The residential transformation of St Kilda Road is set to continue into with more new apartment plans for the sought-after boulevard.

Wing Tai Asia has lodged plans for a major residential tower at 464-466 St Kilda Road, replacing the former VACC House with an 18-storey mixed-use development designed around a retained heritage podium and a sculpted contemporary tower.

The proposal, prepared under Victoria’s Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway, would deliver 325 apartments and ground-floor retail across the prominent 4,653 sqm boulevard site in Melbourne’s St Kilda Road North Precinct.

The project centres on the adaptive reuse of the site’s heritage-listed VACC Building, an eight-storey office designed by Bernard Evans that has occupied the address for decades. Planning documents state the development would involve “carefully dismantling and conserving off-site the original metal fabric of the podium visible from St Kilda Road,” before reinstating it as the defining frontage of the new scheme.

Above the restored podium, Wing Tai is proposing a curvilinear residential tower. The scheme includes 172 one-bedroom apartments, 63 two-bedroom apartments, 66 three-bedroom apartments, and 24 four-bedroom apartments, alongside two ground-floor food and beverage tenancies fronting St Kilda Road.

The tower has been designed with substantial articulation and variable setbacks to minimise perceived bulk and maintain view corridors along the boulevard. Urbis, which prepared the planning report, said the design “has been significantly articulated through a curvilinear design” with “an interplay with materials, façade expression and depth” to create visual separation and visual interest.

The proposal also includes 254 basement car spaces, landscaped pedestrian links connecting St Kilda Road and Queens Lane, and a biophilic landscape strategy featuring canopy trees, raised planters, cascading greenery and a glass oculus pool overlooking the eastern frontage.

Planning documents confirm the $270.1 million development will contribute 3 per cent of project costs to the Social Housing Growth Fund as part of the application process.

Wing Tai acquired the St Kilda Road property in 2018 alongside Abacus Property Group for $95.38 million, before later consolidating ownership of the site. The property previously served as the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce headquarters for around 60 years.

The transformation of the St Kilda Rd boulevard is already beginning to materialise, with a number of high-profile projects recently completed, launched, or approaching launch as developers continue to back the long-term appeal of the precinct.

Among the most notable recent completions is Louise by Samuel Property Group, just off the strip on Queens Lane, the same pocket Hirsch &amp; Faigen recently launched The Queensbury. Mirvac is too on the same street with The Albertine, which is approaching completion.

Dexus recently secured approval for its slice of St Kilda Road, while Gurner also has approved plans for the precinct.

Joel Robinson

Wing Tai unveils 325-apartment St Kilda Road tower on former VACC House site

Malaysian developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/s-p-setia">SP Setia</a> is the latest to jump into St Leonards booming Transport Oriented Development precinct.

The developer, which has previously delivered Sapphire by the Gardens apartment development in Melbourne, identified the Atchison Street site in 2023. It filed a Scoping Report around 12 months ago, and now has revealed the designs for the new&nbsp;40-storey mixed-use tower.

The State Significant Development Application covers <a href="https://next-portal.urban.com.au/projects/14650/summary">20-22 Atchison Street</a>, a 1,374 sqm site positioned between St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, the project would deliver 181 apartments, above a four-storey commercial podium, five basement levels, and new public domain works along Mitchell Street. The apartment mix comprises 35 one-bedroom apartments, 39 one-bedroom-plus-study apartments, 85 two-bedroom apartments, and 22 three-bedroom residences.

The proposal has been lodged as a shop-top housing development under the NSW Government’s TOD planning pathway, which allows increased density around key transport infrastructure. The site sits within the recently rezoned Crows Nest Accelerated TOD Precinct.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b799673d-48e2-46b0-801a-0e33a9330100" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20site.png?VersionId=dPh0UfwfaHpbFL1R7H1cbZNbIW0CHbCC" />

SP Setia acquired the Atchison Street site as part of its continued expansion into the Australian apartment market. In comments made to City &amp; Country (The Edge Malaysia) in 2023, SP Setia President and CEO Datuk Choong Kai Wai described the acquisition as “a strategic move” aligned with the group’s post-pandemic market recovery strategy.

