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Thrust into the spotlight last year, <a href="/new-apartments/brunswick-vic-3056">Brunswick's</a> <a href="/new-apartments/brunswick-vic-3056">Nightingale apartment</a> development has re-entered Moreland's planning system after VCAT revoked the project planning permit in a highly contentious decision.

At 6 Florence Street, the project became a poster boy of sorts for current planning inconsistencies with the project's approval nullified due to a lack of onsite car parking even though it is located within metres of Anstey Railway Station, Upfield Bike Path and Tram 19. The tribunal challenge came from adjoining developer Chaucer Enterprises, with VCAT ultimately ruling that Nightingale should make a contribution towards meeting the parking demands it generates, in line with other apartment developments.

The decision was so contentious the Victorian Planning &amp; Environmental Law Association and Ratio Consultants held a <a href="/news/vpela-seminar-summary-vcats-nightingale-decision-car-parking-and-the-future-of-sustainable-development">special seminar</a> on the ruling, exploring possible ramifications.

<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/ca627_florencest_5094.21.25pm.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Commons led the way in sustainability. Image courtesy nightingale.melbourne"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/ca627_florencest_5094.21.25pm.jpg?itok=wHj2MBtW" title="The Commons led the way in sustainability. Image courtesy nightingale.melbourne" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Commons led the way in sustainability. Image courtesy nightingale.melbourne</figcaption></figure>Nightingale is much the same as <a href="/new-apartments/brunswick-vic-3056">The Commons</a> directly opposite, with the completed project serving as a prototype for many of the ideas fundamental to <a href="http://www.nightingale.melbourne/">The Nightingale Model</a>. The Commons has no car parking spaces onsite.

No car parking is fundamental to The Nightingale Model; its core expectation is that financial return is equal to sustainability and liveability, where it is suggested that financial return is far and away in front for the typical development model.

In the revised plans submitted during December, three car parks have been included within Nightingale at ground level with access via a laneway to the rear of the site. 42 bicycle spaces are also included.

<h2>Better luck this time</h2>

<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/image12_3.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Preliminary sketch of Nightingale 2.0. Image courtesy nightingale.melbourne"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="361" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image12_3.jpg?itok=qMrfUTz6" title="Preliminary sketch of Nightingale 2.0. Image courtesy nightingale.melbourne" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Preliminary sketch of Nightingale 2.0. Image courtesy Nightingale, Melbourne</figcaption></figure>Florence Street and its three car spaces aside, the partnership behind The Nightingale Model are hoping for a less complicated planning run with their next project dubbed Nightingale 2.0.

After a survey where near on 200 respondents registered their desire to live within a Nightingale apartment, planning documents for the project at <a href="/buildings/nightingale-2-0-30-railway-place-fairfield">72A Station Street, Fairfield </a>were lodged in the first week of the new year. Designed by <a href="/architects/six-degrees-architects">Six Degrees</a>, the project is adjacent to Fairfield Railway Station and will include 20 apartments and three retail premises.

Nightingale 2.0 will have zero car parks in line with the philosophy of the project partners.

<h2>Comment</h2>

Three car spaces within Nightingale comes across as an almost token offering from the development team to placate VCAT's ruling. Considering The Commons directly opposite has no car spaces included, that all the prospective Nightingale buyers were comfortable with no car parks attached to their apartment and that <a href="/news">Moreland City Counci</a>l unanimously voted to approve the development in its original guise, it makes the VCAT ruling all that much more questionable.

No doubt a degree of hypocrisy can be levelled at VCAT with Fairfax Media this week reporting on the tribunal's fresh ruling which has <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/five-storeys-zero-car-parks-vcat-gives-green-light-to-contentious-building-20160117-gm7kx6">permitted a Brunswick East development</a> to proceed with zero car parks, even though it is a comparatively fewer public transport options relative to Nightingale.

VCAT inconsistencies aside, it is highly likely that Moreland City Council will green light the alterations to Nightingale's design in quick time.
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silvermb

Nightingale heads back to planning in the wake of VCAT's howler

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With Thornbury Village at its heart, High Street carries an eclectic vibe. The diversity of the local population is matched by the diversity of High Street's built form.

The area in focus spans High Street between Athurton Road/Separation Street and Miller StreetDundas Street, with Northcote and Thornbury both represented.

This particular stretch of High Street is bookended by Preston Junction which is under intense high density development with buildings up to 18 levels proposed, whilst the southern end abutting Athurton/Separation is also a flurry of apartment activity.

<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_1229_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Tower cranes sit above High Street"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="381" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_1229_0.jpg?itok=NDOvo8Nc" title="Tower cranes sit above High Street" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Tower cranes sit above Northcote's portion of High Street </figcaption></figure>The built form which lies in between is almost kaleidoscopic, from magnificently ornate buildings to some of Melbourne's most horrid.

With recent apartment developments of varying quality thrown into the mix, High Street hits both the highs and the lows of urban design...the good, the bad and the ugly so to speak.

Heavily slanted toward retail and dining, High Street and in particular Thornbury Village have yet to taste the intense levels of development that are evident nearby. Yet the march of apartment living looks set to reach the heart of High Street as suitable sites are earmarked for development.

Suitable in that there are many additions during the 70's and 80's that detract from the streetscape and would make excellent development sites; 805 High Street below is a prime example.

<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_1232.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Not the greatest example of street level activation"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="326" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_1232.jpg?itok=M1TnfREP" title="Not the greatest example of street level activation" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Not the greatest example of street level activation</figcaption></figure>Limited development is occurring within Thornbury Village as two apartment development at 688 High Street and 679-685 High Street reached completion in recent months.

Aradena and Sophia are upcoming apartment projects whilst the biggest on the radar remains Deluca Property Group's Hive Apartments. Designed by RotheLowman, the building will rise 8 levels but also looks to have the most active and open street frontage.

Add The General at 421 High Street which is under construction and these two projects are High Street's most dominant and most interesting from a design perspective.

<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/150514-hive-exterior-2000-909x605.jpeg" rel="gallery-all" title="Hive Thornbury is close to sold out and set to commence construction"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="386" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/150514-hive-exterior-2000-909x605.jpeg?itok=x-xBN_Gc" title="Hive Thornbury is close to sold out and set to commence construction" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Hive Thornbury is close to sold out and set to commence construction</figcaption></figure>With a steady influx of apartment projects looking to call High Street home, Darebin City Council have acted by creating a <a href="http://www.darebin.vic.gov.au/Your-Say/Have-Your-Say/Your-Say">High Street Streetscape Master Plan</a>, encompassing Thornbury Village, with improvements to safety and the public realm in mind. "The Master Plan will focus on the High Street shopping strip, extending from Separation Street/Arthurton Street in the south, to Miller Street/Dundas Street in the north."

Council have asked that the <a href="http://darebin.creativesuburbs.com/">public contribute to the Masterplan</a> with the intent of broadening the scope of the project. Ideals such as a permanent projection festival or parklets along the footpath have been canvassed.

Additionally, Darebin have the Junction Urban Master Plan (JUMP) in play with its role defined as changing the look, feel and function of High Street.

