<html><body>
On Monday the New South Wales Government <a href="http://sydneymetro.info/home/news_feed/sydney-metro-accelerates-through-cbd-stations-confirmed-and-first-borer-to-arrive-in-2018">kicked off</a> the formal planning process for the second stage of the Sydney Metro project. It comes as the heavy work for the first phase - rebranded as Sydney Metro Northwest a few months ago - is nearing completion with the <a href="http://nwrail.transport.nsw.gov.au/TBM-Tracker">TBM tracker map</a> for the project showing two of the four TBMs in use on the project only having approximately 1-1.5km until they complete their run.

What started as a project to bring rail services to one of Sydney's largest rail service black-spots has morphed into a very long metro line that will eventually run from Sydney's North West through North Sydney and the CBD and out to the South West.

<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/construction-activities-nov-2013-72dpi_2.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Construction timeframes for the Sydney Metro North West phase"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="314" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/construction-activities-nov-2013-72dpi_2.jpg?itok=zbqIkDl4" title="Construction timeframes for the Sydney Metro North West phase" width="580"></a>

<figcaption><a href="http://nwrail.transport.nsw.gov.au/construction/construction-overview">Construction timeframes</a> for the Sydney Metro North West phase</figcaption></figure>The 'Northwest' section which is under construction, when open, will see passengers needing to change to existing services at Chatswood to continue journeys toward central Sydney.

This point along with the "back to the future" moment of the new metro line not running double-decker trains which are synonymous with Sydney has generated a lot of discussion &amp; dabate.

For the most part the debate around the type of trains to be used on the new line has been derailed (pun intended) and the launch of the formal planning process has neutered concerns over long term viability of moving more people over/under Port Jackson in trains.

While the second City and Southwest phase of Sydney Metro is a natural extension of the first phase, the key lesson for us south of the Murray is to ensure that after Melbourne Metro, we don't play the "balance" card and then go on a publicly-funded road building boondoggle.

The heavy and expensive equipment to be procured for Melbourne metro like Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs), not to mention the vast knowledge people who are working on this project are gaining, should not be wasted and put on the backburner. We should be following Sydney Metro's lead and kicking off the formal planning process for our next rail project during the construction phase of Melbourne Metro.

<h2>Enter Infrastructure Victoria and Plan Melbourne</h2>

Two sizeable pieces of a large strategic planning jigsaw puzzle seem to have fallen into place.

A refresh of Plan Melbourne has been launched which seeks to add components such as affordable housing mechanisms, Melbourne as a poly-centric city and climate change preparedness to the original plan and Infrastructure Victoria has been born and will be tasked on providing advice to Spring Street on the State's infrastructure needs and responses.

Fishermans Bend's structure plan will be changing and Spring Street recently announced that the <a href="http://australianeducationcity.com/">Australian Education City</a> consortium was the preferred bidder to develop a large site in East Werribee.

Melbourne's sole advantage over all other big Australian cities is land, and not just the productive agricultural land that the sprawl-belt is constantly infringing upon.

Fishermans Bend alone will make Sydney's Barangaroo and Perth's Elizabeth Quay look decidedly miniscule in comparison owing to the sheer amount of land that could be redeveloped along the lower Yarra.

There's decades worth of redevelopment potential but before we get bogged down on what kind of urban form Fishermans Bend should take we must first ensure the right type of Public Transport is selected and put in place early. Likewise we must ensure it provides maximum connectivity from both the east and west of the metropolitan area.

I am of course referring to the Fishermans Bend line that was present on the <a href="/news">PTV's heavy rail plan</a>, released soon after Denis Napthine took over the Premiership during the last Government. This is the kind of project we should expect to see near the very top of Infrastructure Victoria's initial 30 year infrastructure strategy and similarly in Spring Street's mandatory response.

The Australian Education City marketing material paints a grand picture of urbanism out west and the associated numbers - 80,000 to 100,000 people to eventually live in the new 'city' - is nothing to sneeze at either. Earlier reports in other media suggested that a rail station was to be a part of the project however this still remains uncertain and once again, given the immediacy of the redevelopment project, we should expect Infrastructure Victoria to pay attention to this part of the city.

And that leaves us with the East. Monash University-Mulgrave is a major employment precinct in its own right, very much a player in the drive to bring high quality jobs closer to where people live.

As the <a href="http://www.snamuts.com/melbourne">SNAMUTS map</a> shown below alludes to, the Springvale Road/Wellington Road area has two smart buses routes and possibly the most appalling thing on that map is that it highlights how there are not many other semi-decent public transport services that run at least every 20 minutes on week day off peaks.

The map shows that back in 2011 the smart bus routes in the area were seeing a higher degree of network stress than other parts of Melbourne Public Transport network. Do we need to see some out-of-the-box thinking for Public Transport in the area?

