A landmark former orphanage site in Surrey Hills could be transformed into a new residential community under plans lodged by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/antipodean-land-developments">Antipodean Land Developments</a> that would deliver 76 apartments and townhouses while restoring some of the suburb's most significant heritage buildings.

The burgeoninng Melbourne-based developer has submitted plans for the 9,158 sqm site at 1 Kent Road and 24 Durham Road, home to the former St Joseph's Home for Destitute Children, a historic institutional complex dating back to the late 19th century. The proposal seeks to adaptively reuse several heritage buildings while introducing two new four-storey residential buildings set within extensive landscaped grounds.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a> and Kerstin Thompson Architects, the project has been conceived as a contemporary residential village embedded within a restored heritage precinct. The development team describes the design approach as "The Village in the Garden," with new buildings positioned among mature landscaping by OCULUS and significant heritage structures.

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="44ec8c1b-c0b6-44ae-859e-5811b3e6a023" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%281%29.png?VersionId=p.p1_KFh4iQoV4nisdnPfQBAsWNi7m79" />

The proposal would deliver 76 dwellings comprising a mix of apartments and duplex-style residences, significantly increasing housing supply on one of the largest privately held residential landholdings in Surrey Hills. The development includes 127 car spaces, 24 bicycle spaces and more than 1,000 sqm of communal amenity, with the existing chapel building earmarked for conversion into resident facilities.

According to the planning submission, the project centres on the restoration and adaptive reuse of the site's most significant heritage assets, including the original c.1889 St Joseph's building, the chapel designed by architect Augustus Andrew Fritsch, and the historic brick perimeter walls and entry gates. The proposal also incorporates the retention of other contributory buildings including the former infirmary and school building.

Tract Consultants, in the planning report accompanying the application, said the scheme had been shaped through extensive heritage analysis and design development.

"The shared vision for the Site by the project team has culminated in a scheme which successfully breathes life back into a historic site while delivering upon the objectives of Victoria's Housing Statement in a carefully curated and contextually responsive manner."

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7263b7d8-95ea-400f-9531-6ca7d22c3c33" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%282%29.png?VersionId=4cR1tiWOsDpgxEOwZi5vVFcyvvOsYkIE" />

The proposal is being assessed under Victoria's Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway. As part of the application, three per cent of the project's residential development cost would be contributed to the Social Housing Growth Fund. The development would also provide a diverse mix of one, two and three-bedroom residences targeting a broader range of buyers than typically found in Surrey Hills' detached housing market.

Sustainability initiatives include an anticipated 66 per cent BESS score, natural cross-ventilation to 80 per cent of apartments, 28 per cent deep soil landscaping and a canopy cover outcome exceeding local planning requirements. The proposal also sets aside more than 1,083 sqm for communal indoor and outdoor resident amenity spaces.

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="33fad46f-fe26-4d0a-acfd-6b776e1c6a3d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design.png?VersionId=D9F6WVSyYCtGvSUmith35LRp6R7PQkw_" />

Planning documents describe the property as one of the largest underutilised residential sites in Surrey Hills, arguing it presents a rare opportunity to introduce "missing middle" housing in an established inner-eastern suburb while preserving and revitalising a significant heritage precinct.

Antipodean Land Developments has built a reputation for design-focused residential projects across Melbourne, particularly in the medium-density sector. Previous developments include Neighbourhood in Brunswick East, delivered with Breathe Architecture, and Balfe Park Lane, designed by Kerstin Thompson Architects.

They've been very active in site acquisition as they build out their future development pipeline. They recently launched Thornubury House, 45 apartments above a mix of commercial, retail, and food and beverage tenancies, and have plans for a boutique project in Fitzroy and another <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/vic/antipodean-plan-apartments-for-deepdenes-missing-middle-on-whitehorse-road">"missing middle" project</a> on Deepdene's Whitehorse Road.

Joel Robinson

First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills

Developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/auyin-property-development">Auyin</a> is the latest to turn to the Victorian Government's Development Facilitation Program in an effort to secure approval for its long-planned, mixed-use project in Elsternwick.

