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On the before the Treasurer approaches the dispatch box in Canberra, various state-based media outlets around the country have reported on what's in the Federal Budget 'for them'.

In what appears to be an acknowledgement of the Federal Government's less than stellar record of recent years of investing in the state which is seeing the highest population growth, Victorian media are reporting 1/3 of all the money to be allocated in the Federal budget tomorrow will be allocated to that state.

It includes one big pre-announcement already made, $5 billion for the Melbourne Airport Rail Link which at this point doesn't have a preferred corridor as planning working is still ongoing, using funds allocated from 2017's State and Federal budgets.  The outcome of which will not be known until later in the year.

$475 million will be allocated to 'Monash rail' according to the Herald Sun - the State Government has already outlined money will be allocated to plan for a light rail link. It doesn't appear the money to be allocated by Canberra will be tied to a specific solution however they do want the option of implementing a heavy rail line as well according to the local News Corp paper.

Regional Roads, unsurprisingly, see a fair bit of Canberra love with money to finalise duplications from Traralgon and Sale mentioned in local reports and the Federal Government will allocate $1.75 billion to the North-East Link.

New South Wales media have re-hashed pre-budget announcements including $400 million for duplicating the Port Botany freight railway line and $50 million for the business case on Western Sydney's airport railway lines.

The budget will also include just under $1 billion for the Pacific Highway Coffs Harbour bypass with the Daily Telegraph taking a decidedly, boo-hoo, poor us, line on the percentage of funding to be allocated by the Federal Government to New South Wales this year.

In all, Brisbane media are reporting $5.2 billion will be allocated to that state including projects such as the <a href="/news/brisbane-metros-draft-design-report-released-for-consultation">Brisbane Metro</a>, upgrades the Bruce Highway and other regional roads in Queensland.

The Bruce highway upgrades alone are worth $3.3 billion according to the Courier Mail and it reports that since 2013 it will have allocated or spent upwards of $10 billion on the main road north of out of Brisbane.

The Lion's share of the $1.8 billion allocated to South Australia will be spent on Adelaide's South Road upgrade which has been transforming over the past few years to give Adelaide a non-stop north-south road which bypasses the CBD.

The Gawler line electrification project will receive $220 million according to the Adelaide Advertiser.

The Bridgewater Bridge in north Hobart will be rebuilt with $461 million to be allocated to the replacement cost of the 1940s era bridge.  $120 million will be allocated to revitalising Tasmania's freight rail network as well according to The Mercury.

In Perth, the Federal Government has already announced it will add a further $1 billion to Perth's Metronet initiative.

The NT News, disappointingly, did not grace its front page with a croc image/story today.

Lead image credit: <a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/Parliament_House_Canberra_Dusk_Panorama.jpg">Wikipedia</a>.
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Alastair Taylor

Canberra outlines where its $24.5 billion in transport infrastructure funds will be allocated this year

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The re-opening of the Hurstbridge line along with the new Rosanna station marks the end of major civil works which included lifting the railway over Lower Plenty Road, lowering it under Grange Road, duplicating a tunnel between Rosanna and Heidelberg and building a new station.

The Hurstbridge line only had two level crossings on Spring Street's list of 50 and the recent works has removed the second of three single-track bottlenecks on the line. 

The first single track bottleneck, the bridge over the Merri Creek just north of Clifton Hill, was removed in <a href="https://railgallery.wongm.com/second-merri-creek-bridge/">2008/2009</a>, the final bottleneck is the single track section from Greensborough to the end of the line at Hurstbridge. The State Opposition has already announced as part of the election platform that they would do this as a priority if they were elected in November.

A new timetable which will add peak services to the Hurstbridge line will begin in August and works at Rosanna station will continue, namely landscaping and station fitout works - a common theme with level crossing removal projects to date.  Dandenong corridor stations have been re-opened at the point where services can resume, not necessarily when all work in the station precincts is complete.

Now that foreseeable works on the Hurstbridge line have been completed, focus shifts to other level crossing removal projects.

As works progress on the extension of the South Morang line to Mernda, on the same line, at Reservoir and Bell Street, two-level crossing removal projects have been mooted.

No official engineering solution has been announced but consultations have been underway for more than a year.

Complexity is the word that best describes Reservoir - a maze of intersecting roads plus a major aqueduct easement need to be factored into the design. 

