<html><body>
The Legislative Assembly yesterday agreed to the amendments proposed by the Legislative Council after the third reading of the <a href="http://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/LDMS/PubPDocs.nsf/ee665e366dcb6cb0ca256da400837f6b/bd7ef38ce1a4b425ca257e6d00170ff2!OpenDocument">Infrastructure Victoria Bill 2015</a>. Once the Governor has lent her signature to the bill, the way will be paved for the creation of Infrastructure Victoria.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">
The Parliament passed 5 bills today <a href="http://t.co/V75wHdEdsq">http://t.co/V75wHdEdsq</a> Next they go to the Governor for royal assent <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/springst?src=hash">#springst</a>
— Victorian Parliament (@VicParliament) <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://twitter.com/VicParliament/status/639371853727862784">September 3, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>Much of the rhetoric to date has centred around Infrastructure Victoria needing to be independent of Government and while the legislation sets out the boundaries of its independence, the seven member board will have a minority of three Department heads as ex officio directors and a majority of four independent directors. The <a href="http://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/LDMS/PubPDocs.nsf/ee665e366dcb6cb0ca256da400837f6b/BD7EF38CE1A4B425CA257E6D00170FF2/%24FILE/581105exi1.pdf">explanatory memorandum</a> for the bill explains this as follows:

<blockquote>
The inclusion of Department Heads on the board ensures Infrastructure Victoria is able to receive input from the public sector. However, the composition of the board safeguards Infrastructure Victoria's independence by ensuring these Department Heads are a minority of board members
</blockquote>

Infrastructure Victoria will be required to create a 30-year infrastructure strategy which assesses the current state of infrastructure in the state and identifies Victoria's infrastructure needs and priorities over the 30 year period. Furthermore the legislation requires the Government to provide a formal response to the 30-year strategy by creating and then publishing a five-year infrastructure plan within 12 months of Infrastructure Victoria releasing its 30-year strategy.

The Government's response and five-year plan must also identify the priority projects "including an explanation of how the priority projects will achieve the social, economic and environmental objectives stated in the 30-year infrastructure strategy".

Public consultation on the 30-year strategy is enshrined in law requiring Infrastructure Victoria to run a public consultation process when the initial 30-year strategy is drafted and if Infrastructure Victoria subsequently updates the plan in future. Infrastructure Victoria will furthermore be keeping tabs on the Government as the body will be required to publish a report measuring progress against the Government's five-year infrastructure plan in its Annual Report.

In commentary in the Assembly on Thursday, the Minister for Public Transport, Jacinta Allan, gave a run down on the amendments the Government was agreeing to.

First amongst the amendments, according to the Minister, was to include clarifying statements in the legislation relation to Infrastructure Victoria needing to research the benefits and costs of infrastructure, not just the benefits.

Secondly the Minister said an amendment moved by the Greens that "requires Infrastructure Victoria to research the impact of climate change on infrastructure, including the measurement of greenhouse gas emissions" had been agreed to. The Minister furthermore said "this research area is indicative rather than prescriptive but it obviously includes the addition of the opportunity to look at the impact of climate change on infrastructure that is being considered".

Other amendments mentioned by the Minister in <a href="http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/daily-hansard/Assembly_2015/Assembly_Aug-Dec_2015_Daily_3_September_2015.pdf">hansard</a> relate to the requirement that directors sitting on Infrastructure Victoria's board have private sector experience and that Infrastructure Victoria's first 30-year infrastructure must be released by the 31st of December 2016.

<figure><a 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/ivbroc2.jpg" title="A comparison of similar bodies from the Victorian Government's Infrastructure Victoria brochure" class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" rel="gallery-all"><img src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/ivbroc2.jpg?itok=BWAlltAB" width="580" height="547" alt="" title="A comparison of similar bodies from the Victorian Government's Infrastructure Victoria brochure" class="image-article-full-width-580px"></a>
<figcaption>A comparison of similar bodies from the <a href="http://www.dpc.vic.gov.au/images/documents/Infrastructure_Victoria/Infrastructure_Victoria_brochure_June_2015.pdf">Victorian Government's Infrastructure Victoria brochure</a></figcaption></figure>
</body></html>

Alastair Taylor

And on the third day... Infrastructure Victoria was born

<html><body>
Feedback submissions on Spring Street's Victoria's Future Industries: Construction Technologies discussion paper are closing on the 21st of September.

The <a href="http://yoursay.business.vic.gov.au/futureindustries/application/files/4214/4064/6886/9212_DEDJTR_VFI_Construction_Tech_Paper_WEB2.pdf">paper</a> and the subsequent feedback the State Government is inviting will aid in the development of a Victorian construction industry technologies strategy.

According to the discussion paper, the construction sector in Victoria employs almost 240,000 people and contributes 6.7% or $21.6 billion to the States Gross State Product and this includes residential and non-residential construction activity.

<blockquote>
The Victorian Government has identified the construction materials and technologies industries as one of a number of sectors strategically important for the State. Firms in these industries provide inputs into the construction sector, which is both an important enabler in the Victorian economy and a significant sector in its own right.

This paper outlines how the performance of the construction technologies sector might be improved and identifies a number of areas for stakeholders to further consider:

<ul>
<li>Capitalising on Melbourne’s status as the world’s most liveable city.</li>
	<li>Capturing the demonstration benefit from green, smart projects.</li>
	<li>Accelerating the uptake of new materials and technologies.</li>
	<li>The role of government in the take up of Building Information Modelling.</li>
	<li>Establishing Victoria as Australia’s centre of excellence for off-site construction technologies and businesses.</li>
	<li>Utilising the strength of Victoria’s research base for the benefit of the building materials and building technology industries.</li>
	<li>Getting better at exporting and managing the import challenge</li>
</ul>
<cite>Construction Technologies discussion paper - Executive Summary</cite>
</blockquote>

You could be forgiven for having difficulty trying to wrap your head around what a status bestowed on Melbourne by a foriegn economics magazine has to do with improved construction technologies; nevertheless, the other points listed above are bound to invite robust discussion.

