CLP to Sell Sports House in Fanny Bay

The Country Liberals propose to sell the ageing NT Government owned Sports House building in Fannie Bay to fund a new centre for sports administration at Marrara.

The Country Liberals proposal will deliver a much needed new sports administration centre in Darwin.

The Sports House site will also become the first development of the Territory Housing Land Corporation.

The THLC would also be a one stop shop for residential development, ending the current bureaucratic run around that has drastically reduced the pace of the release of residential land.

The THLC will also be a joint developer of housing blocks, offering first homebuyers the opportunity to get into Darwin’s overheated property market by selling residential blocks at $100,000 below the market rate.

The THLC will have a private developer as joint partner in all its projects.

The THLC will set aside a percentage of blocks for first home buyers in each new major land release and the successful first homebuyers would be selected by ballot. To be admitted to the ballot first home buyers would need to qualify for the Commonwealth Government’s First Home Owners Grant and be a resident of the Territory.

“The THLC will be responsible for breaking the bottleneck constricting the release of land for residential development in the Territory,” says Terry Mills, Leader of the Country Liberals.

“Under Labor the release of land has slowed to a snail’s pace and as a result Darwin is suffering from the highest rents in the nation and a modest family home now costs at least $500,000.

“The pincer movement of exorbitant rents and high home prices has squeezed many families, couples and singles completely out of the home buyers market.

“It is critical that further land be released onto the market in a coordinated and timely manner to ease the crippling costs of housing in Darwin.

“On November 9th last year the Treasurer, Delia Lawrie, promised that work on the new suburb of Bellamack would commence early this year.

“8 months after Delia Lawrie’s promise, Bellamack is still bush land and Labor is still dithering about who should develop it. Labor just can’t deliver.”

2008-07-25