<html><body>
This week's focus on Melbourne's hotspots of development leads us to Carnegie which is currently seeing significant public investment through the level crossing removal programme on the Pakenham/Cranbourne lines. Laila Residences is an example of one the <a href="/buildings/laila-residences-7-11-belsize-avenue-carnegie">modern developments</a> in Carnegie. 

Carnegie sees no less than <a href="/new-apartments/carnegie-vic-3163">28 projects</a> on the Apartments.com.au project database ranging from 'Goldilocks' (RGZ) zone-scale development to the much larger scale - the latter especially on sites lying to the north of the railway line.

The 9 level crossing removals that are currently underway between Caulfield and Dandenong see three distinct zones of work:  Noble Park (now complete), Clayton (the section most likely to open next) and Carnegie, Murrumbeena and Hughesdale.

The railway line is being elevated between Caulfield and Oakleigh and with that three new stations are being built to replace existing stations.  The end-game is that there will be no level crossing between the City and Dandenong eventually, paving the way for higher frequency services that will eventually link directly to the Melbourne metro tunnel.

And it's in the context of the Melbourne Metro project and the omnipresent Caulfield campus of Monash University that often draws owner-occupiers and investors into Carnegie. 

Thanks to a permanent express stopping pattern from Caulfield to South Yarra - and one that is likely to be maintained but just diverted to the new ANZAC (née Domain) station and then onto Town Hall (née Flinders Street) through the Melbourne Metro tunnel - trains from Carnegie are timetabled to arrive at Flinders Street 15-16 minutes later when they run direct.

Contrast this with <a href="/news/moonee-ponds-apartment-scene-in-focus">Moonee Ponds</a> which, as the crow flies, is 6-7km from the city versus Carnegie at 12km: the direct train journey to Flinders Street from Moonee Ponds is timetabled for 16-17 minutes.

<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/murrumbeena.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Station canopy modules have begun to appear one stop down the line at Murrumbeena - image: LXRA"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="459" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/murrumbeena.jpg?itok=Aabph4VD" title="Station canopy modules have begun to appear one stop down the line at Murrumbeena - image: LXRA" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Station canopy modules have begun to appear one stop down the line at Murrumbeena - image: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pg/levelcrossings/photos/?ref=page_internal">LXRA</a></figcaption></figure>Dissecting the project pipeline in Carnegie, there are 10 projects under construction, 8 at sales and the remaining 10 projects either approved or currently with Glen Eira council for planning assessment.

With a very strong pipeline where over a third of the projects in the suburb being under construction, points to a great deal of new rental supply likely to come online as projects transition to completion.

For buyers there's plenty of choices - not just with the current number of projects that are actively being marketed but also with the pipeline of projects still to come.

Carnegie is one of the three main enclaves of 'Goldilocks' zone in the City of Glen Eira.  The others are Bentleigh and Elsternwick.

The 'Goldilocks' zone is how we colloquially refer to the Residential Growth Zone.  It's not too cold ('suburban'/under development), not too hot (30 level towers next to suburban backyards), but just right: new buildings that can introduce a mix of uses on the ground floor with up to 3 more residential dwelling levels above.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!4v1519262743508!6m8!1m7!1sztSxeSIGtheRD9eXt-BrjQ!2m2!1d-37.88896834209392!2d145.056283217642!3f336.0481383140882!4f8.806939711911198!5f0.7820865974627469" style="border:0" width="100%"></iframe>Check out the full list of Carnegie projects on the database below.
</body></html>

Alastair Taylor

Carnegie's apartment scene in focus

<html><body>
Construction is set to commence on the Genton-designed refreshed Frankston station this month which is set to include new public plazas and walkways. McGregor Coxall have worked with Genton during the design phase, accounting for the station's new landscape architecture features.

<a href="/architects/genton">Genton Architecture</a> was announced as the winner of the design competition in March 2017 and Spring Street has announced it has awarded the build contract to an alliance led by John Holland and KBR.

The design competition was chaired by the Office of the Victorian Government Architect, the registrar for the competition was Stephen Varady and the jury empanelled for the design competition unanimously chose Genton's design from a total of 39 entries.

