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On Monday, the Premier and Planning Minister released the final <a href="http://planmelbourne.vic.gov.au/Plan-Melbourne" target="_blank">Plan Melbourne</a> strategy. Widely reported by many media outlets were headline figures such as Melbourne's population in 2051 being revised up to over 7.5 million.

With a multitude of numbers strewn throughout the document suite, it is quite easy to lose perspective of what many of the figures - new dwelling numbers especially - could actually translate in to. How much new urbanism will Melbourne need to build to reach the 2031 and 2050 forecasts?

The old nugget of committing to a "permanent" growth boundary gets its five minutes of extra fame, but most importantly throughout the <a href="http://www.planmelbourne.vic.gov.au/implementation" target="_blank">Implementation Chapter</a>, a breakdown is provided on the forecast required dwellings in each of the five sub-regions.

<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/plan_melb_central_subregion_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The central sub-region from Plan Melbourne"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="399" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/plan_melb_central_subregion_0.jpg?itok=3OCbtkCX" title="The central sub-region from Plan Melbourne" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The central sub-region from Plan Melbourne</figcaption></figure>The central sub-region, shown above, includes the Local Government Areas of Melbourne, Maribyrnong, Port Phillip, Stonnington and Yarra. The current population of this sub-region is 485,000 and by 2031 there is a forecast population growth of between 230,000 and 280,000 being housed in 120,000 to 150,000 new dwellings.

Unlike the other four, the central sub-region is forecast to almost exclusively meet dwelling demand through apartments (100,000-120,000), townhouses, units and flats (15,000-25,000) and a comparatively minuscule 'zero' to 10,000 detached houses bringing up the rear.

To put it into a confronting yet important perspective, the forecast 120,000 new dwellings by 2031 in the central sub-region is the equivalent of:

190x skyscrapers of similar size to EQ Tower (623 apartments).

<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/V02_EXT_Skyline%20Aerial%20View_LR.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="EQ Tower - image copyright Elenberg Fraser"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="364" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/V02_EXT_Skyline%20Aerial%20View_LR.jpg?itok=CbwuqrX7" title="EQ Tower - image copyright Elenberg Fraser" width="580"></a>

600x mid-rise developments similar in size to Teri Apartments in South Melbourne (195 apartments).

<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/terism.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Teri Apartments - image copyright Baldasso Cortese"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="389" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/terism.jpg?itok=p7dbF8JM" title="Teri Apartments - image copyright Baldasso Cortese" width="580"></a>

1900x low-rise developments around the same size as You &amp; I Apartments in Collingwood (63 apartments).

<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/ExteriorFacade02_0_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="You &amp; I - image copyright ICD Property"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="401" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/ExteriorFacade02_0_0.jpg?itok=GCFAaaqM" title="You &amp; I - image copyright ICD Property" width="580"></a>

7000x urban corridor in-fill developments the same size as 688-690 High Street in Thornbury (17 apartments).

<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/RENDER001_Exterior_011.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="688-690 High Street Thornbury - image copyright Fraher Design 3D"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="321" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/RENDER001_Exterior_011.jpg?itok=1yOB8TbV" title="688-690 High Street Thornbury - image copyright Fraher Design 3D" width="580"></a>

Reality suggests the inner five councils in the central sub-region will see a mix of all the above - especially if the aforementioned councils liberally implement the new Residential Growth Zone - and just as many apartments are forecast to be built in the other four sub-regions plus many more townhouses and units.

While there is just cause to debate what shape and form Melbourne's new urbanism will look like, how it will function and who it will cater for, the next time you read about an "oversupply" of apartments in Central Melbourne just take a moment to think about the numbers Plan Melbourne puts forward.

We owe a great deal of thanks to a very special group of urbanist thinkers who in the 1980s, when we as a city did a lot of soul searching, put us on this trajectory where we now find State Governments of either colour taking density seriously.

There is a big job to do. Welcome to the new paradigm Melbourne, we have well and truly entered the urbanist's age.
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Alastair Taylor

How much urbanism will central Melbourne need to build by 2031?

