Less than two years after breaking ground, Gardner Vaughan Group is celebrating the topping out of Bask, its second development in the exclusive coastal enclave of Bokarina on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.&nbsp;

Located only minutes from the beachfront, the two seven-storey luxury apartment towers, known individually as Mydas and Caretta, offer a selection of one-to-four-bedroom residences with views of Lake Kawana, the Glasshouse Mountains, and Bokarina Beach.&nbsp;

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Gardner Vaughan Group Commercial Director Sam Gardner said the milestone marks the home stretch for construction, with first residents expected to be able to move in from Spring 2026.&nbsp;

“This is a significant milestone in bringing this development to life and represents our confidence in this region’s long-term growth and appeal,” Gardner said.&nbsp;

“With 85 per cent of apartments already sold, buyers are joining an established, coastal village that offers the very best of the Sunshine Coast – seasonally patrolled surf beaches, renowned restaurants, and links to established health and retail.&nbsp;

“The final collection of three- and four- bedroom apartments range in size from 127sqm to 300sqm, each with two or three secure car parks and storage, and with construction fast approaching completion we don’t expect the last few apartments to remain on the market for long.”&nbsp;

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Local restaurateur Luke Stringer, who co-owns and manages the award-winning Bocca Italian and Playa Mexican restaurants in Bokarina, has lived in the beachside suburb for 18 months and worked there for more than three years, and said the beachside suburb was thriving.&nbsp;

“It’s fair to say Bokarina is finally stepping into the sun and there’s a lot to love about the place,"&nbsp;Stringer said.

"It’s such a great community, where you see the same smiling faces every morning and everything’s within easy reach – it’s the perfect hub in the middle of the Sunshine Coast.

“When we first opened Bocca Italian, we were the lone restaurant, but it’s been amazing to see how the area has grown. The more venues that open, the busier it gets for everyone. When Playa Mexican opened its first Saturday night, Bocca had a record night and Playa was packed too, which blew us away how everyone is thriving.&nbsp;

“There’s a great energy around the place now, and people are really embracing Bokarina as a food and lifestyle destination.”&nbsp;

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Stringer joined other buyers at Bask Bokarina and the Gardner Vaughan Group team to celebrate the topping out at a special event in February.&nbsp;

Located in Kawana Waters, midway between Caloundra and Maroochydore, Bokarina locals enjoy scenic walking paths around Lake Kawana, playgrounds, beachfront boardwalk and parklands, alongside all the convenience of a masterplanned beachside community.&nbsp;

“You see people jogging or swimming in the morning, then grabbing coffee at the cafes, people are really embracing the area and all this growth is bringing more people to Bokarina,” Stringer added.&nbsp;

To take advantage of the vistas, each of the 135 apartments at Bask is designed with full size windows and high ceilings that provide an abundance of natural light.&nbsp;

Prices for the remaining three-bedroom apartments start at $1,599,000 and four-bedroom apartments start at $3,149,000.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=141609 project_image_fid=363369]

The mixed-use development also features ground-level retail space for cafés, dining options and boutiques, including the soon-to-be-opened ‘Corner Shop’, by the team behind Noosa’s well known ‘Organika’.

Sam Gardner said Gardner Vaughan Group’s 37-year history building and developing across South East Queensland has contributed to the success of its second development in Bokarina, which follows the recently completed Zinc Apartments.&nbsp;

“We care how people live and this is reflected in the way we approach the design and delivery of every development,” he said. “Furthermore, as a builder-developer we have full control over the construction program and our 100 per cent completion rate is something people can draw confidence from.”&nbsp;

Founded by civil engineers Guy Gardner and Darryl Vaughan in 1989, the family-owned business has evolved from a consultancy firm to an award-winning builder-developer, with projects across the Sunshine Coast, Moreton Bay, Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=141609]

Joel Robinson

Gardner Vaughan Group tops out Bask Bokarina apartments

Prolific Melbourne developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hirsch-faigen">Hirsch &amp; Faigen</a> has launched its fourth new Gold Coast development in as many years.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hirsch-faigen">Hirsch &amp; Faigen</a>, led by Daniel Faigen and backed by Eddie Hirsch, co-founder of United Petroleum, has unveiled The Eveleigh, on a prime 1,100 sqm site at 7-9 Surf Parade in the heart of Broadbeach.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-eveleigh-broadbeach-7-9-surf-parade-broadbeach-qld-4218">The Eveleigh</a> will deliver 100 apartments across 31 levels, making it the company’s largest Gold Coast project to date. It builds on the success of its three earlier developments, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/hemingway-1267-1273-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach">The Hemingway in Palm Beach</a> and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/emerson-kirra-100-musgrave-street-coolangatta">The Emerson at Kirra</a>, both completed, and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/yves-mermaid-beach-7-9-mermaid-avenue-mermaid-beach">Yves Mermaid Beach</a>, which is nearing completion.

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The announcement of The Eveleigh affirms the company’s sustained confidence in the Gold Coast market which continues to remain undersupplied. It also increases the value of Hirsch &amp; Fa​igen’s Gold Coast development portfolio to more than $700 million since the company first entered the market in 2021 with Hemingway.

The company has enlisted its preferred architecture firm Rothelowman to design The Eveleigh, which will offer a thoughtfully curated lifestyle, including a substantial wellness precinct, communal recreation areas, children’s play spaces, work-from-home facilities, and shared lounge and dining areas.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360965]

Designed for the prime market demographic of downsizers and interstate lifestyle investors in mind, The Eveleigh has been crafted to offer an increasingly rare blend of affordable luxury in a tightly held market. Uniquely positioned in the heart of the Gold Coast’s most sought-after lifestyle suburb of Broadbeach, the project will also boast uninterrupted beach and hinterland views.

The Surf Parade site is just a short walk to the bustling Broadbeach dining and retail precinct, Pacific Fair, The Star Gold Coast and convention centre, and an easy stroll to Kurrawa Beach and the recreational amenity of Pratten Park on the Broadbeach foreshore.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360975]

“We’re excited to be proceeding with our fourth project on the Gold Coast in what is certain to become the new luxury precinct in Broadbeach,” says Anthony Bueti, the CFO of Hirsch &amp;a​mp; Faigen and a shareholder of the group.

“With the likes of Mosa​ic and Abedian &amp;a​mp; Co also launching quality projects in the area, the transformation will cement Broadbeach as the premier lifestyle and amenity suburb on the Gold Coast.

"After four years in the Gold Coast market, and with three successful projects completed, The Eveleigh is the product of everything we have learned to love about the Gold Coast and it will be an incredible addition to our growing portfolio in one of the most vibrant property markets in the country. We continue to remain very confident in the high-end Gold Coast property market.”

