The residential transformation of St Kilda Road is set to continue into with more new apartment plans for the sought-after boulevard.

Wing Tai Asia has lodged plans for a major residential tower at 464-466 St Kilda Road, replacing the former VACC House with an 18-storey mixed-use development designed around a retained heritage podium and a sculpted contemporary tower.

The proposal, prepared under Victoria’s Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway, would deliver 325 apartments and ground-floor retail across the prominent 4,653 sqm boulevard site in Melbourne’s St Kilda Road North Precinct.

The project centres on the adaptive reuse of the site’s heritage-listed VACC Building, an eight-storey office designed by Bernard Evans that has occupied the address for decades. Planning documents state the development would involve “carefully dismantling and conserving off-site the original metal fabric of the podium visible from St Kilda Road,” before reinstating it as the defining frontage of the new scheme.

Above the restored podium, Wing Tai is proposing a curvilinear residential tower. The scheme includes 172 one-bedroom apartments, 63 two-bedroom apartments, 66 three-bedroom apartments, and 24 four-bedroom apartments, alongside two ground-floor food and beverage tenancies fronting St Kilda Road.

The tower has been designed with substantial articulation and variable setbacks to minimise perceived bulk and maintain view corridors along the boulevard. Urbis, which prepared the planning report, said the design “has been significantly articulated through a curvilinear design” with “an interplay with materials, façade expression and depth” to create visual separation and visual interest.

The proposal also includes 254 basement car spaces, landscaped pedestrian links connecting St Kilda Road and Queens Lane, and a biophilic landscape strategy featuring canopy trees, raised planters, cascading greenery and a glass oculus pool overlooking the eastern frontage.

Planning documents confirm the $270.1 million development will contribute 3 per cent of project costs to the Social Housing Growth Fund as part of the application process.

Wing Tai acquired the St Kilda Road property in 2018 alongside Abacus Property Group for $95.38 million, before later consolidating ownership of the site. The property previously served as the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce headquarters for around 60 years.

The transformation of the St Kilda Rd boulevard is already beginning to materialise, with a number of high-profile projects recently completed, launched, or approaching launch as developers continue to back the long-term appeal of the precinct.

Among the most notable recent completions is Louise by Samuel Property Group, just off the strip on Queens Lane, the same pocket Hirsch &amp; Faigen recently launched The Queensbury. Mirvac is too on the same street with The Albertine, which is approaching completion.

Dexus recently secured approval for its slice of St Kilda Road, while Gurner also has approved plans for the precinct.

Joel Robinson

Wing Tai unveils 325-apartment St Kilda Road tower on former VACC House site

Malaysian developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/s-p-setia">SP Setia</a> is the latest to jump into St Leonards booming Transport Oriented Development precinct.

The developer, which has previously delivered Sapphire by the Gardens apartment development in Melbourne, identified the Atchison Street site in 2023. It filed a Scoping Report around 12 months ago, and now has revealed the designs for the new&nbsp;40-storey mixed-use tower.

The State Significant Development Application covers <a href="https://next-portal.urban.com.au/projects/14650/summary">20-22 Atchison Street</a>, a 1,374 sqm site positioned between St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, the project would deliver 181 apartments, above a four-storey commercial podium, five basement levels, and new public domain works along Mitchell Street. The apartment mix comprises 35 one-bedroom apartments, 39 one-bedroom-plus-study apartments, 85 two-bedroom apartments, and 22 three-bedroom residences.

The proposal has been lodged as a shop-top housing development under the NSW Government’s TOD planning pathway, which allows increased density around key transport infrastructure. The site sits within the recently rezoned Crows Nest Accelerated TOD Precinct.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b799673d-48e2-46b0-801a-0e33a9330100" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20site.png?VersionId=dPh0UfwfaHpbFL1R7H1cbZNbIW0CHbCC" />

SP Setia acquired the Atchison Street site as part of its continued expansion into the Australian apartment market. In comments made to City &amp; Country (The Edge Malaysia) in 2023, SP Setia President and CEO Datuk Choong Kai Wai described the acquisition as “a strategic move” aligned with the group’s post-pandemic market recovery strategy.

“Our target for this exceptional development is local and overseas buyers, including first-home buyers, downsizers and investors,” Choong said.

The tower has been designed as a slender vertical form rising from a mixed-use podium, with COX Architecture positioning the development as a response to the evolving St Leonards and Crows Nest skyline.

“The purpose of the project is to facilitate the delivery of high-quality housing at a strategically located site and deliver a built tower outcome that is consistent with the desired future character of St Leonards and aligns with the TOD controls,” the design report stated.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1a85eee-76f7-436c-a6da-73ba827b9b13" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20entry.png?VersionId=dA9jHGPMcm.dDbwk4QfxqWiY5bfh3UVt" />

The podium would incorporate retail uses fronting Atchison Street, commercial tenancies, landscaped communal areas, and pedestrian improvements along Mitchell Street. Vehicle access and loading would be consolidated via Atchison Lane.

Residents would have access to more than 665 sqm of communal indoor and outdoor spaces, while the development proposes 96 parking spaces across five basement levels.

The proposal also includes a commitment for 10 per cent of residential floor space to be allocated toward affordable housing through a monetary contribution.

COX said the tower form responds directly to the emerging high-density character of the precinct while seeking to maximise solar access, cross ventilation, and outlook from apartments.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2163f85c-f63b-4be3-aafa-f8763976cec5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29_5.png?VersionId=WiAmtIKJ6.ZQ41EtYEQ1fol7AeorKBlL" />

“The building is orientated towards north,” the Apartment Design Guide compliance report noted, adding that the tower’s slim form was driven by the constrained inner-urban site dimensions.

The design also incorporates landscaped setbacks and communal open space at podium level, intended to soften the interface with surrounding streets and improve pedestrian amenity.

The project adds to a growing wave of redevelopment proposals reshaping St Leonards and Crows Nest following the opening of the Sydney Metro City line and the NSW Government’s push for higher-density housing around major transport nodes.

Last week Stockland filed plans just down the road. They want to build a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/601-pacific-highway-st-leonards-nsw-2065">52-storey tower on Pacific Highway</a>.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">First look: Stockland plans 52-storey, 538-apartment St Leonards tower&nbsp;</a>

First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> has revealed plans for a new mixed-use tower at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham, advancing a proposal that would reshape the southern gateway to Newcastle’s city centre with one of the city’s tallest residential buildings.

The State Significant Development proposal, now on exhibition, seeks approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bowline-10-dangar-street-wickham-nsw-2293">43-storey tower</a> immediately adjacent to the Newcastle Interchange. The project would deliver around 200 apartments, including 42 affordable housing dwellings, alongside 99 co-living units, a 171-room hotel, retail space, and new public domain integrated through the site.