At the heart of JUMP are "traffic calming devices such as the central median, kerb outstands, pedestrian thresholds and landscaping, will support slower speed travel and encourage a safer public space for pedestrians and cyclists. They also provide an opportunity for outdoor dining and landscape."

So existing and new built form will mesh together whilst Darebin does its best to improve the public domai. Interesting times ahead for High Street in terms of its urban evolution. 
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The changing face of High Street

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This is as much an article about the reactions of residents located within areas earmarked for higher density living, as it is the robust shift that areas of Bentleigh is currently subject to in terms of higher density living.

The article heading references the very capable <a href="https://gleneira.wordpress.com/2014/12/02/calcutta-is-here/">Glen Eira Debates</a> blog which casts a comprehensive net of higher density development within City of Glen Eira, albeit in a generally negative context.

The multiple references to suburbs within Glen Eira morphing into 'Caltutta' or Kolkata in the new vernacular, is due to the rise in medium density apartment developments throughout the municipality. Emotions aside, the correlation between Calcutta and Bentleigh, Carnegie or Caulfield is an over exaggeration in the extreme; in 2014 Glen Eira maintained a density of <a href="http://profile.id.com.au/glen-eira">3,725 people per square kilometer</a> while Kolkata held a density of <a href="http://worldpopulationreview.com/world-cities/kolkata-population/">24,000 people per square kilometer</a>.

Nonetheless, it's understandable that not every person will welcome higher density outcomes in their neck of the woods, but well, the people must go somewhere!

<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/slums.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Kolkata and Glen Eira: a tenuous analogy"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/slums.jpg?itok=fR70M6hU" title="Kolkata and Glen Eira: a tenuous analogy" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Kolkata and Glen Eira: a tenuous analogy</figcaption></figure>While Kolkata may be a stretch, Glen Eira was indeed the big mover in the Apartments.com.au Project Database over the course of 2015. Upwards of 35 residential projects were added during the calendar year; a combination of increased development and enhanced planning application detection.

As per most of Melbourne municipalities, Glen Eira is experiencing growth in apartment projects, although Glen Eira projects tend to average 4-5 storeys.

Bent Street is the prime example within Glen Eira of intense redevelopment. A typical suburban street adjacent to a Bentleigh Railway Station and the retail/services of Centre Road, many Bent Street detached dwellings have been cast aside for apartment developments. The question becomes: If not Bent Street, then where? It does seem the ideal location for higher density living.

Clearly there remains some resentment to medium density apartment development, as evidenced by Glen Eira Debates. Yet looking at the issue of adding higher density in appropriate areas in a rational manner and Bent Street is a premier example of appropriate higher density development around an activity node.

A handful of owners on Bent Street looked to be in agreement, <a href="http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/bentleigh-trio-sell-their-properties-together-as-one-and-strike-it-rich/story-fni0fit3-1226959184494">selling their combined properties to a residential developer</a> in a high profile outcome.

<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/image1_3.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Bent Street is firmly on the development radar"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="313" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image1_3.jpg?itok=eUknp0hQ" title="Bent Street is firmly on the development radar" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Bent Street is firmly on the development radar</figcaption></figure>This combined site at 14-18 Bent Street went on to become Rita Apartments which is now under construction with builder Xerri set to deliver 50 plus dwellings on what was previously 3.

Rita Bentleigh is joined by XV Apartments at 15 Bent Street, The Bentleigh at 23 Bent Street and Leigh at 22 Bent Street which are either at marketing or construction. Further projects at 10-12 and 11-13 Bent Street have also been approved, totalling approximately 215 apartments with a further project at 20 Bent Street yet to reach a planning outcome.

While 215 dwellings covering a handful of suburban blocks is a meteoric jump in density for Bent Street, is it completely beyond expectations? No building exceeds four levels and Council have ensured all projects meet their planning expectations. It does in fact come across as an excellent case study where density is confined to a specific and appropriate pocket of the suburb.

While Bent Street is the epicentre, adjoining and adjacent streets are also subject to apartment development. Loranne and Mahvo Street will jointly add 70 apartments at the hand of local developer Steller while Vickery Street is subject to two applications that would add a further 57 dwellings.

<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/image6_5.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Leigh, Rita and The Bentleigh are representative of the size and scale of local apartment projects"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="439" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image6_5.jpg?itok=2lMEqzz3" title="Leigh, Rita and The Bentleigh are representative of the size and scale of local apartment projects" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Leigh, Rita and The Bentleigh are representative of the size and scale of local apartment projects</figcaption></figure>Could a person rationally argue that Bent Street's transformation and that of other Glen Eira pockets such as Centre Road or Carnegie's Neerim Road are completely beyond rational expectations?

Mass overdevelopment in certain eyes is structured growth in others. On the face of it, Glen Eira is not so much turning into 'Calcutta', but more so keeping pace with the rest of… Melbourne.
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Calcutta is here... in Bentleigh!

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Sydney-based developer Besgate has lined up their third sizeable Melbourne apartment project with a planning application for a substantial Carlton building lodged during late 2015. Backed by private mainland Chinese interests, Besgate's intended 558-566 Swanston Street joins two CBD projects in bolstering the developers burgeoning presence in Melbourne.

179 apartments are slated for the Jackson Clements Burrows-designed project, which when combined with the nearby Upper House and ongoing CUB site transformation, will further add to the gradual uplift of Swanston Street's built form which has heavily been influenced by awkwardly designed student housing buildings over past years.

KM Develop will act as Development Manager and will oversee 558-566 Swanston Street from its infancy through to delivery, controlling most aspects of the development such as feasibility and financial analysis, project branding, coordinating the sales and marketing campaign, tendering and general project administration.

<h2>558-566 Swanston Street development summary</h2>

<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/image2_5.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Swanston Street perspective. Image courtesy Jackson Clements Burrows Architects"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="335" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image2_5.jpg?itok=KZX75tR1" title="Swanston Street perspective. Image courtesy Jackson Clements Burrows Architects" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Swanston Street perspective. Image courtesy Jackson Clements Burrows</figcaption></figure><ul>
<li>1,600 sqm site between Queensberry Street and Pelham Street.</li>
	<li>Currently used as a car dealership and workshop.</li>
	<li>Proposed 17 level tower at 55.25 metres in height.</li>
	<li>179 apartments: 85 x 1BR, 88 x 2BR, 6 x 3BR.</li>
	<li>One retail shop space: 106.3 sqm.</li>
	<li>103 car spaces and 130 bicycle spaces included.</li>
	<li>Level 11 and 15 amenities areas including lounge, gym and outdoor terrace.</li>
	<li>Expected project cost: $40 million.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Architect's statement</h2>

<blockquote>
The unique composition of the building was conceived through a series of urban design gestures. Initially, the building's mass is broken down by a series of vertical ravines expressing separate tower forms of differing heights.

The ravines provide light, air and natural ventilation to the corridors. The idea of the stepped building is then introduced to provide varied building heights that articulate a series of visually distinct neighbourhoods that make up a larger whole. At higher levels the distinct forms are further activated through cantilevers to create a series of "periscope" like forms.

