Toorak's dress circle St Georges Road, home to some of the city's priciest homes, is set for a rare new apartment development.

Blood Diamond Group, an entity tied to Tina Brandi, wife of David Brandi who has been a prolific bidder on The Block over the years, has filed plans for an ultra-exclusive development across an amalgamated 3,662 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/104-106-st-georges-road-toorak-vic-3142">104 and 106 St Georges Road</a>.

The proposal would replace two existing homes on the riverfront site with a five-level apartment building cascading down the steeply sloping land toward the Yarra River. Designed by Charles Wright Architects, the development has been carefully shaped around the site’s topography and river environs, with the upper levels stepping back to reduce visual bulk from both St Georges Road and the Yarra corridor.

Planning documents describe the proposal as “a site layout and building typology that is consistent with the emerging character of the area and which provides exceptional amenity for future residents without compromising that of neighbouring properties.”&nbsp;

<img alt="First look: Blood Diamond Group unveils riverfront apartment plans for Toorak Pavilion" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ea19a17e-7528-4fa8-b727-05f2f7c025e5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Toorak%20pavilion%20a_0.png?VersionId=rZ2IjdoUL_UrRl1sZ4wZHnQXbYUaEmUQ" />

The scheme comprises 12 apartments, including 10 three-bedroom residences, one one-bedroom apartment, and a substantial split-level five-bedroom penthouse. A 624 sqm communal rooftop terrace will crown the building, while three undercroft levels embedded into the hillside will accommodate apartments and basement parking.

The design leverages the site’s dramatic northern outlook across the Yarra River, with living areas and balconies oriented toward the water. A central atrium running the full height of the building is intended to draw natural light deep into the residences and improve internal amenity.

Landscape architecture by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/jack-merlo">Jack Merlo Design &amp; Landscape</a> will play a major role in softening the built form, particularly along the river edge where significant setbacks have been introduced. The proposal includes a minimum 30-metre setback from the Yarra River boundary, preserving a substantial landscaped buffer between the development and the waterway.

While a mature English Oak near the front of the site is proposed for removal, the plans retain a large English Elm closer to the riverfront, alongside other established vegetation in the lower section of the property.

<img alt="First look: Blood Diamond Group unveils riverfront apartment plans for Toorak Pavilion" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ed3bf19b-5bc7-482f-bde7-41f709a13c3a" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Toorak%20pavilion%20b.png?VersionId=SG_kBGu4rOaSPY8FtVcmPJfSCrstuOfg" />

Architecturally, the building adopts strong horizontal forms with expansive glazing and curved balcony edges facing the river. Planning documents note the upper levels “adopt a receding form” to ensure the building responds appropriately to the Yarra River environs overlay controls.&nbsp;

The surrounding streetscape is characterised by large contemporary homes embedded into the hillside, many presenting as modest one or two-storey forms to the street before expanding toward the river frontage below. The planning report notes this established pattern heavily influenced the massing strategy for Toorak Pavilion.&nbsp;

Until the recent sale of the landmark Clendon Road mansion Coonac for around $130 million, St Georges Road held the state's most expensive home, the $80,000,088 derelict "Ghost House" mansion that was bought by crypto king Ed Craven.&nbsp;

Blair House, also on St Georges Road, sold for $74.5 million in 2022.

Joel Robinson

First look: Toorak Pavilions slated for dress circle St Georges Road

Six months after a development site on Kangaroo Point’s Shafston Avenue sold for $6.55 million, plans have been lodged for a 23-storey apartment tower.

A company named JMT Mega Capital, understood to be interstate investors when the 1,222 sqm double block traded late last year through Patona Property, is proposing an 84-apartment development in place of the existing low-rise buildings.

The slender tower at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/212-220-shafston-avenue-east-brisbane-qld-4169">212–220 Shafston Avenue</a>, overlooking the Brisbane River, has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/aplus-design-group">Aplus Design Group</a>. It will comprise a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments above six basement levels, topped by rooftop resident amenities.

<img alt="First look: 23-storey Kangaroo Point tower planned for Shafston Avenue riverfront precinct" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7e17ba9e-553e-42ef-92b6-22081671521a" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/podium_3.png?VersionId=hlVUf99vrOjUs.vhQs0qV0DhOncUy9T8" />

The development has been designed as a vertically articulated tower with recessed balconies, curved façades and planted edges intended to soften its scale within the evolving Shafston Avenue skyline. In the submitted Urban Design Report, Aplus Design Group said the tower had been “shaped with a slender vertical expression, articulated façades, recessed balcony zones, integrated planting and a clearly defined podium relationship, helping to reduce perceived bulk and create a more elegant contribution to the Shafston Avenue streetscape and broader Kangaroo Point skyline.”

