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Following on from <a href="/news/werribee">Friday's overview</a> of the public transport projects on the horizon in Melbourne's west, today we take a look at the broad growth patronage growth drivers in Melbourne's west.

Greenfields development is the catch-all term used to describe, broadly speaking, low-density suburban development and for the most part, the planning for these precincts are governed by precinct structure plans.

Within each precinct structure plan, developers in the past have focused on detached housing, generally auto-dependent coupled with retail and community (schools etc) precincts.

In the past few years however, precinct structure plans have improved - in the sense that many now include a diverse amount of dwelling types that may get developed as new suburbs do.

It's quite common to see zones that will support apartment buildings - sometimes landmark building - as well as higher-density commercial buildings appear on precinct structure plan maps.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/vpa_werribee_melton_psp_map1.png" rel="gallery-all" title="There are numerous approved Precinct Structure Plans in Melbourne's west. Image: vpa.vic.gov.au"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="419" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/vpa_werribee_melton_psp_map1.png?itok=qincubAj" title="There are numerous approved Precinct Structure Plans in Melbourne's west. Image: vpa.vic.gov.au" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>There are numerous approved Precinct Structure Plans in Melbourne's west. Image: <a href="https://vpa.vic.gov.au/greenfield/interactive-status-map/">vpa.vic.gov.au</a></figcaption></figure>A good example of how greenfields developments have started diversifying dwelling types is Caroline Springs.  Originally marketed by Delfin from 1999, the development has seen a handful of apartment buildings spring up over the past decade.

Maps contained within the <a href="https://vpa-web.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/WyndhamC170Incor-BlackForestRoadNorthPrecinctStructurePlanDecember2015ApprovalGazetted.pdf">Black Forest Road North precinct structure plan</a> - better known as Mamnbourin, which covers land directly west of a future station on the Regional Rail Link (and Western Rail Plan) alignment, show a concentration of higher-density commercial/employment uses to be built opposite a future railway station in the area.

The <a href="https://vpa-web.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Toolern-Part-A.pdf">Toolern precinct structure plan</a>, which governs land either side of the Cobblebank railway station which is nearing the end of its construction cycle, shows a major activity centre to be build either side of the new station and employment land will be zoned between the railway line and Western Freeway.

Two stations up the line toward the city, Stockland's <a href="https://vpa-web.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/MeltonC162IncorpDoc-MtAtkinsonTarneitPlainsPrecinctStructurePlanJune2017ApprovalGazetted.pdf">Mt Atkinson precinct structure plan</a> has provisions for another major town centre located on either side of a future railway station that includes commercial/employment zones with higher-density residential components located above.

The new start-up A-League club, Western United FC, has plans to build its own 15,000 seat stadium in Tarneit, adjacent to the Regional Rail Link corridor.  The <a href="https://vpa.vic.gov.au/wp-content/Assets/Files/Riverdale%20PSP.pdf">Riverdale precinct structure plan</a> was gazetted over this slice of land and it too makes reference to a future station located next to a new town centre.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/wydnham_stadium.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Render of proposed Wyndham Stadium. Image: Grand Central Tarneit"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="327" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/wydnham_stadium.jpg?itok=ihRGWzWy" title="Render of proposed Wyndham Stadium. Image: Grand Central Tarneit" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Render of proposed Wyndham Stadium. Image: Grand Central Tarneit</figcaption></figure>There are many precincts to be developed within the urban growth boundary in Melbourne's west, however it's not all going to be low-density residential development.

Diverse town centres and a large proportion of land set aside for employment uses highlights the transport planning context of the Western Rail Plan - many hundreds of thousands of people moving into the area over the next few decades will need to be transported on metropolitan, not regional rail services.

And we shouldn't discount existing suburban centres in the west either - Werribee is one that already has a smattering of higher-density projects that will ensure dwelling types diversify in the region too.

<iframe frameborder="0" height="500" scrolling="no" src="https://www.urban.com.au/developments/werribee-vic?embeddable=list-map" width="100%"></iframe>

Lead image credit: <a href="https://levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/media/news/works-on-track-for-train-storage-in-wyndham-vale">levelcrossings.vic.gov.au</a>
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Alastair Taylor

Precincts and developments that will drive public transport patronage growth in Melbourne's West

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<h2>Comment</h2>

In 2015, the first new railway line to be built in Melbourne in many decades opened to passengers. Known as the Regional Rail Link, the project sought to begin separating metropolitan and regional services, giving trains to Victoria's regional cities their own set of tracks all the way into Southern Cross station.

A new track pair was built between Southern Cross and Sunshine station which included a new bridge over the Maribyrnong River, a flyover to separate regional and Werribee/Williamstown line metropolitan services and Footscray and Sunshine stations saw major works with the addition of two new platforms.  

The new track railway corridor from Deer Park to West Werribee was built through rural properties and, at the time, fledging development occurring around Tarneit, Truganina and Wyndham Vale.

Fast forward to today and patronage has boomed on the Geelong line, mostly due to the stations built on the new railway corridor that attract passengers from the newly built suburbs.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/geelong_line_patronage_boom1.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Geelong Line patronage has boomed thanks to suburban passengers at Tarneit and Wyndham Vale. Image: bigbuild.vic.gov.au"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="459" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/geelong_line_patronage_boom1.png?itok=t853WqKV" title="Geelong Line patronage has boomed thanks to suburban passengers at Tarneit and Wyndham Vale. Image: bigbuild.vic.gov.au" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Geelong Line patronage has boomed thanks to suburban passengers at Tarneit and Wyndham Vale. Image: bigbuild.vic.gov.au</figcaption></figure>Last year's state election saw the ALP release a policy - the Western Rail Plan - one month out from the election to invest even more money into more heavy rail public transport services for the west that would achieve two goals: separating regional and metropolitan services further through the growth areas and speeding up services to Geelong and Ballarat.