<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/6445304_orig.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Melbourne Public Transport Network Stress. SNAMUTS"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="444" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/6445304_orig.png?itok=edEKo-CB" title="Melbourne Public Transport Network Stress. SNAMUTS" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Melbourne Public Transport Network Stress. <a href="http://www.snamuts.com/melbourne">SNAMUTS</a></figcaption></figure>Plan Melbourne has that aspiration to make Melbourne more poly-centric, or more to the point, a "20 minute" city. There's one giant employment centre in Melbourne at present, it's the centre of the city where our current Publc Transport network excels in moving people in and out of it.

Monash University-Mulgrave is a major established employment node simply lacking in direct rail access and East Werribee could very well become an equivalent major employment mode for the west.

This emerging picture of a Melbourne with three major employment nodes centred around Universities dispersed equally in the metropolitan area - West, Central and East - is not all too dissimilar to the story of Sydney with its CBD/inner south (potential metro station near the University of Sydney) and Macquarie Park / North Ryde (Macquarie University and two other metro stations in the immediate vicinity).

When Spring Street creates the response to Infrastructure Victoria's initial 30 year strategy (which it is required to do under the act), the Melbourne Metro project will likely be kicking off its construction phase.

Given all of the above and after Infrastructure Victoria's advice has been provided, Spring Street should heed the lesson from the Sydney Metro project and keep the major rail project planning and construction cycle rolling so as we get even more mileage out of the knowledge created and the equipment procured for the Melbourne Metro project.
</body></html>

Alastair Taylor

Comment: Melbourne should heed the lesson of Sydney Metro

<html><body>
It was announced this morning that the level crossings either side of Bayswater station at Scoresby Road and Mountain Highway are next in line to go.

In a noticeable shift from previously unveiled grade separation and station designs, the method chosen to grade separate will involve partially lowering the rail line and partially raising Mountain Highway. A full rail under road grade removal will occur at Scoresby Road.

Kevin Devlin, the CEO of the Level Crossing Removal authority explained this option was chosen in order to allow for the continuing use of the rail yards and maintenance depot which currently sits alongside Bayswater station. The maintenance depot is accessed from the main line at a junction right next to the Mountain Highway level crossing and this will be rebuilt at a lower grade as part of the overall works.

An alliance consisting of Laing O'Rourke, Fulton Hogan and Aecom have been confirmed as the preferred bidder with the cost of the entire project coming in at $177 million.

Bayswater station is currently an island platform with an underground pedestrian ramp providing passenger access in to the bus bay and car park. The new station will see an island platform accessed via an entry brought closer to Station Street with an overhead ramp, stairs and lift depositing passengers on the new platform sitting at a lower grade.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/TS_i0mIRoM4" width="100%"></iframe>

The Ringwood corridor and Belgrave branch are inching ever closer to being fully grade separated; when after all the announced projects have been completed only Union Road in Surrey Hills, Mont Albert Road near Mont Albert Station, Bedford Road in Ringwood, Alpine Street in Ferntree Gully and Hilltop Road in Upper Ferntree gully will remain as a level crossing.

Level Crossings that still exist on the Lilydale branch include Dublin Road in Ringwood East, Coolstore Road in Croydon, Manchester Road in Mooroolbark, Melba Avenue in Lilydale and Maroondah Highway at the terminus of the Lilydale line.

Manchester Road and Maroondah Highway are on the Victorian Government's <a href="http://levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/crossings">list of 50</a> but have no news about their status has been announced as yet. Union Road and Mont Albert Road in Surrey Hills-Mont Albert are not on the list.

<h2>Bayswater to join the Box Hill, Blackburn and Ringwood party?</h2>

It will be an interesting exercise to monitor planning activity in the region given City of Knox have done <a href="http://www.knox.vic.gov.au/Page/Page.aspx?Page_Id=360">extensive planning</a> to focus development around the station precinct and the urban growth boundary is limiting any further suburban growth beyond the area (not to mention Mount Dandenong is a natural barrier for further fringe-belt growth).

The powers that be effectively locked the eastern suburbs of Melbourne away from further sprawling down the Yarra Valley into Yarra Glen and Healesville and up into the hills decades ago and the new housing stock in the entire region is a story of new medium and high density development at the major nodes on the Ringwood corridor. It makes sense that Bayswater should join them.

<ul>
<li>
<a href="/new-apartments/box-hill-vic-3128">Box Hill projects</a> (22)</li>
	<li>
<a href="/new-apartments/blackburn-vic-3130">Blackburn projects</a> (11)</li>
	<li>
<a href="/new-apartments/ringwood-vic-3134">Ringwood projects</a> (8)</li>
</ul>
</body></html>

Bayswater next in line to see level crossing removals

<html><body>
The drip feed of information on the Melbourne Metro Rail project website continues, with a recent update featuring an <a href="https://mmrailproject.mysocialpinpoint.com/yoursay#/">interactive map</a> to be used for consultation purposes, along with <a href="http://yoursay.mmrailproject.vic.gov.au/local-information">brochures</a> providing increasing detail about each station and portal precinct.