The scheme comprises 84 apartments, including 25 one-bedroom units, 34 two-bedroom apartments and 25 three-bedroom residences. A total of 104 car spaces are proposed across six basement levels, including resident, visitor and accessible parking.

Residents will have access to rooftop communal open space and shared amenities, while the development also incorporates deep planting zones and subtropical landscaping throughout the podium and tower levels. The project includes 35 per cent communal space coverage across the site and a 17.5 per cent deep soil zone allocation to support urban greening outcomes.

The application exceeds the mapped building height under the Kangaroo Point Peninsula Neighbourhood Plan and is being assessed under Brisbane City Council’s impact assessment pathway. The design team argues the additional height is supported by the site’s strategic inner-city location, existing high-density zoning, and proximity to transport and employment hubs.

“The design has been developed to make better use of a well-serviced urban site within an established high-density residential setting, while improving the street presentation and overall quality of the public realm interface,” the report states.

<img alt="First look: 23-storey Kangaroo Point tower planned for Shafston Avenue riverfront precinct" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1ab44b1e-ff45-4bf3-8da8-8aa0cd79db33" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/site_10.png?VersionId=tSxeGekZOqj1e9g3PEn_yFoC3taKDp3U" />

The proposal adds to a growing pipeline of apartment developments reshaping Kangaroo Point ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games, with demand continuing to strengthen for new housing supply in well-connected inner-city precincts.

Mosaic has nearly sold out its under-construction <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-bedford-by-mosaic-16-30-prospect-street-kangaroo-point-qld-4169">The Bedford by Mosaic</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-carter-by-mosaic-77-linton-street-kangaroo-point-qld-4169">The Carter</a>,&nbsp;while Pikos recently completed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/skye-residences-by-pikos-kangaroo-point-8-river-terrace-kangaroo-point-qld-4169">Skye Residences</a> nearby. Pikos is also delivering <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/gaia-kangaroo-point-108-lambert-street-kangaroo-point-qld-4169">Gaia</a>, over 230 three- and four-bedroom apartments on Lambert Street.

First look: 23-storey Kangaroo Point apartment tower planned for Shafston Avenue riverfront precinct

A new 25-storey apartment tower proposed for Mercer Street would push Geelong’s western gateway skyline higher, with Morphy Birrell Property Group lodging plans for a project directly beside one of the city’s most significant heritage streetscapes.

The <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fk-australia">FK</a>-designed development at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/65-67-mercer-street-geelong-vic-3220">65-67 Mercer Street</a> has now been referred to Victoria’s Planning Minister. The site sits opposite the Geelong rail corridor and immediately south of the heritage-listed St Peter and Paul’s Catholic Church and Ashby Hall precinct.

Rather than compete with the neighbouring ecclesiastical buildings, the proposal adopts a sculpted podium intended to reference the materiality and scale of the heritage context. Planning documents note the design draws cues from the “dark stone brick” church and surrounding masonry buildings, while the tower above transitions into a softer, curved form oriented toward Corio Bay and the Geelong waterfront.

<img alt="First look: Morphy Birrell Property Group targets 25-storey Geelong tower beside landmark church precinct" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b797d10c-d4a6-47af-b8df-1aeaa3b382be" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/public%20square.png?VersionId=QGIpcz1x1hKB6lQLl2iobyHqb6PS2Ztc" />

The development forms “Stage 5” of Morphy Birrell Property Group’s broader Mercer Street precinct strategy, following the completion of the 21-storey Miramar tower on Cavendish Street and several additional approved redevelopment stages nearby. Planning consultants Ratio said the proposal “represents an exemplary development outcome” aligned with the strategic ambitions for Central Geelong’s continued urban renewal.

The mixed-use project would replace an existing low-rise commercial building and surface parking area on the 3,320 sqm corner site. FK’s urban context report describes the proposal as a residential development comprising apartments, resident amenities, commercial space, and integrated landscaping positioned to maximise bay views and northern sunlight access.

