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<h2>Comment</h2>

The finger-pointing which has surfaced in the reporting of V/Line's ongoing troubles with excessive wheel wear on its fleet of VLocity trains has sparked an interesting discussion in article comment and forum threads all around the Internet.

For instance <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/vline-crisis-began-with-regional-rail-link-cutbacks-five-years-ago-20160202-gmjsen">this piece</a> in The Age has this standout comment:

<blockquote>
The feedback on the article continues to indicate poor decision making by Government directed appointees. It is doubtful whether lowering of service delivery outcomes is only a Corey Hannett decision. He will have been directed by the Ministers of the time.

The answer that the project was all about separating regional and metro railway line services beggars belief. Nothing about Levels of Service (LoS)?
<cite><a href="http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/vline-crisis-began-with-regional-rail-link-cutbacks-five-years-ago-20160202-gmjsen">The Age</a> user oz4lca, Princes Hill, 2016-02-03 9:17AM</cite>
</blockquote>

The components which were reportedly cost managed out of the Regional Rail Link five years ago - using and upgrading the existing North Melbourne flyover, the use of a flat-bed junction instead of a flyover junction at Deer Park and leaving in place multiple level crossings on the Sunshine-Deer Park section - appear to be affecting service levels.

Anecdotal reports of a choke point at the Deer Park junction of the Ballarat and Geelong lines and claims that the North Melbourne flyover is responsible for the excessive wheel wear on the VLocity fleet neatly all point back to hard infrastructure issues. The rail project may have come in under budget at $3.65 billion however the pride in that achievement is all but lost should the V/Line issues indeed eventually get attributed to aspects of cost-cutting on the Regional Rail Link project.

Clearly lessons will be learnt in some form or another and hopefully they can be learned in time to ensure the scope of the Melbourne Metro Rail project and the Dandenong corridor level crossing removal projects do not end up in the same boat.

The Age report from two days ago also mentions there is a push by transport experts to expand the Caulfield-Dandenong corridor from two tracks to four as part of the level crossing removal projects currently at tender.

However before there is a debate on the pros and cons of quadruplicating the Dandenong corridor, what types of services do we want to run in this corridor? The want question needs to be answered first before the need question: what is the vision for this railway line?

Is the push to quadruplicate track just about giving outer-suburban commuters to the city a faster journey or is it based on a broader vision for driving investment into centres along the line, perhaps taking the decentralisation and concentration of jobs in suburban centres like Dandenong to the next level?

We know the arc between Pakenham and Cranbourne is the only remaining area in the south east which has room within the urban growth boundary for more suburban development and that therefore will translate into a need for more capacity on the Dandenong corridor to carry more people into the city under supposed status quo scenario.

However do we want to simply plan for forecast demand, lure more people out of their cars onto the public transport network or both?

If we are only planning to cater for forecast demand then it is going to take a long time to fill up the capacity of the Dandenong corridor given it only has 16 services utilising the rail line during weekday peak at present and notwithstanding 1-2 Traralgon V/Line services during peak, when the Melbourne Metro Rail tunnel comes online, coupled with a new signalling system, 24-28 trains per hour could theoretically be possible.

If we are planing to cater for forecast demand and make great strides to entice people out of their cars to increase the mode share of Public Transport then yes, express services running frequently at the same time as frequent stopping-all-services on four tracks on the Dandenong corridor will probably be needed.

The previous Labor Government was happy to spruik its vision of achieving 20% of total motorised transport mode share on Public Transport by 2020 yet the current Labor Government has not alluded to anything like this.

Insofar as we have been made aware that Infrastructure Victoria is the way toward greater depoliticisation of infrastructure planning in the state, the transport components of the authority's 30 year strategy should be guided by a similar vision to that of the previous Larbor Government just with more oompf, like aiming for 30% or 40% public transport mode share over the next 30 years. 

Aiming for a higher mode share means that forecast demand for public transport under the status quo and even more increased demand from luring people out of their cars must be planned and catered for and only then will a hard infrastructure debate about quadruplicating the Dandenong corridor be framed in the right context.

Lead image credit: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westall_railway_station">Wikipedia</a>.
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Alastair Taylor

V/Line, wheel flanges and where to for the vision of the Dandenong rail corridor

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For the past three years the big planning story in central Melbourne has been the plethora of large skyscraper projects, with the majority of these towers located on either side of Elizabeth Street to the north of La Trobe Street.

Up until this point much has been made of the proposals however the majority are now construction sites.