The scheme marks a significant escalation of plans previously approved for the site. Urban Property Group took over the prominent 2,904 sqm parcel, where excavation and demolition had already commenced under an earlier consent for a 14-storey mixed-use development.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="58a96dd9-407f-4d20-86b4-94e4bfeef74b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20podium.png?VersionId=LGlf08pdFGAZDzvx_CXC4XakHNZRuEE0" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, the tower has been conceived as a landmark transit-oriented development anchored to the Newcastle Interchange precinct. The proposal includes 245 build-to-sell apartments across a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom residences, as well as two penthouses. Fifteen apartments and one operational unit are earmarked for NDIS housing. The co-living component would add a further 99 units, while the podium would accommodate retail uses and hotel facilities.

SJB said the site presents “a valuable opportunity to anchor the precinct by setting the standard for design, active ground planes and character at the key southern gateway.”

The architecture responds directly to the site’s position beside major transport infrastructure and within one of Newcastle’s fastest-evolving urban renewal precincts. The tower form sits above a sculpted podium designed to frame new public spaces, including a through-site pedestrian link connecting Station Street to Hannell Street, landscaped plazas, and activated retail edges.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a7bd6ff0-f7db-4ce8-a6dc-ea56e72c6149" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20lanne.png?VersionId=xzf39VADyhj7zBQY2I9fx9vI62u2tuSb" />

The design report describes the project as part of the broader transition of Wickham into “a vibrant, high-quality mixed-use urban precinct” that leverages proximity to the station, open space, and regional connectivity.

A detailed public art strategy has also been prepared for the development. The strategy positions the project as “a transit-oriented development of state significance at the gateway to Newcastle’s city centre” and outlines a series of integrated artworks responding to Newcastle’s industrial and transport heritage.

Creative Road’s curatorial framework for the project, titled Unveil, draws on “stratified surfaces, carved volumes, and light-filled apertures” while referencing Newcastle’s transformation from an industrial city into a contemporary education and technology hub.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="77a882bb-14b1-4d28-99ff-9438e39508c0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20site.png?VersionId=cevgo_vN0eKPK78P8YcEu3mKPLkpFqE7" />

The proposal is being advanced through the NSW Housing Delivery Authority pathway after being declared State Significant Development in June 2025. The accompanying scoping report states the development aims to “maximise the site’s proximity to the Newcastle Interchange by delivering transit-oriented development” while increasing housing supply and affordable housing provision within the Newcastle LGA.

Urban Property Group’s plans align with the long-term strategic vision established under the Wickham Master Plan, which identified the interchange precinct as suitable for substantial uplift in height and density. The current proposal would significantly intensify that vision, positioning the tower among the tallest developments proposed for Newcastle.

The site sits immediately north of the Newcastle Interchange, bounded by Dangar Street, Hannell Street, and Charles Street. It is surrounded by a rapidly growing cluster of residential towers and mixed-use projects that have emerged following the completion of the light rail and transport interchange.

First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s latest tower at Wickham interchange

Bottega House has completed settlement of a landmark riverfront site in Macquarie Street, St Lucia, representing its first major Brisbane development.&nbsp;

Positioned on the banks of the Brisbane River, the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/180-macquarie-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">premium site at 180 Macquarie Street</a> features uninterrupted river frontage in one of Brisbane’s most tightly held residential precincts.&nbsp;

The proposed development, currently under assessment with Brisbane City Council, has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/mim-design">Mim Design</a> and will deliver a boutique collection of premium residences positioned specifically for owner occupiers and downsizers.&nbsp;

The residences are set to redefine luxury apartment living in the area, with a focus on architectural quality, refined finishes, landscape integration and elevated amenities including curated wellness facilities, resort-style pools and recreation spaces rarely seen in the local market.&nbsp;

Exclusive sales for the project will be led by Keenan &amp; Byrne, ahead of an anticipated launch later this year.&nbsp;

Bottega House Managing Director Nick Malloch said the project reflects the group’s ambition to deliver a highly curated residential offering within one of Brisbane’s most tightly held precincts.&nbsp;

“This is an incredibly rare riverfront opportunity and one we have approached with a long-term perspective,” Malloch said.&nbsp;

“Our vision from the outset was to create a boutique collection of residences that feel more like private homes than traditional apartments, with generous proportions, refined finishes and exceptional amenity throughout."

Malloch says there is a&nbsp;lack of premium owner-occupier stock of this quality in the market, particularly for downsizers wanting space, privacy and a true lifestyle offering without compromise.&nbsp;

"Demand is expected to be strong given the scarcity of premium riverfront opportunities of this nature within Brisbane’s inner-west."&nbsp;

Bottega House secures landmark riverfront site in St Lucia 

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The arrival of the first piling rig officially marks the commencement of construction at SIERA’s new beachside apartment development, Exhale, in Northcliffe.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/exhale-surfers-paradise-8-enderley-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Exhale</a>, a glass-encased tower featuring 54 large-scale apartments at 8 Enderley Avenue, is SIERA’s third Gold Coast development. It follows the recently completed PIPIS Bilinga beachfront project, which achieved suburb-record prices, and the soon-to-be-completed Chevron Island development, Tapestry.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359603]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/siera">SIERA</a> Founder and Managing Director Brent Thompson said the arrival of the piling rig represented a significant milestone for the development, which is scheduled for completion in late 2028.

Over the next month, around 260 piles are expected to be installed as work progresses on the basement structure. The building is anticipated to rise above ground level early next year, before unveiling its sculptural glass curtain wall, developed in collaboration with specialist façade engineers.

“The façade was designed to maximise panoramic coastal views while creating a distinctive architectural identity,” Thompson said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=355935]

Designed by BDA Architecture, Exhale will comprise just 54 two- and three-bedroom residences across 26 levels, a level of low-density living rarely delivered in this beachside pocket between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.

The project has been conceived as a resident-only building, with no short-stay accommodation permitted. SIERA says the model is intended to appeal to long-term owner-occupiers rather than transient holiday demand.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=361052]

Residences have been designed with large-format layouts and expansive glazing, with most apartments featuring more than 30 metres of glass frontage to maximise natural light and ocean views.

The amenity offering spans two levels and centres on wellness and lifestyle, including a heated magnesium pool, sauna, yoga and Pilates studio, gymnasium, private dining facilities, cinema lounge, and dedicated surfcraft storage.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359607]

More than half of the apartments have already sold. SIERA has also opened a sales gallery for Exhale at its Chevron Island commercial premises, near its Tapestry tower and the site of its second Chevron Island apartment development, which is slated to launch in early 2027.
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[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112661]

SIERA kicks off construction at Northcliffe tower Exhale

Apartments

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After years of inactivity and stalled projects, Pentridge's rebirth is gathering momentum, headlined by a proposed all-silver tower put forward by Shayher Group and Cox Architecture. 

After Shayher Group's announcement last year that <a href="/news/adina-hotel-adds-to-shayher-groups-pentridge-vision">TFE Hotels was secured as operator of an onsite Adina Apartment Hotel complex</a>, the intended redevelopment has since been lodged with planning authorities, with the expected outcome a new 18 storey tower.

Partly set within the walls of the former B Division Building, Cox Architecture's design will see the tower sited for the most part on vacant land adjacent to the heritage building.

