Darwin Port owner Landbridge gets approval for new Westin Hotel on foreshore
Landbridge Group, the company that in 2015 purchased the Port of Darwin on a 99-year lease, has received planning approval for $200 million luxury hotel on the foreshore of the NT capital.
A seven-storey residential tower containing 24 apartments was also approved as part of the project.
The cash-strapped Chinese conglomerate, now raising funds by selling properties in Melbourne, won approval earlier this month from NT’s Development Consent Authority for the Westin-branded waterfront development and plans to start construction this year, with the hotel opening in 2021.
Landbridge’s purchase of the port lease triggered discussion about foreign ownership of critical infrastructure and in February this year the federal government established a Critical Infrastructure Committee to oversee future deals.
The garden frontage of the Bates Smart-designed hotel on the tip of the peninsula adjacent to Government House, was altered to allow a 4-metre wide pedestrian and cycling path on the sea wall to ease public concerns about the possible loss of public access to the Darwin waterfront.
A publicly accessible sky bridge, an elevated platform with 24-hour lift, will connect Goyder Park and the waterfront – separated by a 20-metre elevation difference and link to the hotel’s rooftop garden. The sky bridge is a joint initiative with the NT government to improve access to the shoreline and boost the Darwin’s cruise ship traffic.
“The hotel makes an important connection between the city and the water, enhancing the precinct and acting as a gateway to the natural wonders of the Northern Territory,” Bates Smart studio director Cian Davis said.