To lodge feedback, see the details on <a href="http://yoursay.business.vic.gov.au/futureindustries/construction-technologies">the Business Victoria website</a>.
</body></html>

Feedback submissions on Construction Technologies discussion paper closing September 21st

<html><body>
Melbourne's tram network is the largest in the world measured by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tram#Largest_tram_systems">track length</a>.

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width:100%;">
<thead><tr>
<th scope="col">City</th>
			<th scope="col">Network Size (track length)</th>
		</tr></thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trams_in_Melbourne">Melbourne</a></td>
			<td>250km</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kharkiv_tram">Kharkiv</a></td>
			<td>232km</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trams_in_Saint_Petersburg">St. Petersburg</a></td>
			<td>220km</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trams_in_Berlin">Berlin</a></td>
			<td>190km</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trams_in_Moscow">Moscow</a></td>
			<td>181km</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trams_in_Vienna">Vienna</a></td>
			<td>172km</td>
		</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Despite Melbourne's tram network being larger, Berlin's Straßenbahn network had roughly the same amount of passengers trips as Melbourne and Vienna's network was well ahead of both Melbourne &amp; Berlin in the 2013-2014 period.

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width:100%;">
<thead><tr>
<th scope="col">Melbourne</th>
			<th scope="col">Berlin</th>
			<th scope="col">Vienna</th>
		</tr></thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>173,400,000 passenger trips</td>
			<td>174,700,000 passenger trips</td>
			<td>293,600,000 passenger trips</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trams_in_Melbourne">Source</a></td>
			<td><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trams_in_Berlin#cite_note-ZP2014-5">Source</a></td>
			<td><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trams_in_Vienna">Source</a></td>
		</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Six of Melbourne's 23 routes have more than 10,000,000 passenger trips per annum:

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width:100%;">
<thead><tr>
<th scope="col">Route</th>
			<th scope="col">Annual Passenger Trips</th>
		</tr></thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>#109 - Box Hill to Port Melbourne</td>
			<td>15,600,000</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>#86 - Bundoora RMIT to Waterfront City Docklands</td>
			<td>15,500,000</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>#96 - St Kilda Beach to East Brunswick</td>
			<td>15,400,000</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>#112 - West Preston to St Kilda*</td>
			<td>12,300,000</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>#19 - North Coburg to City</td>
			<td>11,400,000</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td>#59 - Airport West to City</td>
			<td>10,200,000</td>
		</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
* I assume the data available on Yarra Tram's <a href="http://www.yarratrams.com.au/about-us/who-we-are/facts-figures/">website</a> reflects statistics before the recent route split.

<h2>Did you also know…</h2>

…finding passenger trip statistics for an 'average weekday' on trams, trains and buses in Melbourne is a convoluted and inaccurate process?

Today's strike has taken place during the middle of the day, between the peaks and it is therefore safe to say that we have avoided a proper #trampocalypse - as many on social media are calling and hashtagging it.

However, without access to readily available data on daily passenger trips on trams for more accurate predictions to be made about the effect the strike has had, reports will be vague on the subject.

Prime example: Yarra Tram's paints woefully inadequate picture of patronage numbers on its <a href="http://www.yarratrams.com.au/about-us/who-we-are/facts-figures/">website</a>. "There are approximately 3.5 million passenger trips taken on the Yarra Trams network every week - including more than 500,000 on weekends".

And even then things don't add up.

If we manually total the numbers in the per-route breakdown (the top six are in the table above) we're left with 179,000,000 passenger trips. And yet their statement, located just above the per-route breakdown, on "3.5 million passenger trips per week" would total 182,000,000 if we attempted to arrive at an annual figure (multiply 3.5 million by 52).

PTV's annual report from 2013-2014 states there were 176.9 million passenger trips taken on trams - there's quite a variety of numbers floating about, but no central "single source of truth" that is regularly updated to get a better picture on the state of patronage.

<h2>Editor's pick of today's social media posts</h2>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">
Looking north and south from Fed Square <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tramstrike?src=hash">#Tramstrike</a> (ping <a href="https://twitter.com/774melbourne">@774melbourne</a>) <a href="http://t.co/mhLibTtMJW">pic.twitter.com/mhLibTtMJW</a>
— Courtney Carthy (@ccarthy) <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://twitter.com/ccarthy/status/636716463475154945">August 27, 2015</a>
</blockquote>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">
What's wrong with this picture? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tramstrike?src=hash">#tramstrike</a> <a href="http://t.co/zMyjNImvwY">http://t.co/zMyjNImvwY</a> <a href="http://t.co/1s7GAFK5Wo">pic.twitter.com/1s7GAFK5Wo</a>
— The Age (@theage) <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://twitter.com/theage/status/636693598520524803">August 27, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/top10?src=hash">#top10</a> ways to get to work during <a href="https://twitter.com/fakeyarratrams">@fakeyarratrams</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TramStrike?src=hash">#TramStrike</a> no 1. Horse and Cart <a href="http://t.co/qTepFZDFzg">pic.twitter.com/qTepFZDFzg</a>
— Hipstergeddon (@hipstergeddon) <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://twitter.com/hipstergeddon/status/636658396465205248">August 26, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hipstergeddon">@hipstergeddon</a> No.4. Street Slide. <a href="http://t.co/EJhWnz2vUu">pic.twitter.com/EJhWnz2vUu</a>
— Fake Yarra Trams (@fakeyarratrams) <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://twitter.com/fakeyarratrams/status/636663506025099266">August 26, 2015</a>
</blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>Lead image credit: Wikipedia.
</body></html>

Melbourne's tram network: did you know?

