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<h2>Comment</h2>

The finger-pointing which has surfaced in the reporting of V/Line's ongoing troubles with excessive wheel wear on its fleet of VLocity trains has sparked an interesting discussion in article comment and forum threads all around the Internet.

For instance <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/vline-crisis-began-with-regional-rail-link-cutbacks-five-years-ago-20160202-gmjsen">this piece</a> in The Age has this standout comment:

<blockquote>
The feedback on the article continues to indicate poor decision making by Government directed appointees. It is doubtful whether lowering of service delivery outcomes is only a Corey Hannett decision. He will have been directed by the Ministers of the time.

The answer that the project was all about separating regional and metro railway line services beggars belief. Nothing about Levels of Service (LoS)?
<cite><a href="http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/vline-crisis-began-with-regional-rail-link-cutbacks-five-years-ago-20160202-gmjsen">The Age</a> user oz4lca, Princes Hill, 2016-02-03 9:17AM</cite>
</blockquote>

The components which were reportedly cost managed out of the Regional Rail Link five years ago - using and upgrading the existing North Melbourne flyover, the use of a flat-bed junction instead of a flyover junction at Deer Park and leaving in place multiple level crossings on the Sunshine-Deer Park section - appear to be affecting service levels.

Anecdotal reports of a choke point at the Deer Park junction of the Ballarat and Geelong lines and claims that the North Melbourne flyover is responsible for the excessive wheel wear on the VLocity fleet neatly all point back to hard infrastructure issues. The rail project may have come in under budget at $3.65 billion however the pride in that achievement is all but lost should the V/Line issues indeed eventually get attributed to aspects of cost-cutting on the Regional Rail Link project.

Clearly lessons will be learnt in some form or another and hopefully they can be learned in time to ensure the scope of the Melbourne Metro Rail project and the Dandenong corridor level crossing removal projects do not end up in the same boat.

The Age report from two days ago also mentions there is a push by transport experts to expand the Caulfield-Dandenong corridor from two tracks to four as part of the level crossing removal projects currently at tender.

However before there is a debate on the pros and cons of quadruplicating the Dandenong corridor, what types of services do we want to run in this corridor? The want question needs to be answered first before the need question: what is the vision for this railway line?

Is the push to quadruplicate track just about giving outer-suburban commuters to the city a faster journey or is it based on a broader vision for driving investment into centres along the line, perhaps taking the decentralisation and concentration of jobs in suburban centres like Dandenong to the next level?

We know the arc between Pakenham and Cranbourne is the only remaining area in the south east which has room within the urban growth boundary for more suburban development and that therefore will translate into a need for more capacity on the Dandenong corridor to carry more people into the city under supposed status quo scenario.

However do we want to simply plan for forecast demand, lure more people out of their cars onto the public transport network or both?

If we are only planning to cater for forecast demand then it is going to take a long time to fill up the capacity of the Dandenong corridor given it only has 16 services utilising the rail line during weekday peak at present and notwithstanding 1-2 Traralgon V/Line services during peak, when the Melbourne Metro Rail tunnel comes online, coupled with a new signalling system, 24-28 trains per hour could theoretically be possible.

If we are planing to cater for forecast demand and make great strides to entice people out of their cars to increase the mode share of Public Transport then yes, express services running frequently at the same time as frequent stopping-all-services on four tracks on the Dandenong corridor will probably be needed.

The previous Labor Government was happy to spruik its vision of achieving 20% of total motorised transport mode share on Public Transport by 2020 yet the current Labor Government has not alluded to anything like this.

Insofar as we have been made aware that Infrastructure Victoria is the way toward greater depoliticisation of infrastructure planning in the state, the transport components of the authority's 30 year strategy should be guided by a similar vision to that of the previous Larbor Government just with more oompf, like aiming for 30% or 40% public transport mode share over the next 30 years. 

Aiming for a higher mode share means that forecast demand for public transport under the status quo and even more increased demand from luring people out of their cars must be planned and catered for and only then will a hard infrastructure debate about quadruplicating the Dandenong corridor be framed in the right context.

Lead image credit: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westall_railway_station">Wikipedia</a>.
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Alastair Taylor

V/Line, wheel flanges and where to for the vision of the Dandenong rail corridor

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For the past three years the big planning story in central Melbourne has been the plethora of large skyscraper projects, with the majority of these towers located on either side of Elizabeth Street to the north of La Trobe Street.

Up until this point much has been made of the proposals however the majority are now construction sites.

Indeed many of the proposals have attracted sufficient sales in order for the developer to be confident enough to swagger on in to a bank manager's office and obtain construction finance.

