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.

Joel Robinson

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.

First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Fitzroy apartments

The Gold Coast Planning Committee has supported the preliminary approval for the Benowa Gardens Urban Village project following an extensive community consultation and assessment process.

The proposal will now proceed to a full council vote on June 2.

The application sought approval for a masterplanned urban village on the existing Benowa Gardens Shopping Centre site, combining new housing, retail, dining, health and lifestyle amenities within a walkable, integrated precinct.&nbsp;

The proposed redevelopment includes around 413 apartments integrated above a revitalised mixed-use centre featuring a full-line supermarket of 4,000 sqm, 6,000 sqm of specialty retail and dining space across around 30 retailers, a 7,000 sqm health and wellness precinct, and roughly 9,630 sqm of office and medical suites.&nbsp;

<img alt="$1b Benowa Gardens Urban Village moves to Full Council following Planning Committee support" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fb36ae47-80bc-45f0-9914-31b0c7b6007d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/PR26576%20Ashmore%20Road%20C4%201121%20FI.jpg?VersionId=6mRKk2uU4r67TmTt39DKGUlvFRbTVqWa" />

The broader masterplan also includes very significant traffic and transport improvements, wide pedestrian walkways, upgraded pedestrian and cycle connections, and enhanced public areas designed to create a more connected and walkable community environment.&nbsp;

Centre owner Patrick Lu said the milestone reflected months of detailed planning, technical assessment and ongoing communication with local residents, businesses, schools and stakeholders.

“We appreciate the time, consideration and care Council officers and the Planning Committee have given this proposal throughout the assessment process,” Lu said.

“We also sincerely thank the local community for engaging with us, sharing feedback and participating in the consultation process over many months.

<img alt="$1b Benowa Gardens Urban Village moves to Full Council following Planning Committee support" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="32fd1fc3-d0e6-485f-ac57-9916c9bcb818" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/PR26576%20Ashmore%20Road%20C5%201121%20FI_2.jpg?VersionId=fz8qQKDBLQ7MyFRc856Zccfbh9nFwLOe" />

“We understand projects of this scale bring questions and concerns, which is why we have worked hard to listen carefully, provide information transparently and continue refining elements of the proposal where possible.

“Our vision has always been to create a well-designed, community-focused urban village that responds to the changing needs of the Gold Coast, while delivering improved amenity, housing diversity, healthcare access and local lifestyle benefits.

“This proposal is about creating a genuine live-work-play environment where residents can access everyday services, schools, healthcare, dining, shopping and green space within walking distance, while also supporting local jobs and economic activity.”

<img alt="$1b Benowa Gardens Urban Village moves to Full Council following Planning Committee support" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="50dfbd04-590e-4fc6-983b-766880947867" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Dining%20Day%20Time%20-%20High%20Resolution.jpg?VersionId=BP7ZoKJ0DdL_8iRkkC8VVx99moICV6kg" />

Lu said the proposal had evolved significantly through consultation and technical review, particularly around traffic, pedestrian and student safety and neighbourhood connectivity.&nbsp;

Melissa Griffin, Director at Urbis, said the recommendation recognised the strategic importance of delivering more housing and services within established urban areas already supported by infrastructure.

“This proposal represents the type of thoughtful, integrated growth that planning frameworks across South-East Queensland are encouraging,” Ms Griffin said.

“The project seeks to place housing, retail, healthcare and employment opportunities together in a highly accessible location close to schools, transport and existing services.

“Importantly, the process has involved significant technical assessment and community engagement to ensure local issues and feedback were properly considered throughout the planning pathway.”

$1 billion Benowa Gardens Urban Village heads to council vote following Planning Committee support

Surfers Paradise is officially set for its first new residential development with a 45-storey skybridge connecting the two towers.

John Camilleri’s Celestino Developments has been given the green light by the Gold Coast City Council to develop its major beachfront precinct across its huge 4,000 sqm oceanfront site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/63-79-garfield-terrace-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">63–79 Garfield Terrace</a>, just five months after its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/first-look-exclusive-billionaire-winx-breeder-s-bold-two-tower-surfers-paradise-play-with-45th-storey-skybridge">submission in late 2025</a>.

The approved scheme will deliver two towers rising 55 and 48 storeys, connected by a skybridge positioned on level 45 that will house a range of resident-only wellness and entertainment spaces.

In its notice of approval, the Gold Coast City Council said the&nbsp;proposed overall built form has been designed to complement the scale, intensity and protect the adjacent amenity and surrounding streets through the use of varied setbacks, site cover and architectural elements.

