Developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/time-place">Time &amp; Place</a> has appointed Hacer to build <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/park-modern-south-melbourne-1-middleton-lane-south-melbourne-vic-3205">Park Modern</a>, its $500 million residential development overlooking Melbourne's Botanic Gardens, while also launching sales to the public.&nbsp;

Located at 11-27 Dorcas Street in South Melbourne, the development encompasses four sites Time &amp; Place strategically acquired and amalgamated over an 18-month period.&nbsp;

The development site is bordered by Middleton Lane, Dorcas and Wells Street, culminating in a substantial 2,398 sqm precinct which occupies the block.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=138453 project_image_fid=351808]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/hacer-group">Hacer</a> has been awarded the build contract, with demolition works now complete and the project team targeting first residents by early 2028.&nbsp;

Following the project receiving Development Approval in January 2025 via the Victorian Government's accelerated Development Facilitation Program (DFP) planning pathway, the much-anticipated project has now earnt its title as the largest island development site in Melbourne's CBD fringe.&nbsp;

Designed by the renowned architect <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bates-smart">Bates Smart</a>, Park Modern takes the form of two sculptural towers strategically placed with a unique orientation designed to maximise each apartment's views of the Botanic Gardens, Shrine of&nbsp; 
Remembrance and the Port Phillip Bay.&nbsp;

The sculptural tower forms are grounded by a robust concrete podium; its gridded proportions a nod to the grand Victorian mansions that once lined St Kilda Rd. Generous balcony planter boxes create a soft, green edge, blending in with the lush greenery of the street and garden surrounds.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=138453 project_image_fid=351806]

Park Modern brings to market 230 one, two, three, and four-bedroom residences, sized from 50 sqm to 300sqm, with pricing starting from $670,00 and reaching north of $10 million.

The development also includes two sub-penthouses and one double-storey penthouse sitting across the uppermost floors of the 17-storey development, boasting 4m ceiling heights.&nbsp;

The design of the project, which will embody modernised art deco with fluid forms, corner living spaces with multiple natural light sources and finely detailed metalwork in the façade, aims to prioritise light as one of the building materials, complementing the sweeping views across the Domain precinct, St Kilda Road and the Botanic Gardens.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=138453 project_image_fid=351804]

The interior design expands on the architecture's art deco references through custom designed door handles and feature lighting. The use of materials such as sustainably harvested timber and natural stone in the benchtops convey an enduring quality to the homes. Two choices of interior material palettes are available; a light palette inspired by bright summer days and a warm palette referencing the autumnal hues of the elm trees along St Kilda Rd.&nbsp;

The building has an intrinsic focus on sustainability, with generous glazing, considered shading, rainwater harvesting and rooftop solar photovoltaics to enable renewable power.&nbsp;

Park Modern's Display Suite, located Level 6, 332 St Kilda Road, opened on 13 September, inviting prospective buyers to explore the development's stunning interiors designed by Bates Smart. Viewings are available by appointment with&nbsp;Burtons.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=138453]

“We have assembled a world-class team befitting this much-cherished park side address," Time &amp; Place Director and Founder, Tim Price, says.

"With some of our most trusted project partners in Bates Smart and Hacer, we are confident in delivering highly desirable residences that will optimise the views and interaction with the gardens, city and bay."

"Park Modern is our vision for a sophisticated, amenity-rich village in South Melbourne, where the 15-minute neighbourhood concept comes to life - placing the city's best food, arts, culture and entertainment within a short walk&nbsp; 
of home.&nbsp;

"This development is a testament to Time &amp; Place's mission to make for interesting living, which we continue to do by creating developments in connected, engaging, and exciting urban communities. This is the last opportunity to create a new residential address on the Botanical Gardens. We've spent seven years curating the land and a design that will feel as right in twenty years as it does today."&nbsp;

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=138453]

Joel Robinson

Time & Place appoints Hacer to build newly launched Park Modern apartments in South Melbourne

Builder-developer ALAND has had buyers jump at the opportunity to buy into their first inner-city Sydney apartment development.