Urban Activation Director Matt George is handling sales for The Eveleigh, having sold out The Emerson, The Hemingway, and Yves, all before construction was completed.

Melbourne builder MAXCON has already commenced construction on The Eveleigh. They are forecasting a mid-2028 completion.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=149670]

Hirsch & Faigen unveils The Eveleigh in Broadbeach

Two years after securing development approval for the final stage of its award-winning Thornton Precinct on the doorstep of Penrith Station, Urban Property Group is set to launch <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/mayfair-on-penrith-172-lord-sheffield-circuit-penrith-nsw-2750">Mayfair on Penrith</a>, around 400 apartments designed to reflect two of Sydney’s most iconic structures.

The builder-developer has continued refining the design plans for the two-building development on a significant 8,280 sqm site on Sheffield Circuit, recognising the importance of the prime parcel as one of the closest developable sites to the station.

UPG enlisted architecture firm SJB to design the project. The team said they drew inspiration from both the General Post Office in Martin Place and East Circular Quay to help shape the design. The two-level colonnade, in particular, reflects the famous GPO building, which dates back to the 1860s.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=136726 project_image_fid=362014]

There will be one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments on offer, with interiors by Cox Architecture. Residences will sit above a retail podium featuring hospitality and lifestyle operators such as One Playground and Volcano’s Steakhouse, contributing to an activated ground plane within the broader Thornton precinct.

A communal rooftop with a pool and views towards the Blue Mountains will provide shared open space for residents. The development is positioned between Ron Mulock Oval and Westfield Penrith, with the Nepean River and Great River Walk also nearby, placing daily amenity and green space within walking distance.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=136726 project_image_fid=362015]

Mayfair is being delivered by Urban Property Group, a family-owned developer and builder with nearly 40 years’ experience across Sydney. The project will be the first in Penrith to be offered with Resilience Insurance’s 10-year Latent Defects Insurance (LDI) policy, which Urban Property Group has adopted across a number of its recent developments. The developer also has a 4.5-star iCIRT rating, one of the best ratings in market providing further confidence to buyers.

Urban Property Group CEO Patrick Elias said providing additional assurance to off-the-plan buyers has become increasingly important.

“Anything we can do to give confidence in our product is a plus,” Elias told Apartments.com.au.

“Consumers are a lot more weary and a lot more concerned in buying off the plan than they ever have been. They’re making their single large investment, which is their home, and providing confidence is something that we feel is paramount.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=136726 project_image_fid=362020]

The LDI policy provides a 10-year warranty covering structural defects, with independent inspections carried out during construction and protection for owners if defects arise post-completion.

Mayfair represents Urban Property Group’s sixth and final development within Thornton, consolidating the masterplanned precinct immediately east of the station.

The developer, which builds its own projects, has already commenced construction. SRM Residential is handling the sales campaign.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=136726]

Urban Property Group to close the curtain on award-winning Thornton precinct with Mayfair on Penrith release

Investor appetite for Queenstown apartments is strengthening as supply constraints and four-season tourism continue to underpin demand across the alpine region.

In Frankton’s masterplanned Remarkables Park precinct,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/safari-group">Safari Group</a>’s 141-apartment Mountain Oak development is attracting repeat and yield-focused buyers seeking exposure to that market dynamic.

Brandon, who specifically targeted Queenstown as an investment location, said the combination of price point and limited new supply made Mountain Oak stand out.

“It is a quality product in a location that struggles to densify,” he said, referencing Queenstown’s land-locked geography and development limitations.

<img alt="From slopes to markets: Mountain Oak connects residents to the best of Queenstown" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_auto/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/658d4f_48c3ec1ae5df4a2cab7d23c07c7f51b3~mv2.jpg?VersionId=27K8oQ4ExDN8Yu70VHDa9Olq59XU36m3" />

Having spent significant time in the region, Brandon pointed to its global reputation and consistent visitation as key fundamentals.

“Queenstown is a known destination from people all over the world. The place is land locked and there are issues building there. It’s also busy all year round.”

That four-season economy, driven by skiing and snowboarding in winter and hiking, cycling and water-based tourism in summer, was also central to Sherry’s decision to invest.

“I believe the four-season tourism has major appeal as it would ensure that the property will not remain empty, unlike other areas in NZ,” she said.

<img alt="From slopes to markets: Mountain Oak connects residents to the best of Queenstown" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_auto/https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/313_Living_WEB.jpg?VersionId=3LglY20Jp_MAzQYdvwODRWvtjL.cZcqI" />

Mountain Oak has been structured to respond to that sustained demand, with 365-day visitor accommodation consent underpinning a mix of one-bedroom, flexi, two-bedroom and dual-key configurations that can operate as either short-term visitor accommodation or long-term rental housing. Dual-key apartments comprise two self-contained residences on one title, allowing owners to generate dual income streams or occupy one side while leasing the other.&nbsp;

Under Safari Group’s optional visitor accommodation management model, owners receive 60 per cent of the annual income generated by their apartment, with 24/7 on-site management, guest services and listing exposure included. Independent appraisal modelling suggests gross yields of up to 15 per cent for certain two-bedroom configurations, based on estimated nightly rates and occupancy assumptions.

For Brandon, that flexibility aligned with his broader investment strategy.

“It helps to know that I can have it managed either way,” he said. “My focus is on purchasing high yield cashflow properties.”

<img alt="Investors back Safari Group’s Mountain Oak Apartments as Queenstown’s four-season economy drives demand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c786ba7f-f974-4ce3-9833-1bcd9f2938d6" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/658d4f_ae3c049f388f4c13bf801649d91cbb4a~mv2%20%281%29.jpg?VersionId=J25uvzGdvtFaXGzuwz28ewJ9wWzbtvur" />

He selected a one-bedroom flexi configuration, citing both yield and adaptability.

“I work remotely and can travel to most places and work. I enjoy making spaces that work for the lifestyle that I live and it seems that others also enjoy it.”

Ranging from 54 to 57 square metres, the one-bedroom flexi incorporates a separate multipurpose room suited to a home office, additional storage, or accommodation for ski gear and seasonal equipment, an increasingly relevant inclusion for buyers balancing remote work and alpine travel.

Interiors feature underfloor heating in bathrooms and a heat pump in the main living area, supporting year-round comfort. Upper-level apartments are positioned to maximise natural light, with sliding windows and balustrades in select residences enhancing outlook and ventilation. Units are available in both light and dark interior schemes.

<img alt="Investors back Safari Group’s Mountain Oak Apartments as Queenstown’s four-season economy drives demand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8f9492e9-8ee0-4aae-856c-8996ed9d9a06" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/658d4f_7d066f5200024c1aa472d01e2dc776ed~mv2.jpg?VersionId=MLR5xn6fLqPdBi7vxyRT.1zhQX3Ln0Ev" />

Sherry, a repeat Safari Group buyer, said her previous experience with the developer provided confidence to secure another apartment.

