proposal moves forward after years of delays
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