National developer Time &amp; Place appears to have settled on a design for its long-anticipated Potts Point project.

After several years of back and forth with local council and the NSW Government, the developer, which has spent close to a decade targeting the former The Chimes site on Macleay Street, has now progressed its plans.

Following a concept design submission last year by SJB, Time &amp; Place has lodged a full State Significant Development Application with the NSW Government, this time for a scheme designed by Kerry Hill Architects.

<img alt="Time &amp; Place" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="504d2a27-d65f-4227-8189-1e35e3376e62" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-04-20%20at%209.38.24%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=_XqFKATYHF30KnVByPxhaI9UBzmkmfn7" />

The proposal includes 44 apartments, 21 of which will be build-to-sell. These will comprise 19 three-bedroom apartments and two four-bedroom penthouses.

More than 50 per cent of the development will be dedicated to affordable housing, with 23 one- and two-bedroom apartments delivered in line with the NSW Government’s Housing SEPP.

Kerry Hill Architects said the proposal is driven by a strong response to place.

“Our proposal for a new residential building for Potts Point in Sydney is driven by a deep consideration of place,” the practice said in its submission.

“This operates on multiple levels, including a landscape approach that reinstates endemic flora of the Sydney peninsula and provides a ground-floor garden for residents, reconnecting the site to its pre-European history. A brick podium further strengthens this relationship to context, integrating planting and fine bronze detailing that references the predominant material language of Macleay Street.”

The three-level podium will be topped by a communal resident space, featuring a covered pool designed to receive direct afternoon sun in winter, a neighbouring reflection pool, dining and event areas oriented to maximise sunset views, and an outdoor exercise zone.

<img alt="Time &amp; Place" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8d3eedc1-babb-44a3-bd96-d8a42f3adf1f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-04-20%20at%209.37.48%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=Ii7.4dvqNatu5GQi6bhqNjAswrMB998." />

The design also incorporates highly crafted shopfronts and a clearly defined residential entry to activate the street. Juliette balconies to the podium residences will provide passive surveillance and a strong sense of habitation.

Above, the larger apartments are housed within a light-coloured masonry and bronze tower.

“The tower steps back in a series of gently curved volumes that reference the rich Art Deco context of Macleay Street,” the architects said. “Carefully calibrated vertical fins frame the views while providing privacy and a sense of refuge.”

<img alt="Time &amp; Place" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6fab60f4-3140-4469-b47a-48c781e0a30b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-04-20%20at%209.28.44%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=e5XxrM3kzdASdKlcIACHAHbOSZhSKC9O" />

Time &amp; Place has been one of the most active developers nationally in the last 12 to 24 months. Late last year they completed&nbsp;The Queensbridge in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/southbank-vic-3006">Southbank</a>, a mixed-use tower with 353 apartments and a hotel. They are currently selling Park Modern, 246 apartments near the famous Botanic Gardens in South Melbourne.

The developer has approval for The Burke, a mixed-use project in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/glen-iris-vic-3146">Glen Iris</a>&nbsp;being delivered in partnership with Woolworths. The 60 apartments, positioned above a new Woolworths supermarket, are expected to launch in the coming months. Time &amp; Place is also progressing plans for the redevelopment of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/northcote-vic-3070">Northcote</a>&nbsp;Plaza, and have recently submitted plans for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/vic/time-place-unveils-plans-22-storey-south-melbourne-tower">22-storey tower</a>, another in South Melbourne.

In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/sydney-nsw">Sydney</a>, the developer has two projects in Manly: Two Tides, which is currently under construction, and an ultra high-end building on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/shoreline-manly-beach-89-90-north-steyne-manly">North Steyne</a>, fronting the beach. It is also continuing to work through the redevelopment of The Chimes building on Macleay Street in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/potts-point-nsw-2011">Potts Point</a>, as well as Marlborough House, the redevelopment of the original David Jones warehouse building in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/surry-hills-nsw-2010">Surry Hills</a>.