“Our target for this exceptional development is local and overseas buyers, including first-home buyers, downsizers and investors,” Choong said.

The tower has been designed as a slender vertical form rising from a mixed-use podium, with COX Architecture positioning the development as a response to the evolving St Leonards and Crows Nest skyline.

“The purpose of the project is to facilitate the delivery of high-quality housing at a strategically located site and deliver a built tower outcome that is consistent with the desired future character of St Leonards and aligns with the TOD controls,” the design report stated.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1a85eee-76f7-436c-a6da-73ba827b9b13" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20entry.png?VersionId=dA9jHGPMcm.dDbwk4QfxqWiY5bfh3UVt" />

The podium would incorporate retail uses fronting Atchison Street, commercial tenancies, landscaped communal areas, and pedestrian improvements along Mitchell Street. Vehicle access and loading would be consolidated via Atchison Lane.

Residents would have access to more than 665 sqm of communal indoor and outdoor spaces, while the development proposes 96 parking spaces across five basement levels.

The proposal also includes a commitment for 10 per cent of residential floor space to be allocated toward affordable housing through a monetary contribution.

COX said the tower form responds directly to the emerging high-density character of the precinct while seeking to maximise solar access, cross ventilation, and outlook from apartments.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2163f85c-f63b-4be3-aafa-f8763976cec5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29_5.png?VersionId=WiAmtIKJ6.ZQ41EtYEQ1fol7AeorKBlL" />

“The building is orientated towards north,” the Apartment Design Guide compliance report noted, adding that the tower’s slim form was driven by the constrained inner-urban site dimensions.

The design also incorporates landscaped setbacks and communal open space at podium level, intended to soften the interface with surrounding streets and improve pedestrian amenity.

The project adds to a growing wave of redevelopment proposals reshaping St Leonards and Crows Nest following the opening of the Sydney Metro City line and the NSW Government’s push for higher-density housing around major transport nodes.

Last week Stockland filed plans just down the road. They want to build a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/601-pacific-highway-st-leonards-nsw-2065">52-storey tower on Pacific Highway</a>.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">First look: Stockland plans 52-storey, 538-apartment St Leonards tower&nbsp;</a>

First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> has revealed plans for a new mixed-use tower at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham, advancing a proposal that would reshape the southern gateway to Newcastle’s city centre with one of the city’s tallest residential buildings.

The State Significant Development proposal, now on exhibition, seeks approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bowline-10-dangar-street-wickham-nsw-2293">43-storey tower</a> immediately adjacent to the Newcastle Interchange. The project would deliver around 200 apartments, including 42 affordable housing dwellings, alongside 99 co-living units, a 171-room hotel, retail space, and new public domain integrated through the site.

The scheme marks a significant escalation of plans previously approved for the site. Urban Property Group took over the prominent 2,904 sqm parcel, where excavation and demolition had already commenced under an earlier consent for a 14-storey mixed-use development.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="58a96dd9-407f-4d20-86b4-94e4bfeef74b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20podium.png?VersionId=LGlf08pdFGAZDzvx_CXC4XakHNZRuEE0" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, the tower has been conceived as a landmark transit-oriented development anchored to the Newcastle Interchange precinct. The proposal includes 245 build-to-sell apartments across a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom residences, as well as two penthouses. Fifteen apartments and one operational unit are earmarked for NDIS housing. The co-living component would add a further 99 units, while the podium would accommodate retail uses and hotel facilities.

SJB said the site presents “a valuable opportunity to anchor the precinct by setting the standard for design, active ground planes and character at the key southern gateway.”