In 2019's state budget, $100 million was set aside for the business case/reference design.  This work is underway in parallel with the business case for the Melbourne Airport Rail Link which will be released in 2020.

Published documents on the Victorian Government's Big Build <a href="https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/333705/Western-Rail-Plan.pdf">website</a> highlight the complex inter-relations with the Melbourne Airport Rail Link, Suburban Rail Loop and Western Rail Plan and recent reporting elsewhere indicates stakeholders are debating whether to build an enabling component for the wholesale upgrade of railways in Western Melbourne.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/western-rail-plan_pdf.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Heavy rail public transport projects in Melbourne. Image: bigbuild.vic.gov.au"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="356" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/western-rail-plan_pdf.png?itok=u_UcMIIH" title="Heavy rail public transport projects in Melbourne. Image: bigbuild.vic.gov.au" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Heavy rail public transport projects in Melbourne. Image: bigbuild.vic.gov.au</figcaption></figure>The bone of contention - or more to the point: the one certain stakeholders want to debate through mainstream media - is the extra track pair labeled "New Sunshine to CBD access" in the map above.

Melbourne Airport Rail Link and faster trains to Geelong and Ballarat have an emphasis on speed, making journeys as quick as possible.  The Western Rail Plan has an emphasis on new, targetted services that will, like the Airport Link and less so the faster regional services, require more track to access the city.

The Geelong line's patronage figures since the opening of the Regional Rail Link have been boosted, fundamentally, by Melbourne Metropolitan commuters in outer Western Melbourne.  The Western Rail Plan seeks to shift those outer suburban passengers on to train services that are more appropriate: metropolitan services.

With those broad parameters in mind, it's been speculated that a tunnel from Sunshine to the city is the best solution to enable fast journeys to the regions and the airport while existing track - the regional rail track pair and the existing Sunbury line - then have room for expansion. For instance, the new Melton and Wyndham Vale services could possibly share the existing regional rail track pair with Bendigo V/Line services while Geelong, Ballarat and airport services use the new tunnel.

One can understand the desire to explore other options - like not building a tunnel and running more services on the existing track pairs - however we need only look to the Regional Rail Link and how it struggles to deal with outer suburban patronage growth.  Cool heads need to think clearly the long-term and what impact not building a tunnel will do to a metropolitan area whose centre of population is moving westward.

<a href="/news/an-overview-of-western-melbourne-precinct-structure-plans">On Monday we look</a> at the greenfields areas in Western Melbourne that will drive patronage growth.
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Western Melbourne's complex rail plan needs to be done right

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The Victorian State Government has awarded the contract, valued at $542.4 million, to an alliance of John Holland Group, Kellogg Brown &amp; Root and Metro Trains Melbourne to remove four level crossings and rebuild two stations on the Upfield railway line in Melbourne's north.

Renders and the overall design for the upgrade to the railway corridor were released in August and both stations to be rebuilt will be elevated above the current rail grade.  Similar to the Caulfield-Dandenong corridor, with the elevate of the railway lines, community spaces will be provided underneath the tracks.

Bell Street, Munro Street, Reynard Street and Moreland Road are the four level crossings that will be removed.

Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Jacinta Allan, is reported to have said to the Herald Sun the corridor is one of the narrowest in Melbourne and will require an extended occupation period.

Further investigative works and service relocations are scheduled to ramp up in the short term with major works beginning next year that will include a construction blitz that will shut down the rail corridor for three months.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/7BEDJbszWvo" width="100%"></iframe>

As part of the community space improvements, the congested Upfield bike path will see an upgrade as well as a new pedestrian path added underneath the railway line.

The alliance that has been awarded the contract is also removing the High Street level crossing in Reservoir.  Like the soon-to-be-rebuilt Moreland and Coburg stations, Reservoir station will be elevated above the existing road level.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/east-end-entry.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The new Reservoir station currently under construction. Image: Level Crossing Removal Authority"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="365" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/east-end-entry.jpg?itok=nzT5pSB6" title="The new Reservoir station currently under construction. Image: Level Crossing Removal Authority" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The new Reservoir station currently under construction. Image: Level Crossing Removal Authority</figcaption></figure>The inner-north region of Melbourne, predominantly centred on the City of Moreland is also home to the highest number of bicycle commuters thanks to the extensive off-road and on-road bike lanes leading to the adjacent City of Melbourne.

Coburg and Brunswick are two of Melbourne's redevelopment hotspots with both suburbs registering over 100 apartment and townhouse projects in the pipeline. <a href="/developments/coburg-vic-3058">Coburg is registering 38</a> new projects on Apartments.com.au's database, <a href="/developments/brunswick-vic-3056">Brunswick has 76</a>.  

If you expand the search parameters to include to both <a href="/developments/brunswick-east-vic-3057">Brunswick East</a> and <a href="/developments/brunswick-west-vic-3055">Brunswick West</a>, the total number for all three 'Brunswicks' expands to 143 apartment and townhouse projects in the pipeline.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/519-537-sydney-road-coburg-cbc83648268f96d2d96be4ee646d9065.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="519-537 Sydney Road, Coburg."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="354" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/519-537-sydney-road-coburg-cbc83648268f96d2d96be4ee646d9065.jpg?itok=4aWGfcrG" title="519-537 Sydney Road, Coburg." width="580"></a>

<figcaption><a href="/new-apartments/519-537-sydney-road-coburg">519-537 Sydney Road, Coburg</a>.</figcaption></figure>In the long run, the Upfield corridor is likely to see other infrastructure changes that are linked to future railway projects in the area.

Namely, the Suburban Rail Loop's second phase will see a station interface with the Upfield line to the north of Coburg and also plans leaked to the media prior to the November 2018 state election show the Upfield line extending to Wallan via Roxburgh Park.

