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<h2>Analysis and Comment</h2>

Despite both the Federal Infrastructure Minister and Premier telling <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/federal-money-talks-in-melbourne-transport-debate-20180515-p4zfgv">The Age</a> they were both committed to waiting for the outcome of the various studies business cases into new public transport links that were commited to as part of the budgetary process, the sniping and one-upmanship of both state and federal governments does not look like it'll end all that soon.

In the Federal Budget, $475 million was allocated in the forward estimates for a 'Monash Rail' project which has no link to any 'real' project other than the Rowville Rail concept which was studied under the previous state Liberal government.

Back in 2012 when the Napthine Government released the heavy rail network development plan, Melburnians got a glimpse into what the rail planners in the state government were thinking long-term for the city.

Since then many different rail projects have kicked off - mostly 2014 election promises by the Andrews Government - but there's been no effort to provide an updated bigger picture for public consumption by the current state government. 

That said, the Federal Government appears to be referencing the 2012 era plan with its surprise allocation of funds for what appears to be a first phase of the Rowville Rail concept.  

$475 million won't build 10+ kilometres of double track, 5-6 stations, a flying junction to connect to the Dandenong corridor or procure the vehicles to operate services.

In fact, for such a small amount, it's incredibly hard to see that amount of money building nothing more than an on-the-cheap flat rail junction at Huntingdale, maybe some elevated track down North Road with a station at Monash University.  If the state government were to match the amount, that might pay for a proper flying junction, a few new train sets and pay for the operations of the stub for a few years.

The biggest question mark hanging over this announceable from the Federal Government is how operations will work.  Where will these trains eventually run to?  Through the new metro tunnel?  Shuttle back and forth to Huntingdale, Oakleigh or Caulfield with some more track and platform investment?

For a while now there's been murmurings about the possible lack of capacity on the pair of tracks that will operate services from Pakenham and Cranbourne to Sunbury and Melton through the metro tunnel.  The 2012-era plans show both an Airport and Rowville branch hanging off this track pair as well.  And don't forget Gippsland V/Line services!

The 2012-era plans were created before the upswing in population growth in Melbourne and this is why it is in the public interest for an updated plan to be published, one which takes into account the high population growth scenario we're all living in.

It's a cruel (stupid?) reality of our Federation that we have overlapping departments which will have different ideas about transport infrastructure priorities and this cruelty/stupidity extends to Federal politicians who are able to <a href="http://minister.infrastructure.gov.au/pf/releases/2018/may/pf046_2018.aspx">advocate for things</a> which would clearly need to clear a swathe of hurdles that only the local state bureaucracy is going to be able to achieve.

In the state budget, $3 million was allocated to complete a business case for Spring Street's preferred light rail route from Caulfield to Monash and eventually to Rowville which presumably, taking into account recent reports, will also look at other rail solutions as well.

One of the main criticisms of the Rowville rail study from the Ballieu/Napthine era was its scope - it explicitly ruled out identifying other alignments such as joining the Alamein line to Oakleigh with a tunnel via Chadstone then branch out to Rowville along the North/Wellington Road corridor.  It follows that capacity constraints on the Pakenham/Cranbourne tracks are avoided as the line would be an extension of a branch which uses different track closer to the city.

We know that from the 2012-era plans the Alamein and Glen Waverley lines were envisaged to join up with western suburbs lines to create another east-west route through the city.  And given the Airport line is likely not going to be another branch of the Melbourne Metro and the Pakenham/Cranbourne to Melton/Sunbury line &amp; pair of tracks, adding a stub to Monash (and eventually Rowville) will create an imbalance.

So should the scope of the business case &amp; study that is looking at the costs and benefits of extending the Alamein line to Monash via Chadstone and Oakleigh/Huntingdale expand?  Well - if the Federal Government are dead keen on heavy rail, then yes.

Lead image credit: <a href="https://railgallery.wongm.com/melbourne-stations/F124_0657.jpg">Marcus Wong</a>.
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Alastair Taylor

Heavy rail 'between Monash University's campuses'? Hold your horses

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Melbourne's Docklands has hit a new milestone with over 1,000,000 square metres of commercial floor space either built or under construction.

The big numbers continue with 10,000 apartments having been completed or are under construction and 170,000 square metres of retail space as well as 60,000 square metres of hotel space having been delivered in the precinct.

Development Victoria expects the entire Docklands redevelopment zone to be 'complete' by 2025 whereupon it is expected 20,000 people will be living in the precinct, 60,000 people will be working there and all up, $17.5 billion worth of private investment will have been invested into the precinct.

<h2>What they say</h2>

<blockquote>
Development Victoria’s General Manager Precincts, Mr Simon Wilson, said the milestones highlighted how far Docklands had come, with approximately 13,000 residents currently calling Docklands home and 58,000 jobs created.  

“There is a real confidence in Docklands which is highlighted by the fact that many blue-chip companies have also moved their head office to the precinct,” he said.

“Construction is continuing on a range of commercial spaces such as Lendlease’s Melbourne Quarter, Walker Corporation’s Collins Square and the redevelopment of AsheMorgan’s The District Docklands.

“Docklands also sustains between 2,500 and 3,000 construction jobs annually.”
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/docklands_pano_1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="One million square metres of commercial space has either been completed or is under construction in Docklands - image: Development Victoria"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="188" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/docklands_pano_1.jpg?itok=gMjP831q" title="One million square metres of commercial space has either been completed or is under construction in Docklands - image: Development Victoria" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>One million square metres of commercial space has either been completed or is under construction in Docklands - image: Development Victoria</figcaption></figure>The milestone has arrived at a time when the Minister for Planning, Richard Wynne, turned the first sod of soil at a new fresh food-focused precinct at The District, formerly known as Harbour Town Waterfront City.

The $67 million precinct, to be known as The Market, will be anchored by a Woolworths supermarket and include 25 fresh food and speciality shops.

"Docklands is fact becoming one of Melbourne's most popular places to live work or visit," the Planning Minister said.  "Major projects like these are a great way to attract more visitors and more families to live in the area."

The District Docklands - the rebranding and new focus - is an initiative of the Sydney-based Ashe Morgan retail investment and advisory group.