<html><body>
Spring Street via VicRoads on Monday 24th August, invited the community to provide feedback on the future of the <a href="https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/planning-and-projects/melbourne-road-projects/punt-road-hoddle-street">Hoddle Street-Punt Road corridor</a>.

The State Government media release states:

<blockquote>
The Labor Government wants to hear from motorists, cyclists and public transport users who use the corridor as well as local residents and business owners.

The local communities’ views and the thousands of people who use the corridor every day as a bypass, a distributer and a crossing point, as well as residents and business owners in the area, are a vital part of investigations into traffic management improvements which will be made over the next two to four years.

The community can use an online mapping tool on the VicRoads website to provide feedback on their experiences along particular parts of the corridor.
<cite>Media Release from Minister for Roads, Luke Donnellan</cite>
</blockquote>

VicRoads profiles two individual projects which are investigating options for improvements in both the <a href="https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/planning-and-projects/melbourne-road-projects/punt-road-hoddle-street/hoddle-street--streamlining-initiative">Hoddle Street</a> and <a href="https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/planning-and-projects/melbourne-road-projects/punt-road-hoddle-street/punt-road-investigations">Punt Road</a> sections.

The increasingly ubiquitous map open for the community to add their commentary already has a large number of submissions with a mix of sustainable transport versus private vehicle commentary.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/vic_roads_comm_consult_map.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Screenshot of VicRoads' community consultation map"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="362" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/vic_roads_comm_consult_map.png?itok=Ir9dsnb6" title="Screenshot of VicRoads' community consultation map" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Screenshot of VicRoads' community consultation <a href="http://consult.vicroads.vic.gov.au/hoddle-street-punt-road-consultation/maps/hoddle-punt-corridor-map">map</a></figcaption></figure>To participate and provide your own feedback on the Hoddle Street-Punt Road corridor investigations, see <a href="http://consult.vicroads.vic.gov.au/hoddle-street-punt-road-consultation">VicRoad's website</a>.

Lead image credit: UM user MelbourneGuy.
</body></html>

Have your say: Hoddle Street-Punt Road corridor

<html><body>
Here's a round-up of construction highlights posted on the Apartments.com.au forum this month. As always, click the images for a larger version.

UM user MelbourneGuy posted this image in the <a href="/news">St Kilda/Port Melbourne forum thread</a> recently showing the near-complete Icon by Pace Development with Caydon's Pace Development's Icon S.T.K. apartments looming in the background.

<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/melb_guy_icon_caydon.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Looking south from the corner of Toorak and Punt Roads, by UM user MelbourneGuy"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/melb_guy_icon_caydon.jpg?itok=ZFSckgR6" title="Looking south from the corner of Toorak and Punt Roads, by UM user MelbourneGuy" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Looking south from the corner of Toorak and Punt Roads, by UM user MelbourneGuy</figcaption></figure>The Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre feels like it was designed to delight construction watchers like us - VCCC is a big favourite for UM forum users with images frequently posted in the <a href="/news">Carlton &amp; Parkville forum thread</a>.  The image below is from earlier on in August and by editor Mark Baljak.

<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_5281.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The VCCC from Flemington Road - image by editor Mark Baljak"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_5281.jpg?itok=BZrMk2P0" title="The VCCC from Flemington Road - image by editor Mark Baljak" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The VCCC from Flemington Road - image by editor Mark Baljak</figcaption></figure>United Asia Group's North at 19-33 Flemington Road which has seen over 3000 hits on our Project Database page is powering along on Flemington Road opposite the VCCC. Image by editor Mark Baljak.  Also worthy of note is the video created for marketing the project, check it out on <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://player.vimeo.com/video/79928699">vimeo</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/img_5778.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="North at 33 Flemington Road - image by editor Mark Baljak"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_5778.jpg?itok=zX6svLZ3" title="North at 33 Flemington Road - image by editor Mark Baljak" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>North at 33 Flemington Road - image by editor Mark Baljak</figcaption></figure>Ryan Seychell, who also runs the <a href="https://instagram.com/urbanmelbourneau/">Urban.com.au Instagram account</a>, took a smattering of photos of the newly opened The Grid @ 567 Collins street last week - check out all the images in <a href="/news">567 Collins Street's dedicated forum thread</a>.  

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/77c4bea98d5372fc91394df21b0b54d1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Grid at 567 Collins Street - image by 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/77c4bea98d5372fc91394df21b0b54d1.jpg?itok=P-KOpF-v" title="The Grid at 567 Collins Street - image by Ryan Seychell" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Grid at 567 Collins Street - image by Ryan Seychell</figcaption></figure>Ryan also took these recent images of 888 Collins Street in Docklands - on the corner of Collins &amp; Bourke Street - see the full set in the dedicated <a href="/news">888 Collins Street forum thread</a>.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/ca5ed5e38e3624845e6c544511e1f66c.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="888 Collins Street - image by 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/ca5ed5e38e3624845e6c544511e1f66c.jpg?itok=MwzhYlGy" title="888 Collins Street - image by Ryan Seychell" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>888 Collins Street - image by Ryan Seychell</figcaption></figure><a href="/news">The Australia 108 forum thread</a> is likely to be referenced a lot over the coming years - primarily because it's dedicated to an enormous project.  Ryan took this image of the site on the 13th of August.

<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/bd483d3677a881df57e4cd1c7605588d.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="How skyscrapers begin their lives - Australia 108 site - image by 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/bd483d3677a881df57e4cd1c7605588d.jpg?itok=KkrUcDLL" title="How skyscrapers begin their lives - Australia 108 site - image by Ryan Seychell" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>How skyscrapers begin their lives - Australia 108 site - image by Ryan Seychell</figcaption></figure>West Side Place now has a tall display suite - image by UM user Adrian back on the 8th of August.