The architecture responds directly to the site’s position beside major transport infrastructure and within one of Newcastle’s fastest-evolving urban renewal precincts. The tower form sits above a sculpted podium designed to frame new public spaces, including a through-site pedestrian link connecting Station Street to Hannell Street, landscaped plazas, and activated retail edges.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a7bd6ff0-f7db-4ce8-a6dc-ea56e72c6149" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20lanne.png?VersionId=xzf39VADyhj7zBQY2I9fx9vI62u2tuSb" />

The design report describes the project as part of the broader transition of Wickham into “a vibrant, high-quality mixed-use urban precinct” that leverages proximity to the station, open space, and regional connectivity.

A detailed public art strategy has also been prepared for the development. The strategy positions the project as “a transit-oriented development of state significance at the gateway to Newcastle’s city centre” and outlines a series of integrated artworks responding to Newcastle’s industrial and transport heritage.

Creative Road’s curatorial framework for the project, titled Unveil, draws on “stratified surfaces, carved volumes, and light-filled apertures” while referencing Newcastle’s transformation from an industrial city into a contemporary education and technology hub.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="77a882bb-14b1-4d28-99ff-9438e39508c0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20site.png?VersionId=cevgo_vN0eKPK78P8YcEu3mKPLkpFqE7" />

The proposal is being advanced through the NSW Housing Delivery Authority pathway after being declared State Significant Development in June 2025. The accompanying scoping report states the development aims to “maximise the site’s proximity to the Newcastle Interchange by delivering transit-oriented development” while increasing housing supply and affordable housing provision within the Newcastle LGA.

Urban Property Group’s plans align with the long-term strategic vision established under the Wickham Master Plan, which identified the interchange precinct as suitable for substantial uplift in height and density. The current proposal would significantly intensify that vision, positioning the tower among the tallest developments proposed for Newcastle.

The site sits immediately north of the Newcastle Interchange, bounded by Dangar Street, Hannell Street, and Charles Street. It is surrounded by a rapidly growing cluster of residential towers and mixed-use projects that have emerged following the completion of the light rail and transport interchange.

First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s latest tower at Wickham interchange

Bottega House has completed settlement of a landmark riverfront site in Macquarie Street, St Lucia, representing its first major Brisbane development.&nbsp;

Positioned on the banks of the Brisbane River, the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/180-macquarie-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">premium site at 180 Macquarie Street</a> features uninterrupted river frontage in one of Brisbane’s most tightly held residential precincts.&nbsp;

The proposed development, currently under assessment with Brisbane City Council, has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/mim-design">Mim Design</a> and will deliver a boutique collection of premium residences positioned specifically for owner occupiers and downsizers.&nbsp;

The residences are set to redefine luxury apartment living in the area, with a focus on architectural quality, refined finishes, landscape integration and elevated amenities including curated wellness facilities, resort-style pools and recreation spaces rarely seen in the local market.&nbsp;

Exclusive sales for the project will be led by Keenan &amp; Byrne, ahead of an anticipated launch later this year.&nbsp;

Bottega House Managing Director Nick Malloch said the project reflects the group’s ambition to deliver a highly curated residential offering within one of Brisbane’s most tightly held precincts.&nbsp;

“This is an incredibly rare riverfront opportunity and one we have approached with a long-term perspective,” Malloch said.&nbsp;

“Our vision from the outset was to create a boutique collection of residences that feel more like private homes than traditional apartments, with generous proportions, refined finishes and exceptional amenity throughout."

Malloch says there is a&nbsp;lack of premium owner-occupier stock of this quality in the market, particularly for downsizers wanting space, privacy and a true lifestyle offering without compromise.&nbsp;

"Demand is expected to be strong given the scarcity of premium riverfront opportunities of this nature within Brisbane’s inner-west."&nbsp;

Bottega House secures landmark riverfront site in St Lucia 

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The arrival of the first piling rig officially marks the commencement of construction at SIERA’s new beachside apartment development, Exhale, in Northcliffe.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/exhale-surfers-paradise-8-enderley-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Exhale</a>, a glass-encased tower featuring 54 large-scale apartments at 8 Enderley Avenue, is SIERA’s third Gold Coast development. It follows the recently completed PIPIS Bilinga beachfront project, which achieved suburb-record prices, and the soon-to-be-completed Chevron Island development, Tapestry.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359603]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/siera">SIERA</a> Founder and Managing Director Brent Thompson said the arrival of the piling rig represented a significant milestone for the development, which is scheduled for completion in late 2028.