Renders show a deeply articulated tower with curved balconies stepping above a lower masonry podium that frames a landscaped forecourt facing Mercer Street. The design intentionally preserves sightlines toward the adjacent church buildings, with the podium scaled to reinforce the heritage edge before the tower recedes upward.

<img alt="First look: Morphy Birrell Property Group targets 25-storey Geelong tower beside landmark church precinct" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2bdca91e-66f7-4ac7-8baa-2f93bd5b564e" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/geelong%20site.png?VersionId=QOhbino4ZgzKYw5dW3QE14E.2yq.Sv87" />

The planning report highlights the site’s strategic location within 400 metres of key Geelong destinations including Cunningham Pier, the Geelong Station precinct, Deakin University, and the convention centre. Bus services run directly along Mercer Street, while the Corio Bay foreshore sits around 100 metres north of the site.

The proposal arrives amid accelerating redevelopment across central Geelong, where planning policy continues to encourage higher-density housing close to transport infrastructure and the waterfront. Mercer Street in particular has emerged as a focal point for taller apartment development due to its proximity to Geelong Station, the bay, and major civic infrastructure.

Morphy Birrell Property Group targets 25-storey Geelong tower beside landmark church precinct

Development giant&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hamton">Hamton</a> and joint venture partner Hostplus have revealed the next residential stage of their $3 billion Moonee Valley Park masterplan, lodging plans for 512 more apartments within the precinct on surplus racecourse land at 110 Wilson Street, Moonee Ponds.

The proposed development, dubbed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/trackside-house-110-wilson-street-moonee-ponds-vic-3039">Trackside Gardens</a>&nbsp;in the planning application, follows the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/vic/first-look-exclusive-hamton-and-hostplus-reveal-sixth-stage-of-moonee-valley-park-masterplan">recent unveiling of the sixth-stage Cox Place Precinct</a> and continues the long-running transformation of the Moonee Valley Racecourse into one of Melbourne’s largest urban renewal projects.

Positioned on the north-eastern edge of the racecourse adjacent to CityLink, Trackside Gardens will comprise three residential buildings rising between 61.8 metres and 86.4 metres within a heavily landscaped precinct shaped by Hamton’s Nature Based Cities framework.

The project forms part of the broader Moonee Valley Park redevelopment being delivered by Hamton, Hostplus and the Moonee Valley Racing Club, which is reshaping the 40-hectare racecourse site into a mixed-use neighbourhood with housing, retail, commercial space, hotels, parkland and community infrastructure.

Trackside Gardens sits separately to the recently proposed Cox Place Precinct, a five-building stage comprising around 1,100 residences, two build-to-rent buildings, two build-to-sell towers, retail, office space, and a hotel overlooking the racetrack. Together, the projects continue to accelerate housing delivery across the precinct.

<img alt="First look: Hamton expands Moonee Valley Park masterplan with 512-home Trackside Gardens precinct" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5fc1941e-52d3-41c6-abc4-0f13fe8ae5ea" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/DA%20Edits%20%281%29.png?VersionId=7qwRHq5dcvXWNot2hNOgoQhN2GIWudNK" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/dko-architecture">DKO Architecture</a> with landscape architecture by Tract, Trackside Gardens has been conceived as a botanical-style residential precinct prioritising canopy planting, communal green space, and vertical landscaping.

“The architectural vision for the proposed development centres around buildings in a botanical park setting that champions the important role of nature,” the planning submission states.

“The proposal incorporates principles of biophilic design, with landscape and environmentally sustainable development influencing the ultimate design response of the buildings and prioritising the ground plane to ensure a high amenity for both occupants and visitors.”&nbsp;

Trackside Gardens will deliver 512 apartments across the three buildings, alongside 518 basement car spaces and 523 bicycle spaces. Around 20 per cent affordable housing is proposed across the broader North East Precinct, equating to around 158 dwellings.&nbsp;

The affordable housing component will be concentrated within the Wilson East building, while the remaining apartments are expected to be delivered as build-to-sell residences.

Trackside Gardens has been designed around Hamton’s Nature Based Cities initiative, founded by Executive Chair Paul Hameister OAM in partnership with the University of Melbourne, Urbis, Ark Resources and Tract. The initiative promotes integrating higher-density urban development with significant biodiversity, tree canopy and landscape outcomes.