<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/54bdb791b1d276f92fc54486c7e9aa00.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Westside Place's display suite - image by UM user 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/54bdb791b1d276f92fc54486c7e9aa00.jpg?itok=brYUgUi6" title="West Side Place's display suite - image by UM user Adrian" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>West Side Place's display suite - image by UM user Adrian</figcaption></figure>Lead image is 131 Russel Street by Ryan Seychell - see the full set in the <a href="/news">131 Russel Street forum thread</a>.
</body></html>

Melbourne construction highlights - August

<html><body>
One of the major changes to planning during the term of the last Victorian Government was the implementation of <a href="/news/planning-minister-approves-new-residential-zones-in-39-victorian-lgas">new residential and commercial zones</a> right throughout <a href="/news/planning-minister-approves-new-residential-zones-in-39-victorian-lgas">metropolitan and regional areas</a>.

The new planning zones were designed to provide clarity to the community and also to developers in order for them to make investment decisions with a clear understanding of what can be built on the sites they purchase.

One developer which is working away in the General Residential and Residential Growth Zones is <a href="http://www.samuel.com.au/">Samuel Property</a>.

To date Samuel Property have begun development of two projects: Vela in Blackburn and Lennox Glen Iris. Apartments.com.au recently chatted with Illan Samuel who is head of the company and some interesting planning anecdotes came out of the conversation.

<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/lennox.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Lennox Glen Iris. © Samuel Property"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="337" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/lennox.jpg?itok=XRuU3Ah1" title="Lennox Glen Iris. © Samuel Property" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Lennox Glen Iris. © Samuel Property</figcaption></figure>Lennox, located at 25 Belmont Avenue North in Glen Iris, was initially targeted at the downsizer market and four weeks out from kicking off the marketing campaign for the project, a decision was made to switch direction and target young professionals.

All 20 apartments were sold in 4-5 weeks and it attracted “very much a hyper-local buyer pool - young people who were either renting or originally grew up in the area - and no offshore buyers” according to Samuel.

Illan Samuel told Apartments.com.au that development sites in side streets right near main strips are preferred; buyers like being close to the action but not directly on the main drag as it were. Lennox in Glen Iris and Vela in Blackburn fit this bill.

Take this <a href="http://planningschemes.dpcd.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/194614/whitehorse02zn.pdf">map of zones</a> for the Blackburn area in Whitehorse, Vela Blackburn as seen in the render below is located at 4 Station Street, just off Whitehorse Road and right inside the <a href="http://planningschemes.dpcd.vic.gov.au/schemes/whitehorse/ordinance/32_07s03_whse.pdf">RGZ3</a> zone. Lennox in Glen Iris located at 25 Belmont Avenue North comes under <a href="http://planningschemes.dpcd.vic.gov.au/schemes/stonnington/ordinance/32_08s10_ston.pdf">GRZ10</a> according to <a href="http://planningschemes.dpcd.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/191743/stonnington06zn.pdf">Stonnington zone maps</a> for Glen Iris.

<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/apartments4.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Vela Blackburn. © Samuel Property"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="330" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/apartments4.jpg?itok=7vqlzmIm" title="Vela Blackburn. © Samuel Property" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Vela Blackburn. © Samuel Property</figcaption></figure>Vela in Blackburn, like Lennox in Glen Iris, has sold out of its 24 apartments and Illan told Apartments.com.au the sales campaign drew in a lot of local buyers.

As is the custom when Apartments.com.au asks developers about future plans, there was a lot of coyness, but Illan did tell us that a similar profile development - side street just off a main strip in RGZ or GRZ - is currently at planning in Glen Eira.

Vela in Blackburn is already under construction and Lennox Glen Iris is set to commence construction in October.

<h2>Comment</h2>

There is still, no doubt, scope to improve the planning zones further. For instance, encouraging (forcing?) councils to apply them to more areas in their LGA and experimenting with other "carrot or the stick" tools like density bonuses which might allow developers to build an extra level in exchange for affordable or social housing components in developments located in any General Residential or Residential Growth Zone.

Regardless, it is encouraging to see capital seek out these development opportunities and from early-adopter and entrepreneurial developers as well; as it is the little things, built in high volume, that are going to count over the long run if Melbourne is to reach the goal of diversifying its residential stock as we grow over the coming decades.

Lead image credit: Lennox Glen Iris location, <a href="http://www.lennoxgleniris.com.au/video">Samuel Property</a>.
</body></html>

Samuel Property and the new residential zones

<html><body>
<blockquote>
Cities are the foundation on which modern society comes together to share, develop and exploit ideas for the betterment of everyone. Humans and the built environment are in a never ending symbiotic relationship with each other in the great cities of the world and Apartments.com.au seeks to create a content rich meeting place for the wider Melbourne community and urban development industry stakeholders – developers, architects, urban planners, sales agents – to come together and discuss, critique, admire and ultimately project an image of how they wish to see their city grow in the future.

Our city's motto - Vires acquirit eundo - specifically states we gather strength as we go, and to go, or more contextually relevant grow, we must do so sensibly and sustainably around a framework of core urban, rather than suburban, principles that drive growth into areas which maximise the usage of existing land based in suitable urban corridors.
<a href="/about#manifesto"><cite>Urban.com.au manifesto</cite></a>
</blockquote>

I would normally say any time is as good a time as any to debate the future direction of our city but days such as this are a good time to reflect on the past and recommit to stated - written or oral - goals.

To a grander, sustainable, tolerant, entrepreneurial and most definitely more urban Melbourne!

http://melbourneday.com.au/

Lead image credit: <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://www.panoramio.com/photo/4728150">Panoramio</a>.
</body></html>

Vires Acquirit Eundo: Melbourne 180

<html><body>
This morning marks a new beginning for Tullamarine with the phased opening of the new Terminal 4 starting today.