In 2018, Auyin lodged plans with Glen Eira City Council for a 14-storey building, however Council approved a reduced eight-storey scheme. A subsequent VCAT appeal in 2019 upheld the eight-storey height limit.

The project was later amended to nine storeys, but Auyin is now seeking to revive something closer to its original vision. The developer argues that the planning context has evolved significantly over the past decade, particularly within the Elsternwick Activity Centre, where higher-density development has increasingly been encouraged along Glen Huntly Road.

The proposal would transform the 1,239 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/7-12-horne-street-elsternwick-vic-3185">7-15 Horne Street</a>, opposite Elsternwick Railway Station, into a 13-storey residential and retail development designed by CBG Architects, with 40 apartments

The site currently comprises three commercial properties.

<img alt="First look: 13-storey mixed-use tower planned for Elsternwick activity centre" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5f465dd4-509b-4082-a669-0253b313914b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/elsternwick%20podium.png?VersionId=72frWi0SmQ5AVJ3ARRhX5ILUYObhTm7x" />

The proposed apartment mix comprises 25 two-bedroom and 15 three-bedroom residences above 200 sqm of retail space at ground level. Residents would have access to a 90 sqm wellness facility, a 351 sqm communal indoor and outdoor terrace on the third level, and extensive landscaped areas throughout the development. A publicly accessible 135 sqm plaza would be created on the north-east corner of the site, providing seating, landscaping, and a new gathering space adjoining Horne Street.

The design adopts a four-storey podium that references the finer-grain character of the surrounding streetscape, with the upper tower recessed behind generous setbacks on all boundaries.

<img alt="First look: 13-storey mixed-use tower planned for Elsternwick activity centre" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e637e763-2abc-4c34-a0aa-5c7ad36fae18" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/elsternwick%20open.png?VersionId=J1AoOpZgTyaF.KeeFSX6lMjEScX8KKRi" />

A key element of the proposal is the reconfiguration and widening of the surrounding laneways. Vehicle access would be retained from Lois Lane, with upgraded pedestrian connections linking Ross Street and Horne Street. The development would provide 58 residential car spaces, two retail car spaces, and 52 bicycle spaces across two basement levels and ground-floor facilities.

Architecturally, the building draws inspiration from the established character of Elsternwick Village. The façade combines dark charcoal brickwork, textured concrete, bronze-toned metal detailing, and extensive planting integrated into podium and tower levels. The design also incorporates a chamfered corner treatment and publicly accessible plaza intended to strengthen pedestrian activity around the station precinct.

Elsternwick's last new development completion was&nbsp;EVA Elsternwick by Pitard late last year. <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/milieu-property">Milieu</a> is working away on its nature-led neighbourhood, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/elsternwick-gardens-by-milieu-8-gordon-street-elsternwick-vic-3185">Elsternwick Gardens</a>, on Gordon Street, with its first stage expected to complete next year.

First look: Auyin seeks mixed-use apartment project in growing Elsternwick Activity Centre

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/otium-parkdale-123-125-como-parade-east-parkdale-vic-3195">Otium Parkdale</a>, the 13-residence boutique development by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/huxtable-property">Huxtable Property</a>, has entered its final stages of delivery, with completion expected within the coming month and more than half of the residences sold.

The Como Parade East project is nearing the finish line at a time when opportunities to purchase new apartments in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/parkdale-vic-3195">Parkdale</a> remain exceptionally limited. Fewer than 10 per cent of dwellings in the bayside suburb are apartments, making developments like Otium a relatively rare addition to a market traditionally dominated by detached housing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134974 project_image_fid=5427]

The three-level development comprises 13 residences, including ten two-bedroom apartments and three larger three-bedroom homes, all positioned above a secure basement car park.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/almeida-architects">Almeida Architects</a> with a strong connection to its coastal surroundings, Otium combines red brick, exposed concrete and dark metal detailing with integrated landscaping and greenery. Expansive glazing, generous balconies and terraces have been incorporated throughout the design to maximise natural light and reinforce indoor-outdoor living.

