<html><body>
The second in a line of what is likely to be many document releases by Infrastructure Victoria has happened with the 'All things considered: exploring options for Victoria's 30-year infrastructure strategy' paper appearing on the authority's website yesterday.

The paper seeks to put all the options Infrastructure Victoria "has thought of for meeting Victoria's infrastructure needs on the table". Infrastructure, in this case, refers to the broad definition of the word: the paper canvases infrastructure options across a wide spectrum.

Addressing infrastructure demands in areas with high and low population growth; infrastructure that enables physical activity and participation; addressing 'expanded demand' on the justice system; providing better access to housing for the most vulnerable; improving freight supply chains, waterways and coastal areas; and transitioning to lower carbon energy. As the paper's title says, 'all things' are on the table.

Rather than attempt to provide a broader summary in this space, we'll keep it brief because the next round of consultation has begun (and ends mid next month) and there's a lot to read.

<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/iv_why.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Why you should read the paper. From Infrastructure Victoria's &quot;All Things Considered&quot; options paper"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="780" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/iv_why.png?itok=2ULj-253" title="Why you should read the paper. From Infrastructure Victoria's &quot;All Things Considered&quot; options paper" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Why you should read the paper. From Infrastructure Victoria's "All Things Considered" options paper</figcaption></figure>The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://yoursay.infrastructurevictoria.com.au/download_file/view/481/1">options paper</a> groups project ideas by areas of need. For instance, the 'provide better access to housing for the most vulnerable Victorians' mentions affordable housing mechanisms and the 'Meet growing demand for access to economic activity in central Melbourne' chapter deals with various transport projects.

Further to the options paper, Infrastructure Victoria has also published a <a href="http://yoursay.infrastructurevictoria.com.au/application/files/7614/6355/5855/Infrastructure_Victoria_Draft_Options_Book_v1.0.pdf">draft options book</a> which looks at all the various infrastructure projects in more detail; the "Eastern Freeway to Citylink (EWE)" and "Melbourne Metro 2 (MMS)" sections make for interesting reading.

Submissions can be made until 6pm on Friday 17th June.

<a href="http://yoursay.infrastructurevictoria.com.au/">yoursay.infrastructurevictoria.com.au</a>

Infrastructure Victoria wants to start a conversation. Use the comment section below to let us know your thoughts.

Lead image credit: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/cazzjj/24093068545/in/photostream/">flickr</a>
</body></html>

Alastair Taylor

Infrastructure Victoria releases 'all things considered' options paper

<html><body>
On Thursday the Premier and Minister for Public Transport held a media conference which appears to have now put the humble line-side signal on the endangered species list. At the same time, the announcement for expressions of interest in the new train control system adds a new chapter to the story of Metrol, the primary train control centre for the rail network.

As the Melbourne Metro project is going to merge the Sunbury, Pakenham and Cranbourne rail lines into single metro line, it is also going to get its own dedicated train fleet and will be the first set of lines in Melbourne to get a completely new signalling system.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">
Technology has come a long way since 1981! Today we released our rail systems EOI <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TBT?src=hash">#TBT</a> <a href="https://t.co/Fo0bCqD4KG">https://t.co/Fo0bCqD4KG</a> <a href="https://t.co/2pcg186Fws">pic.twitter.com/2pcg186Fws</a>
— Melbourne Metro Rail (@melbournemetro) <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://twitter.com/melbournemetro/status/730665059681083392">May 12, 2016</a>
</blockquote>

In a nutshell, Melbourne's existing signalling system breaks portions of track up into blocks: a signal stands at the start of each block and the colours displayed (the signal 'aspect') tells the driver of a train what they can/cannot do.

For instance, a signal which has a green over a red (such as in the lead image) means that the driver of a train can proceed past the signal at normal line speed. A signal displaying red over red means the driver cannot pass the signal. <a href="http://vicsig.net/index.php?page=infrastructure&amp;section=signalling#aspect">Head over to this concise guide on Vicsig.net</a> to learn more about our currently signalling system deployed around Melbourne.

Although not explicitly mentioned in Victorian Government's media release, this new high-capacity signalling system is likely to be a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communications-based_train_control">communications-based train control</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moving_block">moving block</a> system.

In this scenario, trains are fitted with transceivers which communicate with equipment installed along each train track and real-time information - such as train position and speed - is fed into a system which monitors the entire network. Precision is the key difference between what we have and communications-based train control systems.

<h2>Moving blocks versus Fixed blocks</h2>

The precision which comes with communications-based train control systems allows a safer implementation of moving blocks to separate trains on a line. Where we currently have fixed blocks whose signals govern train movements, in a moving block scenario and because the system which operates the line knows exactly where every train is, fixed blocks can be done away with and instead the train control system maintains the distance between trains.