Indeed many of the proposals have attracted sufficient sales in order for the developer to be confident enough to swagger on in to a bank manager's office and obtain construction finance.

The following is a roundup of the latest construction photos of CBD North taken and subsequently posted in the construction forum threads by various Apartments.com.au members. See each forum thread for more construction images.

<h2>EQ Tower</h2>

Developer: ICD Property, Architect: Elenberg Fraser, Builder: Brookfield Multiplex. 202 metres high, 63 floors and 632 dwellings. (<a href="/news">Forum Thread</a>)

The tower has progressed well above its podium and facade-watchers are being treated to a splash of purple.

<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/ebf6a2e0ee942ce938cb32bf33c7eda7.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="EQ Tower construction progress. Image © Ryan Seychell"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/ebf6a2e0ee942ce938cb32bf33c7eda7.jpg?itok=LBfNMOjK" title="EQ Tower construction progress. Image © Ryan Seychell" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>EQ Tower construction progress. Image courtesy Ryan Seychell</figcaption></figure><h2>Aurora Melbourne Central</h2>

Developer: UEM Sunrise, Architect: Elenberg Fraser, Builder: Probuild. 267 metres, 88 floors, 941 dwellings. (<a href="/news">Forum Thread</a>)

Demolition of the poorly articulated car park which fronted La Trobe Street is near completion, with initial piling now underway.

<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/2390e29c45cc7d89409b44f640ee46e0.jg_.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Aurora Melbourne Central construction progress. Image © UM member Adrian"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/2390e29c45cc7d89409b44f640ee46e0.jg_.jpg?itok=KpzOwIGA" title="Aurora Melbourne Central construction progress. Image © UM member Adrian" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Aurora Melbourne Central construction progress. Image courtesy Adrian Raiola</figcaption></figure><h2>Empire Melbourne</h2>

Developer: Mammoth Empire, Architect: Hayball, Builder: Probuild. 198 metres, 62 floors and 474 dwellings. (<a href="/news">Forum Thread</a>)

Similar to its sister tower MY80 directly opposite, Empire Melbourne's lack of a pronounced podium already gives it an enormous presence on the corner of Elizabeth and A'Beckett Streets.

<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/5344c6aa41a150aedc30e94c2dc514c6.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Empire Melbourne construction progress. Image © Ryan Seychell"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="870" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/5344c6aa41a150aedc30e94c2dc514c6.jpg?itok=KyhSRmlc" title="Empire Melbourne construction progress. Image © Ryan Seychell" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Empire Melbourne construction progress. Image courtesy Ryan Seychell</figcaption></figure><h2>Vision Apartments</h2>

Developer: Brady, Architect: Peddle Thorp, Builder: Brady Constructions. 226 metres, 72 floors and 524 dwellings. (<a href="/news">Forum Thread</a>)

Vision's jump form was recently dismantled with a handful of floors still to be formed and poured.

<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/picture4_196_zpsgumha7uj.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Vision Apartments construction progress. Image © UM member GlennWilson"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="870" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/picture4_196_zpsgumha7uj.jpg?itok=RZy1FrYd" title="Vision Apartments construction progress. Image © UM member GlennWilson" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Vision Apartments construction progress. Image courtesy <a href="http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=130248157&amp;postcount=1114">GlennWilson</a></figcaption></figure><h2>Avant</h2>

Developer: Aspial - World Class Land, Architect: Elenberg Fraser, Builder: Probuild. 167 metres, 57 floors and 463 dwellings. (<a href="/news">Forum Thread</a>)

Site clearing and preparation continues with another splash of pinkish purple over the tower's facade set to appear over the next two 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/fb303eb294c9a03c2b237c3d38c3485e.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Avant site preparation progress. Image © Ryan Seychell"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/fb303eb294c9a03c2b237c3d38c3485e.jpg?itok=3ZNRzKQZ" title="Avant site preparation progress. Image © Ryan Seychell" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Avant site preparation progress. Image courtesy Ryan Seychell</figcaption></figure><h2>Victoria One</h2>

Developer: Golden Age Group, Architect: Elenberg Fraser, Builder Probuild. 241 metres, 75 floors and 629 dwellings. (<a href="/news">Forum Thread</a>)

Victoria One's core has raced ahead and the first of the floorplates made their debut in November/December.