The following is a roundup of the latest construction photos of CBD North taken and subsequently posted in the construction forum threads by various Apartments.com.au members. See each forum thread for more construction images.

<h2>EQ Tower</h2>

Developer: ICD Property, Architect: Elenberg Fraser, Builder: Brookfield Multiplex. 202 metres high, 63 floors and 632 dwellings. (<a href="/news">Forum Thread</a>)

The tower has progressed well above its podium and facade-watchers are being treated to a splash of purple.

<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/ebf6a2e0ee942ce938cb32bf33c7eda7.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="EQ Tower construction progress. Image © Ryan Seychell"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/ebf6a2e0ee942ce938cb32bf33c7eda7.jpg?itok=LBfNMOjK" title="EQ Tower construction progress. Image © Ryan Seychell" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>EQ Tower construction progress. Image courtesy Ryan Seychell</figcaption></figure><h2>Aurora Melbourne Central</h2>

Developer: UEM Sunrise, Architect: Elenberg Fraser, Builder: Probuild. 267 metres, 88 floors, 941 dwellings. (<a href="/news">Forum Thread</a>)

Demolition of the poorly articulated car park which fronted La Trobe Street is near completion, with initial piling now underway.

<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/2390e29c45cc7d89409b44f640ee46e0.jg_.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Aurora Melbourne Central construction progress. Image © UM member Adrian"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/2390e29c45cc7d89409b44f640ee46e0.jg_.jpg?itok=KpzOwIGA" title="Aurora Melbourne Central construction progress. Image © UM member Adrian" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Aurora Melbourne Central construction progress. Image courtesy Adrian Raiola</figcaption></figure><h2>Empire Melbourne</h2>

Developer: Mammoth Empire, Architect: Hayball, Builder: Probuild. 198 metres, 62 floors and 474 dwellings. (<a href="/news">Forum Thread</a>)

Similar to its sister tower MY80 directly opposite, Empire Melbourne's lack of a pronounced podium already gives it an enormous presence on the corner of Elizabeth and A'Beckett Streets.

<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/5344c6aa41a150aedc30e94c2dc514c6.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Empire Melbourne construction progress. Image © Ryan Seychell"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="870" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/5344c6aa41a150aedc30e94c2dc514c6.jpg?itok=KyhSRmlc" title="Empire Melbourne construction progress. Image © Ryan Seychell" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Empire Melbourne construction progress. Image courtesy Ryan Seychell</figcaption></figure><h2>Vision Apartments</h2>

Developer: Brady, Architect: Peddle Thorp, Builder: Brady Constructions. 226 metres, 72 floors and 524 dwellings. (<a href="/news">Forum Thread</a>)

Vision's jump form was recently dismantled with a handful of floors still to be formed and poured.

<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/picture4_196_zpsgumha7uj.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Vision Apartments construction progress. Image © UM member GlennWilson"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="870" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/picture4_196_zpsgumha7uj.jpg?itok=RZy1FrYd" title="Vision Apartments construction progress. Image © UM member GlennWilson" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Vision Apartments construction progress. Image courtesy <a href="http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpost.php?p=130248157&amp;postcount=1114">GlennWilson</a></figcaption></figure><h2>Avant</h2>

Developer: Aspial - World Class Land, Architect: Elenberg Fraser, Builder: Probuild. 167 metres, 57 floors and 463 dwellings. (<a href="/news">Forum Thread</a>)

Site clearing and preparation continues with another splash of pinkish purple over the tower's facade set to appear over the next two 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/fb303eb294c9a03c2b237c3d38c3485e.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Avant site preparation progress. Image © Ryan Seychell"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/fb303eb294c9a03c2b237c3d38c3485e.jpg?itok=3ZNRzKQZ" title="Avant site preparation progress. Image © Ryan Seychell" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Avant site preparation progress. Image courtesy Ryan Seychell</figcaption></figure><h2>Victoria One</h2>

Developer: Golden Age Group, Architect: Elenberg Fraser, Builder Probuild. 241 metres, 75 floors and 629 dwellings. (<a href="/news">Forum Thread</a>)

Victoria One's core has raced ahead and the first of the floorplates made their debut in November/December.