This compositional gesture moves away from the 'wedding cake' envelope of conventional multi-residential projects by proposing a sculptural building envelope which will enhance the textural richness of the built fabric of Swanston Street.
<cite>Planning application: Urban Context Report and Design Response</cite>
</blockquote>

Externally 558-566 Swanston Street will generally consist of precast concrete, glazing, alucobond fascias and metal cladding, with vertical screening a highlight.

<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/image5_3.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="As envisaged from Queensberry. Image courtesy Jackson Clements Burrows Architects"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="320" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image5_3.jpg?itok=fYbKoK4w" title="As envisaged from Queensberry. Image courtesy Jackson Clements Burrows Architects" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>As envisaged from Queensberry Street. Image courtesy Jackson Clements Burrows</figcaption></figure><h2>A trio to be reckoned with</h2>

The magic number for Besgate's Melbourne intentions as it stands is 1,268. This is the total number of apartments the outfit has in planning locally, spread over its three premier sites.

Joining 558-566 Swanston Street is 140 King Street at 59 levels along with the more imposing 640 Bourke Street, both of which are the work of Rothelowman. The latter at 66 levels and 818 apartments also has scope for an increased floor count subject to various aviation-based approvals.

While Besgate is positioning itself as a player within the Melbourne apartment market, it has been active in both Sydney and Shanghai for some time.

KM Develop will act as development manager across all three of Besgate's Melbourne projects.

<h2>558-566 Swanston Street development team</h2>

<ul>
<li>Developer: Besgate (Bestgate Swanston Street Pty Ltd)</li>
	<li>Architect: Jackson Clements Burrows</li>
	<li>Town planning and Urban Context Report: Contour Consultants Australia</li>
	<li>Traffic and Parking: Traffix Group</li>
	<li>ESD: Ark Resources</li>
	<li>Waste Management: Leigh Design</li>
	<li>Environmental Assessment: Compass</li>
	<li>Wind Engineer: Vipac </li>
</ul>
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Besgate notch their third current Melbourne project at planning

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As if dispelling any doubt that Box Hill is the apartment powerhouse in Melbourne's middle-ring suburbs, a number of planning applications are before City of Whitehorse seeking to further boost the emerging skyline.

Golden Age Group have requested a planning amendment to the approved 545-563 Station Street which would see an overall height of the tower increase to 122.8 metres, enabling the project to take the mantle as Box Hill's tallest building when delivered. Approval would move 545-563 Station Street beyond the nearby Whitehorse Towers which is under construction and set to reach 115 metes upon completion.

Long term project architect Buchan Group have refined the tower's exterior with Golden Age adjusting apartment numbers to 450, split between 106 single bedroom, 308 dual bedroom and 36 triple bedroom apartments.

<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/image36_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Promotional image of Sky One Box Hill"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="512" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image36_0.jpg?itok=a6sCC4nm" title="Promotional image of Sky One Box Hill" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Promotional image of Sky One Box Hill</figcaption></figure>390 vehicle spaces and 182 bicycle bays service the revised scheme which has been labelled Sky One Box Hill. A new dining hub will cover lower levels with a combined 3,723sqm dedicated toward various restaurant and retail/food premises.

Registrations of Interest are open for the project.

A prospective rival to Golden Age's mantle of tallest in Box Hill may come in the form of 820-824 Whitehorse Road which entered planning during February. Considered one of Box Hill's premier development sites when sold during 2015, agent Savills noted at the time the sales tag of $18.8 million set a record land value for the area.

While details have yet to emerge, the proposed tower is in close proximity to Asian Pacific Group's aforementioned Whitehorse Towers which will for a time hold the mantle as Box Hill's tallest building when completed.

<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/savills.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Savills' promotional image of 82-824 Whitehorse Road"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/savills.jpg?itok=Uk7XwSyB" title="Savills' promotional image of 82-824 Whitehorse Road" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Savills' promotional image of 82-824 Whitehorse Road</figcaption></figure>Artisan Architects have also created a mixed-use tower for 9 Prospect Street, Box Hill. The curvaceous building was lodged with City of Whitehorse during late 2015 and features 214 apartments.

Spanning 25 levels, 9 Prospect Street also includes 2,915sqm of commercial office space and 204 vehicle bays within the building which holds a GFA of 27,334sqm.

9 Prospect Street may also provide a guide as to what can be expected for 13 Prospect Street &amp; 31-35 Prospect Street. Both were recently offered for sale by agents Colliers International and JLL Australia with multi-level residential developments in mind.

<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/download_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Artisan Architects' second Box Hill venture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="371" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/download_0.jpg?itok=P_EHfl9I" title="Artisan Architects' second Box Hill venture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Artisan Architects' second Box Hill venture</figcaption></figure>The rapid change engulfing Box Hill is also demonstrated by 5 Wellington Road which is subject to a 16 storey building comprising 177 apartments atop basement parking and retail uses. While not startlingly tall at 16 storeys the location of the building is as much as anything a sign of the rapidly changing expectations of developers in areas not accustomed to such heights.

Box Hill-based Shangyi Property are thought to be behind the development, after noting a Wellington Street development site as one of their upcoming projects.

<h2>Comment: Can Box Hill break the 150 metre barrier?</h2>

Box Hill's first proposal to break the 100 metre barrier surfaced during 2008. Quashed at the time for a number of reasons including excessive height, the site is now subject to Golden Age's Sky One Box Hill.

With that proposal potentially setting a new benchmark at 122 metres, is it inconceivable that Box Hill will host a tower in excess of 150 metres in the not too distant future? There is an abundance of sites both along Whitehorse Road and behind Box Hill Central that may well lend themselves to such a proposal...although ultimately time will tell.

What is becoming evident is that Box hill is on course to match South Yarra's Forrest Hill Precinct for size and sheer apartment numbers in the next year or so; not bad for an Activity Centre roughly 20 kilomentres from the centre of Melbourne that gave Forrest Hill the best part of a 5-7 year head start.
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Box Hill rises to new heights; is 150 metres out of the question?

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A traditional industrial pocket of West Melbourne looks set to join the likes of Footscray and Fishermans Bend in receiving a high density repurposing. Developer Perri Projects is behind a scheme that would also look to overhaul the majority of West Melbourne's frontage to the Maribyrnong River.

Spread over 2.8 hectares and directly opposite Footscray's Joseph Road Precinct urban renewal area, the site which is loosely addressed 150-250 Kensington Road West Melbourne is also bound by the Kensington Road rail bridge, Dynon Road and the aforementioned Maribyrnong River.

The Dynon region was identified during 2015 as a <a href="http://planningschemes.dpcd.vic.gov.au/schemes/melbourne/ordinance/21_mss15_melb.pdf">new potential urban renewal area</a> under the Melbourne Planning Scheme, with Perri Projects' Kensington Road Precinct site earmarked as one of four zones within Dynon that would be suitable for renewal. This has been made possible due to the rationalisation of rail and industrial activities within the area.

<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/40_project_tile_1000x1000px_wmw.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Artist's impression of a new Maribyrnong River frontage. Image courtesy Perri Projects"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="523" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/40_project_tile_1000x1000px_wmw.jpg?itok=OyCHf5g8" title="Artist's impression of a new Maribyrnong River frontage. Image courtesy Perri Projects" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Artist's impression of a new Maribyrnong River frontage. Image courtesy Perri Projects</figcaption></figure>Perri Projects have enlisted NH Architecture and Woods Bagot as architects for the project which is located 3.5 kilometres from the CBD. KPMG also forms part of the development team acting in an advisory role while Oculus have been installed as landscape architects.