Bell Street, Munro Street, Reynard Street and Moreland Road level crossings are all set to be removed by late 2020 and the new open space will be ready in 2021.
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$542.4 million contract signed for level crossing removals in Melbourne's north

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<h2>Comment</h2>

The Victorian Government, freshly re-elected a year ago for another term, has a very large program of public transport projects that will impact on various suburban centres over the next few decades. 

Arden, Sunshine and Box Hill are three suburbs developers, property buyers and renters should keep an eye on.

The redevelopment of Arden will centre around a public transport project already under construction (Melbourne Metro) and Sunshine and Box Hill, based on publicly available information, will attract intense focus from projects that have their respective business cases underway (Melbourne Airport Rail Link and the Suburban Rail Loop).

The Melbourne Metro project that was initiated during the first term has recently entered the primary tunneling phase with two of four tunnel boring machines now working their way westward under the city.  The launching pad for the first two TBMs is located at the site of the future North Melbourne (née Arden) station, an area where the state government is a major landholder and one the state government has expressed an interest in 'doing things differently'.

In 2018 the Victorian Planning Authority released the <a href="https://vpa.vic.gov.au/project/arden/">Arden Vision</a> which outlines how the "Victorian Government and the city of Melbourne are committed to preparing in partnership land use and transport planning frameworks to coordinate and guide planning to 2050".

According to the vision document, North Melbourne station will open in 2025 and major development of the land surrounding the new station will begin shortly thereafter.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/arden_vision_2018.png" rel="gallery-all" title="The Arden Vision. Image Vic.gov.au"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="409" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/arden_vision_2018.png?itok=kC-25X3b" title="The Arden Vision. Image Vic.gov.au" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Arden Vision. Image Vic.gov.au</figcaption></figure>Apart from the ongoing level crossing removal program, all other major public transport projects that are likely to leave an impact on land surrounding new stations are in various stages of planning and design.

Extending the Frankston railway line to Baxter has a business case under development expected to be completed by 2019.  Construction to duplicate the Cranbourne line will begin in 2021 with completion scheduled for 2023; the state government has also said this project is required before work can get underway to extend the Cranbourne line to Clyde.

The Melbourne Airport Rail Link, the Suburban Rail Loop, the Western Rail Plan and initiatives to speed up trains to Geelong and Ballarat are four inter-related projects that have all been appropriated funds from the state budget that will see reference designs and business cases completed over the next 12-18 months.

<h2>All railways lead to Sunshine</h2>

We've said it before, and we're saying it again - cast your gaze westward to Sunshine.  Excluding central Melbourne, no other suburb in metropolitan Melbourne will see as much intensive new rail infrastructure and services in the foreseeable future.

The Regional Rail Link project from a decade ago routed connections to Victoria's second, third and fourth-largest cities through Sunshine and the Western Rail Plan looks set to expand on regional and metropolitan rail separation possibly through the quadruplication and (partial) electrification of railways between Sunshine and Deer Park, Deer Park to Wyndham Vale and Deer Park to Melton.

The Melbourne Airport Rail Link had its route confirmed via Sunshine and what's known as the 'Albion corridor' (the stretch of railway used primarily for freight between Albion station and Broadmeadows station) and Sunshine likewise appears on maps for the Suburban Rail Loop.

<iframe frameborder="0" height="500" scrolling="no" src="https://www.urban.com.au/developments/sunshine-vic?embeddable=list-map" width="100%"></iframe>

If the Melbourne Airport Rail Link, Suburban Rail Loop, Western Rail Plan and higher-speed trains to Geelong and Ballarat proceed - whether all at the same time or in a sequential fashion - Sunshine will have the best suburban connectivity to other parts of the metropolitan area and regional Victoria.

<h2>Box Hill is already flying high</h2>

Box Hill has always garnered our interest.  The railway lines that run through Box Hill on their way to the city are unlike other major corridors like Dandenong and Sunshine because there will be minimal greenfields development within the Lilydale and Belgrave branch catchments.

In short, the only population growth throughout the whole eastern corridor can only be catered for through higher-density development.  And the numbers speak for themselves.

Box Hill has at least 35 projects contained within a 1 square kilometre grid centred around the Box Hill station and Box Hill Central shopping centre.  Further up the line at Ringwood, where both Lilydale and Belgrave lines converge to provide a very high frequency of service all the way through the inner and middle rings of eastern Melbourne, has at least <a href="/developments/ringwood-vic-3134">19 high-density projects</a> in the pipeline.

<iframe frameborder="0" height="500" scrolling="no" src="https://www.urban.com.au/developments/box-hill-vic?embeddable=list-map" width="100%"></iframe>

The Victorian Premier has already publicly announced the Suburban Rail Loop, despite its business case and reference design currently underway, will be split in two phases through the east and north of the metropolitan area.  The first phase will run from Cheltenham on the Frankston line to Box Hill, servicing Clayton, Monash University and employment precinct, Glen Waverley and Deakin University located just south of Box Hill.

The second phase of the Suburban Rail Loop extending from Box Hill to Tullamarine Airport would then create a major node, accessible to and from the north, south, east and west via heavy rail, in an area that already has a large concentration of jobs and retail activity and an area that already supports major increases in residential density.

We'll be watching the release of each public transport business case with great interest.

Lead image credit: metrotunnel.vic.gov.au
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Arden, Sunshine and Box Hill: three Melbourne suburbs to watch 

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The New South Wales Government has confirmed the location of 7 stations for the upcoming Sydney Metro West that will run between Sydney's CBD and Westmead, adding significant capacity to the rail network between Sydney and Parramatta.

The 7 confirmed station locations include Westmead, Parramatta, Sydney Olympic Park, North Strathfield, Burwood North, Five Dock, and The Bays Precinct.