<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/bfbd49510a2c00ca2c1b7cb4d487722a.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Victoria One construction progress. Image © Ryan Seychell"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/bfbd49510a2c00ca2c1b7cb4d487722a.jpg?itok=xU9SX6XO" title="Victoria One construction progress. Image © Ryan Seychell" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Victoria One construction progress. Image courtesy Ryan Seychell</figcaption></figure><h2>Light House</h2>

Developer: Hengyi Australia, Architect: Elenberg Fraser, Builder: Brookfield Multiplex. 218 metres, 69 floors and 607 dwellings. (<a href="/news">Forum Thread</a>)

Although it will eventually be 23 metres shorter than its neighbour, Victoria One, across the road, it's going to be an interesting 'race' on either side of Franklin Street with Light House aided by a recently installed second tower crane.

<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/315f5af437393ab2729b0ceeeeef00da.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Light House construction progress. Image © Ryan Seychell"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/315f5af437393ab2729b0ceeeeef00da.jpg?itok=Q9AAt1L-" title="Light House construction progress. Image © Ryan Seychell" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Light House construction progress. Image © Ryan Seychell</figcaption></figure>
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Proposals no more, the top end of Elizabeth Street is now a story of mass construction

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While industry temporarily shut down during the Christmas/New Year period (and us taking a break from publishing articles), this did not stop the project database from growing in size. While you were on holiday, 33 new projects were added.

In what was broadly representative of the development scene in Melbourne during 2015, low-rise and mid-rise buildings (anything up to 12 levels) outnumber the number of high-rise proposals by a factor of eight.

An aged care facility located 220 Middleborough Road in Blackburn South and a hotel - Crest on Barkly in St Kilda - are the only two non-residential buildings in the list.

The 31 residential or mixed-use projects have in total 3,836 proposed dwellings with the most units proposed in R&amp;F Property's 124-188 Ballarat Road project in Footscray (1,400). 15 Breese Street in Brunswick has the smallest number of proposed dwellings (11).

The march north continues, with City of Moreland the most represented local government area with eight different projects. City of Melbourne has five new projects and Whitehorse has four new proposals rounding out the top three.

All new additions to the database are listed below for easy reference.
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Project database summary of new additions: late December/early January

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A development application which would see a 54 level mixed-use tower built at <a href="/buildings/568-collins-street-melbourne">582-606 Collins Street</a> has been lodged with the Planning Minister on behalf of proponent <a href="/developers/landream">Landream</a>. The lead architect has been named as <a href="/architects/zaha-hadid-architects">Zaha Hadid</a> working in collaboration with <a href="/developments/st-kilda-vic-3182">St. Kilda Road</a>-based <a href="/architects/plus-architecture">Plus Architecture</a>.

A media release distributed on Monday morning states the proposal is set to include retail, commercial and resident components with a diverse range of apartment typologies and that "the built form seeks to align with the new <a href="/developments/melbourne-vic">CBD</a> planning reforms introduced by Planning Minister Richard Wynne".

The site sits between the recently completed <a href="/buildings/568-collins-street-melbourne">568 Collins Street</a> and Liberty Tower (620 Collins Street) on the Collins and Spencer Street intersection.

<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/01_aerial_sunrise_cropped.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="582-606 Collins Street. Render supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="780" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/01_aerial_sunrise_cropped.jpg?itok=lvEm5fWS" title="582-606 Collins Street. Render supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>582-606 Collins Street. Render supplied</figcaption></figure>The following description of the proposal was included in the media release:

<blockquote>
The <a href="/developments/melbourne-vic-3000">Collins Street</a> façade is comprised of an elegant colonnade of sculptural, curved columns that supports Zaha Hadid Architects’ unique façade system. These solid elements seek to embody and emulate the finest examples of historic architecture that can be found within the Melbourne CBD, yet reinterpret them in a contemporary solution that is driven by the building’s structural integrity and the logical division of its overall volume.

A delicate filigree gently envelops the building, including the Francis Street service areas to ensure there is no sense of “back of house” to the surrounding areas. Designed to use 50 per cent less energy than a conventional mixed-use tower, this filigreed façade contributes to a reduction in the direct solar gain of the building and emissions. High performance glazing system, high efficiency central cooling, high efficiency lighting and grey-water reuse systems are also proposed to reduce consumption of resources and further lower the emissions.

Evolving from the city’s very distinct urban fabric, the arrangement of the proposed tower takes inspiration from its mixed-use program, converting the building’s overall volume into a series of smaller stacked ‘vases’. Central to the concept is the break-down of the vertical volume by the design team to establish a coherent relationship between tower, podium and surrounding streetscapes.

In addition to housing a different programmatic element, each ‘vase’ gently tapers inwards to offer additional open space at its base. Within the proposal there is a significant proportion of the ground plane given over to public realm, with external area dedicated to a plaza accessible 24 hours a day.

