Designing Better

Designing Better snapshot booklet cover. Image of tablet device showing inner pages of booklet

About the Designing Better project

The Designing Better project is a suite of suggestions by the Northern Territory Planning Commission that specifically relates to apartment and mixed use buildings.

The project applies to:

  • Zone MR (Medium Density Residential);
  • Zone HR (High Density Residential);
  • Zone CB (Central Business); and
  • Zone C (Commercial)

Designing Better is Territory-wide in scope and seeks to encourage and enable residential apartment and mixed use buildings in the Northern Territory to:

  • respond to context and celebrate local and regional differences;
  • respond to climate and contribute to the Territory’s built form character;
  • embrace Innovation through flexible, best practice design solutions; and
  • make great places that provide meaningful, vibrant and liveable spaces for people.

This project draws upon feedback received from the community and industry through other projects and targets a number of key design elements for improvement.

The Designing Better project will ultimately inform revised development requirements in the Northern Territory Planning Scheme and be complemented by the locality-specific guidance of Area Plans.

Consultation

Three stage process diagram, including three sub-stages of Stage 1

Stage One - Complete

Stage One consultation was undertaken by the Planning Commission from 7 February 2020 through to 6 March 2020 and was broken up as follows:

  • Stage 1a  - Select Industry Sounding Engagement
  • Stage 1b - Industry Sounding
  • Stage 1c - Broad Community Engagement

This was an opportunity for industry and community to get involved in the process, share ideas about the project and tell us what should be included in the next step.

Read the Stage One Consultation Report PDF (14.4 MB).

Stage Two - Complete

The Planning Commission sought feedback on proposed development requirements and guidance notes PDF (3.0 MB) that could be included in the NT Planning Scheme 2020.

Open sessions were held across the Territory during March 2021 including:

  • Tennant Creek  - Monday 15 March 2021, Government Centre, 8.30am - 5.30pm
  • Alice Springs - Wednesday  17 March 2021, DoubleTree by Hilton, 8.30am - 5.30pm
  • Katherine - Tuesday 30 March 2021, Public Library, 8.30am - 3.30pm

Download the proposed design requirements and guidance notes PDF (3.0 MB) now.

Submissions on the proposed design requirements were able to be made online, via post or in person until Friday 16 April 2021.

Following Stage Two consultation, The Planning Commission recommended that the Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics amend the NT Planning Scheme to include the  outcomes of the Designing Better project.

The Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics is the decision-maker on proposals to amend the NT Planning Scheme.

Stage Three (Statutory exhibition)

The Minister has decided to consolidate the Designing Better proposal with ongoing work of the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics. This work also relates to improving the design of buildings and places, and proposes changes to the development requirements in Part 5 of the planning scheme.

Statutory Exhibition of the consolidated planning scheme amendment concluded exhibition on Friday 4 March 2022. The amendment sought to incorporate economic recovery actions and Designing Better into the NT Planning Scheme 2020 by:

  • introducing Overlay 3.12 GL – Gateway Locations
  • amending components of Part 4 (Zones and Assessment Tables) and Part 5 (Development Requirements)
  • amending Schedule 2.2. (General Definitions)

For more information on the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics’ Economic Recovery Actions project, visit the Planning Reform website(External link) or on Have Your Say.