<img alt="First look: Hamton expands Moonee Valley Park masterplan with 512-home Trackside Gardens precinct" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="89353449-7b3c-42fd-8fd8-8bf64a5ef80f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29_4.png?VersionId=X8jRt0P2L7fIWjLhfX6gPknXToXIBeLj" />

A comprehensive landscape strategy would introduce deep soil planting, vertical greening, communal gardens, and new pedestrian links throughout the site.

Planning documents state the development is targeting a 5 Star Green Star Buildings rating, a 7.5-star average NatHERS rating, and “Exemplary” Nature Based Cities certification.&nbsp;

The proposal joins an expanding pipeline of approved and proposed buildings within Moonee Valley Park, including the recently launched Eveline apartments and the approved Grandstand North and South towers.

Hamton has increasingly focused on precinct-scale, nature-led communities across Melbourne’s middle-ring suburbs, with projects spanning Hawthorn, Kew, and Moonee Ponds.

Hampton unveils Trackside Gardens, latest stage of $3 billion Moonee Valley Park masterplan

The Paul Gedoun-led <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ss-projects">S&amp;S Group</a> has achieved another milestone in its $1 billion transformation of Rainbow Bay on the southern Gold Coast with the completion of the company’s third project in four years, the $160 million <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/esprit-217-227-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Esprit</a> residences.

Delivered by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/hutchinson-builders">Hutchinson Builders</a> and designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cottee-parker-architects">Cottee Parker Architects</a>, Esprit buyers have now moved into the 94 apartments across two interconnected buildings at 217-227 Boundary Street.

The successful settlement of Esprit marks another astounding chapter in the S&amp;S story, which launched its highly successful Flow apartments three years ago and created its own ultra-luxury branded fingerprint on an area craving new luxury residences.

Most early purchasers have secured gains of well over $1 million since the project launched in 2021.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102921 project_image_fid=172129]

S&amp;S Projects Founding Director Paul Gedoun said the completion of Esprit reflects sustained demand for premium apartments in tightly held coastal locations.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; 
“Esprit has attracted buyers seeking a combination of quality design, considered amenity and a location that is becoming increasingly difficult to replicate,” said Gedoun.

“We identified some years ago that Rainbow Bay is a unique market where supply of luxury residences is limited, and we see the settlements in Esprit further underpinning this thinking - that for both owner-occupiers and investors.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102921 project_image_fid=172174]

A key feature of the development is ‘Club Esprit’, a 1,000sqm residents-only rooftop level combining wellness and recreation, believed to be a first for the Gold Coast, and which is fast becoming a signature of the S&amp;S brand.

Positioned to capture views across Snapper Rocks, Rainbow Bay and the Tweed River, the rooftop includes a 25-metre lap pool, gym, yoga lawn, sauna and steam facilities, ice bath, private dining spaces, outdoor cinema and landscaped areas for residents.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/pezet-matheson">Pezet Matheson</a> Director Jayde Pezet, who led the sales campaign for Esprit and S&amp;S’s Flow and Awaken apartments, said the project’s performance reflects both the strength of the product and the depth of demand for premium apartments on the southern Gold Coast.&nbsp;

“In some cases, we’ve seen values double since launch, which is a clear reflection of how tightly held Rainbow Bay has become and the level of demand for well-executed projects in this market,” said Pezet.&nbsp;

“Buyers recognised early what S&amp;S Projects was delivering here, and that conviction has been rewarded as the project has progressed towards completion.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102921 project_image_fid=214819]

Esprit offers a mix of two- three and four-bedroom apartments and sits within walking distance of the beachfront, cafés and local amenities, reinforcing its appeal as both a lifestyle and investment destination.

The project is the third completed by S&amp;S Projects in Rainbow Bay, following Flow Residences and Awaken Residences, which together have contributed to the suburb’s emergence as one of the Gold Coast’s most sought-after coastal pockets. &nbsp;

S&amp;S Projects is continuing its investment in the area with Radia, a $215 million development currently under construction.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102921 project_image_fid=172175]

Gedoun said the completion of Esprit signals continued confidence in the southern Gold Coast market.&nbsp;

“We’ve seen strong interest in well-located, high-quality apartments, particularly in areas where future development opportunities are limited."

“That’s been a key factor in the performance of Esprit and the broader Rainbow Bay market”.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=102921]

Owners move in as Esprit completes at Rainbow Bay

Fremantle

DevelopmentWA has released the Draft Concept Plan for a new residential community that will transform the former TAFE site in Beaconsfield, in collaboration with the City of Fremantle and Department of Communities.&nbsp;

The Draft Concept Plan for the&nbsp;11-15 Grosvenor Street site incorporates a range of affordable and social housing options, as well as community facilities, public open spaces, and potential commercial premises.

