Mr BURKE - 1994-06-30
I refer to the recent draft Palmerston Town Centre Land Use Concept Plan and ask the minister to provide the following information. Has a satisfactory road strategy or road analysis been conducted and modelled to identify optimum traffic flow and parking needs to accommodate the growing needs of the Palmerston CBD? Has a retail strategy been conducted so that retail, commercial and other facilities are identified for the CBD to meet this growing community's future requirements? What initiatives are being conducted to relay this kind of information in order to allay the concerns of residents?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the draft Palmerston Town Centre Land Use Concept Plan, which was on display from 5 May until 6 June 1994, proposed a road network and parking facilities that will service the ultimate development of the town centre. This plan has been endorsed by the traffic engineers at the Department of Transport and Works and by the Palmerston Town Council. It has been coordinated with the traffic management and parking proposed for the Joondanna Investments shopping complex that is now under construction. To verify the traffic management and parking proposals, a joint study will be undertaken involving the Palmerston Town Council, the Department of Transport and Works and my department. It will involve a traffic demand modelling exercise on a regional scale and a more detailed traffic, public transport and parking modelling study of the town centre. There is still sufficient time to accommodate changes to the road network proposal before the final concept plan is approved and the necessary infrastructure is developed in the town centre. The development of an efficient road network, a public transport system, pedestrian linkages and convenient parking is an integral part of the development of land use concepts for the town centre. My department is addressing this issue in a manner that will meet the needs of the Palmerston and rural communities, and prospective businesses in the town centre both now and in the future as Palmerston expands to become the major growth area in the region.
Currently, my department is undertaking a regional retail study which analyses the distribution of retail activities among the major competing centres of Darwin, Casuarina and Palmerston. This work provides information that will assist the government and industry in managing retail growth in the region. It will provide details of the net retail floor space requirements for each centre. Preliminary advice confirms the earlier figures of the Palmerston Development Authority that about 30 000 m2 of net retail floor space is required to service a population of 70 000 people. Other district and local centres will be dispersed throughout the greater Palmerston and rural areas. The requirements for this retail space, and about 40 000 m2 of office commercial space, have been provided for in the draft land use concept plan. However, to achieve the additional office
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space from the present 9200 m2 of net rentable floor area, it will require some control over the type of development in the areas allocated for office development in the draft land use concept plan. Medium to high-rise buildings will be required, and it is anticipated that office development will occur over the area designated for multistorey car parking in the centre.
This is what the Palmerston draft plan land use objectives are all about - promoting in the town centre appropriate and quality development that is well integrated with roads, public transport, pedestrian linkages and adequate car parking. Following the success of the community participation in the recent display of land use concepts and objectives, the government proposes now to display the Palmerston Land Use Concept Plan and Objectives under the requirements of the Planning Act. The plan and objectives that are being developed take into account the recent community comments. There will be another opportunity for community participation before finalisation of the plan and objectives which will provide government, local government,the business community, developers and the planning authority with the necessary planning directions for the forseeable future. My department has met with officers from the Palmerston Town Council to discuss the plan and, in particular, traffic and parking issues. It is proposed now to discuss the proposals further with the council during the formal draft exhibition period.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the draft Palmerston Town Centre Land Use Concept Plan, which was on display from 5 May until 6 June 1994, proposed a road network and parking facilities that will service the ultimate development of the town centre. This plan has been endorsed by the traffic engineers at the Department of Transport and Works and by the Palmerston Town Council. It has been coordinated with the traffic management and parking proposed for the Joondanna Investments shopping complex that is now under construction. To verify the traffic management and parking proposals, a joint study will be undertaken involving the Palmerston Town Council, the Department of Transport and Works and my department. It will involve a traffic demand modelling exercise on a regional scale and a more detailed traffic, public transport and parking modelling study of the town centre. There is still sufficient time to accommodate changes to the road network proposal before the final concept plan is approved and the necessary infrastructure is developed in the town centre. The development of an efficient road network, a public transport system, pedestrian linkages and convenient parking is an integral part of the development of land use concepts for the town centre. My department is addressing this issue in a manner that will meet the needs of the Palmerston and rural communities, and prospective businesses in the town centre both now and in the future as Palmerston expands to become the major growth area in the region.
Currently, my department is undertaking a regional retail study which analyses the distribution of retail activities among the major competing centres of Darwin, Casuarina and Palmerston. This work provides information that will assist the government and industry in managing retail growth in the region. It will provide details of the net retail floor space requirements for each centre. Preliminary advice confirms the earlier figures of the Palmerston Development Authority that about 30 000 m2 of net retail floor space is required to service a population of 70 000 people. Other district and local centres will be dispersed throughout the greater Palmerston and rural areas. The requirements for this retail space, and about 40 000 m2 of office commercial space, have been provided for in the draft land use concept plan. However, to achieve the additional office
Page 31
space from the present 9200 m2 of net rentable floor area, it will require some control over the type of development in the areas allocated for office development in the draft land use concept plan. Medium to high-rise buildings will be required, and it is anticipated that office development will occur over the area designated for multistorey car parking in the centre.
This is what the Palmerston draft plan land use objectives are all about - promoting in the town centre appropriate and quality development that is well integrated with roads, public transport, pedestrian linkages and adequate car parking. Following the success of the community participation in the recent display of land use concepts and objectives, the government proposes now to display the Palmerston Land Use Concept Plan and Objectives under the requirements of the Planning Act. The plan and objectives that are being developed take into account the recent community comments. There will be another opportunity for community participation before finalisation of the plan and objectives which will provide government, local government,the business community, developers and the planning authority with the necessary planning directions for the forseeable future. My department has met with officers from the Palmerston Town Council to discuss the plan and, in particular, traffic and parking issues. It is proposed now to discuss the proposals further with the council during the formal draft exhibition period.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016