Bouncing between Heritage Victoria and Moreland City Council, the application includes hotel suites for Adina across levels 2-10, with levels 11-17 dedicated toward apartment living.

<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/image49_6.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Planning image: Cox Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="255" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image49_6.jpg?itok=4mlZbgFA" title="Planning image: Cox Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Planning image: Cox Architecture</figcaption></figure>The tapering tower is finished in silver tinted glazing, silver cladding and clear glass balustrades. B Division Building and the associated annexe building will be reworked into the balance of Adina's hotel component, with a cafe, retail facilities, conference room, restaurant, spa, pool and gym all present over lower levels.

Moreland City Council also recently fielded another application for an adjoining lot that will encompass a new low-rise commercial building. Buchan Group have designed the complex that will be dominated by a supermarket, cinema and smaller format retail tenancies.

Shayher Group's advancement of pending stages of Pentridge comes as the developer realises completion of their first project onsite. Horizon Coburg which includes 53 two and three bedroom apartments is also the first projects to be completed within the Pentridge precinct for some years.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/img_5071.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Horizon Coburg is now complete"><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_5071.jpg?itok=-8wtX9rZ" title="Horizon Coburg is now complete" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Horizon Coburg is now complete</figcaption></figure>With Shayher Group pushing ahead with their slice of Pentridge, fellow developer Future Estate has also been busy with their portion of the undeveloped Pentridge site.

Future Estate's first release, One Coburg Quarter, is headed for construction whilst The Terraces will be the developer's next release. Soft marketing has commenced for the 38-townhouse project facing Urquhart Street, with the project's website showing all 2 bedroom townhouses have all <a href="http://info.futureestate.com.au/theterraces/">ready been accounted for</a>.

Future Estate have also introduced a third developer to Pentridge recently, by way of selling a permitted site to Golden Sunrise Developments. With approval for 294 apartments, Golden Sunrise Developments now has a foothold in the precinct that is just beginning to blossom from a development 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/image3fe.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="One Coburg Quarter and The Terraces. Images: Future Estate"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="227" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image3fe.jpg?itok=4ZG1_lvk" title="One Coburg Quarter and The Terraces. Images: Future Estate" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>One Coburg Quarter and The Terraces. Images: Future Estate</figcaption></figure>
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silvermb

Pentridge's silver tower heralds further change within the historic precinct

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Developer GURNER continues to rack up apartment projects within City of Yarra, with the latest an intended apartment development at 23-33 Johnston Street, Collingwood.

Although active across many of Melbourne's inner city suburbs, GURNER continues to cherry pick sites across City of Yarra, with the municipality a honey hole for the Prahran-based outfit. GURNER has also maintained its penchant for well-regarded architecture firms, utilising COX Architecture as the design lead for 23-33 Johnston Street.

COX Architecture joins the likes of Warren and Mahoney, Elenberg Fraser and Koichi Takada Architects as design outfits which have produced apartment schemes for the developer within City of Yarra. 

<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/image26_5.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Johnston Street as is. Planning image: COX Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="335" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image26_5.jpg?itok=6LfMy59B" title="Johnston Street as is. Planning image: COX Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Johnston Street as is. Planning image: COX Architecture</figcaption></figure>Urban.com.au's Project Database shows five active projects for GURNER within City of Yarra, headlined by <a href="/new-apartments/26-56-queens-parade-fitzroy-north">26-56 Queens Parade</a> which has garnered <a href="http://www.afr.com/real-estate/residential/vic/nimbyism-or-greed-development-battles-turn-nasty-20170116-gtsbnd">considerable media attention</a> in recent times.

GURNER's latest entrant at 23-33 Johnston Street encompasses four allotments over 1,873sqm. Located within the Johnston Street Activity Centre, 23-33 Johnston Street would overlook the adjoining Contemporary Arts Precinct which in times gone by, acted as a campus for education provider NMIT.

The recently submitted proposal seeks to replace an existing planning permit onsite for a six level student accommodation complex encompassing 189 student apartments.

Headline figures for the COX Architecture design sees a 12 level mixed use building comprising 154 apartments, dual ground floor food and drink retail outlets over 460sqm and car parking for 121 vehicles. 154 storage cages and 48 bikes are included, as is a landscaped roof garden on level 8.

<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/image24john.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="23-33 Johnston Street. Planning image: COX Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="542" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image24john.jpg?itok=JG4fhfgz" title="23-33 Johnston Street. Planning image: COX Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>23-33 Johnston Street. Planning image: COX Architecture</figcaption></figure>The proposal will also maintain a considerable portion of the original building's frontage to Johnston Street, with the tower's curved facade taking its design impetus from the nearby Keith Haring mural.

23-33 Johnston Street aside, <a href="/buildings/victoria-vine-1-57-wellington-street-collingwood">1-35 Wellington Street</a> and the <a href="/buildings/the-spanish-club-57-61-johnston-street-fitzroy">Spanish Club's redevelopment</a> join 26-56 Queens Parade as projects that are at planning for the developer. Across these combined four projects currently at planning, roughly 570 apartments can be added to GURNER's pipeline. This number would have been far greater, but for the redesign of 26-56 Queens Parade which has seen the proposal lose as many as 120 apartments.

Other projects directly under the guidance of GURNER include <a href="/buildings/28-stanley-street-collingwood">28 Stanley Street</a> which is receiving its finishing touches and the freshly completed 107 Cambridge Street which has revamped part of the Foy &amp; Gibson Precinct to include 90 new 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/image29_9.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="107 Cambridge along with a render 26-56 Queens Parade. Image: Koichi Takada Architects"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="242" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image29_9.jpg?itok=cVD1j_Fi" title="107 Cambridge along with a render 26-56 Queens Parade. Image: Koichi Takada Architects" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>107 Cambridge along with the original 26-56 Queens Parade. Image: Koichi Takada Architects</figcaption></figure>
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GURNER's affinity with Yarra continues

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Although applications for substantially tall apartment towers have eased over recent times within City of Stonnington, two current development applications across Prahran and South Yarra represent the next sling of smaller sized towers for the municipality.

A 14 storey apartment building at 10-16 Cecil Place is being sought by Bensons Property Group. The quiet Prahran thoroughfare is eventually expected to be graced by the Fender Katsalidis-designed building that includes 92 dwellings, with the vast majority of those encompassing two bedrooms.

10-16 Cecil Place along with <a href="/buildings/vanguard-781-807-dandenong-road-malvern-east">Vanguard</a> and <a href="/buildings/chronicle-960-high-street-armadale">Chronicle</a> sees a total of 447 dwellings across various stages of development within Stonnington under the Bensons umbrella.

<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_12.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The Cecil Place development as envisaged from Chapel Street. Planning image: Fender Katsalidis"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="315" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image6_12.jpg?itok=Cf4NyvXg" title="The Cecil Place development as envisaged from Chapel Street. Planning image: Fender Katsalidis" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The Cecil Place development as envisaged from Chapel Street. Planning image: Fender Katsalidis</figcaption></figure>Replacing a low-rise commercial building which spans the 1,263sqm site, 10-16 Cecil Place's proposal carries an estimated cost of development of just under $21 million.