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With only a few weeks to go until the deadline for Local Government Areas (LGA) to finalise and have their reformed planning zones ticked off by the Planning Minister, <a href="http://www.ratio.com.au/home" target="_blank">Ratio consultants</a> - who have been following the process closely - have published an update on the state of play with the various metropolitan LGAs.
Ratio is tracking the status of each LGA's implementation of the reformed planning zones, linking to related council-specific documentation (where applicable) and providing some insightful commentary. Well worth the read.
The <a href="http://www.ratio.com.au/new-residential-zones-overview-may-update" target="_blank">original document</a> has been reproduced below with permission.
<a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/224235249/New-Residential-Zones-Update-May-2014?secret_password=LNWJpl4uJLIOo5nW0UCo" title="View New Residential Zones Update - May 2014 on Scribd">New Residential Zones Update - May 2014</a>
<iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" data-aspect-ratio="undefined" data-auto-height="false" frameborder="0" height="600" id="doc_31154" scrolling="no" src="//www.scribd.com/embeds/224235249/content?start_page=1&amp;view_mode=scroll&amp;show_recommendations=true" width="100%"></iframe>
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The state of new planning zone reforms - May 2014

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All signs, signals and repositories of wisdom appear to be pointing west. That is, the Napthine government is actively looking to reshape the way we think about central Melbourne by focusing mobility to and from the CBD on the west end.
With the budget announcement on Tuesday headlining with a realigned "Melbourne Rail Link", the focus for public transport is undeniably shifting west from Melbourne's central Swanston/Elizabeth Street axis.
Rather than run underneath Swanston Street connecting Flinders Street and Melbourne Central, the new rail link will cross the Yarra further to the west with new underground platforms at Southern Cross, new stations at Montague (Fishermans Bend), Domain and new underground platforms at South Yarra.
The previous iteration of the Melbourne Metro project, and championed by the opposition, was set to supercharge development throughout Melbourne's inner north thanks to the location of the Parkville and Arden Stations. However what's lost in the north is now apparently gained in Fishermans Bend.
A follow-up <a href="http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/9903-providing-public-transport-to-the-largest-urban-renewal-project-in-our-country-s-history">media release</a> was distributed by the Planning Minister on Tuesday afternoon:
<blockquote>
	"The largest urban renewal project in Australia must have a railway station,
	"Providing this vital heavy rail service to Fishermans Bend is a priority of the Coalition government and will meet the needs not only of this new community but also the expanding Southbank area.
	"Fisherman’s Bend is 10 times the size of Sydney’s Barangaroo precinct.
	"The precinct’s 240 hectares compares to the Hoddle grid at 160 hectares, Southbank's 100 hectares, and 140 hectares in Docklands. Melbourne's CBD now extends from Spring Street to Williamstown Road, encompassing the historical Hoddle grid, Southbank, Docklands and now Fishermans Bend.
	"The precinct expands Melbourne's capital city zone by more than 50 per cent and is expected to eventually accommodate around 25,000 jobs and in excess of 40,000 residents.
	"There will also be significant productivity benefits from more people locating close to jobs and services in the CBD, Southbank and Docklands,"
</blockquote>
One of my major worries for Fishermans Bend was the lack of proper public transport access; 80,000 residents and 40,000 workers would swamp the existing light rail services in the area. With the budget announcement yesterday, this goes a long way, but not all the way, to mooting this issue.
Historically when state governments have kicked off large-scale inner-city redevelopment projects, they've been adjacent to the CBD and therefore heavy rail mass transit infrastructure is already in place: Cain/Kirner got Southbank (Southgate) rolling, right across the river from Flinders Street; Kennett got Docklands rolling, adjacent to the now renamed Spencer Street.
On one hand, placing a station in Fishermans Bend makes sense in terms of providing high-quality transport infrastructure for a region that's likely to rival Southbank and Docklands over time. But on the other hand, Parkville cannot be ignored over the longer term.
Casting our minds back to when Denis Napthine took over the premiership, the <a href="/news">PTV heavy rail plan was released</a> outlining the agency's thinking regarding staging infrastructure development.
Critically the second cross-town rail tunnel from Clifton Hill to "Fishermans Bend" was - as per the published plans last year - going to connect with the original Melbourne Metro project at Parkville, then connect at Flagstaff and Southern Cross and continue onto Fishermans Bend. Is this still on the cards?
If I could request one thing from the state government before the election campaign heads into overdrive, it would be to ask the DTPLI / PTV to republish updated heavy rail network plans. Denis Napthine did it after assuming the premiership, he ought to do it again.
The Melbourne Rail Link announcement has shifted focus away from City North. Notwithstanding interim plans to boost existing public transport services in the Parkville area, the community, institutions, businesses and City of Melbourne (who only just recently sent a specific <a href="https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/BuildingandPlanning/Planning/planningschemeamendments/Pages/AmendmentC196.aspx" target="_blank">City North structure plan</a> to the Minister for approval) deserve to know what else may have changed.
Lead image credit: <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.flickr.com/photos/dalegillard/2493633297" target="_blank">flickr</a>, CC BY-SA 2.0
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The rise and fall of train stations