<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/bfbd49510a2c00ca2c1b7cb4d487722a.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Victoria One construction progress. Image © Ryan Seychell"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/bfbd49510a2c00ca2c1b7cb4d487722a.jpg?itok=xU9SX6XO" title="Victoria One construction progress. Image © Ryan Seychell" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Victoria One construction progress. Image courtesy Ryan Seychell</figcaption></figure><h2>Light House</h2>

Developer: Hengyi Australia, Architect: Elenberg Fraser, Builder: Brookfield Multiplex. 218 metres, 69 floors and 607 dwellings. (<a href="/news">Forum Thread</a>)

Although it will eventually be 23 metres shorter than its neighbour, Victoria One, across the road, it's going to be an interesting 'race' on either side of Franklin Street with Light House aided by a recently installed second tower crane.

<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/315f5af437393ab2729b0ceeeeef00da.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Light House construction progress. Image © Ryan Seychell"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/315f5af437393ab2729b0ceeeeef00da.jpg?itok=Q9AAt1L-" title="Light House construction progress. Image © Ryan Seychell" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Light House construction progress. Image © Ryan Seychell</figcaption></figure>
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Proposals no more, the top end of Elizabeth Street is now a story of mass construction

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While industry temporarily shut down during the Christmas/New Year period (and us taking a break from publishing articles), this did not stop the project database from growing in size. While you were on holiday, 33 new projects were added.

In what was broadly representative of the development scene in Melbourne during 2015, low-rise and mid-rise buildings (anything up to 12 levels) outnumber the number of high-rise proposals by a factor of eight.

An aged care facility located 220 Middleborough Road in Blackburn South and a hotel - Crest on Barkly in St Kilda - are the only two non-residential buildings in the list.

The 31 residential or mixed-use projects have in total 3,836 proposed dwellings with the most units proposed in R&amp;F Property's 124-188 Ballarat Road project in Footscray (1,400). 15 Breese Street in Brunswick has the smallest number of proposed dwellings (11).

The march north continues, with City of Moreland the most represented local government area with eight different projects. City of Melbourne has five new projects and Whitehorse has four new proposals rounding out the top three.

All new additions to the database are listed below for easy reference.
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Project database summary of new additions: late December/early January

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A development application which would see a 54 level mixed-use tower built at <a href="/buildings/568-collins-street-melbourne">582-606 Collins Street</a> has been lodged with the Planning Minister on behalf of proponent <a href="/developers/landream">Landream</a>. The lead architect has been named as <a href="/architects/zaha-hadid-architects">Zaha Hadid</a> working in collaboration with <a href="/developments/st-kilda-vic-3182">St. Kilda Road</a>-based <a href="/architects/plus-architecture">Plus Architecture</a>.

A media release distributed on Monday morning states the proposal is set to include retail, commercial and resident components with a diverse range of apartment typologies and that "the built form seeks to align with the new <a href="/developments/melbourne-vic">CBD</a> planning reforms introduced by Planning Minister Richard Wynne".

The site sits between the recently completed <a href="/buildings/568-collins-street-melbourne">568 Collins Street</a> and Liberty Tower (620 Collins Street) on the Collins and Spencer Street intersection.

<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/01_aerial_sunrise_cropped.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="582-606 Collins Street. Render supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="780" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/01_aerial_sunrise_cropped.jpg?itok=lvEm5fWS" title="582-606 Collins Street. Render supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>582-606 Collins Street. Render supplied</figcaption></figure>The following description of the proposal was included in the media release:

<blockquote>
The <a href="/developments/melbourne-vic-3000">Collins Street</a> façade is comprised of an elegant colonnade of sculptural, curved columns that supports Zaha Hadid Architects’ unique façade system. These solid elements seek to embody and emulate the finest examples of historic architecture that can be found within the Melbourne CBD, yet reinterpret them in a contemporary solution that is driven by the building’s structural integrity and the logical division of its overall volume.

A delicate filigree gently envelops the building, including the Francis Street service areas to ensure there is no sense of “back of house” to the surrounding areas. Designed to use 50 per cent less energy than a conventional mixed-use tower, this filigreed façade contributes to a reduction in the direct solar gain of the building and emissions. High performance glazing system, high efficiency central cooling, high efficiency lighting and grey-water reuse systems are also proposed to reduce consumption of resources and further lower the emissions.

Evolving from the city’s very distinct urban fabric, the arrangement of the proposed tower takes inspiration from its mixed-use program, converting the building’s overall volume into a series of smaller stacked ‘vases’. Central to the concept is the break-down of the vertical volume by the design team to establish a coherent relationship between tower, podium and surrounding streetscapes.

In addition to housing a different programmatic element, each ‘vase’ gently tapers inwards to offer additional open space at its base. Within the proposal there is a significant proportion of the ground plane given over to public realm, with external area dedicated to a plaza accessible 24 hours a day.

