<html><body>
The second in a line of what is likely to be many document releases by Infrastructure Victoria has happened with the 'All things considered: exploring options for Victoria's 30-year infrastructure strategy' paper appearing on the authority's website yesterday.

The paper seeks to put all the options Infrastructure Victoria "has thought of for meeting Victoria's infrastructure needs on the table". Infrastructure, in this case, refers to the broad definition of the word: the paper canvases infrastructure options across a wide spectrum.

Addressing infrastructure demands in areas with high and low population growth; infrastructure that enables physical activity and participation; addressing 'expanded demand' on the justice system; providing better access to housing for the most vulnerable; improving freight supply chains, waterways and coastal areas; and transitioning to lower carbon energy. As the paper's title says, 'all things' are on the table.

Rather than attempt to provide a broader summary in this space, we'll keep it brief because the next round of consultation has begun (and ends mid next month) and there's a lot to read.

<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/iv_why.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Why you should read the paper. From Infrastructure Victoria's &quot;All Things Considered&quot; options paper"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="780" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/iv_why.png?itok=2ULj-253" title="Why you should read the paper. From Infrastructure Victoria's &quot;All Things Considered&quot; options paper" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Why you should read the paper. From Infrastructure Victoria's "All Things Considered" options paper</figcaption></figure>The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://yoursay.infrastructurevictoria.com.au/download_file/view/481/1">options paper</a> groups project ideas by areas of need. For instance, the 'provide better access to housing for the most vulnerable Victorians' mentions affordable housing mechanisms and the 'Meet growing demand for access to economic activity in central Melbourne' chapter deals with various transport projects.

Further to the options paper, Infrastructure Victoria has also published a <a href="http://yoursay.infrastructurevictoria.com.au/application/files/7614/6355/5855/Infrastructure_Victoria_Draft_Options_Book_v1.0.pdf">draft options book</a> which looks at all the various infrastructure projects in more detail; the "Eastern Freeway to Citylink (EWE)" and "Melbourne Metro 2 (MMS)" sections make for interesting reading.

Submissions can be made until 6pm on Friday 17th June.

<a href="http://yoursay.infrastructurevictoria.com.au/">yoursay.infrastructurevictoria.com.au</a>

Infrastructure Victoria wants to start a conversation. Use the comment section below to let us know your thoughts.

Lead image credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/cazzjj/24093068545/in/photostream/">flickr</a>
</body></html>

Alastair Taylor

Infrastructure Victoria releases 'all things considered' options paper

<html><body>
On Thursday the Premier and Minister for Public Transport held a media conference which appears to have now put the humble line-side signal on the endangered species list. At the same time, the announcement for expressions of interest in the new train control system adds a new chapter to the story of Metrol, the primary train control centre for the rail network.

As the Melbourne Metro project is going to merge the Sunbury, Pakenham and Cranbourne rail lines into single metro line, it is also going to get its own dedicated train fleet and will be the first set of lines in Melbourne to get a completely new signalling system.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">
Technology has come a long way since 1981! Today we released our rail systems EOI <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TBT?src=hash">#TBT</a> <a href="https://t.co/Fo0bCqD4KG">https://t.co/Fo0bCqD4KG</a> <a href="https://t.co/2pcg186Fws">pic.twitter.com/2pcg186Fws</a>
— Melbourne Metro Rail (@melbournemetro) <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://twitter.com/melbournemetro/status/730665059681083392">May 12, 2016</a>
</blockquote>

In a nutshell, Melbourne's existing signalling system breaks portions of track up into blocks: a signal stands at the start of each block and the colours displayed (the signal 'aspect') tells the driver of a train what they can/cannot do.

For instance, a signal which has a green over a red (such as in the lead image) means that the driver of a train can proceed past the signal at normal line speed. A signal displaying red over red means the driver cannot pass the signal. <a href="http://vicsig.net/index.php?page=infrastructure&amp;section=signalling#aspect">Head over to this concise guide on Vicsig.net</a> to learn more about our currently signalling system deployed around Melbourne.

Although not explicitly mentioned in Victorian Government's media release, this new high-capacity signalling system is likely to be a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communications-based_train_control">communications-based train control</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moving_block">moving block</a> system.

In this scenario, trains are fitted with transceivers which communicate with equipment installed along each train track and real-time information - such as train position and speed - is fed into a system which monitors the entire network. Precision is the key difference between what we have and communications-based train control systems.

<h2>Moving blocks versus Fixed blocks</h2>

The precision which comes with communications-based train control systems allows a safer implementation of moving blocks to separate trains on a line. Where we currently have fixed blocks whose signals govern train movements, in a moving block scenario and because the system which operates the line knows exactly where every train is, fixed blocks can be done away with and instead the train control system maintains the distance between trains.

<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/fb_vs_mb.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Fixed block versus moving block. Image source: Wikipedia"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="223" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/fb_vs_mb.jpg?itok=EIFImbHD" title="Fixed block versus moving block. Image source: Wikipedia" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Fixed block versus moving block. Image source: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communications-based_train_control">Wikipedia</a></figcaption></figure>On the fixed block (upper) line, the train on the right is occupying two blocks; this forces a greater distance between the trains. On the moving block (lower) line, the distance between the leading (right) and trailing (left) trains is shorter because the control system is maintaining the safe minimum distance, not fixed signals.

The following video filtered on to the Premier's Facebook feed on Thursday afternoon.

<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="419" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FDanielAndrewsMP%2Fvideos%2Fvb.134712696593275%2F1077806672283868%2F%3Ftype%3D3&amp;show_text=1&amp;width=560" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" width="100%"></iframe>

As the video shows, the ability to run trains closer together means that there is more capacity on a single track; in other words, more trains can be operated. This is generally expressed as 'X number of trains per hour' which can then directly translate into how often a train will arrive and depart at a station, i.e. 30 trains per hour = a train will arrive at/depart a station every 2 minutes.