Perhaps one of the most important parts of the placement of a station on a rail line is how and where users will access the underground structures. The brochures now display proposed entrance locations for each station and they are summarised with my comments below. Each image can be expanded for a larger view.

<h2>Domain</h2>

<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/domain.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Domain Station. Image Melbourne Metro Rail Authority"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="415" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/domain.png?itok=782IalzU" title="Domain Station. Image Melbourne Metro Rail Authority" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Domain Station. Image Melbourne Metro Rail Authority</figcaption></figure>The brochure for <a href="http://yoursay.mmrailproject.vic.gov.au/local-information#domain">Domain Station</a> appears to take the sensible approach in the location of proposed station entrances. We may love our major boulevards to walk down or look at, but when it comes to crossing them in traffic, the wait times are generally less than pleasant. Therefore the proposed locations, one on the eastern side of St Kilda Road for the Shrine and one on the western side of St Kilda Road for the local area, make sense.

The only question overhanging the station entrances in this diagram: will there in fact be two station entrances - one for each of the two island platforms recently built as part of the Domain Interchange upgrade - or some other design?

<h2>Flinders Street (CBD South)</h2>

<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/cbd_south.png" rel="gallery-all" title="CBD South Station. Image Melbourne Metro Rail Authority"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="411" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/cbd_south.png?itok=J24dhUtR" title="CBD South Station. Image Melbourne Metro Rail Authority" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>CBD South Station. Image Melbourne Metro Rail Authority</figcaption></figure>For <a href="http://yoursay.mmrailproject.vic.gov.au/local-information#cbdsouth">Flinders Street</a>, the proposed entrance at Federation Square is welcome, likewise is an entrance from Collins Street. The location of the proposed Collins Street entrance seems to suggest it will use a portion of City Square, most likely impacting the on-and-off again <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/M9YK5wWsYDT2">water wall</a>.

At Federation Square the proposed station location appears to be adjacent to the underground section of the <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/LmmT2BPBag42">Melbourne Visitors Centre</a>.

The proposed entrance located in the middle of the Flinders Street/Flinders Lane/Elizabeth Street/Swanston Street block appears to be the existing entrance connecting to the main pedestrian subway. My question is, will there be a connection from the new underground platforms to the existing subway?

<h2>Melbourne Central (CBD North)</h2>

<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/cbd_north.png" rel="gallery-all" title="CBD North Station. Image Melbourne Metro Rail Authority"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="406" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/cbd_north.png?itok=xEKjnNDr" title="CBD North Station. Image Melbourne Metro Rail Authority" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>CBD North Station. Image Melbourne Metro Rail Authority</figcaption></figure><a href="/news/melbourne-metro-cbd-station-details-emerge">Last week it became evident</a> that an entrance was proposed for the north side of La Trobe Street. Now the brochure for Melbourne Central also depicts another northerly entrance in Franklin Street.

Given the City Baths are located on the northern side of Franklin Street, that it is a very sensitive building and the <s>Communist</s> Brutalist Blocks of RMIT provide little room on the southern side's footpath, the placement of the proposed station appears to be in the median of Franklin Street.

Might we see the closure of Franklin Street, <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/bcXR9RLvWpy">or at least the Swanston Street end</a>, turned into a plaza with the station entrance as the centrepiece? The mind boggles with wider urban design opportunities if the half-closure route was taken with this station entrance.

<h2>Parkville</h2>

<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/parkville.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Parkville Station. Image Melbourne Metro Rail Authority"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="412" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/parkville.png?itok=N92DcgH4" title="Parkville Station. Image Melbourne Metro Rail Authority" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Parkville Station. Image Melbourne Metro Rail Authority</figcaption></figure>The broad location of proposed station entrances at <a href="/new-apartments/parkville-vic-3052">Parkville</a> appear to provide sufficient coverage in the area. One of the first comments on the interactive map raised the lack of an entrance on the north west corner of the Grattan Street/Royal Parade intersection, where the Royal Melbourne Hospital is located, which would serve the Women's, RMH, University High School WEHI.

The proposed entrance on the south western corner of the intersection where the VCCC is should be set in stone, as it is on the same side of Grattan Street for people who may wish to connect with the Flemington Road trams (Flemington Road tram super-stop is on the south side of Grattan Street in the Flemington Road median).

If there were any slack in the overall project budget, I would allocate more to this station: delete the entrance on the north east corner of the intersection and revert to the previous concepts, which showed a large island platform in the middle of Royal Parade for a tram-train interchange. This would be a compromise solution for lack of an entrance on the RMH block (people bound for the Hospital block would not have to cross an entire road, only half of one), but enhance the tram-train connection opportunities.

Having an underground corridor all the way under Grattan Street so that entrances to the station concourse could be placed directly on the Flemington Road tram stops would also be a nice-to-have, however the proposed entrance on the VCCC block effectively does this job, albeit with a half-boulevard crossing at Flemington Road.