<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/fb_vs_mb.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Fixed block versus moving block. Image source: Wikipedia"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="223" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/fb_vs_mb.jpg?itok=EIFImbHD" title="Fixed block versus moving block. Image source: Wikipedia" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Fixed block versus moving block. Image source: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communications-based_train_control">Wikipedia</a></figcaption></figure>On the fixed block (upper) line, the train on the right is occupying two blocks; this forces a greater distance between the trains. On the moving block (lower) line, the distance between the leading (right) and trailing (left) trains is shorter because the control system is maintaining the safe minimum distance, not fixed signals.

The following video filtered on to the Premier's Facebook feed on Thursday afternoon.

<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="419" scrolling="no" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FDanielAndrewsMP%2Fvideos%2Fvb.134712696593275%2F1077806672283868%2F%3Ftype%3D3&amp;show_text=1&amp;width=560" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" width="100%"></iframe>

As the video shows, the ability to run trains closer together means that there is more capacity on a single track; in other words, more trains can be operated. This is generally expressed as 'X number of trains per hour' which can then directly translate into how often a train will arrive and depart at a station, i.e. 30 trains per hour = a train will arrive at/depart a station every 2 minutes.

The claim in the government video is that our current fixed block signalling can only successfully handle 20 trains per hour and that the new system will enable 24-30 trains per hour. This may well be the case, however what is not mentioned…

<h2>The railway will become increasingly automated</h2>

On our current network, it is left to the skill of the train driver to accelerate, decelerate, stop at the right spot on the platform and obey warnings and guidance from line-side signals. With a communications-based train control system, all those traditional train driver tasks can be handled by a combination of the control system embedded on the rail line and a train's own internal operating system.

And as seen by many railway systems around the world, the job of a train driver can also be made redundant with full automation. I don't suspect we'll be heading for full automation upon the opening of Melbourne Metro but it could be made possible, perhaps inevitable.

Lead image credit: <a href="http://railgallery.wongm.com/kensington-racecourse-essendon-resignalling/F106_9239.jpg">Marcus Wong's rail gallery</a>.
</body></html>

Green over red: 'high capacity signalling' to proceed at normal speed in Melbourne

<html><body>
The Planning Minister has unveiled new draft permanent central city planning controls that are now to be sent to an independent planning panel which will allow the public to make submissions.

Chief among the proposed planning controls for Melbourne's CBD and Southbank is the introduction of a floor area ratio (FAR) of 18:1. The interim controls <a href="/news/interim-central-melbourne-planning-controls-the-detail">released last year</a> put in place a FAR of 24:1.

Projects will have the ability to exceed the maximum FAR in the central city if there is a demonstratable public benefit. The public benefits can take the form of public open space, office uses, public space inside the building or social housing contained within the building.

<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/floor_area_benefits.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="How floor area uplift will work. Image supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="422" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/floor_area_benefits.jpg?itok=SP-l-qpo" title="How floor area uplift will work. Image supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>How floor area uplift will work. Image supplied</figcaption></figure>In the podium and setbacks space, by default podiums will be limited to 20 metres in height with the discretion to increase it to 40 metres to match existing streetscapes and on certain street corners. Towers will need to be set back at least five metres from the podium edge and likewise there will be a minimum side and rear setback of five metres for proposals which include a tower measuring 80 metres or less.

For proposals which include a tower taller than 80m, side and rear setbacks of 6% of the overall height will be required.

<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/new_controls_setbacks.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The proposed podium and setback regime. Image supplied."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="360" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/new_controls_setbacks.jpg?itok=9_I4zUvn" title="The proposed podium and setback regime. Image supplied." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The proposed podium and setback regime. Image supplied.</figcaption></figure>Height controls will only apply to areas like Bourke Hill and there will be reinforced shadowing and wind controls, both mandatory and discretionary. The key public spaces that are to be protected by wind and shadowing controls are Federation Square, State Library of Victoria, the Shrine of Remembrance, the Yarra, City Square, Bourke Street Mall and Boyd Park in Southbank.

The following diagram and video depict the possibilities under the new controls and compares it to the 'business as usual' scenario.

<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/new_v_old_controls.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Development possibility: business as usual versus proposed new controls. Image supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="471" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/new_v_old_controls.jpg?itok=Fxb3eDWy" title="Development possibility: business as usual versus proposed new controls. Image supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Development possibility: business as usual versus proposed new controls. Image supplied</figcaption></figure>The proposed planning controls have been devised with the input from City of Melbourne and the Office of Victorian Government Architect. The independent panel will begin public hearings in July, the planning controls are anticipated to be in place by the end of 2016. www.delwp.vic.gov.au/central-city

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pT7N44i6dHM" width="100%"></iframe>

The images and video contained within this article were provided to Apartments.com.au by the State Government of Victoria, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC 4.0</a>
</body></html>

New permanent central city controls headed to independent planning panel

<html><body>
An alliance of companies including Lend Lease, CPB Contractors, WSP Parsons Brinckerhoff, Aurecon and Metro Trains Melbourne has been formally awarded the contract for the Caulfield to Dandenong level crossing removal project.