In the immediate vicinity of The District, <a href="/buildings/the-docklands-residences-3-43-waterfront-way-docklands">The Docklands Residences</a>, a residential and Marriot hotel development is currently progressing through a marketing campaign and <a href="/buildings/elm-stone-387-docklands-drive-docklands">387 Docklands Drive</a> is well under construction.

<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/docklands_district_redden.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Piling rigs in Docklands - image: redden"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/docklands_district_redden.jpg?itok=EmcMviwD" title="Piling rigs in Docklands - image: redden" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Piling rigs in Docklands - image: <a href="/news">redden</a></figcaption></figure>Elsewhere in Docklands, work continues on projects such as 839 Collins Street, 1 Collins Wharf, Collins Square, and Melbourne Quarter.

To view a list of other Docklands project, click <a href="/new-apartments/docklands-vic-3008">here</a>.
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Docklands hits new a milestone while work starts on The Market

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Brisbane City Council has unveiled plans for a new bikeway that hangs above the Brisbane River in Indooroopilly, in inner south-west Brisbane.

The new bridge will provide cyclists and pedestrians with their own link between the Western Freeway bikeway, the Brisbane River Loop and the University of Queensland / St. Lucia bikeway via a bridge which will hug the western bank of the Brisbane River to the south west of the Indooropilly road, rail and pedestrian bridges.

A second phase bridge would then link the new phase 1 bridge and the existing pathways on the eastern side of the bride complex.

Phase 1 of the council initiative is part of a $100 million investment into cycling infrastructure that is to be spent over the 2016-2020 period in the Queensland capital.

<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/indro_bikeway_prelim_plan1.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Preliminary design for the new bridge plan - image: Brisbane City Council"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="355" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/indro_bikeway_prelim_plan1.png?itok=ue4Ed1lc" title="Preliminary design for the new bridge plan - image: Brisbane City Council" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Preliminary design for the new bridge plan - image: <a href="https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/traffic-transport/roads-infrastructure-bikeways/current-bikeway-pathway-projects/indooroopilly-bikeway-radnor-street-stage-1-project-indooroopilly">Brisbane City Council</a></figcaption></figure>According to the council, phase 2  will only happen through a separate funding arrangement.

The council focuses on connectivity in its list of benefits for the project.

<blockquote>
The project will benefit the community by:

<ul>
<li>creating a high quality, connected and accessible recreation and commuter route for residents of the western suburbs of Brisbane</li>
	<li>forming a key between the Western Freeway and The University of Queensland and connecting to the Brisbane River Loop bikeway</li>
	<li>encouraging  commuter and recreational walking and cycling</li>
	<li>enhancing lifestyle and leisure opportunities for residents in the area</li>
	<li>improving safety, connectivity and visibility for cyclists and pedestrians.</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/traffic-transport/roads-infrastructure-bikeways/current-bikeway-pathway-projects/indooroopilly-bikeway-radnor-street-stage-1-project-indooroopilly"><cite>Brisbane City Council</cite></a>
</blockquote>

The preliminary design is now open for community consultation until Sunday 3rd of June.  Submissions can be made on <a href="https://yoursay.brisbane.qld.gov.au/IBS1">yoursay.brisbane.qld.gov.au</a> in writing or emailing the <a href="https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/traffic-transport/roads-infrastructure-bikeways/current-bikeway-pathway-projects/indooroopilly-bikeway-radnor-street-stage-1-project-indooroopilly">design team</a>.

Other bikeway projects that are focused on the Brisbane River include the <a href="https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/traffic-transport/roads-infrastructure-bikeways/current-bikeway-pathway-projects/botanic-gardens-riverwalk-project-alice-streetedward-street-brisbane-city">Botanic Gardens Riverwalk</a> project and the <a href="https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/traffic-transport/roads-infrastructure-bikeways/current-bikeway-pathway-projects/kangaroo-point-bikeway-upgrade-stage-1-goodwill-bridge-veloway-1-south-brisbane">Kangaroo Point Bikeway</a> upgrade.

Both projects aim will improve infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists and in the case of the Kangaroo Point Bikeway upgrade, the enhancements will provide an expansion in an area the council deems to narrow to carry the high volume of commuting and recreational traffic that already exists.

To see all the Bikeway projects underway or at planning in the Queensland capital, see <a href="https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/traffic-transport/roads-infrastructure-bikeways/current-bikeway-pathway-projects">brisbane.qld.gov.au</a>.

Lead image credit: <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://yoursay.brisbane.qld.gov.au/IBS1/photos/44558">Brisbane City Council</a>.
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Brisbane City Council unveils Indooroopilly bikeway project

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Time for a quick stocktake.  As of the 14th of May, there were 1590 Melbourne projects on the project database with a total 145,694 dwellings contained within them.  

This represents an average of 91 units per project across metropolitan Melbourne.

In two and a half years the number of projects in Melbourne with 4 or less floors has doubled, and then some.  Back in November 2015, there were 208 projects with a floor count or 4 or less with a sum total of just over 7,000 dwellings.

Fast forward to today and there are 486 projects which have a total of just under 14,000 dwellings.  This represents a reduction in the average size of a project in 2015 with 33 apartments per project to 28 apartments per project in 2018.

The number of projects has more than doubled but the total number of dwellings is on 100% growth - in 2015 I only looked at up to 4 levels, however in hindsight I should have filtered out up to 3 levels as well because this average size reduction, I suspect, is linked to more and more projects that have been added to the database in areas which are zoned general residential (up to 3 levels in height).

<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/inner-v-outer.png" rel="gallery-all" title="The number of projects and dwellings in inner Melbourne versus everywhere else"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="430" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files//styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/inner-v-outer.png?itok=hm6L0kqZ" title="The number of projects and dwellings in inner Melbourne versus everywhere else" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The number of projects and dwellings in inner Melbourne versus everywhere else</figcaption></figure>This lack of '<a href="/news/the-goldilocks-zone-well-represented-in-new-additions-to-the-project-database">Goldilocks zone</a>' type development in the middle and outer ring of Melbourne is often bemoaned by commentators yet 363 of the 486 up-to-4-level projects are outside the local government areas that are deemed inner city by Plan Melbourne.