In its initial guise the project sees multiple mid-rise buildings with the tallest looking to exceed 15 levels and be situated at the northern tip of the site against existing rail lines.

Multiple access paths and laneways also look to traverse the development with vehicular movements for the most located away from the riverfront.

<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/40_desktop_gallery_1800x1000_wmw_03.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The new development as seen from the Maribyrnong River. Image courtesy Perri Projects"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="334" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/40_desktop_gallery_1800x1000_wmw_03.jpg?itok=CpKKqKSk" title="The new development as seen from the Maribyrnong River. Image courtesy Perri Projects" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The new development as seen from the Maribyrnong River. Image courtesy Perri Projects</figcaption></figure>As part of the paper outlining Dynon as a potential renewal area, built environment guidelines were outlined and included:

<ul>
<li>Ensuring new development along the Maribyrnong River and Moonee Ponds Creek enhances the recreational and environmental amenity of these waterway corridors and has appropriate setbacks.</li>
	<li>Enhancing open space and recreational opportunities along the Maribyrnong River and Moonee Ponds creek.</li>
	<li>Encouraging buildings fronting Dynon and Footscray Roads to have active and attractive frontages.</li>
</ul>
Project renders show a vastly different Maribyrnong River bank with extensive landscaping and recreational areas introduced by Oculus, superseding the current narrow bike path that runs along the river bank. The project may also see two docks introduced as part of the overhaul.

<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/image17_1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The site in question and current art installation. Image courtesy Perri Projects"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="272" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image17_1.jpg?itok=An9hXVK8" title="The site in question and current art installation. Image courtesy Perri Projects" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The site in question and current art installation. Image courtesy Perri Projects</figcaption></figure>For the time being a number of buildings on-site have been transformed with Perri Projects initiating the Shed 180 project.

Australian and international street artists were utilised to transform various blank surfaces on-site into an outdoor art gallery. The artworks will remain until the site's mixed-use redevelopment is initiated.
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Industrial West Melbourne the latest urban renewal contender

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Apartments.com.au recently paid an evening visit to Melbourne's most technologically advanced construction site. La Trobe Tower within the <a href="/new-apartments/melbourne-vic">Melbourne's CBD</a> is the first project to employ Hickory Building Systems (HBS) integrated structural methodology; builder Hickory Group's new method that accelerates construction of high-rise towers.

Guided through the active construction site by Hickory Joint Managing Director George Argyrou and Site Manager Ben Turner, Apartments.com.au was afforded full access to the budding residential tower which will be the first of many utilising Hickory Building Systems (HBS).

<h2>The rationale</h2>

Asked who was the main driving force behind HBS, George Argyrou unashamedly described the method as his 'baby'. After exploring the merits of Unitised Building with projects such as Little Hero and <a href="/buildings/one9-apartments-19-hall-street-moonee-ponds">One9 Apartments</a>, Hickory found unitised construction to have limitations in both application and delivery.

While effective in low-rise scenarios, Unitised Building was not directly applicable to high-rise towers or buildings with curtain glazed facades. George Argyrou explained that Hickory as a true builder maintains an intrinsic interest in innovative construction solutions with time, cost, sustainability and quality at the forefront of their thoughts.

<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_9480.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Old and new construction methods share the skyline"><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_9480.jpg?itok=bqzEgVdC" title="Old and new construction methods share the skyline" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Old and new construction methods share the skyline</figcaption></figure>Thus Hickory Building Systems was born with the intent of creating a fast and effective construction delivery method using a more conventional on site approach, with tall structures specifically in mind. This was shown to be the case with the La Trobe Tower construction contract secured principally upon the time savings associated with HBS.

<h2>The process</h2>

La Trobe Tower's initial two floors are of a traditional form and pour variety with subsequent floors consisting of integrated HBS structural units.

The process begins within Hickory's offsite facility where individual structural units are created beginning with an engineered concrete floor. Thereafter the slab is turned with load bearing steel columns, fully fitted wet areas and a building façade applied over and within the steel frame.

Rather than the one-size-fits all approach of traditional modular approaches, HBS uses interchangeable, scalable componentry used in conventional projects and assembles theses elements in an innovative way. Using Hickory’s established construction resources including formwork, façades, joinery and bathroom pods has enabled HBS to outshine traditional structural construction in terms of accuracy and quality with build tolerances brought down to within millimetres.

<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_9483.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="A HBS unit being secured into position"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="692" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_9483.jpg?itok=WT6zkmRV" title="A HBS unit being secured into position" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>A HBS unit being secured into position</figcaption></figure>Trucked to site, the structural units are lifted into place and locked together by a team of riggers dedicated solely to this task. Seven structural units constitute one floor on this particular project, with the largest central unit spanning the girth of La Trobe Tower.

In layman's terms once the structural units are locked together to create a completed floor, further units can be stacked above owing to the inherent strength of each HBS unit. Visually this presents as 'pancaked' concrete floors atop one another with a maze of vertical steel reinforcing between each floor.

These vertical reinforced steel cages are dropped in order to tie in with those of the previous floor. When joined the reinforced cages are subsequently shotcreted to create a traditional concrete floor and column structure, yet in a much quicker timeframe and at a lighter weight; without compromising structural integrity.

<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/image17_2.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Internal walls prior to shotcreting"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="193" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image17_2.jpg?itok=kdOlI82O" title="Internal walls prior to shotcreting" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Internal walls prior to shotcreting</figcaption></figure>Additionally the pre-attached façade enables fit-out to progress almost immediately after installation. Factor in the preconstructed bathroom pods within each dwelling and typical construction time of a project of La Trobe Tower's size can be up to 60% faster.

<h2>Challenges</h2>

With a condensed construction time frame and the majority of deliveries running to a tight evening schedule, Ben Turner explained that the implementation of HBS is very much an exercise in time management and communication.

After initial discussions with Melbourne City Council, noise and traffic were identified as areas of concern. To counter this Hickory have employed a Titan Cranes electric luffing tower crane that has considerably less noise output than a typical diesel-powered unit.

In addition noise measuring equipment which has been fitted to surrounding buildings has shown that noise levels are below initial benchmarks set by both Hickory and Melbourne City Council.

HBS unit delivery is a task in itself, with Hickory liaising with both VicRoads and Yarra Trams on any given evening where components are being craned into position. Initially constrained to three nights per week, Hickory hope to move oversize HBS deliveries to five nights per week, thus in theory allowing five floors to be added to La Trobe Tower per week.

After initial apprehensions, council are now at the point where they've requested that all site deliveries are done so during evening hours. This permit was granted following extensive community consultation and acoustic validation by Hickory and opens up new opportunities for construction in the city.

Can this methodology enable quieter construction to be done after hours and accelerate the completion of building projects in the city?