The Treasurer, Tim Pallas, said "the project will deliver more room, on more trains to carry more people on Melbourne's busiest rail line. It's needed now, and we're not going to waste a day - we're going to get it done".

Site preparation works - including installing fences - are set to begin at the end of the month.

The Level Crossing Removal Authority has also published its <a href="http://levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/48080/LXRA-Caulfield-Dandenong-Consultation-Outcomes-and-Submissions-Report.pdf">Consultation Outcomes and Submissions Report</a> on <a href="http://levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/media-library/news/contract-awarded-for-caulfield-to-dandenong-level-crossing-removals">its website</a> which summarises the thousands of pieces of feedback it received up to and including in its latest round of consultation.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TvHRS6mXwNg" width="100%"></iframe>

In another sign that the State Government is serious about creating a larger rail engineering talent pool, the Level Crossing Removal Authority recently announced that applications are now open for its <a href="http://levelcrossings.vic.gov.au/media-library/news/applications-now-open-for-railway-signalling-engineering-cadet-program">Railway Signalling Engineer Cadet Program</a>.

<blockquote>
The program will offer recent engineering graduates and qualified engineers wanting to transition into the rail industry, the opportunity of a three-year paid position along with real hands-on experience, and a fully sponsored Graduate Diploma in Railway Signalling Engineering. In years two and three, cadets will also undertake a Graduate Diploma in Rail Signalling Engineering to ensure they leave the program with the skills, experience and competencies to fast track their career as a rail signalling engineer.

The program is open to recent engineering graduates who completed their degree since 2015, and qualified engineers with at least five years of professional experience, wanting to transition into the rail industry.

Cadets will be employed by one of the seven industry partners: the Level Crossing Removal Authority, CPB Contractors, John Holland Group, Melbourne Metro Rail Authority, Metro Trains Melbourne, Opus Rail and United Group Limited.
<cite>Level Crossing Removal Authority</cite>
</blockquote>

<h2>Further reading</h2>

<ul>
<li>
<a href="/news/its-elevated-rail-for-the-dandenong-corridor-level-crossing-removals">It's elevated rail for the Dandenong corridor level crossing removals</a> (2016-02-07)</li>
	<li>
<a href="/news/cross-referencing-heavy-rail-project-announcements-and-ptvs-2013-heavy-rail-plan">Cross-referencing heavy rail project announcements and PTV's 2013 heavy rail plan</a> (2016-02-09)</li>
	<li>
<a href="/news/after-melbourne-metro-should-we-rebrand-the-rail-network">After Melbourne Metro: should we rebrand the rail network?</a> (2016-02-26)</li>
	<li>
<a href="/news/sky-rail-a-missed-opportunity">Sky Rail: a missed opportunity?</a> (2016-04-20)</li>
</ul>
</body></html>

$1.6 billion contract signed for Dandenong corridor level crossing removals

<html><body>
The Metropolitan Planning Authority has turned to the combined areas of Huntingdale, Clayton, Mulgrave, Notting Hill and Springvale; this area has been dubbed the Monash Employment Cluster.

Consultation has now kicked off ahead of changes to planning rules across commercial and industrial land that aims to encourage development in order increase jobs and services throughout the area.

A Victorian Government media release talks of the broader Monash area having the capacity to draw more investment through smart planning, improved amenities and better transport connections in addition to new plans that will encourage more cafes, hotels, services and entertainment to be built in the east as well as cycle ways and pedestrian links.

<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/monash_cluster.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Map of the employment cluster from the MPA's brochure"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="619" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/monash_cluster.png?itok=MZ25ZGq5" title="Map of the employment cluster from the MPA's brochure" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Map of the employment cluster from the MPA's brochure</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
We are changing the planning rules for the broader Monash area with input from the community so there is a long-term plan for jobs growth in place. Well-planned employment clusters give people living in the middle and outer suburbs good access to jobs close to where they live and also increases local services.
<cite>Richard Wynne, Minister for Planning</cite>
</blockquote>

The MPA-driven website has <a href="http://shapevictoria.vic.gov.au/monash-employment-cluster">four draft principles and ideals</a>: create better places to work and do business, better connections within the south east corridor, better connect people to places in Monash employment cluster and support a greener and more attractive place with better community services.

The Monash Employment Cluster is currently underpinned by Monash University, with surrounding commercial and research uses also prevalent. Testament to the popularity of the area is Frasers Property's 211 Wellington Road development which has seen a rapid uptake and delivery of various commercial buildings over a 3.47 hectare site, with the latest commercial build seen below.

These commercial builds are in addition to Monash University itself which has rolled a out a string of major developments on campus in recent years.