Over the next month, around 260 piles are expected to be installed as work progresses on the basement structure. The building is anticipated to rise above ground level early next year, before unveiling its sculptural glass curtain wall, developed in collaboration with specialist façade engineers.

“The façade was designed to maximise panoramic coastal views while creating a distinctive architectural identity,” Thompson said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=355935]

Designed by BDA Architecture, Exhale will comprise just 54 two- and three-bedroom residences across 26 levels, a level of low-density living rarely delivered in this beachside pocket between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.

The project has been conceived as a resident-only building, with no short-stay accommodation permitted. SIERA says the model is intended to appeal to long-term owner-occupiers rather than transient holiday demand.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=361052]

Residences have been designed with large-format layouts and expansive glazing, with most apartments featuring more than 30 metres of glass frontage to maximise natural light and ocean views.

The amenity offering spans two levels and centres on wellness and lifestyle, including a heated magnesium pool, sauna, yoga and Pilates studio, gymnasium, private dining facilities, cinema lounge, and dedicated surfcraft storage.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359607]

More than half of the apartments have already sold. SIERA has also opened a sales gallery for Exhale at its Chevron Island commercial premises, near its Tapestry tower and the site of its second Chevron Island apartment development, which is slated to launch in early 2027.
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[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112661]

SIERA kicks off construction at Northcliffe tower Exhale

Nsw Government

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Liverpool’s innovation credentials have been recognised on the world stage as it joins a select group of 20 global innovation precincts through the Global Institute on Innovation Districts.  
“The Liverpool Innovation Precinct was established in partnership between Council and local health, education and research institutions to harness the city’s strengths,” Liverpool Mayor Wendy Waller said.  
“By accepting an invitation to join this global network, Liverpool is now among fantastic company. Member cities include Toronto and Pittsburgh, known for their cutting-edge technology and creative industries.” 
The news comes off the back of the NSW Government’s announcement that up to 450 of CSIRO’s Sydney-based staff will relocate to a state-of-the-art facility at the Western Sydney Aerotropolis by 2026, in-line with the opening of Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport.  
“What we’re seeing through continued collaboration and investment from other levels of government and the tertiary education and private sectors is global recognition of Liverpool and the nearby Aerotropolis as cities of the future,” Mayor Waller said.  
“Global companies including Northrop Grumman, Hitachi and Amazon, top-ranking Australian universities and now the national science research agency want to call the Liverpool area home. 
“There’s a bright future ahead for Sydney’s third CBD, with all this investment in commercial operations, transport, freight and education infrastructure bringing new job opportunities for our growing city.” 
Alongside the $740 million upgrade of Liverpool Hospital, many Council-led initiatives demonstrate the power of innovation and collaboration to improve services and the city’s liveability.  
“Council’s latest example of innovation and collaboration is our support of the Maxar Spatial Challenge alongside other partners such as Amazon Web Services and the Australian Space Agency,” Mayor Waller said.  
“The national challenge, which launches this month, encourages participants to make use of satellite data to address key challenges such as mapping population density or an area’s tree canopy which could help reduce the urban heat island effect.  
“Other innovative Council initiatives include a project to track the movements of people in the Liverpool CBD to better inform planning decisions and our Fifteenth Avenue Smart Transit (FAST) Corridor vision for a rapid transit corridor which could be future-proofed for new technologies such as driverless electric buses and trackless trams.”
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Liverpool recognised globally as city of innovation  