Joel Robinson

First look: Time & Place settles on design for The Chimes, Potts Point redevelopment

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/develotek">Develotek</a> is joining the likes of TOGA, Deicorp, and One Global Capital, betting on a boom in Five Dock ahead of the 2032 mooted opening of the Five Dock Metro Station.

Develotek, which is currently developing Bianca on the Drummoyne waterfront and has plans approved for a tower in Chatswood, has filed a State Significant Development Application for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/79-81-queens-road-five-dock-nsw-2046">two-building project in the evolving Kings Bay precinct</a>.

The buildings, one more boutique just five storeys and the other 26 storeys, will rise from an 3,158 sqm site across&nbsp;79–81 Queens Road and 2–8 Spencer Street, will home 134 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, above ground-floor retail and five basement levels of parking.

A key component of the proposal is the inclusion of 15 per cent of residential floor space as in-fill affordable housing, unlocking additional height and density under the Housing SEPP.

<img alt="First Look: Develotek lodges State Significant shop top housing project in Five Dock precinct" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3ee31bf7-75ba-4bc5-b190-49885193219f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/podium_2.png?VersionId=730UbrduuwK3C1sO28RHjiLPUPqXqjkh" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a>, the scheme adopts a podium-and-tower configuration, with a five-storey street wall along Queens Road transitioning to a 26-storey tower set deeper into the site. The ground plane prioritises activation and permeability, with retail frontages and a new through-site link connecting Queens Road to Spencer Street.

At the upper levels, the tower façade has been conceived using a modular system to support prefabrication and reduce construction waste, while improving build efficiency. The splayed form draws on the geometry of surrounding industrial rooftops, reinterpreting the area’s heritage in a contemporary expression while also helping to reduce solar heat gain to east and west-facing apartments.

“This project aspires to transform a former industrial site into a connected, resilient and people-focused urban community, grounded in Country, shaped by history, and designed to enrich everyday life within the evolving Kings Bay Precinct,” said John Walsh, Principal at Plus Studio.

The proposal reflects the broader transformation of the Kings Bay Precinct under the Parramatta Road Corridor Urban Transformation Strategy, marking a shift from its industrial past to a higher-density, mixed-use urban neighbourhood.

<img alt="First Look: Develotek lodges State Significant shop top housing project in Five Dock precinct" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="abde734c-1e31-4a97-a1d2-fa9bcf31c380" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/building%20podium.png?VersionId=fNUupP6u146yEytQT31kKVRxwtACgPpP" />

Develotek is emerging as an active participant in the state’s affordable housing-led uplift pathway. The developer recently secured approval for a 34-storey mixed-use tower in Chatswood, where it similarly leveraged the in-fill affordable housing provisions to increase scale and deliver a 101-unit scheme with dedicated affordable apartments.

Their entry into Five Dock places them alongside a growing list of developers targeting the suburb ahead of its anticipated transport uplift, with Sydney Metro set to extend into the area. Major players including TOGA, Deicorp, and One Global Capital are all progressing large-scale precinct-style developments nearby, collectively reshaping the low-rise industrial fabric into a higher-density mixed-use corridor.

The Five Dock site sits within the Kings Bay Precinct, a key renewal area under the Parramatta Road Corridor Urban Transformation Strategy, where planning controls support significant uplift tied to affordable housing delivery. The consolidated 3,158 sqm site is currently occupied by low-rise industrial uses, including warehouses and vehicle workshops, earmarked for transition.

First Look: Develotek joins in Five Dock apartment boom

Ascot’s Racecourse Road continues to be a hive of activity for Brisbane developers.

Following Fortis and GRAYA, which are both preparing new projects along the key strip connecting Kingsford Smith Drive and Eagle Farm Racecourse, local developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/skyhold">Skyhold</a> is the latest to lodge plans for its own development.

The group is proposing One One Two Residences, a boutique project comprising just seven apartments, named after its address at 112 Racecourse Road.

The proposal outlines a five-storey building on an 810 sqm site. The built form slightly exceeds the four-storey expectation under the neighbourhood plan, aligning instead with the emerging character of the strip. As the planning report notes, “the locality is characterised by a transition toward medium-rise residential development, with a number of recent developments… above the stipulated height limits.”