Investigations are still ongoing for the Sydney CBD station and possibly adding two more stations - one in Rydalmere and the other in Pyrmont.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="500" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/do_N9uHFzJI" width="100%"></iframe>

The station location confirmation announcement follows Transport for NSW representatives having begun door knocking on residents door's notifying them the state government intends to acquire their property to make way for components of the project.

Construction is set to begin in 2020 and according to the project's overview, will then be followed by the Sydney Metro Greater West (formerly known as the North-South Link) outer western metro line linking St. Mary's and the new Western Sydney Airport.

The 'aerotropolis' located south of the new Nancy-Bird Walton Airport will also be connected with the St. Mary's link and the Sydney Metro West line may at some stage run all the way out to the airport as well.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/1uf2199.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Confirmed and potential station locations for Sydney Metro West"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="320" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/1uf2199.jpg?itok=DJqvsBUZ" title="Confirmed and potential station locations for Sydney Metro West" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Confirmed and potential station locations for Sydney Metro West</figcaption></figure>The focus on speed rather than more stations on Sydney Metro West becomes more obvious when viewed in context of plans for the Sydney basin over the next few decades.

Preliminary costs reported in other media have put the price tag for the Sydney CBD to Westmead Sydney Metro West at $10billion and some reports have suggested the price could be as high as $20 billion.

The business case for the project has not been released at this stage and will eventually go a long way to informing the public of the project's cost.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/sydney_metro_west_context1.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Wider context of the new metro line. Sydney Metro West Project Overview, page 4"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="345" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/sydney_metro_west_context1.png?itok=wYWD2hbR" title="Wider context of the new metro line. Sydney Metro West Project Overview, page 4" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Wider context of the new metro line. <a href="https://www.sydneymetro.info/sites/default/files/document-library/Sydney_Metro_West_Project_Overview_Booklet_October_2019.pdf">Sydney Metro West Project Overview, page 4</a></figcaption></figure>Boom times for Australian railway building.
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NSW Government confirms Sydney Metro West's station locations

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It’s that time again. Congestion charging discussion is back in the public realm and this time the experts have nominated a price and a - pardon the pun - road map to overhauling the road pricing regime in Australian cities.

The first phase, according to the Grattan Institute, should be introduced within 5 years and would introduce a cordon charge around CBDs.  This would operate similarly to how the London and Singapore congestion charges were introduced.

The report's authors have nominated $5 as the one-way charge for private vehicles entering the cordon.  For those that drive to the city, park, go to work and then drive home this, naturally, would represent a $10 return trip charge.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/grattan_melb_cordon.png" rel="gallery-all" title="From the Grattan Institute's report titled &quot;Right time, right place, right price&quot;. Page 12"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="403" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/grattan_melb_cordon.png?itok=ATBTjR-l" title="From the Grattan Institute's report titled &quot;Right time, right place, right price&quot;. Page 12" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>From the Grattan Institute's report titled "Right time, right place, right price". <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/924-Right-time-right-place-right-price-high-res.pdf">Page 12</a></figcaption></figure>Furthermore, the Grattan Institute says the cordon charge of $5 should only apply from 8 am to 9:30 am and between 4 pm and 6 pm in the afternoon peak with lower charges at either side of the peak periods.

Beyond the initial CBD cordon charging regime, the Grattan Institute recommends applying charges to key arterial routes. 

The arterial charges would apply on a per-kilometre basis on weekday mornings and afternoon peak periods, apply only in the peak direction, use enhance number plate recognition technology and include a fairness test and package to ensure vulnerable people are not disadvantaged.

Arterial charges would be introduced within 5 years of a successful CBD cordon charging regime.

Finally, the Grattan Institue recommends state governments should investigate costs and benefits of whole-of-network-based distance-based charging, presumably to replace the existing registration regime.

<h2>COMMENT</h2>

Calls for 'congestion charging' or 'road-pricing regime change' are not new. State Governments tend to dismiss those calls, just like they have with the latest release of research from the Grattan Institute.

Perhaps governments know that public transport networks couldn't cope with extra passengers if it was introduced in the very short-term, perhaps it's purely about the politics of change.

Regardless, this time around, the Grattan Institute has sought to address some of the often-used concerns - especially around the equity argument.

The institute’s research suggests of the 61,000 people who drive to work in Melbourne’s CBD, the majority of people have a weekly income of $1500 or more and are driving from the inner and middle rings of Melbourne’s suburbs.

The Grattan Institute says 45% of workers driving to the city have an annual income of $104,000 or more. In Sydney, that rises to 57%.

Notwithstanding tram capacity improvement projects, the biggest public transport capacity-increasing projects on the horizon in Melbourne is the Melbourne Metro project which will take three lines out of the city loop creating capacity for 3 other lines to increase services. 

We know the Melbourne Metro project will be delivered by 2025 and in Sydney a similar major capacity increase for its CBD is underway with the Sydney Metro City &amp; Southwest set to begin operations in 2024.

Notice those timeframes fit somewhat neatly with Grattan's call for the introduction of cordon charge within 5 years. 

Fast forward to 2024/2025, the Victorian Government in power at that time will look a bit silly if it rolls out the "the best way to ease congestion is to build a public transport network system which can deliver more trains, more often – and we’re getting it done" if the calls for congestion charging are still being made.
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The Grattan Institute nominates congestion charging rates for Melbourne

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Regardless of who wins the upcoming New South Wales state election on March 23rd, the proposal for Sydney Metro West looks set to be fast-tracked with the NSW Liberals and Premier Gladys Berejiklian committing to get construction underway by 2020.

This follows an earlier commitment - announced in February - from NSW Labor to fast-track the construction of the second metro line as well as spend $8 billion on the project.

