00:02The changing face of the territory.
00:05The minimum size of a block in a residential area is set to reduce from 800 to 450 square metres,
00:12dividing up land and opinions.
00:14It will provide an opportunity for a lot of smaller developers to subdivide their own blocks,
00:20sell the blocks and make a little bit of profit along the way.
00:23It also will densify the suburbs.
00:26So that's all positive.
00:28Social service providers say the change will be positive
00:31if they are used to create more social and affordable housing.
00:35Darwin is the second most expensive capital city in which to rent at the moment
00:40and rents are outpacing wages and the cost of living.
00:43So we need to ensure with these reforms that we're placing affordability at the core,
00:49not just the sidelines.
00:50The changes will mostly impact Palmerston, North Darwin
00:54and the Alice Springs suburbs of Gillen, Saturdayne, Eastside and Breitling,
00:58most of which is currently zoned as a low-density residential.
01:02Landowners could use the changes to develop two new dwellings on one parcel of land,
01:07add a dwelling to a block or subdivide their property
01:10so long as each dwelling has a minimum 450 square metres.
01:13In a statement, the planning minister said the proposed amendment will improve housing supply and affordability.
01:20The opposition, not so sure.
01:22This government doesn't have a plan, they don't have a vision for housing affordability
01:26or growing our housing stock.
01:28What you need to look at is you need to look at activity centres,
01:31you need to look at transport corridors,
01:33you need to look at where existing growth and development is occurring,
01:36not going out to our low-density communities and trying to subdivide them.
01:40It's not yet clear when the proposal will be moved in Parliament
01:43or how the government plans to resolve logistical issues
01:46such as the supply of power and water to new builds.
01:49At any rate, Territorians will be free to voice their opinions on the proposal
01:53when it opens up for exhibition in November.
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