<img alt="First look exclusive: Billionaire Winx breeder’s bold two-tower Surfers Paradise play with 45th-storey skybridge" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_75/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Screenshot%202025-12-30%20at%209.53.48%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=ADyPJ_TFbJvSU9wZFOiCBnlPtgF7VWqW" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/dbi">DBI</a>, the development will comprise 275 apartments across the two towers, including a mix of two-, three-, and four-bedroom residences, as well as several penthouses. The apartments will sit above a landscaped podium featuring more than 90 metres of beachfront pool frontage, private resident lawns, lounges, and wellness spaces.

DBI said the design draws heavily from the movement and form of the coastal environment, with curving balcony lines and sculpted façades intended to soften the scale of the towers while maximising ocean outlooks and passive shading outcomes.

“The project occupies a rare, uninterrupted oceanfront site and has been shaped by a design philosophy that merges architectural elegance with environmental responsiveness and a carefully curated lifestyle experience,” DBI said in planning documents submitted to the Gold Coast City Council.

The most distinctive element of the approved project is the skybridge linking the two towers at level 45. The elevated communal space is planned to include executive lounges, formal dining areas, wellness facilities, and panoramic ocean-facing outlooks.

“The skybridge enhances the identity of the development, promotes social interaction, and delivers a lifestyle experience not found elsewhere on the Gold Coast,” DBI said.

At podium level, residents will have access to a suite of resort-style amenities, including resident lounges, private dining rooms, a yoga lawn, gymnasium, plunge pools, and treatment spaces. The beachfront pool has been designed with separate lap, lounge, and children’s areas extending across the width of the site.

The project will also introduce new food and beverage offerings along the Enderley Avenue and Oceanway frontages, contributing additional activation to the beachfront precinct.

First look: Winx billionaire’s beachfront Surfers Paradise apartment development greenlit

Fishermans Bend

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Timber merchant Gunnersen looks to have stumbled in an initial bid to revamp its Port Melbourne headquarters into a multi-towered residential development.

As City of Port Phillip tabled a less than glowing report on the proposal last week, the project's status on the State Planning Register has been adjusted to 'on hold'. A planning application for the massive 17,500sqm site was lodged during April, lasting only a handful of months until it was recently placed in hiatus.

Under plans devised by ARM Architecture the entire site would be cleared, including an office building which is graded as a significant Heritage place, in favour of six buildings of between 12 and 18 storeys. 

Located within the Wirraway precinct of Fishermans Bend, 112 Salmon Street is one of three separate applications lodged within the Urban Renewal Area this year. Planning activity has this year slowed to a crawl within Fishermans Bend, as the State Government looks to solidify planning controls for the Urban Renewal Area.

<h2>112 Salmon Street 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/image27_9.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="North East perspective. Planning image: ARM Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="494" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image27_9.jpg?itok=1A4PaWQa" title="North East perspective. Planning image: ARM Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>North East perspective. Planning image: ARM Architecture</figcaption></figure><ul>
<li>Existing use: Timber yard</li>
	<li>Site area: 17,552 with 3 street frontages</li>
	<li>Proposed: 6 buildings between 12-18 storeys, maximum height 57.55m</li>
	<li>636 apartments:  289 x 1BR,162 x 2BR, 185 x 3BR</li>
	<li>Tower separation: 19.65m and above between all towers</li>
	<li>603 car parking spaces and 689 bicycle bays</li>
	<li>Public facilities: 4,600sqm including play equipment, park and sport courts beneath electricity lines</li>
	<li>Resident facilities: Dual rooftop podium open spaces, gym, pool, yoga room, resident lounge</li>
	<li>370sqm of retail space within 2 tenancies, 605sqm childcare centre</li>
</ul>
<h2>A finish like no other</h2>

ARM Architecture have brought their typical design flair to the initial application.

Brick snap cladding in ten different colours/finishes (black glazed, black, blue, cream, orange, grey terracotta, pink, and brick face, and terracotta screen) forms the bulk of the design's exterior, along with timber cladding, timber and painted steel detailing, steel piping, black steel window reveals, clear and fritted glazing.

Complying with the DDO30 maximum building height, podium height and tower separation requirements, the application delivers a site plot ration of 5:1.

<div class="sketchfab-embed-wrapper">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" allowvr="" frameborder="0" height="480" mozallowfullscreen="true" onmousewheel="" src="https://sketchfab.com/models/ed63b4cc1184431ab770231b7a42ba1f/embed" webkitallowfullscreen="true" width="640"></iframe>

<h2>Port Phillip's take on the application</h2>

City of Port Phillip's report on 112 Salmon Street is informal in that it is not binding and is considered advisory. Nonetheless various aspects that City of Port Phillip chose to highlight may explain why the planning application has been placed on hold at the State lavel.