The redevelopment will be informed by DevelopmentWA's consultation with the community and key stakeholders, as well as consideration of the City of Fremantle's 'The Heart of Beaconsfield (THOB) Masterplan.'

The Beaconsfield Redevelopment Project is approximately 14-hectares of land and comprises the Davis Park precinct and the Beaconsfield TAFE site.

The former TAFE site was used for a number of decades as a training ground for particularly building and construction, carpentry, business and hospitality trades, with the demolition of the 54-year old site completed back in December 2022.&nbsp;

Through the redevelopment of the site, DevelopmentWA is contributing to the State Government's target of 3,300 new social housing dwellings over four years, with the new community set to provide much-needed affordable housing options for the city of Fremantle.&nbsp;

The project is also expected to generate jobs and stimulate economic growth in the area, transforming the disused site into a vibrant and sustainable community that meets the needs of the growing Beaconsfield area.

<img alt="proposed site development" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b5c99d1a-9d0b-4f83-87f8-ca03759a3e2a" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202023-03-28%20at%202.15.36%20pm.png?VersionId=Mt05elKyd9.YmcAajA5fTS5h1zZJtpAD" />

Housing and Lands Minister John Carey said the redevelopment of the former Beaconsfield TAFE site will transform and breathe new life into the local community, while bolstering the supply of social and affordable housing in the area.

"We have listened to the local community and have taken on board their input and feedback as we develop the final vision for this important urban regeneration project."

The proposed development will include a mix of high-density residential buildings, family houses, and commercial premises.

Plans for the 3.8-hectare site included a focus on sustainability, new public open space, retention of mature trees and improved security and safety in the area, in addition to a playground and a network of pathways featuring waterwise landscaping.&nbsp;

150 residences are expected to be delivered in the development, with precincts for one and two-storey family houses and precincts for five and eight-storey apartment buildings.

The site will also feature a mixed-use zone and road connectivity from Badham Close through to Caesar Street. Pedestrian/cycling and green links, including Lefroy Road to Grosvenor Street, will also be incorporated into the design.

Sustainability will be a key feature in the project, with the team incorporating learning from DevelopmentWA's recent developments in White Gum Valley and Hamilton Hill. A community garden will be considered as part of the project, with the all-electric development also set to incorporate water sensitive landscaping infrastructure.&nbsp;

It's anticipated the houses will target a 7-star&nbsp;NatHERS rating, while also including solar PV systems.&nbsp;

The site redevelopment is expected to take a few years to complete, with the former TAFE site already demolished to pave way for the future development.

Currently in the planning approval phase, DevelopmentWA expect to begin sales and construction from 2025 onwards.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=139296]

The Beaconsfield Redevelopment Project is approximately 14-hectares of land and comprises the Davis Park precinct and the Beaconsfield TAFE site

alisonwarters@gmail.com

DevelopmentWA unveil plans for former Beaconsfield TAFE site redevelopment

<html><body>
Marine House, a historic Victorian style building in Fremantle, WA will be ready for a new tenant/tenants from July 2020. 
It is currently undergoing a refurbishment. 
The Department of Transport’s moved from the building at 1 Essex Street located 200m from Fisherman’s Wharf and adjacent to the Esplanade Hotel.
Marine House features 3,640 sqm of office space and abundant on-site parking.  
Knight Frank Partner and Joint Head of Office Leasing, Greg McAlpine, said Marine House was located in the Esplanade precinct of Fremantle and the site had been a key landmark and enduring legacy of the city’s history.
He said the five level building would be completely upgraded and refurbished over the next 12 months.
It would provide a corporate office environment. 
“The refurbishment will see a new a lobby, completely new entrance and façade and upgraded services such as lifts, air conditioning, lighting and security,” McAlpine said. 
“It will also see the creation of brand new End of Trip facilities including bike storage and lockers, showers and change-rooms.”  
Mr McAlpine said available spaces within the building were an 805-955sqm ground floor tenancy, first and second floors of 1039sqm and a third floor of 607sqm. 
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Fremantle landmark Marine House up for lease