<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/img_0393.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Frasers Property has found success with 211 Wellington Road"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_0393.jpg?itok=uPBHmjZC" title="Frasers Property has found success with 211 Wellington Road" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Frasers Property has found success with 211 Wellington Road</figcaption></figure>The first upcoming event on May 4th will be a Monash Business and Investment Seminar and Networking event and there is an <a href="http://www.shapevictoria.vic.gov.au/index.php?cID=191">online survey</a> seeking responses from the community on their thoughts and ideas for the Monash Employment Cluster. The survey closes on May 31st 2016.

Public engagement on the draft framework plan is expected during early 2017 and implementation in mid 2017.

http://shapevictoria.vic.gov.au/monash-employment-cluster
</body></html>

Consultation begins for the Monash Employment Cluster

<html><body>
<h2>Comment</h2>

Little by little, detail is beginning to paint a larger picture of the Federal Government's direction on cities. We've heard snippets about value capture, 30 year bonds and talk of high-speed rail has surfaced once again.

Despite the intellectually-bankrupt, marginal seat election-positioning announcement on Friday - that Melbourne Metro will have strings attached to federal funding yet various road projects around the city will be the beneficiary of a not-so-many-strings-attached Federal Government ATM - by joining some of the dots and if we weren't on the precipice of election season in Canberra, perhaps the national city building discussion would be a little more mature.

The mainstream media appear more interested in click-baiting the Simpsons generation with headlines invoking quotes from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDOI0cq6GZM">that famous episode</a> than dissecting the commentary that's been put in the public domain.

NSW backbencher John Alexander appeared on <a href="http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/7-30/NC1605H071S00#playing">7:30 last night</a> and said that value capture could be the way to fund a high-speed rail system.

<blockquote>
The opportunity to release incredible amounts of land that have got very low cost - that could be 20-30 minutes from the cbd - gives that opportunity of enormous value uplift and therefore the opportunity of value capture to fund that infrastructure.
<cite>John Alexander MP, 7:30, 11/04/2016</cite>
</blockquote>

And here's the rub, if a high-speed rail system began its life by progressively rolling out in phases from Melbourne to Shepparton, from Sydney to Goulburn and then eventually linked somewhere in the middle near Wagga Wagga (the half-way point between Melbourne and Sydney on the existing rail line), a culture of daily long-distance commuting is likely to dominate the system from day one.

This is bad, very bad - it's effectively extending the major issues of suburban sprawl over even greater distances and the argument could be made that rather than dumping suburban sprawl on regional cities like Shepparton and Goulburn then why isn't the same funding spent within existing growth boundaries of Melbourne &amp; Sydney?

Imagine Shepparton with a population of over 100,000 and a few thousand of its highest income residents waltz on down to the station and hop onto a train to Melbourne every morning and come back in the early evening - what kind of city would it be during the weekday?

If there were no significant employers locating to or growing in the regional cities, it would mean these larger regional cities are robbed of a significant daytime economy that creates urban vibrancy. The regional cities would become dormitory suburbs of the state capitals linked by a single transport service that should be it be taken out of action for any great period of time, would have profound economic impacts through delays it would cause to the people who rely on it.

Australia's affordable housing issues are not going to be solved by very expensive rail lines that are going to take people from low-cost regional cities to the centres of state capitals. This type of long-distance commuting will only be available to those who can support that lifestyle financially and I dare say it would be out of reach for most on middle incomes and really only be accessible to those considered to be on upper-middle incomes.

No, if we are to use high-speed rail as a catalyst to grow regional cities, there's one element that has not been mentioned to date: the regional cities will need tools to incentivise the growth of existing, and most importantly, new employment so that residents who do move to these cities both live and work locally.

Just like the symbiotic relationship of Melbourne &amp; Sydney and the current 'air bridge' of high-frequency flights between the two cities which facilitate large amounts of travel for business, tourism and family-related purposes; high-speed rail's primary function at the capital-to-regional level should be the same.

Mechanisms for incentivising employment and local business growth like the creation of lower-tax zones in the regional centres with high-speed rail stations could be one way to ensure that population growth is matched by employment growth in the regional cities however the debate should not be limited to the tax arena - this is where the planning and economic policy wonks need to get to work and come up with a suite of mechanisms.

By all means, investigate and utilise value capture mechanisms to help finance a high-speed rail network - it's a smart idea and would force many people in all three levels of government to do a great deal of forward thinking; but for the sake of the regional cities, don't sell the high-speed rail network on the benefits of commuting to capital cities.

Lead image credit: <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/R2r12pJ7Err">streetview</a> of the location proposed for Shepparton station in the <a href="https://infrastructure.gov.au/rail/trains/high_speed/">Rudd Government's </a><a href="https://infrastructure.gov.au/rail/trains/high_speed/">High Speed</a><a href="https://infrastructure.gov.au/rail/trains/high_speed/"> Rail study</a>.
</body></html>

High-speed rail should be about city building, not creating distant dormitory suburbs

<html><body>
Activity centres, national employment clusters and job hubs: there's many names for these places and we have quite a lot of them in middle-Melbourne. The lead image above has been taken from one of <a href="http://blogs.crikey.com.au/theurbanist/2010/04/16/where-are-the-suburban-jobs/">Alan Davies' earliest blog posts</a> on Crikey from 2010.