The two options in the area, according to the Level Crossing Removal Authority's (LXRA) website, are rail over road or rail under road.  Comments made in recent days on the community page have been <a href="https://your.levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/reservoir-level-crossing?tool=qanda#tool_tab">answered</a> that the preferred solution will be announced within months.

Bell Street is effectively in the same boat - no preferred solution has been chosen however the LXRA website does say that all four possibilities were being assessed (road under rail, rail under road, rail over road and road over rail).

<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/grande_road.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The new rail underpass at Grange Road in Alphington - image: LXRA"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/grande_road.jpg?itok=5WMQ84UJ" title="The new rail underpass at Grange Road in Alphington - image: LXRA" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The new rail underpass at Grange Road in Alphington - image: LXRA</figcaption></figure>
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Rosanna station and the Hurstbridge line re-open

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Autumn is, sort of, here and the mild weather has continued with a raft of sites around the city powering along - the lack of rain in the past few months will likely benefit many project's construction schedules.

here's a snapshot of some of the projects that are under construction, using images posted on the forum during April.

As always, click on the forum link above each image to view more images &amp; the discussion threads.

 

From the <a href="/news">Moonee Ponds Projects &amp; Construction thread</a>.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/moonee_p_markets.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Former Moonee Ponds markets site - image originally posted by Mark Baljak"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="423" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/moonee_p_markets.jpg?itok=m8rlp4rb" title="Former Moonee Ponds markets site - image originally posted by Mark Baljak" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Former <a href="/news">Moonee Ponds markets site</a> - image originally posted by Mark Baljak</figcaption></figure>From the <a href="/news">South Yarra projects &amp; Construction thread</a> - demolition has begun on the Yarra One site.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/yarra_one_sy_demo.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Yarra One - image originally posted by UM user 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/yarra_one_sy_demo.jpg?itok=vKIYkdgV" title="Yarra One - image originally posted by UM user Redden" width="580"></a>

<figcaption><a href="/news">Yarra One</a> - image originally posted by UM user Redden</figcaption></figure>From the <a href="/news">311 Spencer Street thread</a>.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/311_spencer.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="311 Spencer Street - image originally posted by Mark Baljak"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="401" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/311_spencer.jpg?itok=0xrbRBcH" title="311 Spencer Street - image originally posted by Mark Baljak" width="580"></a>

<figcaption><a href="/news">311 Spencer Street</a> - image originally posted by Mark Baljak</figcaption></figure>It's been a while since the East End had a decent-sized tower under construction - from the <a href="/news">72-82 Collins Street</a> thread.  Thanks to GlennWilson for the aerial image of the site from above, shown as the lead image.

<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/72-82_collins.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="72-82 Collins Street - image originally posted by UM user 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/72-82_collins.jpg?itok=JZxGQVCV" title="72-82 Collins Street - image originally posted by UM user Redden" width="580"></a>

<figcaption><a href="/news">72-82 Collins Street</a> - image originally posted by UM user Redden</figcaption></figure>To quote the original forum post - "Floorplate just above ground, only another 175m left to go" - from the <a href="/news">Capitol Grand</a> thread. 

<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/capitol_grand_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Capitol Grand - image originally posted by Mark Baljak"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/capitol_grand_0.jpg?itok=NHCZIes_" title="Capitol Grand - image originally posted by Mark Baljak" width="580"></a>

<figcaption><a href="/news">Capitol Grand</a> - image originally posted by Mark Baljak</figcaption></figure>Site clearing works continue and a perimeter has been established around the <a href="/buildings/st-boulevard-601-st-kilda-road-melbourne">St Boulevard</a> <a href="/buildings/st-boulevard-601-st-kilda-road-melbourne">601 St Kilda Road</a> site.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/601_st_kilda.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="St boulevard - 601 St Kilda Road - image originally posted by UM user 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/601_st_kilda.jpg?itok=CWelRmzW" title="St boulevard - 601 St Kilda Road - image originally posted by UM user Redden" width="580"></a>

<figcaption><a href="/buildings/st-boulevard-601-st-kilda-road-melbourne">St boulevard - 601 St Kilda Road</a> - image originally posted by UM user Redden</figcaption></figure><a href="/buildings/premier-tower-134-160-spencer-street-melbourne">​​​​Premier Tower's</a> core now well and truly making its presence felt on the corner of Bourke &amp; Spencer Streets.  From the <a href="/news">Premier Tower</a> thread.

