Darwin Council has finally kicked off public consultation for its proposed masterplan to revitalise Bundilla Beach, with the consultation phase to close on November 12.

The final, detailed masterplan, which has been awarded to architecture company Hames Sharley to develop is scheduled to be delivered early next year.

The consultation process was first flagged in June, but inexplicably delayed until now, following community backlash to a previous proposal to use the area formerly known as Vestey’s Beach as an RV carpark.

The consultation process will run from now until November 12.

“Community feedback will be critical to getting the masterplan right, so the City of Darwin will be asking people to have their say on the Bundilla Beach reserve masterplan in the coming months,” Mayor Vatskalis previously said in June.

The first stage of the masterplan will be funded with $500,000 from the City of Darwin and another $3 million from the NT Government.

The plan is to redevelop the are to give communities and visitors an invigorated space that comes with flow-on benefits for local businesses.

Hames Sharley, which was awarded the tender to develop the site, said areas to be considered as part of the master plan include waterfront views, the lagoon, green spaces, and carpark spaces.

The masterplan’s primary stage of development, aimed at improving both usage and amenities, will include:

• – Additional public lighting
• – A 3 x 3 basketball court
• – Greenspace irrigation
• – Additional BBQ tables and shelters
• – Street food enabling infrastructure
• – Additional public toilets
• – Improvements to pathways
• – A dog park
• – Vehicle parking and an RV dump point.

The masterplan’s phases two and three focus on the medium and long-term utilisation of the site.

Anyone interested in providing comment on the Bundilla Beach masterplan can do so at https://engage.darwin.nt.gov.au/bundilla-beach-masterplan