The design intent is to open up the ground plane improving the flow of pedestrian traffic and enriching connectivity with existing transport infrastructure, which includes the adjacent Southern Cross railway station and existing tram network that runs parallel to the site.

The design also proposes the creation of a new pedestrian route that would connect Collins with Francis Street, further alleviating pressure at the Collins and Spencer Street junction. 350 bicycle parking spaces and bays for electric vehicles and shared car clubs are included within the design.

Within the proposal, junctions between each vase invite the interaction fostered at a street level to continue inside the podium, where a rich mix of retail and commercial offerings as well as easily accessible communal spaces have been included in the proposed structure to promote public engagement.
</blockquote>

<a href="/">Apartments.com.au</a> will cover the proposal in more detail in the new year.
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Landream, Zaha Hadid and Plus Architecture come together to produce 582-606 Collins Street

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The climate change denialists have had a giant 'bird flip' thrust in their faces by the national governments of the world with the support of the climate agreement at COP21 in Paris.

COP21 was negotiated and agreed by national governments however in an Australian context much of the hard work of adapting - future-proofing - our society and economy will lie with state governments.

And it is to the state governments of Australia we must now focus on.

Under the COP21 agreement nations have now committed to reducing their carbon emissions over a period of time. Australia had a pledge and working toward it (and hopefully beating it) will require a multi-faceted approach to altering the way we live, work and transport ourselves around cities and regional areas.

On the Climate Change Authority's <a href="http://www.climatechangeauthority.gov.au/reviews/light-vehicle-emissions-standards-australia/opportunities-reduce-light-vehicle-emissions">web page</a>, it states that 16% of Australia's emissions come from transport and that figure is apportioned as follows (percentages do not add up to 100 due to rounding according to the Climate Change Authority):

<ul>
<li>2% from buses and motorcycles</li>
	<li>3% from diesel-powered rail services</li>
	<li>3% from sea transport</li>
	<li>8% from aviation</li>
	<li>18% from trucks</li>
	<li>57% from "light vehicles": cars.</li>
</ul>
Did you spot the elephant in the list? It is at the bottom if you missed it.

If we were to switch to electric cars overnight we would probably not be all that better off <a href="http://reneweconomy.com.au/nem-watch">given power still overwhelmingly comes from fossil fuel sources</a> and it does not address the core problem: various policies, many in the planning realm, focus on the housing and movement of cars rather people.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/DanielAndrewsMP">@DanielAndrewsMP</a> slash congestion for how long? Last Monash FWY upgrade was completed ~5-6 years ago, now there's another in the works.
— Apartments.com.au (@UrbanMelbourne) <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://twitter.com/UrbanMelbourne/status/674071932703240192">December 8, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>If we are going to reduce transport emissions, surely state government policy must now focus on reducing overall car usage; yes, even in a high growth scenario. Whether it is focusing on infrastructure to support increased usage of sustainable modes of transport like walking and cycling, reallocating road space for public transport services or both; policy must surely now focus on creating greater transport freedom for more people in every city, no matter how big or small.

The perennial "balance" transport investment spruikers like our current state treasurer and his opposite - and the bureaucracy that supports them - are now nothing but a laughing stock. Yes, we will need a new Western Distributor, upgraded Monash Freeway or Western Ring Road project every few years if we maintain the status quo in terms of mode share because we will need more road space for the growing population.

With the Paris agreement and the national emission reduction targets looming over us and the titans of the global automotive industry no longer interested in manufacturing "Aussie" cars, now is the time for a transport - and therefore economic - revolution.

The previous ALP state government had a target for 20% of motorised transport mode share on public transport by 2020, and as a first step it is now time for the Andrews government to commit to new targets and allow Infrastructure Victoria to guide the way so as our emissions from transport rapidly reduce and we fully embrace cities as places for people, not cars.

From 2014: 40:40:20-2035, Striking a real balance in transport policy.

Lead image credit: <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-12/melbourne-traffic-chaos/5886030">ABC</a>.
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After COP21 in Paris, maintaining cities as places for cars is even more laughable

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What is a metro? It's a good question and it has many answers. Not least because Australian rail systems don't neatly fit into categories like how people readily and easily classify rail networks in Asia, Europe and North America.

Using terms like heavy rail, metro (or subway), light rail transit (LRT), bus rapid transit (BRT), tram (or streetcar) or bus network will generally be understood with little to no explanation and these generalist terms can be related to aspects of any city's public transport network.

It's only if a person wants to write or talk about a comparison of a heavy rail, bus or tram networks with those located in a different city that the marginally grey-yet-roughly-understood terms become deep ravines of multi-shade grey; with no clear path to use as a route through the confusion.