The Level Crossing Removal Authority will have oversight of the project and will coordinate work with the nearby Skye/Overton Road level crossing removal work site.

The Frankston railway line, on the authority's website, will see 13 level crossing removals in total and purportedly create 2000 jobs during the construction phase and combined with the new Frankston station will near $2 billion in rail investment in the corridor.

<iframe allowfullscreen="true" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="350" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FDanielAndrewsMP%2Fvideos%2F1682850271779502%2F&amp;show_text=0&amp;width=560" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" width="100%"></iframe>

Frankston also has a small, yet tidy, non-transport development pipeline with a total of 7 projects - 2 commercial projects and 5 residential projects located in the Frankston Activities District or on its periphery.

Further up the line there is a scattering of projects on the section of the railway line which runs parallel to Port Phillip south of Moordialloc with <a href="/new-apartments/chelsea-vic-3196">Chelsea</a>, <a href="/new-apartments/edithvale-vic-3196">Edithvale</a>, and <a href="/new-apartments/seaford-vic-3198">Seaford</a> all registering a few projects each.

The section of the line between <a href="/new-apartments/mordialloc-vic-3195">Mordialloc</a> and Caulfield is where the bulk of new development is occurring in this section of Melbourne when we isolate rail corridors.

Between <a href="/new-apartments/cheltenham-vic-3192">Cheltenham</a> station and Southland Shopping Centre, there are 13 projects with the bulk of them being assessed by Kingston City Council.

Between Southland Shopping Centre and <a href="/new-apartments/highett-vic-3190">Highett</a>, there are 14 projects with 4 under construction and 6 actively being marketed.

In the immediate vicinity of <a href="/new-apartments/moorabbin-vic-3189">Moorabbin</a> station there are 6 projects and reflecting their position closer to the city, <a href="/new-apartments/bentleigh-vic-3204">Bentleigh</a>, <a href="/new-apartments/mckinnon-vic-3204">McKinnon</a>, <a href="/new-apartments/ormond-vic-3204">Ormond</a> and <a href="/new-apartments/glen-huntly-vic-3163">Glenhuntly</a> stations have a combined 31 projects in the pipeline.

See below for the list of projects in Frankston on the Apartments.com.au Project Database.
</body></html>

Construction kicks off on new Frankston Station

<html><body>
Long gone are the days when Eddie McGuire was helping out with the marketing of Mondo Tower on the Footy Show - back then it was the tallest residential tower proposed outside of central Melbourne. These days Moonee Ponds joins the likes of Box Hill in not needing specialist marketing to get projects off the ground.

Moonee Ponds - one of the Melbourne suburbs that the publishers of Melway street directories decided was important enough to warrant its own close-up red-border maps in later versions of the local map bible - is blessed with a distinct street-grid area that has for much of its life see a range of commercial/retail uses.

The ATO was drawn to Moonee Ponds during the 80s (note also that the ATO has tenanted a new office tower in Box Hill), Mirvac built a sub-regional shopping centre there in the early 2000s and the guardians of the Moonee Valley Racecourse - distinct from other racecourses in that it doesn't sit on crown land - have ambitious aspirations to re-work the course into a diversified precinct.

<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/masonsq.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Mason Square - 40 Hall Street, Moonee Ponds"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="406" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/masonsq.jpg?itok=_gLfb0S3" title="Mason Square - 40 Hall Street, Moonee Ponds" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Mason Square - 40 Hall Street, Moonee Ponds</figcaption></figure>As I mentioned in the <a href="/guides/weekly-podcast-episode-3-central-melbourne-design-guide-box-hill-and-skyrail">most recent episode of the weekly podcast</a>, we have an endless fascination with Box Hill and the eye-popping amount of development proposals it has racked up - the same can be said for Moonee Ponds.

On the numbers, Box Hill has 31 projects on the Apartments.com.au Project Database compared to 25 in Moonee Ponds.  

Moonee Ponds like Box Hill also has a good range in terms of scale of development either proposed or under construction. On the old market site, Caydon is building at the upper end of the scale, well and truly dwarfing Mondo in height and number of apartments. 

Yet there are also a lot of smaller developments happening on the periphery of Moonee Ponds' activities district.