<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_9503.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Delivery of the the largest HBS unit during evening hours"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="870" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_9503.jpg?itok=0F3uVUzA" title="Delivery of the the largest HBS unit during evening hours" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Delivery of the the largest HBS unit during evening hours</figcaption></figure>There has been a high concentration of construction activity in this small pocket of La Trobe Street in recent years, impacting businesses and neighbouring residents. Hickory are monitoring the success of after hours works closely on the La Trobe Tower project, as this model may well provide a long-term solution to easing construction congestion by cutting months off each construction program.

<h2>Collins House</h2>

Underlining the potential of HBS, the day of Apartments.com.au's visit to La Trobe Tower also happened to be the day that Hickory signed off on the construction contract for their next HBS project, <a href="/buildings/collins-house-melbourne-460-466-collins-street-melbourne">Collins House</a>.

On a mere 465sqm site, the <a href="/architects/bates-smart">Bates Smart</a>-designed Collins House will rise 57 levels or near on 200 metres above ground. With its super slim profile and extensive glazed facade, Collins House is very much the tower project Hickory had in mind when conceiving HBS.

Construction of Collins House is expected to begin in shortly.

See below a short video created by Hickory highlighting HBS installation at La Trobe Tower

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JUHBX4SgMck" width="100%"></iframe>
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Up close with the Hickory Building System

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The heart of South Melbourne is seeing increased development activity as a swag of projects look to use the turn of 2016 as an important construction marker. Emerald Hill as it was once known serves as the heart of the suburb and has traditionally been been subject to limited low and medium-rise developments relative to its loftier neighbours in Southbank.

Developers and apartment buyers alike have been seeking out the stretch of South Melbourne west of Clarendon Street, with no less than six apartment project builds on the go which will in time add 430 new apartments to the area.

Market Street is front and centre for the moment with ITUM's The Walker most advanced in its construction. While it is approaching structural completion the adjoining site which is subject to Teri Apartments is at bulk excavation. Combined these two projects will add approximately 260 apartments to 'old' South Melbourne.

<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/image1sme.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="South Melbourne's Market Street is seeking elevated construction activity"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="268" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image1sme.jpg?itok=i4x2NCNZ" title="South Melbourne's Market Street is seeking elevated construction activity" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>South Melbourne's Market Street is seeking elevated construction activity</figcaption></figure>Directly opposite the two above yet technically in Southbank, 80 Market Street will also shortly receive a Maben-badged tower crane for the purpose of delivering a new commercial building designed by Billard Leece Partnership.

Push further into South Melbourne and Trio Construct have begun preliminary works on Lt. York while Figurehead will also begin works on the adjoining site at 274 Coventry Street for the purpose of a seven level mixed-use development which includes 37 apartments.

Dorcas Street holds three upcoming projects at varying stages of delivery. Evolve Development's Jewel apartment project is as basement level with LU Simon undertaking the build while the adjoining 240-242 Dorcas Street is also poised to begin construction at the hand of builder Trimont.

Waiting in the wings is Piccolo Developments' 228 Dorcas Street which gained approval via VCAT during November, and is expected to advance to sales this year.

<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/image4sme.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Jewel, 228 dorcas Street and an early version of 240-242 Dorcas Street"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="378" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image4sme.jpg?itok=7WEnkNmQ" title="Jewel, 228 dorcas Street and an early version of 240-242 Dorcas Street" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Jewel, 228 dorcas Street and an early version of 240-242 Dorcas Street</figcaption></figure>The spike in apartment activity within Emerald Hill may raise questions about the erosion of sorts of the area's unique character, with the current number of builds the highest recorded in the area. It does bare mentioning that 228 Dorcas Street aside, there are no other projects within the old Emerald Hill within the Apartments.com.au project database.

That's not to say that the remainder of South Melbourne is static, with a mass of projects encircling Emerald Hill.

<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/image8_3.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Fishermans Bend is on the rise"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="238" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image8_3.jpg?itok=ppxnUfG0" title="Fishermans Bend is on the rise" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Fishermans Bend is on the rise</figcaption></figure>Sections of South Melbourne that fall within Fishermand Bend are beginning to see signs of construction with Hamilton Marino's Gravity Tower leading the way. While it will begin to appear in the skyline over the course of 2016, two additional projects will also add to the overall South Melbourne apartment mix.

BPM Built are poised to begin construction of Night Fall on Gladstone Street while Crowbuild will also undertake a $9 million apartment development a matter of doors down in the coming months.
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Old Emerald Hill enters a new construction spurt

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Builder turned developer Pellicano Group is seeking approval for a residential apartment development in Oakleigh that promises to further propel the suburb toward higher density living. The Mount Waverley-based firm is proposing 111 residential apartments at 89-93 Atherton Road which if approved would become the tallest building within the suburb.

Over a 2,620sqm site, the land in question is located on the north side of Atherton Road and is currently for the most an open air at-grade car park.

<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/image8_2.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Ground level perspective. Image courtesy SJB"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="327" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image8_2.jpg?itok=h_7BFMDc" title="Ground level perspective. Image courtesy SJB" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Ground level perspective. Image courtesy SJB</figcaption></figure>Requested is a part 5, part 8 and part 10 storey residential building which would sit within the Oakleigh Activity Centre. Limited street frontage and space confines has seen project lead SJB create a multi-building outcome with the expectation that its orientation will allow for maximum natural light to penetrate the development.

Included within 89-93 Atherton Road are 26 single bedroom options supplemented by 85 dual bedroom apartments with either a single or double bathroom in tow. A 200.2sqm retail tenancy faces Atherton Road whilst communal facilities for the project are expected to include a terrace, indoor and outdoor gym and BBQ/teppanyaki area.

In context Pellicano Group's proposal is in close proximity to another SJB-designed apartment project, Atherton &amp; Atkinson, which is currently under construction.  Atherton &amp; Atkinson is second only to Kokoda Property Group's 94-apartment Infinity Oakleigh project which was completed during 2015 in terms of the current wave of Oakleigh apartment project completions.

<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/image7_6.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Drummond Hill plus Atherton &amp; Atkinson are adding to the Oakleigh apartment mix"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="268" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image7_6.jpg?itok=kiLVjDLq" title="Drummond Hill plus Atherton &amp; Atkinson are adding to the Oakleigh apartment mix" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Drummond Rise plus Atherton &amp; Atkinson are adding to the Oakleigh apartment mix</figcaption></figure>The spread of apartments within Oakleigh has also landed upon Dandenong Road with a number of current projects also showing on the Apartments.com.au Project Database.  CGHS Developments have guided Drummond Rise to construction whilst the adjoining site is being marketed by developer Intraland as 8 Degrees Apartments.

Immediately north of Intraland's site another application is under consideration for a 34-apartment project at 16-18 Dalgety Street. The recent sale of 807-811 Warrigal Road to Chinese affiliated Viapac Australia Pty Ltd further underpins Oakleigh's apartment hot spot credentials with the 3,686 sqm site sold by CBRE City Sales featuring an indicative development scheme for 190 apartments.