<h2>Arden</h2>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/arden.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Arden Station. Image Melbourne Metro Rail Authority"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="401" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/arden.png?itok=4AEzc-JB" title="Arden Station. Image Melbourne Metro Rail Authority" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Arden Station. Image Melbourne Metro Rail Authority</figcaption></figure><a href="/new-apartments/north-melbourne-vic-3051">Arden</a> is problematic. On every concept made public over the years, it was clear from the start Arden would be isolated, having no meaningful connections to other lines or modes in the area; the map above really brings this message home.

The site which this station resides on currently sees various industrial uses. The angle and placement of the "potential" station entrances seems to allude that a fraction of the current titles in the area would be acquired by the authority and rezoning could then enable redevelopment to occur on adjacent sites.

There is likely going to be a need for very intensive redevelopment in this area, in order to get the benefits side up against the costs in a cost-benefit analysis. All eyes are on City of Melbourne to see what they do with their Arden-Macaulay structure plan (<a href="http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/BuildingandPlanning/FutureGrowth/StructurePlans/ArdenMacaulay/Pages/ArdenMacaulayStructurePlan.aspx">amendment C190</a>).

One thing to be wary about in terms of redeveloping the industrial land either side of the station location is Boral's <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/f4YXHsXRC6y">Melbourne Cement Plant</a>, as it is located to the south of the proposed station site.

Cement is a key ingredient for any urban development project and of course an orderly winding down of the site (as property prices rise after Arden station is complete) could occur over time. However, it would be interesting to see the wider economic and environmental impacts of this key cog in the urban development supply chain moving out of the area, if it ever does.

One logistical benefit for the project would be if Boral were to be picked as the cement supplier for the project; pre-cast cement and other cement products would not have to travel very far at all, thereby minimising overall energy intensity during the construction phase of the project.

Over to you. Be sure to add your comments to the interactive map on the <a href="https://mmrailproject.mysocialpinpoint.com/yoursay#/">project website</a>.

Lead image credit: <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/CtsKwfqvTD92">Google Earth</a>
</body></html>

Melbourne Metro Rail stations: more detail released & comment

<html><body>
The Victorian Planning and Environmental Law Association (VPELA) in conjunction with Ratio Consultants have organised a seminar titled "Where we're going, we don't need roads? VCAT's Nightingale decision, car parking and the future of sustainable development", to be held on Monday 9th of November.

The seminar will be held at the Treasury Theatre, lower level, Treasury Building at 5:15pm for a 5:30pm start.

<blockquote>
Just before Back to the Future's 2015 day, VCAT made a decision that caused many to reflect on the future transport needs of our city. In refusing planning approval for the Nightingale Project because of insufficient parking, debate has raged about parking needs, transport patterns and indeed the future of the car itself. It's been hard to miss the Nightingale Project, following in the footsteps of the award winning ‘The Commons’, both famous for their environmental credentials, financial model and tenacious community supporters.

Hear first-hand from key insiders and industry experts about what went wrong with Nightingale, what lies ahead for sustainable high density developments, and what it means for car parking and future transport options across Melbourne.
<cite><a href="http://www.vpela.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Flyer1.pdf">VPELA: VCAT’s Nightingale decision seminar flyer</a></cite>
</blockquote>

The seminar will be chaired by Adam Terrill, Executive Director of VPELA and senior principal at Tract Consultants.

Speakers include:

<ul>
<li>Jeremy McLeod, Architect and Developer, Breathe Architecture</li>
	<li>Tamara Brezzi, Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright and President VPELA</li>
	<li>Dr Stephen Rowley, Lecturer, RMIT University</li>
	<li>Brett Young, Director Transport Engineering, Ratio</li>
</ul>
Bookings are essential, details of which are located on <a href="http://www.vpela.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Flyer1.pdf">the seminar's flyer</a>.

Lead image credit: <a href="http://www.nightingale.melbourne/">nightingale.melbourne</a>
</body></html>

VPELA seminar 9th November: VCAT's Nightingale decision, car parking and the future of sustainable development

<html><body>
Following on from yesterday - <a href="/news/greg-hunts-melbourne-2200-vision-is-an-expensive-flop-but-part-1">Greg Hunt's Melbourne 2200 Vision is an expensive flop, but...</a> - here is a summary and links to the subsequent episodes on Adam Ford's blog.

<a href="http://bloodiedwombat.blogspot.com.au/2015/10/a-real-melbourne-metro-system-among">Part two</a> centres around looking at the blackspots in the current network and walks through projects which could extend the reach of the network into these areas. Upfield, Alamein, Glen Waverley line extensions and new lines through Fishermans Bend, Doncaster to Ringwood and through Monash and Rowville to Ferntree Gully are all discussed.