<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/premier_tower_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Premier Tower - image originally posted by Mark Baljak"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/premier_tower_0.jpg?itok=G9m9c-O2" title="Premier Tower - image originally posted by Mark Baljak" width="580"></a>

<figcaption><a href="/news">Premier Tower</a> - image originally posted by Mark Baljak</figcaption></figure>​​​​​​
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A snapshot of Melbourne's construction - May 2018

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The priority TAFE courses that will attract no fees, as outlined in yesterday's Victorian budget, has translated into multiple funding commitments to new TAFE facility construction and upgrades across Victoria.

The Bendigo Advertiser is today <a href="https://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/5375241/bendigo-tafes-599-million-game-changer/?cs=80#slide=1">reporting</a> the $59.9 million announced for Bendigo TAFE's City Campus is a 'game-changer' and the money will be used to build 'a planned stage redevelopment for the creation of three separate TAFE precincts for education, community and commercial'.

Also on the cards in Bendigo is a portion of $20 million to be used for the acquisition of a site for a new court building within the city. 

Last year's budget included $1 million to plan for the consolidation of local council and state government public services in a new facility on a site that currently houses offices for the City of Greater Bendigo on <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/ktd6aCTX6Ak">Lyttleton Terrace</a>, the Bendigo Advertiser <a href="https://www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/story/5372353/gov-hub-to-provide-jobs-vibrancy-to-cbd/?cs=80">reports</a>.  $16 million was allocated for the project in this year's state budget.

Like the Bendigo initiative, Ballarat has similar yet more advanced project dubbed the <a href="https://developmentvictoria.engagementhub.com.au/ballarat-govhub">Ballarat GovHub</a> that is undergoing a formal planning process before it is scheduled to enter construction by the end of the year.

In Ballarat, the city benefits from the state budget with the ordering of 5 new X'Trapolis trains which are assembled at Alstom's workshops in the city.  After assembly, trains are then hauled with a locomotive to Melbourne for commissioning.

Tim Pallas' fourth budget had $460 million earmarked for a new Ballarat Base Hospital - which construction is expected to start in 2020. 

Roads and rail feeding into Ballarat are seeing hundreds of millions of dollars allocated through the budget. 

Track and signalling upgrades from Ballarat to Maryborough and Ararat feature in the <a href="https://www.thecourier.com.au/story/5373303/201819-state-budget-wins-and-losses-for-ballarat/?cs=62">Ballarat Courier's breakdown</a> for the regional as well as $90 million for the planning and pre-construction work on the Beaufort and Ararat bypasses on the A8 Western Highway.

The Geelong Advertiser is <a href="http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/news/geelong/state-budget-201819-big-win-for-geelong-businesses-with-cut-to-regional-payroll-tax/news-story/d3c34e92ca3972d3c2628aecbc483ba5">today</a> trumpeting the almost $1 billion worth of initiatives for the Geelong region.  One of the headline announcements was the formal allocation of funds - to the tune of $152.3 million - to Geelong's City deal which was first announced by the <a href="https://www.pm.gov.au/media/city-deals-create-more-opportunities-victoria">Prime Minister in January</a>. 

Lara, in Geelong's northern suburbs, will be the site of a new $700 million prison and Barwon Health will be the recipient of one of the new emergency department crisis hubs - the $700 million announced for drug and mental health initiatives was one of the only surprises in the Treasurer's speech yesterday.

The Shepparton News is, of course, focusing on the moneys allocated to the region for the upgrades to the Shepparton &amp; Seymour rail line.

"Shepparton rail line windfall" is the headline on an <a href="http://www.sheppnews.com.au/2018/05/02/142369/shepparton-rail-line-windfall">article</a> which says the $313 million was more than what the local independent member for Shepparton thought would be allocated in the budget.  The upgrades would allow the line's services to rise from 5 return services a day to 9.

Lead image credit: <a href="https://twitter.com/bendigo_tafe">Bendigo_Tafe on twitter</a>.
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Victorian Budget: the big ticket items funded outside of Melbourne

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Laurence sits down with DKO's Koos de Keijzer this week.

Why do suburbs in Perth and Darwin look like suburbs in Melbourne?  Why can Australia's suburbia be somewhat homogenous?  Vive La Différence! 