The New South Wales Liberal Party announced over the weekend that Sydney Metro West proposal will kick off construction in 2020 should the coalition win this month's state election on the 23rd of March.

The caretaker and election-period announcement also included the NSW Liberal party promising to bring the public funding up to $6.4 billion.

The first phase of the Sydney Metro is set to open this year running from Tallawong/Rouse Hill in the out northwest to Chatswood.  The second phase, which is well underway, will run from Chatswood under the harbour and through the CBD to Sydenham where the existing inner-west line will be converted to handle metro services to Blacktown.

NSW Labor has vowed to halt the conversion of the inner-west line between Sydenham and Blacktown.

Sydney Metro West is the second line of a new, separate rail network proposed for the Sydney region that will initially connect Sydney's CBD with Westmead, adding more rail capacity between Sydney and Parramatta.

One of the key benefits to be spruiked by the NSW Government is that journey times between Parramatta and central Sydney will reduce to 20 minutes.  Likewise, key locations between the two endpoints will also see new stations including at Sydney Olympic Park, Five Dock and The Bays Precinct.

A connection to the T1 line will be made at Strathfield North and a potential station may be built in Pyrmont.

The NSW state election is to be held on Saturday, March 23rd. 
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NSW Liberal party commits to kicking off construction in 2020 on Sydney Metro West

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Train services which operate along railway lines in Melbourne's south-east will be shut down for three weeks over the Easter school holiday period to allow for major works to be carried out on the eastern portal for the Melbourne Metro Tunnel.

With one Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) already landed and another shortly to arrive, two more TBMs will also be arriving in Melbourne, launching from the Anzac Station site, located just behind the Shrine of Remembrance.

The two remaining TBMs that are yet to appear on the project's <a href="https://metrotunnel.vic.gov.au/construction/building-the-tunnels-and-stations/tunnel-boring-machines/tbm-tracker">website</a>, according to publicly available information, first head toward the eastern portal at South Yarra once they are launched.

The Easter school holiday shutdown will mark the commencement of major works - the breaking ground of the tunnel portal - in South Yarra and will also be the site where the final two TBMs will be extracted once they've completed their run from Anzac Station.

Pakenham, Cranbourne, Frankston and Sandringham lines will all have trains replaced with buses - from the city to each of the respective termini - over a 3 week period from the 1st of April to the 23rd of April. The first week of the shutdown will occur in the final week of Term 1 at Victorian schools.

Gippsland VLine services, which share track with the Pakenham line, will also have a total 'bustitution' and the Premier announced that Glen Waverley, Mernda and Geelong/Warrnambool lines will also be closed during this period for other level crossings and ongoing upgrade works.

The Mernda line shutdown will allow major level crossings removal works to kick off at Reservoir Station and similarly on the Frankston line, major works will proceed at the site of the Carrum level crossing removal.

The various shut downs and bustitutions that will befall the Eastern school holiday period are estimated to add 60 minutes onto most journeys throughout the metropolitan and regional networks.

Lead image credit: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/metrotunnel/photos/pcb.2332368913652035/2332368620318731/?type=3&amp;theater">Metro Tunnel on facebook</a>.
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Widespread shut down for Melbourne's metro and regional railway lines over Easter holidays

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The Level Crossing on Toorak Road on the Glen Waverley line, adjacent to the Monash Freeway interchange, will be removed by construction a 550m long rail bridge in the existing rail corridor.

The Premier and Minister for Transport Infrastructure were on site this morning to announce major works will commence on the new structure this year with completion expected by 2021.

160,000 passengers use the Glen Waverley railway line per week as well as 37,000 vehicles per day using Toorak Road. The new rail bridge will be located 9m above the existing road level.

Only two level crossings on the Glen Waverley railway line were earmarked for removal with Gardiner Station which included a tram+train crossing having been removed during the first term of the Andrews Government.

Toorak Road is the second and final on the list of 75 level crossings.  Glenferrie Road at Kooyong Station also includes a tram+train crossing and there are two more level crossings not included in the list, Tooronga Road at Tooronga Station and High Street at Glen Iris station.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/carrum1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Aerial render of the new elevated rail structure at new station at Carrum. Image: LXRA"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="363" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/carrum1.jpg?itok=iA6DDzpK" title="Aerial render of the new elevated rail structure at new station at Carrum. Image: LXRA" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Aerial render of the new elevated rail structure at new station at Carrum. Image: LXRA</figcaption></figure>Meanwhile, major works have kicked off at Carrum station where three level crossings will be removed by elevating railway track through the area while also providing a new Carrum station.

Early works, including moving electrical and water services as well as new signalling on the Frankston line, have been underway for some time and closure of existing car parks at Carrum station will start in March and last for the length of the construction period.

Temporary rail track will be built between the Patterson River and Eel Race Road so trains can continue running through the area while the permanent elevated rail structure and station is under construction.

During this time, Carrum station will be closed and buses will shuttle passenger either northwards to Bonbeach or southwards to Seaford.  

The new elevated rail structure and station is expected to be open in 2020 and a government media release states that 1.2 hectares worth of new community space is included in the Carrum project.
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Toorak Road level crossing on the Glen Waverley line to be removed

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The first of Melbourne Metro's TBMs has completed its sea voyage from China and arrived at the North Melbourne (née Arden) launch site where it will begin its journey underground shortly.

Tunnel Boring Machines around the world are given female names and the first TBM for Melbourne Metro will be named for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Kirner">Joan Kirner</a>, after Victoria's first female premier.

Joan Kirner served as the ALP member for Williamstown and was elected leader of the parliamentary Labor party in 1990 and served as premier until October 1992.

The second TBM will be named for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meg_Lanning">Meg Lanning</a> who captains the Australian women's national cricket team.  The third TBM will be named for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Ross-King">Alice Appleford</a>, a civilian and military nurse during both world wars.