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It was six years ago when Sir Rod Eddington first unveiled the vision for East-West connectivity across Melbourne with two signature projects: a freeway connecting the Eastern Freeway with the Western Ring Road and a new rail line to form an inner-city "Crossrail" connecting the Watergadens (now Sunbury) and Pakenham-Cranbourne lines.
Shortly after the Baillieu government came to power, the Melbourne Metro project, as it has been known up until yesterday, had its scope reduced from a two-phase project to a single phase project connecting South Yarra with South Kensington.
Yesterday the Victorian state government committed to funding the now rebranded "Melbourne Rail Link" with an even smaller scope encompassing a tunnel from South Yarra to Southern Cross via Domain and a new station in Montague (Fishermans Bend).
Eddington's original vision was grand in its scale with a tunnel running from South Kensington into what is now known as the Arden-Macaulay precinct with a new station in the vicinity of Queensberry Street's western end and then the tunnel was to link Parkville's Melbourne University and medical precinct providing a much needed Public Transport capacity boost for the area.
From Melbourne University the line would have run under Swanston Street with connecting stations at Melbourne Central and Flinders Street and terminating as part of phase 1 at a new train station under the existing tram interchange at Domain.
Phase two of the project would have seen the line run the length of St. Kilda Road to the junction and then turn east under Dandenong Road to eventually join the Caulfield Group of lines - Pakenham, Cranbourne and Frankston - at Caulfield station.
When coupled with the Regional Rail Link doubling capacity between Footscray and Sunshine and Dandenong corridor improvements (which at the time was looking like a proper quadruplication project between Caulfield and Dandenong), the original Melbourne Metro project would have provided dedicated track space for a true "cross-rail" line stretching from Pakenham in the South East right through the city to Sunbury in the North West. Throw in dizzyingly high frequencies of service thanks to not interacting with other lines and we'd have a new rail link that could rival any metropolitan freeway's capacity to move large numbers of people across town.
It was bold, grand and pricey.
Upon assuming power, the Baillieu government instituted a review which resulted in what we can now call the the second iteration of this project. That was to use the general route and station placement of phase one of the Eddington report's original vision however the second phase was struck out and Melbourne Metro tunnel would turn eastwards immediately after Domain under Toorak road to connect the new line to the Pakenham/Cranbourne/Frankston corridor at South Yarra.
The review was touted as cheaper and could be built faster and would still bring all the benefits to City North that the original vision outlined such as supercharging development in <a href="http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/BuildingandPlanning/FutureGrowth/StructurePlans/ArdenMacaulay/Pages/Information.aspx" target="_blank">Arden-Macaulay</a> and boosting Public Transport services to Melbourne University and the global biotech and medical cluster that is Parkville.
One large gaping hole in the second iteration of the project was the lack of connectivity between lines at South Yarra. We were left to assume trains would stop at Hawksburn and then proceed underground into the tunnels skipping South Yarra. Baffling.
With the Budget announcement yesterday, this all changes. The new proposal is to have a 7.5 kilometre tunnel running from South Yarra (in this case with connection to existing lines with new underground platforms) to Domain and then the tunnel continues westward to the eastern extremity of what we know as Fishermans Bend: Montague. From Fishermans Bend the tunnel will head north, under the Yarra, to two new underground platforms at Southern Cross.
In conjunction with the Budget Announcement, PTV released a video outlining the operational changes.
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/CQ2IGZYTTNw" width="560"></iframe>
The video provides a great deal more insight into how the operation of the new system will work than what we have seen of previous iterations. In the original vision and second iteration of the Melbourne Metro project it was always the Pakenham/Cranbourne lines which would run through the new tunnel.
The new regime sees the Frankston line be through-routed to the Belgrave/Lilydale/Alamein lines and Pakenham/Cranbourne lines will through-route to Sunbury via existing track through Richmond and Flinders Street.
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Melbourne Metro project: a short history