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The proposal for a six-storey timber-framed office building has recently been given the green light to commence construction by Fremantle Council. <a href="/developments/fremantle-wa-6160">Harbour Fremantle's</a> architectural design has been led by <a href="/architects/harris-architects">Harris Jenkins Architects</a>, who have created a future-proofed modern design which will be constructed out of highly sustainable cross-laminated timber. The building’s operable glass façade will provide natural ventilation throughout the structure, as well as dispersing natural light into each workspace – creating a pleasant work environment for the building's inhabitants. At street level, a 150 square metre café and bar will occupy the ground floor tenancy, providing communal areas for office workers and the general public to connect and relax. Levels 2-6 will feature a selection of 57 square metre office spaces, which will be available for lease or purchase from $347,500.

Josh Byrne and Associates have led the landscape design and vertical greening project, which will aim to deliver thermal protection, as well as seamlessly integrating nature within the work environment.

<blockquote>
“Wood and biophilic design is an opportunity to improve workers’ connection with nature, increasing satisfaction and productivity.”
</blockquote>

Source: Workplaces: Wellness + Wood = Productivity, by Andrew Knox, Howard Parry-Husbands, Pollinate, February 2018

Other sustainable features include solar photovoltaic panels and battery storage as a source of renewable energy; electricity and water management software (to monitor usage) and storm and grey water collection.

The building approval follows a stellar year of development in Fremantle with over $231 million worth of projects being approved for 2018-19. This statistic paints a dramatically different picture to the rest of the country, with other major cities showing a halve in building approvals since 2014.

<blockquote>
“It’s also worth noting that this project represents the first significant investment in a major new office development in the eastern end of Fremantle since Scheme Amendment 49 was approved back in 2012… It goes to show that it can take a long time for the planning decisions of the council to flow through to actual development, but it also demonstrates that the council’s plan to make Fremantle a more attractive investment destination is working.” 
</blockquote>

Brad Pettitt, Mayor of Fremantle, via <a href="https://www.fremantle.wa.gov.au/news-and-media/592019-green-light-was-first-timber-framed-office-building">Fremantle.wa.gov.au</a>

The <a href="/developers/yolk-property-group">Yolk Property Group</a> development will occupy the corner section of Josephson and High Streets, just 100 metres away from the recently completed King Square development, and is slated for completion by 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/kingssquare.jpeg" rel="gallery-all" title="Kings Square. Credit: Yolk Property Group"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="347" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/kingssquare.jpeg?itok=DTgYh4eM" title="Kings Square. Credit: Yolk Property Group" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Kings Square. Credit: Yolk Property Group</figcaption></figure>Lead image: Harbour Fremantle render. Credit: Yolk Property Group.
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Olivia Round

Western Australia’s first cross laminated timber office building given green light to commence construction

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The WA based property syndicate Primewest have listed the historic Esplanade Hotel in Fremantle.
CBRE have been appointed to steer the marketing campaign for the 46-54 Marine Terrace hotel (pictured above), which originally opened in 1897 as Fremantle’s first hotel.
Primewest are expecting to attract offers of about $110 million for the facility, according to a local paper, The Western Australian, a 20% increase on what they paid, $90 million, when they bought it from rich-lister Marylyn New in 2012.
Located on the corner of Marine Terrace and Essex Street, the building has been extensively refurbished and restored to create what is now regarded as "one of Perth’s premier accommodation and conference facility venues".
The offering contains 300 guestrooms, four food and beverage outlets and numerous conference facilities.
The property is situated over two sites and has total area in excess of 1.2ha.
Included in the sale is a 3,043 sqm site located at 7 Essex Street (pictured below), situated directly opposite the hotel, comprising 172 car bays, a 78sqm leased retail tenancy and 314sqm office.  
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/8/2/Fremantle%20Hotel%202.jpg" alt="">
Mr McGinnity commented “The opportunity to secure one of Perth’s largest hotels will ignite strong investor interest from local, interstate and international groups.
“With Fremantle being WA’s most visited tourism precinct after the Perth CBD, the sale of the Esplanade Hotel represents an outstanding opportunity to acquire a well-established operation,” Mr McGinnity added.
Mr Desange said significant investment in the Fremantle area - including a public and private development pipeline spend exceeding $1.3 billion – would have a "direct flow-on effect to the area’s tourism and retail industries".
Fremantle has not seen this level of development and investment since the America’s Cup over three decades ago.
Primewest’s founding Director, David Schwartz stated that they had invested significantly in this hotel to bring it up to modern standards.
Expressions of Interest close Thursday 6 September 2018.
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Primewest selling Esplanade Hotel in Fremantle

