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We're back and we have our very first special guest, Professor Carolyn Whitzman.   

Two weeks ago the ABC kicked off a national debate on Australia's population which after a 4 Corners and Q &amp; A back-to-back, the debate was side-tracked &amp; got bogged-down in the country's immigration intake.  

Lot's of arm-flapping as Professor Whitzman describes it.

One of the biggest gaps in those two hours was the complete lack of planning, urban design or even architectural voices.  We're here to close that gap.

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Alastair Taylor

Weekly Podcast: Episode 7 - Special guest Carolyn Whitzman

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An amendment to the design and development overlay governing the Melbourne Metro project has been triggered and is now being advertised after the contractor for the tunnel and station build has refined the route the tunnels will take.

During the Environmental Effects Statement process, a DDO was applied to all land that could be directly impacted by the boring of tunnels and construction of stations as part of the rail project.

The Cross Yarra Partnership includes Lendlease, John Holland, Bouygues Construction and Capella Capital as consortium members.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">
More information on draft PSA, including the DDO maps, is available for feedback on our website from today until Tuesday 17 April 2018 <a href="https://t.co/GtBbR4Ut6W">https://t.co/GtBbR4Ut6W</a>
— Metro Tunnel (@metrotunnelvic) <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://twitter.com/metrotunnelvic/status/975554816712716288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2018</a>
</blockquote>

The new amendment seeks to add and remove various properties to the project land in the DDO which would be impacted by the slight realignment of the tunnel around Grattan and Swanston Street. 

Various other pieces of land, including streets, are also proposed to be added to the DDO - click the link in the Metro Tunnel's tweet above to see the full suite of documents.

<h2>Darebin Street tunnel civil works complete</h2>

The Level Crossing Removal Authority (LXRA) has announced the civil works on the duplication of the Darebin Street tunnel - a former single-track pinch point on the Hurstbridge Line between Heidelberg and Rosanna station - have been completed.

Work to start laying the track and installing the new catenary is set to commence.

<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/hurstbridge_tunnel.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="New and old Darebin Street tunnels - 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/hurstbridge_tunnel.jpg?itok=bpM1ZKdq" title="New and old Darebin Street tunnels - image: LXRA" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>New and old Darebin Street tunnels - image: LXRA</figcaption></figure>The Darebin Street tunnel works have been progressing at the same time as the new Rosanna Station &amp; elevated track over Lower Plenty Road are entering the final stages of construction (see lead image).  

The major Easter blitz, in the Hurstbridge line's case, will extend until the end of April when both the rail trench at Grange Road in Alphington and the elevated track at Rosanna are expected to be returned to service.

Thompsons Road in Cranbourne is hotting up as well with the new road bridge over the Cranbourne railway line well on its way to completion.  

VicRoads is delivering this level crossing removal as there is a broader road duplication project that extends beyond the scope of the level crossing removal.  Thompsons Road will be duplicated across the entire length between Dandenong-Frankston Road to Berwick-Cranbourne Road.  

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Metro Tunnel changes spark new planning amendment while level crossing removals power on

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The ministerial advisory committee set up as part Victorian Government's two-year Smart Planning reform program to look into and recommend improvements to the land use terms and definitions in the Victorian Planning Provisions is calling for submissions which relate to the discussion paper the committee published in late February 2018.

The Smart Planning program began life in July 2016 and has produced reforms such as streamlining regional planning policy (cutting 3000 pages from the planning schemes across the state), an interactive mapping tool for zone, overlay and other planning layer information across Victoria and began work on a new planning portal for the state which is due to be released by June 2018, according to the program's <a href="https://www.planning.vic.gov.au/policy-and-strategy/planning-reform/smart-planning-program">website</a>.

The ministerial advisory committee that is now seeking submissions was borne out of a past consultation round which recommended land use terms and their respective definitions be updated.

<blockquote>
In October 2017 the discussion paper, Reforming the Victoria Planning Provisions: A discussion paper was released which sought comment on a range of proposals to improve the system.

Proposal 5.2 of the Smart Planning discussion paper was to review and update the land use terms section of the Victoria Planning Provisions (VPP). The Advisory Committee was appointed following feedback from the Smart Planning consultation to address the submissions received.
<cite>Land Use Terms Advisory Committee - <a href="https://engage.vic.gov.au/application/files/1415/1970/8883/Land_Use_Terms_Advisory_Committee_Discussion_Paper_27_February_2018.pdf">Discussion Paper</a></cite>
</blockquote>

Richmond-based Ratio Consultants perhaps introduced it best in their most recent <a href="http://www.ratio.com.au/have-your-say-land-use-terms-discussion-paper-out-now">newsletter</a>. 