<img alt="First Look: Skyhold lodges plans for boutique Ascot apartments as Racecourse Road revival gathers pace" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ec577631-8c51-4163-960e-e7b3a77d655b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Ascot.png?VersionId=iAzQ46D4Uu1UqiS0mVnlcy9jeFKBpJIj" />

Designed by 111 with landscape architecture by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/paul-bangay-garden-design">Paul Bangay Studio</a>, the scheme adopts a layered architectural approach with strong articulation and a subtropical response. Deep balconies, integrated planters, and a mix of masonry and textured finishes define the façade, while upper-level setbacks reduce perceived bulk. The architectural statement describes “a series of horizontally expressed layers, defined by deep balconies and a consistent robust material palette,” aimed at delivering a refined streetscape presence.

Apartments are configured as large-format residences, including multiple three-bedroom layouts and a full-floor penthouse, supported by ground-level parking. A rooftop terrace will provide communal amenities including a pool and landscaped recreation areas. The design prioritises privacy, natural ventilation, and greenery, with planting integrated across all levels to soften the building form and contribute to the public realm.

<img alt="First Look: Skyhold lodges plans for boutique Ascot apartments as Racecourse Road revival gathers pace" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1e1219bd-b45a-4d7f-bbc7-7207d7b2fc94" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Ascot%20entry.png?VersionId=JIoUOLMgQ5xWpEF0etEI3ffIoIVjD7gO" />

The proposal sits within the Racecourse Road precinct, a key mixed-use spine in Ascot that continues to attract renewed development interest.

Later this year national developer Fortis will launch its own boutique development, which, pending council approvals, will be 16 apartments designed by Koichi Takada Architects, just down the street.

“Racecourse Road is going through a massive revitalisation and we’re proud to be a part of that transformation,” said Fortis's QLD General Manager, Dan Boman.

Nearby, GRAYA is advancing its larger-scale The Gallery, a mixed-use shop-top housing project designed to act as a “catalytic project for Racecourse Road.”

First Look: Racecourse Road, Hamilton revitalization to continue as Skyhold joins the party

Twenty-five years after launching one of Australia’s most visionary and successful masterplanned beach communities - Casuarina on the Northern NSW Tweed Coast - developer Consolidated Properties Group has unveiled plans for an $800 million sister project located 10 kilometres south, at Cudgera Creek near the coastal town of Pottsville.

CPG has taken the wraps off Caldera, a 78-hectare masterplanned village that builds on the legacy of Casuarina and aims to help address Northern NSW’s coastal housing shortage via the delivery of 550 homes built in a sustainable manner and addressing affordability and housing diversity, while also focusing on architectural and ecological merit.

Caldera is being brought to life by the same creative team that delivered Casuarina, led by Consolidated Properties CEO and chairman Don O’Rorke, Hutchinson Builders chairman Scott Hutchinson and renowned urban designer Brian Toyota, of architectural practice Bureau Proberts.

CPG has lodged a rezoning application with Tweed Shire Council for the Caldera site, which has been designated since 1991 as the Dunloe Park Urban Release Area, the final land release area within the Pottsville locality and one of only four remaining growth areas along the entire Tweed coastal strip. Preliminary plans for Caldera feature a 13-hectare retail and commercial precinct at the core of the village, surrounded by meticulously planned residential areas comprising around 550 homesites.

The retail hub will be anchored by a Coles Supermarket and will offer 7000 sqm of retail and 23 commercial lots designed to serve the local community and bring together curated shopping, dining, gym, wellness, childcare, medical and other essential services.

<img alt="Cons prop" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fca7dc71-4b71-45b1-bb04-5a60bd7158d0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-04-20%20at%208.34.04%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=vAKwIvLuwmTKj6blHJRYIEeXS_8lCgUx" />

The project will create more than 1500 jobs over its development cycle, according to its economic modelling, and significantly address the shortage of employment land in the Tweed.