Also on the agenda are towers and podiums - how well do they work in places like Southbank?

You can listen to our previous episodes <a href="/guides">here</a>, and don't forget to subscribe through the Apple podcast app!

<iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/435315957&amp;color=%23ff5500&amp;auto_play=true&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;show_teaser=true" width="100%"></iframe>
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Weekly Podcast: Episode 12 - Koos de Keijzer from DKO

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This year's Victorian Budget included an allocation of $5 million to complete the planning work for Fishermans Bend, the city's largest and most ambitious redevelopment precinct.

$3.8 million will be used for the planning work required to get Fishermans Bend its first secondary school.

$1 million will be used to finalise plans for the first rail-based public transport link from the CBD to the redevelopment precinct with a business case to be developed for both active and public transport links.  A ministerial media release refers to this as a 'tram bridge, connecting Fishermans Bend and the CBD'.

The transport initiatives for Fishermans Bend were floated when the draft framework plan for the precinct were unveiled in <a href="/news/walking-bikes-and-public-transport-the-big-focus-in-fishermans-bends-integrated-transport-plan">October 2017</a>. 

On top of corridor identification - a bridge across the Yarra from Collins Street to Hartley Street just beyond Yarra's Edge was the preferred option - the draft transport plan for the region included two tram branches - one which would travel west along Turner Street (north of the West Gate Freeway) and one that would travel west along Fennell and Plummer Streets (south of the West Gate Freeway).

The draft transport plan also came up with two preferred heavy rail corridors, better known as Melbourne Metro 2. 

There was no specific reference to this aspect of Fishermans Bend's transport planning work in the budget speech, however, the $50 million announced to speed up Geelong rail services and marrying it with the planning work for Melbourne Airport Rail Link might shed more light when that report is concluded.  

Elsewhere in the budget, just under $600,000 has been allocated for new exterior design standards and the Planning Minister announced $25 million will be allocated to increased safety inspections for high-rise buildings.

“There’s nothing more important than keeping people safe – that’s why we’re inspecting more high-rise buildings for dangerous and flammable materials, and cracking down on dodgy builders who flout the rules,” Planning Minister Richard Wynne said.

The new exterior design standards come on top of the apartment design standards that were rolled out in December 2016.

No new first home ownership initiatives were announced as part of the 2018/2019 budget.

The budget furthermore allocated $1 million for the development of an online portal which will provide access to better information on public land; $9.7 million will be allocated to processing planning permits faster; $3.5 million will help speed up council's assessment processes on new subdivisions.
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Victorian Budget: Fishermans Bend to get $5 million to complete planning work

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<h2>Analysis</h2>

Victorian Treasurer, Tim Pallas, has handed down the Andrews Government's fourth and final budget prior to the state election to be held in November.

You can't help but feel that this budget is one geared for the coming election, but also it's pretty clear the state government is grasping the population growth challenge with significant investment in skills in job areas that the Treasurer himself has said are in short supply.

Many of the initiatives contained within the budget papers were announced prior to today, including transport planning initiatives such as the <a href="/news/analysis-the-new-tram-route-from-caulfield-to-monash-university-and-rowville">south-east light rail line planning work</a>, marrying together <a href="/news/spring-street-allocates-50-million-toward-planning-work-for-faster-rail-services-to-geelong">higher-speed rail services to Geelong with Melbourne Airport's rail link study</a> and <a href="/news/spring-street-unveils-22-billion-suburban-and-growth-area-roads-upgrade-package">suburban road upgrades</a>.

Instead, the surprises left to the Treasurer to unveil include a skills boost with a policy to make TAFE courses in 30 different disciplines the state needs to be free, a large amount of money allocated to mental health and a payroll tax incentive for businesses based outside Melbourne.

Other analysts are framing the budget as one where the battle for the next state election will be in the 'burbs however the payroll tax cut for regional businesses appears to throw the gauntlet down at the feet of the opposition who have been pursuing a decentralisation policy for Victoria.

It might not be the silver bullet for increasing the movement of population and employment growth away from Melbourne but building on last year's tax cut adds another dimension to the decentralisation debate, with a decent amount of policy, now unveiled, to back it up.

In last year's budget, Spring Street unveiled an enormous regional railway package - to the tune of $1.5 billion - which was focused on improving capacity on regional rail lines. 