Inside, the residences feature engineered European oak flooring, natural and reconstituted stone benchtops, Bosch kitchen appliances, ducted heating and cooling, lift access and secure entry systems. The larger three-bedroom residences on the upper level have been designed with house-like proportions, while the two-bedroom apartments prioritise functionality, flexibility and low-maintenance living.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134974 project_image_fid=5421]

The project is now in its final stages, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/labco">Labco</a> completing the remaining landscaping and external finishing works following the completion of the residences' interiors.

Otium's location within the heart of Parkdale continues to underpin its appeal. Residents will be just steps from local cafés, restaurants, shops and the newly elevated Parkdale Station, while the beach is less than a kilometre away.

With the project tracking ahead of schedule, buyers can currently secure a residence with a five per cent deposit and benefit from settlement terms of up to eight months. The advanced stage of construction also provides buyers with the opportunity to walk through the near-complete residences and experience the quality and finishes firsthand ahead of completion.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134974]

Otium Parkdale enters final month before completion as rare apartment opportunity nears sellout

A new boutique apartment development is entering the market in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/chermside-qld-4032">Chermside</a>, with Brisbane-based developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ausdev">Ausdev</a> bringing 33 residences to a well-connected pocket of Brisbane's north.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/parkdrive-apartments-chermside-25-sammells-drive-chermside-qld-4032">Parkdrive Apartments</a>, at 25 Sammells Drive, will comprise a mix of one- and two-bedroom residences positioned within walking distance of Westfield Chermside, The Prince Charles Hospital, and Bradbury Park.

Established in 1989, Ausdev has a long-standing presence across both development and construction, with Parkdrive Apartments representing its latest residential project in Brisbane's northern suburbs.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152125 project_image_fid=363778]

The development has been designed around open-plan living and natural light, with residences featuring stone benchtops, timber cabinetry, BOSCH appliances, and private balconies that extend the living areas outdoors.

Kitchens are positioned as the centrepiece of the homes, incorporating natural material palettes and integrated appliances, while bathrooms have been designed with a focus on functionality and understated finishes.

Residents will have access to a communal barbecue and entertaining area on Level 3, providing shared outdoor space within the development. Secure parking and lift access are also incorporated into the building.

The project will deliver a limited collection of 33 apartments, with one-bedroom residences priced from $749,000.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152125 project_image_fid=363782]

Beyond the building itself, the location places residents within easy reach of several of Chermside's key amenities. Bradbury Park is around 350 metres away, while Westfield Chermside is approximately 1.3 kilometres from the site. The Prince Charles Hospital is located within 750 metres, and the Chermside Bus Interchange is around 1.5 kilometres away, providing connections across Brisbane.

Parkdrive Apartments adds to the growing residential pipeline in Chermside, a suburb that continues to evolve as a major retail, healthcare, and transport hub for Brisbane's north.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152125]

Ausdev introduces boutique Parkdrive Apartments to Chermside's growing centre

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/skymark-group">Skymark</a>'s boutique Cronulla development Solis has secured a 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy through Resilience Insurance, providing buyers of the 16-residence building on Ewos Parade with structural and waterproofing protection that extends a decade beyond the building's completion.

Currently under construction and due for completion in late 2027, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/solis-cronulla-8-ewos-parade-cronulla-nsw-2230">Solis</a> is one of a small number of new developments in the Sutherland Shire to carry Resilience LDI coverage, a distinction that carries increasing weight as buyer confidence in the off-the-plan sector continues to be shaped by how developers stand behind their product.

Latent Defects Insurance, which entered the Australian market in 2022 when Resilience Insurance was approved to offer the cover, protects buyers against major structural or waterproofing defects for ten years post-completion. Unlike traditional statutory warranties, it operates as a first-resort policy, if a covered defect arises, the insurer responds directly, without the buyer needing to pursue the builder or developer through a lengthy claims process.

Resilience Insurance CEO Corey Nugent has noted that the product addresses something fundamental to the new apartment market.

"The overarching feedback from prospective buyers in the new development space is that they want more confidence and assurances around the quality of the build," Nugent says.