The heat map represents the major job hubs - based on 2006 census data - that are located further than 5 kilometres from Melbourne's CBD. All in all, Alan Davies found that three quarters of Melbourne's jobs were located more than 5 kilometres from the CBD and of those suburban jobs, 20% of them were concentrated in 31 suburban centres (depicted on the heat map).

As a child - early primary school age - in order to shut me up/distract me from whatever it was that was driving my mother mad at the time, I was schooled on how to map read, street-directory style. Yes kids, maps used to only exist on printed matter!

Mum would open a Melways, point out train stations, show me how to follow the railway lines across the corresponding pages so I could then find more stations and you can see how a 200-300 page Melways could keep a kid busy. It also helped that dad was geography teacher and we had shelves of atlases and street directories from other cities in the house, not to mention a large drawer of maps in one of the filing cabinets.

30-odd years later this map-upbringing has manifested itself in my tendency to stare at any map I see for very long periods of time, and at some point, if I stare for long enough, the patterns and shapes start emerging.

<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/suburban-centres-map.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The near-perfect circle of job hubs around middle-Melbourne"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="475" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/suburban-centres-map.jpg?itok=Kjw9lPSS" title="The near-perfect circle of job hubs around middle-Melbourne" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The near-perfect circle of job hubs around middle-Melbourne</figcaption></figure>That's the first shape I saw after staring at Alan Davies' 2010 job hub map: a circle running from Altona to Sandringham, one that bisects the majority of the suburban job hubs in Melbourne.

Footscray, Moonee Ponds, Preston, Northland, Heidelberg, Doncaster, Box Hill, Deakin Unviersity, Monash University, Mulgrave and Moorabbin all are either directly under the path of the circle or not far from it.

The biggest clusters without any decent rail service on that map have had proposals and studies to link them - Monash University/Mulgrave &amp; the Rowville rail line study, Melbourne Airport and its very own study - yet connecting them to the radial rail network, is it enough?

<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/image13_7_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Box Hill's potential. From the 12-14 Nelson Road planning application"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="329" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image13_7_0.jpg?itok=cfddr8op" title="Box Hill's potential. From the 12-14 Nelson Road planning application" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Box Hill's potential. From the <a href="/news/h-f-property-enter-box-hill-with-12-14-nelson-road">12-14 Nelson Road</a> planning application</figcaption></figure>Earlier this week on Tuesday, Mark profiled the SJB-designed <a href="/news/h-f-property-enter-box-hill-with-12-14-nelson-road">12-14 Nelson Road</a> planning application that's recently hit the desk of council planners at Whitehorse and the diagram above paints a fascinating potential future for Box Hill.

Box Hill's built-form density has traditionally been commercial or retail buildings and it's no secret that the cat's out of the bad when it comes to high-density residential development. However as evidenced by the ATO's new office tower, there appears to still be an appetite for bigger and better offices in the area.

On the other side of the city, Moonee Ponds' density is set to get a new height and bulk benchmark with Caydon recently receiving approval via VCAT for their first foray in Hall Street. The ATO once again are a large tenant in the area, not to mention Foxtel's main Melbourne offices bookend the 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/moonee_p_aerial.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="We're not in sleepy suburban-land anymore toto. Moonee Ponds, image posted by UM user Riddlz"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/moonee_p_aerial.jpg?itok=j21OGGGx" title="We're not in sleepy suburban-land anymore toto. Moonee Ponds, image posted by UM user Riddlz" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>We're not in sleepy suburban-land anymore Toto. Moonee Ponds, image <a href="/news">posted by UM user Riddlz</a></figcaption></figure>Both the Box Hill and Moonee Ponds images depict scenes that may come to fruition in future and while you can argue that both are richly served by public transport now, should we not ask the question: what if they were connected to their adjacent, non-CBD job hubs?

Sydney has its "global arc" stretching from the airport through the CBD to Parrmatta via the lower North Shore and Macquarie Park. Melbourne could have a "global semi-circle"!

<iframe frameborder="0" height="500" scrolling="no" src="https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=zLzjYwjjDBk0.kpkMSvThekJk&amp;z=11&amp;hl=en" width="100%"></iframe>

The single yellow line, plus the short spur in the north connects with many of the job centres present on Alan Davies' 2010 map, especially the large university campuses and the industrial/commercial areas they're generally located next to: Monash University and Mulgrave, Deakin University and Burwood, La Trobe University and the Northland/Bell Street commercial area, Victoria University Sunshine campus and Sunshine/Braybrook.