The big three regional cities on the western flank of the state have enjoyed "freewayification" of their primary connections to Melbourne, in some case for multiple decades, and the current government is now focused on the public transport connections.

It makes sense we start to see where the economic incentives are headed for regional growth and the payroll tax cut.  The payroll tax rate for regional areas (2.425%) from July 1 will be 50% of the metro business rate (4.85%).

Another interesting initiative which fits with the high population growth and 'big build', as the state government calls it, that's currently underway is a huge rollout of funding to train people for in-demand skills. 

The state will monitor skills needs and periodically update the list of courses that will be free.  The Premier tweeted the TAFE courses that will be free of charge from next year:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
JUST ANNOUNCED: 
From next year, all these major TAFE qualifications and apprenticeship pathways will cost you nothing to complete in Victoria. That's right. No course fees. Nothing. Free. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VicBudget?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VicBudget</a> <a href="https://t.co/rNYfyvHtvQ">pic.twitter.com/rNYfyvHtvQ</a>
— Daniel Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://twitter.com/DanielAndrewsMP/status/991162430213378049?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2018</a>
</blockquote>

If it ever became 'cool' again to borrow big to build nice things, Victoria's in a very good position. 

As it stands, the budget documents show that net debt in the state will rise to 6% of Gross State Product by the 2021/2022 financial year (up from 5.4% this year) and the Victorian Treasury is estimating the state will become a half trillion dollar economy by 2021/2022 with a GSP of $523.3 billion and $31.4 billion in net debt.

<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/netdebt.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Projected net debt to GSP"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="296" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/netdebt.png?itok=a2O2o-f8" title="Projected net debt to GSP" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Projected net debt to GSP</figcaption></figure> See all the budget documents on <a href="https://www.budget.vic.gov.au">budget.vic.gov.au</a>
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Victorian Budget 2018, a spotlight on some new initiatives

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As we approach the end of the build-out phase of the level crossing removal programme in the Dandenong railway corridor, it's a good opportunity to step back and look at the big picture of what's happening along Melbourne's busiest rail line.

'The Dandenong Corridor' effectively refers to the railway line that cuts through Melbourne's south-east from the City to Dandenong, at which point the railway line splits into two branches, heading to Pakenham and Cranbourne.

Thanks to the level crossing removal projects in the area, we now have a veritable list of milestones whereby service quality on the Dandenong corridor will improve.

The most recent initiative by the state government, from their long-list of pre-budget announcements, included money to be allocated to operate services within the Dandenong corridor every 10 minutes after the peak until 10pm, each week night.

It's not quite the London Underground, Paris Metro or Tokyo Subway, however with a little bit of love from the state transport planners - especially now that bus operators are moving toward new contracts - to create a frequent bus feeder network up and down the line, the Dandenong corridor soon and well into the future should be a focus for residential and employment land-use intensification.

When trains run directly to Flinders Street (which they will, permanently, once the metro tunnel is open), it takes 40 minutes to travel to the city where trains stop all stations to Caulfield, express to South Yarra train from Dandenong to the City (when the metro tunnel opens, they will express to Domain/ANZAC and then the next stop is Flinders Street). 

With the metro tunnel, signalling improvements, newer trains, it's conceivable, but not confirmed, a couple of minutes might be shaved off that journey time as well.

Regardless, up to 40 minutes to the City is a pretty good commute time, but also we can't ignore another large elephant in the south-east: the Monash cluster which will soon have a plan to grow employment and diversify land-use within the large area that neatly sits halfway between the city and the outer branches of the Dandenong corridor.

<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_interactive_zone_map.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Screenshot centred over Springvale on the State Government's Interactive Planning Scheme Map"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="289" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/vic_interactive_zone_map.png?itok=pDEFIIDs" title="Screenshot centred over Springvale on the State Government's Interactive Planning Scheme Map" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Screenshot centred over Springvale on the State Government's <a href="http://mapshare.maps.vic.gov.au/vicplan/">Interactive Planning Scheme Map</a></figcaption></figure>Taking a tour on Spring Street's new <a href="http://mapshare.maps.vic.gov.au/vicplan/">interactive planning scheme map</a>, we can see zoning supports intensification already, especially around the old towns that grew up along the 100+-year-old rail line and now form part of Melbourne's middle ring.