The claim in the government video is that our current fixed block signalling can only successfully handle 20 trains per hour and that the new system will enable 24-30 trains per hour. This may well be the case, however what is not mentioned…

<h2>The railway will become increasingly automated</h2>

On our current network, it is left to the skill of the train driver to accelerate, decelerate, stop at the right spot on the platform and obey warnings and guidance from line-side signals. With a communications-based train control system, all those traditional train driver tasks can be handled by a combination of the control system embedded on the rail line and a train's own internal operating system.

And as seen by many railway systems around the world, the job of a train driver can also be made redundant with full automation. I don't suspect we'll be heading for full automation upon the opening of Melbourne Metro but it could be made possible, perhaps inevitable.

Lead image credit: <a href="http://railgallery.wongm.com/kensington-racecourse-essendon-resignalling/F106_9239.jpg">Marcus Wong's rail gallery</a>.
</body></html>

Green over red: 'high capacity signalling' to proceed at normal speed in Melbourne

<html><body>
The Planning Minister has unveiled new draft permanent central city planning controls that are now to be sent to an independent planning panel which will allow the public to make submissions.

Chief among the proposed planning controls for Melbourne's CBD and Southbank is the introduction of a floor area ratio (FAR) of 18:1. The interim controls <a href="/news/interim-central-melbourne-planning-controls-the-detail">released last year</a> put in place a FAR of 24:1.

Projects will have the ability to exceed the maximum FAR in the central city if there is a demonstratable public benefit. The public benefits can take the form of public open space, office uses, public space inside the building or social housing contained within the building.

<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/floor_area_benefits.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="How floor area uplift will work. Image supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="422" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/floor_area_benefits.jpg?itok=SP-l-qpo" title="How floor area uplift will work. Image supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>How floor area uplift will work. Image supplied</figcaption></figure>In the podium and setbacks space, by default podiums will be limited to 20 metres in height with the discretion to increase it to 40 metres to match existing streetscapes and on certain street corners. Towers will need to be set back at least five metres from the podium edge and likewise there will be a minimum side and rear setback of five metres for proposals which include a tower measuring 80 metres or less.

For proposals which include a tower taller than 80m, side and rear setbacks of 6% of the overall height will be required.

<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/new_controls_setbacks.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The proposed podium and setback regime. Image supplied."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="360" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/new_controls_setbacks.jpg?itok=9_I4zUvn" title="The proposed podium and setback regime. Image supplied." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The proposed podium and setback regime. Image supplied.</figcaption></figure>Height controls will only apply to areas like Bourke Hill and there will be reinforced shadowing and wind controls, both mandatory and discretionary. The key public spaces that are to be protected by wind and shadowing controls are Federation Square, State Library of Victoria, the Shrine of Remembrance, the Yarra, City Square, Bourke Street Mall and Boyd Park in Southbank.

The following diagram and video depict the possibilities under the new controls and compares it to the 'business as usual' scenario.

<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/new_v_old_controls.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Development possibility: business as usual versus proposed new controls. Image supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="471" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/new_v_old_controls.jpg?itok=Fxb3eDWy" title="Development possibility: business as usual versus proposed new controls. Image supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Development possibility: business as usual versus proposed new controls. Image supplied</figcaption></figure>The proposed planning controls have been devised with the input from City of Melbourne and the Office of Victorian Government Architect. The independent panel will begin public hearings in July, the planning controls are anticipated to be in place by the end of 2016. www.delwp.vic.gov.au/central-city

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pT7N44i6dHM" width="100%"></iframe>

The images and video contained within this article were provided to Apartments.com.au by the State Government of Victoria, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC 4.0</a>
</body></html>

New permanent central city controls headed to independent planning panel

<html><body>
An alliance of companies including Lend Lease, CPB Contractors, WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff, Aurecon and Metro Trains Melbourne has been formally awarded the contract for the Caulfield to Dandenong level crossing removal project.

The Treasurer, Tim Pallas, said "the project will deliver more room, on more trains to carry more people on Melbourne's busiest rail line. It's needed now, and we're not going to waste a day - we're going to get it done".

Site preparation works - including installing fences - are set to begin at the end of the month.

The Level Crossing Removal Authority has also published its <a href="http://levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/48080/LXRA-Caulfield-Dandenong-Consultation-Outcomes-and-Submissions-Report.pdf">Consultation Outcomes and Submissions Report</a> on <a href="http://levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/media-library/news/contract-awarded-for-caulfield-to-dandenong-level-crossing-removals">its website</a> which summarises the thousands of pieces of feedback it received up to and including in its latest round of consultation.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TvHRS6mXwNg" width="100%"></iframe>

In another sign that the State Government is serious about creating a larger rail engineering talent pool, the Level Crossing Removal Authority recently announced that applications are now open for its <a href="http://levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/media-library/news/applications-now-open-for-railway-signalling-engineering-cadet-program">Railway Signalling Engineer Cadet Program</a>.

<blockquote>
The program will offer recent engineering graduates and qualified engineers wanting to transition into the rail industry, the opportunity of a three-year paid position along with real hands-on experience, and a fully sponsored Graduate Diploma in Railway Signalling Engineering. In years two and three, cadets will also undertake a Graduate Diploma in Rail Signalling Engineering to ensure they leave the program with the skills, experience and competencies to fast track their career as a rail signalling engineer.

The program is open to recent engineering graduates who completed their degree since 2015, and qualified engineers with at least five years of professional experience, wanting to transition into the rail industry.