Under the Fishermans Bend Strategic Framework Plan (September 2016), 112 Salmon Street is identified as the land appropriate for Neighbourhood Open Space. Key to this assertion are the "high voltage electricity transmission lines which reduce the sites appropriateness / desirability for residential development."

<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/image28_9.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="In the line of power. Planning image: ARM Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="511" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image28_9.jpg?itok=J-ye7Hsi" title="In the line of power. Planning image: ARM Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>In the line of power. Planning image: ARM Architecture</figcaption></figure><blockquote>
The proposal was internally referred and officers raised concerns including inconsistency with the FBSFP identification of the site as Open Space, inconsistency with local policy for employment and affordable housing, the extent of demolition, the design and/or width of the internal road network, building setbacks...and architectural and urban design matters.

Open space areas along the southern perimeter of the land and podium roof top level would be overshadowed through most of the day, and would have reduced amenity as a result of being beneath or in close proximity to major electricity transmission lines.

Officers disagree with the applicant’s arguments for demolition of all of the buildings on the land, and believe the existing offices and one of the existing industrial buildings are suitable for retention and adaptive reuse, as part of any mixed use or open space development of the site.

It is considered these concerns cannot be ameliorated by conditions to modify the proposal and the development of the land needs to be fundamentally reconsidered having regard to the Strategic Framework Plan and Fishermans Bend Vision.
</blockquote>
</div>
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silvermb

Gunnersen's radical Fishermans Bend intentions in limbo?

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They are at either end of the size scale, yet two key Melbourne developments are beginning to show their wares.

Both Australia 108 and South Melbourne Primary School have received their first exterior finishes over recent weeks, providing the passersby with a glimpse at the final product which is still some time away, particularly in the case of Australia 108.

Melbourne's soon-to-be tallest tower situated on Southbank has received cladding over the first habitable floor above its podium, allowing fit-outs to begin on the first of the tower's one thousand plus apartments. The highly reflective, blue-tinged facade will be continued for the height of the massive building, save for intermittent white bands and the gold coloured 'starburst' that will break the blue monotony of the 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/image10_13.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Australia 108 now elements of the facade in place. Image: Redden"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image10_13.jpg?itok=0Ku98hdO" title="Australia 108 now elements of the facade in place. Image: Redden" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Australia 108 now elements of the facade in place. Image: Redden</figcaption></figure>Australia 108's facade is highly complimentary to nearby neighbour Eureka Tower, with Fender Katsalidis the presiding architect for both projects. Blue, white and gold elements are present across both towers, although Australia 108's podium will be markedly different.

Later in its construction, Australia 108's tiered podium will receive mature planters, greening and softening the lower levels relative to street level. Currently level 27 is in Australia 108's jump form, equating to roughly 80 metres in height; still well short of the tower's ultimate height of 319 metres.

At the other end of the scale, South Melbourne Primary School (as it's known for now) is also receiving bursts of colour across its facade, albeit on a much smaller scale relative to Australia 108.

<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_11.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Reality versus artist's impression. Render: Hayball"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="257" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image12_11.jpg?itok=r9BSmmpP" title="Reality versus artist's impression. Render: Hayball" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Reality versus artist's impression. Render: Hayball</figcaption></figure>Pops of pink have appeared across both its eastern and western flanks, as the exterior cladding continues to be rolled out over Fisherman's Bend's first school.

Architecture firm Hayball's design for the vertical campus won the Future Project of the Year at the 2016 World Architecture Festival.  Hayball have in the past described South Melbourne Primary School design as an outcome of research and the open exchange of ideas and different ways of thinking. 

The vivid colours across the building's facade will be opposed by the more sedate curtain finish which is being applied to the building's northern frontage. At its northern interface the building will eventually transition into an open, landscaped area for public use.

Completion of South Melbourne Primary School is due prior to the beginning of the 2018 academic year whilst Australia 108's final handover is slated for mid 2020.

<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_6580_1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="South Melbourne Primary School's main frontage"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="322" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_6580_1.jpg?itok=6wCjKFEp" title="South Melbourne Primary School's main frontage" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>South Melbourne Primary School's main frontage</figcaption></figure>
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Two stand out Melbourne projects reveal their true colours

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Two important stories which traverse both transport and housing topic areas were highlighted on Apartments.com.au this week.