Over $103 million in sales were achieved at the launch of The Walden, North Sydney's newest apartment tower. The sales equated to around 55 per cent of the first release of residences.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6382]

Located at 177 Walker Street, North Sydney, The Walden boasts a front-row position on the eastern fringe of the North Sydney CBD, offering uninterrupted Sydney Harbour views stretching from the Sydney Harbour Bridge all the way to Sydney Heads.

The harbour views, not to mention North Sydney’s relatively limited housing supply compared to other North Shore suburbs, as well as high demand from a wealthy downsizer demographic and a growing population, is driving the strong demand and premium prices commanded in the area.

The harbourside suburb also continues to benefit from significant government and private sector investment, which is changing the face of North Sydney as it transitions to an 18-hour a day living, dining and recreation hotspot, with more spending set to come over the next decade.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6395]

ALAND Founder Andrew Hrsto says North Sydney has fast become a sought-after destination for discerning property buyers.

“It’s clear that North Sydney’s changing rapidly, and property buyers are excited both by what’s on offer in 
the suburb now, as well as what’s yet to come,” Hrsto says.

“Against this backdrop, The Walden is set to become a benchmark for luxury living in North Sydney, and it’s perfectly poised for buyers to capitalise on the continued growth and transformation in the local area."

Hrsto says with&nbsp;its unrivalled amenities, refined design, and rare balance of sophistication and community connection, The Walden delivers a lifestyle unlike anything else on the market.

Residents will enjoy access to a comprehensive suite of facilities, including a fully equipped gym, wellness and treatment room, spa, wine cellar, resident lounge, private dining room, pool, dedicated work-from-home and meeting spaces, as well as the convenience of a dedicated concierge.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6394]

Ben Stewart, Partner at SRM Residential, which is overseeing sales at The Walden, says North Sydney offers the perfect balance of city convenience and lifestyle appeal for prospective buyers.

“Apartment sales in North Sydney have remained robust throughout 2025, and today’s opening sales at The Walden reflect strong buyer confidence in the area’s ongoing revitalisation,” said Stewart.

“All the purchasers I spoke to are appreciating the unparalleled amenity and expansive apartments, coupled with North Sydney’s connectivity through the Metro with Barangaroo accessible in three minutes and Martin Place in five – all these factors are key drivers for a purchaser demographic that includes lower North Shore owner-occupiers and downsizers, plus a few city-based, high-end investors."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6399]

Stewart says the views, design, and sizing of the apartments at The Walden, is a level&nbsp;above the majority of other projects on the market.&nbsp;

"We’re seeing buyers prioritise well-designed apartments that offer both lifestyle appeal and long-term investment potential. ALAND’s 23 years of delivery success, backed its Gold Star iCIRT rating and Latent Defect Insurance (LDI) have been embraced by this market.”

ALAND will commence construction of The Walden in early 2026, ahead of planned completion by 2028.

ALAND's sales success at The Walden, North Sydney launch

Builder-developer DASCO is continuing to expand its development pipeline, unveiling plans for its third project in Sydney.

The company has secured a prime 5,874 sqm site in the St Leonards South precinct, spanning 14–16 Marshall Avenue, 5–9 Holdsworth Avenue, and 2–10 Berry Street. The site will host three new buildings, delivering 231 new residences.

Each tower will rise 14 storeys and feature a mix of apartments, double-storey townhomes, and penthouses. The inclusion of affordable housing in the development has triggered a height uplift from the previously approved 10 storeys to 14.

DASCO is already familiar with the area, as it is currently delivering The Newlands by Eterno, just down the road, alongside Elation by New Golden.

“This milestone reflects our continued commitment to shaping vibrant communities and delivering enduring places to call home,” DASCO said in its announcement, adding that it will once again partner with Metrics.

DASCO and Metrics are also collaborating on the recently launched Senso in Epping, a landscape-focused precinct comprising 479 apartments across five buildings, the first of its kind in the suburb.

DASCO’s other active project, Danks St District, is similarly transforming its local area. It will include six new residential buildings with around 373 apartments. Both current projects are backed by a 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy from Resilience Insurance.