Cadets will be employed by one of the seven industry partners: the Level Crossing Removal Authority, CPB Contractors, John Holland Group, Melbourne Metro Rail Authority, Metro Trains Melbourne, Opus Rail and United Group Limited.
<cite>Level Crossing Removal Authority</cite>
</blockquote>

<h2>Further reading</h2>

<ul>
<li>
<a href="/news/its-elevated-rail-for-the-dandenong-corridor-level-crossing-removals">It's elevated rail for the Dandenong corridor level crossing removals</a> (2016-02-07)</li>
	<li>
<a href="/news/cross-referencing-heavy-rail-project-announcements-and-ptvs-2013-heavy-rail-plan">Cross-referencing heavy rail project announcements and PTV's 2013 heavy rail plan</a> (2016-02-09)</li>
	<li>
<a href="/news/after-melbourne-metro-should-we-rebrand-the-rail-network">After Melbourne Metro: should we rebrand the rail network?</a> (2016-02-26)</li>
	<li>
<a href="/news/sky-rail-a-missed-opportunity">Sky Rail: a missed opportunity?</a> (2016-04-20)</li>
</ul>
</body></html>

$1.6 billion contract signed for Dandenong corridor level crossing removals

<html><body>
The Metropolitan Planning Authority has turned to the combined areas of Huntingdale, Clayton, Mulgrave, Notting Hill and Springvale; this area has been dubbed the Monash Employment Cluster.

Consultation has now kicked off ahead of changes to planning rules across commercial and industrial land that aims to encourage development in order increase jobs and services throughout the area.

A Victorian Government media release talks of the broader Monash area having the capacity to draw more investment through smart planning, improved amenities and better transport connections in addition to new plans that will encourage more cafes, hotels, services and entertainment to be built in the east as well as cycle ways and pedestrian links.

<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/monash_cluster.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Map of the employment cluster from the MPA's brochure"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="619" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/monash_cluster.png?itok=MZ25ZGq5" title="Map of the employment cluster from the MPA's brochure" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Map of the employment cluster from the MPA's brochure</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
We are changing the planning rules for the broader Monash area with input from the community so there is a long-term plan for jobs growth in place. Well-planned employment clusters give people living in the middle and outer suburbs good access to jobs close to where they live and also increases local services.
<cite>Richard Wynne, Minister for Planning</cite>
</blockquote>

The MPA-driven website has <a href="http://shapevictoria.vic.gov.au/monash-employment-cluster">four draft principles and ideals</a>: create better places to work and do business, better connections within the south east corridor, better connect people to places in Monash employment cluster and support a greener and more attractive place with better community services.

The Monash Employment Cluster is currently underpinned by Monash University, with surrounding commercial and research uses also prevalent. Testament to the popularity of the area is Frasers Property's 211 Wellington Road development which has seen a rapid uptake and delivery of various commercial buildings over a 3.47 hectare site, with the latest commercial build seen below.

These commercial builds are in addition to Monash University itself which has rolled a out a string of major developments on campus in recent years.

<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/img_0393.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Frasers Property has found success with 211 Wellington Road"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_0393.jpg?itok=uPBHmjZC" title="Frasers Property has found success with 211 Wellington Road" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Frasers Property has found success with 211 Wellington Road</figcaption></figure>The first upcoming event on May 4th will be a Monash Business and Investment Seminar and Networking event and there is an <a href="http://www.shapevictoria.vic.gov.au/index.php?cID=191">online survey</a> seeking responses from the community on their thoughts and ideas for the Monash Employment Cluster. The survey closes on May 31st 2016.

Public engagement on the draft framework plan is expected during early 2017 and implementation in mid 2017.

http://shapevictoria.vic.gov.au/monash-employment-cluster
</body></html>

Consultation begins for the Monash Employment Cluster

<html><body>
<h2>Comment</h2>

Little by little, detail is beginning to paint a larger picture of the Federal Government's direction on cities. We've heard snippets about value capture, 30 year bonds and talk of high-speed rail has surfaced once again.

Despite the intellectually-bankrupt, marginal seat election-positioning announcement on Friday - that Melbourne Metro will have strings attached to federal funding yet various road projects around the city will be the beneficiary of a not-so-many-strings-attached Federal Government ATM - by joining some of the dots and if we weren't on the precipice of election season in Canberra, perhaps the national city building discussion would be a little more mature.

The mainstream media appear more interested in click-baiting the Simpsons generation with headlines invoking quotes from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDOI0cq6GZM">that famous episode</a> than dissecting the commentary that's been put in the public domain.

NSW backbencher John Alexander appeared on <a href="http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/7-30/NC1605H071S00#playing">7:30 last night</a> and said that value capture could be the way to fund a high-speed rail system.

<blockquote>
The opportunity to release incredible amounts of land that have got very low cost - that could be 20-30 minutes from the cbd - gives that opportunity of enormous value uplift and therefore the opportunity of value capture to fund that infrastructure.
<cite>John Alexander MP, 7:30, 11/04/2016</cite>
</blockquote>

And here's the rub, if a high-speed rail system began its life by progressively rolling out in phases from Melbourne to Shepparton, from Sydney to Goulburn and then eventually linked somewhere in the middle near Wagga Wagga (the half-way point between Melbourne and Sydney on the existing rail line), a culture of daily long-distance commuting is likely to dominate the system from day one.

This is bad, very bad - it's effectively extending the major issues of suburban sprawl over even greater distances and the argument could be made that rather than dumping suburban sprawl on regional cities like Shepparton and Goulburn then why isn't the same funding spent within existing growth boundaries of Melbourne &amp; Sydney?

Imagine Shepparton with a population of over 100,000 and a few thousand of its highest income residents waltz on down to the station and hop onto a train to Melbourne every morning and come back in the early evening - what kind of city would it be during the weekday?

If there were no significant employers locating to or growing in the regional cities, it would mean these larger regional cities are robbed of a significant daytime economy that creates urban vibrancy. The regional cities would become dormitory suburbs of the state capitals linked by a single transport service that should be it be taken out of action for any great period of time, would have profound economic impacts through delays it would cause to the people who rely on it.