<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/350_ascot.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="350 Ascot Vale Road, Moonee Ponds"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="380" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/350_ascot.jpg?itok=T3_9XFFr" title="350 Ascot Vale Road, Moonee Ponds" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>350 Ascot Vale Road, Moonee Ponds</figcaption></figure>Projects such as <a href="/buildings/350-ascot-vale-road-moonee-ponds">350 Ascot Vale Road</a> are common on the periphery of central Moonee Ponds, so too are projects such as <a href="/buildings/nue-21-norwood-crescent-moonee-ponds">Nue</a> on the other side of the Craigieburn railway line and <a href="/new-apartments/moonee-ponds-vic-3039">Queens Quarter</a> located on Pascoe Vale Road just outside central Moonee Ponds.

Apartments.com.au editors have noticed some new site works occurring recently on the 33 Hall Street site - a long time after the original retail + rooftop car parking building that once inhabited the site had been demolished. Expected is a 14 level apartment tower.

Looking forward, we are waiting to see more detail on the Moonee Valley Racecourse redevelopment.

The new vision for the racetrack <a href="https://www.thevalley.com.au/news/2017-11-22/the-valley-of-tomorrow">was unveiled during November 2017</a> however it only focused on the equestrian facilities - in previous iterations, the racecourse would have seen a large number of residential buildings added to the area.

And there are still a large number of open-air car parks in the activities district - <a href="/news/are-standalone-supermarkets-and-small-retail-centres-in-our-suburbs-ripe-for-increasing-housing-supply">could Woolworths do an Aldi and redevelopment them</a>?

Lead image: <a href="/buildings/9-shuter-street-moonee-ponds">9 Shuter Street</a>.
</body></html>

Moonee Ponds' apartment scene in focus

<html><body>
Last week Public Transport Victoria unleashed a torrent of data concerning punctuality and cancellation figures for Melbourne's train network with the Frankston line bestowed with the unfortunate title of train line with the most cancellations.

I understand the public interest value of this data - it's a way of holding operators (and the government) to account - however I wonder about the efficacy of this going forward, given the stated aim of Metro 1 to operate on a turn up and go basis.

'Turn up and go' (TUAG) is a concise way to convey: trains will run that frequently so you don't need to structure your journey around a timetable, you need only rock up to a station and a train will arrive relatively quickly. 

It is the rolled-gold standard of train operations in cities and in some cases Melburnians can do it already with how our network bunches lines at certain points which in turn creates high frequency of service. 

Between South Yarra and the City, between Burnley and the City, between Footscray and the city, between Clifton Hill and the city - these are the areas where it's very much possible to simply turn up and go outside of peaks and on weekends under existing operational timetables.

However, as stated on many occasions by the state government, the entire Pakenham/Cranbourne-Sunbury line - as they claim - will become a TUAG line - meaning frequencies are set to increase and given the lack of any other clarifying statements to the contrary, we are lead to believe frequencies will be better than they are now in off-peak and weekend periods.

<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/schematic_stage_2_after_melb_metro.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Line frequencies in peak after Metro 1 is complete - PTV Network Development Plan 2013"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="437" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/schematic_stage_2_after_melb_metro.png?itok=l5F5LgO-" title="Line frequencies in peak after Metro 1 is complete - PTV Network Development Plan 2013" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Line frequencies in peak after Metro 1 is complete - PTV Network Development Plan 2013</figcaption></figure>We know that as part of the Melbourne Metro Tunnel (Metro 1) project that there are several 'wider network enhancements' budgeted for which will see stations like Westall, West Footscray, Essendon and Cheltenham have new train turn-back facilities either built as new or upgraded to allow for shorter runs on their respective lines, thus increasing frequencies in the parts of the network which have or are expected to shoulder a heavier load.

But will measuring punctuality or cancellations mean much when the government wants us to effectively ditch living our lives by a train timetable?  Should it?

The new cross-town line created by the Metro 1 tunnel will have a dedicated train fleet which, from the outset, will be able to carry more passengers when you compare one trainset to any other type running on the network.