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The NSW Government has announced building industry reform, introducing protection for consumers during the building certification process.
Minister for Better Regulation Kevin Anderson said the Building and Development Certifiers Act 2018, effective on 1 July, will tighten the NSW Government’s regulation of building certifiers, restoring consumer confidence in the industry.
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“We have now strengthened the regulation of building certifiers, improving their accountability and independence and providing greater protections for consumers,” Mr Anderson said. Certifiers will be required to attain a higher level of ongoing education in order to achieve registration, ensuring that only those with the requisite competence, skills and knowledge are authorised to carry out certification work.
The Act also outlines minimum limits for insurance that certifiers are required to hold. “Many building owners might not have known that they have the right to choose a building certifier, so we’ve embedded this protection in building and certification contracts to make it crystal clear.” Strengthened contract requirements for certification work will ensure that there is no conflict of interest between the certifier and the builder. The Government has also moved to strengthen compliance and oversight of certifiers in four key areas. This includes:
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<li>increased auditing;</li>
<li>increased penalties for corruption and negligence;</li>
<li>a certifier code of conduct with restrictions on a certifier’s ability to practice in the event of a breach in the previous 12 months; and</li>
<li>the provision of more information to homeowners, ensuring they have the transparency they need on a certifier’s compliance history.</li>
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These reforms are accompanied by the Government’s historic building reform package, the Residential Apartment Buildings (Compliance and Enforcement Powers) Act 2020 and Design and Building Practitioners Act 2020, which passed in early June.
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NSW home building certification reform for greater consumer protection

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The NSW Government has established an expert panel of building and construction specialists to help support the removal of unsafe cladding across the state.
Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation, Kevin Anderson, said the Cladding Product Safety Panel has been tasked with assisting the NSW Building Commissioner, building owners, councils and other regulators by identifying, and where necessary testing, the safest ways to remove and replace high-risk cladding.
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“The Panel will provide expert advice on how to undertake rectification work where unsafe cladding has been identified,” Mr Anderson said. “It will also, for the first time, provide consistent and clear advice on what products can safely be used when replacing combustible cladding. “We know it can be confusing for owners and insurers who are sourcing products to replacing unsafe cladding. The panel will provide details of which products and installation systems can be used safely and comply with the Building Code of Australia, relevant Australian Standards and insurance requirements.” The eight-member panel will be chaired by Professor Mark Hoffman, who led the investigation into building failures at Mascot and Opal towers. It consists of members with expertise in building and construction, product testing, building surveying, certification and fire safety engineering. NSW Building Commissioner, David Chandler OAM, said the Panel will be available to advise councils and industry when they are scoping rectification work on the suitability of building products being proposed to replace unsafe cladding. “The panel will help building owners and occupants to be more confident that remediation and certification work will be compliant and safe,” Mr Chandler said. “We also need to ensure that work will be accepted by insurers without conditionality. The Panel will work closely with the insurance industry to make sure this occurs.
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New government panel for cladding removal oversite for NSW apartments 

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A new 20-year vision for Pyrmont will shape the waterfront peninsula as an innovative, connected and creative around-the-clock destination, providing much-needed jobs, investment and economic growth, part of the NSW Government’s COVID Recovery Plan.
Up to 23,000 new jobs and 800,000 sqm of new commercial and office space are forecast in a new draft plan released on July 31, 2020, supported by better transport connectivity to grow a mix of hi-tech, tourism, media and information industries.
Launching the plan, Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes said the NSW Government’s draft Pyrmont Peninsula Place Strategy and Economic Development Strategy would help map the area’s future.
The strategy considers big moves for transformation such as a potential metro station at Pyrmont as part of the Sydney Metro West project, a new indoor sports and entertainment venue like our own Madison Square Garden, more and better public spaces (including the return of Wentworth Park as local parkland) and the revitalisation of key sites to attract commercial investment.
Mr Stokes added that Pyrmont has always been an extension of the CBD as a bustling hub for a variety of industries, and the draft strategy outlines the latest incarnation in the peninsula’s renewal.
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Mr Stokes said the revitalisation will focus on key sites for renewal, including the existing Sydney Fish Market site at Blackwattle Bay, The Star site at Darling Island, development of Harbourside Shopping Centre, and the UTS Haymarket campus.
“These sites have been identified for revitalisation over the next 20 years and we are keen to ensure that parks, public spaces and the unique character of Pyrmont is protected,” he said.
The Pyrmont Peninsula Place Strategy and Economic Development Strategy are on public exhibition for community feedback until September 13, 2020.
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Pyrmont's 20-year vision released for NSW Government's COVID Recovery Plan