Existing built form precedents in the immediate area rise to a similar height, with the most notable being Caydon's Troligi development. Set atop four basement levels for 96 vehicles, 10-16 Cecil Place's ground floor will also include a 229sqm food/drink venue and a 127sqm retail outlet.

Fender Katsalidis have taken steps to compliment yet distance the tower from the adjoining property which carries heritage value. Expression lines across the proposed podium facade match the scale of the heritage facade, with a similar degree of density also employed, as opposed to the tower proper's glazed finish.

Whilst 10-16 Cecil Place shapes as a future Bensons project, Vanguard is at construction. With ABD Group enlisted as builder, Vanguard includes 3 basement levels supporting 18 above ground levels and 323 apartments, 2 retail spaces and a gymnasium.

<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/image45_4.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="121-123 Commercial Road. Planning image: Elenberg Fraser"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="363" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image45_4.jpg?itok=4z_y4Chd" title="121-123 Commercial Road. Planning image: Elenberg Fraser" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>121-123 Commercial Road. Planning image: Elenberg Fraser</figcaption></figure>121-123 Commercial Road on the other hand represents Headland Properties' latest foray into the Melbourne apartment market.

Partially sited above the adjacent rail corridor, Headland's proposal includes a ten storey building, with VicTrack and structural engineering specialists having been included during the design stage. In preliminary feedback, City of Stonnington expressed concern about the buildings intended height of 33.8m, which exceeds the preferred height of 18 metres for the area as specified by the proposed Activity Centre Zone overlay.

In its submitted form, the Elenberg Fraser-designed 121-123 Commercial Road includes two retail spaces totalling 267sqm, 80 apartments, 88 car spaces and 42 bicycle spaces at ground level. Key to the design is a large courtyard fronting Commercial Road, which doubles as the building's major design feature.

From a public perspective, 121-123 Commercial Road also includes a new 3m wide proposed public footpath / bike path linking Osborne Street and Balmoral Street that would be maintained by the building's future body corporate.
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Bensons and Headland sign in at Stonnington

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...where are they all?

It's been well documented that a cyclical movement has swung the pendulum from one end of the scale to the other. Investment grade apartment stock around Melbourne's CBD is out, with demand now high for lavish, large two and three bedrooms dwellings in certain suburbs as developers now chase the well-heeled buyer.

But where exactly are these high-end two and particularly three bedroom apartments located around Melbourne?

An article in yesterday's Domain demonstrates the <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/melbourne-apartments-number-of-bedrooms-hard-to-pinpoint-as-developers-reign-20170203-gu35rn/">perceived lack of clarity</a> regarding the apartment mix of any given suburb, or project for that matter.

<blockquote>
So you’d be forgiven for thinking that you could easily find out exactly how many one-bedroom apartments were suddenly in your street. After all, we know how many houses there are.

But it turns out trying to pinpoint the number of neighbours you may have is actually harder than you might think. Local councils, usually responsible for approving such developments, are not required to collate information on the exact number of different types of apartments.

Not even the state government or Australian Bureau of Statistics regularly keep tabs on the diversity of apartments approved across the city and whether there will be enough to cater for families.
<cite>Christina Zhou: Domain 5/2/2017</cite>
</blockquote>

The State Government or Australian Bureau of Statistics may not, but Apartments.com.au certainly does.

Of the 1300 plus current residential projects within the Apartments.com.au Project Database, the vast majority of projects retain numbers relating apartment types, whether they be one, two, three bedroom, studio, penthouse or otherwise. In fact it's not difficult to track a given projects apartment breakdown, but rather maintaining accurate figures during the often lengthy period between planning approval and sales commencement can be a tricky undertaking owing to developers changing their mix's to mirror current buyer trends.

Which brings us to the heart of the matter. Where are all the 3 bedroom apartments situated across metropolitan Melbourne right now?

<h2>Pouring over the Apartments.com.au Project Database</h2>

As always there's a smattering of three bedroom apartments in forthcoming apartment projects Melbourne-wide.

The larger number of three bedroom apartments though are skewed across certain suburbs south and east of Melbourne's CBD, in line with existing demographics. More affluent stretches of Melbourne gain a proportionately higher share of the three bedroom market. Bayside suburbs, South Yarra, Glen Iris and Bentleigh are but a few.

Unsurprisingly established blue chip suburbs such as East Melbourne and Toorak also garner more than their fair share of three bedroom apartments.

More so it's very much site specific. Location, amenities and views will dictate that certain apartment projects can attract a higher number of three bedroom dwellings, compared to other projects in the same suburb or even the same precinct.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/img_4370.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="No 3BR within Fishermans Bend's first tower"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="479" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_4370.jpg?itok=KuRSwXMJ" title="No 3BR within Fishermans Bend's first tower" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>No three bedroom apartments on offer within Fishermans Bend's first tower build</figcaption></figure>And a cautionary word for all those who espouse the notion that Fishermans Bend will be a haven for three bedroom apartments, as has been touted by various planning authorities. Submitted planning numbers and as yet unreleased development schedules for pending apartments project launches that Apartments.com.au have been privy to still show a proportionately small number of three bedroom apartments within the urban renewal area.

Fishermans Bend like anywhere else across Melbourne is a case of matching the right product with the right location, and the precinct as yet doesn't have the market depth to warrant a mass of three bedroom apartments being offered.

<h2>Examples that define the three bedroom surge</h2>

Prime examples in the shift to larger apartments/increased bedrooms include Magnate Developments upcoming apartment project at <a href="/new-apartments/ville-638-malvern-road-prahran">638 Malvern Road, Prahran</a>. With planning approval in place and registrations of interest commenced, the developer has seen it fit to head back to planning with the intention of providing fewer apartments within the development for the sake of additional three bedroom and a four bedroom apartment within the approved envelope.

Much the same has occurred at Espace within Middle Park, with the approved development shrinking from 27 dwellings to 8 larger abodes. Nearby, Barana Group's pending <a href="/buildings/saint-moritz-st-kilda-14-16-the-esplanade-st-kilda">14-16 The Esplanade</a> on St Kilda's foreshore has seen overall apartment numbers shrink from 300 to 236, with the corresponding number of three bedroom apartments nearly tripling from 31 to 86.

<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_10.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Metier3's take on The Esplanade"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="334" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image2_10.jpg?itok=JLvQW2WV" title="Metier3's take on The Esplanade" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Metier3's take on The Esplanade</figcaption></figure>The most recent example to hit the Apartments.com.au Project Database  is <a href="/buildings/the-botanic-collection-30-anderson-street-south-yarra">22-30 Anderson Street, South Yarra</a>, with the proposal backed by Kayrope Properties Pty Ltd exclusively the domain of three bedroom apartments. Designed by Robert Mills Architects, the ten oversize apartments look to continue the suburb's ability to absorb larger apartments.