Regionally significant shopping (and job!) centres like Highpoint, Northland and Doncaster would be connected to a mass-transit service; Southland would get a second connection. All conventional rail lines except Werribee and Williamstown extend the reach of the circular line to nearly ever corner of the metropolitan area.

The circular railway links three of the six <a href="http://www.mpa.vic.gov.au/planning-activities/employment-clusters/">Metropolitan Planning Authority-defined employment clusters</a>: one existing (Monash) and two emerging (La Trobe and Sunshine). Incidentally, one of the other existing clusters (Parkville) will be linked with the Melbourne Metro project, and with a realignment of the existing Werribee line, another emerging cluster (Werribee East) could be directly serviced by heavy rail; refer to the Werribee area on the map above.

And perhaps most crucially, many new residential areas get a rail service for the first time, especially in the east.

Focusing on Monash University and Mulgrave for the moment, at present 30 minutes by train from its nearest station - Clayton - will get you as far as Berwick, Cranbourne or the CBD. With a circular metro line such as that shown above, those three destinations would link deeper into the entire cluster a single train change; Sandringham and Heidelberg/Doncaster to Monash/Mulgrave would then be thrown into the "30 minute city" mix also.

Furthermore adding the Rowville rail line as shown above - via Chadstone and the Alamein line - places like Scoresby/Rowville and Swinburne University/Hawthorn/Camberwell are all connected by high quality mass-transit to this mega suburban job hub.

For those interested, the circular line as shown on the map measures 58.5 kilometres with a further 5 kilometres for the La Trobe University spur. In what could be a phased construction approach, the segments measure: Clayton to Heidelberg 23.2km (Phase 1), Heidelberg to Sunshine 23.3km (Phase 2) and Clayton-Sandringham 12km (Phase 3).

And finally, some more food for thought. Milan's automated M5 Metro line was recently extended by 7km at a cost of €872 million ($1.2 billion Australian dollars in 2011, when the contract was signed) which paid for all civil, fit out and technical/electrical "hard" infrastructure costs.

The earlier rolling stock order (€35 million in 2006 / $60 million Australian dollars) from phase 1 catered for both the initial line and the recently opened extension. The order was for 12 3-4 car trains capable of carrying up to 600-800 people on 3 minute peak frequencies.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1Hw2ULiSii0" width="100%"></iframe>
</body></html>

How many suburban Melbourne job centres could be connected with a circular railway?

<html><body>
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released its updated regional population growth figures on Wednesday and at 14,114 people per square kilometre, the Melbourne CBD sits as the second most densely populated area of the country behind Pyrmont-Ultimo in Sydney (15,117 people per square kilometre) .

Based on development underway and in the pipeline - in the sheer number of projects and the size of them - the Melbourne CBD is likely to be in pole position within 12-24 months.

The density statistics are based on the ABS' <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Latestproducts/88F6A0EDEB8879C0CA257801000C64D9">"SA2</a>" regions and the Melbourne CBD SA2 area is bounded by the Yarra, Flinders Street, Spring Street, Victoria Street, Peel/William Street, La Trobe Street and Spencer Street (refer to the lead image above).

The merits of eventually being the most densely populated part of Australia - using the ABS methodology - are likely to be contested, however the oncoming ascension to the premier position is notable given the state of affairs in Melbourne's CBD 30 years ago.

I wonder if the City of Melbourne would have thought it possible in the 1980s that their heartland was to one day become the country's most densely populated?

We've come a long way since the early days of postcode 3000.

On June 30th 2015, the population of Melbourne's CBD stood at 33,433 according to the ABS data and the area bounded by the streets and river mentioned above measures 2.4 square kilometres.

Looking ahead over the next five to ten years it's not going to be a gradual ascension to the top of the ABS' SA2 density league tables, it's more likely to be akin to a violent, out-of-control steamroller driven by an angry mob that is going to set the bar incredibly high.

<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/collins_st_5pm_ngv.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="John Brack's &quot;Collins Street, 5pm&quot; painted in 1955. Image via NGV"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="408" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/collins_st_5pm_ngv.jpg?itok=EFu9Znqn" title="John Brack's &quot;Collins Street, 5pm&quot; painted in 1955. Image via NGV" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>John Brack's "Collins Street, 5pm" painted in 1955. Image via <a href="http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/explore/collection/work/3161/">NGV</a></figcaption></figure>Consider the following.

We're tracking 68 residential, student accommodation or mixed-use projects on the Apartments.com.au Project Database located within the Melbourne SA2 and they have a combined 27,000-30,000 dwellings.

18 of the projects are currently under construction which together will produce 6000-7000 dwellings. According to the <a href="http://melbournepopulation.geografia.com.au/areas/CLSA01">City of Melbourne</a>, the average household size in the CBD standas at 1.91 and is forecast to decrease to 1.44 over the longer term.