The fourth and final TBM to be launched for the Melbourne Metro project will be named for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millie_Peacock">Millie Peacock</a>, Victoria's first female MP.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public//pictures/article-images/tbm_mm.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Sequencing of the various stages for tunnelling on the Melbourne Metro project. Image: Melbourne Metro"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="347" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/tbm_mm.png?itok=WQzHiTGT" title="Sequencing of the various stages for tunnelling on the Melbourne Metro project. Image: Melbourne Metro" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Sequencing of the various stages for tunneling on the Melbourne Metro project. Image: Melbourne Metro</figcaption></figure>As each TBM arrives at their respective launch site, they will begin their tunneling journeys by heading towards the eastern or western portals in South Yarra or Kensington respectively.

Once that let of the journey is complete, the TBMs will be disassembled and trucked back to the launch site where they will then be reassembled and set on their way toward the CBD stations at State Library or Town Hall.

State Library and Town Hall stations, as well as the tunnel between the two, will be constructed using road headers, which crushed their first rock under Swanston street in late <a href="/news/cbd-metro-tunnel-station-construction-begins">November 2018</a>.

According to the updated TBM tracker on the Metro Tunnel website, the second TBM - Meg, is well on its way from China and at the time of posting is on a ship sailing down the east coast of Australia.

The Melbourne Metro project is scheduled to be complete with train services operational by 2025.
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Melbourne Metro's first TBM arrives, named after Victoria's first female premier

Around 400 additional homes could be built at Southwark Grounds on Port Road, lifting total site capacity from 1300 to around 1700 dwellings.

A recently approved code amendment would allow apartment towers of up to 14 storeys in some areas of Renewal SA’s redevelopment of the former West End Brewery.

Renewal SA Acting Chief Executive Shane Wingard said he welcomed the code amendment, with the increase in heights and homes making a positive impact on the supply of high-quality, well-connected housing close to the city.

“By going higher across some parts of Southwark Grounds, we are adding a substantial number of very well-located homes with little impact on project delivery time or planned open space,” Mr Wingard said.

Since the project officially launched in 2025, Mr Wingard said more than 12,000 enquiries had been received about living at Southwark Grounds.

“The very strong early interest we’ve seen since homes were first released in the precinct reinforces our plans to create more housing opportunities,” he said.

The Southwark Grounds code amendment was launched in December last year, with community engagement undertaken over five weeks from January.

It proposed increasing maximum building heights from eight to 14 storeys on the eastern section of Southwark Grounds, and to 12 storeys across the remainder of the site, with minimum building heights ranging from two to four storeys.

The code amendment was implemented through an Early Commencement policy in late January, allowing developers to quickly explore the viability of increased height and housing yield while other planning processes continue.

One of the first developers delivering apartment sites have already finalised redesigns to increase the number of apartments following the code amendment.

Samaras’ development adjacent to the future Colonel Light Park is now planning to deliver 125 apartments across 11 storeys, significantly greater than original plans of around 50 apartments across four storeys.

The developer is also exploring the potential for additional affordable housing outcomes.

Most of the apartments at Southwark Grounds will be delivered within a master-planned precinct on a large parcel of land on the eastern portion of the site, covering around two-thirds of its 8.4 hectares.

Wingard said detailed precinct planning over the coming months may identify further opportunities to increase yield further that could see total apartment numbers at Southwark Grounds, exceed this number.

Affordable homes at Southwark Grounds will also see a net increase, with Renewal SA maintaining its commitment to a minimum of 20 per cent affordable housing across the development.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Civil works have begun across the site, with construction under way on the first new roads surrounding a townhouse precinct in the south‑west corner of Southwark Grounds. This includes Renewal SA’s 17 Founder’s Row homes, which are on track for completion by Christmas.

“We expect to have people living at Southwark Grounds by the end of the year, so delivering roads and public spaces for those residents is among our highest priorities.”

Construction of 40 townhouses off Anderson Street, known as West Village and being delivered by Contour, is forecast to begin in mid‑2026. Kolabb’s Anderson Lane development will follow shortly after, delivering a further 26 townhouses.

Southwark Grounds is a state government‑led urban renewal project now set to deliver around 1,700 homes over the next decade.

Homes will be supported by a supermarket, a range of retail and hospitality offerings anchored by a revitalised Walkerville Brew Tower, a childcare centre, car parking and well‑connected public spaces.

Joel Robinson

400 new homes planned for Adelaide's former West End Brewery site

Brisbane developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/cavcorp">Cavcorp</a> has lodged plans for a new mixed-use residential development at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/55-wyandra-street-teneriffe-qld-4005">55 Wyandra Street</a>, Teneriffe, anchored by an 85-metre public laneway designed to reconnect the suburb’s riverfront with the Gasworks precinct.

The buildings, known as Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane, would replace the existing Queensland Cotton head office site with a 15-storey residential tower transitioning to eight storeys toward Helen Street. The project has been designed by Plazibat Architects and lodged as a code assessable development application for 93 apartments across a 3,401 sqm mixed-use site within the Newstead and Teneriffe Waterfront neighbourhood plan.

Central to the scheme is the transformation of an existing service easement into a publicly accessible cross-block connection linking Wyandra and Helen Streets. Cavcorp says the new laneway will act as both a pedestrian shortcut and a landscaped civic space between the Teneriffe Riverwalk, ferry terminal, and Gasworks precinct.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="26e7f058-b065-4de8-b13d-a2b8cb64dfcc" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/bldg.png?VersionId=sELS0ZKYi361oYipUa1BIKfe_.DLZoFV" />

“The revised proposal delivers a legacy public-realm cross-block link, permanently secured for community use, transforming an existing private easement into a safe, high-quality pedestrian connection between the Teneriffe heritage riverwalk and the Gasworks–Long Island precinct,” the planning report states.

