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Earlier this year issues regarding the impact that flights paths around Melbourne's airports and development of tall buildings in central <a href="/new-apartments/melbourne-vic">Melbourne</a> were raised following the then approval of Australia 108 tower which at 388 metres high would have been the tallest building in Melbourne and the Southern Hemisphere. Since this issue was initially raised there has been a lot of confusion and misunderstanding in relation to how airspace restrictions work and how they impact upon development in Melbourne. With developers proposing increasingly taller buildings in the Melbourne's CBD and <a href="/new-apartments/southbank-vic-3006">Southbank</a>, this issue will become even more prominent in the future.

Airspace around airports in managed so that aircraft can take off, land and maneuver around airports without risk of colliding with buildings or other structures. To do this the areas surrounding airports are protected by two invisible surfaces which define at what height planes can fly safely without encountering unexpected obstacles. These surfaces are known as the:

<ul>
<li>Obstacle Limitation Surface (OLS); and</li>
	<li>Procedures for Air Navigational Services—Aircraft Operations Surface (PANS-OPS)</li>
</ul>
OLS is generally the lowest surface and is designed to provide protection for aircraft flying into or out of the airport when the pilot is flying by sight. PANS-OPS is generally above the OLS and is designed to safeguard an aircraft from collision with obstacles when the aircraft’s flight may be guided solely by instruments, such as in poor visibility conditions. Buildings and other structures cannot penetrate these surfaces without the approval of the relevant Airport or the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development.

Permits can be granted for permanent or temporary buildings or structures to penetrate the OLS and approval would usually involve a requirement that the building have prominent navigation beacons at the highest point of the building. An example of this is Eureka Tower which was required to have four navigation beacons on the roof as it penetrated the OLS.

<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/ESSEDON%20OLS.gif" rel="gallery-all" title="Essendon Airport OLS"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="580" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/ESSEDON%20OLS.gif?itok=JXLgOnC4" title="Essendon Airport OLS" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Essendon Airport OLS</figcaption></figure>A permit can also be granted for temporary structures to penetrate the PANS-OPS surface, an example of this were the construction cranes for Eureka Tower that were issued a permit to penetrate the Essendon Airport PANS-OPS on a temporary basis during the construction of the building. However a permit cannot be issued to allow for structures to penetrate the PANS-OPS surface on a permanent basis. In order to construct a building that would permanently penetrate the existing PANS-OPS surface, the PANS-OPS surface has to be amended so that it shifts above the height of the proposed building.

An example of which was the PANS-OPS surface over the Gold Coast which was amended in 2005 to allow for the development of Q1 Tower. The PANS-OPS surface surrounding the site of Q1 tower was 304m above sea level and the spire on Q1 was originally approved at this height. The developers of Q1 successfully applied to have the PANS-OPS surface increased to 335.3 to allow for the spire to be extended to a height of 328m above sea level.

The location and orientation of Melbourne Airport means that the controls to protect Melbourne Airport have very little impact upon development in the Melbourne CBD (including Docklands and Southbank). However the controls for Essendon Airport have a much more significant impact upon the Melbourne CBD, as the Essendon airport OLS map above shows. OLS over the Melbourne CBD (including Southbank and Docklands) is 228.5, while the Essendon Airport PANS-OPS map shown below indicates heights of between 265m and 315m over Melbourne CBD (including Southbank and Docklands).

<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/ESSEDON%20PANSOPS.gif" rel="gallery-all" title="Essendon Airport PANS-OPS"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="580" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/ESSEDON%20PANSOPS.gif?itok=g1jErhAs" title="Essendon Airport PANS-OPS" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Essendon Airport PANS-OPS</figcaption></figure>As a result of the above requirements buildings in the Melbourne CBD cannot exceed a height of between 265m and 315m depending on their exact location. For example, the PANS-OPS over the site of Australia 108 is 312m and the design of the building is currently being amended so that it is below this height.