According to a <a href="http://www.t4you.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/FINAL-Mel-Air-Fact-Sh-T4-low-res.pdf">fact sheet</a> posted on T4's dedicated website - www.t4you.com.au - the terminal is "the first terminal in the Asia Pacific region to open as a complete self-service operation", referring to the self-service check-in kiosks and automated bag-drop facilities.

There has also been a departure from the norm in terms of accessing the terminals as well: check-in / bag-drop and arrivals baggage claim are all on the ground floor rather than being split between ground and upper floors as is common in the three other terminals at Tullamarine and other airports around Australia. As shown in the video below, after check-in passengers are required to head to the upper floor for the security check and departure lounges.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ubM-uU44lhc" width="100%"></iframe>

According to a Melbourne Airport spokesperson, the existing Tiger terminal check in and baggage claim (the infamous tin shed) areas are now being refurbished and Tiger Airways will be moved back into its original home after the refurbishment has been completed. This new work on the existing Tiger terminals will see the original facilities seamlessly connected to the new T4 building.

Jetstar and Rex will be operating from T4 in the "coming months" according to the fact sheet.

The terminal has a capacity for 10,000,000 passengers per year (or roughly one third of the passengers that currently fly in and out of Tullamarine annually at present) and over 30 retail and dining outlets will be located in the terminal when it's fully occupied. The new car parking facility that was under construction at the same time as T4 will open in coming months as well.

<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/150817-terminal-4_mprebeg_low-res_10-1500x1000.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The check-in area of T4, image from www.t4you.com.au"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/150817-terminal-4_mprebeg_low-res_10-1500x1000.jpg?itok=IAVhpqfW" title="The check-in area of T4, image from www.t4you.com.au" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The check-in area of T4, image from www.t4you.com.au</figcaption></figure>It's not hard to see why Tullamarine Airport has felt like a perpetual construction site for the past decade - with T2 (International) expansion and now the brand new T4 low-cost terminal - one need only look at the data available for passengers movements at the airport.

<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_1985_2014.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport passenger movements 1985-2014"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="299" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/mel_air_1985_2014.jpg?itok=tWD1AhDe" title="Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport passenger movements 1985-2014" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport passenger movements 1985-2014</figcaption></figure>In 1985 when the data series available on <a href="https://bitre.gov.au/publications/ongoing/airport_traffic_data.aspx">BITRE's website</a> begins, there were 5.1 million domestic passengers, 1.2 million international passengers rounding up to a total of 6.3 million passengers. Interestingly international passengers at Tullamarine in 1985 represented 23% of all passengers passing through the airport.

Fast forward to 2014 and there were 23.3 million domestic passengers and 8 million international passengers totalling 31.4 million. In 2014 international passengers represented 34% of all passengers flying in and out of Tullamarine.

It took Tullamarine 12 years to move from 10 million passengers to the 20 million mark and it took nine years for Tullamarine to go from 20 million passengers to 30 million.
</body></html>

The new T4 at Tullamarine opens

<html><body>
The following is an abstract from the "<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://apo.org.au/node/55361">Making Apartments Affordable - moving from speculative to deliberative development</a>" paper published by Swinburne University in late June. Apartments.com.au will let the paper do the talking and we likewise recommend all development industry participants from the CEO level to the analyst level download the paper from <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://apo.org.au/node/55361">Australian Policy Online</a>.

The paper's authors are <a href="http://www.swinburne.edu.au/health-arts-design/staff-profiles/view.php?who=asharam">Dr Andrew Sharam</a> - Research Fellow at Swinburne Institute for Social Research; <a href="http://staff.qut.edu.au/staff/bryantl2/">Dr Lyndall Bryant</a> - Property Economics lecturer at Queensland University of Technology; and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tom-alves-178987">Dr Tom Alves</a> - adjunct Research Fellow at Swinburne Institute for Social Research and Senior Adviser at <a href="http://www.ovga.vic.gov.au/">OVGA</a>.

<h2>Abstract</h2>

Urban planning policies in Australia presuppose apartments as the new dominant housing type, but much of what the market has delivered is criticised as over-development, and as being generic, poorly-designed, environmentally unsustainable and unaffordable. Policy responses to this problem typically focus on planning regulation and construction costs as the primary issues needing to be addressed in order to increase the supply of quality, affordable apartment housing.

In contrast, this paper uses Ball’s (1983) ‘structures of provision’ approach to outline the key processes informing apartment development and identifies a substantial gap in critical understanding of how apartments are developed in Australia. This reveals economic problems not typically considered by policymakers.

Using mainstream economic analysis to review the market itself, we find high search costs, demand risk, problems with exchange, and lack of competition present key barriers to achieving greater affordability of apartments and limit the extent to which ‘speculative’ developers can respond to the preferences of would-be owner-occupiers. The existing development model, which is reliant on capturing uplift in site value, suits investors seeking rental yields in the first instance, and subsequently capital gains, and actively encourages housing price inflation. This is exacerbated by lack of density restrictions, such as has been the case in inner Melbourne for many years, which permits greater yields on redevelopment sites.

The price of land in the vicinity of such redevelopment sites is pushed up as landholders' expectation of future yield is raised. All too frequently, existing redevelopment sites go back onto the market as vendors seek to capture the uplift in site value and exit the project in a risk-free manner.