Australia's affordable housing issues are not going to be solved by very expensive rail lines that are going to take people from low-cost regional cities to the centres of state capitals. This type of long-distance commuting will only be available to those who can support that lifestyle financially and I dare say it would be out of reach for most on middle incomes and really only be accessible to those considered to be on upper-middle incomes.

No, if we are to use high-speed rail as a catalyst to grow regional cities, there's one element that has not been mentioned to date: the regional cities will need tools to incentivise the growth of existing, and most importantly, new employment so that residents who do move to these cities both live and work locally.

Just like the symbiotic relationship of Melbourne &amp; Sydney and the current 'air bridge' of high-frequency flights between the two cities which facilitate large amounts of travel for business, tourism and family-related purposes; high-speed rail's primary function at the capital-to-regional level should be the same.

Mechanisms for incentivising employment and local business growth like the creation of lower-tax zones in the regional centres with high-speed rail stations could be one way to ensure that population growth is matched by employment growth in the regional cities however the debate should not be limited to the tax arena - this is where the planning and economic policy wonks need to get to work and come up with a suite of mechanisms.

By all means, investigate and utilise value capture mechanisms to help finance a high-speed rail network - it's a smart idea and would force many people in all three levels of government to do a great deal of forward thinking; but for the sake of the regional cities, don't sell the high-speed rail network on the benefits of commuting to capital cities.

Lead image credit: <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/R2r12pJ7Err">streetview</a> of the location proposed for Shepparton station in the <a href="https://infrastructure.gov.au/rail/trains/high_speed/">Rudd Government's </a><a href="https://infrastructure.gov.au/rail/trains/high_speed/">High Speed</a><a href="https://infrastructure.gov.au/rail/trains/high_speed/"> Rail study</a>.
</body></html>

High-speed rail should be about city building, not creating distant dormitory suburbs

<html><body>
Activity centres, national employment clusters and job hubs: there's many names for these places and we have quite a lot of them in middle-Melbourne. The lead image above has been taken from one of <a href="http://blogs.crikey.com.au/theurbanist/2010/04/16/where-are-the-suburban-jobs/">Alan Davies' earliest blog posts</a> on Crikey from 2010.

The heat map represents the major job hubs - based on 2006 census data - that are located further than 5 kilometres from Melbourne's CBD. All in all, Alan Davies found that three quarters of Melbourne's jobs were located more than 5 kilometres from the CBD and of those suburban jobs, 20% of them were concentrated in 31 suburban centres (depicted on the heat map).

As a child - early primary school age - in order to shut me up/distract me from whatever it was that was driving my mother mad at the time, I was schooled on how to map read, street-directory style. Yes kids, maps used to only exist on printed matter!

Mum would open a Melways, point out train stations, show me how to follow the railway lines across the corresponding pages so I could then find more stations and you can see how a 200-300 page Melways could keep a kid busy. It also helped that dad was geography teacher and we had shelves of atlases and street directories from other cities in the house, not to mention a large drawer of maps in one of the filing cabinets.

30-odd years later this map-upbringing has manifested itself in my tendency to stare at any map I see for very long periods of time, and at some point, if I stare for long enough, the patterns and shapes start emerging.

<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/suburban-centres-map.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The near-perfect circle of job hubs around middle-Melbourne"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="475" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/suburban-centres-map.jpg?itok=Kjw9lPSS" title="The near-perfect circle of job hubs around middle-Melbourne" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The near-perfect circle of job hubs around middle-Melbourne</figcaption></figure>That's the first shape I saw after staring at Alan Davies' 2010 job hub map: a circle running from Altona to Sandringham, one that bisects the majority of the suburban job hubs in Melbourne.

Footscray, Moonee Ponds, Preston, Northland, Heidelberg, Doncaster, Box Hill, Deakin Unviersity, Monash University, Mulgrave and Moorabbin all are either directly under the path of the circle or not far from it.

The biggest clusters without any decent rail service on that map have had proposals and studies to link them - Monash University/Mulgrave &amp; the Rowville rail line study, Melbourne Airport and its very own study - yet connecting them to the radial rail network, is it enough?

<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/image13_7_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Box Hill's potential. From the 12-14 Nelson Road planning application"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="329" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image13_7_0.jpg?itok=cfddr8op" title="Box Hill's potential. From the 12-14 Nelson Road planning application" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Box Hill's potential. From the <a href="/news/h-f-property-enter-box-hill-with-12-14-nelson-road">12-14 Nelson Road</a> planning application</figcaption></figure>Earlier this week on Tuesday, Mark profiled the SJB-designed <a href="/news/h-f-property-enter-box-hill-with-12-14-nelson-road">12-14 Nelson Road</a> planning application that's recently hit the desk of council planners at Whitehorse and the diagram above paints a fascinating potential future for Box Hill.

Box Hill's built-form density has traditionally been commercial or retail buildings and it's no secret that the cat's out of the bad when it comes to high-density residential development. However as evidenced by the ATO's new office tower, there appears to still be an appetite for bigger and better offices in the area.

On the other side of the city, Moonee Ponds' density is set to get a new height and bulk benchmark with Caydon recently receiving approval via VCAT for their first foray in Hall Street. The ATO once again are a large tenant in the area, not to mention Foxtel's main Melbourne offices bookend the precinct.

<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/moonee_p_aerial.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="We're not in sleepy suburban-land anymore toto. Moonee Ponds, image posted by UM user Riddlz"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/moonee_p_aerial.jpg?itok=j21OGGGx" title="We're not in sleepy suburban-land anymore toto. Moonee Ponds, image posted by UM user Riddlz" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>We're not in sleepy suburban-land anymore Toto. Moonee Ponds, image <a href="/news">posted by UM user Riddlz</a></figcaption></figure>Both the Box Hill and Moonee Ponds images depict scenes that may come to fruition in future and while you can argue that both are richly served by public transport now, should we not ask the question: what if they were connected to their adjacent, non-CBD job hubs?