Alan Davies on his Crikey blog <a href="http://blogs.crikey.com.au/theurbanist/2015/12/02/what-the-hell-is-a-bloody-metro-anyway/">recently wrote on this topic</a> and the set of characteristics he talks about are summarised thus:

<blockquote>
There’s probably no correct answer, however here’s what I’d suggest are the key characteristics of a metro:

<ul>
<li>A high density of lines and stations forming a ‘grid’ pattern – there’s a station within a reasonable walk of virtually any origin or destination within the area of service.</li>
	<li>A large number of interchange stations at key ‘grid’ nodes – they provide connectedness by enabling travellers to transfer between lines.</li>
	<li>Very high frequencies – between 2 and 4 minutes during the day. Short headways maximise capacity and minimise waiting times.</li>
	<li>High capacity carriages – The emphasis is on standing rather than sitting. Wide doors allow quick loading and unloading.</li>
	<li>High speed – trains run in their own grade-separated right-of-way. Each line has a dedicated set of tracks from end to end.</li>
	<li>Long hours of operation – the metro is used for all trip purposes, not just commutes.</li>
</ul>
<cite>Alan Davies, <a href="http://blogs.crikey.com.au/theurbanist/2015/12/02/what-the-hell-is-a-bloody-metro-anyway/">What the hell is a bloody “metro” anyway?</a> (Crikey, December 02 2015)</cite>
</blockquote>

Of the three primary modes of public transport in Melbourne, I think the one which best fits within this set of characteristics is our tram network. It's not an exact match - nothing ever will be - because the Paris, Madrid, Montréal and Copenhagen metros; the London tube and overground; the New York and Toronto subways; the Chicago L, the Singapore, Hong Kong and Bangkok MRT/MTR are all quite different in scale, coverage, operational hours and capacity either at a macro level or on a line-by-line comparison level.

Likewise in other German cities what are effectively trams are called metros: Cologne, Bonn, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt and Hamburg and their respective U-Bahn (Untergrundbahn or underground railway) networks are a primary example.

Sticking with Germany, if you look at any city's public transport map, you'll note little to no emphasis on different flavours of rail service is present; for example, <a href="http://www.s-bahn-berlin.de/pdf/VBB-Liniennetz.pdf">here's Berlin</a>.

Hands up who's been to Berlin! Did you visit Alexanderplatz, FriedrichStraße, Museum Island, Tiergarten / Zoo or Hackescher Markt? Chances are you used the S-Bahn to get to / between these places, not the U-Bahn which would generally be considered more Berlin's "metro".

<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/f108_4708.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Tram congestion on Elizabeth Street. Image from Marcus Wong's Rail Gallery"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/f108_4708.jpg?itok=em-hWqCU" title="Tram congestion on Elizabeth Street. Image from Marcus Wong's Rail Gallery" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Tram congestion on Elizabeth Street. Image from Marcus Wong's <a href="http://railgallery.wongm.com/melbourne-trams-cbd-and-docklands/F108_4708.jpg">Rail Gallery</a></figcaption></figure>Melbourne's tram network has a high density of lines and interchanges (to a greater degree in the south and east, less so in the north) where there are multiple chances to change routes. Although not able to carry the same amount of people as a standard train, the capacity of a single tram line is greater than a bus network running with the same frequencies.

Trams have longer operational hours when you compare to the entire bus network and the frequencies on individual lines are respectable with anywhere between 7 and 15 minutes being the inter-peak norm.

High-speed, high capacity carriages and the "very high" part of the frequency equation are the clear characteristics which don't really fit for defining Melbourne's tram network as a metro. However that doesn't things can't change.

In among the transport news and comment in media elsewhere recently, trams and light rail had some headlines last week. The Rail Futures Group launched three papers on Friday, two of which had been present on the <a href="http://railfutures.org.au/">group's website</a> for some time, including the <a href="http://railfutures.org.au/files/TramsLightRailMelbourne.pdf">Trams and Light Rail in Melbourne's Transport Future paper</a>.

The authors advocate for renewed focus on Melbourne's tram network by recognising that Melbourne's tram network is vital to the local transport needs of the inner and middle suburbs of the north, east and south - the areas which are seeing significant growth - and that steps should be taken to improve speed and reliability of existing services as well as conduct a program of extending existing lines and tying it all together with better <a href="http://railfutures.org.au/files/150725PlanningPaperFinalDraft.pdf">metropolitan land use</a>.