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Watching the aftermath following the release of the <a href="http://ncoa.gov.au/" target="_blank">Commission of Audit report</a>, it was interesting to see the skepticism and comments about the "radical" notion of devolving income tax power back to the states.
In 1942 the Uniform Tax Act came into force which saw the federal government become the sole collector of income tax where previously both state and federal levels levied their own. As the <a href="http://www.peo.gov.au/learning/closer-look/governing-australia/uniform-tax-case-1942" target="_blank">Parliamentary Education Office</a> states "intended as a wartime measure, the arrangement has remained in place ever since. As a result the states are now more dependent on the federal government for revenue".
What is so radical about turning back time to give the states something back that was taken off them during a time of war? The most radical recommendation is, surely, the abhorrent idea of effectively dismantling Medicare.
<h2>
	The states - everyone's favourite punching bag</h2>
Like it or not, we all interact with our respective state government more than we do with the federal government. Many aspects of our public transport services started off as private operations only to be nationalised by state governments early last century. Roads and Streets are overwhelmingly a state government responsibility - our mobility is fundamental to living our daily lives and its the states who deliver the infrastructure to make it happen.
I think what's lacking in this initial debate surrounding the report is that how we transport ourselves to work, to school or to a GP is just as important, if not more, than other traditional government sectors of health and education.
How we shelter ourselves, how we move and how we plan for growth is fundamental to how a society progresses - and this is overwhelmingly within the remit of the state government right now. But when Canberra's holding the purse strings - and the levers to raise income to pay for new infrastructure and services thanks to the drift of power from state to federal levels since Federation - what incentive is there for a state to get the best possible outcome?
The status quo as it currently stands see states in the idiotic scenario where they blame the federal government for not helping pay for infrastructure. Along comes the Commission of Audit report with its recommendation for allowing states to levy their own income taxes once again and here's an opportunity to nip some major state-federal frustrations in the bud.
<h2>
	Lobbying one government is easier than lobbying two</h2>
The horrible situation we find ourselves in at present with our Prime Minister on record as saying a federal government should only fund roads in our cities and the state government being the arbiter of a long laundry list of transport projects without funding cannot continue.
The current state government in Victoria made the bold decision to prioritise the East-West freeway project over the Melbourne Metro project and more recently we've seen an announcement involving the launch of phase 2 of the project with the federal government looking likely to tip some cash in to the project. Ask yourself: if a higher level of government has a policy of picking winners in one type of transport infrastructure investment over another, then why wouldn't you exploit that for your own benefit?
That no doubt played a part in Spring Street's thinking but it equally highlights the absurdity of a government far removed from the shaping of our cities having undue influence when the state government is in a far better position to determine what's best for the citizenry in this divisive public policy area.
Will giving state governments income tax power (or greater shares of GST) stop them investing in road projects or increasing investment in public transport or vice versa? Not likely, the same assessment processes and debates would hopefully still occur.
But one thing is for sure: state governments would lose their own punching bag (the federal government) and gain greater responsibility for raising revenue for their infrastructure policies, and that in my mind is a good thing.
It's been over a century since federation, it's about time we had a sensible debate about the way we govern ourselves.
Lead image credit: <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.flickr.com/photos/rexness/4345226886" target="_blank">flickr</a>
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Commission of Audit report and the federalism debate

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The Department of Transport, Planning and Local Infrastructure have published a nine minute video update on the Regional Rail Link project through their <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/TransportVic" target="_blank">YouTube channel</a>.
For convenience, the video is embedded below.
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/lkQwYImAwEw" width="100%"></iframe>
The authority also published its most recent monthly route flyover update - March 2014.
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/tQuKcuGNUbM?list=UUBiDB8PFA8Q42d1w5RzwanA" width="100%"></iframe>
Credit where credit is due, the sheer breadth of construction coverage has been outstanding and Apartments.com.au hopes this policy (and funding) is equally applied to all future transport infrastructure projects.
Lead image credit: <a href="http://www.regionalraillink.vic.gov.au/news/images" target="_blank">regionalraillink.vic.gov.au</a>.
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Government authority publishes Regional Rail Link project video update