<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/gaps.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Melbourne's rail network with its black spots (in white)."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="424" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/gaps.jpg?itok=-QtaU1TK" title="Melbourne's rail network with its black spots (in white)." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Melbourne's rail network with its black spots (in white).</figcaption></figure><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/networkphasene.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Phase 1 rail network expansion overlaid through the current network's black spots."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="424" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/networkphasene.jpg?itok=EmRmUMdK" title="Phase 1 rail network expansion overlaid through the current network's black spots." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Phase 1 rail network expansion overlaid through the current network's black spots.</figcaption></figure>In <a href="http://bloodiedwombat.blogspot.com.au/2015/10/greg-hunts-melbourne-2200-vision-is_23">part three</a>, Adam looks at how 26 heavy rail-connected CADs can be used to create a polycentric city; likewise the airport could have two rail lines with the addition primarily of a new outer circle orbital railway from Cheltenham to the Airport.

<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/gapspluggesdtage.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title='Why spend all that money "undergrounding" the existing network when you can expand?'><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="436" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/gapspluggesdtage.jpg?itok=e6tJHQvm" title='Why spend all that money "undergrounding" the existing network when you can expand?' width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Why spend all that money "undergrounding" the existing network when you can expand?</figcaption></figure>Lead image credit: Wikipedia
</body></html>

Greg Hunt's 2200 vision: why rebuild rail underground when we can expand? (Parts 2 & 3)

<html><body>
We are nearing the first anniversary of the Andrews Government, they certainly have hit the ground running and set a lot of inter-related policy areas in a different direction. It is just a pity that the public debate around planning has boiled down to high-rise or skyscraper canyons versus monotonous "European" style development sham.

The two sides of that debate are analogous to the typical trench warfare of "left" versus "right" politics. It does not matter how loony or tory the left or right are, whoever gains the middle ground will win at the end of the day.

It is all a bit quaint and passé, really. And glosses over our real problem: our insidious car culture.

The first two explanations for insidious on <a href="http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/insidious?s=t">dictionary.com</a> state it is "intended to entrap or beguile; [to be] stealthily treacherous or deceitful". However it is the third meaning "operating or proceeding in an inconspicuous or seemingly harmless way but actually with grave effect" which describes our car society ever so succinctly.

<h2>Nightingale: when car culture stifles innovation</h2>

On October 14, <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/green-building-with-no-car-parking-thrown-out-by-vcat-for-having-no-car-parking-20151022-gkfia5">an order at VCAT</a> was made to set aside the City of Moreland's granting of a permit for the <a href="/new-apartments/brunswick-vic-3056">Nightingale</a> development (6 Florence Street, Brunswick). Among the many paragraphs in the senior member's explanation of the order (and I encourage everyone to read them), the section which stuck out the most came under the heading "The convenience of private car ownership".

Paragraphs 112 through 118 make for particularly sobering reading, as the senior VCAT member used private car ownership as a convenience as part of his justification.

The private car is a very convenient transport mode in certain circumstances, but it is highly specific to where you live and where you need to travel. Brunswick is a vastly different beast to a middle-ring suburb like Glen Waverley or outer growth suburb like Tarneit.

Some suburbs are highly dependent on provisions for car parking as other transport and societal infrastructure is slow to catch up to the pace of development on the fringes (or simply non-existent). However, this should not be used as a justification for curtailing development innovation and entrepreneurialism in the way that it has impacted in Nightingale's case.

Buyers in the 20 unit Nightingale development will have signed on the dotted line knowing full well their purchase is not going to include a car park, and the location of the development in the Anstey precinct with all the services and public transport services at its doorstep would have also been monumental in attracting them.

The group of architects who are the proponents of this planning application are turning the early stages of the standard development model on its head: a waiting list is devised and then each is surveyed through one-on-one meetings and online questionnaires. This is not marketing trickery, it is a different way of doing business.

After one-on-one meetings with the design architects where potential buyers are taken through the architectural drawings, the potential buyer elects to be added to a ballot. The ballot is drawn and only then are buyers invited to sign up for an apartment.

This is what development innovation is: buyers are taken through a process so they are fully aware of what they are signing on for, effectively vetted to see if their values fit the development's goals. Sources have told Apartments.com.au that the 20 buyers who did sign up are a diverse bunch: singles, couples, downsizing retirees, young families with pets, generation Y, generation X; most of whom work in socially and environmentally enlightened professions.

They are classic <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diffusion_of_innovations#Adopter_categories">early adopters</a> and by looking at Apartments.com.au's analytics numbers, there are many more out there.

Consider this: since we published the <a href="/new-apartments/brunswick-vic-3056">Nightingale listing</a> in our project database in October 2014 (through standard editorial process), this page has become the 30th most viewed on the site, with 3,934 unique views.