Likewise, when the Metro 1 opens for passengers, these former 'City Loop' lines will only have to interact with 1-2 Vline trains in any given hour (Bendigo Vline on the Sunbury side, Gippsland Vline on the Pakenham side) as well as the odd freight train, presumably only outside peak hours.

This contrasts with their respective &amp; current interaction with the Frankston (and Sandringham on weekends) on the Pakenham/Cranbourne side and the Craigieburn &amp; Upfield lines on the Sunbury side on top of the Vline and freight services.

Under the operational regime once Metro 1 opens and the fleet which operates Pakenham, Cranbourne and Sunbury lines is transferred to other lines, the Frankston, Craigieburn, Upfield, Werribee, Williamstown and Sandringham lines will all be in the same boat: either less interaction with other train lines or outright operational changes. 

In short, the infrastructure will support having a higher frequency of timetable updates and will allow trains on those other lines to run more frequently - the Metro 1 project doesn't just selectively benefit two narrow corridors of Melbourne's Metropolitan area, it actually benefits the majority of Melbourne's rail lines.

<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/mm-web-20171204-benefits.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Stated line benefits from the Metro Tunnel website - www.metrotunnel.vic.gov.au"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="361" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/mm-web-20171204-benefits.jpg?itok=7bZi1lIQ" title="Stated line benefits from the Metro Tunnel website - www.metrotunnel.vic.gov.au" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Stated line benefits from the Metro Tunnel website - www.metrotunnel.vic.gov.au</figcaption></figure>For instance, the Werribee/Williamstown line, according to the <a href="/news">PTV's network development plan from 2013</a>, will join in gunzel matrimony, the Frankston line will get sole use of the existing loop tunnel that it currently shares with Pakenham/Cranbourne and the Craigieburn and Upfield lines and likewise, Craigieburn and Upfield services will - naturally - not have to fight for space in the current loop tunnel that it shares with Sunbury.

All of them are going to see significant peak increases therefore according to the 2013 network development plan, in peak times at least, and the TUAG-factor on these lines will be enhanced just like the Metro 1 line.

So taking into account all of the above, should the train operator of the day be judged based on the average frequency it provides on specific lines? 
</body></html>

When Metro 1 opens, will punctuality figures become redundant?

<html><body>
In this week's wrap:

<ul>
<li>City of Melbourne's Central Melbourne Design Guide</li>
	<li>Noble Park and "skyrail"</li>
	<li>Box Hill &amp; it's intense development</li>
	<li>HomesVic.</li>
</ul>
With apologies around the 2 minute mark, it's not always nice living in Brunswick where you can live under the flight path of choppers!

<iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="300" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/400338993&amp;color=%23ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;show_teaser=true&amp;visual=true" width="100%"></iframe>
</body></html>

Weekly Podcast: Episode 3 - Central Melbourne Design Guide, Box Hill and Skyrail

<html><body>
Agenda item 6.1 at the upcoming Future Melbourne committee meeting at City of Melbourne includes <a href="http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/about-council/committees-meetings/meeting-archive/MeetingAgendaItemAttachments/805/14437/AGENDA%20ITEM%206.1.pdf">a meaty document</a> that seeks to reshape the way new CBD and Southbank developments are composed, and similarly how they're presented to all of us on the footpath.

One of the main outputs in the amendment process is to include a Central Melbourne Design Guide which outlines through imagery what, in the council's view, are acceptable and avoidable built-form outcomes.

The report's opening statements characterise the amendment thus:

<blockquote>
Amendment C270 specifies minimum setbacks from streets and laneways, building separation requirements and overshadowing and wind requirements in two types of precincts, defined as Special Character Areas and the General Development Area.

It also introduced density controls, comprising a floor area ratio threshold with public benefits.