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The Victorian Planning Minister, Matthew Guy, has announced interim planning controls currently in force in the St Kilda Road - King's Way precinct between Dorcas and Toorak Road will become permanent.
According to the City of Port Phillip Planning Scheme, Amendment C130 <a href="http://dsewebapps.dse.vic.gov.au/Shared/ats.nsf/(attachmentopen)/59FD0ACD2925D4B1CA257C61000CAEE8/%24File/Port+Phillip+C130+Explanatory+report+Approval+Gazetted.pdf?OpenElement" target="_blank">explanatory report</a>, mandatory height limits between 35 metres and 60 metres exist in the aforementioned precinct.
Early last decade Royal Domain Tower - the precinct's tallest building was completed - setting a precedent for development sites directly adjacent to the Shrine of Remembrance and in the Albert Road precinct.
The new permanent controls have been developed in conjunction with the City of Melbourne, City of Stonnington, City of Port Phillip and Shrine Trustees and the City of Port Phillip is scheduled to exhibit additional controls for the precinct shortly.
To provide a perspective of what future development heights will be limited to, the currently under construction 35 Albert Road tops out at 60 metres and you can view renders and construction images in the project's dedicated <a href="/news">forum thread</a>.
Lead image credit: <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.flickr.com/photos/pasukaru76/8397395667" target="_blank">flickr</a>, CC BY 2.0
Full media release:
<p style=" margin: 12px auto 6px auto; font-family: Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -x-system-font: none; display: block;"><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/219946838/140424-Guy-New-Planning-Rules-to-Protect-Shrine" style="text-decoration: underline;" title="View 140424 Guy - New Planning Rules to Protect Shrine on Scribd">140424 Guy - New Planning Rules to Protect Shrine</a>
<iframe class="scribd_iframe_embed" data-aspect-ratio="undefined" data-auto-height="false" frameborder="0" height="600" id="doc_17916" scrolling="no" src="//www.scribd.com/embeds/219946838/content?start_page=1&amp;view_mode=scroll&amp;show_recommendations=true" width="100%"></iframe>
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Interim planning controls for the Shrine of Remembrance to become permanent

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To use railway signaling jargon, unbeknown to the Victorian public we seem to be have been passing Red over Green signals when it comes to Melbourne Airport Rail Link planning and on Sunday we passed a Red over Yellow in anticipation of stopping at Parliament station in early May, whereafter according to the Premier, the public should expect to see a series of Green over Reds ahead*.

Election year pre-budget promise filters to maximum, set phasers to knock-the-gunzel-in-all-of-us-down-with-a-feather.

The set of parameters that make up the Tullamarine Airport rail link project are slowly but surely now becoming less fluid with a fairly well defined direction set in motion. On the weekend at the Liberal Party Victorian State Council the Premier announced the coalition would fund a Melbourne Airport Rail Link with further details to be provided in the State budget to be handed down by the Treasurer Michael O'Brien in early May.

The Premier's <a href="http://www.premier.vic.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/9617-coalition-government-commits-to-melbourne-airport-rail-link-in-state-budget" target="_blank">media release</a> states:

<blockquote>
"This project will see a new service running along dedicated tracks from Melbourne Airport to Albion where it will join the existing rail network and run through to Southern Cross Station.

"This will be an electrified service that utilises the Albion East route which has previously been identified as the preferred option for an airport rail link.

"This service will depart from Southern Cross Station every 10 minutes during peak hours with the total journey to the airport expected to take approximately 25 minutes.

"The new link will consist of a combination of at-grade and viaduct rail lines that will run from Albion, through the Jacana freight corridor and airport land terminating at a new elevated station at Melbourne Airport. A new rail flyover will be constructed at Albion to ensure smooth access to the existing rail network.
</blockquote>

Soon after Dr Napthine got the keys to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1_Treasury_Place" target="_blank">1 Treasury Place</a>, Public Transport Victoria released its long-term heavy rail network plan which appeared to relegate an airport rail link to stage 3 and a subsequent timeframe for completion in 15 years.