The design intent is to open up the ground plane improving the flow of pedestrian traffic and enriching connectivity with existing transport infrastructure, which includes the adjacent Southern Cross railway station and existing tram network that runs parallel to the site.

The design also proposes the creation of a new pedestrian route that would connect Collins with Francis Street, further alleviating pressure at the Collins and Spencer Street junction. 350 bicycle parking spaces and bays for electric vehicles and shared car clubs are included within the design.

Within the proposal, junctions between each vase invite the interaction fostered at a street level to continue inside the podium, where a rich mix of retail and commercial offerings as well as easily accessible communal spaces have been included in the proposed structure to promote public engagement.
</blockquote>

<a href="/">Apartments.com.au</a> will cover the proposal in more detail in the new year.
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Landream, Zaha Hadid and Plus Architecture come together to produce 582-606 Collins Street

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The climate change denialists have had a giant 'bird flip' thrust in their faces by the national governments of the world with the support of the climate agreement at COP21 in Paris.

COP21 was negotiated and agreed by national governments however in an Australian context much of the hard work of adapting - future-proofing - our society and economy will lie with state governments.

And it is to the state governments of Australia we must now focus on.

Under the COP21 agreement nations have now committed to reducing their carbon emissions over a period of time. Australia had a pledge and working toward it (and hopefully beating it) will require a multi-faceted approach to altering the way we live, work and transport ourselves around cities and regional areas.

On the Climate Change Authority's <a href="http://www.climatechangeauthority.gov.au/reviews/light-vehicle-emissions-standards-australia/opportunities-reduce-light-vehicle-emissions">web page</a>, it states that 16% of Australia's emissions come from transport and that figure is apportioned as follows (percentages do not add up to 100 due to rounding according to the Climate Change Authority):

<ul>
<li>2% from buses and motorcycles</li>
	<li>3% from diesel-powered rail services</li>
	<li>3% from sea transport</li>
	<li>8% from aviation</li>
	<li>18% from trucks</li>
	<li>57% from "light vehicles": cars.</li>
</ul>
Did you spot the elephant in the list? It is at the bottom if you missed it.

If we were to switch to electric cars overnight we would probably not be all that better off <a href="http://reneweconomy.com.au/nem-watch">given power still overwhelmingly comes from fossil fuel sources</a> and it does not address the core problem: various policies, many in the planning realm, focus on the housing and movement of cars rather people.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/DanielAndrewsMP">@DanielAndrewsMP</a> slash congestion for how long? Last Monash FWY upgrade was completed ~5-6 years ago, now there's another in the works.
— Apartments.com.au (@UrbanMelbourne) <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://twitter.com/UrbanMelbourne/status/674071932703240192">December 8, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>If we are going to reduce transport emissions, surely state government policy must now focus on reducing overall car usage; yes, even in a high growth scenario. Whether it is focusing on infrastructure to support increased usage of sustainable modes of transport like walking and cycling, reallocating road space for public transport services or both; policy must surely now focus on creating greater transport freedom for more people in every city, no matter how big or small.

The perennial "balance" transport investment spruikers like our current state treasurer and his opposite - and the bureaucracy that supports them - are now nothing but a laughing stock. Yes, we will need a new Western Distributor, upgraded Monash Freeway or Western Ring Road project every few years if we maintain the status quo in terms of mode share because we will need more road space for the growing population.

With the Paris agreement and the national emission reduction targets looming over us and the titans of the global automotive industry no longer interested in manufacturing "Aussie" cars, now is the time for a transport - and therefore economic - revolution.

The previous ALP state government had a target for 20% of motorised transport mode share on public transport by 2020, and as a first step it is now time for the Andrews government to commit to new targets and allow Infrastructure Victoria to guide the way so as our emissions from transport rapidly reduce and we fully embrace cities as places for people, not cars.

From 2014: 40:40:20-2035, Striking a real balance in transport policy.

Lead image credit: <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-12/melbourne-traffic-chaos/5886030">ABC</a>.
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After COP21 in Paris, maintaining cities as places for cars is even more laughable

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What is a metro? It's a good question and it has many answers. Not least because Australian rail systems don't neatly fit into categories like how people readily and easily classify rail networks in Asia, Europe and North America.

Using terms like heavy rail, metro (or subway), light rail transit (LRT), bus rapid transit (BRT), tram (or streetcar) or bus network will generally be understood with little to no explanation and these generalist terms can be related to aspects of any city's public transport network.