The residential areas will encourage a sense of community via a cohesive urban design that encourages walking, cycling, enhanced resident connectivity and reduced reliance on cars via bike paths and pedestrian-friendly streets.

Homesites will include a range of options from premium ridge-top homes to affordable housing options, ensuring a community that is inclusive of different income levels and designed to appeal to a wide demographic from baby boomers to families, singles and professionals. Architectural and planting covenants on home building will support the village’s built form and protect its character.

O’Rorke says CPG intends Caldera to be a model project delivered efficiently in a dedicated urban release area and ‘very much for this region and for this time’.

“Our vision for Caldera is to create a modern coastal village with its own unique northern NSW identity,” he said.

“Building on our legacy of Casuarina, 25 years on, this new village is designed to stand apart, offering the future of modern living, balancing the natural beauty of the region with contemporary amenities and convenience.

“Caldera will be more than just a place to live - it will be a welcoming, inclusive coastal village neighbouring Pottsville that invites visitors and embraces new residents. With its strong ties to the land, vibrant lifestyle and sense of place, Caldera will set a new standard for village living in Northern NSW.”

<img alt="CPG" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9a5a7cf4-5f76-4ddf-bd05-c8fb77d0a787" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-04-20%20at%208.33.59%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=J1CzCGD7kE7fcAMd41V4pKAf_sI4L5Jv" />

The project’s centrepiece is environmental sustainability, with comprehensive wetlands protection measures and planting of native trees, parklands, village greens and communal grounds to enhance the natural beauty of the area.

CPG will also deliver a developer-funded wastewater treatment plant to ensure zero ocean outflows and provide high quality long-term infrastructure for Tweed Shire.

A key focus is wildlife management planning, including extensive conservation controls for the West Pottsville koala population, aligned with Tweed Shire Council’s Koala Plan of Management and designed to enhance koala habitat connectivity and future population growth.

Caldera will extend the existing koala corridor by connecting koala precincts west of the Pacific Highway with populations in the north and east precincts. A koala underpass will be created under Pottsville Road to complete the connection of this important corridor. Native tree plantings will expand essential koala food sources, while approximately eight kilometres of exclusion fencing will be constructed to safeguard the koalas from urban threats.

The Caldera site is nestled in the hills of Cudgera Creek and benefits from its rich natural surroundings including the Pottsville Wetland, Cudgera Creek Nature Reserve and nearby Pottsville Beach.

It takes its name from the surrounding Tweed Shield Volcano and Caldera, the vast bowl-shaped depression stretching from Byron Bay to the Queensland border that 20 million years ago was the world’s largest shield volcano and which has shaped the region’s striking landscape, with Mount Warning standing as one of its most iconic features.

The development is a joint venture between CPG and Pottsville Development Corporation, which made its first investment in Pottsville more than 45 years ago and is the developer of Black Rocks By the Sea, a masterplanned community now part of the fabric of Pottsville and which was the catalyst for the construction of a bridge across the Pottsville Estuary, providing direct access to the beach.

CPG’s $1.5 billion Casuarina Beach township, 10 kilometres to the north of Caldera, commenced construction in 2000 and has become the model for modern Australian, eco-sensitive beachside development.

Consolidated Properties unveils $800m coastal village Caldera in Casuarina

Growing national developer Time &amp; Place has announced its fifth new apartment development.

With two projects in Manly and two upcoming in Surry Hills and Potts Point, the developer, which expanded beyond Melbourne just a few years ago, is now heading to Mosman. It is planning 53 new apartments on Redan Street.

The 3,233 sqm site, spanning <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/40-48-redan-street-mosman-nsw-2088">40–48 Redan Street</a> with frontage to Redan Lane, is located just under 400 metres from Spit Junction Town Centre. It is reported the developer paid around $100 million for the five-site amalgamation.

Time &amp; Place, founded by Tim Price and backed by James Packer’s private investment firm NPACT, has submitted the project as a State Significant Development through the NSW Government’s Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

Of the 53 apartments, 42 will be released to the market, with the remaining 11 allocated as affordable housing in line with NSW Government requirements.

fjc Studio has designed the building. In its Design Report, the architect said the diverse mix of dwelling types and sizes, including 11 two-bedroom affordable housing units, 40 three-bedroom apartments, and two four-bedroom residences, will support a broad demographic, including families, downsizers, and key workers.