The City of Melbourne, City of Yarra, City of Port Phillip are all part of the inner region as defined by Plan Melbourne.

Similarly, regardless of how many floors a project has, there are now 1143 projects outside the Plan Melbourne-defined inner city area with 68,386 dwellings across all of them.

While there is justifiably questions over what represents inner-Melbourne, using the regions from Plan Melbourne conform to local government areas - which is intrinsically linked to the development industry as the councils are the authorities, in most cases, who assess then either approve or reject projects in the overall pipeline.

For those interested in the numbers which relate to different floor heights across Melbourne, if we use 10 floors as an arbitrary cut off there are 461 projects  with 10 or more floors that include 99,874 dwellings right across metropolitan Melbourne.

Similarly, the number of projects which have between 5 and 9 floors weighs in at 633 and includes 32,149 dwellings.

Lead image credit: <a href="/new-apartments/the-queensbridge-building-southbank-90-queensbridge-street-southbank">88 Melbourne</a>.
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Stocktake: 1590 Melbourne projects on the project database

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Foxtel's Melbourne office in Moonee Ponds has been put up for sale by owner Charter Hall with the redevelopment opportunities for its adjacent car park featuring among the pluses highlighted in the marketing material for the site.

The sale transaction of the building which has just over 7,000 square metres of lettable area, all of which is leased to Foxtel, is jointly handled by Colliers International and CBRE.

The building recently completed a $1.5 million refurbishment programme which saw new end of trip facilities, upgraded bathrooms and carpets added to the building.

Trent Preece of Colliers International said the entire site, which is zoned with Moonee Valley's Activity Centre Zone 1, could see new residential or commercial development on or above the adjacent multi-level car park.

“There is potential for future residential development, or to build above the current multi-deck car park,” Mr Preece said. “The property, and any future development will also benefit from its location just 100m from Moonee Valley Racecourse which is about to undergo a $2billion re-development over the next decade providing 2,000-plus apartments plus entertainment, mixed use and world-famous racecourse hosting the Cox Plate."

“Given its favourable zoning and substantial street frontages, the property presents a genuine potential for future high-density development on the under-developed land component at the eastern end of the site as well as opportunities for constructing additional levels above the existing office building."

The expression of interest campaign ends this week on Wednesday at 2pm.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/moonee_valley.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Moonee Valley's vision has been released"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="121" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/moonee_valley.png?itok=h16Zhdyc" title="Moonee Valley's vision has been released" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Moonee Valley's <a href="https://www.thevalley.com.au/about/the-valley-tomorrow">vision</a> has been released</figcaption></figure>Moonee Ponds has featured many times on Apartments.com.au owing to the concentration of new projects in the pipeline in the area.

In November of last year, the Moonee Valley Racing Club released its updated vision for the racecourse &amp; surrounding land.  It included a clearer picture of how the equestrian and grandstand infrastructure will develop and the club announced it would be partnering with Hamton for the residential development component of the vision.

The only planning application to make its way on to the Moonee Valley City Council's website relates to repurposing the former Club's Secretary's house to a child care facility.

The largest project in the suburb is the redevelopment of the former Moonee Ponds market side by Caydon which recently saw one of its final stages launch its marketing campaign.  Some of the first apartments will transition out of construction soon - the two Hall Street towers are effectively structurally complete with internal work still progressing.

Furthermore, in February Apartments.com.au summarised the development pipeline for the suburb and since then we've spotted works starting on sites like <a href="/buildings/350-ascot-vale-road-moonee-ponds">350 Ascot Vale Road</a>, <a href="/buildings/editor-moonee-ponds-31-taylor-street-moonee-ponds">33 Hall Street</a> and pocket-rocket <a href="https://urban.melbourne/projects/moonee-valley/editor-moonee-ponds-31-taylor-street-moonee-ponds">Editor</a> on Taylor Street has flown up. 

In fact, the experience with the Editor project shows the value on '<a href="/news/the-goldilocks-zone-well-represented-in-new-additions-to-the-project-database">goldilocks</a><a href="https://urban.melbourne/development/2016/09/28/goldilocks-zone-well-represented-new-additions-project-database"> zone</a>' developments: they're very quick to build with construction crews only taking 4-5 months to go from street level to ultimate height on the Editor site.
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Foxtel's Moonee Ponds base up for sale

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The design of the new <a href="/developments/clayton-vic-3168">Victorian Heart Hospital</a> project has been unveiled and a builder has appointed to construct the project located within Monash University's Clayton campus.

The $543 million joint venture design from Brisbane-native firm Conrad Gargett and local outfit John Wardle Architects will be built by John Holland with works expected to commence by the end of the year.

As its name suggests, the hospital's focus is on cardiovascular health and will include 195 beds with the capacity to provide 2,000 cardiac surgeries each year, 13,5000 cardiac laboratory procedures and cater for 28,300 cardiac emergency presentations and 108,000 consultations.

The hospital will be endowed with TeleHealth facilities enabling remote specialist appointments for those living in regional Victoria to be conducted remotely, removing the need for long bouts of travel.

90% of the materials required to build the Monash Heart Hospital will be sourced from local industries and Spring Street expects 1,700 construction jobs will be created.  

“Our state is at the forefront of breakthroughs in treating heart disease. This hospital further cements our reputation as the world’s best and gives Victorian patients better access to the latest advances in cardiac care," the Minister for Health, Jill Hennessy said.

The hospital is expected to be operational by mid-2022 according to the <a href="https://vhhsba.vic.gov.au/health-infrastructure/victorian-heart-hospital">Victorian Health and Human Services Building Authority</a> (VHHSBA).

<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/vic_heart_hospital1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Exterior render of the new Victorian Heart Hospital - image: VHHSBA"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/vic_heart_hospital1.jpg?itok=ZnfYX3SC" title="Exterior render of the new Victorian Heart Hospital - image: VHHSBA" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Exterior render of the new Victorian Heart Hospital - image: <a href="https://vhhsba.vic.gov.au/health-infrastructure/victorian-heart-hospital">VHHSBA</a></figcaption></figure>Elsewhere another Monash Health hospital is currently being expanded.  Casey Hospital located near Berwick Station is expanding with the addition of 160 new beds which consist of 128 multiday patient beds, an intensive care unit of 12 beds and a day surgery unit with 12 beds.