When filtering out non-project pages: only the super-tall Australia 108 (4,097), the skyscrapers Empire Melbourne (4,619) and EQ Tower (4,311), Whitehorse Towers in Box Hill (4,552), Capitol Grand in South Yarra (5,682) and the lower/mid-rise projects of Smith &amp; Co in Collingwood (4,674) and Ikebana in West Melbourne (4,040) have had more views in the same timeframe.

<h2>Plan Melbourne should encourage development innovation, not hinder it</h2>

To quote <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://www.planetizen.com/node/58942">Brent Toderian</a>, former chief planner of Vancouver (bold, my emphasis), "We've understood in Vancouver for years that mobility flows from smart land use choices. The best transportation plan is a great land-use plan. That means mixing uses, in compact and complete communities, with strong, consistent urban design."

The recently <a href="/news/spring-street-launches-plan-melbourne-reboot-discussion-paper">re-booted Plan Melbourne</a> under the "A more connected Melbourne" section has seen an update of the major transport projects the current Government is pursuing. Likewise it has two options for discussion relating to involvement with Infrastructure Victoria and including the principal public transport network in the entire Plan Melbourne 2016 document.

If Plan Melbourne is to focus Melbourne's future development in a more node-like fashion spread throughout the entire metropolitan area then we need - scratch that, require - Infrastructure Victoria to advise Government on how to reduce car dependency and increase all other sustainable and public forms of transport in these areas.

Pardon a pun however if our insidious car culture can be so brutally used as a road block for new development in inner-urban areas, where buyers are more than willing to join a new community of car-free dwellings, then what hope is there in areas where car dependency is greater? "Balanced" transport investment will do nothing but maintain the status quo, it is time to enact slow progressive change right throughout the metropolitan area.

Transport should not be another bolt-on chapter in a document. It should be present throughout and Plan Melbourne must focus on reducing car dependency and creating a new transport culture throughout Melbourne, so we never again find ourselves in the situation where car culture is a significant barrier to development innovation.

Lead image credit: <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:OIC_brunswick_sydney_road_with_traffic.jpg">Wikipedia</a>
</body></html>

Comment: Plan Melbourne must enshrine steps to purge our insidious car culture

<html><body>
The Planning Minister Richard Wynne has launched the rebooted Plan Melbourne as well as a discussion paper for consultation.

A media release distributed on Thursday morning states "The Andrews Labor Government has revised Plan Melbourne to address issues that affect the community, such as housing affordability and climate change - which were both left out by the previous Liberal Government.

"The Liberal's draft plan attracted 450 submissions and input from more than 10,000 Victorians during consultation, but the final radically departed from the draft and failed to provide long-term vision."

The following is the Minister's foreword from the Plan Melbourne Refresh <a href="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/ehq-production-australia/ac5567735c214dd99e2858ad2e637581fc8e3a4d/documents/attachments/000/028/229/original/Plan_Melbourne_refresh_at_a_glance_WEB_FA_R2.pdf">at a glance document</a>.

<blockquote>
Melbourne is at an exciting time in its history with unparalleled opportunity for growth, development and prosperity.

We need to prepare for that growth now, and with sensible and sustainable planning we can provide the foundation for Victoria’s economic vitality and liveability throughout the 21st century.

The Plan Melbourne refresh is about making sure our strategy for the city’s growth and development gives our present and future citizens an even better quality of life, a higher standard of living and access to greater opportunities.

I want to see us build a city that sets an example to the world for environmental sustainability, social equity, enhanced liveability and economic strength.

Melbourne is facing some big challenges. Our projected population growth, changing economic conditions and the pressures of climate change mean we need to think and act thoughtfully about how to grow and develop our city.

Much of Plan Melbourne 2014 has bipartisan support and this refresh does not propose a comprehensive revision. Rather, it allows us to revisit the plan in light of new information and incorporate some ideas that planning experts and ordinary citizens alike have raised during the consultations and lively public debates over the last few years that had been omitted.

And having refreshed Plan Melbourne, we will be in a better position to answer the big questions that can no longer be ignored: How do we make sure there is a steady supply of housing that is affordable for the next generation of Victorians? How do we manage investment in transport infrastructure to keep this city moving? How do we avoid the sorts of geographical inequalities that plague many of the world’s fastest growing cities? How do we prepare for climate change?

The discussion paper presents options for consideration during the public consultation process. These options have been informed by  the work of the Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC) which I re-formed in 2015 to provide me with independent expert advice on how to refresh Plan Melbourne. It has also benefited enormously from submissions and information collected during an earlier extensive community and stakeholder engagement program.

I encourage you to read it, discuss it, circulate it via social media, and be part of a lively public debate. Melbourne is our city, so together let’s set its course for a positive future.
<cite>Minister for Planning, Richard Wynne</cite>
</blockquote>

To view the full suite of documents published by the State Government today, see the new <a href="http://refresh.planmelbourne.vic.gov.au/plan-melbourne-refresh-discussion-paper">Refresh Plan Melbourne website</a>.