The laneway will sit beneath a large subtropical loggia integrated into the podium levels of the development. The design incorporates deep landscaping, water gardens, lobby spaces, business lounges, and ground-floor apartments to create what Cavcorp describes as a climate-responsive “urban verandah.”

The tower itself has been designed as a slender form with recessed floorplates and curved translucent corners inspired by contemporary Japanese architecture. The building height aligns with the Commercial Road precinct controls, which permit towers up to 15 storeys within proximity to Longland Street.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a8a17d40-43b6-4718-b3fd-67676fcbb485" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/pers%202_1.png?VersionId=i3VwDtp5AmL_8InW7w4qRbDFEpb744Jt" />

The project will comprise a mix of larger-format apartments aimed at owner-occupiers, downsizers, and families. The proposed apartment mix includes 11 loggia apartments across the lower levels, 50 four-bedroom Sky-Terrace apartments from levels three to seven, and 32 Sky-Pool Homes occupying the upper tower levels. The Sky-Pool Homes will feature private thermal plunge pools integrated into oversized balconies.

According to the application, the apartments are intended to reinterpret the scale and character of Teneriffe’s woolstore conversions and Queensland homes within a vertical residential format.

“The sky-pool homes build on Cavcorp’s previous projects and introduce a distinct apartment typology to Teneriffe, informed by both local and international precedent and responding to an identified market demand for enhanced safety, space and amenity,” the planning submission notes.

A major focus of the proposal is its five-level wellness and lifestyle offering, extending from the basement through to the rooftop.

Amenities proposed include a rooftop Swim &amp; Racquet Club with a 25-metre Olympic lap pool and tennis court, coworking spaces and libraries, golf simulators, wine storage, concierge facilities, business lounges, pet wash areas, and rooftop longevity-focused wellness spaces with spas, outdoor fitness zones, and landscaped terraces.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="944b352c-49b9-4247-a4c6-5967b4b69fda" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/amenity.png?VersionId=Ed_qKjAtMwFT.5gfl3jiA9QwdWxSMsaX" />

All parking will be concealed within basement levels accessed from Wyandra and Helen Streets. Cavcorp says the deep-basement engineering approach allows the entire ground plane to prioritise landscaping, pedestrian movement, and active frontage rather than vehicle infrastructure.

The development continues Cavcorp’s concentration in Newstead and Teneriffe, where the Brisbane developer has delivered a number of apartment projects including Lucent, Le Bain, and Luminare, as well as the Long Island Wellness Precinct nearby. Several of those projects have received national design and architecture awards, including recognition under Brisbane’s “Buildings that Breathe” program.

Cavcorp unveils wellness-focused Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane apartment buildings

Focus Group Investments has lodged plans for a new apartment development at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/64-70-hanover-street-fitzroy-vic-3065">64–70 Hanover Street</a> in Fitzroy, seeking to utilise the Victorian Government’s recently introduced Great Design Fast Track pathway to accelerate approvals for the project.

The proposal is among the latest developments to emerge through the state-led initiative, which was established to fast-track well-designed residential projects in activity centres and transport-connected inner-city locations. The pathway allows qualifying developments that meet elevated design and housing benchmarks to bypass traditional council planning timeframes and instead be assessed directly by the Department of Transport and Planning.

Designed by SJB, the development will comprise a mix of apartments above activated lower levels, with a strong focus on architectural articulation, landscaping, and communal amenity. The design response seeks to balance the industrial character of Richmond’s former warehouse precincts with a more contemporary residential form.

<img alt="First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Richmond apartments" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="abea51cc-d85b-479e-9aef-a589f3b37ca7" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/ground.png?VersionId=e1Kf8EyPWwyiVumtqQ4rM5S4GpOR3CCz" />

Proposed are 63 new dwellings, a wide ranging mix of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, and townhouses and duplexes. They will be spread across a part-three, part-eight storey building.

The Planning and Urban Context Report by Tract says the development is of an "exemplary architectural standard" and has been carefully crafted by SJB Architects.

"Dwellings&nbsp;will benefit from excellent access to natural light, cross-ventilation opportunities and extensive communal space," the report noted.

The architectural material highlights the project’s integration of landscaped elements and communal spaces throughout the building. The proposal also incorporates sustainability initiatives aligned with the Victorian Government’s push for higher-performing apartment developments under the fast-track program.

The Great Design Fast Track was unveiled by the Victorian Government in 2024 as part of a broader housing supply strategy aimed at accelerating the delivery of new homes. Projects assessed through the pathway must demonstrate high-quality architecture, sustainability outcomes, and housing diversity while being located close to public transport and existing infrastructure.

<img alt="First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Richmond apartments" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="afdbe834-8dc4-4a77-a943-ba07bc927348" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/site_11.png?VersionId=0J657j.TaChAZfp93wqJYBTqSsnREJx2" />

Focus Group, founder and led by Paul De Lutiis, is increasingly active across Melbourne’s inner suburbs, targeting well-connected urban renewal locations suited to medium and higher-density residential development. The Fitzroy proposal continues that strategy, leveraging the area’s strong transport links, established retail amenity, and proximity to the CBD.

Fitzroy has been one of the most popular spots for developers and buyers in recent years. The likes of PACE Development Group, SMA Projects, Crema Group and Chapter Group, currently selling projects in the suburb.

First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Fitzroy apartments

The Gold Coast Planning Committee has supported the preliminary approval for the Benowa Gardens Urban Village project following an extensive community consultation and assessment process.

The proposal will now proceed to a full council vote on June 2.