"Resilience Insurance Latent Defects Insurance not only gives them complete peace of mind for 10 years, but it shows the developer they are buying from is standing by their product."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370898]

For Solis, the Resilience LDI policy adds a meaningful layer of accountability to an already considered project. The development comprises nine two-bedroom and seven three-bedroom residences, including one dual-level three-bedroom apartment, across a five-storey building on Ewos Parade, positioned between Shelly Beach and South Cronulla.

Garden apartments connect directly to private landscaped courtyards, while upper-level homes capture beach views to the east from level four and above.&nbsp;

All 16 residences include at least one balcony or courtyard, and select apartments on the upper floors feature bar areas and secondary flexible living spaces.

Hiba Sander, Managing Director of Skymark, says Solis offers a rare balance, nestled between the quiet beauty of secluded beaches and the lively charm of South Cronulla's esplanade.

"It's a place to choose your pace and live gracefully, seaside'," Sander says.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370900]

The architecture, designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ida-design-group">IDA Design Group</a>'s Michael Trinh, draws from the natural erosion patterns of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/cronulla-nsw-2230">Cronulla</a>'s sandstone headlands, translating the organic forms of the coastline into soft curves, pavilion-style massing, and a material palette chosen for longevity in a salt-tinged environment.&nbsp;

Textured natural stone, soft renders, and timber-look battens reference the tones of the surrounding cliffs, while the building has been oriented to maximise natural light and passive ventilation, with primary living spaces facing north and east to capture morning sun and sea breezes.

"At Solis, our aim was to create architecture that feels quietly confident, grounded in natural materials like stone and timber, and elevated by light and landscape," Trinh says.&nbsp;

"The buildings are designed to sit gently within their coastal surrounds, with expansive glazing and abundant greenery creating a seamless dialogue between inside and out."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370897]

Interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hot-black">Hot Black</a> carry the same material language through to every room. Kitchens feature integrated Gaggenau appliances, sculpted stone benchtops, and Lo &amp; Co joinery, while bathrooms feature natural stone, timber, and brushed metal finishes.&nbsp;

Hot Black Founder and Design Director Sophie Safrin describes the intent as one of considered restraint: "At Solis, every detail has been thoughtfully considered to create a timeless coastal retreat, calm, refined, and effortlessly liveable. From natural finishes to seamless indoor-outdoor flow, Solis offers a quiet elegance that's deeply connected to its surroundings.

The landscape, designed by Julian Brady of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/sitedesignstudios">Site Design Studios</a>, treats green space as an integral part of the resident experience rather than an afterthought.&nbsp;

"Gentle curves and layered native plantings mirror the ebb and flow of the ocean," Julian Brady says, "creating a serene connection between architecture and place."&nbsp;

Coco Republic has provided bespoke furniture packages tailored to the project's coastal palette.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370899]

Skymark has an established track record in the Sutherland Shire, with a portfolio spanning Cronulla, Woolooware and Burraneer that includes Isla, Sylva, Bask, Shells, Sula and Mist. Securing LDI on Solis reflects a broader shift in how the developer is positioning its buildings to buyers, at a time when Resilience Insurance expects the policy to become mandatory in New South Wales by 2028.

Sales at Solis are launching soon through Ray White Projects, with an official event scheduled for 11 June. Enquire for more information.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150499]