<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/schematic_stage_3.png" rel="gallery-all" title="PTV's Heavy rail network plan Phase 3"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="403" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/schematic_stage_3.png?itok=HkY8R9b_" title="PTV's Heavy rail network plan Phase 3" width="580"></a>

Given the Premier's announcement and an upcoming election it appears Coalition campaign HQ may have just scuppered that plan and brought forward the detailed planning for the link irrespective of the Melbourne Metro tunnel dependency. And that's all we should expect in the budget announcement, a sum - at a guess - anywhere in the region of $10 to $30 million for the detailed planning with an aspirational kick off date sometime in the next election cycle.

Key points and assumptions to draw from the Premier's announcement and the Treasurer's interview on <a href="https://soundcloud.com/774-abc-melbourne/airport-rail-link-michael" target="_blank">774</a>:

A stock standard limited express service operated by Metro utilising the new capacity in the Sunbury line once the Regional Rail Link is opened.

The "new" infrastructure will be the works required to expand the Albion corridor and connect it with the airport at the Northern end and a new flyover to connect the new track to the Sunbury line.

In previous Melbourne Airport masterplans, a future rail link has generally appeared with an underground station in the terminal precinct - the announcement confirms (quite rightly) the airport station will be elevated.

The current Ground Transportation Plan in the Melbourne Airport Masterplan 2013 (page 132) furthermore mentions the general rail alignment will arrive at the airport via the median of the mooted Airport Drive extension.

The stopping pattern - Southern Cross - [North Melbourne?] - Footscray - Sunshine - Airport - appears, at least on the surface of it, to be able to work with current services to Watergardens and Sunbury. At present there are only <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://ptv.vic.gov.au/timetables/line/30" target="_blank">9 metro trains an hour in peaks</a> which run a mixture of stopping patterns.

<img alt="" class="image-article_full_width_580px" height="349" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/melb_peak_hour_train_abc.jpg?itok=1m8sAnMQ" title="Source: ABC" width="580">

Forever curious, here's a list of questions and pondering points:

Putting aside the obvious scalability and capacity benefits afforded to a heavy rail line and assuming reliability is going to be the primary advantage over the Skybus (i.e. that train services will be actually take the time advertised (25 minutes) as opposed to the traffic risk Skybus is subjected to on the Tullamarine Freeway),

<ul>
<li>If airport services are to run direct into Southern Cross, will airport services simply be timetabled to not conflict with Craigieburn/Upfield line services and/or Regional services running into platforms 1-8 or will there be further track work be needed near North Melbourne and Southern Cross?</li>
	<li>What risk is there of delays at Sunshine station as Bendigo V/Line, Sunbury Metro and Airport Metro services will converge on the station? How will the potential risks be mitigated?</li>
</ul>
Will commuters not destined for the airport be able to use the services between Southern Cross, Footscray and Sunshine stations? Will the airport services have a dedicated more passenger-with-luggage friendly internal configuration as opposed to the current commuter-focused train configurations? Will fares be lower than current Skybus services?

What of the airport workers and passengers who live directly to the East of Tullamarine? Will there be any subsequent projects to improve equitable ground transportation access for Melbourne's North?

We'd be interested to hear of more questions readers may have - post them in the comments section below.

Further reading from last year, <a href="/news/melbourne-a-city-of-two-tales-skybus-vs-the-airport-train" target="_blank">Melbourne, a city of two tales - Skybus versus the Airport Train</a>.

* Refer to VicSig.net's <a href="http://www.vicsig.net/index.php?page=infrastructure&amp;section=signalling#aspect" target="_blank">excellent explanation</a> of what line-side signals mean:

<ul style="font-size:10px;">
<li>Red over Green: clear medium speed</li>
	<li>Red over Yellow: warning the next signal aspect will be Red over Red (stop).</li>
	<li>Green over Red: clear normal speed.</li>
</ul>
Lead image credit: <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.flickr.com/photos/ultrakml/5828203433" target="_blank">flickr</a>, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Piecing together the Liberal Party's Airport Link announcement

