1 AZRI precinct. 2 Single dwellings. 3 Multiple dwellings. 4 Tourism. 5 Commercial. 6 Light industry. 7 Open area. 8 Rangeview Estate rural (2 ha). 9 Buffer zone. 10 Dust suppression. 11 Terminal buildings. 12 Airport runways.
By ERWIN CHLANDA
Imagine a new residential development that is unencumbered by native title, not affected by the Territory’s sometimes onerous town planning controls, exempt from town council rates, and cheap so far as provision of services is concerned, the so-called headworks.
A Caribbean tax haven?
No, it’s under your nose: just 15 minutes from the CBD, between the airport and the Rangeview Estate rural subdivision.
The Alice Springs airport is, in terms of area, the biggest in Australia, if not the world.
About 10% (400 hectares – see map) of its 35.5 square kilometres has been flagged at the recent planning forum as one of the serious options for the expansion of the town, and much more of the area when one takes in possible uses for tourism and industry.
In a detailed submission on growth options for the town, consultants to the NT Government Opus Qantec McWilliam described the airport land, combined with the Arid Zone Research Institute (AZRI) area, as “overall the most cost effective option”.
The larger of the two AZRI options provides for 826 single dwellings, 347 multiple dwellings and 280 medium density blocks.
Opus says the airport land has “very high yield in the long term” and “high potential for commercial land”.
The estimated yields would be 1700 single dwellings, 650 multiple dwellings and 320 medium density blocks.
Between the two of them, AZRI and the airport land could accommodate some 15,000 to 16,000 people.
Opus also says there is an opportunity for a dual water supply from the Power and Water Corporation’s sewage reuse plant.
An option to deal with more traffic through the Gap is a dual carriageway “bridge” elevating the road through the Gap.
This would increase the flow of the Todd River and reduce, to a degree, the risk of flooding in the town.
The headworks costs for the AZRI-airport option are $14,000 per block, compared to $42,000 in Mt Johns Valley, for example.
Costs would be higher still for the Undoolya option, around $56,000 per block, an estimated $210m all up, including $26m for new sewage ponds, $137m for a water supply from Rocky Hill, and $40m for roads.
HEADWORKS
Undoolya would ultimately cater for 15,000 people, but most of the headworks for the entire development would need to be done up front.
With the AZRI-airport option, Rocky Hill water is closer, the lines from the soon to be built power station at Brewer Estate will run past the front door, and sewage can be pumped up to the existing ponds.
Surprisingly, there is no talk about relocating the pongy sewage plant which, if the AZRI-airport option is adopted, will be pretty well in the middle of the town.
Soon Alice Springs will need to state its case to the government, and it may well be this: you’ve spent squillions on the Darwin Waterfront, complete with wave pool. Now it’s our turn. We prefer the scenery at Undoolya, so don’t skimp on headworks costs.
The airport land belongs to the Commonwealth, and is under freehold title, which extinguishes native title rights.
The land in Mt Johns Valley, by contrast, has a $10m price tag on it for native title holders, using the deal for the Larapinta subdivision as a guide.
The airport’s operating company, Alice Springs Airport Pty Ltd (ASA), owned principally by Australian superannuation funds, is leasing the airport land for 99 years.
Being Commonwealth property the NT Government has no jurisdiction over the airport land, and NT planning provisions do not apply.
And the town council has no right to charge rates for Commonwealth land although the airport is in the municipal area.
In reality, however, there are some compromises: the Commonwealth sometimes pays ex-gratia (voluntary) council rates.
ASA CEO Donald McDonald says the Commonwealth being rate exempt “was a suggestion at the forum but is not necessarily the view of ASA”.
Arrangements are likely to be made to fall in with at least some aspects of NT planning laws, possibly over sections of the airport land split off for residential purposes.
But one thing’s for sure: making some generous concessions here or there is a lot better than being forced into complying with demands from a string of authorities.
Mr McDonald, who’s about to embark on drawing up the airport’s third five-year plan, says his company would be careful not to offend against “acceptable” land use patterns.
This raises some questions.
The Opus plan presented to the forum shows along Colonel Rose Drive, the northern boundary of the airport, land for “single dwellings”, conjuring up anything from homes on quarter acre blocks to cluster housing.
In one place along that road there is provision even for “medium rise residential” developments.
And east of the residential areas is one set aside for “tourism” – which could mean anything from walking trails down to the Todd River to hotels and caravan parks.
On the other side of Colonel Rose Drive are long-established rural residential areas, mostly two hectare blocks (five acres).
Residents there have fought determined battles, by and large successfully, to retain the character of their area and their lifestyle.
Mr McDonald told the Alice Springs News that community wishes would be respected and where appropriate, there would be rural residential land, which would mean two hectare blocks or bigger.
MASTER PLAN
Says Mr McDonald: “The airport would be bound by any constraints that the Federal Transport Minister includes in his approval of the next – and current – five year master plan.
“It will be developed with consultation with the NT Government and the Alice Springs Town Council.”
The airport’s current five year plan says: “The rural residential development will mirror the existing private development on the north side of Colonel Rose Drive.
“The proposal will respond to existing known demand for rural residential developments [and] provide a range of lot sizes which will take into account the capability of the land and other environmental or service constraints.”
But on the Opus plan there is no provision for rural blocks.
A government source says the Opus plan is merely one of a number of possible scenarios, subject to a great deal more public comment.
Mr McDonald says he understands the Opus plan to be an indication of what the NT Government has in mind.
But a high-level government source says it’s what Opus thought the airport company had in mind.
There are a couple of eccentric restrictions on the airport land: all prostitution and certain forms of gambling are banned, a legacy of the involvement of independent Senator Brian Harradine in the drafting of the lease conditions for Commonwealth land.
But there are also plans for tourism, agriculture, horticulture, commercial activities, general industry and heritage uses of the huge airport block.
This is what, in part, the airport’s current five year plan has in mind:-
TOURISM
• Tourism opportunities may be developed for anything from bush experiences to hotel or golf course development according to future demand. There are no proposals to introduce any form of powered or wheeled activities within this area.
• Land with potential horticultural use is between the tourism zone and the aerodrome. It will remain unused until a viable operation is identified.
• Two commercial precincts will largely be developed alongside the road access as demand requires, for airport support and following consultation on compatibility with the needs of the Alice Springs township.
• A commercial precinct adjacent to the Stuart Highway [on the corner with Colonel Rose Drive] will serve mainly non-airport users including residents and travellers on the highway. For example a service station, supermarket or catering facility would be appropriate.
• An area west of runway 17/35 – the one running roughly north-south – was identified in the previous plan as a possible transportation centre, although distant from the Stuart Highway and not near the rail line, this site does have potential to maximise an opportunity to centralise freight make-up linking both road and air transport, close to the airport. The land could also be assigned to general industry uses.
• Heritage sites include buildings within the old Seven Mile Aerodrome, the passenger terminal, control tower and Bellman Hangar.
A preservation plan is currently being prepared to protect these buildings.
• Commercial (non–aeronautical) land development [could include] retailing areas ranging from neighbourhood convenience shopping to regional centres [and] general as well as light industry.