Skymark takes out 10-year Resilience Insurance LDI at Solis Cronulla

Housing Community

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COVID-19 is challenging many conventions within urban development across the globe.
While the pandemic is seeing Australians adopt unprecedented social distancing measures, potential lockdowns require residents to live, work, learn, and shop for daily needs and undertake passive recreational activities within their own neighbourhoods.
One of Australia’s leading urban planners and designers believes that the crisis will spur governments, urban planners and developers to think more seriously about creating more healthly, resilient, self-sufficient, attainable and liveable communities in 2021 and beyond. 
Globally, since the beginning of 2020, we have witnessed a significant reduction in carbon emission levels in China and the United States due to limited numbers of people comuting to work in cars.
Moreover, employees of an array of businesses are rapidly becoming proficient in video conferencing from home. This has effectively reduced congestion and removed the need for the debilitating daily commute.
Residents now have time in the morning and the evening to walk, run and cycle in and around their neighbourhoods. Two instructive, institutional recreational amenities, Melbourne’s ‘Tan Track’, the 3.8 kilometre uninterrupted recreational trail around the Royal Botanical Gardens, and the walking and cycling Capital City Trail along the Yarra River, both of which prohit access by cars and bikes has, since the pandemic, become a a mecca for walking and jogging.
Mike Day is Co-founder and Director of award-winning Australian urban planning and design practice RobertsDay (<a href="https://www.robertsday.com.au/">robertsday.com.au</a>) and a Fellow of the Planning Institute of Australia.
He says most of the master-planned communities in Australia that have recently been approved or under construction follow the conventional suburban model of the 1970-1990s in which residential areas are beyond walking distance of shops, jobs and open space areas. Mike believes Australia needs to undergo a complete rethink of community design, one that is aligned with timeless urbanist principles to enable our planners and urbandevelopers to shape and deliver transit based, mixed-use, walkable urban neighbourhoods.
Mike says: “The issue that we see in many Australian cities, especially in the outer suburbs, is the frequent emergence of monocultural suburban housing developments that are not connected or walkable. Many of these areas have limited public transit connections to remote business centres, which compels residents to use a car to get around; and residents have sparse green spaces to share across expansive suburbs. 
Mike cites RobertsDay’s celebrated, Ellenbrook new town, on Perth’s north-eastern fringe as one of the best examples of a self-sufficient and livable community. 
Ellenbrook is Australia’s most awarded new town, with over 30 state and national awards, including the 2015 FIABCI World Prix d’Excellence Award from the International Real Estate Federation for the World’s Best Masterplanned Community. 
It is a masterplanned community that will ultimately deliver 11,500 dwellings, approximately 8000 jobs and be home to over 30,000 people when the last phase – Ellenbrook Town Centre – is complete by around 2025.
It is one of the largest and fastest growing new town developments in Australia. Ellenbrook has spearheaded reforms on many fronts, including: the structuring and design of mixed use and connected neighbourhoods, each designed to support local identity, walking/cycling and a genuine sense of place and community, and a town centre that successfully assimilates an open-air, main street mixed-use strip with an enclosed shopping centre environment.
Each neighbourhood has its own discernable civic centre and community hub, a well defined edge, and contains spaces and services that provide resident’s daily needs within talking distance, providing indepence of movement and to help resident’s stay connected.
Mike says that Australia needs to focus on the importance of creating new neighbourhoods in our urban growth areas where essential services – schools, shops, and workplaces – are provided early in the life of these ventures, easily reached from home on foot or by bike, and where the aim is not only to provide housing affordability but also attainable and over liveability.
“Nearly all Australian suburban neighbourhoods priorise vehicles over pedestrians. As the cost of owning and running cars in the growth areas of our capital cities is beginning to exceed the cost of housing, ‘liveability’ – rather than ‘affordability’ – has become the new catch cry.
"In self-sufficient cherished inner city neighbourhoods of our capital cities, where there are often mixed-use developments, such as townhouses and residential apartments, serviced by trams or trains and built above shops, residents can leave their homes to get their groceries on a daily basis – without relying on the car. Coupled with this increased level of walkability, is the need to provide a diverse range of civic spaces and parks, which give these communities a unique sense of, intimacy, identity and soul.” 
He adds: “In light of the deep societal challenges posed by the coronavirus, I predict more mixed-use developments will emerge to create self-contained communities built around pedestrians, cyclists, and ‘light’ modes of public transport, such as e-bikes, trackless trams, and small scale electric buses. Australians in their teens and 20s, in particular, will drive the demand for more compact, connected, mixed-use, liveable neighbourhoods that have these characteristics.”
Mike Day reveals the qualities that make up seven liveable ‘urbanised’ neighbourhoods in Australia’s metropolitan growth areas: 