The development will rise to nine levels, a height encouraged by the NSW Government due to the site’s proximity to Spit Junction, which has been identified as a low- to mid-rise centre. Developments within a certain proximity to these centres are permitted increased height.

fjc said the project “achieves an appropriate density outcome for its setting by balancing increased housing supply with strong amenity performance,” adding that it “makes a measurable contribution to NSW housing supply targets through the delivery of additional dwellings and dedicated affordable housing.”

The new development will replace five existing two-storey homes.

“By aligning with the objectives of the Housing SEPP and applying careful architectural and urban design principles, the development provides high-quality residential accommodation that integrates sensitively within its established Mosman context and delivers enduring benefits to residents and the wider community.”

Mosman has become increasingly popular with developers in recent years.

Developer Abadeen has been particularly active, with Mosman Residences currently on the market and under construction on Clifford Street. It also has an upcoming Burran Avenue project, comprising just three apartments on the Balmoral Slopes, and recently secured the Midas and Honeysuckle nursery site on Military Road.

Prosker Property has a project on Redan Lane, just a few doors down from Time &amp; Place’s proposed development.

Developers including Toohey Miller, DARE Property Group, and WINIM also have projects underway in the area. In 2024, a five-year target was set for the Mosman LGA to increase housing supply by 500 dwellings by 2029.

Time &amp; Place entered the Sydney market with Two Tides, its under construction Manly development. Given its sales success, it has secured another development in the area, more boutique, facing the beach on North Steyne.

They are hoping to launch their redevelopment of The Chimes in Potts Point this year, and next year will look to take to market Marlborough House, an adaptive re-use of the landmark David Jones warehouse in Surry Hills.

Time & Place to take on Mosman apartment market

Keystone

The Melbourne developer Keystone Property Group is offering investors in their new Footscray apartment development Ovation a guaranteed five percent yield for two years following the development&rsquo;s completion this time next year.

Investors have been creeping back into the property market in recent months, with investment activity across Victoria up 13.7 per cent in March.

Footscray ranks highly as an attractive investment proposition, with $1.2 billion committed to infrastructure, as well as the $1.5 billion investment granted to the redevelopment of the Footscray Hospital, where works began earlier this year.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5490 project_image_fid=78492]

The western suburb is tightly held, with a vacancy rate of just one per cent, compared to the wider Melbourne vacancy rate of 1.9 per cent.

Population in Melbourne&rsquo;s west is also forecasted to rise by 180 per cent between 2016 and 2041.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5490 project_image_fid=78497]

The Buckley Street development of 131 apartments designed by KUD has a walking score of 90, located just 300 metres from Middle Footscray Station, a tram which is less than 15 minutes in to the Melbourne CBD. Nearby there&rsquo;s also the popular restaurant and bar strips of Victoria Street and Barkly Street.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5490 project_image_fid=78493]

Ovation will likely be appealing for student renters given its proximity to the nearby Victoria University, ranked in the top two per cent of universities in the world by Times Higher Education magazine. Just over 50 per cent of the popular of Footscray are aged between 20 and 39, considered to be an ideal renter demographic.

Keystone are also offering investors a free blinds package for their apartments.

[smartcode_project_cta: project_id=5490]

Investors have been creeping back into the property market in recent months, with investment activity across Victoria up 13.7 per cent in March

Keystone offer investors guaranteed rental yield at new Footscray apartment development Ovation

First home buyers have propped the real estate market up since the pandemic hit Australia last March.

A country-wide trend, Victoria saw 44 per cent more loan commitments to first home buyers over the 12 months to April.

And in attempt to gain the market share, astute developers&nbsp;are prepared to offer their own incentives to attract the growing cohort of buyers looking to get on the ladder for the first time.