This paper proposes three major reforms, which together would enable development of better, more affordable apartments for housing consumers:

<ul>
<li>Firstly, that the market for apartment development be re-designed, following insights from the economic field of ‘Market Design’ (a branch of Game Theory). A two-sided matching market for new apartments is proposed, where demand-side risks can be mitigated via consumer aggregation.</li>
	<li>Secondly, consumers should be empowered through support for ‘deliberative’ and ‘do-it-yourself’ (DIY) development models, in order to increase competition, expand access, and promote responsiveness to consumer needs and preferences. A ‘Smart Housing Market’ is proposed to broker the necessary connections and simplify the process.</li>
	<li>Finally, planning schemes need to impose density restrictions (in the form of height limits, floor space ratios or bedroom quotas, for example) in localities where housing demand is high, in order to dampen speculation and de-risk development by creating certainty. Restrictions on over-development on larger infill sites can be offset by permitting intensification of ‘greyfield’ suburbs. Aggregating existing housing lots to enable precinct regeneration with moderate height and density increases would permit better use of airspace thus allowing design outcomes that can optimise land use while retaining neighbourhood amenity.</li>
</ul>
To download the full paper, visit <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://apo.org.au/node/55361">Australian Policy Online</a>.
</body></html>

Making apartments affordable: moving from speculative to deliberative development

<html><body>
The State's primary population projection report was released last Friday and key amongst the more noteworthy numbers is Victoria's projected population, which is expected to hit 10 million people by 2051.

The Victoria in Future (VIF) 2015 report is the official State government projection of population and households with "Projections used by decision markets across government and in other areas" according to the <a href="http://www.delwp.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/308511/Victoria-in-Future-2015-WEB.pdf">opening pages of the report</a>.

One of the key differences between the Victoria in Future report projections and official <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/3222.0">ABS Estimated Resident Projections</a> is that the VIF report is more detailed geographically than the ABS equivalent. "The smallest areas in the ABS projections are the Capital City and Rest of State statistical areas. VIF 2015 provides projections of population and households for Victoria, Greater Melbourne, the eight SA4s in Victoria's Regions and the 79 Local Government Areas in Victoria".

In the year since the release of the prior Victoria in Future report, the underlying total population projection for the state in 2051 has changed only slightly: 10.008 million (2015 projection) versus 10.011 million (2014 projection).

For the Greater Melbourne Capital City Area - a.k.a. the metropolitan area - the latest VIF report projects the population will be:

<ul>
<li>in 2021: 5,078,400</li>
	<li>in 2031: 5,982,800</li>
	<li>in 2041: 6,893,900</li>
	<li>in 2051: 7,849,400</li>
</ul>
The annual population change for Melbourne expressed as a percentage is projected to slowly decline over the coming decades:

<ul>
<li>2011-2021: 2% change per annum</li>
	<li>2021-2031: 1.7% change per annum</li>
	<li>2031-2041: 1.4% change per annum</li>
	<li>2041-2501: 1.3% change per annum</li>
</ul>
In terms of breaking down the various Local Government Areas (LGA's) and looking at the population projections in greater detail, the VIF report only includes projections out to 2031. "Inner Melbourne" consists of the Cities of Melbourne, Port Phillip, Yarra, Stonnington and Maribyrnong. These chosen LGA's in 2011 had a combined population of 450,500. In 2021 they're projected to have a combined population of 611,300 and in 2031 the population is projected to be 734,300.

The projections for City of Port Phillip look set to change over time given that this LGA will be bearing the brunt of the population growth from Fishermans Bend. The VIF report has Port Phillip in 2011 with a population of 75,200 and projects the population in 2021 will be 117,700 and in 2031, 140,500; a little on the conservative side I would think.

There's a lot of lag when it comes to these projections but I'm willing to bet that future reports will probably increase the Port Phillip numbers markedly as the first projects in Fishermans Bend begin seeing residents move in.

You can view the report, FAQs and glossary on <a href="http://www.delwp.vic.gov.au/planning/forward-policy-and-research/victoria-in-future-population-and-household-projections?remap=delwp.vic.gov.au/victoria-in-future">DELWP's website</a>.
</body></html>

Victoria in Future 2015 report released

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/broadbeach-qld-4218">Broadbeach</a> offers plenty of reasons to live vertically, but moving from a substantial family home into an apartment can expose the compromises of high-density living. Privacy, room for guests and usable living space tend to matter more when an apartment is intended as a permanent home rather than an occasional coastal base.

A typical residential floor at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-eveleigh-broadbeach-7-9-surf-parade-broadbeach-qld-4218">The Eveleigh</a>, on Surf Parade,&nbsp;contains just four apartments. The 94-residence development by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hirsch-faigen">Hirsch &amp; Faigen</a> is predominantly made up of expansive three-bedroom homes, with a limited collection of half-floor penthouses above.

Across the apartment floors, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> has used the relatively limited number of residences to give each home greater access to natural light and outlook. Living spaces extend towards full-height glazing, while a series of bay windows frame selected views across the Pacific Ocean, city and hinterland rather than treating the building edge as a continuous wall of glass.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360965]

“The apartment floors deliver a collection of homes that embrace controlled outlook via a series of bay windows deliberately framing moments of view,” Rothelowman Director Kim Lowman said.

From outside, those projecting forms contribute to the tower’s faceted profile. Strong horizontal and vertical elements establish its proportions, while the changing position of the sun alters the light, shadow and reflection across the façade throughout the day.

The same attention moves inside the apartments, where the material palette combines warm timber, natural stone, metallic detailing and softer curved forms. Kitchens sit within the main living zone, with stone island benches, integrated joinery and European appliances, before the living areas extend towards the glazing and the outlook.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360981]

Three genuine bedrooms provide room to accommodate family and guests, while two secure car spaces and storage address some of the practical considerations that can become more noticeable when moving from a larger home. Feedback from the display suite has centred on the warmth and restraint of the interiors, with buyers commenting that the residences feel like homes rather than conventional coastal apartments.

A limited collection of half-floor penthouses occupies the upper levels, increasing the scale of the living spaces and adding private balconies and elevated finishes. From this position, the outlook extends between the ocean and hinterland.