It did not consider the interface of buildings with the street, public realm and architectural quality, which is the focus of Amendment C308
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/fut_melb_comm_308.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Land affected by amendment 308 - image: City of Melbourne"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="558" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/fut_melb_comm_308.png?itok=JiPqkWrr" title="Land affected by amendment 308 - image: City of Melbourne" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Land affected by amendment 308 - image: City of Melbourne</figcaption></figure>Amendment 308 proposes to replace the existing Design and Development Schedule 1 (DDO1) with a new schedule that would include mandatory requirements including:

<blockquote>
<ul>
<li>car parking in buildings within the Hoddle Grid to be underground (in line with current practice)</li>
	<li>car parking in buildings within Southbank must be sleeved with active uses and configured to be adaptable to future uses (including floor to ceiling heights)</li>
	<li>less than 40 per cent of the ground floor of a building to be occupied by building services to reduce blank facades along streets</li>
	<li>the existing Retail Core requirement for 80 per cent active frontages to main streets and streets is to be expanded to encompass the Specia</li>
</ul>
</blockquote>

The new schedule to the DDO will also list outcomes that should be avoided by describing building examples which are not desirable 'as they cumulatively detract from a high-quality public realm'.

A key recommendation in the supporting synthesis report listed in the amendment documents is to create a Central Melbourne Design Guide to provide clarity for Planners, Applicants and the Community to understand the elements of the policy.  

The design guide, attached to the amendment documents, would be integrated as a reference document within the City of Melbourne's planning scheme which would repeat the wording of the proposed new Schedule 1 to the Design and Development overlay with clear graphic explanation and would use sketch and precedent images to 'clearly articulate preferred outcomes as a guide for design negotiation'.

<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/com_design_guide.png" rel="gallery-all" title="A snapshot from the Central Melbourne Design Guide - image: City of Melbourne"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="668" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/com_design_guide.png?itok=diJdF9fh" title="A snapshot from the Central Melbourne Design Guide - image: City of Melbourne" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>A snapshot from the Central Melbourne Design Guide - image: City of Melbourne</figcaption></figure>At the Future Melbourne Committee meeting on the 20th of February, City of Melbourne management are seeking endorsement to then request the authorisation of the Planning Minister to prepare and exhibit Amendment 308 to the Melbourne Planning Scheme.

Click <a href="http://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/about-council/committees-meetings/meeting-archive/MeetingAgendaItemAttachments/805/14437/AGENDA%20ITEM%206.1.pdf">here</a> to read the full document suite.  The Central Melbourne Design Guide starts on page 176 of 259.
</body></html>

City of Melbourne's amendment 308 seeks to implement a new central city design guide

<html><body>
The first of the new elevated stations on the Caulfield-Dandenong corridor has opened to passengers with the Premier, Public Transport Minister and local members on hand to officially re-open Noble Park station.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">
A new era dawned at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NoblePark?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NoblePark</a> this morning! Thanks for your patience during these <a href="https://twitter.com/levelcrossings?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@levelcrossings</a> works. 
There will be some access changes in and around the forecourt and station precinct at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NoblePark?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NoblePark</a> as works continue. Details: <a href="https://t.co/78RkXTctmt">https://t.co/78RkXTctmt</a>. <a href="https://t.co/l706NXtalk">pic.twitter.com/l706NXtalk</a>
— Metro Trains (@metrotrains) <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://twitter.com/metrotrains/status/963950068968579073?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2018</a>
</blockquote>

The opening of the new section of elevated track and station is the start of multiple level crossing removal completions slated to come to a close by the end of the year in the Pakenham/Cranbourne line rail corridor.  It's likely (albeit unconfirmed) that Clayton will be the next section to open given the large amount of work still to be completed in the Caulfield-Oakleigh section.

When the elevated sections of track have been completed it will mean there will be no level crossings between the city and Dandenong and when the South Gippsland Highway, Hallam South Road and Clyde Road get underway, there will only be 8 level crossings remaining on the Pakenham branch and 2 remaining on the Cranbourne branch.

The 9 remaining Pakenham branch level crossings are Webster Street in Dandenong, Progress Street in Eumemmering, Webb Street in Narre Warren, Station Street in Beaconsfield, Brunt Road and Station Street in Officer, Cardinia Road in Lakeside as well as McGregor Road and Main Street in Pakenham.

The final 2 Cranbourne branch level crossings are Greens Road in Dandenong South and Camms Road in Cranbourne - Evans Road near Merinda Park is technically a level crossing but the road is blocked at the Cranbourne railway line.  