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Major construction on the Parramatta Light Rail has started in the Westmead Health Precinct to provide crucial access to one of Australia’s largest health, education and research hubs.
Minister for Transport Andrew Constance said the Parramatta Light Rail will provide ‘turn-up-and-go’ services seven days a week, linking Westmead customers to rail, bus, ferries, and the future Sydney Metro West.
“These world-class health services and facilities will be more accessible than ever, taking the Westmead Health Precinct to the next level,” Mr Constance said.
“The precinct will cater to more than 40,000 full-time staff and 30,000 students by 2036 and building this type of infrastructure will be key to our economic recovery and will help get people back to work, important parts of the NSW Government’s COVID Recovery Plan.
“It’s vital we have strong public transport infrastructure in place to support this growth and deliver this legacy project for future generations.”
Upcoming work includes removing the road surface, replacing underground utilities and rebuilding the road.
Mr Constance said the Westmead Redevelopment project is one of the biggest health infrastructure projects in the state, intended to transform the Westmead Health Precinct and deliver an innovative, integrated facility that will continue to deliver high- quality healthcare for decades to come.
“We recently finalised work to prepare for the light rail in the area with the widening of Hawkesbury Road. These are big changes and we ask for your patience as we undertake significant works to create a connected, revitalised Westmead Health Precinct
The $2.4 billion Parramatta Light Rail will connect Westmead to Carlingford via the Parramatta CBD and Camellia, and is set to open in 2023.
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Light rail taking shape in Westmead

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Preliminary works commence today on the brand new $25 million Orange Sports Precinct thanks to the NSW Government.
Deputy Premier John Barilaro said the NSW Government is delivering on its election commitment to provide brand new sporting infrastructure to the people of Orange with geotechnical engineers today drilling the first holes in the ground to commence construction.
“Last year I stood up in Orange and promised a $25 million sports precinct for the community, and today we are delivering on that promise and putting shovels in the ground,” Mr Barilaro said.
“I am proud to announce that preliminary work has officially begun on the purpose-built facility which will include cricket and multipurpose ovals, an athletic field and track with covered seating and a rugby union and league field with grandstand and seating mounds to sit 8,500 fans.
Mr Farraway said the NSW Nationals in Government made this commitment at the election and have stayed true to their word.
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“The NSW Nationals in Government have delivered on their promise and today commenced preliminary work to make this $25 million sporting dream a reality, right here in Orange,” Mr Farraway said.
“The delivery of this election commitment will drive business, tourism and dollars directly into the Central West.”
The NSW Government is investing $25 million for the Orange Sports Precinct, Orange City Council will deliver the project and Council aims to have the first stage of the project complete by late 2021 with the main field and grandstand due to be completed by 2022.
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Works begin on $25 million Orange sports precinct