The Village in Wellard, Perth. A sustainable master-planned development situated only 30 minutes from Perth’s CBD, The Village has a diverse range of housing types to cater for the growing and varied demographic population mix in Perth, which is moving towards 3.5 million by 2050.[1] With almost 30 hectares of natural bushland and wetlands, it provides a variety of landscape parks, walking trails and nature retreats that encourage residents to walk and ride bikes – as an alternative to driving. Wellard Station Train is central to the urban neighbourhood, and includes a K-12 Anglican community school and early learning centre. The Heart Foundation has produced an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIl970o-zSM" target="_blank">exceptional video</a> of the preventative health benefits of living in The Village at Wellard and <a href="https://www.healthyactivebydesign.com.au/case-studies/the-village-at-wellard" target="_blank">published their findings</a> on the benefits of living in the Village. Mike says: “Liveable outer-suburban neighbourhoods must be connected with sustainable forms of transport – and The Village ticks this box.”
Lightsview in Adelaide. A multi-award-winning master-planned property development by RenewalSA and Peet, Lightsview, which is forecast to be completed next year, is designed on the philosophy that where you live should be inspirational. It brings together a variety of housing options, from townhouses to apartments to studios, which are designed to maximise light and space. Residents also benefit from increased walkability, with extensive parks and reserves within 300m of every dwelling, tennis facilities, and bus routes to encourage residents to use public transport. Additionally, residents have childcare facilities and cafes and restaurants located within the neighbourhood, while shopping centres and schools are within walking and cycling distance.  
Fitzgibbon Chase in Brisbane. Designed by the Urban Land Development Authority/ Economic Development Queensland in consultation with Brisbane City Council, Fitzgibbon Chase is a vibrant, walkable, inclusive community that is set among natural bushland and centred around a multipurpose park. Its 1300 residents have everything they need from local schools, train station and bus routes just minutes away, shopping centres, health and fitness venues, cafes and local clubs – all with the goal of encouraging them to participate in their neighbourhood. 
Rouse Hill Town Centre. Rouse Hill Town Centre, located along Windsor Road in the Baulkham Hills Local Government Area, developed by the GPT Group. The urban hub combines the traditional values and streetscape of a contemporary town centre with the latest, residential, business, shopping, dining and lifestyle choices, and has set a new standard for transit based, sustainable, mixed-use developments. By integrating shops and cafes on the ground level of apartment buildings, residents are within walking distance of these services, and they have developed a sense of community from being closer together. Residents within the Rouse Hill Town Centre are also conveniently located between two metro stations – Tallawong and Rouse Hill – and a public school, both within 2km from the development. This is crucial to liveability. 
Laurimar in Doreen, Greater Melbourne. Mike is firmly of the view that the most liveable neighbourhoods recognise walking as the privileged or preferred mode of transport. This is the concept behind Laurimar – a new Lendlease community in Doreen, 30km north of Melbourne’s CBD. Laurimar was designed with the intention that residents live within walking distance to the Town Centre – this includes a supermarket, medical precinct, bank, gym and day spa, post office, restaurants, cafes and wine bar, and other specialty stores. Laurimar Primary School and Larimar Child Care and Early Learning Centre are also centrally located within the neighbourhood, enabling families to walk with their children to school, community facilities and shops. As a result, Laurimar evokes the friendliness and charm of Melbourne’s traditional ‘high streets’, while maintaining a community country feel. It also has 20km of walking, hike and bike trails.
Harvest Edge, Atwell Perth. Harvest Edge is an award-winning urban neighbourhood set within Landcorp’s Harvest Lakes project – WA’s first large-scale Greensmart community. Bringing the benefits of city living to the suburbs, the defining challenge of this project was to bring the amenity of inner-city living to the southern suburbs of Perth. Rarely achieved in practice, a diverse range of townhouses, maisonettes and apartments were integrated into the existing suburban development. A short walk to both the Harvest Lakes town centre and the Success train station, Harvest Edge demonstrates how well executed transit oriented developments can be a community and commercial success in a greenfield setting. A core part of the project’s success was a unique alliance the State’s urban developer built with a leading Perth townhouse and cottage home builder, and its focus on the quality and diversity of parks and public spaces. 
Cockburn Central West in Perth. The configuration of this mixed-use site, containing 1100 dwellings, by Development WA, has been significantly influenced by the the landscape. Mike says that by embracing walkable urbanism and sustainable transport modes the urban hub has been designed to foster liveability as residents will feel at home in a mixed use urban setting encircled by the natural landscape. Residents have access to a public oval, parks and wetlands, with Cockburn Central West also home to the Fremantle Dockers Football Club. Shops, restaurants and cafes, and businesses have been designed around the sporting hub. Designing buildings that frame and enhance quality public spaces, striving for design excellence and sustainable development – which Development WA is doing – is also an integral part of this new urban community.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