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Do you have an Instagram account? Do you like taking photos of buildings? Would you like to win a $500 voucher to dine on some top nosh?
Well, follow <a href="http://instagram.com/elenberg_fraser" target="_blank">@Elenberg_fraser</a> on Instagram, take original photos of EF designed buildings, tag the EF Instagram account in your photo and use the #elenbergfraser hashtag for a chance to win the $500 voucher to dine at Vue de Monde.
Entries close on May 1st and photos are to be judged by director Callum Fraser.
<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/EF_buildingmap.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="A handy map of where Elenberg Fraser's constructed and under construction buildings are located - courtesy Elenberg Fraser"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="321" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/EF_buildingmap.jpg?itok=AyUaAmUC" title="A handy map of where Elenberg Fraser's constructed and under construction buildings are located - courtesy Elenberg Fraser" width="580"></a>
Read the <a href="http://elenbergfraser.com/#!/news_article/the-elenberg-fraser-instagram-award" target="_blank">original photography award announcement</a> on Elenberg Fraser's site.
Happy snapping!
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Elenberg Fraser announce first annual Instagram photography award

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Following on from <a href="/news/airport-west-and-essendon-airport-auto-centricity-status-quo" target="_blank">Airport West and Essendon Airport: Auto-centricity status quo?</a>, today we're looking at a possible way to improve public transport access to the Airport West and Essendon Airport precinct.
The potential scenario as listed below centres around retrofitting an existing corridor to allow for multiple modes of public transport to use it - that is, the tram corridor which runs between Matthews Avenue and the Tullamarine Freeway through the heart of the Airport West and Essendon Airport precinct.
Currently the #59 tram terminates at Airport West shopping centre, located in the north of the precinct and there's a smattering of infrequent bus routes running along Matthews Avenue.
<iframe frameborder="0" height="350" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="https://maps.google.com.au/?ie=UTF8&amp;ll=-37.725668,144.890807&amp;spn=0.015224,0.033023&amp;t=m&amp;z=16&amp;layer=c&amp;cbll=-37.725659,144.890877&amp;panoid=koL1UnBHrAKSx5no79dCHA&amp;cbp=12,356.37,,0,-3.74&amp;source=embed&amp;output=svembed" width="100%"></iframe>
<a href="https://maps.google.com.au/?ie=UTF8&amp;ll=-37.725668,144.890807&amp;spn=0.015224,0.033023&amp;t=m&amp;z=16&amp;layer=c&amp;cbll=-37.725659,144.890877&amp;panoid=koL1UnBHrAKSx5no79dCHA&amp;cbp=12,356.37,,0,-3.74&amp;source=embed">View Larger Map</a>
At present, as shown in Google Street view above, the English St / Matthews Avenue interchange with the Tullamarine Freeway isn't the most hospitable environment for pedestrians - and note the lack of tram stop in the immediate area.
As part of the planning study which is about to kick off with the Metropolitan Planning Authority, Moonee Valley City Council and others listed as stakeholders, we are calling on the respective parties to think beyond the excellent road assets in the precinct as being solely for private vehicle use.
Melbourne's excellent road network is severely underutilised by Public Transport modes. The political hot potato - the belief that roads, and freeways, are there for the sole use of motorists - which is passed around on both sides of politics is holding Melbourne's road network back from reaching its full potential.
We need leadership. And the planning process now underway in Airport West and Essendon Airport is the perfect opportunity to right the wrongs of auto-centric development and start attacking car dependence in an area that has the dubious honor of being surrounded by freeways.
<h2>
	The focus is on buses</h2>
<iframe frameborder="0" height="480" scrolling="no" src="https://mapsengine.google.com/map/embed?mid=zZQXWc1VtNDo.kbIrnFs0XGs0" width="100%"></iframe>
Prudent transport planning would suggest a tram stop should be built right near the English Street/Matthews Avenue intersection yet could also be problematic given it's also the entry and exit point for the Tullamarine Freeway.
The first order of business would be to lower the tram corridor under English Street with a new stop located underneath with access points to the north and south of English Street - just like how the new Nunawading station has street-level access points to the east and west of Springvale Road.
The second order of business would be to ensure the tram corridor has a paved surface for its entire length to allow buses to also run in the traffic-segregated corridor.
Thereafter the following bus routes could run in their own dedicated right of way mixed with existing tram services allowing the entire precinct from Airport West shopping centre in the north to Keilor Road in the south to have a rapid transport corridor to support the projected employment and mixed-use growth.
All bus routes would have a minimum 15 minute frequency throughout the day, weekends and until the last service and 10 minute frequencies, or better, in peak.