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EXPERT OBSERVER
Urban Taskforce Chief Executive, Tom Forrest, today expressed concern that new home approvals data shows approvals in Greater Sydney have dropped to 16,087 for the 6 months up to and including May 2020 - the lowest half yearly number since May 2013.
Mr Forrest said the Urban Taskforce is on record welcoming the NSW Government’s Planning System Acceleration Program which has seen a number of approvals for large projects come through over the last two months. However, the fact is that approvals were already down to 16,338 for the 6 months leading up to and including November 2019, well before COVID-19 was a factor.
“Part of this drop off in housing approvals is no-doubt due to the close down period associated with COVID-19. But there has been a clear downward trend in new dwelling approvals in Greater Sydney since its peak in November 2016 when 31,000 new dwellings were approved in the six months prior to that date. The figures released by DPIE yesterday show a 48% drop in the 6 month approval data since the peak in November 2016.
“The property and construction industry is a big employer in NSW. Keeping the approvals flowing through the system is critical to employment in NSW and to meeting the demand for housing.
“Approvals today are a clear indicator of work in progress in 12 months’ time. The Department of Planning is pushing strongly for a pro-jobs culture, evidenced by the recent planning reforms and announcement of a new Planning Delivery Unit"
“But culture change is desperately needed at council officer level. Council planning staff need to work with proponents to deliver projects which provide housing, industrial and commercial employment, retail centres as well as open space and public amenity. The key here is working together with businesses to produce financially feasible solutions”, Mr Forrest said.
To quote two great philosophers:
Voltaire (1770) “The best is the enemy of the good.” Confucius (circa 500 BC) "Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without."
Mr Forrest said the NSW planning system had slowed down in the context of the 2019 election and a focus on strategic planning. Now is the time to hit the “go” button on approvals. In the current economic context, the planning system needs to grant at least double the number of approvals to half the number of new dwelling completions.
The NSW Government’s draft Housing Policy says that 50,000 new homes will need to be completed in Greater Sydney each and every year till 2040 to meet forecast demand for housing. That means we need 50,000 new dwelling approvals every six months. The DPIE’s most recent data shows that the last 6 months delivered a mere 16,000 new dwelling approvals, as did the 6 months prior to that (well before COVID-19).
“Fast-tracking is good and it has driven a new ‘can-do’ attitude in DPIE, but the entire planning system needs to work together to deliver for the NSW people and the economy”, Mr Forrest said.
TOM FORREST is the Urban Taskforce CEO
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NSW planning approvals drop off: Tom Forrest

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A new 50-year vision for Greater Sydney’s network of parklands and green open spaces has been launched by the NSW Government, heralded by an initial $10 million investment to revitalise one of the city’s forgotten harbour-side parks.
Planning and Public Spaces minister Rob Stokes said <a href="https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/-/media/Files/DPE/Strategy-documents/50-Year-Open-Space-and-Parklands-Vision-2020-07.pdf?la=en" target="_blank">the draft</a> vision, which is now open for public comment, puts NSW on a path to the first-ever metropolitan-wide plan for the city’s open spaces and parklands.
“Our city’s parks are one of our greatest assets and belong to all of us; it’s time for a clear, single vision to protect, manage, enhance and expand them for generations to come,” Mr Stokes said.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how we need to change the way we look at our public spaces – not as parks in a city but rather as Sydney as a city within a park.”
The Vision will be championed by a new Greater Sydney Parklands (GSP) government agency that brings together the Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust, Parramatta Park Trust, and Western Sydney Parklands Trusts, as well as the parklands of Callan Park and Fernhill Estate. 
Michael Rose, Chairman of the Committee for Sydney, has been appointed the chair of GSP board.
“In the past, the individual parkland trusts have had a sole focus on the land within their boundaries. Now we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to look beyond those boundaries to plan for our parklands and open spaces over the next 50 years as a connected and vital network that forms the backbone of our city,” Mr Stokes said.
“This new city-wide agency will work in partnership with communities and local councils across Greater Sydney to champion the new Vision and ensure we’re working holistically to expand and improve our open spaces and parklands.”
Combined, the agency will oversee more than 6,000 hectares of parklands across Sydney, which host almost 40 million visits each year.
Callan Park in Sydney’s inner west is the first park to be identified through the GSP
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for urgent restorative work, with $10 million in funding allocated to enhance the connection with the waterfront and Bay Run. A new Landscape Structure Plan has been released for public comment, which will inform how the funding is spent.
“This investment in Callan Park is just the start and demonstrates our committment to revitalising and growing our city’s great public open spaces, starting with one of its great forgotten jewels,” Mr Stokes said.
The draft 50-year vision for Greater Sydney’s Open Space and Parklands will be open for consultation until September 11, 2020.
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Callan Park first in 50-year vision for Sydney's open space and parklands renewal