Sydney has its "global arc" stretching from the airport through the CBD to Parrmatta via the lower North Shore and Macquarie Park. Melbourne could have a "global semi-circle"!

<iframe frameborder="0" height="500" scrolling="no" src="https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=zLzjYwjjDBk0.kpkMSvThekJk&amp;z=11&amp;hl=en" width="100%"></iframe>

The single yellow line, plus the short spur in the north connects with many of the job centres present on Alan Davies' 2010 map, especially the large university campuses and the industrial/commercial areas they're generally located next to: Monash University and Mulgrave, Deakin University and Burwood, La Trobe University and the Northland/Bell Street commercial area, Victoria University Sunshine campus and Sunshine/Braybrook.

Regionally significant shopping (and job!) centres like Highpoint, Northland and Doncaster would be connected to a mass-transit service; Southland would get a second connection. All conventional rail lines except Werribee and Williamstown extend the reach of the circular line to nearly ever corner of the metropolitan area.

The circular railway links three of the six <a href="http://www.mpa.vic.gov.au/planning-activities/employment-clusters/">Metropolitan Planning Authority-defined employment clusters</a>: one existing (Monash) and two emerging (La Trobe and Sunshine). Incidentally, one of the other existing clusters (Parkville) will be linked with the Melbourne Metro project, and with a realignment of the existing Werribee line, another emerging cluster (Werribee East) could be directly serviced by heavy rail; refer to the Werribee area on the map above.

And perhaps most crucially, many new residential areas get a rail service for the first time, especially in the east.

Focusing on Monash University and Mulgrave for the moment, at present 30 minutes by train from its nearest station - Clayton - will get you as far as Berwick, Cranbourne or the CBD. With a circular metro line such as that shown above, those three destinations would link deeper into the entire cluster a single train change; Sandringham and Heidelberg/Doncaster to Monash/Mulgrave would then be thrown into the "30 minute city" mix also.

Furthermore adding the Rowville rail line as shown above - via Chadstone and the Alamein line - places like Scoresby/Rowville and Swinburne University/Hawthorn/Camberwell are all connected by high quality mass-transit to this mega suburban job hub.

For those interested, the circular line as shown on the map measures 58.5 kilometres with a further 5 kilometres for the La Trobe University spur. In what could be a phased construction approach, the segments measure: Clayton to Heidelberg 23.2km (Phase 1), Heidelberg to Sunshine 23.3km (Phase 2) and Clayton-Sandringham 12km (Phase 3).

And finally, some more food for thought. Milan's automated M5 Metro line was recently extended by 7km at a cost of €872 million ($1.2 billion Australian dollars in 2011, when the contract was signed) which paid for all civil, fit out and technical/electrical "hard" infrastructure costs.

The earlier rolling stock order (€35 million in 2006 / $60 million Australian dollars) from phase 1 catered for both the initial line and the recently opened extension. The order was for 12 3-4 car trains capable of carrying up to 600-800 people on 3 minute peak frequencies.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1Hw2ULiSii0" width="100%"></iframe>
</body></html>

How many suburban Melbourne job centres could be connected with a circular railway?

<html><body>
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released its updated regional population growth figures on Wednesday and at 14,114 people per square kilometre, the Melbourne CBD sits as the second most densely populated area of the country behind Pyrmont-Ultimo in Sydney (15,117 people per square kilometre) .

Based on development underway and in the pipeline - in the sheer number of projects and the size of them - the Melbourne CBD is likely to be in pole position within 12-24 months.

The density statistics are based on the ABS' <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Latestproducts/88F6A0EDEB8879C0CA257801000C64D9">"SA2</a>" regions and the Melbourne CBD SA2 area is bounded by the Yarra, Flinders Street, Spring Street, Victoria Street, Peel/William Street, La Trobe Street and Spencer Street (refer to the lead image above).

The merits of eventually being the most densely populated part of Australia - using the ABS methodology - are likely to be contested, however the oncoming ascension to the premier position is notable given the state of affairs in Melbourne's CBD 30 years ago.

I wonder if the City of Melbourne would have thought it possible in the 1980s that their heartland was to one day become the country's most densely populated?

We've come a long way since the early days of postcode 3000.

On June 30th 2015, the population of Melbourne's CBD stood at 33,433 according to the ABS data and the area bounded by the streets and river mentioned above measures 2.4 square kilometres.

Looking ahead over the next five to ten years it's not going to be a gradual ascension to the top of the ABS' SA2 density league tables, it's more likely to be akin to a violent, out-of-control steamroller driven by an angry mob that is going to set the bar incredibly high.

<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/collins_st_5pm_ngv.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="John Brack's &quot;Collins Street, 5pm&quot; painted in 1955. Image via NGV"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="408" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/collins_st_5pm_ngv.jpg?itok=EFu9Znqn" title="John Brack's &quot;Collins Street, 5pm&quot; painted in 1955. Image via NGV" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>John Brack's "Collins Street, 5pm" painted in 1955. Image via <a href="http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/explore/collection/work/3161/">NGV</a></figcaption></figure>Consider the following.

We're tracking 68 residential, student accommodation or mixed-use projects on the Apartments.com.au Project Database located within the Melbourne SA2 and they have a combined 27,000-30,000 dwellings.

18 of the projects are currently under construction which together will produce 6000-7000 dwellings. According to the <a href="http://melbournepopulation.geografia.com.au/areas/CLSA01">City of Melbourne</a>, the average household size in the CBD standas at 1.91 and is forecast to decrease to 1.44 over the longer term.

The number of dwellings under construction could equate to a further 8500 to 10,000 new residents when using the longer-term household size forecast, potentially boosting the total population to 42,000-43,500 and increasing the population density of 17,500-18,125.

11 projects have a sales campaign underway and that, in total, is another 5000 dwellings in the pipeline with the potential to provide space for 7,200 new residents.

The remaining 39 projects being assessed by council or the Minister and those that are already approved total 16,000-18,000 dwellings; creating enough living space for 23,000-26,000 new Melburnists.