Whilst three bedrooms apartments look to be garnering their fair share of media attention and increasing their overall reach throughout Melbourne's apartment market, it still remains a case of matching the right product with the right location, as it has always been.
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Three bedroom apartments are in vogue, but...

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Developer Lendlease is pushing ahead with early site works for their pending Melbourne Quarter development; a massive mixed-use project that will round out the Batman's Hill precinct within Docklands.

Effectively a nexus between Melbourne's CBD and Docklands, Melbourne Quarter will continue the growth of inner city apartments aimed squarely at professionals, young families and empty nesters who are seeking a high-rise lifestyle. With the flood of investment grade apartment projects into the inner city over recent years, there is now a concerted push to create projects that go above and beyond, particularly in terms of amenity.

Lendlease Head of Apartments, Ben Christie, states that Melbourne Quarter has been designed to cater to the demands of astute buyers seeking a lifestyle which includes minimal outdoor and apartment maintenance, inclusive facilities, and communal socialising spaces.

<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/view04_mq_squre_elevated_v2_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Melbourne Quarter Neighbourhood Park. Image courtesy Lendlease"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="363" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/view04_mq_squre_elevated_v2_0.jpg?itok=oW3M2lzk" title="Melbourne Quarter Neighbourhood Park. Image courtesy Lendlease" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Melbourne Quarter Neighbourhood Park. Image courtesy Lendlease</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
Melbourne buyers from all demographics have one of the strongest appetites for high-quality apartments. This is a design conscious city in its fashion, food and coffee, and also Melburnians’ appetite for good architecture is no different. In Melbourne, people expect a comprehensive offering which includes open floor plan layouts for social spaces, ample storage in residences and basements, and health-conscious building amenities.

The biggest selling point for our Melbourne Quarter project is the precinct’s green space and gardens at the base of residences. This gives people the opportunity to live in and be amongst a community that contributes to Melbourne's rich cultural tapestry. Melbourne has traditionally been framed around its parks, and Melbourne Quarter will create a floating Skypark and a new neighbourhood park within the city; a very good thing for residents and the public at large.

<cite>Ben Christie, Head of Apartments, Lendlease</cite>
</blockquote>

Lendlease's Melbourne Quarter development is bordered by Collins and Flinders Streets in Docklands, and upon completion will offer city living, future workplaces, dining, shopping and green spaces. A series of new internal laneways will connect workers, residents and visitors to the traditional Hoddle Grid and to approximately 40 new specialty retailers, including cafes and bars, dining, fashion and lifestyle offerings.

The development's residential towers have been designed by Fender Katsalidis Architects (FKA), who have a long and successful history of residential buildings in Melbourne, including the Republic Tower, Eureka Tower and Australia 108.

Urban.com.au posed a number of questions to Ben Christie and FKA's Karl Fender about the development and the evolution of apartment living in 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/view_20_mq_resi_1x1_bed_desk_02_crop_option.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Melbourne Quarter typical one bedroom apartment. Image courtesy of Lendlease"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="213" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/view_20_mq_resi_1x1_bed_desk_02_crop_option.jpg?itok=nX2S7XBr" title="Melbourne Quarter typical one bedroom apartment. Image courtesy of Lendlease" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Melbourne Quarter typical one bedroom apartment. Image courtesy of Lendlease</figcaption></figure>Urban.com.au: Both Lendlease and Fender Katsalidis have extensive experience in apartment developments in Melbourne. How has the market evolved in the last 20 years and by extension the demands of purchasers?

Karl Fender: The transition of Melbourne over the last 25 years from a commercial hub to a thriving multi-faceted metropolis can be attributed to the migration of people from suburban to city living. Large sections of the Melbourne community enjoy, and have come to depend on proximity to workplace, city based rich living options, security, and the convenience of apartment living.

With this increased understanding and focus on the broader benefits of city living, the expectations of apartment design standards with the owners have developed substantially. That community sector now has sophisticated views about their personal living environment. Flexible planning, sizes appropriate to need, provision of ample recreational amenities, quality materials and excellence of architectural design are expected.

People today regard their apartment as far more than simply a good investment. Pride in home, which was underpinned the Australian dream of ownership in the suburbs, is now of paramount importance in the higher density multi-residential realm.

Ben Christie: The great thing about Melbourne’s apartment market is that it offers a variety of city-centric living opportunities that weren’t available 10 years go. Melbourne in general boasts a very high quality of apartment design. Our customers expect a comprehensive apartment offering, which might include open floor plan layouts for social spaces, ample storage in residences and basements, and health-conscious building amenities like a gym or swimming pool.

There is also a growing demand for concierge and hotel-style offerings as time-poor residents use these services to cut down on chores and free up leisure time. Melbourne Quarter will offer such concierge services to enhance the quality of our resident’s living experiences, including services on ground and upper ground lobbies which will use smart technology systems to connect residents in their community.

Many of our customers consider the surroundings of their apartment building too, looking for things like recreational facilities, parks, playgrounds, cafes and community services like child-care facilities and libraries. Our diverse Victoria Harbour community has the highest concentration of Green Star rated buildings in Australia and is located next door to many popular community amenities including Library at The Dock, Buluk Park and the newly-opened Community Hub at the Dock.

UM: How do developments like Melbourne Quarter respond to these demands from a design point of view? What does the architecture say about its locale and the residents within?

KF: Melbourne Quarter is an exemplar of quality environment for its new resident and commercial community. In the broader context of the central business district of Melbourne, its location and provisions will redefine and enrich this strategic entry point of the city. It will certainly be a catalyst for urbane completeness which this currently underutilised corner of the city so desperately requires.

Within the development, public placemaking, rich pedestrian linkages, carparking and servicing strategies have been carefully considered to deliver the best possible outcome. Enticing connections between Collins and Flinders Streets has been achieved through a series of pedestrian experiences, enriched by gardens, recreational and retail opportunities.

The apartments within the residential sector of Melbourne Quarter provide a diverse range of sizes and outlooks, but quality and facility are the common threads. The new resident community can enjoy the privacy of home and counterpointed by the connection of city opportunities at their doorstep. Their living experience is further enriched by their communal facilities which include an elevated 120m pool looking over the northern park, gym, sauna, multi-purpose yoga studio, lounge, library and luxury dining spaces.

UM: How has the history of the site informed the architecture?

KF: The Melbourne Quarter precinct is a very historically significant location in Melbourne and has played a key role in the history of the city’s founding. It is remembered as the site that city father John Batman chose for his family house which he built on Batmans Hill - the site of Melbourne Quarter - in 1836 not long after the beginning of Melbourne’s settlement in 1835.

The precinct also engages with the indigenous heritage of the site and indigenous artists will also play a key role in the placemaking, design and art of the precinct.
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Laurence Dragomir

Karl Fender and Ben Christie talk Melbourne Quarter

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The latest and last of Footscray's Joseph Road Precinct super-sites has gone to advertising, outlining a quartet of residential towers planned for the site which is referred to as 2 Nielson Place.