"Just as Shakespeare mused on the meaning of a name in Romeo and Juliet, planners and the public are being asked to turn their thoughts to the less romantic but important issue of land use terms following the release of a new discussion paper by Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DEWLP)", the opening paragraph reads.

"Recognising that not every proposal will fit a land use term like Cinderella’s slipper, the process’ guiding principles include focussing on what needs control due to particular amenity concerns and defining uses only when there is a need to aid interpretation."

Land use terms and definitions are referenced through the planning scheme and depending on the zone, certain land uses are prohibited, permitted without a permit or permitted with a permit.  Here's the current Land Use and Terms <a href="http://planningschemes.dpcd.vic.gov.au/schemes/vpps/74.pdf">document</a> in the Victorian Planning Provisions.

Individuals and organisations are free to structure their submissions how they see fit, however, the discussion paper asks 67 questions which "would assist the committee if you addressed the [following] questions".

Some examples from the discussion paper:

<blockquote>
2. Are there good reasons to change the practice that a land use listed in Clause 74 does not need to be defined, provided it has a well-defined common usage? What are these reasons?

25. Is there merit in defining Brewery, Distillery or Chocolate factory? If there is, how should they be treated in zones?

38. Is there a need to amend the definition of Medical centre, and what precise change is required?

45. Should Live music venue be listed in Clause 74, and if so how would it be defined?

57. What is the appropriate definition for Road?

65. Is there merit in defining Display village, and what should it include?
</blockquote>

To read the discussion paper, click <a href="https://engage.vic.gov.au/application/files/1415/1970/8883/Land_Use_Terms_Advisory_Committee_Discussion_Paper_27_February_2018.pdf">here</a>.  Submissions can be made on the <a href="https://engage.vic.gov.au/land-use-terms-advisory-committee">engage.vic.gov.au</a> website and must be received by the government by close of business on the 3rd of April 2018.
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What is a road? A solar farm? A Cafe? A Live music venue? Victoria seeks input on planning scheme land use terms and definitions

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Move over Woden, here comes Belconnen - Canberra developer Geocon Group has received approval from the ACT Government for its Republic project that is set to be the national capital's largest mix-use development which will also include the new tallest buildings in Canberra.

Construction is set to commence straight away on the $1 billion development which will be delivered over three stages.  According to the project's community consultation site, the three stages will include:

<ul>
<li>Stage 1: 387 apartments and serviced apartments with 118 public car spaces and a level 14 rooftop garden.</li>
	<li>Stage 2: 188 room hotel with 546 apartments and serviced apartments with 200 public car parks and a public observation level on the rooftop.</li>
	<li>Stage 3: 283 apartments and serviced apartments with 50 car parks.</li>
</ul>
Fender Katsalidis and Oculus Urban Planning lead the design &amp; planning team for the project and Abode Hotels will manage the hotel space.

<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/republic_belconnen.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Republic in Belconnen. Planning image"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="363" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/republic_belconnen.jpg?itok=ObvpYEbg" title="Republic in Belconnen. Planning image" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Republic in Belconnen. Planning image</figcaption></figure><h2>What they say</h2>

<blockquote>
We’re delighted that the ACT Government shares our vision on this project, and of the scope for exciting, well-planned development in town centres.

No-one can accuse Canberra of being boring or stuck in the past with this type of project going ahead. And it’s very, very timely with the rental crisis and our rapidly-growing population.

The 113-metre tower will look completely different to anything else in Canberra, with a 100 percent glazed façade. The amenities are spectacular and the views will be breathtaking
<cite>Geocon Managing Director Nick Georgalis</cite>
</blockquote>

Stage one has already sold 70 percent of its available units and stage two will start an expression of interest campaign in April.

Geocon says the entire development will include terrace houses, an amphitheatre, 'Melbourne-style' laneway shops, boutique office space, climate-controlled wine cellars, a wellness centre, spa, sauna, snow fountain, yoga and meditation spaces, concierge services, a kids wonderland and a landscape sky park with BBQ facilities.

Retail facilities will include a supermarket and the project will have good access to bus services from the nearby in Cohen Street.