“Their developments have always finished on time, the quality has been high, and I didn't feel that my investment may be at risk,” she said. “Knowledge of the developer and our two existing Safari apartments gave us the confidence to proceed with this one.”

Safari Group has delivered more than 2,000 hotel units and residential apartments nationally and is now undertaking its fifth Queenstown development, reinforcing buyer confidence in delivery capability.

Although Sherry was not initially targeting Queenstown due to its price profile, prior visits reshaped her view of the market.

“I absolutely love this region and believe it is a major tourist attraction, which led me to the decision to invest.”

<img alt="How Mountain Oak Apartments draws holiday home buyers to Queenstown" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_auto/https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_auto/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Ext_Cam15_Sunny.jpg?VersionId=SJAROUM_1s.Tr5ciMk4EEj5oAt_Vewmv" />

Construction commenced in June 2025, with completion anticipated by mid-2027. Apartments are priced from NZ$639,000, and the development carries Overseas Investment Office exemption approval, allowing non-residents to purchase.

For both investors, the purchase represents a balance of income generation and long-term portfolio positioning in a tightly held alpine market.

“I firmly believe my investments in Safari developments are a combination of all these elements,” Sherry said. “The location of this project enabled me to diversify.”

As Queenstown continues to attract year-round visitation alongside constrained housing supply, Mountain Oak’s dual-key flexibility, optional on-site management structure and established developer track record are resonating with investors seeking exposure to the region’s resilient tourism economy.

Investors back Safari Group’s Mountain Oak Apartments as Queenstown’s four-season economy drives demand

The Minns Labor Government is today unveiling a game-changing new precinct at Bays West – delivering up to 8,500 well-located homes, including a minimum of 10 per cent affordable and essential worker homes - directly above the new Bays West Metro Station currently under construction.

The landmark transformation will convert underutilised government-owned port land on the Harbour into Sydney’s newest suburb, while retaining important deep-water port facilities to support Sydney’s working harbour.

Located just minutes from the Sydney CBD and connected to a world-class metro, ferry, walking and cycling links, the Bays West precinct will rebalance housing growth towards well-serviced inner-city locations and help tackle the state’s housing crisis.

<img alt="Bays West" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c5f01d10-0b6b-49de-8033-d3ef2728cb6d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-03-04%20at%204.06.12%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=UA6_r._1jYROJ5tFNXMHqjNYLKYWIN.Y" />

Affordable housing will be embedded from the outset, including dedicated homes for essential workers such as nurses, teachers, paramedics, firefighters and police so they can live closer to the communities they serve.

The precinct will combine new housing with public open space, opening public access to the waterfront for the first time in more than 100 years.

Night-time entertainment and creative industries will be anchored by the revitalisation of the historic White Bay Power Station as a cultural and community destination, connected to the harbour across a new expansive public forecourt.

Planning of the area will prioritise connectivity, including active transport links to neighbouring communities such as Rozelle, Balmain and Glebe, improved pedestrian access to the waterfront, and connections to the CBD, including an active transport link across the Glebe Island Bridge.

The Government will lead a master planning process that will include an international design competition to guide development across the precinct, ensuring homes, essential infrastructure, jobs, public spaces and transport links are delivered together.

It will be led by a new delivery agency to be established over the coming weeks, which will report to Minister Kamper who already has oversight of major precinct renewal projects including at Blackwattle Bay and Barangaroo. Once established, the publicly owned land in the precinct will be transferred to the new agency.

This is the first new suburb that has been built in inner Sydney in decades, it will see homes built alongside the Bays West Metro Station ensuring young people, families and downsizers are only minutes away from the CBD. As part of the transformation of the Bays West precinct, bulk port operations – including cement, gypsum and sugar handling – will cease on Glebe Island by no later than 2030.

<img alt="Glebe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="46ef3c23-2ce1-4912-b8ba-5247de19d7b9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-03-04%20at%204.02.15%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=I5xKa7hLNlsueMsltA2dsYrRYtZCKvZz" />

The Government will work closely with industry to minimise impacts and ensure the continuity of supply. This includes a commitment of $270 million to improve road connections around the port at Port Kembla and to investigate increased rail freight capacity.

Working harbour operations across the precinct will be consolidated, mostly into White Bay, ensuring the precinct will continue to provide critical services for the harbour, including boat maintenance and marine construction and as a base for tug boats and for emergency services.

A new staging area will be established in White Bay, securing the future of the New Year’s Eve fireworks, Vivid and other major events for decades to come.

<img alt="Glebe island" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0554b153-b225-445b-a633-75aecea7dec9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-03-04%20at%204.06.17%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=P45ABy8KLuwjzVf04APWfeC4aOMA1Ngx" />

The cruise terminal will be retained in its current location, meaning tourists arriving in Sydney will be welcomed by the new precinct, with new shore-power facilities currently being installed that will reduce noise and emissions. The Sydney Heritage Fleet will also be offered new premises in White Bay.

Deep-water berths will be retained to preserve Sydney Harbour’s strategic operational capability, and the removal of the existing 1970s industrial silos, currently used as a billboard, as well as to store cement and sugar, will unlock new opportunities for public space and future housing.

“Right above a new metro station and minutes from the CBD, we’re delivering thousands of homes where people actually need them - close to work, close to services and close to transport,"&nbsp;Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said.

“Importantly, this precinct will include affordable and essential worker housing from day one, so nurses, teachers, paramedics and police can live closer to the communities they serve.

“We understand that not everyone will welcome change, but cities don’t stand still. If Sydney is going to remain a place young people and families can afford to live in, we have to use well-located land better and plan for the future.”

Glebe Island to accomodate 8,500 new homes near new Bays Metro Station

Community

New Life Darling Harbour residences have a unique setting within Ultimo&rsquo;s rich and significant history. Pyrmont-Ultimo was once the most important industrial suburb in Sydney powering NSW into the 20th Century

The history of Ultimo is very much connected to the Harris family, the dominant landowners in the area for over 100 years who gave Harris Street its name. In the 1800s, they built the substantial villa &ldquo;Littlebridge&rdquo; here.

As a building boom hit in the 1870s, rows of terraced houses, worker cottages, factories, breweries, foundries and warehouses increasingly dominated the landscape. In 1938, the aroma of tea and coffee filled the air when iconic Australian tea company Bushells acquired the land for a tea warehouse, coffee grinding and roasting facility.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=9040 project_image_fid=194006]

In the 1960s, the Harris Street premises became the TAB&rsquo;s headquarters and nerve centre of a rapidly expanding betting business. It became one of the largest employers of women in the state, operating a complex system of telephones connecting, recording, and tallying accounts between hundreds of metropolitan and country TAB branches and racecourses.