Outside the private residences, The Eveleigh separates its shared spaces between the podium and rooftop. The podium is centred on wellness, with subtropical landscaping surrounding a swimming pool and pool terrace, yoga garden, private gymnasium, sauna and hot and cold plunge facilities. Landscaped retreats and pavilions provide additional places to sit away from the main recreation areas.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360966]

Higher in the building, a rooftop pavilion and private dining suite sit alongside resident lounge, barbecue and outdoor dining areas, opening towards panoramic views across the ocean, city and hinterland.

“Buyers are no longer just looking for an apartment, but a lifestyle where they can relax, reset, and enjoy a balanced way of living,” Hirsch &amp; Faigen Director of Sales Matt George said.

Interest to date has come from established owner-occupiers and interstate lifestyle purchasers, including buyers planning a future move to the Gold Coast. Many are coming from larger homes and want to reduce ongoing maintenance without giving up space for family and guests, privacy, two car spaces or the ability to entertain at home.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360969]

Much of that daily life can also take place beyond the building without requiring a drive. Kurrawa Beach and Pratten Park are an easy walk from Surf Parade, while Pacific Fair, Oracle Boulevard, The Oasis, restaurants, cafés, entertainment and public transport are also within walking distance.

The Eveleigh is Hirsch &amp; Faigen's fourth Gold Coast development since entering the market in 2021, following The Hemingway at Palm Beach, The Emerson at Kirra and Yves at Mermaid Beach. Each of the preceding projects sold out before completion.

“Broadbeach had been on our radar throughout our time operating on the Gold Coast,” the developer said. “Following our projects in Palm Beach, Kirra and Mermaid Beach, Broadbeach represented the natural next step for the business.”

The Surf Parade site brought together proximity to the beach, protected coastal outlooks and walkability to dining, shopping and recreation. Hirsch &amp; Faigen also identified the street as an emerging premium residential address, with enough separation from Broadbeach's busier destinations to retain a quieter environment at home.

The Eveleigh is now under construction by Maxcon, with completion forecast for mid-2028. Three-bedroom residences are currently available from $2.87 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=149670]

Joel Robinson

The Eveleigh brings house-like apartments to Broadbeach

A long-stalled Campbelltown development site is back in play, with new plans for 139 apartments set to supersede a mixed-use scheme approved almost a decade ago but never built.

The new proposal for 28 Cordeaux Street would deliver 116 market and 23 affordable apartments in a part 14-storey building, bringing a substantial new project into a Campbelltown market where new apartment supply remains limited.

Plans have been filed over the 3,092 sqm corner site at Moore-Oxley Street, around 600 metres from Campbelltown Railway Station and the city-centre retail core.

The site already carries a mixed-use residential approval dating to 2016. Doroch Architects has now been engaged on a larger replacement scheme, which is progressing as a State Significant Development Application following a Housing Delivery Authority determination in August 2025.

The apartment mix comprises 39 one-bedroom, 72 two-bedroom and 28 three-bedroom residences. Two-bedroom apartments make up just over half of the project, while three-bedroom homes account for 20 per cent.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="136dd5b9-3791-4da6-9e31-76f533f5b4de" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da2.png?VersionId=LgOSy9nwf5u.MGswBBwaGGxuX8QpHSl_" />

Of the 139 apartments, 23 will be delivered as affordable housing under the in-fill affordable housing provisions of the Housing SEPP. The affordable component represents 15 per cent of the residential gross floor area and will be managed by a registered Community Housing Provider.

Doroch has sought to break the scale of the building into two distinct elements, with a masonry podium of around four storeys establishing the street edge before the residential tower steps back above.

The corner position has shaped that approach. Cordeaux Street faces toward the commercial and civic centre, while Moore-Oxley Street leads into the lower-scale residential neighbourhood to the south, and the design verification report describes the site as "bridging the commercial core to the north and established residential areas to the south."

The podium will be expressed predominantly in face brick, while the upper levels shift to brushed and grooved concrete cladding with darker metal detailing. Recessed sections, deep balcony edges and landscaping break down the upper form, with an approximately 11.8-metre setback to the northern boundary addressing the adjoining St Peters Anglican School.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c8b3d2d3-c561-4bfc-a5d9-a68c0c10dac1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da1.png?VersionId=AeAEyJU02Gk2k5noUj2StziCvdQ7fW4B" />

Campbelltown has been starved of new residential developments in the last decade.

The only other notable development set to come to market this year is ALAND's Queen Square, a mixed-use precinct on over two hectares that will comprise apartments above a vibrant ground-level retail and hospitality dining precinct.

First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site

First Look: Sherlock Construction pitches apartments for low-rise Deception Bay

Queensland builder-developer MAYD has revealed the first look at its major North Kirra beachfront development, lodging amended plans that reduce the number of apartments and increase the proportion of larger residences.

The project is planned across a substantial 4,742 sqm amalgamated site spanning seven lots at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/2-6-pacific-parade-bilinga-qld-4225">2-6 Pacific Parade</a> and 27-33 Golden Four Drive in Bilin​ga, directly opposite Nor​th Kirra Beach.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mayd-group">MAYD</a> secured the site for $32.5 million in 2025, in what was one of the Gold Coast's largest property transactions of the year.

The development will be delivered across two stages, with the first stage carrying an estimated gross realisation value of around $360 million.

The latest amendments seek to reduce the overall apartment count and shift the project further toward the owner-occupier market, with larger residences designed for buyers wanting considerably more space than traditionally offered in a beachfront apartment.

The residential mix will include townhomes, oversized two-bedroom apartments, substantial three-bedroom residences and four-bedroom homes.

MAYD has appointed Cera Stribley to lead the architecture and interiors, with the Melbourne-based design practice drawing on the beachfront setting through a series of ocean-facing terraces and heavily landscaped balconies.