6 new operating theatres, refurbishment and expansion works of pharmacy, pathology, and back of house facilities along with new teaching and training facilities which will be operated by Monash University are also included in the expansion project.

The Casey Hospital expansion is happening at the same time as the move of the local St John of God private hospital's from Gloucester Avenue to a site opposite Casey Hospital on Kangan Drive in the heart of the Berwick Station, Health and Education precinct that includes a campus of Chisholm Institute and former Monash University and now Federation University campus.

The Casey Hospital expansion project is being carried out under the terms of the original public private partnership and the hospital will revert to State Government hands in 2029, as originally planned according to the VHHSBA.

<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/casey_hospital_expansion.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Render of the Casey Hospital expansion - image: VHHSBA"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/casey_hospital_expansion.jpg?itok=1VqYQ7MR" title="Render of the Casey Hospital expansion - image: VHHSBA" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Render of the Casey Hospital expansion - image: <a href="https://vhhsba.vic.gov.au/health-infrastructure/casey-hospital-expansion-project">VHHSBA</a></figcaption></figure>
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John Holland to build the new Victorian Heart Hospital

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<h2>Comment</h2>

It's now quite obvious why Tuesday's budget speech had effectively every infrastructure initiative announced well before the Treasurer's speech - the Turnbull Government wanted everyone to focus on its 'surprise!' tax cut plan.

All of the infrastructure items in the Federal Government's 2018/2019 budget were announced before Scott Morrison rose to the despatch box in Canberra on Tuesday night - the biggest item out of all of them, the $5 billion for the Melbourne Airport Rail Link was announced at a media conference by the Prime Minister and Treasurer back in mid April.

In the context of the ongoing argy-bargy between the State and Federal Governments, it's been a case of 'will there be more information, other than a nice big dollar figure, disclosed at any time soon?' ever since.

We have our answer now: no there wasn't, but yes there will be.

It's toward the end of the year, in September, two months before the state election and about the time Turnbull will be seriously thinking about when he'll call his own next election, that we're likely to see something other than big dollar headlines.

We're all just going to have to deal with the fact that public transport initiatives get planning money while big-arse freeway projects get the capital they need before anyone can do a sane comparison of options.  Australian politics &amp; infrastructure planning, eat your heart out.

There will be an enormous amount of time devoted to the Federal Government's 7-year plan to flatten the tax system &amp; the ALP's opposing policy in the days and weeks ahead but it would be nice if a smidgen of the forthcoming public debate focuses on the implications for infrastructure projects.

It's pretty hard not to get swept up in the pre-budget announcements about headline dollar figures on what's going to be allocated.  Guilty as charged!  But it's when the budget documents get released and the lack of any clarifying information in the respective treasurer's speeches that depression starts to set in.

It doesn't surprise anyone that when both major parties are in office at either the state or federal level that there's argy-bargy, but now that elections are around the corner, suddenly the purse strings are loosened.

Victoria has for the last three to four years been way out in front in terms of population growth because Western Australia and Queensland's economies have been in a post-mining boom toilet. 

Whether predictions for Melbourne's population growth come to fruition remains to be seen however imagine if Melbourne's population kept on growing around the 100,000 per annum mark for the next 7-10 years when, potentially, a massive Federal Government revenue shortfall kicks in?

Here's something else to ponder.

Look at the time it takes to get a major public transport project implemented - the first Metro tunnel project will probably take, from start to finish, 10 years.  What's Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison, the holders of the biggest purse strings in the nation, just announced in the budget?  Huge tax cuts over the 7 years - $140 billion in revenue we might be able to use to transform our cities, gone.

So does that mean Spring Street - or any other state government for that matter - now have to factor in less grant money flowing from Canberra?  What's the impact on infrastructure projects long-term? 

Taking the layman approach: less money coming in via taxes means cutbacks will happen in services, and new infrastructure, unless 'creative' new financing options are created.

When it comes to building the transport infrastructure fast growing cities will need over the next decade, the Turnbull Government's plan to reduce Commonwealth revenue should be interpreted like a giant air raid siren with flashing red lights going off.
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Cutting tax revenue over the next 7 years could spell a worrisome infrastructure finance deficit

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The owners of the site with a permit to build the 55 Clarke Street project have put the site up for sale through Colliers International.

<a href="/news/51-65-clarke-street-shapes-as-a-southbank-tower-with-a-twist">In 2016 when we profiled the project</a>, the 1,787 square metre site originally had a proposal for 73 levels that included 112 hotel suites and 512 apartments across all three main apartment configurations.

Developer Newcity Group also engaged Ellenberg Fraser to design a tower that also included 120 car spaces and 327 bike spaces.

Fast forward and the project that was eventually approved was chopped down to 69 levels that included 565 apartments, 653 square metres of office space and a further 462 square metres of retail space.

Approval for the project occurred prior to the new floor-space ratios that are now governing new proposals on land which has a Capital City Zone in Central Melbourne with marketing material for the sale of the site with a permit referencing the 'unrepeatable' 30:1 FSR.

<a href="https://goo.gl/maps/zz7JzUpRRAR2">The site</a> sits one block back from City Road and has three frontages to Clarke, Hancock and Catherine Streets in Southbank.  Its nearest neighbours include recent developments such as Salvo's Platinum, 283 City Road and the 2013-era Habitat at 58 Clarke Street.

<h2>What they say</h2>

<blockquote>
Conveniently located in one of Melbourne’s most proven apartment market’s 55 Clarke Street features an approved planning permit to deliver one of Melbourne’s most impressive towers.

At 69 levels, the Elenberg Fraser design comprising a range of 1, 2, and 3 bedroom apartments featuring spectacular views over Port Philip Bay, Melbourne CBD and Albert Park Lake.

With a prime position located in between Melbourne CBD, and South Melbourne 55 Clarke Street will afford its future residents easy access to public transport, retail amenity, along with the arts and sporting precincts providing a dynamic and exciting lifestyle in the world’s most liveable city. 
<a href="http://www.colliers.com.au/206929/"><cite>Colliers International</cite></a>
</blockquote>

Trent Hobart, Bryson Cameron and Jun Lai of Colliers International have been appointed to sell 55 Clarke Street.