No less that 577 apartments are requested as part of a permit that would square away Joseph Road Precinct's final major land allotment. FJP Pty Ltd is behind the development push, with Architecton in the primary design role; something they would be altogether used to given their existing design experience within the precinct.

Following on from an initial application, revised plans were submitted late last year which lessened the height of three towers and consequently the overall apartment yield.

<h2>2 Neilson Place application 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/image35_8.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Architecton's latest project for the precinct."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="527" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image35_8.jpg?itok=ZpmurAUP" title="Architecton's latest project for the precinct." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Architecton's latest project for the precinct.</figcaption></figure><ul>
<li>Vacant land plot of 6,264sqm with two street frontages</li>
	<li>Proposed quartet of towers, with the tallest at 26 levels or 86 metres</li>
	<li>577 apartments: 230 x 1BR, 274 x 2BR, 73 x 3BR</li>
	<li>Average apartment sizes: 1BR: 46sqm, 2BR: 76sqm, 3BR: 115sqm</li>
	<li>290sqm of ground floor food/drink space</li>
	<li>465sqm of commercial office space</li>
	<li>3,113sqm of communal open space</li>
	<li>3,382sqm of internal communal facilities</li>
	<li>Podium parking for 572 cars</li>
	<li>Estimated development cost: $180 million</li>
</ul>
<h2>Amenity plus</h2>

The staged development is noteworthy for the level of amenity that it intends to bring to the precinct.

As outlined above, a combined total of 6,495sqm of communal space is dedicated to the 577 apartments, which equates to an average of 11.26sqm of open space per apartment. This figure is very much symptomatic of the larger, staged developments within Joseph Road Precinct.

Project specific amenities include podium-top facilities such as a gym, pool, change rooms, internal and external lounge areas, shared kitchen, dining areas, yoga room and a large landscaped open space area. Each tower rooftop sees an external courtyard adjoining an internal multi-purpose area.

Aesthetically 2 Nielson Place's major tower has been designed to be clad in rose gold glass, with Luna St Kilda cited as a design example. Offsetting the 86m golden edifice would be a smaller tower with light grey tinted glass as its primary expression, while the smaller duo would feature dark glass framed by offwhite composite panels.

'Sandstone' finished tiles are envisaged for the projects ground level interface, providing the street level with a 'softer' more earthier appearance.

<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/image34_9.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Amenity to the fore"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="412" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image34_9.jpg?itok=1awYbeLP" title="Amenity to the fore" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Amenity to the fore</figcaption></figure><h2>Joseph Road Precinct at large</h2>

2 Nielson Place is Joseph Road Precinct's seventh major development; of those seven, five can be considered multi-tower developments. At this stage and assuming 2 Nielson Place is approved along its current design path, 23 residential buildings are slated for the precinct, with none yet to reach completion.

2 Nielson Place's 577 apartments adds to the roughly 3,385 apartments already given the nod for the riverside precinct. These apartments will be delivered in towers of up to 31 levels.

How Joseph Road Precinct's planning outcomes compare to initial structure plan expectations will be the subject of another forthcoming article.

<h2>2 Neilson Place development team</h2>

<ul>
<li>FJP Pty Ltd ATF Palazzo Family Superannuation Fund</li>
	<li>Architecture and Urban Context: Architecton</li>
	<li>Planning: Urbis</li>
	<li>Landscape Plan: Urbis Landscape Architects</li>
	<li>Traffic Engineering Assessment: Ratio</li>
	<li>Acoustic, Pedestrian Level Winds and Wind Tunnel Test: Vipac</li>
	<li>Sustainable Management Plan: Sustainability House</li>
	<li>Waste Management Plan: Ratio</li>
	<li>Cultural Heritage Report: Terra Culture</li>
</ul>
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2 Neilson Place rounds out Footscray's Joseph Road Precinct

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Local developer PDG Corporation is in the process of replenishing its development pipeline, with two apartment projects currently at planning.

The two new residential projects are located in two heavily influential suburbs in terms of apartment activity, namely West Melbourne and Brunswick. These two have hit advertising with their respective councils at a time when PDG Corporation's two current apartment projects are nearing construction completion.

The West Melbourne endeavour at 17-37 Abbotsford Street is the larger of the two expected projects, encompassing a sprawling 4,795sqm island site adjacent to North Melbourne Station. Pushing $60 million in terms of construction value, PDG Corporation are hoping to add 200 dwellings to the West Melbourne landscape, including a sizeable number of lofts.

<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/image27_7.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="West Melbourne's landscape will be further changed. Planning image: DKO Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="366" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image27_7.jpg?itok=f1-1kxFj" title="West Melbourne's landscape will be further changed. Planning image: DKO Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>West Melbourne's landscape will be further changed. Planning image: DKO Architecture</figcaption></figure>The overall apartment breakdown sees 113 dual bedroom apartments, supplemented by 44 single and 43 triple bedroom dwellings. Retail and commercial spaces are also found over lower levels.

DKO Architecture have been tasked with the West Melbourne design, whilst Formium acts as landscape architects. The J.Gadsen building which fronts Abbotsford Street and Ireland Street will be incorporated into the development, flanked by either a public piazza or an Abbotsford Street oriented pocket park.

Although a similar height to PDG Corporation's West Melbourne intentions, Brunswick's 311-315 Barkly Street encompasses 69 apartments in total across 10 floors.

Covering a 1,393sqm plot and in proximity to the soon-to-be revamped Jewell Station Precinct, the Barkly Street scheme by Disegno Australia further pushes the trend of higher density urban renewal around rail stations that flank Sydney Road.

<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/image25_6.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Barkly Street may soon have a new addition. Planning image: Disegno Australia"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="479" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image25_6.jpg?itok=htIzyaVS" title="Barkly Street may soon have a new addition. Planning image: Disegno Australia" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Barkly Street may soon have a new addition. Planning image: Disegno Australia</figcaption></figure>18 single, 47 double and four triple bed apartments constitute the living options within the proposed building, with extensive bicycle parking and a 425sqm commercial/retail space defining the project's ground level plane.

The brick-clad 311-315 Barkly Street shapes as PDG Corporation's fourth consecutive project north of the CBD, after having focused on the CBD/Southbank apartment market for many years. Construction for the firms Arden Park project is well advanced, whilst the Haymarket Roundabout precinct has gained another unique design by way of Royal Elizabeth.

Ostensibly complete, work on internals for the Elenberg Fraser-designed bronze and green tower continues, before it's imminent settlement which has been nominated for March.

PDG Corporation is also Melbourne City Council's developer of choice for the Munro site opposite Queen Victoria Market at 151 Therry Street, Melbourne. Whilst various development outcomes including a 200m residential tower have been touted for the site, the project's final composition is still unknown.

<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_3309.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Royal Elizabeth is approaching completion"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="711" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_3309.jpg?itok=cjfcMU82" title="Royal Elizabeth is approaching completion" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Royal Elizabeth is approaching completion</figcaption></figure>
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PDG Corporation usher in its next wave of apartment projects

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The march of apartment living into Melbourne's outer east has gained pace over recent years, with suburbs not generally accustomed to apartment living now attaining their own share of the expanding apartment market pie.