It's only if a person wants to write or talk about a comparison of a heavy rail, bus or tram networks with those located in a different city that the marginally grey-yet-roughly-understood terms become deep ravines of multi-shade grey; with no clear path to use as a route through the confusion.

Alan Davies on his Crikey blog <a href="http://blogs.crikey.com.au/theurbanist/2015/12/02/what-the-hell-is-a-bloody-metro-anyway/">recently wrote on this topic</a> and the set of characteristics he talks about are summarised thus:

<blockquote>
There’s probably no correct answer, however here’s what I’d suggest are the key characteristics of a metro:

<ul>
<li>A high density of lines and stations forming a ‘grid’ pattern – there’s a station within a reasonable walk of virtually any origin or destination within the area of service.</li>
	<li>A large number of interchange stations at key ‘grid’ nodes – they provide connectedness by enabling travellers to transfer between lines.</li>
	<li>Very high frequencies – between 2 and 4 minutes during the day. Short headways maximise capacity and minimise waiting times.</li>
	<li>High capacity carriages – The emphasis is on standing rather than sitting. Wide doors allow quick loading and unloading.</li>
	<li>High speed – trains run in their own grade-separated right-of-way. Each line has a dedicated set of tracks from end to end.</li>
	<li>Long hours of operation – the metro is used for all trip purposes, not just commutes.</li>
</ul>
<cite>Alan Davies, <a href="http://blogs.crikey.com.au/theurbanist/2015/12/02/what-the-hell-is-a-bloody-metro-anyway/">What the hell is a bloody “metro” anyway?</a> (Crikey, December 02 2015)</cite>
</blockquote>

Of the three primary modes of public transport in Melbourne, I think the one which best fits within this set of characteristics is our tram network. It's not an exact match - nothing ever will be - because the Paris, Madrid, Montréal and Copenhagen metros; the London tube and overground; the New York and Toronto subways; the Chicago L, the Singapore, Hong Kong and Bangkok MRT/MTR are all quite different in scale, coverage, operational hours and capacity either at a macro level or on a line-by-line comparison level.

Likewise in other German cities what are effectively trams are called metros: Cologne, Bonn, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt and Hamburg and their respective U-Bahn (Untergrundbahn or underground railway) networks are a primary example.

Sticking with Germany, if you look at any city's public transport map, you'll note little to no emphasis on different flavours of rail service is present; for example, <a href="http://www.s-bahn-berlin.de/pdf/VBB-Liniennetz.pdf">here's Berlin</a>.

Hands up who's been to Berlin! Did you visit Alexanderplatz, FriedrichStraße, Museum Island, Tiergarten / Zoo or Hackescher Markt? Chances are you used the S-Bahn to get to / between these places, not the U-Bahn which would generally be considered more Berlin's "metro".

<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/f108_4708.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Tram congestion on Elizabeth Street. Image from Marcus Wong's Rail Gallery"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/f108_4708.jpg?itok=em-hWqCU" title="Tram congestion on Elizabeth Street. Image from Marcus Wong's Rail Gallery" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Tram congestion on Elizabeth Street. Image from Marcus Wong's <a href="http://railgallery.wongm.com/melbourne-trams-cbd-and-docklands/F108_4708.jpg">Rail Gallery</a></figcaption></figure>Melbourne's tram network has a high density of lines and interchanges (to a greater degree in the south and east, less so in the north) where there are multiple chances to change routes. Although not able to carry the same amount of people as a standard train, the capacity of a single tram line is greater than a bus network running with the same frequencies.

Trams have longer operational hours when you compare to the entire bus network and the frequencies on individual lines are respectable with anywhere between 7 and 15 minutes being the inter-peak norm.

High-speed, high capacity carriages and the "very high" part of the frequency equation are the clear characteristics which don't really fit for defining Melbourne's tram network as a metro. However that doesn't things can't change.

In among the transport news and comment in media elsewhere recently, trams and light rail had some headlines last week. The Rail Futures Group launched three papers on Friday, two of which had been present on the <a href="http://railfutures.org.au/">group's website</a> for some time, including the <a href="http://railfutures.org.au/files/TramsLightRailMelbourne.pdf">Trams and Light Rail in Melbourne's Transport Future paper</a>.

The authors advocate for renewed focus on Melbourne's tram network by recognising that Melbourne's tram network is vital to the local transport needs of the inner and middle suburbs of the north, east and south - the areas which are seeing significant growth - and that steps should be taken to improve speed and reliability of existing services as well as conduct a program of extending existing lines and tying it all together with better <a href="http://railfutures.org.au/files/150725PlanningPaperFinalDraft.pdf">metropolitan land use</a>.