"55 Clarke Street represents an exceptional development site for connected inner city living, located in the middle of the South Melbourne lifestyle precinct, the Melbourne CBD and Crown Casino entertainment complex and the Melbourne Arts precincts, in what is considered the ultimate location for connected living,” Trent Hobart, Residential Director at Colliers International, said.

Bryson Cameron added “there is over $7 billion worth of private and public infrastructure investment within Southbank's future supply pipeline through to 2021. This includes a combination of commercial and mixed-use projects adding to the public amenity and fuelling local employment." 

The sale of 55 Clarke Street is by expression of interest which closes at 2pm on June 13th.

<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/55_clarke.png" rel="gallery-all" title="The 55 Clarke Street project render from the street - image: Colliers"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="425" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/55_clarke.png?itok=xXGYYG8c" title="The 55 Clarke Street project render from the street - image: Colliers" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The 55 Clarke Street project render from the street - image: Colliers</figcaption></figure>
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A Southbank super site goes to market

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Spring Street has announced a new wave of tram stop upgrades which will see $19 million spent on upgrading stops in both the north and south of the city's network.

6 stops between Victoria Parade and Kerr Street along Nicholson Street in Carlton/Fitzroy will be upgraded with centre island platforms.  The #96 East Brunswick - St Kilda Beach route is now 100% operated by low-floor E-class trams.

Special attention will be given to the tram stop opposite Melbourne Museum and the Royal Exhibition building to enable all passengers between the stop and the Carlton Gardens safely and easily.

The Minister for Public Transport Jacinta Allan said that Melbourne had a fleet of 163 low floor trams and "more than 420 raised stops on the network and we will continue to introduce new trams and stops to make our network more accessible ."  Work on the northern section of the #96 route will begin later in the year.

From mid-2019 onwards works to improve interchange between trains at Flagstaff station and William / La Trobe street trams will kick off and the William Street stops at the corner of Bourke &amp; William Street will be upgrade to match the accessible stops in Bourke Street.

The #58 West Coburg - Toorak route runs past the Royal Children's, Royal Women's and Royal Melbourne Hospitals and began seeing D-class low-floor trams operate some services in 2017.  The older Z-Class and B-Class non-low floor trams, also operate on the #58.

Balaclava station will also see new accessible stops created on Carlisle Street to improve accessibility at the interchange with the #3 tram and Sandringham line trains and the Bundoora RMIT stop on the #86 will also be upgraded.

According to a Spring Street media release, 63 next generation low-floor E-Class trams are now operating on the network with another 17 to be manufactured at Bombardier's facility in Dandenong.

The State Government has also announced the free tram zone's geographic reach will be extended temporarily to help with moving people to major events while various construction blitzs are underway.

On the weekends from the 2nd of June to the 17th of June, while the construction blitz previously announced for the Dandenong line is underway, the free tram zone will be extended to the various stops on Wellington Parade adjacent to the MCG.

Buses will be replacing trains between Caulfield and Westall as works on the level crossing removal projects in the area are finalised. Caulfield junction will see major signalling work completed during the shutdown period.

The entire Gippsland V/Line train service will be replaced with Coaches.

The temporary extension will be in operation for the NRL State of Origin match to be played on Wednesday 6th of June and the Queen's birthday match of Collingwood and Melbourne at the MCG.

The State Government has rolled out a new website where users can enter their postcode and be provided with a map &amp; summary of all transport network disruptions. 

 

See <a href="https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au">bigbuild.vic.gov.au</a> for more information.
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Number of accessible trams stops to rise across Melbourne's tram network 

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The approval by the New South Wales planning department last week of an unsolicited proposal by the Sydney born-and-bred Macquarie Bank has provoked a rebuke from the City of Sydney via the Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, and highlighted council concerns that decades-old planning work to ensure Sydney CBD's streets have maximum natural light penetration are in jeopardy.

Martin Place has for many years had controls that maximise sunlight in the former east-west street as evidenced by the shape of skyscrapers proposed and built on the northern side - Angel Place's sloped roof and the tiers of Deutsche Bank place &amp; its lattice structure are prime examples.

The overall proposal, which still has a few planning hurdles to overcome, includes the recently renovated 1920s-era  50 Martin Place which currently holds Macquarie Bank's headquarters, a 'north' tower located next door to 50 Martin Place (bounded by Castlereagh, Elizabeth and Hunter Streets) and a 'south' tower opposite the bank's headquarters with frontages to Castlereagh &amp; Elizabeth Streets and Martin Place).

The redevelopment will include building the platforms for the new Sydney Metro City &amp; South West, new entrances and interchange infrastructure with the existing Eastern Suburbs railway line underground.

<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/martin_place_components1.png" rel="gallery-all" title="The various components of the proposal - image: Urban Design Report"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="605" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/martin_place_components1.png?itok=GgNP35S9" title="The various components of the proposal - image: Urban Design Report" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The various components of the proposal - image: <a href="https://majorprojects.accelo.com/public/e1582925ebe3ed186308002054aa6b0f/Appendix%20A_%20Urban%20Design%20Report.pdf">Urban Design Report</a></figcaption></figure>The primary issue the City of Sydney's Lord Mayor went to twitter to say was the tower to the south of Martin Place did not meet the setback conditions (25 metres) set out decades ago to protect pedestrian amenity in the area.

"We need the NSW Government to put the public's interest first here, not Macquarie Bank's, &amp; protect Martin Place into the future, as we've protected it for a quarter of a century", Clover Moore, Lord Mayor of Sydney said on twitter.

In a long tweet thread, the Lord Mayor continued: "25 years ago, Heritage Council, New South Wales Depart of Planning and the City of Sydney developed controls requiring towers over 55m to be set back 25m to reduce impact on the public domain in Martin Place, reduce the impact of wind on pedestrians and enable adequate sunshine."

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
But now Macquarie Bank comes forward with an unsolicited proposal, which means it doesn't go through the proper planning processes and controls that other developers have faced in Martin Place
— Clover Moore (@CloverMoore) <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://twitter.com/CloverMoore/status/993282046251298817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2018</a>
</blockquote>

The predominantly Sydney-based developer lobby group, Urban Taskforce Australia, added its own voice on Monday calling the approval of a new tower over the future Martin Place metro station a good balanced solution.