The number of dwellings under construction could equate to a further 8500 to 10,000 new residents when using the longer-term household size forecast, potentially boosting the total population to 42,000-43,500 and increasing the population density of 17,500-18,125.

11 projects have a sales campaign underway and that, in total, is another 5000 dwellings in the pipeline with the potential to provide space for 7,200 new residents.

The remaining 39 projects being assessed by council or the Minister and those that are already approved total 16,000-18,000 dwellings; creating enough living space for 23,000-26,000 new Melburnists.

Even if only half the projects in the pipeline - everything except what's currently under construction - were to eventually be built and tenanted, that's could equate to a further 15,000-17,000 new Melbourne CBD residents.

Doubling the population and therefore the population density of Melbourne's CBD over the next 5-10 years? It's very much realistic and the numbers above broadly correlate with the <a href="http://melbournepopulation.geografia.com.au/areas/CLSA01">City of Melbourne's own forecast</a>.

In ten years the population density of Melbourne's CBD is forecast to between 26,000 and 27,000 people per square kilometre, comparable with <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10th_arrondissement_of_Paris">10th</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/14th_arrondissement_of_Paris">14th</a> arrondissements of Paris, and similar to the projections for the 'half-sized' Fishermans Bend based on <a href="/news/fishermans-bend-to-become-australias-most-densely-populated-area">public domain information from 2013</a>.

That's what I meant by it's going to be violent ascension above all other national peers. No wonder the Lord Mayor was keen to see 447 Collins and its new green space approved.
</body></html>

Melbourne CBD on course to be the most densely populated area in Australia

<html><body>
<h2>Comment</h2>

In case you missed it, Melbourne's Tullamarine airport has been a story of growth, growth and even more growth for the past decade. A story of growth in passenger numbers using the terminals and a story of projected growth in employment within the entire aviation precinct.

One of the FAQs on the airport's <a href="http://melbourneairport.com.au/about-melbourne-airport/melbourne-airport-partners/faqs-1389">community &amp; partners web page</a> states "the airport's operations directly support 14,300 jobs, which is forecast to grow to 23,000 by 2033". Furthermore the FAQ goes on to state "more than two-thirds of these jobs are held by people living in communities around the airport".

According to official numbers published by the Federal Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, in 2006 Tullamarine airport saw <a href="http://bitre.gov.au/publications/ongoing/airport_traffic_data.aspx">21,567,868 passengers</a> through its terminals. In 2015 it was <a href="http://melbourneairport.com.au/about-melbourne-airport/media/media-releases/melbourne-airports-2015-passenger-traffic-results-1868">32,989,094 passengers</a> according to an airport media release published in January; or better represented as 53% growth over a decade.

As they say in the financial world, past performance is not necessarily an indicator of future return, however if the next decade's growth is even remotely similar to that of the past then there will be upwards of 45,000,000-50,000,000 passengers using Melbourne airport by the time the Melbourne Metro Rail tunnel is open for business. The airport expects there to be 60,000,000 passengers to be <a href="http://melbourneairport.com.au/about-melbourne-airport/current-projects/road-improvement-projects">using the airport by 2030</a>.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/mel_air_precinct_plans.png" rel="gallery-all" title="The airport isn't just about travel: precinct breakdown from Melbourne Airport's master plan"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="407" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/mel_air_precinct_plans.png?itok=2fP6dIGM" title="The airport isn't just about travel: precinct breakdown from Melbourne Airport's master plan" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The airport isn't just about travel: precinct breakdown from Melbourne Airport's master plan</figcaption></figure>Last year the $1.3 billion Citylink / Tullamarine Freeway widening project was announced which is set to add an extra traffic lane in each direction between the West Gate Freeway / Bolte Bridge interchange and Melbourne Airport.

Judging by the 6-7 year gap between widening projects on the Monash Freeway, it's likely the inducement effect of increased freeway capacity on the Tullamarine Freeway will have the road lobby squealing for another widening project in another decade, especially if the passenger and employment growth numbers projected at Melbourne airport actually come to fruition.

The centre of Melbourne - from a population and economic sense - is shifting westward and all the dry economic and planning commentary asking if a rail link to Melbourne Airport is worth it is moot as sometimes I think participants completely disregard the growth story at the airport and its surrounding employment precincts.

The Airport Drive extension was opened last year and thanks to a recent Google satellite map update over the entire metropolitan area, we can now clearly see the rapid change that's occurring in the 'landside business precinct' on the airport's land.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m13!1m11!1m3!1d12212.711209546773!2d144.86063659064953!3d-37.69717590063364!2m2!1f0!2f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!5e1!3m2!1sen!2sau!4v1458782613102" style="border:0" width="100%"></iframe>

Of course, we are going to need a rail line to the airport. The relentless growth reported monthly by the Melbourne airport owner continually counters here-and-now static arguments about public transport mode shift and whether or not the skybus service can continue to cope (and current road works are likely to play havoc with reliability, ditto for the next future widening project).