The latest suburb to enter the fray is <a href="/new-apartments/bayswater-vic-3153">Bayswater</a>, with a nine level residential building slated for <a href="/new-apartments/711-717-mountain-highway-bayswater">711-717 Mountain Highway</a>. The prospective apartment project represents Bayswater's first entry into the Apartments.com.au Project Database, and enforces the growing presence of apartment projects in areas that were until a short time ago the exclusive domain of detached housing.

Hudson Bond Commercial handled 711-717 Mountain Highway's sale last year, with development entity NewLee Pty Ltd now pushing through with plans for the 1,252 sqm site. Moull Murray is the architect in charge, with the project put before City of Knox during December.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image31_3.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Moull Murray's new take on Bayswater"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="534" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image31_3.jpg?itok=7VmFZWc8" title="Moull Murray's new take on Bayswater" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Moull Murray's new take on Bayswater</figcaption></figure>At the time of 711-717 Mountain Highway's sale last year, Hudson Bond Commercial billed the site as capable of accommodating a 5 storey built form encapsulating 900sqm of retail space and 45 apartments.

The advent of 711-717 Mountain Highway now sees Bayswater join the likes of <a href="/new-apartments/rowville-vic-3178">Rowville</a>, <a href="/new-apartments/wantirna-south-vic-3152">Wantirna South</a>, <a href="/new-apartments/chirnside-park-vic-3116">Chirnside Park</a> and <a href="/new-apartments/croydon-vic-3136">Croydon</a> as suburbs which were formally the sole territory of detached housing, but are now receiving an increased share of higher density living options. Croydon for example is now home to the James Kerr building, with the Erfanian Developments project adding 56 apartments to the heart of Croydon during 2016.

As one of the eastern suburbs more prominent developers, Eefanian Developments will this year embark upon another Croydon apartment project at <a href="/buildings/orphic-176-mt-dandenong-road-croydon">176 Mt Dandenong Road</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/image33art.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Orion International Group have grand intentions for Ringwood"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="386" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image33art.jpg?itok=QXBA6Fga" title="Orion International Group have grand intentions for Ringwood" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Orion International Group have grand intentions for Ringwood</figcaption></figure>Of course, the outer east's rise cannot be overviewed without mentioning <a href="/new-apartments/ringwood-vic-3134">Ringwood</a>.

Whereas suburbs such as Bayswater and the like are spoken of in dozens of apartments, Ringwood can be spoken of in the thousands as much larger apartment developments enter the suburb. An established Activity Centre with a strong although predominantly low-rise apartment market, Ringwood can expect some change in the near future.

Leading the charge is <a href="/developers/orion-international-group">Orion International Group</a>'s latest version of their pending development adjoining Eastlink (seen above) which has been dubbed The Ring.

Whilst surrounding suburbs are unlikely to reach the height of Ringwood, the general upswing of apartment projects demonstrates that there is a market for the product in the leafy outer east.
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Eastbound and down for the apartment high life 

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Having heard of the importance of street setbacks and tower separation over the previous two years as part of the Government's push for better tower design outcomes, somewhat of a built form quirk is emerging on Southbank's Coventry Street.

Should the recently submitted 31 Coventry Street gain approval, it would allow four towers to be built wall to wall, with the quartet each spanning approximately 20 levels. With no street or tower setbacks involved, the result would be a solid build form that stretches roughly 90 metres on the horizontal plane.

This seems to fly in the face of what has been drummed into all and sundry in recent years. But of course it's not a black and white matter when considering equitable development opportunities, discretionary design controls which veil the site/surrounds and existing built form precedents.

It could be argued that having this solid wall of towers is a poor design outcome, yet at the same time why should 31 Coventry Street be treated any differently than the towers which have been approved before it over recent times.

<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/image3cov.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Elenberg Fraser's initial renders for 31 Coventry Street"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="299" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image3cov.jpg?itok=JDFhyyRZ" title="Elenberg Fraser's initial renders for 31 Coventry Street" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Elenberg Fraser's initial renders for 31 Coventry Street</figcaption></figure>In isolation, 31 Coventry Street is one of two apartment developments for Headland Properties which are currently at planning.

With precinct-specific design controls in a state of change, the developer has taken the opportunity to push through with the project which is the amalgamation of the Coventry Street plot and 22-24 Wells Place. The latter southern facing site did hold approval for a slim Pandolfini Architects-designed residential tower.

The amalgamation of the Wells Place and Coventry Street plots has allowed for an increased apartment yield, which totals 120. This sum is split between 40 single and 80 dual bedroom options, with premier two bed, two bath layouts facing Coventry Street.

Assisting the proposed tower is basement car parking for 94 vehicles, a ground floor showroom and rooftop amenities.

<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/image16cov.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Pandolfini Architects' superseded Wells Place design"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="444" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image16cov.jpg?itok=zQ7rtLWC" title="Pandolfini Architects' superseded Wells Place design" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Pandolfini Architects' superseded Wells Place design and Elenberg Fraser's equivalent</figcaption></figure>Project architect Elenberg Fraser describes the design as follows:

<blockquote>
The Wells place facade references a New York style masonry brick facade. This treatment wraps around to the Eastern and Western facades to provide privacy screening to the adjacent properties. Additionally this facade treatnent acts as an effective solar shading device.

The proposed design for the 31 Coventry sheet facade is an architectural screening element. This provides the opportunity to set the buildings glazing line back from the sites northern title boundary.
<cite>Elenberg Fraser</cite>
</blockquote>

The remaining trio joining Elenberg Fraser's vision for Coventry Street are at different stages of delivery.

Evolve Development has seen the completion of The Guilfoyle at 39 Coventry Street come and go, with the developer also poised to begin construction on Botanic Melbourne at 25-29 Coventry Street which includes 288 apartments over 20 levels. The project has an end value of $190 million and has a targeted 2019 completion date.

Botanic Melbourne is also noteworthy in that Evolve Development control the adjoining 23 Coventry Street, thus preventing development of that site in order to preserve views and amenity from their pending tower.

Rounding out the quartet that combine to create the 'Wall of Southbank' is Coventry Haus, with Hamilton Marino Builders progressing the build that will eventually see 68 apartments within the slim 20 level tower.

