THE Chan building will go, the bus terminal will be shifted and university assets will move in as part of the Northern Territory Government’s new plan to revitalise Darwin’s ailing CBD.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner yesterday announced his government would spend $100 million over four years on projects to breathe life into the city centre.

That includes $50 million for the already announced major museum at the old hospital site at Myilly Point.

Under the CBD plan, the Supreme Court carpark will be moved underground.

Mr Gunner said the current car park acted as a “heat sink”.

“A lot of the heat problems we have in the Darwin CBD have been identified around the radiant heat that comes from that carpark,” he said.

The car park site was the likely location for another fine arts museum planned for State Square. Mr Gunner said an arts trail” of museums would connect the Waterfront to Cullen Bay and Fannie Bay.

The government also planned to work with Charles Darwin University to move some of its assets — including student accommodation — into the city.

Mr Gunner said there was “almost no better time” to invest in CBD projects, despite the fact the government has been crying poor, with a $1.3 billion deficit expected in 2017-18 following much lower than expected GST revenue.

“One of the big problems we have as a Territory right now are challenging economic conditions,” he said.

“We have to keep investing in jobs here in the NT to keep people here. If we don’t make these investments, if we don’t keep Territorians here, if we don’t tackle the population challenge of the NT, the GST situation will only worsen.”

He said he hoped the Federal Government would match the Territory’s contribution, but said it was still achievable without it.

Opposition Leader Gary Higgins said the plan was economically irresponsible as it would “rack up more debt” and fail to attract private sector investment.

Territorian Jodi Harrington said she avoided the city because of parking costs.

“They need some free parking, to make the city easier to visit,” she said.

She said until rent prices dropped for CBD retail space, it would be hard to revitalise the city no matter how much money was invested.