One issue that was raised during the processing of the application for Australia 108 was that it was clear that the developer, the City of Melbourne and even the planning department were not aware of these requirements or presumed that a permit could be granted to penetrate the PANS-OPS. Currently there is nothing in the City of Melbourne Planning Scheme that notifies developers where these restrictions apply or that buildings above a certain height may be prohibited or need additional permissions. This had led to situation where buildings have been approved that penetrate the PANS-OPS such as Australia 108 and the tallest proposed building on the Carlton Brewery Site. The tallest of the four proposed towers at 250 Spencer Street would also penetrate the PANS-OPS.

Essendon Airport have recently prepared a new draft <a href="http://www.essendonairport.com.au/23/community-info/master-plan/default.aspx">master plan for the airport</a> which is on public exhibition until the November 29th. The master planning process can include changes to prescribed airspace although the draft master plan does not include any proposed changes to the prescribed airspace around the airport. It is understood that the PANS-OPS restrictions over the CBD are not required to protect a direct flight path for aircraft taking off or landing at Essendon Airport but to provide a safety buffer for planes in emergency situations where they encounter difficulty after take off or have to perform a go-around where a pilot discontinues a landing approach when they are not completely satisfied that the requirements are in place for a safe landing.

Victorian Planning Minister, Matthew Guy, has informed Apartments.com.au that he is currently lobbying the Federal Government to amend the PANS-OPS restrictions so that they do not apply to the Melbourne CBD. It is considered that the current PANS-OPS requirements for what is only a secondary airport place unreasonable restrictions on the development of the second largest city in Australia. It is also believed that the PANS-OPS restrictions could be removed from the Melbourne CBD while maintaining aviation safety standards, which if realised would likely propel a number of Melbourne's proposed towers into a whole new stratosphere.
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nwharr

Flight paths and tall buildings in Melbourne explained

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Spring Street has recently released its long awaited draft vision plan for the Fishermans Bend precinct and the government and media reports have made much of the tree lined boulevards, parks, jobs and investment that will flow from the implementation of the plan.

However media reports have failed to pick up the true scale of residential development that is being proposed in the plan.

Here are the widely reported headline figures:

<ul>
<li>250 hectares</li>
	<li>80,000 residents</li>
	<li>40,000 jobs</li>
</ul>
Currently the area with the highest residential density in Australia is Pyrmont – Ultimo in Sydney which contains 13,900 people per square kilometre. In Melbourne the densest area is the Melbourne CBD with density with 10,900 people per km2.

Docklands will have a residential density of around 13,000 people per km2 when completed and the Green Square urban renewal project in Sydney (which is similar to Fisherman’s Bend) is planned to have a residential density of 14,400 people per km2. Fisherman’s Bend will have a residential density of 32,000 people per km2!

To put that into perspective Fishermans Bend will be as dense as Manhattan in New York which has a residential density of 32,000 people per km2. While this overall level of density is appropriate considering the context of the site and the lack of constraints over much of the area, it does mean that a level of infrastructure required to service the area will be above and beyond what has been required for any other similar development in Australia, especially considering the lack of existing residential infrastructure in what is currently an isolated industrial area.

The draft vision plan recognises this by proposing two underground rail stations to service the area as heavy rail is the only way to adequately cater for the scale of residential density proposed. A number of tram lines have also been proposed but these will only be adequate as an interim solution until densities increase. The section of the plan titled ‘how to make it happen’ clearly identifies that ‘the early delivery of infrastructure is critical to the transformation of Fishermans Bend from an industrial area to a mixed use area and to attract private investment.’ Unfortunately Spring Street has not yet committed to building the proposed underground train stations at any time in the future let alone in a timeframe that could be considered as ‘early delivery’.

Many are comparing Fishermans Bend to Docklands, however a better comparison would be with the Urban Renewal of Southbank that has occurred over the past 20 years. State and Local government are still playing catch up in Southbank to provide for the basic residential infrastructure required to support a new residential community of the size that had developed there over the last 20 years. When the plans for the residential redevelopment of the Southbank area were prepared in the early 1990’s, apartments only made up a tiny percentage of number of dwellings in the city and Melbourne was seen as a ‘rust belt’ city with bleak prospects for future growth.

At that time any suggestion that Southbank would be a forest of apartment towers between 30 and 90 storeys high within 20 years would have been seen as ridiculous. There were many at the time who believed that Melburnians were not interested in apartment living and the first large developments at Southbank were Townhouses and walk up flats.

