Dear Editor,
Doesn’t anybody care anymore? Do our politicians care or couldn’t they be bothered? Or have they simply fallen asleep at the wheel? Do the government planners and developers rule the world?
Recently a subdivision of mainly 450 sq metre blocks was approved by the Development Consent Authority at Norcrest on the old Berrimah Farm. These blocks are so small that any house built on them will have no backyard as owners are permitted to build with practically no rear setbacks: no trees, no pool, no birds, no place for the kids to play, no room to breathe, no veggie garden, no room for the boat, and only whispering permitted.
Pollies rave on about climate change, about cooling suburbs, and the welfare of families but when it comes doing something, and saying these small block subdivisions are not the way planning in the Territory should be going, they hide. There is not a word from any pollies, from the Planning Minister, the Environment Minister, the Families Minister, or their CLP counterparts, and what about the Member for Fong Lim?
Their silence means they support these sardine subdivisions with no backyards. They give no thought to future social and environmental impacts, and they are scared of upsetting developers.
Houses built to fit the blocks will be so small, people will sleep vertically in Velcro pyjamas.
So, here’s a chance for the pollies to step in and say “Hold on”, stop, and rethink where our suburban planning is going, because the developer of Norcrest has just released plans for another 909 more blocks with about two thirds of those being sardine single dwelling blocks between 400 and 600 sq metres, with a 1.5 metre setback to the back fence.
This development, if approved, will also conveniently allow for so-called minor roads which are so narrow (7 metre pavement), where cars will have to park on the nature strip to let the rubbish truck, the removalist van, emergency services vehicles, etc through. The excuse for these roads is that they are designed to slow traffic down, which is bunkum; it is to allow more land to be developed.
So, we have pollies who say a lot of things about cooling, space, families, and aesthetics, so let’s hear their concerns at the next DCA meeting. Let’s see them put in an objection to call for a halt to this subdivision and others like it. They have until August 17, just before the election.
Finally, the women who will soon be residing again at the old Berrimah prison next door to Norcrest, will be laughing at these plans because they’ll reckon they have more room than their neighbours.
Gerry Wood, Howard Springs
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Dear Gerry,
please look up the word “Profit” in the dictionary! If its not profitable, then it doesn’t happen!
Those sardine subdivisions with no backyards are being built by a very very large political donator. The ALP and CLP will not offend in any way with the people who are funding the current election campaigns! (Question: how do you think the TV ads and internet advertising and flying up the army of Red Shirts from south are funded???)
If you want to change the size of the blocks then maybe following the NSW Governments ban on property developers from donating to politcal parties maybe a very very good start! NSW Government also bans Liquor Industry from donating which may be a bridge to far for the NT!
A further note, there is also a segment of buyers and renters who do not want a garden to maintain.
Every now and again a significant comment, event slips by? Reference NT News “In the interest of safety”. Thursday, August 15, 2024. “…. and Labor has made a promise that the NT’s Public Housing Safety Officers be allowed to carry OC spray among other increases to their powers.” “The potential increase in powers also begs the question of just how the NTG will oversee and, for lack of a better word, police these powers.” The issue of interest at the core, as follows: “The NT Govt said they’ll oversee the powers through body-worn cameras, and by offering training by Police Officers so they can use the new powers “safely”.
“Chief Minister Lawler described the election promise as a ‘common sense’ approach to tackling bad behaviours in public housing.” Frankly, the idea of an ancillary force empowered by and equipped with restraint weapons to be employed freely . . . against adolescent and children is very, very scary. Twenty-five years working on the street with volatile adolescents in community illustrated ‘use of force’ as the worst leverage possible.