<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/image1_2.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="CBRE City Sales have foreshadowed 200 apartments for 807-811 Warrigal Road"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="396" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image1_2.jpg?itok=2y8CT__a" title="CBRE City Sales have foreshadowed 200 apartments for 807-811 Warrigal Road" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>CBRE City Sales have foreshadowed 200 apartments for 807-811 Warrigal Road</figcaption></figure>Factoring in the numerous large at-grade car parks within the Oakleigh Activity Centre capable of taking sizeable development, the suburb's proximity to the massive drawcard that is Chadstone Shopping Centre as well as increased rail capacity within 5-10 years with the advent of the Melbourne Metro Rail project / Dandenong rail corridor improvements and the proliferation of smaller scale projects such as 33-35 Ferntree Gully Road, and Oakleigh is in the initial throes of an apartment-based transformation.
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Pellicano Group cements Oakleigh as an upcoming apartment hotspot

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Another year is about to slip into the annals of time, although 2015 was more interesting than most from a development perspective. Melbourne's rampant push toward apartment living marched on and it was met for the first time with tangible policy from the current Victorian Government.

Apartments.com.au too continues to evolve with 2015 being our third year of existence.

<h2>The headlines of 2015</h2>

No surprises that Planning Minister Richard Wynne's move to curtail Melbourne's growing skyscraper list by implementing <a href="/news/interim-central-melbourne-planning-controls-the-detail">new restrictions over the CBD and Southbank</a> ranks as one of, if not the biggest headline of 2015. It is worth noting that there are currently 35 towers of over 200 metres in Melbourne between planning and construction; a mass in anyone's language.

Equally as noteworthy are the <a href="/news/the-planning-minister-richard-wynne-on-better-apartments">proposed changes to apartment standards</a> with May's announcement of the "Better Apartments – A Discussion Paper" which seeks to initiate new benchmarks for apartment design.

Looking ahead and 2016 will be another exciting year with the Victorian Government set to receive its first <a href="/news/and-on-the-third-day-infrastructure-victoria-was-born">30 year infrastructure strategy</a> via Infrastructure Victoria, while the fate of planning in Fishermans Bend and how the Victorian Government may wish to adapt the <a href="/news/planning-minister-approves-new-residential-zones-in-39-victorian-lgas">new residential zones</a> introduced under the previous government will become clearer.

<h2>Growth in readership</h2>

In terms of Apartments.com.au's total audience, we have had 440,000 unique visitors over the past 12 months. As 290,000 of these were from Melbourne, roughly six percent of the city's population has visited us at least once during the year.

And we are now attracting a broader audience: chances are 35% of the people who read this article today will not be located in Melbourne. Contrast that with our first year where a very slim 15% of the site's audience were located outside Melbourne.

These numbers are underpinned by the Apartments.com.au <a href="/developments">Project Database</a> which has expanded rapidly during 2015, with no less than 1,022 listings of current Melbourne projects; that is projects between planning and construction. The vast majority of the listings are residential in nature with 2016 shaping as a bumper year for apartment releases.

We have been saying it and providing the raw data for three years now: there is an enormous amount of project work in the middle-ring suburbs which are not high-rises and if we were to make a prediction, we will see it expand further. We are a good two years beyond the introduction of the new residential zones and we are now starting to see the database expand rapidly in 3-6 floor range.

The low and mid-rise suburban apartment complex really is becoming the engine house of Melbourne's push to accommodate an increasing population and we expect low-rise high-density planning and urban development headlines to have just as much emphasis next year and beyond.

<h2>Off The Plan Melbourne</h2>

With that in mind, we are excited about 2016 as early in the new year we will be launching of our second website: Off The Plan Melbourne.

The new site will act as a self-contained extension of the Apartments.com.au Project Database with its own content-base and a focus of connecting our existing and expanding property-buyer audience with developers and their sales agents. Marketers, agents and developers are encouraged to contact Alastair Taylor (<a href="mailto:alastair@urban.melbourne?subject=Off%20The%20Plan%20Melbourne">alastair@urban.melbourne</a>) for more information.

From all of us at Apartments.com.au, we would like to wish everyone a rewarding break and happy new year. We will be back to publishing articles on the 18th of January.
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2015 in review

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sunland-group">Sunland Group</a> has officially lodged plans for its first Gold Coast apartment project since the departure of the Abedian family from the company three years ago, unveiling a new high-rise proposal for a prominent Broadbeach corner site on Old Burleigh Road.

The application was submitted by an entity directed by Tom Jamieson, stepson of longtime Sunland leader Soheil Abedian, and Riaz Rezvanipour, brother-in-law of Sahba Abedian, Soheil’s son.

Sunland acquired the 1,283 sqm site on the corner of Old Burleigh Road and Armrick Avenue for $9.5 million late last year and is now seeking approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/99-101-old-burleigh-road-broadbeach-qld-4218">42-storey tower with 81 apartments</a>.

<img alt="First look: Sunland Group returns to Broadbeach with new Old Burleigh Road tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fea2946d-90ee-4cfc-babe-2a8ad5db2cb6" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/pers.png?VersionId=BV0fihJw31nDIQ8ozY_h3GbS8mxDyhnm" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/contreras-earl-architecture">Contreras Earl Architecture</a>, the proposed tower at 99-101 Old Burleigh Road would deliver a predominantly larger-format apartment mix aimed at the owner-occupier market. Plans include 17 two-bedroom apartments, 55 three-bedroom apartments, and nine four-bedroom residences across 35 residential levels.

The development also incorporates three basement levels, four podium parking levels, two levels of communal recreation facilities, and rooftop plant and equipment. A total of 189 car spaces are proposed, significantly exceeding the 90 spaces required under the planning scheme.

The architecture adopts a sculpted, curvilinear form, with deep wraparound balconies and integrated landscaping intended to soften the tower’s vertical expression. The planning report states the building’s “slender footprint/form provides a complimentary yet varied built form within the local streetscape” and contributes to “a varied, yet ordered skyline.”

Contreras Earl noted in its Architectural Statement that from the early stages, the project addressed a fundamental challenge: how to accommodate the required residential yield while avoiding the conventional model of a tower sitting on a rigid, fully resolved parking podium.

“The most direct response would have been to consolidate parking into a singular, flat podium and extrude a repetitive tower above,” the statement said. “While efficient, this approach would result in a consolidated built form with limited engagement with the surrounding landscape and public realm.”

Instead, the conventional podium model was “deliberately rejected”. The architects described the base of the building as “a landscaped architectural condition where structure, planting and circulation are integrated”.

“Rather than presenting a continuous built mass, the base of the building is articulated through a series of concrete planter elements that organise the podium into a fragmented system,” the statement said. “This approach reduces the perceived bulk of the lower levels while establishing a more permeable interface with the streetscape and adjacent open space.”

<img alt="Sunland" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="923fad8d-c960-4527-8fbe-975cf1ddf88d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-25%20at%2010.32.03%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=pngwb0hYOIUpq9vDw6F2EsOiVuHF3DiX" />

&nbsp;

The site sits within the High Density Residential Zone and inside the City of Gold Coast’s unrestricted “HX” building height area, where the planning framework anticipates intensified residential development tied to the expanding light rail corridor. The planning report notes the area is undergoing “transition toward more intense development forms” given its proximity to Broadbeach, Surfers Paradise, and high-frequency public transport infrastructure.