The news that the medium and high-density components of <a href="/news/targets-williams-landing-hq-a-boon-for-the-wests-commercial-prospects">Williams Landing will ramp up</a> highlight what some might gloss over but what I think is the correct 'order' of doing things: the rail station is built first, developers then piggyback off the new infrastructure second.

Likewise, this morning's report on <a href="/news/xo-projects-first-database-entry-makes-for-a-sleek-alphington-addition">XO Project's first foray into the UM database</a> is a good example of how the apartment market in Melbourne more broadly is maturing.

<h2>Alphington</h2>

Putting aside price per square metre and whether this (or any) development has a certain percentage of units targeted for affordable housing (at or below market prices for purchasers or units made available for affordable housing associations); putting aside whether the building is "too tall"; putting aside whether the apartments are the "right" internal square metre size - basically putting aside all the standard arguments which have multiple proponents and opponents across academia, the industry, government and the community at large - let's devote our attention to this one aspect for a moment.

It's this one line in Mark's <a href="/news/xo-projects-first-database-entry-makes-for-a-sleek-alphington-addition">article</a>: 

<ul>
<li>109 apartments: 31 x one-bedroom, 56 x two-bedroom, 22 x three-bedroom</li>
</ul>
One project out of 1400 on our database doesn't make a trend, yet this is what I'd call a balanced configuration.  One that should be highlighted given the current set of planning regulations and real estate dynamics that define our current market.

(Apologies for going all Kevin '07), there's merit in calling affordability and housing equity issues the great moral, city-building, challenge of our time, but just for a moment let's pause and celebrate the fact that developers are confident enough to take a development to market that for all intents and purposes will smash the stereotype pedalled by some that apartments are just for singles, couples or investors.

In the arbitrary world of measuring the size of a development by height or number of floors (which I freely admit does the planning world &amp; profession a disservice), I like to call the residential growth zone the Goldilocks Zone: not too small and not too big - the 'just right' size of [potential] development that's not going to send too many members of the community out into the streets with pitchforks. It's the 'just right' compromise that is easily understood.

Despite this development's size not fitting within Goldilocks Zone parameters (it's 9 levels as opposed to the Goldilocks Zone standard of 4 levels), I'm hereby dubbing this and all future projects like it to be a Goldilocks Development.  This is based purely on the diversity of unit configurations available off plan.

A sizeable chunk at the larger end that could conceivably be considered family-friendly and the bulk of the units in the mid-sized configuration.  

If more and more projects currently on the drawing board or those that will be proposed in the future have a similar level of 'off plan' diversity then Melbourne's apartment market will have said goodbye to its formative teenage years and made that first step into adulthood.  

There's a long way to get there, however confirmation that the city's apartment market has moved well and truly into adulthood will happen when we get policy and planning settings right on affordability and when the city's citizens don't feel the need to automatically look to the fringe to start a family.

<h2>Williams Landing</h2>

In Williams Landing we have a small scale but clear cut example of doing things in the right order.  Williams Landing station was opened in April 2013 and thereafter the medium and high-density components kicked off with both the Newton and Oxford apartment buildings entering their registration and sales phases in 2015 and 2016.

Now we have a new catalyst, a commercial building with a well-known brand to have its head office housed there.

In the world of gazing into the crystal ball on how to expand and ultimately augment Melbourne's rail network, talk on how the land surrounding the rail network inevitably gets discussed.  What's now happening in Williams Landing stands as a great example of can happen when we get the order of development right.

Unfortunately for Geelong, its loss is Melbourne's gain with Target moving its head office right next to the Williams Landing station.  

While I have and will continue to applaud businesses who employ large numbers of people under one roof and then choose to locate themselves next to the transport mode which will have the most dramatic impact on lessening our insidious car culture, the way the rail network now operates will make it hard for those who would presumably like to remain living in Geelong but follow their job to Williams Landing.

Geelong trains now run around the back of Werribee and there is a bus that links Tarneit - where some Geelong trains stop - and Williams Landing station, however the frequency of service leaves little to be desired.  That said, rail and bus frequencies can (and do) increase over time; however what's the bet that joining the hordes of people on the Princes FWY will be the favoured journey to work from Geelong?

Spring Street has already signalled that it intends to hold back the more intensive redevelopment of the Arden precinct until the new metro station opens - it gets to dictate these terms directly in this case as the state government is a major landholder in the area.  In my view, again, this is the correct order of doing things however what of Fishermans Bend?

Despite its purchase of the former GMH site, the state government is not in the same position as Arden when it comes to south of the Yarra - already developments have kicked off in the eastern end around Montague and in this early stage the 109 tram might be able to cope with a small increase in residents and workers, over the medium to long-term it'll be - excusez mon français - a shit fight.