The questions we should be asking:

<ul>
<li>How many stations should the airport rail link have? A station near Sharps Road and Airport Drive? A station near Keilor Park Drive / Avondale Heights?</li>
	<li>How can we extend the route 59 tram to the airport to provide a high quality public transport service to the areas in the north west which are bypassed by the heavy rail line?</li>
	<li>Which roads and freeways require widening to cater for bus lanes carrying high frequency smart bus-like routes servicing areas to the west (Watergardens, Hillside, Melton, Caroline Springs) and east (Broadmeadows, Greenvale, Somerton, Epping, Campbellfield) of the airport?</li>
</ul>
Tullamarine Airport may have been built on the city fringe in the 60s/70s and thanks to the forward planning that has limited suburban growth to the west and north of the region, the airport enjoys a curfew-free status that is a distinct advantage over many other Australian cities. Like the centre of the city, the Tullamarine area is undergoing rapid growth.

The airport rail line has appeared on PTV heavy rail network development maps as a branch line of the larger Sunbury-Pakenham/Cranbourne line that will be created once the Melbourne Metro Rail project comes online since 2012, however beyond it being present on a map, no timeline for its construction has been published and you can be forgiven for thinking we're looking at a typical waterfall scenario of development.

The Melbourne Metro Rail tunnel is penciled in for a 2026 completion date and can we really wait another 4-5 years beyond that date for a heavy rail line to finally service the airport given the huge growth passenger and employment projections for the area?

No, we can't. Infrastructure Victoria needs to treat the Melbourne airport region like another CBD.

The authority needs to give Melbourne airport priority in assessing the ground transport needs so that the Victorian government can start allocating budget money for holistic transport planning and money for kicking off the smaller-scale projects - like bus and tram extensions - that can make a dent in the nauseating car dependency in and around Melbourne airport before a heavy rail line comes online.

Lead image credit: <a href="https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.6971759,144.8606366,2805m/data=!3m1!1e3">Google Maps</a>.
</body></html>

Should Melbourne Airport get special treatment in Infrastructure Victoria's 30 year strategy?

<html><body>
The Plus Architecture-designed 208.3 metre 295 King Street tower for Farinia Pty Ltd first profiled on Apartments.com.au back in <a href="/news/planning-application-295-309-king-street-melbourne">February 2015</a> has been approved by the Planning Minister.

As witnessed through recent proposals in the centre of the city, Melbourne's skyscrapers are beginning to take on a decidedly playful form and 295 King Street is no different.  

The project's podium is of a similar height to the adjacent Hotel Sophia on the other side of Little Lonsdale Street and the playfulness is contained within the tower itself - from cylindrical near the podium flaring out to a more square-like floorplate in the upper levels.

<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/295_king_st.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="295 King Street - Image © Plus Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="829" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/295_king_st.jpg?itok=PEEEv5Q3" title="295 King Street - Image © Plus Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>295 King Street - Image © Plus Architecture</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
Inspired by Brancusi’s ‘Bird in Space’ 1923, the development’s sculptural circular tower will become a unifying presence within Melbourne’s city skyline. And at street level, the design is beautifully integrated with its urban landscape. 

The creation of meaningful connections has been an important guiding principle in this project’s design – it has been designed to make strong visual and contextual connections with its environment, and it also provides opportunities for building strong connections between its future residents. One level of the project has been dedicated to communal amenities and shared residential activities.

At street level, where the tower’s circular form allows generous corner setbacks, the development will include both retail and laneway lobbies and cafes will spill out on to the street, inviting people in. For this level, Plus has drawn inspiration from Melbourne’s street life, where historic bluestone-paved streets intersect with modern design, imagining a contemporary, Jenga-like form that is at once familiar and striking.

<cite>295 King Street approval media release</cite>
</blockquote>

The project has 431 apartments in total, broken down: 206 x 1 bed; 78 x 2 bed 1 bath; 104 x 2 bed 2 bath; 32 x 3 bed and 9 x penthouses.  

Since we first profiled 295 King Street there has been a reduction in overall height (from 81 to 65 levels) and a reduction in total car park numbers from 124 to 115.  The project includes 381 square metres of ground floor retail space and 669 square metres of residential common area space on level 10.

When Apartments.com.au quizzed Paul Lofitis from Farinia about future intentions for the project he said that all options are on the table due to the extended time the project was before planning authorities - 295 King Street was originally lodged with the state government in 2014.  

Proceeding to a registration and sales phase or seeking a joint development partner were options not ruled out.

<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/295_king_podium_small.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="295 King Street - Image © Plus Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="326" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/295_king_podium_small.jpg?itok=R6fNuZ5V" title="295 King Street - Image © Plus Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>295 King Street - Image © Plus Architecture</figcaption></figure>
</body></html>

295 King Street approved

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