<h2>
	New primary access routes</h2>
Moonee Ponds - Tullamarine Airport
Via Mount Alexander Road, Keilor Road, Matthews Avenue tram and bus right of way, Melrose Drive.
Existing services like the combined 478/479 routes would have their frequencies dramatically expanded (there's currently only a handful a day) to ensure there is a strong, frequent and direct connection to Tullamarine Airport.
Heidelberg Station - Airport West
Via Bell Street, Tullamarine Freeway, Matthews Avenue tram and bus right of way.
Complimenting the existing 903 Smartbus this service would be direct, high frequency and connect many radial road-based and rail-based public transport routes lying to the East.
Caroline Springs - Airport West
Via Caroline Springs Boulevard, Taylors Road &amp; Keilor Plains Station, Green Gully Road, express along the Calder Freeway to the Fullarton Road exit in Airport West and Matthews Avenue tram right of way.
With the Caroline Springs terminus at the corner of Ballarat Road &amp; Caroline Springs Boulevard this route could be extended to the mooted Caroline Springs Station if built when the Melton line is electrified. This service can act as a direct and frequent connector service to the Sunbury line as well as provide a direct service to the new employment precinct in Airport West.
Footscray station - Airport West
Via Irving Street, Hopkins Street, Droop Street, Ballarat Road, Rossamond Road, Highpoint, and then run the existing route of the 406 via Cordite Avenue, Military Road, Milleara Road and then continue to Keilor Road then utilise the Matthews Avenue tram right of way
On a map this route appears to break the golden rule where deviations left, right and centre are frowned upon however given the lack of a grid road network in Melbourne's West - compared to the East - this would be the most direct route from the South and South West and like other routes on the map, it has more than one purpose.
The current 406 - which this route aims to replace - hops, skips and jumps all over Footscray and currently ends in the Milleara Shopping Centre are of Avondale Heights. With a simplified path taken through Footscray and along with further route rationalisation in the area, busses operating on this route will have quicker journey times to the south at the same time as having fast and frequent access to the new employment precinct in the North.
Melton - Airport West
Via High Street, Federation Drive, Melton Highway and Watergardens Station, express along the Calder Freeway to Fullarton road exit in Airport West and Matthews Avenue tram and bus right of way.
Arguably one of the most important routes, if implemented sooner rather than later, as Melbourne sprawls into the growth corridor that is scheduled to take place between Melton and Sydenham, new residents will have high quality and frequent Public Transport from day 1. Again, the route acts as a feeder for the Sunbury rail line in the area as well as utilises the Calder Freeway to provide rapid access into the employment precinct.
Roxburgh Park station - Essendon Fields
Via Somerton Road, Mickleham Road, Melrose Drive, Wirraway Road, English Street.
Another growth area route doubling as a station feeder and connection to the employment precinct. This like the other route to the north (see below) would connect with all other bus and tram services at Airport West shopping centre and then proceed on to Essendon Airport lands and terminate at bus stop on the eastern side of the Tullamarine Freeway.
Broadmeadows station - Essendon Fields
Via Johnstone Street, Broadmeadows Road, Mickleham Road, Melrose Drive, Wirraway Road and English Street.
Combing frequencies on this route with the Roxburgh Park station - Essendon Fields route would provide a rapid transport corridor between Airport West and Gladstone Park as well as provide solid transport access both from Broadmeadows and deeper in to the Essendon Airport/Essendon Fields site.
To finish, we'll leave you with a quote from <a href="https://twitter.com/BrentToderian" target="_blank">Brent Toderian</a>, former Chief Planner in Vancouver who recently spoke at the Planning Institute of Australia conference in Sydney.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en-gb">
	<a href="https://twitter.com/BrentToderian">@BrentToderian</a> best transportation plan is a great land use plan <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23YPC2014&amp;src=hash">#YPC2014</a> <a href="http://t.co/1kanERg3jx">pic.twitter.com/1kanERg3jx</a>
	— Kirsty Kelly (@kkplanner) <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://twitter.com/kkplanner/statuses/444961631651377152">March 15, 2014</a>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>Lead image credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/26978304@N08/5275733532/in/photolist-93cvLY" target="_blank">Flickr</a> CC BY-SA 2.0
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Driving public transport options into Airport West & Essendon Airport

<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.

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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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