The tower which will become the new tallest building for Canberra will rise in stage 2

<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/republic_belconnen3.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="New lanes will be implemented in Republic. Planning Image"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="363" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/republic_belconnen3.jpg?itok=MZQy3M7v" title="New lanes will be implemented in Republic. Planning Image" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>New lanes will be implemented in Republic. Planning Image</figcaption></figure>
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The tallest building in the nation's capital gets the nod, starts construction

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The Minister for Consumer Affairs Marlene Kairouz and the local member for Williamstown Wade Noonan opened a new development designed specifically for women and children escaping family violence.

The development saw an existing set of seven units replaced with 9 x 1 bedroom units and 11 x 2 bedroom units; the building will be managed by <a href="http://womenshousing.com.au">Women's Housing Limited</a>, a specialist community provider which focuses on housing for women over 55 and victims of family violence.

Finance for the development was provided as a grant through the Victorian Property Fund which in turn is funded through licensing fees and fines paid by estate agents and conveyancers.

Rents in the units capped at 30 percent of a household's income and according to WHL's website other eligibility criteria include tenants must not own or part-own property elsewhere, must have less than $30,000 in assets and have Australian citizenship or permanent residency status.

The Minister for Consumer Affairs Marlene Kairouz said "Women and children escaping family violence often face the immediate challenge of finding a new home.  That's why we have stepped in to fund these units that are safe, secure and that will help rebuild lives."

<blockquote>
The Labor Government provided a $5.6 million grant from the Victorian Property Fund (VPF) to Women’s Housing Limited to build the units.

Tenants for the new development will come from the public housing waiting list. To make them affordable, rent will be set at a maximum of 75 per cent of market price, or 30 per cent of a household’s income.

The units are located close to health and community services, public transport, shops and schools, and have been designed to meet at least a 6-star energy efficiency rating. This includes features to reduce energy and water consumption, helping to keep utility bills low.
</blockquote>

Other projects that have received grants from the <a href="https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/clubs-and-fundraising/funded-services-and-grants/victorian-property-fund-grants">Victorian Property Fund</a> include the City Gate conversion project which will see 32 studio, 5 x 1 bedroom, 11 x 2 bedroom and 2 x 3 bedroom units added to the community housing stock in St Kilda.

Likewise, Housing Choices Australia received a $4.9million grant from the VPF to finance conversions and new developments in Dandenong and Williamstown.
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Newport housing for victims of family violence opens

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The progressive diversification in the nature of employment that happens in Abbotsford might get a boost with a new planning application before Yarra City council.

Across Fitzroy, Collingwood and Abbotsford, many existing semi-industrial streets are seeing a progressive diversification of employment space and the latest proposal before the council would see that trend continue, albeit on a slightly larger scale compared to more recent small-street commercial developments.

The planning application currently displayed on Yarra City Councils website seeks permission for the proponent to build an 8 level plus 1 basement office building which will include a total of 2878sqm of commercial office space.

Architects CHT have designed a building to have a ground level break-out space and the basement level would see double the amount of bike spaces than car spaces.

The ground floor will also include 60sqm of retail space and the building will include standard end-of-trip facilities including showers, lockers, a bicycle repair station and disabled toilet facilities.

<h2>What they say</h2>

<blockquote>
The proposed development comprises an eight (8) storey building with a maximum parapet height of 30.2m, with lift overrun protruding an additional 1.7m.

The development proposes a contextual architectural response resulting in an elegantly crafted building that will set the benchmark for future development within the area. The building is apportioned into two primary components.

The podium form presents to Marine Parade as a 3-storey form, consistent with the existing 2-3 storey datum present along the southern side of Marine Parade. At 3 storeys the building can be read as a logical transition from the 1-2 storey residential properties along the northern side of Marine Parade.

The proposal seeks to enhance what is otherwise an uninspiring area through the incorporation of a highly glazed café tenancy and double-height commercial lobby. The glazed vertical street frontage juxtaposed against framed horizontal glazing reinforces the existing commercial character of the southern side of the street.

The character of the area is further reinforced at ground level through a series of punctuated glazed recesses set behind the street frontage. Above podium the building is appropriately set back to provide for a clear distinction between the lower and upper proportions of the building.

The elegantly crafted angular glazed fagade treatment sets a catalyst for the benchmark for future architectural quality within the area. To the rear of the development the corresponding angular design reinforces the architectural language of the building while capturing distant views of the Yarra River Corridor environs.
<cite>proUrban Town Planning report</cite>
</blockquote>

According to project documents lodged with the City of Yarra, the development has an estimated cost of construction value of $10,000,000.