“It is important that the NSW Government works with the private sector in rolling out new metro rail lines and stations and the proposal for the Martin Place station is an excellent example of this.” Says Urban Taskforce CEO Chris Johnson “The final setback above a podium of 8 metres maintains the character of Martin Place while allowing a commercial tower to be built over the podium but set back by 8 metres .”

“The City of Sydney have raised concerns that a set-back of 25 metres would have been preferable but their comments do not take into account that the adjacent MLC Centre tower is set back far more than this. The proposed tower is well away from the Cenotaph down the far end of Martin Place and is more contextually related to the Reserve Bank building at the top of Martin Place.”

The proposal is now has a Stage 3 status as part of the <a href="https://www.nsw.gov.au/contact-us/unsolicited-proposals/">NSW Government's unsolicited proposals</a> process.

Lead image credit: <a href="https://www.macquarie.com/au/about/newsroom/2017/stage-three-martin-place-development-proposal">Macquarie</a>.
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Part approval for Macquarie Bank's unsolicited proposal in Martin Place irks City of Sydney

Property developer One Living, backed by former Macquarie banker turned investment manager Chris Green’s investment firm, has unveiled plans to bring more institutional capital into housing to help address the national supply crisis.

The New York-based investor has focused his firm, GreenPoint Partners, on addressing the supply shortage hitting middle market housing in Australia.

It is backing the new One Living business to develop more than 1000 units along the eastern seaboard. The new firm is starting with a development on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, with around 140 apartments planned. They are eyeing off more sites across the city.

With cost pressures rising in the industry, One Living’s model is to be a vertically integrated developer-builder, so it can respond directly to the housing gap by removing the cost inefficiencies embedded in traditional residential delivery.

“We are building a platform designed to operate at scale and starting in a market where there’s a clear need for quality, attainable housing,” One Living joint managing director Joseph Scuderi said.

“It’s that missing middle – it’s that attainable end of housing… that’s what most Australians invest into and what Australians can actually afford.”

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="798dfa93-4941-4db6-a696-31e9dc18e81c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.31.50%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=mKBqi5C_DmeiXS.AtJkcR8LQIxqCqmFi" />

GreenPoint Partners brings years of experience assembling and scaling real estate operating businesses across major markets. And Green sees a big opportunity in Australia.

“For its size, sophistication and importance to the community, Australia’s living sector has remained largely under-institutionalised, which represents significant opportunity,” Green said. “GreenPoint identified that gap, assembled the right team, and is backing One Living to build a platform that is aligned to market needs.”

Green said being a builder-developer would give the company the capacity and flexibility it required to deliver reasonably-priced homes.

“We want it to be at that attainable level; not super high end luxury but at that attainable level,” he said.

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="74a5344a-4b26-4d4a-ada3-056b1220be77" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.32.15%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=vY8hXHO4reBMdO8ZXMWCNtGZJofUPQ3j" />

&nbsp;

One Living will undertake a component of affordable housing in its schemes, which it will own and operate, and it could also run build-to-rent on some sites.

Green praised local policy settings.

“The NSW government is being very supportive, strategic and pragmatic in terms of how do we generate more supply of housing,” he said. “We think it’s actually positive for development and the bit that’s been lacking at that attainable level is that it’s lots of relatively small private developers, whereas we want to create an institutional platform.”

One Living is also&nbsp;looking at high-density projects and could take on more institutional funding in the future.

“The way we will be able to achieve economies of scale is through size,” Green added.

Joel Robinson

One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition

It's been several years since there's been an opportunity to buy a brand new townhome in Melbourne's coastal suburb of Mordialloc. Even apartment developments in recent times have been few and far between in the area.

Local developer LDS Property identified the gap in new housing, securing a site on White Street, directly opposite&nbsp;Woodlands Golf Club Mordialloc. They've recently launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/wm-residences-mordialloc-102-white-street-mordialloc-vic-3195">WM Residences</a>, just 13 townhouses which they have already started building.

Projects by Buxton Director Heath Thompson, who is selling WM Residences, says the townhouses x that perfect middle ground be

"Mordialloc residents have had limited options to downsize within the suburb, often forcing them to look elsewhere despite long-standing ties to the area," Thompson says.

"With very little comparable new supply coming to market, projects like WM Residences are well placed, particularly as buyers look to capitalise on current conditions amid constrained supply."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6109]

The development, designed by regarded architecture firm&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ewert-leaf">Ewert Leaf</a>,&nbsp;adopts a deliberately restrained architectural approach, focusing on simplicity, durability and liveability rather than overt design gestures.

The boutique scale is central to the offering. With only 13 three-bedroom residences, each home is configured to prioritise functional layouts and everyday use, supported by private terraces and secure two-car garages.

Ewert Leaf’s design response leans into a calm, neutral material palette. Interiors are defined by oak flooring, white walls and soft finishes, creating a consistent and understated backdrop. The approach avoids trend-driven detailing in favour of longevity, with an emphasis on natural light and spatial clarity.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6110]

Beyond aesthetics, the homes are designed to meet contemporary performance expectations. Each residence targets a minimum 6-star energy rating, incorporating double glazing, comprehensive insulation and all-electric Bosch appliances.

The project’s location supports a walkable coastal lifestyle, sitting within close proximity to Mordialloc’s foreshore, Main Street retail strip and the train station. Local cafés and dining venues, including Suburbia Deli and Hendriks Café, are within a short walk, reinforcing the area’s established neighbourhood character.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6116]

While <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/mordialloc-vic-3195">Mordialloc</a> is often defined by its beach and pier, the project taps into other areas of day to day living, offering easy access to local food, casual dining and transport, rather than positioning itself purely as a lifestyle retreat.

WM Residences reflects a continued trend across Melbourne’s coastal suburbs towards smaller-scale, design-led townhouse developments, particularly on infill sites where proximity to amenity is already established.

With construction commenced prior to its market entry, the project aligns with a growing preference among buyers for developments with visible progress and defined delivery timeframes.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134646]

WM Residences fills gap in Mordialloc townhouse market

&nbsp;

Developer GURNER™ Group has revealed $1.65 billion in residential sales nationally across the 12 months to December 2025, driven largely by the continued momentum of its Docklands wellness-focused precinct, Elysium Fields.