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The Melbourne City sales team of CBRE has donated $20,000 to support Fremantle Football Club and coach Ross Lyon’s participation in the MND Big Freeze event this weekend at the MCG. 
Mark Wizel, CBRE National Director and head of the sales team, said his team was honoured to make a contribution to fighting MND.
"The apparently unbreakable Neale Daniher has done incredible work in fighting this disease, a disease that sadly took Ross Lyon’s mother some years back," Wizel said. 
"We are absolutely delighted that we can make a contribution in supporting Ross and the Fremantle Football Club in the `Big Freeze’ this weekend with a $20,000 donation." 
He said his team had for some time been admirers of the way in which Ross Lyon coached and mentored his team.
"We have likened a lot of what we do in a corporate sense to the journey that Ross has taken the Freemantle Football Club on over the past few years.
"In particular his teachings and methodology around system and process over outcome have assisted in the development of our younger team members - the average age of which is just 25.8 years - contributing greatly to our success,’’ Wizel said.
Wizel’s 64 strong team has earned a reputation as Australia’s sub $100 million commercial property investment market leader with more than $13 billion in sales since 2009.
Ross Lyon said he was humbled to learn that his relationship with Mark and CBRE had resulted in such a generous donation to Fight MND Big Freeze 4.
"It was quite a humbling experience to be told that the association with CBRE had motivated Mark and his colleagues to personally chip in $20,000 to help support the outstanding work Neale Daniher is doing to find a cure for MND.
“It’s a hideous disease and the way Neale has fought MND is incredible.
“Every day on average at least two Australians die from MND, and my family has had personal experience with the terrible toll the disease has on those affected by it.
"If we can find a cure through contributing and raising some funds – all the AFL coaches are happy to do that.
It’s also a wonderful gesture by Mark and his colleagues at CBRE to get behind Neale and support what he is doing for Fight MND,’’ Lyon said.
 