Positioned directly opposite Broadbeach Park and within walking distance of Florida Gardens light rail station, the development would sit among a rapidly evolving stretch of Old Burleigh Road that has become one of the Gold Coast’s most active apartment development corridors.

The application joins a growing pipeline of luxury residential projects reshaping Broadbeach, including nearby developments by 5Point Projects, Polycell, and Graya.

The planning report argues the project contributes toward the Gold Coast’s long-term housing targets under the South East Queensland Regional Plan, which forecasts the need for more than 100,000 additional high-rise dwellings across the city by 2046.

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The Abedian family departed Sunland Group in late 2023, ending a four-decade association with the company, and subsequently established the private development firm Abedian &amp; Co. The group is currently delivering <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/greenmount-residences-cnr-hill-street-and-marine-parade-coolangatta-qld-4225">Greenmount Residences</a> at Rainbow Bay and recently launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/18-mary-avenue-14-18-mary-avenue-broadbeach-qld-4218">18 Mary Avenue</a> in Broadbeach.
</section>

Joel Robinson

First look: Sunland Group returns to Broadbeach new apartment market with new Old Burleigh Road tower plans

The Minns Labor Government has established the new Bays West Delivery Authority to lead the development&nbsp;of the Bays West Precinct and Blackwattle Bay Precinct.&nbsp;

The Authority is charged with creating Sydney’s newest precinct, a thriving, connected, sustainable hub with White Bay Power Station as its cultural heart. Its vision is to build on the area’s natural, cultural and industrial history to shape a vibrant new neighbourhood.

The precinct will deliver up to 8,500 well-located homes, including a minimum of 10 per cent affordable and essential worker homes. Combine new housing with public open space, opening public access to the waterfront for the first time in more than 100 years, while retaining important deep-water facilities to support Sydney’s working harbour.

Located just minutes from the Sydney CBD and connected to a world-class metro, ferry, walking and cycling links, the Bays West precinct will rebalance housing growth towards well-serviced inner-city locations and help tackle the state’s housing crisis.

The Bays West Delivery Authority,&nbsp;an agency of the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, will report to the NSW Minister for Lands and Property who already has oversight of major precinct renewal projects including at Blackwattle Bay and Barangaroo.

As part of the broader Bays West transformation, the Minns Government recently announced that a proposal from Lendlease to redevelop part of the Bays West Precinct has progressed to Stage 2 of the NSW Government’s unsolicited proposals process.

<img alt="Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2ed71eb9-d8e8-4fa7-b9d1-de4531dcf2f3" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-25%20at%209.42.31%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=IDryFIbped9SNDg72LEN_EecvhUsOPvp" />

The Minns Labor Government has also confirmed the Bays West precinct will have a new suburb name. This will be the first major suburb built in close proximity to Sydney’s CBD in decades and will encompass the area currently being referred to as Bays West, including Glebe Island and the White Bay Power Station. Served by a new Metro station just five minutes from the CBD, it will become one of the most populous suburbs in the Inner West and one of Sydney’s premier cultural destinations.

An early works program is taking shape, which&nbsp;includes the first stages of an international design competition.&nbsp;

The aim of the Bays West&nbsp;International&nbsp;Design Competition is to&nbsp;ensure design excellence is embedded in the project from the start. The competition will deliver an&nbsp;urban framework that defines the character, ambition and long-term identity of&nbsp;this&nbsp;former industrial precinct as it transitions to a vibrant, inclusive and sustainable residential&nbsp;neighbourhood.

The competition will be led by the Bays West Delivery Authority in partnership with Government Architect NSW.&nbsp;

It will launch with an invitation for a global Expressions of Interest, before moving to an invitation-only stage that will be assessed by a panel that&nbsp;will provide advice to Cabinet who will select a winner.

Premier of NSW, Chris Minns said the establishment of the new Authority is the first step in transforming the Bays West precinct into a vibrant, livable suburb minutes from the Sydney CBD and two stops from Hunter St Station on the Metro West line.

“The Authority will deliver well-located homes close to the heart of the city and integrate the new precinct with Blackwattle Bay and the new Sydney Fish Market.

“This is a generational opportunity to build a new suburb on the city’s edge and open the harbour foreshore to the public for the first time in a century.”&nbsp;

Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said the new Bays West Delivery Authority established by the Minns Government will turbocharge the development of Sydney’s newest suburb.

“The Authority is working at a record pace to deliver an international design competition, planning pathways and a financial model so that this development benefits Sydney with well-designed homes in a central location, close to public transport, jobs, entertainment and essential services.

“If we want Sydney to stay liveable and affordable, we need to be bold about using underutilised government-owned land to deliver homes for the future while making sure essential working harbour functions can be accommodated.”

Bays West Delivery Authority established to "turbocharge" Sydney’s newest suburb

Around 400 additional homes could be built at Southwark Grounds on Port Road, lifting total site capacity from 1300 to around 1700 dwellings.

A recently approved code amendment would allow apartment towers of up to 14 storeys in some areas of Renewal SA’s redevelopment of the former West End Brewery.

Renewal SA Acting Chief Executive Shane Wingard said he welcomed the code amendment, with the increase in heights and homes making a positive impact on the supply of high-quality, well-connected housing close to the city.

“By going higher across some parts of Southwark Grounds, we are adding a substantial number of very well-located homes with little impact on project delivery time or planned open space,” Mr Wingard said.

Since the project officially launched in 2025, Mr Wingard said more than 12,000 enquiries had been received about living at Southwark Grounds.

“The very strong early interest we’ve seen since homes were first released in the precinct reinforces our plans to create more housing opportunities,” he said.

The Southwark Grounds code amendment was launched in December last year, with community engagement undertaken over five weeks from January.

It proposed increasing maximum building heights from eight to 14 storeys on the eastern section of Southwark Grounds, and to 12 storeys across the remainder of the site, with minimum building heights ranging from two to four storeys.

The code amendment was implemented through an Early Commencement policy in late January, allowing developers to quickly explore the viability of increased height and housing yield while other planning processes continue.

One of the first developers delivering apartment sites have already finalised redesigns to increase the number of apartments following the code amendment.

Samaras’ development adjacent to the future Colonel Light Park is now planning to deliver 125 apartments across 11 storeys, significantly greater than original plans of around 50 apartments across four storeys.

The developer is also exploring the potential for additional affordable housing outcomes.

Most of the apartments at Southwark Grounds will be delivered within a master-planned precinct on a large parcel of land on the eastern portion of the site, covering around two-thirds of its 8.4 hectares.

Wingard said detailed precinct planning over the coming months may identify further opportunities to increase yield further that could see total apartment numbers at Southwark Grounds, exceed this number.

Affordable homes at Southwark Grounds will also see a net increase, with Renewal SA maintaining its commitment to a minimum of 20 per cent affordable housing across the development.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Civil works have begun across the site, with construction under way on the first new roads surrounding a townhouse precinct in the south‑west corner of Southwark Grounds. This includes Renewal SA’s 17 Founder’s Row homes, which are on track for completion by Christmas.

“We expect to have people living at Southwark Grounds by the end of the year, so delivering roads and public spaces for those residents is among our highest priorities.”