Even if only half the projects in the pipeline - everything except what's currently under construction - were to eventually be built and tenanted, that's could equate to a further 15,000-17,000 new Melbourne CBD residents.

Doubling the population and therefore the population density of Melbourne's CBD over the next 5-10 years? It's very much realistic and the numbers above broadly correlate with the <a href="http://melbournepopulation.geografia.com.au/areas/CLSA01">City of Melbourne's own forecast</a>.

In ten years the population density of Melbourne's CBD is forecast to between 26,000 and 27,000 people per square kilometre, comparable with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10th_arrondissement_of_Paris">10th</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/14th_arrondissement_of_Paris">14th</a> arrondissements of Paris, and similar to the projections for the 'half-sized' Fishermans Bend based on <a href="/news/fishermans-bend-to-become-australias-most-densely-populated-area">public domain information from 2013</a>.

That's what I meant by it's going to be violent ascension above all other national peers. No wonder the Lord Mayor was keen to see 447 Collins and its new green space approved.
</body></html>

Melbourne CBD on course to be the most densely populated area in Australia

<html><body>
<h2>Comment</h2>

In case you missed it, Melbourne's Tullamarine airport has been a story of growth, growth and even more growth for the past decade. A story of growth in passenger numbers using the terminals and a story of projected growth in employment within the entire aviation precinct.

One of the FAQs on the airport's <a href="http://melbourneairport.com.au/about-melbourne-airport/melbourne-airport-partners/faqs-1389">community &amp; partners web page</a> states "the airport's operations directly support 14,300 jobs, which is forecast to grow to 23,000 by 2033". Furthermore the FAQ goes on to state "more than two-thirds of these jobs are held by people living in communities around the airport".

According to official numbers published by the Federal Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, in 2006 Tullamarine airport saw <a href="http://bitre.gov.au/publications/ongoing/airport_traffic_data.aspx">21,567,868 passengers</a> through its terminals. In 2015 it was <a href="http://melbourneairport.com.au/about-melbourne-airport/media/media-releases/melbourne-airports-2015-passenger-traffic-results-1868">32,989,094 passengers</a> according to an airport media release published in January; or better represented as 53% growth over a decade.

As they say in the financial world, past performance is not necessarily an indicator of future return, however if the next decade's growth is even remotely similar to that of the past then there will be upwards of 45,000,000-50,000,000 passengers using Melbourne airport by the time the Melbourne Metro Rail tunnel is open for business. The airport expects there to be 60,000,000 passengers to be <a href="http://melbourneairport.com.au/about-melbourne-airport/current-projects/road-improvement-projects">using the airport by 2030</a>.

<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/mel_air_precinct_plans.png" rel="gallery-all" title="The airport isn't just about travel: precinct breakdown from Melbourne Airport's master plan"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="407" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/mel_air_precinct_plans.png?itok=2fP6dIGM" title="The airport isn't just about travel: precinct breakdown from Melbourne Airport's master plan" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The airport isn't just about travel: precinct breakdown from Melbourne Airport's master plan</figcaption></figure>Last year the $1.3 billion Citylink / Tullamarine Freeway widening project was announced which is set to add an extra traffic lane in each direction between the West Gate Freeway / Bolte Bridge interchange and Melbourne Airport.

Judging by the 6-7 year gap between widening projects on the Monash Freeway, it's likely the inducement effect of increased freeway capacity on the Tullamarine Freeway will have the road lobby squealing for another widening project in another decade, especially if the passenger and employment growth numbers projected at Melbourne airport actually come to fruition.

The centre of Melbourne - from a population and economic sense - is shifting westward and all the dry economic and planning commentary asking if a rail link to Melbourne Airport is worth it is moot as sometimes I think participants completely disregard the growth story at the airport and its surrounding employment precincts.

The Airport Drive extension was opened last year and thanks to a recent Google satellite map update over the entire metropolitan area, we can now clearly see the rapid change that's occurring in the 'landside business precinct' on the airport's land.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m13!1m11!1m3!1d12212.711209546773!2d144.86063659064953!3d-37.69717590063364!2m2!1f0!2f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!5e1!3m2!1sen!2sau!4v1458782613102" style="border:0" width="100%"></iframe>

Of course, we are going to need a rail line to the airport. The relentless growth reported monthly by the Melbourne airport owner continually counters here-and-now static arguments about public transport mode shift and whether or not the skybus service can continue to cope (and current road works are likely to play havoc with reliability, ditto for the next future widening project).

The questions we should be asking:

<ul>
<li>How many stations should the airport rail link have? A station near Sharps Road and Airport Drive? A station near Keilor Park Drive / Avondale Heights?</li>
	<li>How can we extend the route 59 tram to the airport to provide a high quality public transport service to the areas in the north west which are bypassed by the heavy rail line?</li>
	<li>Which roads and freeways require widening to cater for bus lanes carrying high frequency smart bus-like routes servicing areas to the west (Watergardens, Hillside, Melton, Caroline Springs) and east (Broadmeadows, Greenvale, Somerton, Epping, Campbellfield) of the airport?</li>
</ul>
Tullamarine Airport may have been built on the city fringe in the 60s/70s and thanks to the forward planning that has limited suburban growth to the west and north of the region, the airport enjoys a curfew-free status that is a distinct advantage over many other Australian cities. Like the centre of the city, the Tullamarine area is undergoing rapid growth.

The airport rail line has appeared on PTV heavy rail network development maps as a branch line of the larger Sunbury-Pakenham/Cranbourne line that will be created once the Melbourne Metro Rail project comes online since 2012, however beyond it being present on a map, no timeline for its construction has been published and you can be forgiven for thinking we're looking at a typical waterfall scenario of development.

The Melbourne Metro Rail tunnel is penciled in for a 2026 completion date and can we really wait another 4-5 years beyond that date for a heavy rail line to finally service the airport given the huge growth passenger and employment projections for the area?