The key component of speeding up and improving tram reliability is extending hook turns to all roads which have a tram route present and installing active priority systems at signalised intersections throughout the network so that when a tram approaches the intersection, lights turn red and stop traffic crossing the tram route and then allow the tram to move through the intersection without stopping.

The paper quotes research conducted for Plan Melbourne where average speeds on the current tram network can go as low as six kilometres per hour (kph) and the aim should be to raise the average speed of the classic street-based tram network to something comparable with other systems around the world, in the region of 16-24kph.

Likewise numerous line extensions to enable greater interconnectedness with other tram lines and heavy rail lines are present as well as three brand new light rail lines - like those being built in Sydney and recently completed on the Gold Coast - to Doncaster, Rowville and along Dynon and Ballarat Roads are being advocated.

The launch of the three papers are timely given Infrastructure Victoria is on its way to assessing the state's infrastructure needs, to which the Victorian Government is required to respond with a short-to-medium term infrastructure plan once the 30 year strategy from the statutory body is presented to Government.

<iframe height="480" src="https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=zLzjYwjjDBk0.kmmrcZVCvmUo&amp;ll=-37.81444,%20144.96251&amp;z=13" width="640"></iframe>

<a href="https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=zLzjYwjjDBk0.kmmrcZVCvmUo">View larger map</a>

To me, a 'metro' should be technology and capacity blind, but to a point. The above is an attempt to (literally) blur the lines between heavy rail and trams. It has the existing tram network (green), with proposed extensions from the Rail Futures paper along with a couple of my own (all in red), the three new light rail lines (slightly thicker red lines) plus one that wasn't mentioned in the paper: Springvale Road.

The entire map is overlaid with how the heavy rail network would look like according to the <a href="/news">PTV heavy rail network plan</a> released back in 2012. No more lines dominated by the City Loop, but seven lines which flow in, through, and out of the city plus an eighth which is the Tullamarine airport line. I've indulged a little bit more here as well, all of which will be explained and form the basis of future articles.

The lack of stations and interchange points as visual markers as you'd expect on a public transport map is entirely deliberate. The point is to highlight paths throughout the city irrespective of mode (and therefore capacity/speed) and direction.

Interchange with other lines and modes - the characteristic I'd weight the most when asking the question what makes a metro a metro - is obvious when you view the city at this macro level. Just like when you view a <a href="http://parisbytrain.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/paris-metro-map.jpg">map of Paris and the metro is depicted indifferently to the RER</a> and when you look at a map of Berlin, the U-Bahn and S-Bahn lines are barely distinguishable.

Melbourne's heavy rail network is on a path to greater frequencies thanks to level crossings being removed, the <a href="/news/a-closer-look-at-the-latest-round-of-melbourne-metro-station-designs">Melbourne Metro Rail project</a>, a new signalling system and higher-capacity trains being introduced.

If tram speeds were increased, with reliability improved through altered road rules outside the CBD and more dedicated rights-of-way were built in existing corridors, cross-town routes built in areas where there are none, vehicles the size of the E-class (or larger) deployed en masse, and space for people prioritised higher than space for cars became the guiding principle for network investment; then who's to say the tram network couldn't legitimately be called Melbourne's metro?

Lead image credit: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hector_Guimard">Wikipedia</a>.
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What is Melbourne's metro? What could it be?

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City of Casey recently approved a multi-building development in Berwick which has paved the way for the municipality's first entry on the Apartments.com.au Project Database.

1-9 &amp; 11-17 Lyall Road sits on a prime site at the bottom of Berwick hill, set back from the suburb's main intersection. The proponent is a developer using the entity name Sheradar Pty Ltd and the four building development has been designed by <a href="http://www.bcarch.net/">Baldasso Cortese</a>.

The project will see a residential and serviced apartment building join an individual 'market hall' retail offering and two office buildings with ground floor retail. Baldasso Cortese's architectural design statement shows the project will seek to initiate the following:

<blockquote>
Response to an urban edge condition by reinforcing a strong activated streetscape through reimagining the modern main street, along Lyall Road.

Creation of a new public urban space that provides a much needed meeting place for Berwick and an open, sheltered environment with filtered skylights providing ample daylight. Imagery and paving will reflect the strong agricultural past of the region.

Create a mixed-use development that includes retail, commercial, food and beverage, serviced apartments and residential uses

Create a Market Hall style food offering, book-ended by the larger scale commercial development, that provides a rich, high quality setting for dining and produce during both day and night.