According to historians, no suburb has contributed as much to the economy and amenity of Sydney as Pyrmont-Ultimo. It embodies the seeds of this nation&rsquo;s industrial success since the late 1800s.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=9040 project_image_fid=193452]

Few places enchant with such diversity and sophistication as Sydney. From hawker-style diners to hatted restaurants, it&rsquo;s a city that has it all, and New Life is in the heart of it.

While the residences deliver high-quality amenity, a focus was still placed on life outside, within the community.

NewLife Darling Harbour&rsquo;s principal architect, Brendan Randles, lead the team that drove the innovative and artful city development saying,

&ldquo;Quality of life is important to us. What is happening outside our homes is as important as what is offered inside. We want local environments to thrive alongside the people and communities who live there.&rdquo;

&ldquo;We take locations and transform them. We work with local communities, councils and stakeholders to create vibrant environments. We collaborate with the best professionals and most creative industry minds to bring new life to every project,&rdquo; he added.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=9040 project_image_fid=193878]

The <a href="/news/architectus-and-ingehoven-on-sydneys-latest-super-skyscraper" target="_blank">Architectus</a>&nbsp;designed residences pay homage to the site&rsquo;s semi-industrial history, delivering a collection of 200 apartments, with a range of single-storey one, two and three-bedroom apartments, two-level terrace apartments and penthouses.

The nine-storey building has a limited selection of two-bedroom&nbsp;apartments still remaining within the fully-completed residential development.

[smartcode_project_cta: project_id=9040]

According to historians, no suburb has contributed as much to the economy and amenity of Sydney as Pyrmont-Ultimo. It embodies the seeds of this nation’s industrial success since the late 1800s.

alisonwarters@gmail.com

How NewLife Darling Harbour brings to life the site’s location 

There&#39;s been a push for increased amenity within apartment buildings, as residents seek to have everything in one place.&nbsp;

Developers across Melbourne have taken note, and are building apartment projects with extensive communal facilities so residents can interact with neighbours and invite friends over in a larger space.

The type of amenity varies by development, whether it&#39;s a&nbsp;shared living and dining space, rooftop communal gardens, or luxury lap pools and spas.

In the first part of our Shared Spaces, we&#39;ve taken a look at four apartment developments across Melbourne which have dedicated spaces for residents to unwind.

1. Hawthorn Park, Hawthorn East 
Developer: Dahua Group

[smartcode_project:default project_id=3730 project_image_fid=171605]

Hawthorn Park is truly a landmark suburban development with world-class amenities on offer exclusively to residents. &nbsp;

Among these include plenty of bookable lounge and dining rooms with fully equipped chef&rsquo;s kitchen.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=3730 project_image_fid=171601]

Two of the four buildings that form Hawthorn Park link via a sky terrace and boardwalk that accompany the sky pool, perfect for memorable occasions and everyday affairs.

The development boasts 2,000sqm of landscaping designed by Jack Merlo, as well as outdoor facilities, including hammock lounges, lawns and landscaped walkways, alfresco dining and vegetable gardens.

2. 4 Ballarat Street, Brunswick 
Developer: Assemble

[smartcode_project:default project_id=94542 project_image_fid=160739]

Located in the heart of Brunswick, Assemble&rsquo;s new rent-with-the-option-to-buy project, 4 Ballarat Street, focuses on bringing communities together.

&ldquo;4 Ballarat St.&nbsp;has been designed to bring people together offering residents an enriched and connected life beyond their four walls&rdquo;, said Assemble&rsquo;s Rebecca Shackleton.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=94542 project_image_fid=160741]

The development boasts a shared rooftop garden, designated dog park, green planting space and a shared clothesline on level eight.

Other shared facilities include a parcel room, lending library, multi-purpose room and workshop space.

3. Riverbank, Abbotsford 
Developer: Salta Properties

[smartcode_project:default project_id=4136 project_image_fid=156275]

Riverbank, one of two buildings at The Park House, resides on the banks of the Yarra River, not only connecting residents to the surrounding nature, but through world-class amenities at your fingertips.

Unrivalled building amenity exclusive to each residence has been provided to ensure occupants will be able to create a sense of lifestyle and community within the broader Park House project.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=4136 project_image_fid=166464]

The development, designed by SJB, boasts a pool, gym, cinema, resident&rsquo;s lounge and library, kids playroom, deluxe eight-seater cinema, bike workshop and golf simulation room.

SJB has aimed to transform the space into a &lsquo;new neighbourhood&rsquo; with an improved public realm thanks to the common facilities.

4. The Evermore, Southbank 
Developer: Landence Group

[smartcode_project:default project_id=2087 project_image_fid=180823]

The Landence Group&rsquo;s latest Southbank development, the Evermore, features a range of shared spaces that present a sense of escape from the everyday.

Influenced by the world&rsquo;s grand hotels, the development boasts two private dining spaces for each of its buildings that overlook central courtyards.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=2087 project_image_fid=180836]

Dining rooms sit adjacent to inviting communal lounges provided for residents&rsquo; relaxation and enjoyment.

Communal lounges incorporate high-quality materials like marble, dark timber, and brass trims, and are ideal for some quiet &lsquo;me-time&rsquo; or relaxation with guests and other residents.

A new wave of luxury apartment living is arriving in Melbourne, with discerning buyers seeking high-end amenities, communal resident spaces and elegant design.

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Shared Spaces Part I: Four Melbourne apartments with communal resident space

Sales have launched at the new Ormond apartment development, Walsh Grange.

The contemporary collection of just 23 one, two and three-bedroom apartments is being developed in a joint venture between CQ Property Development and Loi Projects, who had the local architecture firm Telha Clarke design the modern low-rise building.

Their focus was to create a feeling of connection, through shared public spaces, and surrounding gardens and trees.

Prices start from $479,000 for the near 50 sqm one-bedroom apartments. All apartments, as high as the near 100 sqm three-bedroom apartments, are priced under $1 million.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108897 project_image_fid=180972]

Named after its corner location bordering Walsh and Grange Street, Walsh Grange a rare new development for Ormond, which has quietly been one of Melbourne&#39;s most sought-after suburbs, on the fringe of the popular Bayside area. Ormond is&nbsp;now blessed with bustling retail precincts, extensive amenities, and great education options.

Access to major road networks, spacious public parks and gardens, and a nearby beach also provide convenient access to all of life&rsquo;s necessities.

Within 10 minutes you&#39;re by the bay at North Road foreshore, where there&#39;s a beach-side bike path stretching around the southern bay for kilometres.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108897 project_image_fid=180981]

Ormond maintains the community charm of the Bayside lifestyle, with numerous restaurants, caf&eacute;s and nearby shopping strips, including Carnegie, Bentleigh and Caulfield.