The cat's out of the bag and Melbourne can't do a Williams Landing on a much larger scale in Fishermans Bend, however that doesn't mean the state government shouldn't reprioritise and play catch up so that proper transport for the precinct is provided in the earlier, rather than later stages of this multi-decade redevelopment zone.

A final framework for Fishermans Bend without a clear picture of how heavy rail will work (and perhaps more importantly when it will begin operations) will mean it's dead on arrival.
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Alastair Taylor

Reflections on doing it right: Alphington, Williams Landing and Fishermans Bend

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Perhaps in line with the current market sentiment, the release of apartment projects within Fishermans Bend for public purchase has been sluggish at best.

The recent green light for 134-142 Ferrars Street brings to 14 the number of residential projects within the Apartments.com.au Project Database which hold approval within the Urban Renewal Area, but have yet to go to sales. Put another way, these 14 projects equate to approximately 4,800 apartments that are being held back by developers.

Looking to buck the trend is the developer behind SOUTH, Fishermans Bend's latest release.

Australia Ruiyi has cemented its local intentions with SOUTH, a $48 million creation of Rothelowman. At 15 Thistlethwaite Street, SOUTH includes 69 apartments across an eight level building capped by a 'Rooftop Club'.

<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_7.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="SOUTH includes a rooftop dining space. Image: Australia Ruiyi"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="363" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image12_7.jpg?itok=6KqT1CRS" title="SOUTH includes a rooftop dining space. Image: Australia Ruiyi" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>SOUTH includes a rooftop dining space. Image: Australia Ruiyi</figcaption></figure>Backed by Chinese developer Ruiyi, SOUTH is Australia Ruiyi's vanguard project. It along with future developments in North Melbourne, Coburg and Diamond Creek sees the new developer's local portfolio valued at $400 million.

On SOUTH and Melbourne's underlying strength, General Manager of Australia Ruiyi Rachel Wang provided the following statement:

<blockquote>
SOUTH is located in one of Melbourne’s most affluent areas, with a high concentration of renters and a great local atmosphere. 

Located just 3km from the CBD with a Walkscore of 92, and a local population set to increase by 91.9% over the next 20 years, we see South Melbourne as a key strategic suburb to either live or invest in. It’s no secret that Melbourne has a strong property market; it is consistently ranked as the world’s most liveable city, has strong population growth, good schools and a thriving employment sector.
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/image13_15.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="PM Port Melbourne and Vivid are also at sales"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image13_15.jpg?itok=FGfJbsCl" title="PM Port Melbourne and Vivid are also at sales" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>PM Port Melbourne and Vivid are also at sales</figcaption></figure>The developer's confidence in the project is high, with SOUTH currently at construction tender prior to the project officially being launched later this month.

SOUTH's pending launch means it along with <a href="/buildings/pm-port-melbourne-320-plummer-street-port-melbourne">PM Port Melbourne</a> and <a href="/new-apartments/171-183-ferrars-street-south-melbourne">Vivid</a> are the three major developments currently at sales within Fishermans Bend. Whilst pending sales speculation revolves around a handful of projects such as <a href="/new-apartments/15-85-gladstone-street-south-melbourne">15-87 Gladstone Street</a> and <a href="/buildings/lilix-51-59-thistlethwaite-street-south-melbourne">51-59 Thistlethwaite Street</a>, only two residential projects have to date advanced to construction within the massive Urban Renewal Area.

As the backlog of approved projects mounts, the next wave of planning applications within Fishermans Bend has come through during the initial months of 2017.

Applications have been lodged for 112 Salmon Street, 253-273 Normanby Road and 365-391 Plummer Street. In excess of 1,000 apartments are planned for the trio of sites which are controlled by Gunnersen, R Corporation and Third Street respectively.
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SOUTH looks to buck a sluggish Fishermans Bend trend

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The 29-storey tower at the Fishermans Bend, Victoria residential development Gravity has topped out 15 months after construction began.
The 465ha precinct, Gravity, was designed by Plus Architecture.
Ian Briggs, director of Plus Architecture, said Fishermans Bend is new territory and they are only now starting to see the precinct materialise.
“As lovers of this city and advocates of positive, design-led development, we feel very fortunate to have been entrusted with Fishermans Bend’s first building,” he said.
“Our team worked tirelessly to create a design of significance, with a façade that would be both distinctive and complementary to Melbourne’s city skyline."
Setting an example for the precinct, Gravity makes the most of its prominent corner location on Montague and Gladstone streets, with a design that uses the changing light of day to project a dynamic visual presence and establish a new landmark.
Gravity will feature a grand lobby and exclusive rooftop complete with a teppanyaki grill and bar, spa, outdoor cinema and designer lounge.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Gravity wins race to the top at Fishermans Bend

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In a low key process held mostly over the summer break, land owners and developers have had the chance to offload their prime Fishermans Bend holdings to a blue chip buyer, with The Victorian School Building Authority, Department of Education and Training and the Fishermans Bend Taskforce jointly on the prowl for additional sites capable of accommodating further education facilities.