The sales result was generated across seven projects in Victoria and New South Wales, headlined by Elysium Fields, GURNER™’s $2.75 billion mixed-use precinct planned for Harbour Esplanade in Docklands.

The project has recorded more than $500 million in sales across the first three towers, equating to around 580 apartments sold.

The first tower, Helios, has now sold out of its 240 private residences, with GURNER™ preparing to release a premium penthouse collection comprising 15 three-bedroom penthouses in coming weeks.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370975]

Elysium Fields is being developed on the long-held 20,000 sqm Docklands site at 208-226 Harbour Esplanade, which had remained undeveloped for more than two decades prior to GURNER™ taking over the project around four years ago.

Construction has now commenced across four towers ranging between 18 and 30 storeys, with Hamilton Marino and Maxcon appointed as builders.

Once complete, the precinct is expected to comprise around 1,100 residences, alongside retail, hospitality and public realm uses integrated throughout the site.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370981]

Designed by Fraser &amp; Partners in collaboration with GURNER™ Design House, the project has been positioned around the developer’s broader focus on wellness-led residential living.

“We don’t sell apartments. We create a true luxury lifestyle that simply doesn’t exist elsewhere in the market today,” Founder and Executive Chairman Tim Gurner said.

“To deliver that requires an extraordinary level of detail, coordination and discipline across multiple verticals, from design and hospitality through to wellness and service.”

“We’ve always believed that living extends far beyond the physical residence. It’s about how you feel the moment you arrive, how you live day-to-day, and the ecosystem that supports that.” 
[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370977]

The project’s design places a heavy focus on landscaping, wellness amenities and biophilic design principles.

Plans include around 3,700 sqm of landscaped gardens and open space throughout the precinct, alongside a retail and dining offering spanning approximately 5,000 sqm.

The broader public realm strategy centres around what GURNER™ describes as the “Path of Life”, an urban forest and landscaped pedestrian environment intended to connect the various buildings and wellness spaces across the precinct.

The apartments themselves will incorporate a range of wellness-focused inclusions, including purified air and water systems, circadian lighting, antimicrobial surfaces, and optional in-home wellness upgrades.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370980]

Gurner said the company’s experience through its Saint Haven wellness clubs had directly informed the residential offering now being incorporated into Elysium Fields.

“We’re seeing a clear global shift toward longevity, performance and proactive health,” Gurner said.

“Our role is to deliver that in a way that feels seamless, highly private and beautifully resolved within the environments we create.”

A large component of the wellness offering is planned through the resident amenity and health facilities proposed within the precinct.

That includes plans for bathing and recovery facilities spread throughout the towers, incorporating mineral pools, saunas, steam rooms, flotation therapy, red light therapy and wellness lounges.

The developer is also seeking approvals for what it describes as a “reverse ageing medical clinic” within the precinct.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370978]

According to project information released by the group, the proposed facility would include cryotherapy, IV infusion therapy, infrared and dry saunas, PEMF beds, MRIs, DEXA scans, brain scans and blood analysis services.

Within the first tower, Helios, residents will also have access to a dedicated amenity offering known as the Sky Private Club.

The upper 15 levels of the building will include private lounges, dining spaces, rooftop amenities and optional private wellness studios integrated within residences.

The Helios tower itself comprises 260 apartments ranging between 60 sqm and 300 sqm, including a collection of penthouses.

That includes a planned two-storey penthouse spanning around 600 sqm with uninterrupted bay views.

The Elysium Fields precinct is being delivered in partnership with Digital Harbour Holdings, a consortium that includes the Liberman family, which controls the development rights across the Docklands site.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370979]

The sales result comes as GURNER™ continues expanding its national development pipeline beyond Victoria.

“We have a strong pipeline across Australia and are now focused on scaling into key markets including New South Wales and Queensland, while continuing to build on our Melbourne base,” Gurner said.

“We currently have more than $3 billion in the market, growing to over $5 billion by October, and expect to materially outperform last year in the 2026 calendar year.”

The result also reflects the continued strength of the upper-end apartment market in Melbourne, particularly for owner-occupier-focused product with large-scale amenity and lifestyle offerings.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=144441]

Record result anchored by the Group’s “utopian” Elysium Fields precinct – defying market headwinds in Docklands.

Elysium Fields drive Gurner to $1.65 billion in apartment sales over 2025

National Australia Bank (NAB) will fund <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/palmera-residences-gold-coast-18-garfield-terrace-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Palmera</a>, a $1 billion, 52-level luxury residential tower being developed by Central Equity in one of the Gold Coast’s most tightly held coastal locations at Northcliffe.

The project, launched recently by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/central-equity">Central Equity</a>, one of Victoria’s largest private residential developers, comes at a time when construction funding for large residential developments has become increasingly competitive as lenders tighten exposure to the sector.

Multiplex has been appointed the builder, and construction is now underway.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365784]

Since its first project, Central Equity has delivered more than 85 residential developments with a combined end value exceeding $8 billion.

Palmera reflects Central Equity’s growing focus on the Gold Coast luxury apartment market and continues a relationship between Central Equity and NAB that dates back to the late 1980s, when the bank funded one of Melbourne’s earliest inner-city residential towers at a time when high-rise apartment living in the CBD was largely unproven.

“NAB’s funding of Central Equity’s $36 million CBD development in the late 1980’s to the financing of the billion-dollar tower today highlights the long-term relationship between the two organisations in delivering major residential projects” said Central Equity Founder and Chairman Eddie Kutner.

He said NAB’s early support was instrumental in helping establish the company’s development model.

“When we commenced our first residential tower in the late 1980s the concept of funding off-the-plan apartments was still largely untested in Australia,” Kutner said.

“NAB recognised the opportunity early and supported the project when others were uncertain. That relationship has now continued for more than 37 years across many developments.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365771]

Central Equity was established in 1987 when Melbourne’s CBD and Southbank precinct were still dominated by warehouses and commercial buildings. Fewer than 100 residents lived in Southbank at the time, and large-scale residential development in the inner city was not widely considered.