The development will likely be a hit with families, given the close proximity to a number of Melbourne&#39;s best schools, including&nbsp;Kilvington Grammar, Bentleigh Secondary College and McKinnon Secondary College.

Monash University, one of Australia&rsquo;s top tertiary institutions, is also nearby.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108897 project_image_fid=180974]

Ormond is near some of Melbourne&rsquo;s best parklands, with playgrounds, sporting grounds and facilities adding further opportunities for family fun and entertaining.

Walsh Grange has been designed to deliver the security of community and the comfort of a private, premium residence.

[smartcode_project_cta: project_id=108897]

In recent years, Ormond has undergone a transformation, now blessed with bustling retail precincts, extensive amenities, and great education options

Sales launch at Walsh Grange, Ormond's newest apartment development

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EXPERT OBSERVER

Mike Day recommends six planning actions for councils, developers and planners to ensure regional township projects are embraced by the community:

1. Councils could develop building codes and guidelines which reflect and respect their distinctive local settings. Mike says developers and planners should respect a town’s character by integrating complementary developments into the existing urban pattern rather than introducing conventional suburban subdivision patterns and built form.

2. Engage and consult early with the community. Local residents are inevitably ‘local experts’ that have travelled extensively. When they are involved early in the planning process they can provide feedback and advise the changes they want to see to create a town they are proud of and will love to continue calling home. Councils and planners can get meaningful input from the community through engaging with residents, planning design forums where the community and stakeholders explore solutions and design ideas through interactive workshops, and social media. By capturing residents’ feedback, designers and planners can ensure the community’s views are reflected in the design and development of any future projects.

3. Create jobs for the local community. Creation of mixed-use neighbourhoods or business hubs and Government projects will attract business and work opportunities for local residents. In Mike’s extensive experience on regional projects, he has found residents are very receptive to development plans that provide local jobs, particularly for the youth of a community, which invariably assists in addressing many social issues.

4. Reinforce and expand existing walkable neighbourhoods. Compact, mixed-use, walkable neighbourhoods provide opportunities for social connection and a reduced reliance on cars. With remote working becoming more popular, living in closer proximity to local amenities can reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness, and will also foster a stronger community and sense of belonging, particularly among new residents moving from major cities.

5. Provide housing diversity. Communities that combine single dwelling homes, townhouses, apartments, and specialised housing such as seniors housing integrated with the township, enables ageing in place and attracts residents of all ages and incomes. Regional communities are receptive to diverse housing options if they maintain the essence and unique character of their townships.

6. Maintain community engagement in perpetuity. Mike says councils, planners and developers must get feedback from the community at all stages of planning and development. Interactive mapping and community forums provide locals with the opportunity to voice their opinions and achieve built form outcomes they feel meet local needs. Mike highlights the importance of getting a true cross-section of the community, not just the vocal minority, through expressions of interest for community involvement. Ongoing community input on regional projects will ensure the critical attributes of the town is retained.

Mike Day is a partner at award-winning Australian urban planning and design practice Hatch RobertsDay
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Mike Day recommends six planning actions for councils, developers and planners to ensure regional township projects are embraced by the community

Planners must avoid ‘suburbanisation’ of regional towns, Community is Key: Mike Day

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Expert Observer

The COVID-19 pandemic has created widespread isolation throughout our communities. People are feeling increasingly disconnected from not only their physical surroundings but also their social ties. This has only been exacerbated by the looming uncertainty around job and financial security, continuous changes to restrictions and surprise cases emerging when we all least expected them. 

However, one thing is for certain in these times: That nothing is certain. Many of us are looking for the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, where some form of normalcy is restored. Many of us are also disillusioned to this beacon of hope, coming to terms with the new reality we find ourselves in presently.

Our collective resiliency as a nation is entering recovery mode, with the enduring Australian spirit guiding us through the challenges of the pandemic. The repeated blows dealt by the pandemic have been felt the hardest in our communities where our ability to live, work and socialise has been severely impacted. Our relationships and connections within our communities have been challenged  during these trying times. As restrictions continue to ease, more than half of us think this will have a positive effect on our relationships. 

According to the ABS, one in 11 people think that life will never return to normal. With this frightening insight into the new Australian mindset, one space where we need to focus on to secure strong economic and social recovery is at our communities and their citizens. 

<h2>Citizens as local experts for guidance on fostering a modern day community</h2>

As Australian cities look towards economic recovery in the new post COVID-19 world, it is now more important than ever to recognise the important role that strong and resilient communities play in driving growth and connectedness. These are the backbone of our economy and social frameworks. A highly functioning community with involved and committed members is one that that will drive growth. 

These types of community tend to thrive more in ‘people-first places’, where it is less about what is built and more about what the community can be and will become in the future. These places go beyond green belts and access to transport to consider the broader wellbeing of a community. Social cohesion, promotion of healthy lifestyles and addressing digital needs are strongly taken into account and considered throughout the planning process. 

This development ideology is well and truly embedded throughout EG’s ‘Build In Good’ (B.I.G) development philosophy. These developments create a new category in residential living focused on social impact. People-first locations with a community spirit, spaces to meet and relax, multiple housing options for long-term living and a technology-led environment that enables convenience and connection are all at the heart of these B.I.G developments. 

The Flour Mill at Summer Hill, a real-life example of this B.I.G philosophy brought to life, is quickly becoming a thriving community with the guiding vision to build a neighbourhood that was caring and inclusive, an environment that ensured connectivity, fostered physical, mental, and emotional health and wellbeing. Well connected by heavy and light rail, boasting community gardens, public park with an established tree canopy, this is a people-first place that champions and reflects the needs of the community that inhabit it. It’s popular fortnightly Flour Mill Markets were recently named among the best in the Inner West.  

<h2>Social planning and community empowerment</h2>

So how can developers work towards futureproofing our built communities so they can grow in our new post COVID-19 reality? It begins and ends with the people that make these new communities. Drawing upon their knowledge, experiences and expertise as locals for guidance. This starts with extensive community consultation, to fully understand the real needs that impact citizens in their day to day lives. This consultation process and continued community engagement (with existing and incoming residents) helped ensure that the development at the Flour Mill delivered on the promise of building a home which honored the footprint and history of the building and industry that came before them. 

Going back to the basics of community and social planning is key, especially as we navigate our way through these trying and uncertain times. Co-creation between key community members and developers should be heavily encouraged and supported throughout the planning process. This close collaboration allows communities to voice their needs from the outset and promotes a healthy working relationship with the developers crafting the physical components of the planned community. The co-creation process indirectly also further establishes these burgeoning communal connections that will continue to thrive and prosper well after the ribbon cutting ceremony. Staying to foster neighbourly connection is what distinguishes a development from a community.