<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/marine_ode_abbotsford_1.png" rel="gallery-all" title="1E Marine Parade, Abbotsford - image: CHT Architects"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="278" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/marine_ode_abbotsford_1.png?itok=mlPb3FNG" title="1E Marine Parade, Abbotsford - image: CHT Architects" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>1E Marine Parade, Abbotsford - image: CHT Architects</figcaption></figure>Project team:

<ul>
<li>Proponent: NewBart Investments Pty Ltd </li>
	<li>Architect: CHT Architects</li>
	<li>Urban Planner: Pro Urban</li>
	<li>Traffic Consultant: Ratio</li>
	<li>ESD Consultant: GIW Environmental Solutions</li>
	<li>Waste Management Consultant: Ratio</li>
</ul>
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Abbotsford's small-street commercial market set to expand

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In November 2017 City of Stonnington received amended plans for 671 Chapel Street wherein the architect for the project, Architecton, has reduced the overall height of the building which in turn has reduced the overall amount of dwellings planned for the project.

Originally lodged with Council during 2015 with 30 levels and 352 apartments, the amended plans would see 671 Chapel Street weigh in at 21 levels with a total dwelling count of 158. The 2015 proposal had an average of 12 apartments per floor, although the amended plans will see this figure average out at  9 apartments per floor.

The amended proposal maintains a rooftop garden, plus 2,940 square metres of commercial space.

<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/671_chapel_redesign2.png" rel="gallery-all" title="671 Chapel Street, South Yarra redesign - image: Architecton"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="378" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/671_chapel_redesign2.png?itok=sYggrfC9" title="671 Chapel Street, South Yarra redesign - image: Architecton" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>671 Chapel Street, South Yarra redesign - image: Architecton</figcaption></figure>The Stonnington Leader reported that the scale of the proposal had changed after consultation with council staff, and that the latest amendment received 30 objections. The amendment was approved by Stonnington council early in February with a 5-2 vote, however that did not stop one councillor airing his disapproval through the local newspaper.

Councillor Matthew Koce, one of the two no votes, in reference to the project located adjacent to Melbourne High School and its overall prominence in the area, told the Stonnington Leader "Melbourne High is meant to be a castle on a hill, it’s turning more and more into a sand castle."

Nonetheless proponent Lantern River Pty Ltd has gained the right to deliver the tower.

<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_1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Capitol Grand's lift cores now well and truly above street level - image: 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/capitol_grand_1.jpg?itok=LJNPIJXL" title="Capitol Grand's lift cores now well and truly above street level - image: UM user redden" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Capitol Grand's lift cores now well and truly above street level - image: UM user redden</figcaption></figure>South Yarra's Forrest Hill precinct has seen intensive development over more than a decade with one of its largest buildings, Capitol Grand located just down the street from 671 Chapel Street, attracting intense interest on the <a href="/news">Apartments.com.au Forum</a>.

Capitol Grand will be the first 'skyscraper' (a building with a roof height over 152.4 metres (that's 500 feet in the old money) outside Melbourne's CBD, Southbank, St Kilda Road or Docklands precincts.

Seen above is the latest construction image of Capitol Grand, posted by UM user redden, dated early March.
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671 Chapel Street gets a redesign, approved by Stonnington council

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<h2>Comment</h2>

The Premier has announced stage 2 of the latest round of Monash Freeway widening will include thickening the road in the midsection of the road as well as widening the road as far as Cardinia Road.

Curiously, widening works will mean outbound lanes from Warrigal Road to Eastlink will go from 4 to 5 lanes but the inbound widening from 4 to 5 lanes will only occur from Eastlink to Springvale Road. 

The second half of the old Berwick bypass section will be widened from Clyde Road to Cardinia Road on the Pakenham bypass section of the road from 2 to 3 lanes in each direction as part of stage 2 which has now been submitted to Infrastructure Australia for approval. 

O'Shea Road, a collector in Berwick South will be duplicated and extended to the Beaconsfield interchange as well.

It is well documented that Victoria (and Australia for that matter) does not have an effective demand management system or pricing regime on roads - every vehicle class pays the same level of registration and effectively the road network is a free-for-all when it comes to motorised travel - and therefore pressure is relentlessly piled on to expand major roads every 5-10 years thanks to induced demand and a growing outer south-east population.

Road planners clearly only see a need for road widening in the central part of the road, between Warrigal Road and the South Gippsland FWY interchange - the city end of the road is left untouched in this round of expansion.

With that in mind, if the perceived need is confined to such a focused area, why are we reaching for the road expansion political playbook and not looking at alternatives?