No, we can't. Infrastructure Victoria needs to treat the Melbourne airport region like another CBD.

The authority needs to give Melbourne airport priority in assessing the ground transport needs so that the Victorian government can start allocating budget money for holistic transport planning and money for kicking off the smaller-scale projects - like bus and tram extensions - that can make a dent in the nauseating car dependency in and around Melbourne airport before a heavy rail line comes online.

Lead image credit: <a href="https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.6971759,144.8606366,2805m/data=!3m1!1e3">Google Maps</a>.
</body></html>

Should Melbourne Airport get special treatment in Infrastructure Victoria's 30 year strategy?

<html><body>
The Plus Architecture-designed 208.3 metre 295 King Street tower for Farinia Pty Ltd first profiled on Apartments.com.au back in <a href="/news/planning-application-295-309-king-street-melbourne">February 2015</a> has been approved by the Planning Minister.

As witnessed through recent proposals in the centre of the city, Melbourne's skyscrapers are beginning to take on a decidedly playful form and 295 King Street is no different.  

The project's podium is of a similar height to the adjacent Hotel Sophia on the other side of Little Lonsdale Street and the playfulness is contained within the tower itself - from cylindrical near the podium flaring out to a more square-like floorplate in the upper levels.

<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/295_king_st.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="295 King Street - Image © Plus Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="829" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/295_king_st.jpg?itok=PEEEv5Q3" title="295 King Street - Image © Plus Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>295 King Street - Image © Plus Architecture</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
Inspired by Brancusi’s ‘Bird in Space’ 1923, the development’s sculptural circular tower will become a unifying presence within Melbourne’s city skyline. And at street level, the design is beautifully integrated with its urban landscape. 

The creation of meaningful connections has been an important guiding principle in this project’s design – it has been designed to make strong visual and contextual connections with its environment, and it also provides opportunities for building strong connections between its future residents. One level of the project has been dedicated to communal amenities and shared residential activities.

At street level, where the tower’s circular form allows generous corner setbacks, the development will include both retail and laneway lobbies and cafes will spill out on to the street, inviting people in. For this level, Plus has drawn inspiration from Melbourne’s street life, where historic bluestone-paved streets intersect with modern design, imagining a contemporary, Jenga-like form that is at once familiar and striking.

<cite>295 King Street approval media release</cite>
</blockquote>

The project has 431 apartments in total, broken down: 206 x 1 bed; 78 x 2 bed 1 bath; 104 x 2 bed 2 bath; 32 x 3 bed and 9 x penthouses.  

Since we first profiled 295 King Street there has been a reduction in overall height (from 81 to 65 levels) and a reduction in total car park numbers from 124 to 115.  The project includes 381 square metres of ground floor retail space and 669 square metres of residential common area space on level 10.

When Apartments.com.au quizzed Paul Lofitis from Farinia about future intentions for the project he said that all options are on the table due to the extended time the project was before planning authorities - 295 King Street was originally lodged with the state government in 2014.  

Proceeding to a registration and sales phase or seeking a joint development partner were options not ruled out.

<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/295_king_podium_small.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="295 King Street - Image © Plus Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="326" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/295_king_podium_small.jpg?itok=R6fNuZ5V" title="295 King Street - Image © Plus Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>295 King Street - Image © Plus Architecture</figcaption></figure>
</body></html>

295 King Street approved

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sunland-group">Sunland Group</a> has officially lodged plans for its first Gold Coast apartment project since the departure of the Abedian family from the company three years ago, unveiling a new high-rise proposal for a prominent Broadbeach corner site on Old Burleigh Road.

The application was submitted by an entity directed by Tom Jamieson, stepson of longtime Sunland leader Soheil Abedian, and Riaz Rezvanipour, brother-in-law of Sahba Abedian, Soheil’s son.

Sunland acquired the 1,283 sqm site on the corner of Old Burleigh Road and Armrick Avenue for $9.5 million late last year and is now seeking approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/99-101-old-burleigh-road-broadbeach-qld-4218">42-storey tower with 81 apartments</a>.

<img alt="First look: Sunland Group returns to Broadbeach with new Old Burleigh Road tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fea2946d-90ee-4cfc-babe-2a8ad5db2cb6" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/pers.png?VersionId=BV0fihJw31nDIQ8ozY_h3GbS8mxDyhnm" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/contreras-earl-architecture">Contreras Earl Architecture</a>, the proposed tower at 99-101 Old Burleigh Road would deliver a predominantly larger-format apartment mix aimed at the owner-occupier market. Plans include 17 two-bedroom apartments, 55 three-bedroom apartments, and nine four-bedroom residences across 35 residential levels.

The development also incorporates three basement levels, four podium parking levels, two levels of communal recreation facilities, and rooftop plant and equipment. A total of 189 car spaces are proposed, significantly exceeding the 90 spaces required under the planning scheme.

The architecture adopts a sculpted, curvilinear form, with deep wraparound balconies and integrated landscaping intended to soften the tower’s vertical expression. The planning report states the building’s “slender footprint/form provides a complimentary yet varied built form within the local streetscape” and contributes to “a varied, yet ordered skyline.”

Contreras Earl noted in its Architectural Statement that from the early stages, the project addressed a fundamental challenge: how to accommodate the required residential yield while avoiding the conventional model of a tower sitting on a rigid, fully resolved parking podium.

“The most direct response would have been to consolidate parking into a singular, flat podium and extrude a repetitive tower above,” the statement said. “While efficient, this approach would result in a consolidated built form with limited engagement with the surrounding landscape and public realm.”

Instead, the conventional podium model was “deliberately rejected”. The architects described the base of the building as “a landscaped architectural condition where structure, planting and circulation are integrated”.

“Rather than presenting a continuous built mass, the base of the building is articulated through a series of concrete planter elements that organise the podium into a fragmented system,” the statement said. “This approach reduces the perceived bulk of the lower levels while establishing a more permeable interface with the streetscape and adjacent open space.”