Construction of 40 townhouses off Anderson Street, known as West Village and being delivered by Contour, is forecast to begin in mid‑2026. Kolabb’s Anderson Lane development will follow shortly after, delivering a further 26 townhouses.

Southwark Grounds is a state government‑led urban renewal project now set to deliver around 1,700 homes over the next decade.

Homes will be supported by a supermarket, a range of retail and hospitality offerings anchored by a revitalised Walkerville Brew Tower, a childcare centre, car parking and well‑connected public spaces.

400 new homes planned for Adelaide's former West End Brewery site

Brisbane developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/cavcorp">Cavcorp</a> has lodged plans for a new mixed-use residential development at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/55-wyandra-street-teneriffe-qld-4005">55 Wyandra Street</a>, Teneriffe, anchored by an 85-metre public laneway designed to reconnect the suburb’s riverfront with the Gasworks precinct.

The buildings, known as Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane, would replace the existing Queensland Cotton head office site with a 15-storey residential tower transitioning to eight storeys toward Helen Street. The project has been designed by Plazibat Architects and lodged as a code assessable development application for 93 apartments across a 3,401 sqm mixed-use site within the Newstead and Teneriffe Waterfront neighbourhood plan.

Central to the scheme is the transformation of an existing service easement into a publicly accessible cross-block connection linking Wyandra and Helen Streets. Cavcorp says the new laneway will act as both a pedestrian shortcut and a landscaped civic space between the Teneriffe Riverwalk, ferry terminal, and Gasworks precinct.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="26e7f058-b065-4de8-b13d-a2b8cb64dfcc" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/bldg.png?VersionId=sELS0ZKYi361oYipUa1BIKfe_.DLZoFV" />

“The revised proposal delivers a legacy public-realm cross-block link, permanently secured for community use, transforming an existing private easement into a safe, high-quality pedestrian connection between the Teneriffe heritage riverwalk and the Gasworks–Long Island precinct,” the planning report states.

The laneway will sit beneath a large subtropical loggia integrated into the podium levels of the development. The design incorporates deep landscaping, water gardens, lobby spaces, business lounges, and ground-floor apartments to create what Cavcorp describes as a climate-responsive “urban verandah.”

The tower itself has been designed as a slender form with recessed floorplates and curved translucent corners inspired by contemporary Japanese architecture. The building height aligns with the Commercial Road precinct controls, which permit towers up to 15 storeys within proximity to Longland Street.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a8a17d40-43b6-4718-b3fd-67676fcbb485" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/pers%202_1.png?VersionId=i3VwDtp5AmL_8InW7w4qRbDFEpb744Jt" />

The project will comprise a mix of larger-format apartments aimed at owner-occupiers, downsizers, and families. The proposed apartment mix includes 11 loggia apartments across the lower levels, 50 four-bedroom Sky-Terrace apartments from levels three to seven, and 32 Sky-Pool Homes occupying the upper tower levels. The Sky-Pool Homes will feature private thermal plunge pools integrated into oversized balconies.

According to the application, the apartments are intended to reinterpret the scale and character of Teneriffe’s woolstore conversions and Queensland homes within a vertical residential format.

“The sky-pool homes build on Cavcorp’s previous projects and introduce a distinct apartment typology to Teneriffe, informed by both local and international precedent and responding to an identified market demand for enhanced safety, space and amenity,” the planning submission notes.

A major focus of the proposal is its five-level wellness and lifestyle offering, extending from the basement through to the rooftop.

Amenities proposed include a rooftop Swim &amp; Racquet Club with a 25-metre Olympic lap pool and tennis court, coworking spaces and libraries, golf simulators, wine storage, concierge facilities, business lounges, pet wash areas, and rooftop longevity-focused wellness spaces with spas, outdoor fitness zones, and landscaped terraces.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="944b352c-49b9-4247-a4c6-5967b4b69fda" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/amenity.png?VersionId=Ed_qKjAtMwFT.5gfl3jiA9QwdWxSMsaX" />

All parking will be concealed within basement levels accessed from Wyandra and Helen Streets. Cavcorp says the deep-basement engineering approach allows the entire ground plane to prioritise landscaping, pedestrian movement, and active frontage rather than vehicle infrastructure.

The development continues Cavcorp’s concentration in Newstead and Teneriffe, where the Brisbane developer has delivered a number of apartment projects including Lucent, Le Bain, and Luminare, as well as the Long Island Wellness Precinct nearby. Several of those projects have received national design and architecture awards, including recognition under Brisbane’s “Buildings that Breathe” program.

Cavcorp unveils wellness-focused Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane apartment buildings

Focus Group Investments has lodged plans for a new apartment development at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/64-70-hanover-street-fitzroy-vic-3065">64–70 Hanover Street</a> in Fitzroy, seeking to utilise the Victorian Government’s recently introduced Great Design Fast Track pathway to accelerate approvals for the project.

The proposal is among the latest developments to emerge through the state-led initiative, which was established to fast-track well-designed residential projects in activity centres and transport-connected inner-city locations. The pathway allows qualifying developments that meet elevated design and housing benchmarks to bypass traditional council planning timeframes and instead be assessed directly by the Department of Transport and Planning.

Designed by SJB, the development will comprise a mix of apartments above activated lower levels, with a strong focus on architectural articulation, landscaping, and communal amenity. The design response seeks to balance the industrial character of Richmond’s former warehouse precincts with a more contemporary residential form.

<img alt="First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Richmond apartments" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="abea51cc-d85b-479e-9aef-a589f3b37ca7" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/ground.png?VersionId=e1Kf8EyPWwyiVumtqQ4rM5S4GpOR3CCz" />

Proposed are 63 new dwellings, a wide ranging mix of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, and townhouses and duplexes. They will be spread across a part-three, part-eight storey building.

The Planning and Urban Context Report by Tract says the development is of an "exemplary architectural standard" and has been carefully crafted by SJB Architects.

"Dwellings&nbsp;will benefit from excellent access to natural light, cross-ventilation opportunities and extensive communal space," the report noted.

The architectural material highlights the project’s integration of landscaped elements and communal spaces throughout the building. The proposal also incorporates sustainability initiatives aligned with the Victorian Government’s push for higher-performing apartment developments under the fast-track program.

The Great Design Fast Track was unveiled by the Victorian Government in 2024 as part of a broader housing supply strategy aimed at accelerating the delivery of new homes. Projects assessed through the pathway must demonstrate high-quality architecture, sustainability outcomes, and housing diversity while being located close to public transport and existing infrastructure.

<img alt="First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Richmond apartments" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="afdbe834-8dc4-4a77-a943-ba07bc927348" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/site_11.png?VersionId=0J657j.TaChAZfp93wqJYBTqSsnREJx2" />

Focus Group, founder and led by Paul De Lutiis, is increasingly active across Melbourne’s inner suburbs, targeting well-connected urban renewal locations suited to medium and higher-density residential development. The Fitzroy proposal continues that strategy, leveraging the area’s strong transport links, established retail amenity, and proximity to the CBD.

Fitzroy has been one of the most popular spots for developers and buyers in recent years. The likes of PACE Development Group, SMA Projects, Crema Group and Chapter Group, currently selling projects in the suburb.

Mark Baljak

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