Happy reading.
</body></html>

Spring Street launches Plan Melbourne reboot, discussion paper

<html><body>
More details of the Melbourne Metro project have been drip-fed out of the Victorian Government this week.

Yesterday, the Minister for Public Transport announced the scope of properties which will need to be acquired as part of the Melbourne Metro project: the total quote sits at 44 buildings with 94 individual titles.

An apartment building in the CBD containing 49 apartments will be acquired along with houses located near the tunnel portals in South Kensington and South Yarra. A further 31 titles which have commercial properties on them are set to be acquired.

This morning, Jacinta Allan provided a clearer picture on the construction method for the CBD stations. "The heart of Melbourne will keep moving while the heart of our transport system is transformed below it" the Public Transport Minister said.

It appears that a relatively straightforward construction technique (straightfoward elsewhere in the world, new to us in Melbourne) will be used. Some surface properties will be acquired in order for crews to access the underbelly of the city and then excavate and construct the station infrastructure under the street.

One of the Premier's tweets illustrates the construction method:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">
The heart of Melbourne will keep moving while the heart of our transport system is transformed below it. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/springst?src=hash">#springst</a> <a href="https://t.co/UEUDdQelKD">https://t.co/UEUDdQelKD</a>
— Daniel Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://twitter.com/DanielAndrewsMP/status/656601505814843392">October 20, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><h2>377-391 Swanston Street: dead in the water?</h2>

Back in May <a href="/news/212-222-la-trobe-street-a-story-of-chocolates-and-boiled-lollies">we reported on the history</a> of the <a href="/developments/melbourne-vic-3000">212-222 La Trobe Street</a> site which was at the time being spruiked with a permit by Savills. This site in the video tweeted by the Premier appears that it will only be used during construction.

The video seems to suggest that the surface buildings for the CBD North Station will be on the 377-391 Swanston Street site.

<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/image157_0_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Left: tower approved on 371-391 Swanston Street. Right: Aurora Melbourne Central"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="401" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image157_0_0.jpg?itok=ijPu9uVp" title="Left: tower approved on 371-391 Swanston Street. Right: Aurora Melbourne Central" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Left: tower approved on 371-391 Swanston Street. Right: Aurora looks set to be CBD North's neighbour</figcaption></figure>Furthermore, judging by the now public domain video, Scape Melbourne's approved project on the <a href="/buildings/scape-melbourne-393-swanston-street-melbourne">393 Swanston Street</a> site will not be directly impacted during the construction of the station underbelly nor be taken up by the surface buildings.

The video also depicts the apartment building at 200 La Trobe Street disappearing from the skyline as well.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m0!3m2!1sen!2sau!4v1445383274479!6m8!1m7!1s7SEfpNWtcXGRsJLD2aJQgQ!2m2!1d-37.80969507743876!2d144.9632333141825!3f349.4272320694685!4f12.776723147160553!5f0.4000000000000002" style="border:0" width="100%"></iframe>

Next door to 212-222 La Trobe Street, the Aurora Melbourne Central tower's site (224-252 La Trobe Street) is being prepared, with the on-site multi-level car park currently being demolished. See our related <a href="/news">forum thread</a> for pictures of the site preparation.

Aurora Melbourne Central's official construction launch was this morning.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">
At the Aurora Melbourne Central groundbreaking ceremony <a href="https://twitter.com/UrbanMelbourne">@UrbanMelbourne</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ProbuildAust">@ProbuildAust</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/elenberg_fraser">@elenberg_fraser</a> <a href="https://t.co/pCqd3OgoFD">pic.twitter.com/pCqd3OgoFD</a>
— Laurence Dragomir (@dragomeister) <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://twitter.com/dragomeister/status/656619841474854912">October 20, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</body></html>

Melbourne Metro CBD station details emerge

<html><body>
On Monday we learned Crown Resorts in conjunction with their joint venture partner Schiavello, had selected UK architecture firm WilkinsonEyre as the winner of a competition to redesign what has become known as Queensbridge Tower site on Southbank.

Long time Apartments.com.au readers may recall this project has grown since its original planning application in May 2013, initially limited to the old Queens Bridge Hotel site and neighbouring properties.

Over time the initial Bates Smart design was altered as more neighbouring properties were acquired, culminating in an enhanced design adding a greater distance between the proposed tower and 1 Freshwater Place. A pedestrian airbridge linking the site with Crown Casino was also included.

Usually with a marquee project such as this being unveiled, we would be quoting numbers from a planning application. Not so in this case, as plans for the new design have not yet been lodged.

It is with this in mind we remain cautious when talking about certain particulars of the project.

<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/qbh.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Queensbridge Tower from the Yarra's north bank"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="345" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/qbh.png?itok=BF37iOCv" title="Queensbridge Tower from the Yarra's north bank" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Queensbridge Tower from the Yarra's north bank</figcaption></figure>A source close to the project was understandably sensitive about producing information we would like to have - for instance, elevation diagrams which can confirm exact dimensions and components of the building - and reiterated a point broadcast on ABC Radio that the amended planning application would be lodged within four weeks.