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A building company has been fined $90,000 for breaching the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 after a worker suffered a fatal fall from scaffolding on a Lidcombe construction site.
Hadcon Constructions Pty Ltd was contracted to build a six-storey residential apartment at Lidcombe when the fatality occurred. Upon investigation, SafeWork NSW found the scaffolding had been altered since installation and was inadequately secured.
Minister for Better Regulation, Kevin Anderson, said his thoughts were with the worker’s family.
“This is a tragic incident and my thoughts are with the family. Incidents like this should not happen – everyone deserves to return home to their family at the end of the working day,” Mr Anderson said.
“When working from heights, safety measures and precautions must be strictly enforced, such as only allowing licensed scaffolders to erect, alter or dismantle scaffold.
“Far too often we see tradespeople who are not licensed scaffolders removing or altering parts of the scaffolding in the course of their work, compromising the integrity of the structure – this is how serious accidents can occur.”
The NSW Government recently launched the Speak Up, Save Lives app, which allows workers to anonymously submit dangerous activities on site directly to SafeWork NSW.
“The Speak Up, Save Lives App means workers can report issues before incidents occur. If you spot anything risky, play your part in protecting your own safety as well as that of your work mates by immediately reporting it to SafeWork.”
Following the NSW Government’s introduction of the strongest workplace legislation in the country earlier this month, anyone who puts workers’ lives at risk through unsafe work activities will receive heavy on-the-spot fines or potential jail time.
For more information on SafeWork’s operations and work health and safety advice, visitwww.safework.nsw.gov.au. Hadcon Constructions Pty Ltd has the right to appeal the decision.
Photo above: Scaffolding collapse at Macquarie Park last April/ <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-03/scaffolding-collapse-at-macquarie-park-1/10965318?nw=0" target="_blank">ABC</a>. 
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$90,000 fine for fatal scaffolding fall: NSW

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More than 1,000 homes have now been completed under the NSW Government’s innovative Social and Affordable Housing Fund (SAHF).
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Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services Gareth Ward said another 2,500 new homes are in the program’s pipeline, with about half already under construction.
“This program is all about collaborating with the community housing sector to deliver projects that support vulnerable people, particularly those at risk of homelessness,” Mr Ward said.
“About half of the homes completed so far are dedicated to people over 55 years of age, because they are a growing vulnerable cohort that require additional support.
The Government is delivering the $1.1 billion SAHF in collaboration with community housing providers. Residents who move into the properties receive a service package that includes access to services and support tailored to their individual needs.
Minister for Water, Property and Housing Melinda Pavey said the Land and Housing Corporation was complementing the SAHF with the largest renewal of social housing in Australia.
“We’re not just putting keys in doors; we’re delivering new, integrated communities. This investment will breathe new life into local economies to reenergise social housing and create vibrant communities, not just buildings.”
SGCH Group CEO Scott Langford said SGCH is delivering more than 500 properties under the SAHF and recently completed a 49-unit development in Liverpool.
“We are steadily delivering over 500 new homes under the SAHF, drawing on the strength of our partnerships with government, financiers and support providers,” Mr Langford said.
“Together, we are providing residents the stability of a safe, affordable home linked with supports, this combination serves as a springboard to opportunity.”
The SAHF is a key initiative of Future Directions of Social Housing in NSW building more and better housing that blends-in with local communities.
Photo above: Social houses in Parramatta, Sydney/ <a href="https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/nsw-social-housing-020029321" target="_blank">Getty</a>.
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