An <a href="http://www.schoolbuildings.vic.gov.au/Pages/Fishermans-Bend-EOI.aspx">Expressions of Interest</a> campaign is currently drawing to a close, requesting private landowners and developers to sell or lease land located within one of Fishermans Bend's four major precincts: Montague, Lorimer, Sandridge and Wirraway.

Parameters for the Expressions of Interest campaign include a site ideally no less than 4,000 square metres and with multiple street frontages.

The eventual site or sites will likely mirror South Melbourne Primary School's <a href="/news/hayballs-south-melbourne-vertical-school-wins-on-an-international-scale">internationally award-winning design</a>, with that project's construction beginning in earnest after the festive break.

<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/image17fbv.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="South Melbourne Primary School. Image: Hayball"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="365" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image17fbv.jpg?itok=sTFUqJh0" title="South Melbourne Primary School. Image: Hayball" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>South Melbourne Primary School. Image: Hayball</figcaption></figure>Appointed builder ADCO Constructions will deliver the new multi-level, Hayball-designed campus alongside expansive community spaces, with the intent of effectively integrating the new school with its Montague Precinct surrounds. The main school building is expected to begin rising above ground during April, after onsite excavation is complete.

The Victorian School Building Authority's push into vertical campuses across the inner city and the requested Fishermand Bend site of 4,000 square metres plus suggests that additional open space is also on the agenda, side by side with new vertical education facilities.

The benefits of Integrating community into the design of new schools is outlined by Hayball’s Sydney Studio Director David Tordoff, <a href="http://www.educatoronline.com.au/news/opinion-integrate-community-into-the-design-of-schools-229649.aspx">within this article</a>.

As was <a href="/news/vertical-schools-to-feature-at-australian-smart-skyscrapers-summit-2017">outlined last week</a>, vertical schools will also be on the agenda for the upcoming Australian Smart Skyscrapers Summit which will be held next month 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/image18fb.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The first, with more to follow within Fishermans Bend. Image: Hayball"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="365" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image18fb.jpg?itok=ZW4s3N8f" title="The first, with more to follow within Fishermans Bend. Image: Hayball" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The first, with more to follow within Fishermans Bend. Image: Hayball</figcaption></figure>
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First one, now more schools on the agenda for Fishermans Bend

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<h2>Comment</h2>

In a word: Docklands. Oh, and Southbank. Long gone are the days when the major development projects in the CBD were dominated by office uses.

I vividly remember as a young boy, trips to the CBD with giant commercial builds dotting the skyline. 101 Collins Street, 120 Collins Street, 333 Collins Street, 530 Collins Street, 500 Bourke Street, 360 Elizabeth Street, 242 Exhibition Street and 2 Lonsdale Street were all under construction over the last few years of the 80s and early 90s.

In fact, four of those towers listed above - 101 Collins, 120 Collins, 600 Bourke (a.k.a. Bourke Place), 360 Elizabeth (a.k.a. Melbourne Central) - coupled with Rialto which was built earlier in the 80s, remained visual anchors for Melbourne CBD's skyline for years to come.

The next boom which occurred around the turn of the millennium saw uppity residential projects take the height crown from Rialto. Eureka Tower and 1 Freshwater Place were constructed simultaneously, and not only did they take the cake for scale overall, it was the start of a push outside the CBD.

The early 2000s cycle still witnessed a fair whack of commercial towers developed: Bourke Street's former Southern Cross Hotel made way for a dual-tower development tenanted by State Government departments and Australia Post; Freshwater Place saw a 160m tower built which was originally tenanted by PriceWaterhouseCoopers, 8 Exhibition Street whose Ernst &amp; Young signage hasn't changed since it completed construction and the Urban Workshop, squished in between Casselden Place (2 Lonsdale Street) and Telstra's HQ (242 Exhibition Street).

It's true, in this <a href="http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/from-boardrooms-to-bedrooms-could-the-apartment-boom-kill-melbournes-cbd-20170111-gtpidk">long-cycle that we're currently in, residential is dominating in the CBD</a> but there are some commercial towers on the cards; the most high-profile of which are 80 Collins Street and 477 Collins Street.