How resilient, walkable and self-sufficient communities could be shaped in COVID-19's wake

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The AVID Property Group has secures a 150ha site in Lower Hunter Valley region with the acquisition of the remaining 750 residential lots at Waterford County.
It is part of an established master-planned community in Chisholm, New South Wales.
AVID Property Group CEO Cameron Holt said the acquisition forms part of AVID’s growth strategy in New South Wales.
It supports his national goal to triple the company’s value over the next five years.
“We are no stranger to the region, with our development, Harvest, located just next door and benefitting from much of the same infrastructure investment we have made in the region,” Mr Holt said.
“The Lower Hunter is increasingly becoming an affordable alternative to the Sydney housing market with many buyers moving out of Sydney in favour of regional New South Wales ."
“Harvest and Waterford County are poised to meet demand for the booming population of nearby Newcastle, which is undergoing a $500 million revitalisation, increasing the need for housing in the region," suggested Mr Holt.
The second half of 2016 saw a 40 per cent rise in sales at Harvest, showing demand for property in the area, which is forecast to be home to more than 26,000 additional residents by 2036.
With an established primary school, childcare Centre and a new high school currently under construction and set to open in 2018 and a future town centre proposed in the area, AVID hopes to complete the masterplan over the next five years.
“We are looking forward to pushing through the completion of this large project,” stated Mr Holt
He concluded that “this project will complement the ongoing development of Harvest, which is 75 per cent complete and has already welcomed over 700 residents."
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AVID Property Group acquires the remaining residential lots in Waterford County

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Australian not for profit housing provider Community Housing Limited (CHL) has announced the integration of Horizon Housing, Queensland’s largest housing provider into the CHL Group of Companies.  
The integration will boost CHL’s current portfolio to over 11,000 properties, making it the largest community housing provider in the country.
The combined group will manage community and affordable housing properties across the six states with nearly 300 staff. 
The new arrangement will consolidate expertise and strengthen the reach and services offered by both community housing providers.
Horizon Housing, Queensland’s largest housing provider with operations in fifteen local government areas across Queensland and parts of New South Wales, provides both community housing programs and affordable housing projects and has over 2,400 properties in its portfolio.
“This new arrangement further strengthens the position of both organisations, providing each with mutually beneficial outcomes aligned to our shared vision of providing the communities we serve with affordable housing solutions that are available and accessible by those in need,” Community Housing Limited Group’s, Managing Director, Steve Bevington, said. 
Bevington said for 25 years, CHL haD been considered a sector leader, supporting and growing the industry both locally and internationally, providing end to end affordable housing developments and long term housing and tenancy management operations in Australia. 
“Horizon’s integration within the CHL Group is another step in that direction," he said.
THE CEO of Horizon Housing, Jason Cubit, said the integration of the two entities creates a powerful alliance to fight the problem recently highlighted by the latest Anglicare Rental Affordability Snapshot, which categorised three out of 67,365 rental properties listed in Australia as “affordable” for a single person on Newstart Allowance.
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Community housing group combines with Queensland provider