In their latest Footscray apartment development Ovation, Keystone Property Group are offering first home buyers a free car when a buyer settles on a purchase of an apartment.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5490 project_image_fid=78494]

Each first home buyer will be given a brand new Volkswagen Polo, valued at $25,000.

Entry level apartments in Ovation, the Buckley Street development designed by KUD Architects to reflect Footscray&rsquo;s industrial past, start from $367,500.

The one bedroom apartments with a car space start from $410,000.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5490 project_image_fid=78497]

Two bedroom apartments are priced from $540,000, still well below Melbourne&rsquo;s growing $605,000 apartment median. There are a handful of three bedroom apartments, which span 143&nbsp;sqm, which start from $900,000.

There will be 131 apartments in the contemporary building set in a prime location within walking distance to Middle Footscray Station.

Completion of Ovation is slated for mid-2022.

Astute developers are acutely aware of the impact first home buyers have on the off the plan property market, and are prepared to offer their own incentives



First home buyers at Ovation Footscray given free car on purchase

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Following the launch of Tarneit's latest mixed-use precinct development, Keystone, Urban.com.au caught up with Akron Property Development Director Andrew Harvey about the importance of creating highly walkable, connected communities – and essentially prioritising place over product.

Urban.com.au: Congratulations on the launch of Keystone, Tarneit! What drew you to this site in particular?

Andrew Harvey: Akron is pleased that Wyndham understood our vision for a highly walkable, connected community to be established that brings a variety of attractive inner-urban features to this suburb.  The Planning Permit for Keystone is the result of a year of planning, urban design and detailed engineering investigations in consultation with Wyndham City Council. Akron was attracted to Tarneit because it is exceptionally well-positioned for future growth. Keystone is only 26 kilometres from the Melbourne CBD and is very close to Werribee, Hoppers Crossing and Williams Landing.  Keystone is already surrounded by established schools, shopping and community infrastructure.  Coupled with the State commitment to upgrade the adjacent railway with future station builds, the site will be an easy walk from two future railway stations at Riverdale and Tarneit West. 

U: When acquiring a site in an outer suburb, do you believe interest will be generated from those looking to commute to/from the CBD or buyers that are keen to live, work and play in Tarneit?

AH: Tarneit won’t be an outer suburb for much longer!  People who know the Western suburbs will know that Tarneit and Werribee are poised to tap into the economic development that will follow from State and local economic investment. Investors and our Keystone residents will be attracted by the close proximity to the CBD, and the established infrastructure close by.  Easy road or rail access exists to the City, Werribee, Geelong and growth areas such as Melton and Bacchus Marsh to the north.  Tarneit has simple access via the Princes Freeway to the Bellarine Peninsula and Surf Coast, enabling a genuine work-life balance.

U: If Melbourne is to become a polycentric city, do you believe the City of Wyndham is equipped to handle the urban sprawl, and accommodate the needs of new residents? 

Wyndham City has tremendous potential.  Wyndham City is one of Australia’s fastest-growing municipalities, expected to almost double in size by 2041. It is well placed on the road and rail links between Melbourne and Geelong, making it an area of great economic significance that extends beyond its own region, impacting the rest of the state and Australia. Affordable housing, geographic appeal, high birth rates, increased migration and major infrastructure investments are driving forces behind Wyndham’s position as the epicentre of western Melbourne’s population growth. This growth will transform Wyndham from a City of 257,000 people in 2018 to nearly double in size to 489,000 by 2041. According to ABS data between 2016 and 2017, Wyndham was Victoria’s largest growing municipality, increasing its population by 14,092 people, or 6.2%.

What local infrastructure is currently on the cards in the areas surrounding Keystone?

In December 2018 the Western Melbourne Group (WMG) obtained a licence from Football Federation Australia (FFA) to field a team in the national A-league, the Western United Football Club. As part of a public-private-partnership development with Wyndham City Council, WMG will deliver an international standard sporting precinct just to the west of Keystone which will include a 15,000 seat main stadium, a 5,000 seat second stadium, training pitches and high-performance centre. Adjacent to the sporting precinct on the southern side of the site, Council will also deliver the Riverdale town centre. With all of this proposed work, the construction of the Sayers Rd Railway Station in Tarneit needs to be brought forward to capitalise on this economic development opportunity. Delivering this station will allow for greater access to the privately funded 15,000 seat stadium being built and will enable business and communities in the area to thrive. The future Riverdale Railway Station at Sayers Road and the proposed Tarneit West station on Davis Road are either side of Keystone and are both within a two-kilometre stroll.