Strong horizontal forms and curved balconies will define the exterior, with subtropical landscaping integrated throughout the building to soften the built form and increase the connection between the residences and the beachfront.

The project will also include an extensive collection of resident wellness and lifestyle facilities, continuing the broader shift across the Gold Coast's luxury apartment market toward larger homes supported by resort-style amenity.

<img alt="MAYD" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d1bcbb05-e659-4b47-8bd4-1e595315e2ad" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%202.05.03%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=jj0XEud1X1DuLt7_KyElhjMdZGOXmLHP" />

MAYD Founder Todd Mould said North Kirra was increasingly appealing to buyers attracted to the more established, lower-density character of the southern Gold Coast.

"North Kirra presents one of the most compelling luxury residential opportunities currently emerging in Australia, combining absolute beachfront with the character and authenticity that buyers are increasingly seeking, and the same sense of tight-knit community that defined Burleigh and Currumbin perhaps 10 or 15 years ago," Mould said.

"With Gold Coast Airport on its doorstep, it also offers a level of accessibility that broadens its appeal across almost every market demographic."

The project comes as the southern Gold Coast continues to attract an increasing share of high-end apartment development and buyer activity.

Kirra in particular has emerged as one of the region's more tightly held beachfront markets, with its relatively low-density character, established surf and hospitality scene and proximity to Gold Coast Airport differentiating it from the higher-density markets further north.

Mould said those characteristics had informed the approach MAYD and Cera Stribley had taken to the project.

"We've worked closely with Cera Stribley to create a vision that is deeply connected to its surroundings," he said.

"Inspired by the coastline itself, the architecture has been shaped around space, privacy and resort-style living, creating a collection of homes that reflects the next generation of luxury on the southern Gold Coast."

MOTIV Managing Director Carly Cottam, who has been appointed to market the project, said buyer attention had continued to move south along the Gold Coast.

"Purchasers who may once have defaulted to Broadbeach, Main Beach or Surfers Paradise are increasingly recognising the value of a genuine beachfront location that offers lower density, strong amenity and a more established sense of community," Cottam said.

"Kirra has a powerful combination of growing demand and genuine scarcity. Beachfront supply is inherently constrained, the area remains relatively low density, and buyers are increasingly placing a premium on locations that feel established, uncrowded and authentic rather than heavily developed."

Cottam said the proximity to Gold Coast Airport was also proving increasingly important for interstate and second-home buyers.

"Being minutes from Gold Coast Airport makes it particularly compelling for interstate buyers, frequent travellers and second-home purchasers who can access an authentic coastal lifestyle almost immediately after stepping off a flight."

The acquisition takes MAYD's active development portfolio to more than $500 million, with the North Kirra project representing one of its largest undertakings to date.

MAYD is targeting an early 2027 launch.

First look at MAYD's North Kirra mixed-use precinct

<main data-perf-region="main">
Castle Hill, the longtime hub of the Hills District, has been one of the major beneficiaries of Sydney's Metro expansion, with improved connectivity helping drive continued population growth, development and buyer demand across the Hills District.

But despite that growth, the suburb has seen relatively few major new apartment projects brought to market over the past 18 months.

Hills District developer Reve Group is looking to fill that gap with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nova-r-ve-castle-hill-2-garthowen-crescent-castle-hill-nsw-2154">Nova Rêve</a>, a major new mixed-use precinct on the corner of Garthowen Crescent and Old Castle Hill Road, a short walk from Castle Hill Metro Station and Castle Towers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377679]

The project will comprise three residential towers alongside a hotel, restaurants, cafes and a skybar, more than 1,600 sqm of ground-floor retail and almost an acre of landscaped gardens.

It represents the largest project undertaken by Reve Group, the development arm of the Kassis family, which has been building across the Hills District for more than 30 years through Kassis Homes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377675]

Nova Rêve also represents a significant step up from the family's first apartment development, Grand Rêve, which was delivered nearby on Garthowen Crescent.

Grand Rêve introduced larger, house-like apartment layouts and premium inclusions including Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances to the Castle Hill market.

Nova Rêve takes that approach to a precinct scale, combining the residential component with hospitality, retail and substantial public and resident landscaping.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377685]

Reve Group Managing Director Sam Kassis said the project reflected the family's three decades of building in the Hills, which has evolved from trophy homes on quarter-acre blocks to larger-scale apartment development.

"Grand Rêve was our first apartment project here and it showed us what this pocket of Castle Hill could be. Nova Rêve is the refinement of that idea: not just apartments, but a place the whole suburb can use," Kassis said.

A key part of that approach is the hotel, which has been designed to operate as an amenity for the wider Castle Hill community rather than solely hotel guests.

It will include restaurants, cafes, skybars and all-day dining, alongside conference and event facilities catering to business functions, community groups and private events.

At ground level, more than 1,600 sqm of shops and cafes will open onto the surrounding streets and landscaped areas.

Almost an acre of gardens designed by Land and Form Studios will run through the precinct, incorporating pathways, seating, barbecue areas and children's play spaces.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377680]

Reve Group's Romio Georges said creating an active ground plane had been central to the planning of Nova Rêve.

"There are gardens with pathways, barbecues, seating and play areas, shops and cafes opening onto the street, and a hotel with restaurants and a skybar that anyone in Castle Hill can walk into," Georges said.

The project's elevated position on one of Sydney's highest ridgelines will also provide apartments with outlooks toward the Sydney skyline, surrounding parkland and the Blue Mountains.

More than 80 per cent of the apartments will occupy corner positions, with Turner responsible for both the architecture and interiors.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152737]

<h3 data-end="3697" data-section-id="q3n5ak" data-start="3672">&nbsp;</h3>
</main>

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