Creating a connected community begins with the intentional decisions we make in our day-to-day relationships. Connection is the foundation on which we build everything else. And as we build this connected life, we make it possible to build a more connected world, where we create neighbourhoods and workplaces that support and connect us all. 

Now more than ever before, our connections have been tested thanks to the pandemic. It is now time to focus our energy and efforts into forming strong communal ties, that will outlast the most trying of times. As activist Wael Ghonim once said, “The power of the people is much stronger than the people in power”. For me, these words have never run truer than in our new reality as we all look to recovering and healing, together. 

David Workman, Divisional Director – Urban and Community Planning, EG
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Establishing connected communities in a post COVID-19 world

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Stockland, one of Australia’s largest diversified property groups, has opened its latest display village at Cloverton to the public.

Currently viewed by appointment only, the display home village features 21 inspiring homes from 11 of well-known Melbourne home builders. Stockland are hoping to add to the existing 2,000 residents already living in the Kalkallo community with a plethora of first home buyers looking to take advantage of the HomeBuilder Grant that was recently extended to March 31 2021.

“Cloverton is set to be the future city of Melbourne’s north. The community is already flourishing with three parks, a popular café, an early learning centre and a primary school set to open in 2022. There’s plenty on offer now and into the future for our community,” Stockland Project Director, James Westh said.

The 21 homes in the display village have been built by 11 different builders including: Porter Davis, Metricon, Carlisle Homes, Simonds, Eight Homes, Bentley Homes, Mimosa Homes, Home Group, Homebuyers Centre, Boutique and ABC Homes.

<h2>Other Stockland Developments</h2>

Waterlea, Rowville

<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/waterlea.png" rel="gallery-all"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="324" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/waterlea.png?itok=Av8aT59w" width="580"></a></figure>Another community project by Stockland is Waterlea, a sustainable 6 Star Green Star urban community. Set in 40 plus hectares of natural habitat and green open spaces, the neighbourhood sits at the foot of the Dandenong Ranges in Melbourne’s southeast suburb of Rowville. 

It has been designed by the Group GSA Architects.

Haven, Altona North

<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/haven.png" rel="gallery-all"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="289" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/haven.png?itok=8JYHOjlq" width="580"></a></figure>Other Stockland projects include Haven in Altona North, comprised of two, three and four bedroom townhouses designed by SJB architects. It has prices ranging from $605,000 - $805,000 available for purchase off the plan.

Another, is the Terraces at Minta in Berwick (pictured below), 46 residences set for completion in 2021 with a lower price point of $450,000 - $550,000 making both these projects eligible for the extended HomeBuilder Grant.

<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/minta_terraces.png" rel="gallery-all"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="344" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/minta_terraces.png?itok=1ZtqlPhe" width="580"></a></figure>
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The display home village features 21 inspiring homes from 11 of well-known Melbourne home builders.

urban.com.au

Stockland's new Kalkallo community display village opens in Cloverton

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Today, Stockland Research reveals that, as we enter the new decade, purchasing property is top of mind for Australians. The results also show that there is a strong desire for more social connectivity and sustainable home features becoming standard.
Stockland's 2020 property survey has shown that Australians are heading into the new decade with a positive outlook on home ownership with over 40 per cent planning to buy their own property in the next five to ten years. 93 per cent of purchases are expected to be made by those under 35 years old. 
<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/2020/1/20/7_STOCKLAND%20HOME%20BUY.jpg" alt="" width="593" height="360">
People are willing to look further afield with 36 per cent of those surveyed considering moving interstate, and 44 per cent respondents in New South Wales specifically entertaining the idea of crossing borders. Amongst these respondents, the main reason for considering this move include for better lifestyle, 57 per cent; better job opportunities, 42 per cent; and to buy the home you want for less, 32 per cent. 
<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/2020/1/20/7_RUNNING.jpg" alt="" width="592" height="360">
"It's great to see that home ownership remains a key goal for Australians with many starting 2020 with increasing optimism around achieving this" says Stephanie Vainin, general manager residential sales at Stockland. "Purchasing your own home is still seen as a sense of security for many Australians and this won't change anytime soon.
"The way in which Australians want to live will continue to evolve in 2020 and beyond with many considering that interstate move now more than ever, and an increased demand for features that encourage personal connectivity to communities and improved health and wellbeing." 
Over 60 per cent of Australians would forgo a traditional backyard for a small home with less outdoor space if it meant they were more connected to neighbours and close to community parks and green spaces. 
Survey respondents top features for a dream community of the future also included more walking paths community gardens and recreation spaces and fewer roads.
<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/2020/1/20/7_STOCKLAND%20COMMUNITY.jpg" alt="" width="586" height="373"> 
Ms Vanin explains, "With 24/7 technological connectivity and busy lives, people and increasingly looking for low-maintenance homes located within communities that offer great amenity, social connectivity and physical closeness with their neighbours and wide community. 
"The actual home is still important, however, features that allow for more community living are shifting higher and higher on homeowners' priority lists. That old sense of belonging and knowing your neighbours is more important than ever before." 
Results show that Australians will be even more environmentally conscious this decade with over half, 54 per cent, of the survey respondents stating sustainable and environmental home features are more important to them than they were ten years ago, and 22 per cent stating the purchase of ethical and sustainable items for their home are important. 
A quarter of the respondents also stated they would specifically like automated recycling in their future home, with those over 55 years old the most excited about the prospect. 
<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/2020/1/20/7_BINS.jpg" alt="" width="588" height="357">
"Buyers are much more attuned to the benefits of sustainable home design today than they were a decade ago. The costs of many features such as LED lighting and solar panels are also much more affordable today and buyers now understand the long terms cost benefits of these features for future energy savings to them and the broader benefits to the environment," notes Ms Vanin
This week, Stockland has launched its <a href="https://www.stockland.com.au/start" target="_blank">2020 residential summer campaign</a>. The campaign is built upon the idea that "A day can change a decade" and by taking a step into the home buying journey today, you can set yourself up for the whole decade ahead. 
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