When quizzed about the overall height, we were told to defer to figures outlined in the Herald Sun: 317 metres.

However there is a general caveat in all of this: news coverage generated yesterday came from a Media/ASX release, not a planning application, and the statistics which currently reside in our <a href="/new-apartments/one-queensbridge-street-1-23-queensbridge-street-southbank">listing of Queensbridge Tower</a> may change if the planning application ends up showing different numbers to what has been reported.

We have learned two things not contained in the media release:

<ol>
<li>Architectus were appointed executive architects to coordinate the ground work in Melbourne with WilkinsonEyre.</li>
	<li>The project will buck a notable trend in similar large-scale projects in Melbourne of late: marketing for the project will only begin once an outcome has been received from the Planning Minister.</li>
</ol>
</body></html>

Crown's Queensbridge Tower a step closer to fruition

<html><body>
On September 22, the Victorian Government announced a period of consultation on the impacts of the Melbourne Metro project had begun.

21,000 letters were reportedly sent to residents and businesses along the alignment of the proposed new rail tunnel. The letters invited locals to go to an information session and find out where the tunnel will go, how it will be built and the planning process that will be undertaken.

The Minister for Public Transport, Jacinta Allan, stated at the time "this consultation process is about starting open, honest and respect conversations with people who may be affected by this critical project" and now the authority has quietly added new maps to its website.

<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/mm-generic-map-sept-2015-02.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Subtle changes to the main graphics. Source www.mmrailproject.vic.gov.au"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="410" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/mm-generic-map-sept-2015-02.jpg?itok=cI5jgSOb" title="Subtle changes to the main graphics. Source www.mmrailproject.vic.gov.au" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Subtle changes to the main graphics. Source www.mmrailproject.vic.gov.au</figcaption></figure>The primary graphic used on the site (pictured above) has had some subtle changes, however it is the addition of a <a href="http://mmrailproject.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/28604/MM-Map-Indicative-Alignment-20150926.pdf">new satellite map</a> of the indicative alignment which has since been added to the <a href="http://mmrailproject.vic.gov.au/planning">project's site</a>.

While the map is clearly marked "indicative alignment only", the file is date-stamped September 26 and is high resolution with a large amount of detail, largely answering questions about the "where".

Marcus Wong has a <a href="http://wongm.com/2015/05/melbourne-metro-details-finally-revealed/">great post on his blog</a> looking over all the documents which had made their way into the public domain up until May of this year.

The new map does not show station entrances, but it does make the positioning of stations quite clear, albeit with the "indicative" caveat.

When you compare some of the old renders available on <a href="http://wongm.com/2015/05/melbourne-metro-details-finally-revealed/">Marcus Wong's blog</a> with the new map, the two most significant things that appear to have changed are the position of Arden and Parkville stations.

The 2012 concept renders (which Marcus originally obtained from the Public Transport Victoria site) appears to center the Parkville Station directly underneath the Royal Parade and Grattan Street intersection. The new map shows the station to be located east of Royal Parade, in front of the University of Melbourne's medicine building and the relatively new Doherty Institute building.

My initial thought on Parkville's position was hoping the final design for Parkville Station's surface buildings include an entrance on the western side of Royal Parade, to allow people using/connecting with Flemington Road trams a more convenient access option to the station (without having to use the pedestrian crossings on Royal Parade).

There were no concept renders depicting what Arden Station would look like underground (and therefore allow you to make a safe assumption about where the station would be located underground, like you can with the old Parkville concept drawings), however the <a href="http://raildocs.wongm.com/melbourne-metro-rail-tunnel/arden-overview-DOC-11-332332-.jpg">old Arden concept renders</a> did depict the station's surface buildings to be located where what looks to be at the end of Queensberry Street in North Melbourne.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m0!3m2!1sen!2sau!4v1444660254078!6m8!1m7!1stWNofTc5Pp52D_u2zHfCVA!2m2!1d-37.80065308511496!2d144.9400899910399!3f133.32224978314775!4f-6.720242966694059!5f0.7820865974627469" style="border:0" width="100%"></iframe>

The new map shows the station located a touch further north of the existing end of Queensberry Street and now the station will sit underground, offset from the grid of streets, with the eastern end of the station right near Barwise Street as show above in Google Street view.

The guesswork for Arden's location is now largely solved. One bonus of this location for Arden Station: concrete to build the station will not have to travel very far; one of the city's major concrete factories is located <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/ssnBM1cGBSG2">right next door</a>.

<a href="http://mmrailproject.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/28604/MM-Map-Indicative-Alignment-20150926.pdf">View the new map</a> on the Melbourne Metro Rail project website.

Thanks to Ian Woodcock for the prompt!
</body></html>

Melbourne Metro: new indicative alignment maps published

<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