ALICE SPRINGS Background Investigation Report

135 Pages·2015·7.41 MB·English

ALICE SPRINGS
Background Investigation Report

CONTENTS PAGE
Contents

1. Context and Purpose 1 8.7 Land Use 61
2. Study Area 2 8.8 Areas of Cultural Significance 62
2.1 Plan Boundaries 2 9. Transport 64
2.2 Key Strategic Sites 4 9.1 Air Transport 64
3. Previous Strategic Investigations 6 9.2 Rail Transport 64
3.1 Framing the Future 7 9.3 Road Transport 66
3.2 CBD Discussion Paper 8 9.4 Public Transport 68
4. Land Tenure 9 9.5 Active Transport 69
5. Population & Housing Characteristics 11 10. Service Infrastructure 71
5.1 Distribution of Population 11 10.1 Power Supply 71
5.2 Demographic Trends 13 10.2 Water Supply 71
5.3 Household Characteristics 16 10.3 Sewer 72
6. Socio Economic Profile 19 10.4 Gas 72
6.1 Population Projections 19 10.5 Summary 73
6.2 Employment 20 11. Human Services 75
6.3 Economic Drivers 21 11.1 Education 75
6.4 Urban Drift 22 11.2 Health 78
6.5 Residential Land & Dwelling 11.3 Aged Care 80
Approvals 23 11.4 Social Services 80
6.6 Residential Property Market 24 11.5 Child Care 80
6.7 Residential Land & Housing 11.6 Recreation 82
Affordability 28
12. Potential Growth Locations 86
7. General Land Use Distribution & Zoning 30
12.1 Abattoir Valley 86
7.1 General Land Use Distribution 30
12.2 Larapinta Valley 89
7.2 Alice Springs CBD 33
12.3 Sadadeen South 93
7.3 Residential 35
12.4 Undoolya Valley 95
7.4 Community Living Area’s 37
12.5 Mount John’s Valley 98
7.5 Commercial/Retail 39
12.6 Coolibah Estate-Emily Valley 100
7.6 Industrial 44
12.7 Arumbera 102
7.7 Rural Living 47
12.8 Brewer Estate 106
7.8 Conservation & Open Space 50
12.9 Kilgariff 107
7.9 Recreation 52
12.10 ASAC (Airport) 110
7.10 Airport 52
13. Key Influencing Factors 117
7.11 Future Development Zone 54
13.1 Population 117
7.12 Defence 54 13.2 Economic Drivers 117
8. Land Capability 55
13.3 Households 118
8.1 Climate 55
13.4 Residential Land Supply 118
8.2 Flora, Fauna & Threatened
13.5 Industrial Land Supply 119
Species 55
13.6 CBD and Other Activity Centres 120
8.3 Conservation Zones 55
13.7 Services 120
8.4 Water Resources and Flooding 57

8.5 Climate Change & Implications on
urban Form 58
8.6 Landscape Features 61

CONTENTS PAGE
1. Context and Purpose
1. Context and Purpose

The key purpose of the Alice Springs Regional The Background Investigation Report provides a
Land Use Plan 2015 is to identify the essential summary of the key considerations which will
characteristics and needs that will shape future influence the draft Alice Springs Regional Land
development in the region and establish an Use Plan.
overarching framework for that development.
A Project Control Group (PCG) was established to
This Background Investigation Report will guide the investigations and eventual preparation
ultimately inform the preparation of the draft of the Alice Springs Regional Land Use Plan. A
Alice Springs Regional Land Use Plan. key early direction of the PCG was to confirm the
Study Area boundary and also the key strategic
The Alice Springs Regional Land Use Plan will
sites which would form the focus of the
shape the future development of the Alice
investigations. The Study Area and key strategic
Springs Region. It will consider the land use
sites are discussed later in the report.
needs for Alice Springs and establish an
overarching framework for future population In terms of next steps in the overall process, the
thresholds of 32,000 and 40, 000 persons, Background Investigation Report will inform the
noting the current estimated resident population preparation of a Discussion Paper which will be
is 28,667 persons. the subject of stakeholder and community
consultation, ahead of preparation of the draft
It presents and summarises the findings that
Alice Springs Regional Land Use Plan.
result from a broad range of investigations,
including:
 demographics and population trends and
projections;
 residential supply and demand;
 commercial and industrial supply and
demand;
 human service provision;
 infrastructure and services;
 transport/traffic;
 cultural heritage; and
 land capability.

PAGE 1
2. Study Area
2. Study Area

2.1 Plan Boundaries

The Alice Springs Region, for the purpose of this Recognising that boundaries based on
Background Investigation Report, is shown by administrative entities are artificial in a natural
Figure 2.1 and is defined as the whole of the Alice environment, the investigations are not blind to
Springs Municipality, together with: relevant environmental and development
interdependencies outside the administrative
 the Joint Defence Facility Pine Gap (JDFPG)
boundaries.
to the west;
Opportunities for future development within the
 the area known as Undoolya to the east;
Study Area are constrained by a number of
 the area known as Amoonguna to the south
factors, including but not limited to:
east; and
 a triangular shaped parcel to the south,  land capability;
generally bounded by the Stuart Highway to  water management areas;
the west and the old Ghan Railway Line to
 existing Conservation areas;
the east. It is traversed by the Adelaide to
 flood risk;
Darwin railway line and includes the Brewer
Industrial Estate and the Alice Springs  cultural heritage; and
Correctional Centre.
 the economic delivery of servicing and
The Alice Springs Central Business District, the infrastructure.
administrative centre of the region, is located
While engineering solutions can overcome some
north of Heavitree Gap, otherwise known as The
constraints, a framework for future development
Gap.
must be designed within the context of natural
constraints and be sensitive to economic costs
and impacts on the environment and culturally

significant areas.

PAGE 2
Figure 2.1 Study Area

PAGE 3
2.2 Key Strategic Sites
These sites are described as:
Numerous strategic land use investigations have
been undertaken for the Alice Springs area over
 Abattoir Valley (potential for industrial);
the years. The land use studies have consistently
 Larapinta Valley (potential for residential);
identified the same areas for potential future
 Railway Yards (potential for
growth. Some potential future growth areas are
industrial/commercial);
already zoned Future Development, by the
Northern Territory Planning Scheme.  CBD/Town Centre (potential for infill
and/or expansion);
Figure 2.2 spatially identifies the 12 locations
 Sadadeen South (potential for residential);
agreed by the PCG to form the focus of the
 Undoolya Valley (potential new town);
investigations.
 Mount John’s Valley (potential for

residential);
 Arumbera (potential for industrial);
 Coolibah Tree Estate (residential);

 AZRI/Kilgariff (residential);
 AZRI/ASAC (potential for residential,
industrial and commercial; and
 Brewer Industrial Estate (industrial).

PAGE 4
Figure 2.2 Key Focus Areas

PAGE 5
3. Previous Strategic Investigations