The key component of speeding up and improving tram reliability is extending hook turns to all roads which have a tram route present and installing active priority systems at signalised intersections throughout the network so that when a tram approaches the intersection, lights turn red and stop traffic crossing the tram route and then allow the tram to move through the intersection without stopping.

The paper quotes research conducted for Plan Melbourne where average speeds on the current tram network can go as low as six kilometres per hour (kph) and the aim should be to raise the average speed of the classic street-based tram network to something comparable with other systems around the world, in the region of 16-24kph.

Likewise numerous line extensions to enable greater interconnectedness with other tram lines and heavy rail lines are present as well as three brand new light rail lines - like those being built in Sydney and recently completed on the Gold Coast - to Doncaster, Rowville and along Dynon and Ballarat Roads are being advocated.

The launch of the three papers are timely given Infrastructure Victoria is on its way to assessing the state's infrastructure needs, to which the Victorian Government is required to respond with a short-to-medium term infrastructure plan once the 30 year strategy from the statutory body is presented to Government.

<iframe height="480" src="https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=zLzjYwjjDBk0.kmmrcZVCvmUo&amp;ll=-37.81444,%20144.96251&amp;z=13" width="640"></iframe>

<a href="https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=zLzjYwjjDBk0.kmmrcZVCvmUo">View larger map</a>

To me, a 'metro' should be technology and capacity blind, but to a point. The above is an attempt to (literally) blur the lines between heavy rail and trams. It has the existing tram network (green), with proposed extensions from the Rail Futures paper along with a couple of my own (all in red), the three new light rail lines (slightly thicker red lines) plus one that wasn't mentioned in the paper: Springvale Road.

The entire map is overlaid with how the heavy rail network would look like according to the <a href="/news">PTV heavy rail network plan</a> released back in 2012. No more lines dominated by the City Loop, but seven lines which flow in, through, and out of the city plus an eighth which is the Tullamarine airport line. I've indulged a little bit more here as well, all of which will be explained and form the basis of future articles.

The lack of stations and interchange points as visual markers as you'd expect on a public transport map is entirely deliberate. The point is to highlight paths throughout the city irrespective of mode (and therefore capacity/speed) and direction.

Interchange with other lines and modes - the characteristic I'd weight the most when asking the question what makes a metro a metro - is obvious when you view the city at this macro level. Just like when you view a <a href="http://parisbytrain.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/paris-metro-map.jpg">map of Paris and the metro is depicted indifferently to the RER</a> and when you look at a map of Berlin, the U-Bahn and S-Bahn lines are barely distinguishable.

Melbourne's heavy rail network is on a path to greater frequencies thanks to level crossings being removed, the <a href="/news/a-closer-look-at-the-latest-round-of-melbourne-metro-station-designs">Melbourne Metro Rail project</a>, a new signalling system and higher-capacity trains being introduced.

If tram speeds were increased, with reliability improved through altered road rules outside the CBD and more dedicated rights-of-way were built in existing corridors, cross-town routes built in areas where there are none, vehicles the size of the E-class (or larger) deployed en masse, and space for people prioritised higher than space for cars became the guiding principle for network investment; then who's to say the tram network couldn't legitimately be called Melbourne's metro?

Lead image credit: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hector_Guimard">Wikipedia</a>.
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What is Melbourne's metro? What could it be?

<html><body>
City of Casey recently approved a multi-building development in Berwick which has paved the way for the municipality's first entry on the Apartments.com.au Project Database.

1-9 &amp; 11-17 Lyall Road sits on a prime site at the bottom of Berwick hill, set back from the suburb's main intersection. The proponent is a developer using the entity name Sheradar Pty Ltd and the four building development has been designed by <a href="http://www.bcarch.net/">Baldasso Cortese</a>.

The project will see a residential and serviced apartment building join an individual 'market hall' retail offering and two office buildings with ground floor retail. Baldasso Cortese's architectural design statement shows the project will seek to initiate the following:

<blockquote>
Response to an urban edge condition by reinforcing a strong activated streetscape through reimagining the modern main street, along Lyall Road.

Creation of a new public urban space that provides a much needed meeting place for Berwick and an open, sheltered environment with filtered skylights providing ample daylight. Imagery and paving will reflect the strong agricultural past of the region.

Create a mixed-use development that includes retail, commercial, food and beverage, serviced apartments and residential uses

Create a Market Hall style food offering, book-ended by the larger scale commercial development, that provides a rich, high quality setting for dining and produce during both day and night.