How will Australians live over the next decade, Stockland Research

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GUEST OBSERVATION 
Imagine a community of 200,000. Convivial, walkable, six times the density of Manhattan but with a smaller ecological footprint. It provides low-cost services and affordable housing mixed with productive uses such as recycling, farming and trading. It’s a city within a city.
But the streets aren’t wide enough to allow cars. The houses seem makeshift and the drains need work. The adaptations make it look like a place under perpetual construction.
In fact, the landlords and local leaders have incrementally built their houses and urban amenities over the last 40 years. They have self-organised to provide services such as gas, electricity and water. Non-government organisations (NGOs) have often provided extensive support to help with this process.
The only catch is this community has been built on unused public land. Now the residents face threats of resettlement to allow for “development” projects planned by the state. After spending six months in such a place, I can attest to their simultaneous desire to live their lives and the fear of uprooting that underlies their daily life.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285576/original/file-20190724-110158-11gasn9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Sahajul, a local elder, recollects the struggles he faced to kick-start Karail as a place. 
Mohammed Jilani/Open Studio, Author provided
The story of a billion people
The place is Karail, the largest informal settlement in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dhaka" target="_blank">Dhaka</a>, but the story is not particular to there. A billion people live in such places around the world. That number is slated to reach <a href="https://unhabitat.org/books/world-cities-report/" target="_blank">3 billion people in the next 30 years</a>.
This means informal settlements are one of the major ways developing cities are being produced. Conventional planning approaches such as slum clearance, cookie-cutter high-rises, peripheral resettlement and back-to-village programs have often failed to manage them.
UN-Habitat, the body with global responsibility for issues of urban growth, advocates city-wide <a href="https://www.citiesalliance.org/about-slum-upgrading#Why_not_tear_down" target="_blank">slum upgrading</a> and integration with metropolitan plans. Such programs are explicitly “<a href="http://www.monppab.org/content/libraryfiles/160.pdf" target="_blank">participatory</a>” and inclusive. Specifically, UN-Habitat <a href="https://unhabitat.org/quick-guide-for-participatory-city-wide-slum-upgrading-city-wide-slum-upgrading-for-sustainable-urbanization/" target="_blank">recommends</a> member states “recognise the rights and contributions of slum dwellers and change the view that they are illegal”.
However, these recommendations are non-binding. It is up to the state and NGOs to implement policies on the ground. While funding agencies and local civic bodies have important roles too, they are ineffective in formulating the upgrading programs by themselves.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285568/original/file-20190724-110187-1f79zyw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285568/original/file-20190724-110187-1f79zyw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
An overhead view of Karail. 
Google Earth, Author provided
What’s the plan for Karail?
In Karail’s case, the land belongs to the Ministry of Science and Information &amp; Communication Technology (MoSICT). It plans to establish a <a href="https://bhtpa.portal.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/bhtpa.portal.gov.bd/page/fd2c28e6_99ab_43d4_8262_ff8d87165be7/Draft%20Feasibility%20Study%20Report-%20Mohakhali.pdf" target="_blank">software technology park</a> to replace the settlement. In 2014, several NGOs providing pro bono legal aid filed petitions in court challenging the authority to carry out evictions on such a massive scale. The final verdict is still pending, but the word on the streets in Karail is that the wheels are in motion to make the project happen by any means.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285624/original/file-20190724-110175-kuy1wu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285624/original/file-20190724-110175-kuy1wu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
The existing settlement and proposed development plan. 
Tanzil Shafique and BHTPA, Author provided
If the project proceeds, the demolitions will begin soon. The resettlement plan for the project proposes six options, none of which are slum upgrading.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285573/original/file-20190724-110162-3hzn1q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285573/original/file-20190724-110162-3hzn1q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
 Kurail is an established community that is home to at least 40,000 families. 
Tanzil Shafique, Author provided
In the best-case scenario, about 6,000 economy flats (roughly 25 square metres) will be built on site. Remember, at least 40,000 families live in Karail. The other options – including off-site resettlement or cash compensation – are far worse.
The draft plan shows no understanding of the site as an existing city, nor are there any attempts to integrate slum upgrading into the project, as UN-Habitat recommends. Note that the objective of the project is “to establish knowledge-based industries contributing to the national economy and helping achieve the goals of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vision_2021" target="_blank">Vision 2021: Digital Bangladesh</a>”. The project is predicted to <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://www.theindependentbd.com/printversion/details/133535" target="_blank">create 30,000 jobs</a>.
Such is the cruel irony of “development”. For an estimated investment of <a href="https://bhtpa.portal.gov.bd/sites/default/files/files/bhtpa.portal.gov.bd/page/fd2c28e6_99ab_43d4_8262_ff8d87165be7/Draft%20Feasibility%20Study%20Report-%20Mohakhali.pdf" target="_blank">AU$300 million</a>, the project will generate <a href="http://www.theindependentbd.com/arcprint/details/113909/2017-09-14" target="_blank">30,000 future jobs</a>, replacing the estimated <a href="https://torturedocumentationproject.files.wordpress.com/2014/05/poverty-and-violence-in-korail-slum-in-dhaka.pdf" target="_blank">116,000 jobs that Karail supports</a>. The project will displace 40,000 families from their current affordable housing and build high-rise apartments to house only 6,000.
In a city already on the <a href="https://www.thedailystar.net/city/dhaka-traffic-jam-congestion-eats-32-million-working-hours-everyday-world-bank-1435630" target="_blank">verge of collapse with traffic congestion</a>, the project is set to attract more traffic to the centre. Vehicle-based infrastructure will replace the non-motorised walkable neighbourhood of Karail. The cost of losing the accumulated social capital of the people of Karail only makes it worse.
‘Development’ that fails people
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285575/original/file-20190724-110166-1u7jv7n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285575/original/file-20190724-110166-1u7jv7n.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
The housing in Bhashantek Rehabilitation Project exemplifies how not to resettle a community. 
Tanzil Shafique, Author provided
Such “<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://press.princeton.edu/titles/9564" target="_blank">development</a>” in pursuit of a techno-ideological spectacle, without a sense of equitable well-being, is empty and is particularly threatening to informal settlements due to land value. Even when the state operates with the best of intentions and provides off-site resettlement, it has proven to be disastrous in Bangladesh, as exemplified by the <a href="https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1080519.pdf" target="_blank">Bhashantek Rehabilitation Project</a>.
As Karail’s case shows, conventional “development” and policymaking do not know how to deal with such settlements. Planning is conducted with <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14649357.2015.1071870" target="_blank">half a mind</a> in the absence of empathy. “Inclusive cities” and “sustainable development” become empty motherhood slogans.
New practices can only emerge when we begin to learn how the other half lives and become allies in their struggle. Will Karail survive the onslaught of development? Well, it has survived decades of adversity so far and there is never any scarcity of hope.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/120600/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285570/original/file-20190724-110162-1siaz6o.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Karail is a place of learning to hope. 
Tanzil Shafique, Author provided
Tanzil Shafique, PhD Researcher in Urban Design, University of Melbourne
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-sort-of-development-has-no-place-for-a-billion-slum-dwellers-120600" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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What sort of ‘development’ has no place for a billion slum dwellers?