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Stage 6 land lots have been launched at Johnson Property Group's Trinity Point development on the NSW Central Coast suburb of Lake Macquarie for the construction of luxury terraces as part of the development's $388 million master planned community.
Former Australian cricket test captain and ambassador for Trinity Point, Michael Clarke joined Johnson Property Group’s Keith Johnson in opening the new development stage.
Clarke was the first to purchase within the estate, buying a four bedroom, three storey luxury terrace in November last year which he purchased for $1,388,888 million. Newcastle's Jennifer Hawkins is also an ambassador.
Johnson Property Group Managing Director Keith Johnson said the start of construction of the terraces is a major development milestone for the project, having commenced construction on stage one of the 188-berth marina on Lake Macquarie in February.
“2016 is a big year for Trinity Point with construction starting on our luxury, architecturally designed, three storey terraces as well as our world-class marina, roadworks and other infrastructure getting underway,” he said.  
Featuring the largest blocks to be released to date at Trinity Point, Stage 6 lots range in size from 500 to 852 square metres.
Terraces feature two, three and four bedrooms and ranging in size from 192 to 256 square metres, priced from $1,088,888 to $1,328,888. All terraces feature balconies for outdoor dining and landscaped yards.
Michael Clarke said Trinity Point is one of those rare projects that comes along maybe once in a lifetime as it’s located in a pristine part of Australia’s stunning coastline, which you just don’t want to miss out on 
“My wife Kyly and I are really looking forward to enjoying the peace and tranquillity which comes with living beside a stunning expansive waterway such as Lake Macquarie," he said.
“We’re also very excited about becoming part of the Trinity Point community. It’s going to be thrilling to see the development take shape and I’m delighted to be helping Johnson Property Group celebrate the start of construction of the luxury terraces today.
“With my growing family, we’re very much looking forward to spending some lovely family holidays here at Trinity Point. It’s a hugely exciting project which is going to bring jobs and economy to the local community and an outstanding, sophisticated new destination and tourist attraction for Lake Macquarie. I’m delighted to be apart of it."
Johnson Property Group will commence selling the remaining terraces during the construction phase. 
Upon completion, Trinity Point is planned to include:
<ul>
<li>189 residential land lots and medium-density housing</li>
<li>250 apartments comprising of a mix of residential and short stay units</li>
<li>a 188-berth marina </li>
<li>a 5 Star Pullman hotel</li>
<li>A 200-seat restaurant with additional outdoor dining</li>
<li>A 300-seat function room</li>
<li>A 60-80 seat cafe</li>
<li>5 Star resort facilities including a luxury Day Spa, pool, gymnasium</li>
<li>Retail precinct</li>
</ul>
 
For more information visit <a href="https://www.trinitypoint.com.au" target="_blank">trinitypoint.com.au</a> or call 1300 888 888.
 
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Stage 6 land lots released at Trinity Point

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A new housing community in Melbourne’s south-east suburb of Lyndhurst that reduces mains drinking water usage by about 70 percent is set for launch.
Aquarevo, a 460-home community, aims to maximise water efficiency through greater use of recycled and rainwater and the developers claim it will become Australia’s most water efficient large-scale housing development.
Aquarevo is a collaboration between South East Water and Villawood Properties.
The project will be developed on the site of a decommissioned South East Water purification plant. Rather than simply sell it off, the Victorian government utility saw an opportunity to develop and showcase water sustainability technologies within a residential setting. 
South East Water went to the market for a development partner to help achieve its vision, and agreed to join hands with Villawood Properties.
Key water innovations at Aquarevo include:
*  a rainwater tank in each home that directly supplies hot water service for all non-drinking household uses;
* Tank Talk, a rainwater management technology that uses weather forecast data to optimise water storage and reduce stormwater run-off;
* OneBox, a pressure sewerage network technology that transfers waste based on network volumes, requiring smaller pipes and less excavation; and
* an onsite treatment plant, which supplies the development with Class A recycled water, suitable for washing machines, toilets and outdoor use
Sustainability features extend to rooftop solar installations on each home, aiming for 100 per cent renewable energy.
Aquarevo is located in the City of Casey, and is close to schools, shopping centre, medical centre and railway station.
The first blocks of land in the Aquarevo community will be offered to the public in April 2016.
“South East Water is committed to providing innovative and sustainable water solutions to its customers,” said its managing director Kevin Hutchings. “This exciting new development sets a new standard in water sustainability for Australian communities, and will deliver significant sustainability benefits to Aquarevo residents.”
Aquarevo will be displayed at Melbourne’s Sustainable Living Festival at Federation Square from February 12-14.
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