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

CBRE team donates $20,000 to Dockers’ MND cause 

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/63926/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
Fremantle’s five-storey Myer department store closed in 2013 after four decades of service.
The demise of a mass-market store in the heart of Fremantle should have been a large blow to the retail and broader character of the area.
In the 20th century it would have been. But times have changed, in Australia and around the world. Rather than being left dormant while development plans were being drawn up, the building reopened as MANY 6160 six months after Myer closed.
MANY 6160 is Australia’s largest temporary place activation, with more than 20,000m² of space dedicated to retail, production and events. It provides spaces for independent artists, designers, other cultural workers and small business enterprises.
In February 2016, MANY 6160 became home to Australia’s second-largest private gallery (after Hobart’s MONA). Called Success, it operates from the building’s basement.
The temporary use of space has become popular in cities and towns across the world. When properties have lost their capacity to be rented or sold at a profit, or are left vacant for redevelopment plans, they have the potential for interim uses while the owner waits for development or for property prices to warm up.
<h2>How does temporary occupation work?</h2>
The advantages of temporary occupation are many. It allows members of a community to come together to work, socialise or learn, unencumbered by market-rate rents. It taps into culture’s current interest in customisation, localisation and co-creation. At MANY 6160 you can buy everything from 3D-printed jewellery to surfboards.
Temporary users can act as surveillance and maintenance providers for the property owner. At the same time, they bring cultural cachet to the space and adjacent area. 
Temporary occupation can bring about the challenging and redefinition of planning regulations and rental contracts. At MANY 6160, rental contracts are short – renters need give only 30 days’ notice to opt out.
With planning regulations tailored towards permanent occupation, the local council was slightly confounded as to how to determine the building class of the gallery in the basement. MANY 6160’s architect, Nic Brunsdon of Post-Architecture, says:
The city would not sign off on it at first. We had to get an independent evaluation to certify the building. All you need is a piece of paper [of certification] rather than do something to address the code.
Brunsdon delights in this grey-area-ness:
"It’s the place where no-one wants to be. It’s fertile ground. You need to revel in uncertainty and risk."
Recognising the benefits for users and owners, government agencies and developers are making it easier for real estate to become available for temporary use. They can, for example, reduce the liability for building owners and provide incentives for owners and citizens to start up their own projects.
Space-brokering agencies have emerged in cities and towns across Australia – Adelaide, Townsville, Geelong, Newcastle and Parramatta – and further afield, in places like Christchurch, Singapore, Chicago and Dublin. 
Perth has its own space-brokering service, Spacemarket, also available as an app since 2016. The service helps a diversity of tenants, from tech start-ups to community groups, to use the thousands of square metres of underutilised space in the Perth CBD.
It also partly solves a problem for commercial leases: vacancies fluctuate with market cycles; when vacancies are high, temporary occupation may be a solution.
While many local councils see the temporary use of space as a solution to providing cheap spaces for creative workers, in the long term it may not be so. Buildings will still be bulldozed or converted, rents will increase and tenancies will become affordable.
When this happens, those occupying the temporary space can get squeezed out, even though their presence and activity made the area culturally and economically valuable to start with.
This is a potential scenario for the creatives at MANY 6160. A A$220 million development planned for Kings Square may eventually force them to move on, despite the council’s ambitions to preserve the diversity of the temporary occupation in future.
<h2>Temporary, but with a city-making legacy</h2>
So, can temporary use influence local city-shaping and state decision-making in the long term, rather than simply being a stopgap? Can projects like MANY 6160 help to forge new approaches to urban design and planning?
The answer is yes. Temporary occupation creates opportunities for a new type of city-making.
With the current trend towards decreasing public expenditure on the built environment, the temporary use of space demonstrates alternative models of governance where developers, councils and citizens work together to resolve the issue of a lack of resources. The MANY 6160 project, in particular, demonstrates a shift in government behaviour towards incentivising and supporting citizens.
The City of Fremantle contributed $20,000 to the project. Citizens have put in thousands of hours of volunteer labour, along with the architects, who have borne start-up costs of more than $50,000. There is also the goodwill of building owner Sirona Capital.
A new world of cross-societal participation in urban design and planning has been opened up. However, the biggest advantage of temporary use has not been leveraged at the Fremantle site. The missed opportunity is an incremental approach to development, so that temporary occupation becomes a pivotal intermediate step towards long-term development.
In this scenario, the occupation of MANY 6160 could inform and influence the Kings Square development. Learnings from the temporary place activation – about the location, the community and other local factors – could contribute to the next iteration of the site.
The temporary project could be embedded within broader master plans and urban frameworks to test out experimental programs and governance models that could be brought into the long-term development.
The temporary occupation of space is ripe for exploration in Perth and other centres where the use of sites is constantly changing. When we cannot predict the future, let alone the next decade, interim use provides ways to reimagine buildings.
Citizens are increasingly demanding spaces for hours, days, weeks or months rather than years. This type of future city, contingent on mobility, requires a looser planning vision, one that allows for temporary occupation to inform future occupations, rather than merely being a placeholder for the development to follow.
Timothy Moore is PhD candidate, Melbourne School of Design, University of Melbourne and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/timothy-moore-292089" target="_blank">here</a>.
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From placeholder to pathfinder: innovative temporary site uses help us reimagine city spaces

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Part of the City of Fremantle's $275,000 upgrade of the High Street Mall includes public seating and tables, bike parking facilities and better lighting.
The upgrades, slated to finish by the end of the year, are part of a local re-branding and refresh of the area, according to Fremantle manager of economic development and marketing, Tom Griffiths.
He said there’s also been some great work by landowners in preserving and improving the heritage components of some of the mall’s buildings, particularly in the Manning and Atwell Arcades.
“We’re also partnering with the owners of Atwell Arcade to implement an interactive public art piece we hope will become a key feature and talking point of the new-look mall. We expect to have this installed later next year,” he said.
“Over the past year the City has worked with landowners to devise a strategy to enhance the mall, which we all agreed was looking tired and in need of some attention. Part of this was landowners re-branding the mall and developing targeted leasing strategies to attract the right mix of retailers."
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Fremantle's High Street Mall upgrade continues

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A development site opposite Fremantle Port has sold for $2.1 million to the St Patrick's Community Support Centre. 
The 938 square metre site, at 3 Beach Street, is currently occupied by a warehouse and two retail shops, but it has the potential to be developed into a six-level building.
The purchaser - which fended off rival bids from owner occupiers, developers and private investors - plans to occupy the existing building and provide additional affordable housing for the disadvantaged within the community.
Knight Frank associate director Todd Schaffer was the selling agent. 
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