By ERWIN CHLANDA
What a difference a line makes!
West (that’s left) of the vertical line in the image at right are dwellings and other buildings on rural residential blocks in Schaber Road, in the Alice Springs suburb of Connellan.
East of that line are dwellings and other buildings on Amoonguna Aboriginal land.
According to a local expert on these issues, people west of the line are in a “Tier One” area: If they wish to build they have to have a building permit, mandatory inspections and an occupancy permit.
They have to follow planning requirements such as the size of the block, zoning, setbacks, land uses, heights, granny flats, stock, safeguard of vegetation, and other rules and restrictions.
The requirements east of that line are – well – there aren’t any. That place is “out of areas”. In theory residents are supposed to comply with the requirements of the Building Code of Australia – but no-one enforces it.
And there’s more: The Alice airport, one of the biggest in the world so far as land size is concerned, is also “out of areas”. Hassles about eight storeys for Melanka? Build a 50 storey skyscraper at the airport tomorrow.
The same applies to the Alice Springs prison.
Previously it was under highway control requirements, but that has been lifted, liberating from irritating regulations also the roadhouses along the Territory’s highways.
Tree change, anyone?
[No comment was available from the NT Government this afternoon. We will publish it when it comes to hand.]
Wednesday, November 20, 2024
The freedom of the press still furnishes that check upon government which no constitution has ever been able to provide – Chicago Tribune.
From the sublime to the ridiculous: From over-management and control, to almost zero control and interest.
What a surprise to find that those squats butt up so closely to the Schaber Rd condos. I had to go to Google Earth to confirm myself! And it’s true! The closest would be 50m door-to-door.
But no doubt some people choose the freedoms the lack of zoning brings. But it’s a mixed blessing.
For example, to build a shade structure in my yard with a single post that was needed closer than 500mm from my boundary required an almost $1000 survey to be undertaken! Expensive structure!
And we wonder why building costs are so high! To close a laneway in my street the council requires a $4000 fee.
Again, survey costs given as the excuse. Governments used to do these tasks. Now we have privatisation all out to make a quid. Whether we get value from our elected representatives and departments now is highly questionable.