Recognising changing demographics and lifestyle preferences, the company began developing high-rise residential projects designed to bring permanent residents into the city centre.

Central Equity has provided accommodation for approximately 40,000 residents across Melbourne’s CBD and Southbank, while also incorporating supporting infrastructure including essential lifestyle facilities like retail spaces, childcare facilities and neighbourhood activity centres.

Central Equity has spent many years assembling the Palmera development site on the corner of Garfield Terrace and Frederick Street in Northcliffe, creating a supersite of around 3,300 sqm.

The developer said the Palmera apartment tower reflects its long-term view of the Gold Coast as a growing and increasingly diversified economy.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365768]

Supported by infrastructure including the light rail network, major road upgrades expanded education, hospital and medical facilities and continued expansion at the Gold Coast Airport with more international and domestic flights.

Positioned in the tightly held Northcliffe precinct, the 52-level tower will deliver 347 apartments, targeting buyers seeking a high-end coastal lifestyle, from downsizers to interstate investors.

Designed by Marchese Partners with interiors by DBI, Palmera has been conceived as a next-generation residential offering, featuring a collection of oversized apartments, with premium three-bedroom residences offering sweeping northern views stretching from Surfers Paradise through to Burleigh Heads.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=108274]

NAB funds $1 billion Surfers Paradise apartment development, Palmera

Two years after completing one of the newest developments in North Sydney, developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/aqualand-australia">Aqualand</a> is turning its attention to the rapidly evolving St Leonards apartment market.

The developer, which completed AURA by Aqualand on North Sydney's Walker Street, has lodged plans for a 5,918 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/33-37-herbert-street-st-leonards-nsw-2065">33-37 Herbert Street, St Leonards,</a> seeking approval for a pair of residential towers rising above a shared podium opposite Royal North Shore Hospital.

The proposal forms part of the broader transformation underway across the St Leonards-Crows Nest precinct, where former industrial and commercial sites are increasingly being redeveloped into high-density mixed-use projects tied to major transport infrastructure.

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2cc428cf-fe70-4cac-9cd5-264ad53af62c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.56%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=otKSnHtbjAvAddOnovyXQMgcAwE6DMe1" />

According to the planning documents, the site sits “within the St Leonards–Crows Nest Strategic Centre, identified by the NSW Government as a key area for accommodating future jobs and housing across Sydney.”

The proposal has been designed by fjcstudio, formerly FJMT Studio, and is being progressed through the State Significant Development pathway due to its scale and affordable housing provision.

The scheme would comprise 413 apartments, including 46 affordable housing units, alongside retail and commercial uses fronting Herbert Street. The project would also include communal open space, landscaping, a swimming pool, gymnasium, children’s play areas and podium-level resident amenities.

Planning documents show the development would consist of a part-13, part-39 storey tower form positioned above a four-storey podium.

“The development comprises a unified podium that activates the street interface, and two setback towers to accommodate new housing supply while maintaining an appropriate human scale at ground level,” fjcstudio noted in its Design Report.

The northern and southern towers have been shaped to respond to the surrounding skyline while also limiting overshadowing impacts to nearby public open space, particularly Talus Reserve.

The design report said the differing tower heights were intended to “contribute to a varied skyline while responding to the surrounding built form context and solar access considerations.”

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="36da62dc-ff9e-41f2-a7e3-7be38373751c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.45%E2%80%AFAM_0.png?VersionId=Mo6Rp2r.XRLTzIfg_PEEpw8NepDH8UBs" />

The site sits directly opposite Royal North Shore Hospital and within walking distance of both St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

While the site itself sits just outside the formal Crows Nest Transport Oriented Development boundary, the planning documents repeatedly reference its alignment with the broader TOD objectives reshaping the Lower North Shore.

“The site is located adjacent to St Leonards Station and in close proximity to Crows Nest Metro which is within the Crows Nest Transit Orientated Development Accelerated Precinct which has been identified by the NSW Government to support housing delivery,” the Design Verification Statement noted.

According to fjcstudio, the project has been designed to respond to the broader transition occurring across St Leonards, where increasing residential density is being concentrated around transport infrastructure and employment hubs.

“The broader precinct is undergoing significant change, with a mix of existing mid-rise buildings and newer high-density developments,” the report stated.

“Recent and approved projects indicate a consistent shift toward taller built form, typically organised as tower-and-podium typologies with more active ground levels.”

The proposal includes close to 6,000 sqm of retail and commercial space across the ground floor and podium levels, designed to create a more activated street edge along Herbert Street.

Aqualand’s plans would also introduce a landscaped podium shared between the two towers, with communal open space in the form of a podium rooftop designed to support resident interaction and improve urban greening outcomes. The scheme would also introduce pocket parks at the northern and southern ends of the site, including a landscaped area at the corner of Herbert and Ella streets designed to improve pedestrian amenity and soften the streetscape.

&nbsp;

The proposal is being progressed through the NSW Government’s Housing Delivery Authority pathway, which was introduced to accelerate housing supply across the state. The application was declared State Significant Development in April 2025 following an expression of interest process.

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="faf6d97d-2671-454f-b85a-fe1c6a7be608" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.49%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=diVd28OBVr5.YV.7prrOz.uAanwwwm7a" />

St Leonards has been particularly active with new developments in recent weeks. Developer SP Setia’s <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-sp-setia-targets-st-leonards-skyline-with-40-storey-tod-tower">plans for a new 42-storey tower</a> recently went on exhibition through the same pathway, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">Stockland’s 52-storey tower proposal</a> was also recently unveiled.

Aside from the St Leonards project, which is expected to take around nine months to move through the approvals process ahead of a potential 2027 launch, Aqualand is also preparing to launch Boronia, a new apartment project in Roseville comprising around 111 apartments on Larkin Street.

The developer also has approvals in place for the next stage of the Barangaroo precinct, which will feature new residential, retail, hospitality and community uses, alongside a new metro entry across the five-hectare site.

More than 50 new retail destinations are planned for Central Barangaroo, alongside a 270-metre-long boulevard connecting Hickson Park to Nawi Cove. Together with Harbour Park, more than 50 per cent of the precinct will comprise public open space and parkland.

Alastair Taylor

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