How has the urban planning agency Roberts Day assisted with the master planning process of Keystone, and what were the key takeaways from their input?

We wanted visionary urban design and planning and through our work with Roberts Day, we have tapped into best practice design philosophies through the thought leadership of Mike Day and Emma Petersen.  Placemaking has been a focus, not a cookie-cutter subdivision mentality. We wanted to bring some of the best of the city to Tarneit, and a phrase we use is “more urban than suburban”.  A key focus of this development is the evolution of specially designed elevated townhome lots, fronting leafy, tree-lined boulevards where walking, cycling and conversation with your neighbour are given higher importance.  Landscaped rear laneways, with studios above garages, will give these lots an element of lifestyle flexibility not seen in surrounding suburbs. The Keystone design will promote safer walking and cycling to school, shops and recreation as a fundamental part of everyday activity.  We can‘t wait to do some longer-term studies to measure the positive impact that our design will have on the health and wellbeing of our future residents.

Do you believe that there is enough incentive for developers to create precincts which have a strong community focus like Keystone? Or is it primarily down to company ethos?

The recent correction in the housing market means that the “fear of missing out” has lessened, and astute buyers can take their time to understand what makes a quality development.  Akron has set its ethos on seeing beyond the present day, and we want to leave a legacy of good design and great places for people to make home. Akron partners with like-minded visionary and enthusiastic design teams to incorporate leading design principles, and we try to bring the best of our favourite places in Melbourne and around the world to each Akron neighbourhood.  If we don’t design places that we’d like to live in, how can we expect others to understand our vision and make Keystone home? Akron recognises that systems like the Green Building Council of Australia’s Green Star Rating, and the UDIA EnviroDevelopment certification can be badges which verify Akron’s commitment to sustainability and independently certify the quality of our Keystone vision. 

<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/akron_linkedin_blog_1.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Akron Property team"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="304" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/akron_linkedin_blog_1.png?itok=gJafKYQj" title="Akron Property team" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Akron Property team</figcaption></figure>How do you see Keystone evolving over the years?

Akron is committed to early provision of community infrastructure, and the Riverdale North Primary school, in the heart of Keystone will be at the heart of the community. We are working with the Council to refine designs for a community hub opposite the primary school.  We see early provision of a childcare centre and kindergarten opposite the school as priorities, supported by some small shops. We will be working with innovative, quality builders to build and display innovative medium density house product and innovative home office townhouses.  We are committed to exploring a diversity of home types, for different family structures, including singles and couples. We’d love to see a range of home types that cater to different stages of life.

What do you think residents will love most about living at Keystone?

The design approach seeks to encourage physical activity, and we hope for a real sense of health and wellness to evolve. Our green streets will be planted with double rows of trees and will be attractive streets that encourage walking and cycling.  Most local streets point at the school, so we think there will be a high proportion of kids that will walk, ride, skate to school. We will relocate our sales office from Leakes Road into first completed stage, and we hope to partner with Council for some pop-up recreational facilities before council builds the dedicated Active Open Space sports ovals and facilities in years to come.  

Given your experience working on the creation of an international award-winning Ellenbrook Community in Perth, what do you think are the key features of a holistic, modern community? What would you like to see more of in new mixed-use precincts across Australia?

Authentic communities thrive on diversity. This applies to the people who live there, the building typologies and the streets, parks and urban places which will emerge.  When the developer shows a better understanding of how people want to live, houses become homes, and people become neighbours.  Compact living, useable verandahs and rooftop terraces are exciting trends that enable social interaction and community engagement.  We’d love to see radical changes in the building typologies that are accessible to people in Tarneit, and we will be working with our building partners to truly innovate. 
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