Gunn Point Peninsula

Update to the Litchfield Subregional Land Use Plan

• Introduction
• What is the Litchfield Subregional Land Use Plan?
• Objectives
• The Planning Process
• Resources and Reading Material

Introduction

The Northern Territory Planning Commission has now completed the second stage of consultation on the proposed updated to the Litchfield Subregional Land Use Plan.

Stage Two consultation, which closed on Friday 28 August 2020, was  an opportunity to seek comments from the community on the proposed reconfiguration of previously identified land uses across the peninsula. Feedback received can be found in the Stage Two Consultation Snapshot PDF (1.3 MB) and Stage Two Consultation Report PDF (62.2 MB).

What is the Litchfield Subregional Land Use Plan?

The Litchfield Subregional Land Use Plan is a long term plan that provides for urban growth in key locations, supports rural land uses and protects environmental and cultural assets within the Litchfield subregion. The Litchfield Subregional Land Use Plan is a policy referenced in the NT Planning Scheme.

Regional and subregional land use planning provide an opportunity for authorities to plan for future infrastructure services such as power water and sewerage for the medium to far term.

The Litchfield Subregional Land Use Plan (2016) builds on the overarching direction provided by the Darwin Regional Land Use Plan (2015) to guide the future development of Darwin. Planning for the future of Darwin is informed by population and infrastructure studies with stakeholder and community feedback being a key influence.

The Litchfield Subregional Land Use Plan identifies Murrumujuk for urban and peri-urban development and Glyde Point for strategic industry to support a future deep-water port. The LSLUP also identifies extensive areas for conservation, natural space/open areas, agriculture/grazing, and horticulture.

Objectives

The proposed update to the Litchfield Subregional Land Use Plan as it relates to Gunn Point Peninsula seeks to:

• protect the long-term sustainability of groundwater resources within the study area;
• identify land and principles to support the detailed planning for the Murrumujuk Township at a future time;
• support rural agricultural and horticultural land uses within the study area that respond to land and groundwater capabilities;
• respond to cultural, historical and natural assets of the locality;
• enable sustainable tourism ventures that respond to environmental, cultural and recreational opportunities; and
• protect the transport and infrastructure corridors required for development on the Gunn Point Peninsula.

View the Discussion Paper PDF (5.9 MB) which outlines what we understand from previous studies and projects, what needs to be considered in updating the Litchfield Subregional Land Use Plan and an overview of proposed changes.

More detailed information on all the proposed updates to the Litchfield Subregional Land Use Plan can also be found within the Proposed Updates to Litchfield Subregional Land Use Plan – Gunn Point Peninsula PDF (3.2 MB) document

The Planning Process

An amendment is being prepared to update the Litchfield Subregional Land Use Plan. The amendment is being developed over three stages.

Stage One - Complete

This stage involved information gathering and assessment of study area investigations and infrastructure networks.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources recently completed a comprehensive study to assess and map the biophysical resources of the Gunn Point area under the Mapping the Future program. This included the land and groundwater capabilities as well as flora and fauna surveying.

Visit www.denr.nt.gov.au/developmentopportunities for more information on the Mapping the Future project.

Stage Two - Complete

Stage Two included engagement with the community on the proposed updates to the Litchfield Subregional Land Use Plan. Community input was invited from 23 July 2020 through to Friday 28 August 2020.

This stage included the release of the Discussion Paper and Proposed Updates to Litchfield Subregional Land Use Plan – Gunn Point Peninsula for consultation.

Stage Three - Complete

Stage Three is the final stage of the project.

The Planning Commission has finalised the proposed updates to the Litchfield Subregional Land Use Plan and recommended to the Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics for public exhibition.

The Minister for Infrastructure Planning and Logistics placed the proposed updates to the Litchfield Subregional Land Use Plan on statutory exhibition as a proposal to amend the NT Planning Scheme 2020. The Litchfield Subregional Land Use Plan was on exhibition for four weeks, with submissions closing Friday 26 March 2021.

The Minister for Infrastructure Planning and Logistics has now amended the NT Planning Scheme 2020 to omit and replace the Litchfield Subregional Land Use Plan, brining into effect the updates to the Subregional Plan relating to Gunn Point Peninsula.

The updated Litchfield Subregional Land Use Plan may be viewed at nt.gov.au

Resources and Reading Material

• Stage Two Consultation Report PDF (62.2 MB)
• Stage Two Consultation Snapshot PDF (1.3 MB)
• Discussion Paper PDF (5.9 MB)
• Proposed Updates to Litchfield Subregional Land Use Plan – Gunn Point Peninsula PDF (3.2 MB)

Related Links

The links below are to other websites. They will open in a new window.

• Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Development Potential of the Gunn Point Area - Mapping the Future
• NT Planning Scheme

Background Resources

• Litchfield Subregional Land Use Plan 2016 (entire document)
• • High resolution version (PDF 39MB)
  • Printable version (PDF 8MB)
• Darwin Regional Land Use Plan (Department of Lands, Planning and the Environment)