Create a variety of engaging retail settings including main street shops, town square cafes and a lane-way type connections between the car park and Lyall Road

Design activated facades to the car park to provide security, over-looking and engagement

Design the built form on the corner of Lyall Road and Anne Street to respond to the Gateway setting and an important visual connection to the Princes Highway junction.
<cite>Baldasso Cortese</cite>
</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/aerial_view.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Overview of the project site. Image supplied"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="258" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/aerial_view.jpg?itok=CJQCQBSY" title="Overview of the project site. Image supplied" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Overview of the project site. Image supplied</figcaption></figure>The five level gateway building located on the corner of Lyall Road and Anne Street will include 30 serviced apartments in a variety of configurations on the ground and first floors while the second, third and forth floors will include 20 residential apartments.

Most interestingly, of the 20 private apartments located on the three upper floors, there will be no 1 bedroom apartments with 2 and 3 bedroom apartments prevalent. Planning documents also suggest they will be large: 3 x 3 bedroom apartments will be on the top floor with a total of 370 square metres of space between them.

<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/lyall_rd_st_view.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The project will include new retail premises for Berwick Town centre"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="258" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/lyall_rd_st_view.jpg?itok=occ1qgBR" title="The project will include new retail premises for Berwick Town centre" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The project will include new retail premises for Berwick Town Centre</figcaption></figure>The majority of car parking for the project will be located below ground with the only surface spaces confined to the rear of the site and perhaps the best aspect of the project is the focus on an attractive, active ground level fronting Lyall Road.

Upon completion, Lyall Road will become a great case study in the history of suburban development in Melbourne. The Google Street View below shows the aspect when looking from the project site to the other side of the road.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="450" scrolling="no" src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m0!3m2!1sen!2sau!4v1449667684105!6m8!1m7!1s_ajivozKVZ0vuxT4WffC-Q!2m2!1d-38.03005599491508!2d145.3451867177946!3f119.91995137491514!4f-1.8611280219058841!5f0.7820865974627469" style="border:0" width="100%"></iframe>

Many may think of Berwick simply as a late 90's, early 2000's growth suburb, yet the region is diverse in its development patterns. From the old school grid layout lying to the east of Berwick's centre, to the horribly narrow cul-de-sac streets of the Timbara estate located just east of the Monash Freeway/Hallam bypass.

Despite the suburban (most definitely not rural!) view of Berwick, it is no stranger to modestly higher densities with townhouses present throughout the older areas. This project's approval signifies the evolution of Berwick's housing diversity.
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Outer suburban Berwick to get an urban development injection

Following on from <a href="/news/welcome-to-boom-town-melbournes-low-rise-high-density-projects-in-one-long-list">Friday's list of 2, 3 and 4 floor low-rise high-density projects</a>, today we're looking exclusively at projects which have either 5 or 6 floors.

There are 243 current projects in the list below and while the overwhelming majority of projects are residential, there are a few notable commercial projects such as the ABC's expansion of its offices and broadcast facilities on <a href="/new-apartments/southbank-vic-3006">Southbank</a>, the <a href="/developments/burnley-vic-3121">East Edge Botannica</a> project in Richmond and <a href="/developments/hawthorn-vic-3122">8 Hall Street</a> in Hawthorn.

Factoring in purely residential projects, the list of projects below yields 10,781 dwellings from planning assessment to construction.

<h2>The low-rise high-density story</h2>

Combining the numbers across both lists - that is, buildings with 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 floors - there are just under 18,000 dwellings across 453 projects (2 more low-rise projects have been added since Friday's article). 46% of all projects on Apartments.com.au <a href="/developments">Project Database</a> have 6 or less floors.

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width:100%;">
	<thead>
		<tr>
			<th scope="col">Project Status</th>
			<th class="rtecenter" scope="col">Number of Projects</th>
			<th class="rtecenter" scope="col">Number of Dwellings</th>
		</tr>
	</thead>
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>Planning Assessment</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">99</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">4175</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Approved</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">97</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">3866</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Registration and Sales</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">141</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">5116</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Under Construction</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">116</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">4808</td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td>Total</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">453</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">17,965</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

Furthermore Apartments.com.au has site area data on 214 of the 453 projects outlined in the table above; this subset has an average of 312 dwellings per hectare. Dwellings per hectare = 10,000 ÷ (Site Area m2 ÷ Dwellings).

Where Friday's list has projects which provide a good insight into what is possible in the residential growth zone throughout the Metropolitan area, today's list looks at the small step up into areas where suburban structure plans encourage higher-density development.

See <a href="/news/welcome-to-boom-town-melbournes-low-rise-high-density-projects-in-one-long-list">Friday's article</a> for the list of projects with 2, 3 or 4 floors.