<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_4442.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="31 Coventry Street in the foreground with 33 Coventry under construction"><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_4442.jpg?itok=w8ah089q" title="31 Coventry Street in the foreground with 33 Coventry under construction" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>31 Coventry Street in the foreground with 33 Coventry under construction</figcaption></figure>
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Hitting the wall on Southbank

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GUEST OBSERVER
Australia has had a housing construction boom in recent years. Most of this has come in the form of new apartments in the major cities. 
This has generally been a positive story. With mining investment in a steep decline, having fallen by 63 percent since its peak in 2012, housing construction has helped to fill the gap. Given strong population growth and an extended period of weak housing construction when the mining boom was strong, Australia had needed to build more housing to meet demand. 
Lack of housing affordability and comparatively high housing prices also partly reflect a lack of well-located housing in the major cities. 
Five years on, the national housing undersupply is now close to being worked off. In Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, there are some signs of an oversupply of apartments, although Sydney still appears to have an undersupplied unit market. The detached housing market does not appear to be over-supplied. 
The housing construction boom is now near its peak. Building approvals have fallen sharply in recent months. Importantly, though, given the lag between approvals and completions – which has been elongated by the large number of high-rise apartment buildings under construction – and the large stock of work-yet-to-be-done on approved dwellings, we do not expect construction to start falling until late 2017. 
Like ships passing each other in the night, we expect housing construction to start falling around the time that mining investment stops its decline. Australia’s investment outlook is then expected to be supported by mine maintenance and repair, infrastructure investment and the business investment needed to support services exports, such as tourism and education – Australia’s next growth engine. 
Having added housing supply, we expect house price growth to slow in 2017. Oversupply of apartments in Melbourne and Brisbane could see price declines in those markets. However, having not built many detached houses in recent years, we think that any apartment market shake-out is unlikely to spill over to the detached market (Downunder Digest: Australia’s many housing markets in 2017, 25 November 2016). 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/01/10/Screen%20Shot%202017-01-10%20at%209.47.28%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/01/10/Screen%20Shot%202017-01-10%20at%209.47.28%20AM.png" alt="">
 
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Housing boom has been a key part of the rebalancing act 
A housing construction boom, mostly driven by construction of new apartments in the major cities, has been a key element of the rebalancing act at the end of the mining boom. By cutting interest rates, over the past five years, the RBA has supported growth in housing construction, which has helped to offset the drag from falling mining investment and commodity prices. Housing investment, which was itself a drag on GDP growth of around -0.25ppts a year in 2012 and 2013, contributed around 0.4ppts a year in 2014, 2015 and 2016. This has partly offset the drag of around 1.25ppts a year on growth from falling mining investment in 2014-2016. 
Approvals are falling, but there is still work yet to be done 
The residential building boom is now coming to its end. Building approvals have fallen by 15 percent since their recent peak in August 2016 (Chart 1).
 The decline has been driven by weaker medium-density approvals, while detached house approvals have been steadier. 
A decline at some point was, of course, inevitable. The residential building boom could not continue indefinitely, as it would eventually lead to an oversupply of housing. As it stands, there is some evidence that too many apartments may be being built in Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, although supply is not likely to outstrip demand in Sydney in the near term. 
For GDP, the fall in building approvals signals that housing investment will be a drag on GDP growth at some point. Historically, approvals have tended to lead housing investment by around 2-3 quarters (Chart 2). 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/01/10/Screen%20Shot%202017-01-10%20at%209.53.06%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/01/10/Screen%20Shot%202017-01-10%20at%209.53.06%20AM.png" alt="">
However, given that the bulk of the building pipeline has been high-rise apartments, and that these take longer to build than detached houses, the lag between the fall in approvals and the decline in actual investment is likely to be longer than normal (Chart 3). As a result of the larger amount of high-rise apartments being constructed, there is a bigger than normal stock of work-yet-to-be done on dwellings that have already been approved (Chart 4).
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With a large pipeline of work to be completed, we expect housing investment to rise further in coming quarters and make a solid contribution to GDP growth in the next few quarters, before falling from late 2017 onwards (Chart 5). 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/01/10/Screen%20Shot%202017-01-10%20at%209.53.59%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
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Oversupply of apartments in some areas, but not of houses 
The apartment building boom has generally been a positive story. When the mining investment boom was strong too few dwellings were being built to meet demand from strong population growth and Australia had accumulated a national undersupply of housing (Downunder Digest: Australia’s housing supply ramp-up, 9 September 2015). The undersupply of well-located housing has contributed to Australia’s comparatively high housing prices and low housing affordability. The building boom has helped to work down this undersupply.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/01/10/Screen%20Shot%202017-01-10%20at%209.56.04%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/01/10/Screen%20Shot%202017-01-10%20at%209.56.04%20AM.png" alt="">
 
At a national level, on our estimates, the housing market should be back in demand/supply balance by the end of 2017 (Chart 7). Of course, these estimates are subject to considerable uncertainty given the many assumptions used to calculate them. The aggregate estimates also belie variations across the states. Although construction has been strong in Sydney, it has only just recently matched population growth, with accumulated undersupply in New South Wales still yet to be worked off (Chart 8). In contrast, Melbourne has had stronger construction for longer, implying that the Victorian market is already close to balance. In Queensland and Western Australia construction has outpaced population growth for some time now (Chart 9).
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These trends help to explain the variation in housing price growth across states. Since the national price trough, in mid-2012, housing prices have risen by 69 percent in Sydney and are still rising at double-digit rates. In Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, housing prices have risen by only 20 percent, 10 percent and 7 percent over that period, partly reflecting stronger supply relative to demand. The Melbourne market is a little more complicated, with detached house prices having risen by 55% over that period, but apartment prices only 19 percent higher. 
We expect continued solid gains in detached house prices in Sydney and Melbourne in 2017, but possible price falls for apartments in Melbourne (see Downunder Digest: Australia’s many housing markets in 2017, 25 November 2016). For Brisbane, we also expect apartment price falls, while we expect further weak housing price gains in Adelaide and further price falls in Perth in 2017. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/01/10/Screen%20Shot%202017-01-10%20at%209.57.23%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/01/10/Screen%20Shot%202017-01-10%20at%209.57.23%20AM.png" alt="">
Implications for policymakers 
For the macroeconomic cycle, the direct effect of the fall in housing investment, expected to be from late 2017 onwards, should be more than offset by the direct effect of the drag from mining investment disappearing, as Chart 6 shows. The indirect effects could be important though and present risks. Falling housing investment could weigh on employment in the construction industry. A shake-out in the apartment market could have a negative effect on consumer confidence and could drive a negative wealth effect. 
We suspect these risks are manageable given that the bulk of the housing stock is detached dwellings, and see limited substitutability between the detached dwellings and inner-city apartments, in particular. We do not think the expected housing construction fall will be enough to motivate the RBA to cut its cash rate as we see the negatives are being outweighed by the impact of the expected stabilisation in the mining industry. 
For fiscal authorities, the boost to housing supply should be going some way to help improve housing affordability. Expected falls in housing prices in Perth and some parts of Melbourne and Brisbane should improve affordability in those markets, by definition. More effort is likely to be needed to improve housing affordability in Sydney and in the detached house market in Melbourne. 
Policymakers ought to have a keen focus on improving urban infrastructure in these markets as it would help to improve housing affordability, support productivity growth and growth in services exports, which we see as Australia’s next growth engine. 
 <a href="https://www.about.hsbc.com.au/hsbc-in-australia/management-team" target="_blank">PAUL BLOXHAM</a> IS CHIEF ECONOMIST (AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND) FOR HSBC. 
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