<img alt="Sunland" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="923fad8d-c960-4527-8fbe-975cf1ddf88d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-25%20at%2010.32.03%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=pngwb0hYOIUpq9vDw6F2EsOiVuHF3DiX" />

&nbsp;

The site sits within the High Density Residential Zone and inside the City of Gold Coast’s unrestricted “HX” building height area, where the planning framework anticipates intensified residential development tied to the expanding light rail corridor. The planning report notes the area is undergoing “transition toward more intense development forms” given its proximity to Broadbeach, Surfers Paradise, and high-frequency public transport infrastructure.

Positioned directly opposite Broadbeach Park and within walking distance of Florida Gardens light rail station, the development would sit among a rapidly evolving stretch of Old Burleigh Road that has become one of the Gold Coast’s most active apartment development corridors.

The application joins a growing pipeline of luxury residential projects reshaping Broadbeach, including nearby developments by 5Point Projects, Polycell, and Graya.

The planning report argues the project contributes toward the Gold Coast’s long-term housing targets under the South East Queensland Regional Plan, which forecasts the need for more than 100,000 additional high-rise dwellings across the city by 2046.

<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-4" data-turn="assistant" data-turn-id="request-WEB:84a2af5e-d7cf-4ddf-922a-f4d44d6c6caa-1" data-turn-id-container="request-WEB:84a2af5e-d7cf-4ddf-922a-f4d44d6c6caa-1" dir="auto">
The Abedian family departed Sunland Group in late 2023, ending a four-decade association with the company, and subsequently established the private development firm Abedian &amp; Co. The group is currently delivering <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/greenmount-residences-cnr-hill-street-and-marine-parade-coolangatta-qld-4225">Greenmount Residences</a> at Rainbow Bay and recently launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/18-mary-avenue-14-18-mary-avenue-broadbeach-qld-4218">18 Mary Avenue</a> in Broadbeach.
</section>

Joel Robinson

First look: Sunland Group returns to Broadbeach new apartment market with new Old Burleigh Road tower plans

The Minns Labor Government has established the new Bays West Delivery Authority to lead the development&nbsp;of the Bays West Precinct and Blackwattle Bay Precinct.&nbsp;

The Authority is charged with creating Sydney’s newest precinct, a thriving, connected, sustainable hub with White Bay Power Station as its cultural heart. Its vision is to build on the area’s natural, cultural and industrial history to shape a vibrant new neighbourhood.

The precinct will deliver up to 8,500 well-located homes, including a minimum of 10 per cent affordable and essential worker homes. Combine new housing with public open space, opening public access to the waterfront for the first time in more than 100 years, while retaining important deep-water facilities to support Sydney’s working harbour.

Located just minutes from the Sydney CBD and connected to a world-class metro, ferry, walking and cycling links, the Bays West precinct will rebalance housing growth towards well-serviced inner-city locations and help tackle the state’s housing crisis.

The Bays West Delivery Authority,&nbsp;an agency of the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, will report to the NSW Minister for Lands and Property who already has oversight of major precinct renewal projects including at Blackwattle Bay and Barangaroo.

As part of the broader Bays West transformation, the Minns Government recently announced that a proposal from Lendlease to redevelop part of the Bays West Precinct has progressed to Stage 2 of the NSW Government’s unsolicited proposals process.

<img alt="Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2ed71eb9-d8e8-4fa7-b9d1-de4531dcf2f3" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-25%20at%209.42.31%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=IDryFIbped9SNDg72LEN_EecvhUsOPvp" />

The Minns Labor Government has also confirmed the Bays West precinct will have a new suburb name. This will be the first major suburb built in close proximity to Sydney’s CBD in decades and will encompass the area currently being referred to as Bays West, including Glebe Island and the White Bay Power Station. Served by a new Metro station just five minutes from the CBD, it will become one of the most populous suburbs in the Inner West and one of Sydney’s premier cultural destinations.

An early works program is taking shape, which&nbsp;includes the first stages of an international design competition.&nbsp;

The aim of the Bays West&nbsp;International&nbsp;Design Competition is to&nbsp;ensure design excellence is embedded in the project from the start. The competition will deliver an&nbsp;urban framework that defines the character, ambition and long-term identity of&nbsp;this&nbsp;former industrial precinct as it transitions to a vibrant, inclusive and sustainable residential&nbsp;neighbourhood.

The competition will be led by the Bays West Delivery Authority in partnership with Government Architect NSW.&nbsp;

It will launch with an invitation for a global Expressions of Interest, before moving to an invitation-only stage that will be assessed by a panel that&nbsp;will provide advice to Cabinet who will select a winner.

Premier of NSW, Chris Minns said the establishment of the new Authority is the first step in transforming the Bays West precinct into a vibrant, livable suburb minutes from the Sydney CBD and two stops from Hunter St Station on the Metro West line.

“The Authority will deliver well-located homes close to the heart of the city and integrate the new precinct with Blackwattle Bay and the new Sydney Fish Market.

“This is a generational opportunity to build a new suburb on the city’s edge and open the harbour foreshore to the public for the first time in a century.”&nbsp;

Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said the new Bays West Delivery Authority established by the Minns Government will turbocharge the development of Sydney’s newest suburb.

“The Authority is working at a record pace to deliver an international design competition, planning pathways and a financial model so that this development benefits Sydney with well-designed homes in a central location, close to public transport, jobs, entertainment and essential services.

“If we want Sydney to stay liveable and affordable, we need to be bold about using underutilised government-owned land to deliver homes for the future while making sure essential working harbour functions can be accommodated.”

Bays West Delivery Authority established to "turbocharge" Sydney’s newest suburb

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.

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.

Alastair Taylor

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News

Alastair Taylor

Editor's Picks

Receive the latest news stories to your inbox

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News