And it's over to the Project Database once again. Here's the list of projects with either 5 or 6 floors.

Melbourne's low-rise high-density: all projects with 5 or 6 floors in one long list

<html><body>
It's very easy to assume that Melbourne is only building skyscrapers and high-rise towers in the inner city and low-density detached housing on the fringes.  Skyscraper proposals attract headlines across a wide range of media outlets but there's an equally huge story of Melbourne's current development scene that is easily overlooked.

What of the middle ground between skyscraper or sprawl?  There are in fact hundreds of small stature apartment projects in Melbourne's suburbs that are easily glossed over.

At the time of writing there are 983 projects listed on the Apartments.com.au Project Database.  208 of those are made up of either 2, 3 or 4 floors and when combined contain over 7,000 dwellings across all phases of the development cycle: that is from planning to construction.

If the search criteria is expanded to include projects up to and including 5 floors, the total number of projects rockets up to 339 with over 12,000 dwellings in play.

The following (long!) list is every low-rise project with either 2, 3 or 4 floors that Apartments.com.au is tracking on within our  <a href="/developments">Project Database</a>.  <a href="/">Data Portal</a> subscribers can pull this information directly by exporting the database and filtering through a spreadsheet program like Excel or OpenOffice Calc.

I'm going to let the database do the talking from this point on - so get off your mobile, turn your tablet to portrait layout or jump on a desktop/laptop: here's Melbourne's low-rise high-density story.
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Welcome to boom-town: Melbourne's low-rise high-density projects in one long list

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The Melbourne Metro authority has announced it is seeking to assess the private sector's interest in participating on the Melbourne Metro project. According to the Registration of Interest form found on the <a href="http://mmrailproject.vic.gov.au/about-the-project/tenders-and-service-providers">authority's website</a>, an early works packages will be delivered under a Managing Contractor model with expressions of interest closing in late December 2015.

The Registration of Interest form points to five proposed work packages with an availability private-public partnership (PPP) type package to build the tunnels, stations (including fit-outs) as well as installing the mechanical and electrical systems and the maintenance of the infrastructure.

The other four packages include two alliance packages for the construction of the eastern portal in South Yarra and another for the implementation of a high capacity singalling system, overhead traction power installation and a train control system.

A 'wider network enhancements' package which according to the Registration of Interest document will relate to the installation of turnbacks and signalling system upgrades across the wider existing rail network along with the early works package rounds out the five listed in Appendix 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/mmr_eoi.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Appendix A listing the proposed works packages for Melbourne Metro"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="817" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/mmr_eoi.png?itok=Jycux3ZJ" title="Appendix A listing the proposed works packages for Melbourne Metro" width="580"></a>

<figcaption><a href="http://mmrailproject.vic.gov.au/about-the-project/tenders-and-service-providers">Appendix A</a> listing the proposed works packages for Melbourne Metro</figcaption></figure>A PPP generally involves the private sector organising project finance, builds (and owns) the infrastructure and then provides it to the state to use and receives a payment in return; this is how the Peninsula Link was structured.

<blockquote>
There will be significant opportunities for private sector involvement in the $9-11 billion project, with opportunities for a range of contractors, designers and suppliers.

<ul>
<li>An availability based Public Private Partnership valued at approximately $5 billion will include design and construction of the twin nine-kilometre tunnels and five underground stations, private finance and the provision of maintenance and other services during the operating term. The EOI for the PPP contract is expected to be released in mid 2016.</li>
	<li>Certain early works will be delivered under a separate contract, including utility services relocation and protection and other site preparatory works. The EOI for this early works contract will be released in November 2015.</li>
	<li>There will be several Alliance packages to deliver works that need to be integrated with the existing rail network in a live operational environment.</li>
	<li>We will be looking to partner with companies with knowledge and experience in managing complex projects in busy urban environments.</li>
</ul>
<cite>Melbourne Metro Rail: <a href="http://mmrailproject.vic.gov.au/about-the-project/tenders-and-service-providers">Tenders and Service Providers</a></cite>
</blockquote>

Underline and bold emphasis is mine: the proposed PPP package component states it will have an approximate value of $5 billion or half the total $9-11 billion cost. To compare, you can see a breakdown of the Sydney Metro contracts in the <a href="/news">Sydney Metro forum thread</a>.
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Melbourne Metro Authority seeks industry registrations of interest

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

Joel Robinson

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

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

WM Residences fills gap in Mordialloc townhouse market

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

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

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

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

NAB funds $1 billion Surfers Paradise apartment development, Palmera

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

Alastair Taylor

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