<a href="/new-apartments/carnegie-vic-3163">Carnegie</a>, being the closest suburb to the city when you exclude Caulfield, is and has seen a major transformation with many projects underway, recently built or in the pipeline.  <a href="/new-apartments/murrumbeena-vic-3163">Murrumbeena</a> doesn't have the same scale of Commerical zones but it is surrounded with Glen Eira and general residential zone which can support new apartment buildings up to 3 levels.

Hughesdale, the boundary between Glen Eira and Monash are in the same boat as Murrumbeena and <a href="/new-apartments/oakleigh-vic-3166">Oakleigh</a>, one of the largest centres within Monash, is subject to Commercial Zones which allow for a mix of uses.

Further down the line at Huntingdale, Westall, Sandown Park and Yarraman, there is no existing major retail strip or regional activity centre to piggyback off like in <a href="/new-apartments/clayton-vic-3168">Clayton</a>, <a href="/new-apartments/springvale-vic-3171">Springvale</a>, <a href="/new-apartments/noble-park-vic-3174">Noble Park</a> and Dandenong, but, again like in Murrumbeena and Hughesdale, the railway stations are surrounded by general residential zoning.

Clayton and Noble Park are like Carnegie in that they are liberally covered by a mixture of zones which allow for different typologies and when you throw Springvale and its very large &amp; diverse mix of zones surround its station, these three centres which skirt the edge of Monash cluster will be in prime position to take advantage of the demonstratable upgrades to the rail network that will be rolled out over the next 5-7 years.

And <a href="/new-apartments/dandenong-vic-3175">Dandenong</a>, at the end of line where frequencies will be the greatest is not shy of favourable planning zones nor a decent pipeline of existing projects that will see new buildings diversify the commercial-focused major south-east Melbourne centre.
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All the ingredients for land-use intensification on the Dandenong corridor are now in place

<html><body>
The pre-budget announcements of the initiatives to be contained within the budget continued over the weekend with the State Government announcing a $2.2 billion suburban &amp; growth area arterial road upgrade package.

Thankfully, at least some of the roads which were mentioned in the pre-budget announcement will include active transport infrastructure, such as shared bike &amp; pedestrian paths, to be built alongside most of the roads which will be duplicated from two to four lanes.

This announcement adds to the western arterial roads package which was first unveiled in November 2016 with both northern suburbs seeing 6 roads upgraded and the south eastern suburbs to see 7 arterial upgrades.

The upgrades are summarised as follows, click the hyperlinks to see a map of the area.

Northern:

<ul>
<li>Duplicate Craigieburn Road between <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/7mNdQkXt2gs">Mickleham Road and Hume Freeway</a> in Craigieburn.  A new shared cycling and pedestrian path will be built on both sides of the road.</li>
	<li>Widening Sunbury Road from two lanes to four between <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/gLhbkqz57pG2">Powlett Street and Bulla-Diggers Rest Road</a> in Sunbury.  A new shared cycling and pedestrian path will be built.</li>
	<li>Duplicating Bridge Inn Road between <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/QGqfUEDDKLR2">Plenty Road and Yan Yean Road</a> and Yan Yean Road between Kurrak Road and Bridge Inn Road in Doreen.  New walking and cycling paths will be constructed alongside both roads.</li>
	<li>Duplicating Epping Road from two to four lanes between <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/NYdAcq8q9GG2">Craigieburn Road East and Memorial Avenue</a>. A new shared cycling and pedestrian path will be built.</li>
	<li>Upgrading three intersections at <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/HJEXZxFzdHC2">Main Road, Porter Street </a><a href="https://goo.gl/maps/HJEXZxFzdHC2">and</a><a href="https://goo.gl/maps/HJEXZxFzdHC2"> Foote Street</a> on Fitzsimons Lane in Eltham.</li>
	<li>Duplicating Childs Road in Mill Park from <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/Gjxipp66DcG2">Beaumont Crescent to Prince of Wales Avenue</a>.  A new walking and cycling path will be built along Childs Road.</li>
</ul>
South Eastern:

<ul>
<li>Duplicating Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Road in Pakenham from two to four lanes between <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/Y7rXerFacpo">Princes Freeway and Manks Road</a>.  A new walking and cycle path will be constructed.</li>
	<li>Duplicating Narre Warren-Cranbourne Road in Cranbourne from two to four lanes between <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/Bp6PcyXADsP2">Thompsons Road and South Gippsland Highway</a>.</li>
	<li>Duplicating Lathams Road in Seaford from two to four lanes between <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/i71zykUmnjv">Oliphant Way and Dandenong-Frankston Road</a>, including a new bridge over Peninsula Link.</li>
	<li>Widening Pound Road West/Remington Drive in Dandenong South from two to four lanes between <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/RwUnZTFfJq22">Abbotts Road and South Gippsland Highway</a>, with a new bridge over the Cranbourne rail line.</li>
	<li>Duplicating Hallam North Road from two to four lanes between <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/HthdkEkGVrv">Heatherton Road and James Cook Drive</a>.  A new shared path will be constructed.</li>
	<li>Intersection and road safety upgrades on <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/mWvVoPWqQrw">Golf Links Road</a> from Peninsula Link to Baxter-Tooradin Road and Grant Road from Baxter-Tooradin Road to Frankston-Flinders Road in Langwarrin South.</li>
	<li>Upgrading two intersections with traffic lights on <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/AamT9ER59AH2">Thompsons Road</a> in Cranbourne.</li>
</ul>
The longest duplications appear to be Sunbury Road, stretching from Sunbury itself to Bulla and Koo Wee Rup Road from the Princes Freeway to Manks Road.

Koo Wee Rup Road is a faster route for vehicles between the Princes/Monash Freeway to the South Gippsland Highway and has previously been mooted as a freeway.  Perhaps this upgrade is a prelude to that.

Pound Road West and Lathams Road are two upgrades contained wholly within Industrial/Employment zones that will use overpasses over the Cranbourne railway line and Peninsula Link respectively. While the duplication of Childs Road will not reach as far as the South Morang railway line, a level crossing is still present in this area.
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Spring Street unveils $2.2 billion suburban and growth area roads upgrade package

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The final construction blitz and shutdown of rail services on the Dandenong corridor to enable the final section of the level crossing removal projects in the area to be completed has been announced.

From May 29th to June 17th buses will replace trains - the Level Crossing Removal Authority has not announced between which stations the railway line will be shut down, instead simply referring to 'sections of the Cranbourne and Pakenham lines'.

At the completion of the shutdown, the new Murrumbeena and Carnegie stations will be opened for passengers and all four level crossings between Caulfield and Oakleigh will be gone.

The track will be opened on June 17th through Hughestdale Station, however the station itself will not be open for passengers - the Level Crossing Removal Authority says that work will continue on that station, post-shutdown, and will be opened to the public 'later in the year'.

The State Government has also confirmed that in the budget, set to be released next week, $572 million will be allocated to upgrade rail infrastructure from the City to Pakenham/Cranbourne.

Upgraded power infrastructure and the official allocation of funds for the already announced high capacity signalling system will be funded.  The State Government also says this will help pave the way for the duplication of the Cranbourne line and will kick off the detailed investigative work on the Sunbury line to allow the new fleet of High Capacity Metro Trains to run on the line.

<blockquote>
Together with the Metro Tunnel, and new high capacity trains, the works will transform Melbourne’s busiest train lines – delivering more services, better reliability and room for an additional 234,000 peak passengers every week from Sunbury, Cranbourne and Pakenham.

The existing project to remove the level crossings between Caulfield and Dandenong has included the delivery of upgraded power, new track, longer platforms and modernised signalling.

This new project will expand these upgrades along the entire corridor to ensure new, high-capacity trains can reliably run all the way from Cranbourne and Pakenham to Sunbury – linked through the CBD by the Metro Tunnel.
<cite>Spring Street <a href="https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/upgrading-the-cranbourne-pakenham-and-sunbury-lines/">media release</a></cite>
</blockquote>

With the completion of Dandenong corridor's level crossing removal programme, Spring Street has announced trains will run every 10 minutes beyond the peaks on weekends.

Between 7pm and 10pm, trains between the city and Dandenong will run every 10 minutes - this is an increase in post-peak services from 3-4 trains per hour (15-20 minute frequencies) to 6 trains per hour.

Lead image credit: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/levelcrossings/photos/a.877411305666889.1073741829.843601892381164/1914460218628654/?type=3&amp;theater">LXRA on Facebook</a>.
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Final Dandenong corridor construction blitz, upgrade of service frequencies announced

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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