The central part of the Monash Freeway runs right through, you guessed it, the Monash employment and innovation cluster, the same area which the Victorian Planning Authority is working on a specialised structure land-use plan.

Even the most ardent public and active transport campaigners recognise roads can have productive non-commuting uses that just cannot be shifted to an alternative mode but in the context of no demand management policy, a significant amount of our road network at different times of the day is filled with single-occupant cars.

<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/space_emissions_institute_sensible_transport_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Emissions and space required for different forms of transport - image: Institute for Sensible Transport"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="407" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/space_emissions_institute_sensible_transport_0.jpg?itok=pvWlNzcr" title="Emissions and space required for different forms of transport - image: Institute for Sensible Transport" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Emissions and space required for different forms of transport - image: <a href="https://urban.melbourne/sustainability-environment/2018/03/17/transport-emissions-and-space-we-have-transition-targets-one-not-other">Institute for Sensible Transport</a></figcaption></figure>We're yet to see the detail of the VPA's work on the Monash cluster and what it might look like over time, however, all signs are pointing to a greater concentration of employment uses in the area.  If you start with the mindset that most people are going to continue to drive to this area, the thickening of the Monash Freeway through the central portion of the road makes sense.

The other major arterial slicing through the region is, of course, the Pakenham/Cranbourne rail lines which are seeing enormous amounts of investment, as Spring Street would hasten to point out, however we're yet to see if the new Turn-Up-And-Go (TUAG) service the state government has been spruiking for the rail line after all the projects are complete will be useful for people who don't live or work in the centre of the city.

Sure, the Melbourne Metro Tunnel will connect the western suburbs and the south eastern suburbs with a one-seat journey and will facilitate growth in the west, however the eastern side of the metropolitan area is where the majority of Melbourne's population currently lives and therefore a lot of the heavy passenger lifting will be done on the eastern section of the new metro line.

The metro tunnel + level crossing removals + new High-Capacity Metro Train (HCMT) + new signalling &amp; power infrastructure programme will unlock capacity in stages right up until the final one when the metro tunnel opens - with even more capacity on the horizon after the metro tunnel opens with a subsequent set of projects to lengthen platforms in order for 10 car trains to eventually run on the line.

But surely we can trial alternatives to never-ending freeway widening by rethinking rail feeder services?

There's scant talk of turning bus routes - whether existing or those that could be altered - into operations that compliment the TUAG nature of the new metro line. 

If passengers are forced to make two service changes in a single journey, such as bus-train-bus, the rule of thumb appears to be to shut down that kind of talk in Melbourne. 

Yet look at the new paradigm and the rail network - frequencies and passenger carrying capacity is going up - are we not about to enter into the best possible situation to at least trial a proper, high frequency rail and bus network in the middle and outer suburbs which we know are going to see more residential and employment growth?

Look at the success of bus routes when they are made more frequent (and focused) between Huntingdale station and Monash University - surely within the context of the Monash employment cluster framework, many more of these high-frequency &amp; short bus routes will need to be deployed?  
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The Monash Freeway widening juggernaut rolls on, has anyone in government thought of alternatives?

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They say a picture speaks a thousand words and in this case, it really does.  The following infographic was produced by the <a href="https://sensibletransport.org.au/">Institute of Sensible Transport</a> and shared through the Public Transport Users Association's facebook page.

It breaks down the emissions produced per person-kilometre travelled as well as the amount of space required for an occupant on a scale from dirtiest to cleanest from an emission's perspective.  And while a picture may speak a thousand words, it's worth writing a few hundred words about it.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">
This terrific diagram from <a href="https://twitter.com/ElliotFishman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ElliotFishman</a> compares emissions and space consumption for different transport modes.  <a href="https://t.co/EQPWwaJJQY">pic.twitter.com/EQPWwaJJQY</a>
— PTUA (@ptua) <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://twitter.com/ptua/status/974109029348724737?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 15, 2018</a>
</blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>Anything that operates on electricity from the grid at present will have varying degrees of 'dirtiness' lurking over any respective green image due to much of our electricity produced through fossil fuels despite a transition to more renewable generation being added to the grid.

By the end of 2018, Victoria will likely have another gigawatt (1000MW) of grid-connected renewables either completed or under construction which will increase renewables in the mix as there are no fossil fuel generators under development.