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GUEST OBSERVATION
The international research is clear. Stimulating and positive environments early in life provide optimal foundations for children’s ongoing development into adulthood. This in turn makes a difference to the productivity of society at large.
Communities are important environments in which young children grow and develop. There is limited research, however, on how communities can best influence early childhood development.
To address this evidence gap, the <a href="https://www.mcri.edu.au/kics" target="_blank">Kids in Communities Study</a> (KiCS) set out to investigate the influence of community-level factors on young children’s development. This <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11205-014-0578-x" target="_blank">research</a> has identified a promising set of factors (listed in table 1) that lay the foundations of a good community for early childhood development.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/241545/original/file-20181021-105757-gwxo5j.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/241545/original/file-20181021-105757-gwxo5j.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
What we currently know is that by the time Australian children start school, those in more disadvantaged communities have three times the level of developmental vulnerability compared with those who are most advantaged (<a href="https://www.aedc.gov.au/resources/detail/2015-aedc-national-report" target="_blank">18.4% vs 6.7%</a>). In simple terms, young children living in Australia’s poorer areas are already on a more disadvantaged trajectory. The evidence suggests these trajectories are challenging to change once established.
What is it about where you live that makes a difference?
The design of communities can impact the healthy development of children. In particular this involves family access to resources to promote good development.
International research shows that disadvantaged communities with limited resources and opportunities can generate poor child development outcomes. And these can then persist from one generation to the next.
Conversely, there are also many factors that can promote healthy child development, even in low-income communities. These factors include parents and families who actively participate in the community, active community organisations, and neighbourhoods that are safe to walk in and have good places to play.
As Australia faces increasing pressure to accommodate population growth, well-designed communities offer real potential as a platform for impact. Indeed, there is interest globally – e.g. “<a href="https://childfriendlycities.org/" target="_blank">child-friendly cities</a>” – and in Australia – e.g. “<a href="https://www.rch.org.au/uploadedFiles/Main/Content/ccch/CCCH_Collaborate_for_Children_Report_The_Evidence_Nov2014.pdf" target="_blank">collective impact</a>” – in <a href="https://ssir.org/articles/entry/collective_impact" target="_blank">place-based approaches</a>. This is stimulating the policy agenda at all levels of government.
This policy agenda recognises “communities” as central for delivering better and more equitable early childhood development. However, this enthusiasm is hampered by the limited available evidence about the most effective ways communities can support good early childhood development.
The Kids in Communities Study
The Kids in Communities Study investigated the potential influence of community-level factors in five domains on early childhood development. These domains are:
<ul>
<li>physical environment</li>
<li>social environment</li>
<li>socio-economic factors</li>
<li>access to services</li>
<li>governance.</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/241759/original/file-20181023-169828-byrc0p.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/241759/original/file-20181023-169828-byrc0p.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
The Kids in Communities Study (KICS) conceptual framework. Author provided
A mix of surveys, focus groups and interviews were conducted with community members (families, service providers, stakeholders). The results were combined with data from 25 Australian urban and regional communities. This mixed methods approach was essential to better understand local context and make sense of the data.
We were particularly interested in understanding why some communities, when matched by disadvantage, showed <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11205-016-1333-2" target="_blank">better (“off-diagonal”) or as expected (“on-diagonal”) child development outcomes relative to their socio-economic profile</a>. This is measured by the Australian Early Development Census. Teachers complete this census every three years for all children starting school.
Foundational community factors: using data to drive action
From this work, KiCS identified the set of foundational community factors associated with early childhood development. These are the factors that lay the foundations of a good community for early childhood development.
Foundational community factors can help better understand what helps or hinders early childhood development at the community level. They provide a source of local information that can contribute to developing interventions that move beyond the individual level, which have shown limited sustained success, to the broader community level (e.g. place-based initiatives), which has the potential to benefit many children and families in the long term.
They are a combination of factors that showed a difference in disadvantaged communities that had “good” versus “poor” early childhood development outcomes (differentiating factors), as well as those that most KiCS communities perceived as important for families with young children (important factors). Table 1 shows which foundational community factors were related to these outcomes.
Foundational community factors are important; they allow us to move beyond anecdotal information to a discussion grounded in evidence about how the community is tracking to inform place-based initiatives.
These factors help communities strengthen stakeholder engagement and can inform policy recommendations using the best local data. Examples include informing and involving local residents and organisations, discussing key “shared” issues, identifying priorities, planning and implementing community interventions, and monitoring change over time.
This can empower communities to better understand and recognise their resources and opportunities to improve early childhood development. That in turn helps to direct effort into areas that make the most sense.
The full technical report on Foundational Community Factors for Early Childhood Development: A report on the Kids in Communities Study is available <a href="https://www.mcri.edu.au/kics" target="_blank">here</a>.
For the manual of data collection please email: kics.study@mcri.edu.au.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/104933/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
Sharon Goldfeld, Deputy Director, Center for Community Child Health Royal Children's Hospital; Co-Group Leader, Policy and Equity, Murdoch Children's Research Institute; and Professor, Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne 
Billie Giles-Corti, Director, Urban Futures Enabling Capability Platform and Director, Healthy Liveable Cities Group, RMIT University 
Geoffrey Woolcock, Senior Research Fellow (Regional Community Development), Strategic Research Projects, University of Southern Queensland 
Hannah Badland, Principal Research Fellow, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University 
Ilan Katz, Professor of Social Policy, UNSW; Karen Villanueva, Research Fellow, Healthy Liveable Cities Group, RMIT University, and Researcher, Community Child Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute 
Robert Tanton, Professor, National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling (NATSEM), University of Canberra 
Sally Brinkman, Associate Professor, University of Adelaide; Co-Director, Fraser Mustard Centre, Telethon Kids Institute
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/working-out-what-makes-a-good-community-where-young-children-can-thrive-104933" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Working out what makes a good community where young children can thrive

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A new list of masterplanned community sales has been released, with Stockland placing three times in the top five.
The National Land Survey by Research4 reports on vacant land sales in new residential communities around Australia.
Stockland’s Aura community on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast claimed first place with 746 sales in the past year.
Stockland Elara in Sydney’s north-west was the second most popular community with 674 sales in the 2017-18 year, while Stockland Highlands in Melbourne’s northern growth corridor ranked fourth with 632 sales.
Andrew Whitson, Group Executive and CEO, Stockland Communities, said it was an outstanding result for the company.
“Our closest competitor achieved a market share of 5 per cent in the June quarter, highlighting our strong national position in the creation of masterplanned communities,” he said.
“We have a long track record for delivering many of Australia’s best new communities and a clear vision for meeting the future housing needs of Australian families.
“These latest national land survey figures confirm that our focus on liveability, affordability and the owner occupier market has made Stockland the first choice for home buyers in masterplanned communities.”
Whitson said is currently sell over 75% of its product to owner occupiers and over 50% to first home buyers.
AT Aura, more than 20,000 new homes will be created on the 24 square kilometre site over the next 30 years. 
Other products in the company’s development pipeline include the Highlands community in Victoria  and the Elara community in Sydney.
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