Abbots Road and Thompson Road level crossings on the Cranbourne branch are currently being removed.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">
More sky rail <a href="https://t.co/VO3iFJQJVA">pic.twitter.com/VO3iFJQJVA</a>
— Robert Dow (@Robert_Dow) <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://twitter.com/Robert_Dow/status/963878183392002048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2018</a>
</blockquote>

The re-opening of Noble Park comes on the same day that almost two decades worth of punctuality and service cancellation data was released by Public Transport Victoria.

Interestingly, the Frankston line has seen the most cancellations and if you've watched the tweeted video above, there's some enthusiastic support for 'skyrailing' Frankston from at least one passenger who was recorded in the background.

The data dump is an interesting development, as <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/when-it-comes-to-train-cancellations-frankston-line-fares-the-worst-20180214-p4z0bm">The Age reports</a>, it's Spring Street fulfilling a promise when the new operator contracts were signed.

Having the data is wonderful, but what hasn't happened, yet at least?  A release of a full-scale long-term Public Transport network development plan which is designed to improve the infrastructure which impacts cancellations and punctuality but also provides a clear vision on where new infrastructure will be built over the coming decades. 
</body></html>

The new Noble Park station opens for passengers

<html><body>
Unveiled in 2017, Frasers Property is now inviting expressions of interest to design, construction and operate the rooftop garden/farm in what seeks to be world's most sustainable shopping centre at Burwood Brickworks.

According to its <a href="https://www.frasersproperty.com.au/retail/vic/burwood-brickworks/urban-farm">enquiry</a><a href="https://www.frasersproperty.com.au/retail/vic/burwood-brickworks/urban-farm"> page</a>, the project is chasing accreditation under the <a href="https://living-future.org/lbc/">Living Building Challenge</a> which would result in the Burwood Brickworks the most sustainable shopping centre in the world.

<blockquote>
The aim is to create an internationally recognised agricultural project on an urban scale unprecedented in Australia, promoting sustainability through fresh produce, education and events. It will strive to strengthen the link with nature and reconnect people with the food they eat.

Design of the space is still at concept level and we are seeking a partner to collaborate with in delivering:

<ol>
<li>glasshouse of ~800 m²</li>
	<li>landscaped grounds of ~1,000 m².</li>
	<li>co-located restaurant/café/event space ~350 m²</li>
</ol>
<a href="https://www.frasersproperty.com.au/retail/vic/burwood-brickworks/urban-farm"><cite>Frasers Property</cite></a>
</blockquote>

Following a community consultation session in October and November 2014, The City of Whitehorse adopted a master plan in January 2015.  The master plan was devised by Frasers Property - then known as Australand - that in turn resulted in the council drawing up <a href="http://www.whitehorse.vic.gov.au/Amendment-C170">amendment C170</a>. 

The amendment saw the 20.5 hectare site rezoned with Residential Growth Zone - schedule 3, Commercial Zone 1, Neighbourhood Residential Zone - schedule 5 and a development plan overlay applied to the land affected.

The master plan envisioned up to 950 dwellings on the site in typologies ranging from detached houses to apartments in 6 level buildings, plus the shopping centre.

In 2016 a development plan was drawn up and opened for community consultation in February of that year.  The development plan went before Whitehorse City Council in July 2016 and was approved subject to various conditions. 

Construction is slated to start in mid-2018.

<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/burwood_brickworks_2.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Burwood Brickwork's rooftop garden &amp; farm - image: Frasers Property"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="405" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/burwood_brickworks_2.jpg?itok=EKmeb-cT" title="Burwood Brickwork's rooftop garden &amp; farm - image: Frasers Property" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Burwood Brickwork's rooftop garden &amp; farm - image: Frasers Property</figcaption></figure>The Burwood Highway between Middleborough Road and Deakin University's campus is zoned Residential Growth Zone and there are multiple developments on the Apartments.com.au database that stand to benefit from the existing and to-be-built amenity on the brickworks site.

Collectively the 6 projects include potentially up to 266 new units in the short strip which fronts the #75 tram route on Burwood Highway.

See below for a list of other residential projects in the area.