The application sought approval for a masterplanned urban village on the existing Benowa Gardens Shopping Centre site, combining new housing, retail, dining, health and lifestyle amenities within a walkable, integrated precinct.&nbsp;

The proposed redevelopment includes around 413 apartments integrated above a revitalised mixed-use centre featuring a full-line supermarket of 4,000 sqm, 6,000 sqm of specialty retail and dining space across around 30 retailers, a 7,000 sqm health and wellness precinct, and roughly 9,630 sqm of office and medical suites.&nbsp;

<img alt="$1b Benowa Gardens Urban Village moves to Full Council following Planning Committee support" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fb36ae47-80bc-45f0-9914-31b0c7b6007d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/PR26576%20Ashmore%20Road%20C4%201121%20FI.jpg?VersionId=6mRKk2uU4r67TmTt39DKGUlvFRbTVqWa" />

The broader masterplan also includes very significant traffic and transport improvements, wide pedestrian walkways, upgraded pedestrian and cycle connections, and enhanced public areas designed to create a more connected and walkable community environment.&nbsp;

Centre owner Patrick Lu said the milestone reflected months of detailed planning, technical assessment and ongoing communication with local residents, businesses, schools and stakeholders.

“We appreciate the time, consideration and care Council officers and the Planning Committee have given this proposal throughout the assessment process,” Lu said.

“We also sincerely thank the local community for engaging with us, sharing feedback and participating in the consultation process over many months.

<img alt="$1b Benowa Gardens Urban Village moves to Full Council following Planning Committee support" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="32fd1fc3-d0e6-485f-ac57-9916c9bcb818" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/PR26576%20Ashmore%20Road%20C5%201121%20FI_2.jpg?VersionId=fz8qQKDBLQ7MyFRc856Zccfbh9nFwLOe" />

“We understand projects of this scale bring questions and concerns, which is why we have worked hard to listen carefully, provide information transparently and continue refining elements of the proposal where possible.

“Our vision has always been to create a well-designed, community-focused urban village that responds to the changing needs of the Gold Coast, while delivering improved amenity, housing diversity, healthcare access and local lifestyle benefits.

“This proposal is about creating a genuine live-work-play environment where residents can access everyday services, schools, healthcare, dining, shopping and green space within walking distance, while also supporting local jobs and economic activity.”

<img alt="$1b Benowa Gardens Urban Village moves to Full Council following Planning Committee support" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="50dfbd04-590e-4fc6-983b-766880947867" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Dining%20Day%20Time%20-%20High%20Resolution.jpg?VersionId=BP7ZoKJ0DdL_8iRkkC8VVx99moICV6kg" />

Lu said the proposal had evolved significantly through consultation and technical review, particularly around traffic, pedestrian and student safety and neighbourhood connectivity.&nbsp;

Melissa Griffin, Director at Urbis, said the recommendation recognised the strategic importance of delivering more housing and services within established urban areas already supported by infrastructure.

“This proposal represents the type of thoughtful, integrated growth that planning frameworks across South-East Queensland are encouraging,” Ms Griffin said.

“The project seeks to place housing, retail, healthcare and employment opportunities together in a highly accessible location close to schools, transport and existing services.

“Importantly, the process has involved significant technical assessment and community engagement to ensure local issues and feedback were properly considered throughout the planning pathway.”

$1 billion Benowa Gardens Urban Village heads to council vote following Planning Committee support

Surfers Paradise is officially set for its first new residential development with a 45-storey skybridge connecting the two towers.

John Camilleri’s Celestino Developments has been given the green light by the Gold Coast City Council to develop its major beachfront precinct across its huge 4,000 sqm oceanfront site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/63-79-garfield-terrace-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">63–79 Garfield Terrace</a>, just five months after its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/first-look-exclusive-billionaire-winx-breeder-s-bold-two-tower-surfers-paradise-play-with-45th-storey-skybridge">submission in late 2025</a>.

The approved scheme will deliver two towers rising 55 and 48 storeys, connected by a skybridge positioned on level 45 that will house a range of resident-only wellness and entertainment spaces.

In its notice of approval, the Gold Coast City Council said the&nbsp;proposed overall built form has been designed to complement the scale, intensity and protect the adjacent amenity and surrounding streets through the use of varied setbacks, site cover and architectural elements.

<img alt="First look exclusive: Billionaire Winx breeder’s bold two-tower Surfers Paradise play with 45th-storey skybridge" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_75/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Screenshot%202025-12-30%20at%209.53.48%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=ADyPJ_TFbJvSU9wZFOiCBnlPtgF7VWqW" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/dbi">DBI</a>, the development will comprise 275 apartments across the two towers, including a mix of two-, three-, and four-bedroom residences, as well as several penthouses. The apartments will sit above a landscaped podium featuring more than 90 metres of beachfront pool frontage, private resident lawns, lounges, and wellness spaces.

DBI said the design draws heavily from the movement and form of the coastal environment, with curving balcony lines and sculpted façades intended to soften the scale of the towers while maximising ocean outlooks and passive shading outcomes.

“The project occupies a rare, uninterrupted oceanfront site and has been shaped by a design philosophy that merges architectural elegance with environmental responsiveness and a carefully curated lifestyle experience,” DBI said in planning documents submitted to the Gold Coast City Council.

The most distinctive element of the approved project is the skybridge linking the two towers at level 45. The elevated communal space is planned to include executive lounges, formal dining areas, wellness facilities, and panoramic ocean-facing outlooks.

“The skybridge enhances the identity of the development, promotes social interaction, and delivers a lifestyle experience not found elsewhere on the Gold Coast,” DBI said.

At podium level, residents will have access to a suite of resort-style amenities, including resident lounges, private dining rooms, a yoga lawn, gymnasium, plunge pools, and treatment spaces. The beachfront pool has been designed with separate lap, lounge, and children’s areas extending across the width of the site.

The project will also introduce new food and beverage offerings along the Enderley Avenue and Oceanway frontages, contributing additional activation to the beachfront precinct.

Alastair Taylor

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