Create a variety of engaging retail settings including main street shops, town square cafes and a lane-way type connections between the car park and Lyall Road

Design activated facades to the car park to provide security, over-looking and engagement

Design the built form on the corner of Lyall Road and Anne Street to respond to the Gateway setting and an important visual connection to the Princes Highway junction.
<cite>Baldasso Cortese</cite>
</blockquote>

<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/aerial_view.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Overview of the project site. Image supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="258" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/aerial_view.jpg?itok=CJQCQBSY" title="Overview of the project site. Image supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Overview of the project site. Image supplied</figcaption></figure>The five level gateway building located on the corner of Lyall Road and Anne Street will include 30 serviced apartments in a variety of configurations on the ground and first floors while the second, third and forth floors will include 20 residential apartments.

Most interestingly, of the 20 private apartments located on the three upper floors, there will be no 1 bedroom apartments with 2 and 3 bedroom apartments prevalent. Planning documents also suggest they will be large: 3 x 3 bedroom apartments will be on the top floor with a total of 370 square metres of space between them.

<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/lyall_rd_st_view.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The project will include new retail premises for Berwick Town centre"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="258" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/lyall_rd_st_view.jpg?itok=occ1qgBR" title="The project will include new retail premises for Berwick Town centre" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The project will include new retail premises for Berwick Town Centre</figcaption></figure>The majority of car parking for the project will be located below ground with the only surface spaces confined to the rear of the site and perhaps the best aspect of the project is the focus on an attractive, active ground level fronting Lyall Road.

Upon completion, Lyall Road will become a great case study in the history of suburban development in Melbourne. The Google Street View below shows the aspect when looking from the project site to the other side of the road.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m0!3m2!1sen!2sau!4v1449667684105!6m8!1m7!1s_ajivozKVZ0vuxT4WffC-Q!2m2!1d-38.03005599491508!2d145.3451867177946!3f119.91995137491514!4f-1.8611280219058841!5f0.7820865974627469" style="border:0" width="100%"></iframe>

Many may think of Berwick simply as a late 90's, early 2000's growth suburb, yet the region is diverse in its development patterns. From the old school grid layout lying to the east of Berwick's centre, to the horribly narrow cul-de-sac streets of the Timbara estate located just east of the Monash Freeway/Hallam bypass.

Despite the suburban (most definitely not rural!) view of Berwick, it is no stranger to modestly higher densities with townhouses present throughout the older areas. This project's approval signifies the evolution of Berwick's housing diversity.
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Outer suburban Berwick to get an urban development injection

Following on from <a href="/news/welcome-to-boom-town-melbournes-low-rise-high-density-projects-in-one-long-list">Friday's list of 2, 3 and 4 floor low-rise high-density projects</a>, today we're looking exclusively at projects which have either 5 or 6 floors.

There are 243 current projects in the list below and while the overwhelming majority of projects are residential, there are a few notable commercial projects such as the ABC's expansion of its offices and broadcast facilities on <a href="/new-apartments/southbank-vic-3006">Southbank</a>, the <a href="/developments/burnley-vic-3121">East Edge Botannica</a> project in Richmond and <a href="/developments/hawthorn-vic-3122">8 Hall Street</a> in Hawthorn.

Factoring in purely residential projects, the list of projects below yields 10,781 dwellings from planning assessment to construction.

<h2>The low-rise high-density story</h2>

Combining the numbers across both lists - that is, buildings with 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 floors - there are just under 18,000 dwellings across 453 projects (2 more low-rise projects have been added since Friday's article). 46% of all projects on Apartments.com.au <a href="/developments">Project Database</a> have 6 or less floors.

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width:100%;">
	<thead>
		<tr>
			<th scope="col">Project Status</th>
			<th class="rtecenter" scope="col">Number of Projects</th>
			<th class="rtecenter" scope="col">Number of Dwellings</th>
		</tr>
	</thead>
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Planning Assessment</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">99</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">4175</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Approved</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">97</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">3866</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Registration and Sales</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">141</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">5116</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Under Construction</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">116</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">4808</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Total</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">453</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">17,965</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

Furthermore Apartments.com.au has site area data on 214 of the 453 projects outlined in the table above; this subset has an average of 312 dwellings per hectare. Dwellings per hectare = 10,000 ÷ (Site Area m2 ÷ Dwellings).

Where Friday's list has projects which provide a good insight into what is possible in the residential growth zone throughout the Metropolitan area, today's list looks at the small step up into areas where suburban structure plans encourage higher-density development.