The plans for Southbank made in the early 1990’s did not foresee the scale and speed of development that has occurred since 1995 and there were no development contributions required in Southbank as the government of the day was doing everything it could to encourage any form of development. With Fishermans Bend the government has no such excuses.

<blockquote>
The flood of planning applications for apartment towers submitted before the draft vision plan was released is a good indication of the potential that developers see in the area.
</blockquote>

Spring Street has made a good start by providing the framework for a development contributions plan and also recognising the critical role that the early provision infrastructure will play in the success of the precinct. However the devil is in the detail and the State Government needs to follow up the final vision plan with a detailed framework for the timely provision of infrastructure and services and how these will be paid for.

The State Government should also make sure that the provision of infrastructure in insulated from the political vagaries of the budget and election cycles to give developers, residents and business certainty when making their own plans for developing, living and working in Fishermans bend. The Draft Visions plan expects Fishermans Bend to be developed over a period of 50 years, or an average of 1600 new residents per year. There are plans already in place to accommodate over 30,000 new residents each year on Melbourne’s urban fringe over the next 30 years.

Since Fisherman’s Bend is one of the government’s key policies to reduce urban sprawl the government should be more aggressively pursuing development timelines for Fishermans Bend to have any real impact on the proportion of new dwellings constructed on the urban fringe.

Providing developers with certainty regarding the timely provision of infrastructure will boost the speed of development.
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Fishermans Bend to become Australia's most densely populated area

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A few games of Street Fighter II, killing your mates in Phaser Strike and throwing up on the Gravitron (with "Ice Ice Baby" blaring in the background) was a dream day out when growing up in Melbourne in the 1980's and 1990's. And the only place you could have all this was the Fun Factory on the Corner of Chapel Street and Toorak Road in South Yarra.

But the fun was not to last as Chapel Street became the place to be seen in Melbourne in the 1980's, developers started hatching plans to redevelop the massive Fun Factory Site. In 1989 a permit was issued for the demolition of the building and the development of a 15 storey apartment tower. However the Recession through the early 1990's meant that this plan was never built and the Fun Factory lived on. By 1999 economic conditions had improved and the owners of the site proposed a massive mixed use redevelopment of the site including a 42 storey tower. City of Stonnington officials were not ready for this scale of development and the application was promptly refused by Council.

<figure><a 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/Image10_3.jpg" title="Early concepts for the Fun Factory. Images courtesy AppleInsider and Webber Design" class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" rel="gallery-all"><img src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/Image10_3.jpg?itok=Be1dhJAn" width="580" height="312" alt="" title="Early concepts for the Fun Factory. Images courtesy AppleInsider and Webber Design" class="image-article-full-width-580px"></a>
<figcaption>Early concepts for the Fun Factory. Images courtesy AppleInsider and Webber Design</figcaption></figure>Subsequently Fender Katsalidis Architects were employed to deliver a new design, they being at that time the go-to architects for getting difficult proposals through the planning system. A new plan was hatched that incorporated a retail podium with a 27 level, 91 metre high apartment tower rising above. The application was approved by the City of Stonington in 2001. A local residents group appealed the decision, but VCAT upheld Council's decision.

This development was also never built and by 2008 the owners of the site commissioned yet another proposal for the site. This time they employed Bates Smart Architects to design a redeveloped Fun Factory consisting a retail podium with a 9 storey office building and a 39 storey apartment tower rising above. At 134 metres high, the main tower would have easily become the tallest building outside of the central city area. This proposal was refused by the City of Stonnington despite the recommendation of Council officers who supported the application. That decision was overturned by VCAT on appeal in late 2009.

By late 2010 the project was known as The Capitol and apartments in the main tower were on sale to the public. Marketed as a high end luxury development with large, it contained well-appointed apartments with even larger penthouse apartments on the upper floors. Joint developers including APN Property Group were optimistic about the prospects of the development and around the same time applied to VCAT to increase the height of the tower to 151m by adding an additional 5 penthouse levels. This application was refused by Council and the refusal was upheld by VCAT who saw the increase in height as going one step too far. The developer’s optimism proved to be unfounded and by the end of 2011 sales in the development were struggling to break to 50% mark and by the end of the year the development had been shelved.

