Central Alice Springs Area Plan
Planning Scheme Amendment
Following two stages of consultation by the Planning Commission, the Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics placed the Draft Central Alice Springs Area Plan on public exhibition as a proposed Planning Scheme Amendment. Statutory exhibition ran from Friday 21 January 2019 to Friday 22 February 2019. The Planning Commission conducted a hearing in relation to submissions received on 15 April 2019.
The Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics has now amended the NT Planning Scheme.
Amendment No. 523 published in the NT News on 23.08.2019 introduced the Central Alice Springs Area Plan at Clause 14.4.8 of the NT Planning Scheme.
Background
The Central Alice Springs Area Plan will be a longer term plan for the future of the area. Once complete, the Area Plan will provide continued support to the CBD being the primary location for commercial and retail activity in Alice Springs. The draft Area Plan seeks to promote an engaging and lively Central Alice Springs that is a sought-after destination to live, work and play.
The draft Central Alice Springs Area Plan is the outcome of infrastructure studies and advice from service authorities, other NT Government Agencies, and the Alice Springs Town Council. Feedback received during Stage 1 and 2 consultation has also directly assisted in developing the draft Area Plan.
What are Area Plans?
Area Plans provide a detailed framework for land use change, to guide the future use and development of land. There are two main components to an Area Plan. The map shows where opportunities for land use change exist, while the planning principles clarify the vision and requirements that apply to future development in the areas covered by the Area Plan.
Area Plans are included in the NT Planning Scheme and must be considered by the Minister or the Development Consent Authority whenever a rezoning or development is proposed.
Area Plans do not alter existing use rights and land can continue to be used in accordance with the current land-use zone.
Area Plans also do not automatically rezone land. If a landowner wants to develop in accordance with the Area Plan the landowner must first rezone the land by applying to the Minister responsible for administering the Planning Act.
Area Plans try to look as far ahead as possible but, in time, they may be reviewed to meet the future needs and aspirations of the community. Any change to an Area Plan is a Planning Scheme Amendment and must follow the process set out in the Planning Act, including public exhibition.
Draft Central Alice Springs Area Plan
The draft Central Alice Springs Area Plan consists of a Land Use Vision for Central Alice Springs and planning principles that address general themes and localised issues within identified Focus Areas.
The draft Area Plan provides focused locations for growth in different sectors such as commercial, service commercial and industry, medical and health services, heritage, and sport to support development and the wider Alice Springs area.
A draft Needs Assessment has also been prepared, and contains a record of investigations and community feedback that have informed the draft Area Plan. It is recommended that the Needs Assessment be consulted where there are questions about interpretation or the policy positions advocated for by the draft Area Plan.
The Draft Area Plan and Needs Assessment, as exhibited as a proposed Planning Scheme Amendment can be found within the exhibition package for the proposed Planning Scheme Amendment under Resources and Reading Material.
The process to create the Area Plan
The Central Alice Springs Area plan is being developed over three stages:
Stage One, completed in October and November 2017 included the release of a discussion paper and first round of up-front community consultation and background investigations
Stage Two occurred from 5 July to 10 August 2018 and included the release of the draft Area Plan for consultation. This has been prepared taking into account the community feedback and background investigations from Stage 1.
Stage Three is the final stage of the project. The Planning Commission finalised and recommended the Area Plan and associated documents to the Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics for public exhibition as a proposed amendment to the Northern Territory Planning Scheme. The Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics placed the Draft Central Alice Springs Area Plan on public exhibition as a proposed Planning Scheme Amendment. Exhibition ran from Friday 21 January 2019 to Friday 22 February 2019.
The exhibition package for the proposed Planning Scheme Amendment can be found on the Central Alice Springs Area Plan project page under Resources and Reading Material.
Resources and reading material
Stage 3 - Proposed Planning Scheme Amendment
This stage is a statutory process under the Planning Act 1999.
Stage 2
- Media Release - 5 July 2018 PDF (72.1 KB)
- Flyer - Draft Central Alice Springs Area Plan - Stage 2 consultation PDF (1.5 MB)
- Draft Central Alice Springs Area Plan PDF (4.6 MB)
- Draft Central Alice Springs Area Plan - Needs Assessment PDF (8.2 MB)
Stage 1
- Read our online discussion paper
- Download a printable discussion paper (PDF 4MB)
- Download a flyer (PDF 201KB)
- Stage 1 Media Release
Background resources
- Alice Springs Regional Land Use Plan 2016 (PDF 32MB) (Department of Lands, Planning and the Environment)
- Design Guidance for Development in Zone CB (PDF 750KB) (Central Business) (Department of Lands, Planning and the Environment)
- Alice Springs Central Activity District (Department of Lands, Planning and the Environment)
- Urban Design Audit (PDF 6MB)
- Parking Evaluation (PDF 2MB)
- Residential Capacity Report (PDF 6MB)
- Built Form Guidelines Study (PDF 3MB)