See <a href="/news/welcome-to-boom-town-melbournes-low-rise-high-density-projects-in-one-long-list">Friday's article</a> for the list of projects with 2, 3 or 4 floors.

And it's over to the Project Database once again. Here's the list of projects with either 5 or 6 floors.

Melbourne's low-rise high-density: all projects with 5 or 6 floors in one long list

<html><body>
It's very easy to assume that Melbourne is only building skyscrapers and high-rise towers in the inner city and low-density detached housing on the fringes.  Skyscraper proposals attract headlines across a wide range of media outlets but there's an equally huge story of Melbourne's current development scene that is easily overlooked.

What of the middle ground between skyscraper or sprawl?  There are in fact hundreds of small stature apartment projects in Melbourne's suburbs that are easily glossed over.

At the time of writing there are 983 projects listed on the Apartments.com.au Project Database.  208 of those are made up of either 2, 3 or 4 floors and when combined contain over 7,000 dwellings across all phases of the development cycle: that is from planning to construction.

If the search criteria is expanded to include projects up to and including 5 floors, the total number of projects rockets up to 339 with over 12,000 dwellings in play.

The following (long!) list is every low-rise project with either 2, 3 or 4 floors that Apartments.com.au is tracking on within our  <a href="/developments">Project Database</a>.  <a href="/">Data Portal</a> subscribers can pull this information directly by exporting the database and filtering through a spreadsheet program like Excel or OpenOffice Calc.

I'm going to let the database do the talking from this point on - so get off your mobile, turn your tablet to portrait layout or jump on a desktop/laptop: here's Melbourne's low-rise high-density story.
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Welcome to boom-town: Melbourne's low-rise high-density projects in one long list

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The Melbourne Metro authority has announced it is seeking to assess the private sector's interest in participating on the Melbourne Metro project. According to the Registration of Interest form found on the <a href="http://mmrailproject.vic.gov.au/about-the-project/tenders-and-service-providers">authority's website</a>, an early works packages will be delivered under a Managing Contractor model with expressions of interest closing in late December 2015.

The Registration of Interest form points to five proposed work packages with an availability private-public partnership (PPP) type package to build the tunnels, stations (including fit-outs) as well as installing the mechanical and electrical systems and the maintenance of the infrastructure.

The other four packages include two alliance packages for the construction of the eastern portal in South Yarra and another for the implementation of a high capacity singalling system, overhead traction power installation and a train control system.

A 'wider network enhancements' package which according to the Registration of Interest document will relate to the installation of turnbacks and signalling system upgrades across the wider existing rail network along with the early works package rounds out the five listed in Appendix 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/mmr_eoi.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Appendix A listing the proposed works packages for Melbourne Metro"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="817" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/mmr_eoi.png?itok=Jycux3ZJ" title="Appendix A listing the proposed works packages for Melbourne Metro" width="580"></a>

<figcaption><a href="http://mmrailproject.vic.gov.au/about-the-project/tenders-and-service-providers">Appendix A</a> listing the proposed works packages for Melbourne Metro</figcaption></figure>A PPP generally involves the private sector organising project finance, builds (and owns) the infrastructure and then provides it to the state to use and receives a payment in return; this is how the Peninsula Link was structured.

<blockquote>
There will be significant opportunities for private sector involvement in the $9-11 billion project, with opportunities for a range of contractors, designers and suppliers.

<ul>
<li>An availability based Public Private Partnership valued at approximately $5 billion will include design and construction of the twin nine-kilometre tunnels and five underground stations, private finance and the provision of maintenance and other services during the operating term. The EOI for the PPP contract is expected to be released in mid 2016.</li>
	<li>Certain early works will be delivered under a separate contract, including utility services relocation and protection and other site preparatory works. The EOI for this early works contract will be released in November 2015.</li>
	<li>There will be several Alliance packages to deliver works that need to be integrated with the existing rail network in a live operational environment.</li>
	<li>We will be looking to partner with companies with knowledge and experience in managing complex projects in busy urban environments.</li>
</ul>
<cite>Melbourne Metro Rail: <a href="http://mmrailproject.vic.gov.au/about-the-project/tenders-and-service-providers">Tenders and Service Providers</a></cite>
</blockquote>

Underline and bold emphasis is mine: the proposed PPP package component states it will have an approximate value of $5 billion or half the total $9-11 billion cost. To compare, you can see a breakdown of the Sydney Metro contracts in the <a href="/news">Sydney Metro forum thread</a>.
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Melbourne Metro Authority seeks industry registrations of interest

<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

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