<figure><a 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/capitol%20comparison_0.jpg" title="Image comparing the initial Bates Smart scheme to that currently seeking approval. Image © Bates Smart" class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" rel="gallery-all"><img src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/capitol%20comparison_0.jpg?itok=rT0_MJkT" width="580" height="400" alt="" title="Image comparing the initial Bates Smart scheme to that currently seeking approval. Image © Bates Smart" class="image-article-full-width-580px"></a>
<figcaption>Image comparing the initial Bates Smart scheme to that currently seeking approval. Image © Bates Smart</figcaption></figure>With the developers considering all options including the sale of the site, they have instead submitted yet another application to amend the approved development. Amendments involve a significant increase in the number of smaller one and two bedroom apartments and a reduction in floor to ceiling heights. These intended changes will also simplify the buildings floor plans, remove the office component and split the development into two stages.

The developers are hoping that these measures will increase the broader market appeal and in turn the financial viability of the project, making apartments far easier to sell at a lower price range. Council voted on 20th May not to support the proposed amendments as they viewed the new scheme as watereing down the design intent of the original Bates Smart scheme, signalling that the architectural expression of the amended development will no longer produce an iconic podium tower development or a sculptural and slender building.

VCAT will now have a very difficult decision between insisting that any development on the site must have an exceptional standard of architectural design, even if that means the site may remain underutilised for another 24 years, or accepting that it was not realistic to expect such a high standard of design would be economically viable and that in order to achieve the objective of providing more dwellings in existing activity centres that the amended design will be good enough. Time will tell...
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Sixth time lucky at the Fun Factory?

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The reaction from some Melburnians with regards to the marketing campaign by Hong Kong-based developer Far East Consortium, comparing its apartment development on the corner of Spencer and Lonsdale Streets to New York is genuinely one of amusement.
There is hardly the need for any in depth research to convince most Melburnians the comparison is rather silly. However the comment piece <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/comment/developers-tall-tales-are-all-pie-in-the-sky-20130603-2nm20" target="_blank">‘Developers' tall tales are all pie in the sky’</a> ​by ABC Producer Daniel Ziffer and published in The Age yesterday seeks to attach a greater importance to the comparison beyond that of just a property marketer's strategy.
The main thrust of the article is the form of high density development currently underway in Melbourne will have “unknown consequences for the area” and result in “dense and grim neighbourhoods where skyscrapers block light and life from the streets” like Hong Kong compared to that amazing place called New York where “more than half the housing stock … is in small to medium developments, often ''walk-ups'' without lifts.”  And the “avenues are wider than Melbourne's street grid, and apartment buildings are set back from the street to allow sunlight to hit the ground.”
As the author was a one time resident and frequent visitor it would be assumed he might have seen one of the more than 70 apartment towers in New York taller than the tallest building in the Upper West Side development on Spencer Street. But maybe the views of these giants were blocked by the 4869 apartment towers over 10 storeys in height in New York City. I guess it would also be easier to miss the avenues in New York are generally 100 feet wide, exactly the same width as streets in Melbourne’s Hoddle Grid like Lonsdale Street.
Any recent visit to New York would also reveal the developing trend towards larger and taller apartment buildings in Manhattan. The latest example of this is the tower currently under construction at <a href="http://432parkavenue.com/?state=home" target="_blank">432 Park Avenue</a> which at 426 metres high will be taller than the former World Trade Centre twin towers.
The author has an issue with a developer utilising a New York inspired marketing strategy to sell some apartments but he has no qualms in comparing the same development on Spencer Street to Caroline Springs which is an even more ridiculous comparison.
This comment piece is just another in the ongoing campaign against the development of tall buildings in Melbourne by The Age newspaper. It is disappointing the same newspaper which has campaigned vigorously in the past against the environmental and social impact of urban sprawl, embodied in places such as Caroline Springs, now breaks with its previous consistency and publishes 3rd party commentary deriding the redevelopment of disused industrial sites in the CBD as an alterative to urban sprawl.
Nicholas Harrison is an urban planner with over 10 years experience.
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Caroline Springs in the sky?

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

Joel Robinson

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Nicholas Harrison

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