<h2>But Docklands happened, and Fishermans Bend is about to happen</h2>

Docklands is many things: an extension of the traditional Central Business District, multiple new residential areas, a leisure and entertainment precinct as well as a new sporting precinct. People will debate if it's still bad or is much better than what it was previously during its haphazard development, but overall it has sucked most of the major new commercial development out of the traditional CBD: the Hoddle grid.

At the same time as the 8 Exhibition Street, Southern Cross and Urban Workshop projects were underway, so too were NAB's campuses at 800 Bourke Street, followed by ANZ's new headquarters down the Docklands end of Collins Street. Fairfax media ditched an old campus that used to house its printing presses on one side of Spencer Street for a brand spanker on the other side of the street not all that long ago too.

They're all giant 'groundscrapers' designed around larger open-plan floorplates, the type of footprint that used to be exclusively in the purview of suburban business parks; they've won awards, they're definitely 'greener' than the towers built in the early 90s commercial tower boom yet at a fundamental level, their giant footprints only have critical mass of activity around business hours. Most of the retail components in these buildings work on these hours as well.

More land consumed, little use of the precinct outside of business hours. Contrast that with the CBD and the large skyscraper offices that have existed since the 60s and 70s: less land consumed, more diverse uses at ground level and in adjoining properties.

Yes, I can already hear the keyboards bashing away ready to blurt out "but it's a business district" however are offices solely responsible for the massive amounts of activity in the Hoddle grid? 20 years ago one could argue yes, these days? We have far more diverse uses for the spaces in the CBD that are used well beyond the Monday to Friday 9-5.

<h2>Looking ahead</h2>

One of the more unexpected things to happen after the Andrews Government came to power a little over two years ago, was for the Planning Minister to enlarge the Fishermans Bend urban renewal area. Ditto, the purchase of the former General Motors site in the precinct was also… interesting.

The expansion of the urban renewal area is focused solely on jobs and to date, early renders that have floated about the internet depict the former General Motors site to be developed in much the same way as commercial developments sprung up in the early days of Docklands.

We're lucky to be at this early stage of the development, where structure plans can incentivise and guide specific types of development into precincts, but one thing's for certain: if we're going to be getting new 'employment spaces' in Fishermans Bend in the form of campus offices, expect more Docklands. Not postcode 3000.

And overall, this comparatively cheap land in Fishermans Bend will attract the eyes of many developers and new large-scale corporate tenants looking to upgrade. The pull away from the CBD is not going to cease.

Therefore it's imperative that we properly service the expansion of central Melbourne with the right level of public transport, so it integrates fully with the CBD. This means plans like the second Metro tunnel should be well advanced as the first piling rigs for the new wave of commercial development start driving into the ground in Fishermans Bend.

The best bet the City of Melbourne can hope for in the CBD is more projects like Collins Arch - residential, office, hotel and retail all contained within one building, creating a micro 24/7 precinct - and this is what we should be aiming for throughout Fishermans Bend too.
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The horse bolted on concentrated commercial development in Melbourne's CBD long ago

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Those who pushed for Fishermans Bend to host a primary school will be feeling somewhat chuffed with the news that the Hayball-designed project has scored a gong at the World Architecture Festival in Berlin.

South Melbourne Ferrars Street Primary School as it will be known, cleaned up in the Education – Future Projects category, beating out an international field of projects to claim the prize. 10 other entrants were vying for the title, encompassing architects from countries which included Vietnam, Taiwan, Russia, UK, Turkey, Morocco and Bangladesh.

Held late last week, the World Architecture Festival is a three-day event for architects and interior design professionals, culminating in the presentation of awards for design merit across dozens of categories.

<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/image38_6.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Hayball's winning entry alongside fellow WAF finalists"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="345" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image38_6.jpg?itok=_Kdg_ENm" title="Hayball's winning entry alongside fellow WAF finalists" width="580"></a>
<figcaption>Hayball's winning entry alongside fellow WAF finalists</figcaption></figure>On news of Hayball's win, firm Director Richard Leonard issued the following statement:

<blockquote>
It’s an incredible honour to be recognised on a global scale for our work on South Melbourne Ferrars Street Primary School in Victoria, Australia in the Education – Future Projects category at the WAF Awards. As the first vertical school in the state, the project is both experimental, innovative and enthralling.
What we’re most proud of is the combination of a learning hub with a community centre for the local residents to enjoy, which embraces the connection between learning and recreation, students and neighbours.The school will be the educational home to 525 students and will include an early learning centre, multi-purpose community rooms and indoor and outdoor multi-purpose sports courts across a sleek, light-filled building spanning five storeys.
Inside, the school invites students to learn in an open atrium that connect the ground floor to the ceiling, offering endless possibilities to all who enter.
In a precinct that is one of Australia’s largest urban renewal areas and expected to swell to 80,000 residents over the next 40 years, future proofing educational facilities is a critical factor in ensuring a suburb can evolve and behave according to the needs of its residents. With this primary school which offers more than the traditional spaces for learning, we’re building a new model for education that caters to more than just students, but the broader community.
<cite>Richard Leonard, Director, Hayball</cite>
</blockquote>

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/img_8436.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Early works have been completed"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="346" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/img_8436.jpg?itok=dwNaXLY0" title="Early works have been completed" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Early works have been completed</figcaption></figure>Kane Constructions have completed early works onsite, with a contractor for the main works to be announced shortly.

The project's <a href="http://www.schoolbuildings.vic.gov.au/Pages/Schools/South-MelbourneFerrars-St.aspx">website</a> indicates that the new facility is expected to be operational by January 2018, with student enrolments open from the latter part of 2017. Spanning five storeys, South Melbourne Primary School will be Victoria’s first vertical school with $44 million allocated to the project over the 2016-2017 State budget.

In collaboration with City of Port Phillip, Hayball have also created a new streetscape/public realm for the Ferrars Street Education and Community Precinct. Over a 5,000sqm site, the school and surrounds have been designed as a showcase for common integrated education and communal facilities, while also considering the needs of pedestrians, cyclists and ease of access to nearby public transport.
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Hayball's South Melbourne vertical school wins on an international scale

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Planning Minister Richard Wynne has announced new development controls for Fishermans Bend with a focus on social housing, three bedroom apartments and more commercial and community uses in certain precincts.

In a media release distributed on Sunday morning, the new controls are:

<ul>
<li>If buildings taller than 12 levels are proposed, the developers will be encouraged to make 6% of the total unit stock available for social housing.</li>
	<li>Similarly, in 12+ level proposals, developers are encouraged to configure at 30% of total unit stock as three bedroom apartments.</li>
	<li>In Lorimer and Montague precincts, buildings taller than 2 levels will be expected to include at least 15% of floor space for commercial and community use.</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>
We need our new neighbourhoods to have a good mix of small and large apartments with social housing and commercial space.

Developers who want to build projects in properly planned precincts, who want to build neighbourhoods with some longevity, have got the opportunity to be part of the biggest urban renewal opportunity in the country.

Landowners wanting to sell off applications for maximum profit with no regard to the long-term will have to work a bit harder.
<cite>Planning Minister Richard Wynne</cite>
</blockquote>

The interim controls which had discretionary height limits between 4 and 40 levels were introduced last year whilst detailed neighbourhood environmental precinct plans were underway. The discretionary height limits will now be mandatory and applied to every existing development application currently under assessment.

The mandatory controls which also include new building setbacks will be in place until final neighbourhood plans are set in late 2008. There are currently 21 proposals under assessment in Fishermans Bend at present.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u5gQBcZg_RE" width="100%"></iframe>

A spokesperson for the Minister added some clarity around the language used in the media release, that developers are 'encouraged' to make 6% of units available for social housing:

<ul>
<li>Whilst the discretionary height limit controls (4-40 levels) are now mandatory and will remain in place until the neighbourhood plans are set in stone in late 2018, the social housing components are discretionary until this time as well.</li>
	<li>Discretionary, in this sense, means that the Minister - as the responsible authority for Fishermans Bend - will look more favourably on new (or revamped existing) proposals which include a social housing component.</li>
	<li>The Victorian Government is seeking to encourage the development community to forge relationships with social housing providers and overall will take a view on the market's response before implementing mandatory controls when the neighbourhood plans come into force in late 2018.</li>
</ul>
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Planning Minister announces new controls for Fishermans Bend

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Another apartment development site in Thistlethwaite Street, Fishermans Bend, has sold, this time for $7,525,000.
The 1237 square metre parcel was not offered with a permit, but instead an architectural concept plan for an eight-level complex with 84 flats, many capitalising on city and Port Phillip Bay views.
Colliers International's marketed 37-47 Thistlethwaite Street, currently a two-storey building with a lettable area of 1749 square metres.
The sale comes after the same agents sold a 1194 square metre block next door, at 15-35 Thistlethwaite Street, for more than $8 million.
The vendor of that site, Circa Property Group, offered the block with a permit for an eight-level, 83-unit complex.
It exchanged to an Asia-based builder.
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