Lead image credit: <a href="https://www.frasersproperty.com.au/retail/vic/burwood-brickworks/register">Frasers Property</a>
</body></html>

Frasers Property invites EOI to design, construct & operate its rooftop farm at Burwood Brickworks

<html><body>
The State Government has today launched its HomesVic scheme which was foreshadowed back in March 2017 and is designed to make it easier for those eligible to buy their first home with a 5% deposit.

The pilot scheme will see the state government taking a proportional beneficial interest of up to 25 percent in eligible applicant's properties.  The pilot is being financed with a $50 million fund announced last year.

While the scheme has been launched today, applications for the scheme open at 9am on Monday 19th February.

<blockquote>
HomesVic will take a proportional beneficial interest of up to 25% in the property, and eligibility will target applicants with incomes of up to $75,000 for singles, or up to $95,000 for couples or families.

Buyers will need to contribute at least 5% of the acquisition price from genuine savings and be able to cover all acquisition costs in addition to that contribution to the acquisition price.
<a href="https://www.vic.gov.au/affordablehousing/buying-a-house-in-victoria/homesvic"><cite>HomesVic</cite></a>
</blockquote>

As the scheme is a pilot, there are only 400 places and first home buyers are encouraged to apply as quickly as they can once the applications option.

According to a state government media release, the areas where the pilot will be available include 85 Melbourne suburbs, 130 regional towns and suburbs and 7 peri-urban towns. 

The scheme will only apply in the priority areas and in certain dwelling typologies - for instance, in Box Hill, <a href="https://www.vic.gov.au/affordablehousing/buying-a-house-in-victoria/homesvic/preferred-locations">the scheme will not apply to houses but will apply to townhouses and apartments</a>.

Eligible candidates for the pilot will need to submit to an annual review of their circumstances and the <a href="https://www.vic.gov.au/affordablehousing/buying-a-house-in-victoria/homesvic/am-i-eligible">eligibility criteria</a> are somewhat robust, examples include:

<ul>
<li>Applicants must be Australian citizens or permanent resident status and have been residing in Victoria for the past two years.</li>
	<li>Entities (companies, trusts or other bodies) are not eligible - you must be a 'natural person' and must not be related to or associated with the vendor of the property being purchased.</li>
	<li>Applicants must not be earning more than $75,000 per annum (for singles) or more than $95,000 where there are multiple incomes combined.</li>
	<li>You must not have owned property in whole or in part prior to applying for the pilot (legally or beneficially).</li>
	<li>The property can be existing or off the plan and must be a standard residential property (apartment, townhouse or house) and located in a designated area.</li>
	<li>Prospective buyers must seek loan approval from a panel financial institution (<a href="https://www.vic.gov.au/affordablehousing/buying-a-house-in-victoria/homesvic/panel-financial-institutions">Bank Australia and Bendigo Bank for the pilot</a>) before the government will begin to assess the pilot.</li>
	<li>Buyers must have a new (no refinance) principle and interest loan, maximum duration is set at 30 years and the home loan can be a variable or fixed-rate.</li>
	<li>The home loan must have either an offset account or a redraw facility and the amount of the principle and interest loan payments at the commencement of the home loan cannot exceed 37% of the total taxable income of the applicant(s).</li>
</ul>
For more information &amp; eligibility criteria, visit www.homesvic.vic.gov.au
</body></html>

HomesVic launched, applications open Monday 19th of February

<html><body>
In this week's podcast I'm joined by Laurence Dragomir and we talk about the Melbourne's development by tram series, RMIT's New Academic Street, <a href="/news/leonard-teplin-discusses-whats-next-for-melbournes-property-market-in-2018">Laury's interview with Leonard Teplin</a>.

Ps. I'll try to not talk as fast next time!

<iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="300" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/397190265&amp;color=%23ff5500&amp;auto_play=false&amp;hide_related=false&amp;show_comments=true&amp;show_user=true&amp;show_reposts=false&amp;show_teaser=true&amp;visual=true" width="100%"></iframe>

 
</body></html>

Weekly Podcast: Episode 2 - Development by Tram, RMIT NAS and Leonard Teplin

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

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News

Alastair Taylor

Editor's Picks

Receive the latest news stories to your inbox

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News