Some of these projects include the 530MW <a href="https://www.stockyardhillwindfarm.com.au/">Stockyard Hill</a> wind farm located west of Ballarat, the 226MW <a href="http://www.murrawarra-windfarm.com/">Murra Warra</a> wind farm located north of Horsham and recently reached financial close, the 100MW <a href="https://numurkahsolarfarm.com.au/">Numurkah solar farm</a> and the 110MW <a href="http://www.bannertonsolarfarm.com.au/">Bannerton Park</a> solar farm located near Robinvale.  There's over 3 gigawatts worth of Wind Farms that have received <a href="https://www.energy.vic.gov.au/renewable-energy/wind-energy/wind-projects">ministerial approval or are in the process of being assessed</a>.

Bannerton Park and Numurkah grabbed headlines last year when it was announced they were both the successful renewable energy projects that tendered for the Yarra Trams power contract.

As the national grid sees more and more renewables connected, the emissions per person-kilometre travelled will decrease - we're very much on that journey right now.

<h2>For cities, the emissions problem is on the way to being solved, but what about space?</h2>

In a few decades, we might reach the point where all electricity generation in Victoria and indeed across the country has transitioned to renewable generation and storage as well as all new cars, trucks and buses are either powered by electricity or a fuel produced by renewable energy such as <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-03-08/worlds-largest-solar-and-wind-hydrogen-plant-proposed-for-sa/9526706">hydrogen</a>. 

It's really not hard to envision that future with wind and solar now among the cheapest forms of new generation and likewise, storage technology price reductions are driving growth at the grid level and in detached dwellings and businesses.

We have targets at the Federal and State level that have focused investment in renewable energy generation - the South Australian Labor party even announced a storage target during its election pitch - however we don't have city, state or national transport mode share targets for cities.

At a precinct level we're starting to see targets - case in point, Fishermans Bend is aiming to have 80% of all trips to, from and within handled by sustainable modes of transport (walking, cycling, public transport), but nothing at a city or state-wide level.

In the context of a Melbourne &amp; Sydney that are predicted to have their populations increase to 8 million by the middle of the century through increased densities, should we not have targets for our cities to shift away from space-hogging private transport to more space-efficient public transport and active transport modes?

 
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Transport emissions and space - we have transition targets for one but not the other

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A new organisation to represent the interests of existing businesses in Fishermans Bend has launched. 

The registered association, Fishermans Bend Business Forum, sees itself as the body for local businesses already operating in Fishermans Bend, and it has eight priorities it wishes to engage with both local and state governments.

According to the forum's rules of association, their  purpose for bring includes:

<ul>
<li>Providing businesses located in the Fishermans development precinct with a unified voice </li>
	<li>To engage with political decision-makers at the federal, state and local level to deliver real results for our members and the broader business community </li>
	<li>To provide opportunities for members to network and collaborate in improving individual businesses and the local economy </li>
	<li>To tackle issues that impact on members’ business and ensure that they are on the public policy agenda</li>
	<li>To work with developers, transport authorities, planners and investors to ensure quality outcomes that are conducive to good business outcomes for the Fishermans Bend precinct</li>
</ul>
Speaking with Apartments.com.au, interim executive officer David Weston said the new forum was awarded a small grant to build a database of existing businesses - so far the forum has identified 338 businesses and they estimate there are another 100 in the wider Fishermans Bend Area.

Like many individuals and organisations who have made a submission to the Fishermans Bend planning review process, the Fishermans Bend Business Forum, is pushing for government to invest in the public transport initiatives sooner.

Of particular concern is the Employment Precinct - the forum believes there are many businesses already operating in the area that will require large amounts of car parking, regardless of a transitionary period and that without the heavy rail component of the integrated transport plan, the forum believes some of the mode share targets will not be achievable.

The cement terminal in Fishermans Bend is a highly strategic piece of state infrastructure as much of the state's cement passes through it and with each ship which docks there, that generates up 30 truck loads on Lorimer Street.

Lorimer Street is set to have a significant focus for cycling and the forum believes more work needs to be done in this area given the strategic importance of the cement terminal &amp; the truck trips it will generate and the potential conflict this will have with an on-road cycling network.

The forum also would like to see an economic impact assessment completed with regards to businesses transitioning out of the area. The cement terminal is one of many pieces of infrastructure in the area that might come under pressure for transitioning and the forum believes it would be in the public interest to assess the impacts on a wider range of businesses possibly transitioning out of Fishermans Bend.

The Fishermans Bend Business Forum will be launched at Pier 35 tonight (March 15th) where the chair of the Fishermans Bend Ministerial Advisory Committee Meredith Sussex will also speak on the Government's vision for the area.
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New Fishermans Bend Business Forum launches

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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