&nbsp;

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Exclusive: DASCO expands Sydney apartment pipeline with trio of St Leonards buildings

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/consolidated-properties">Consolidated Properties Group (CPG)</a> has revealed plans for a new residential development on one of the last remaining direct riverfront sites in Newstead.&nbsp;

The <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/47-skyring-terrace-newstead-qld-4006">Skyring Terrace project</a> will comprise 235 premium apartments in a 25-storey tower with Moreton Island views, accompanied by a small four-storey riverfront building of just 12 ultra-luxury residences.

Award-winning architecture firm&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a>&nbsp;was inspired by&nbsp;the great classical buildings of Brisbane.&nbsp;CPG's long-term build partner, tier one construction firm <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/hutchinson-builders">Hutchinson Builders</a>, will deliver the development.

CPG Chairman and CEO, Don O’Rorke said he's spent the last 10 years in their office looking next door to Customs House and thinking, 'imagine if we could build something like that.'

“We want this building to be considered one of Brisbane’s best in 100 years," O'Rorke says.

"I want my great, great grandchildren to be proud say that we built this. “&nbsp;

<img alt="CPG unveils a modern classic on the Newstead riverfront" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="119b4fe7-f733-40ca-9588-36e67d46707a" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/47SKYRING_C2.jpg?VersionId=252vgJzSyaJ2LcbpQlTI.YisSLwt7sxl" />

Woods Bagot Principal, David Lee said the design of the building is "elegant, confident, and timeliness."

“When Consolidated Properties Group approached us, we knew this site demanded something notable. It’s an iconic building that marks the entry to the &nbsp;vibrant Newstead riverside community," Lee said.

"Classical motifs are reinterpreted and abstracted to create a modern aesthetic on key architectural elements, like the slab edges, columns and &nbsp;balustrade.”&nbsp;

CPG’s Head of Residential, James MacGinley said Woods Bagot have created a modern classic.

"From the bullnose brick columns to the sandstone flagstones everything has been selected to last a lifetime. Too often, contemporary design relies on modern façade materials to create architectural &nbsp;interest. But people forget that those modern materials fade over time while stone and brick last forever.” &nbsp;

Positioned to capture panoramic vistas north across the river to Hamilton Hill, the project’s front-row location offers uninterrupted, never-to-be-built-out views - a rarity in Brisbane’s tightly held &nbsp;riverfront landscape.&nbsp;

MacGinley said the apartment layouts embrace the perfect north east aspect of the site.

"More than 75 of the apartments have a river view which is an incredible design achievement from the Woods Bagot team.” &nbsp;

The development forms part of&nbsp;CPG’s riverfront collection including Monarch Residences at Toowong, and a new 25-storey development at Yeerongpilly.

Hutchinson Builders are expected to commence in 2026, with apartment sales launching early next &nbsp;year.

Don O'Rorke's Cons Prop unveils Newstead riverfront apartment plans

Melbourne developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hengyi-australia">Hengyi</a> is trying again to develop its prominent Bay Road site in Bayside Sandringham.

The new application, now under consideration via Victoria’s Development Facilitation Program, marks a revised approach after a previous iteration was refused by VCAT in late 2023. They are planning three seven-storey residential buildings at 208-210 Bay Road, an already cleared 5,226 sqm block just under two kilometres from the beach.

The buildings will home&nbsp;123 apartments above a two-level basement car park, along with a commercial tenancy, communal facilities, and landscaping interventions.&nbsp;

<img alt="208-210 BAY ROAD SANDRINGHAM VIC 3191" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d5523a8c-47e3-47f4-b468-9fb97f241977" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/front%20full.png?VersionId=CGSZOulullVRFFbCrTAvZLXJ1jPv5.wM" />

Hengyi has addressed the key concerns from VCAT, namely&nbsp;how the building would integrate with the current environment.

The buildings step down from Bay Road towards the rear, addressing sensitive residential interfaces and the neighbouring Sandringham East Primary School. Design features include varied setbacks, upper-level recesses, and deep soil zones intended to retain and supplement the existing tree canopy.&nbsp;

Vehicular access is proposed via an upgraded crossover on Bay Road, while pedestrian connectivity is enhanced through retention of an easement that links to the primary school. Car parking is proposed to be reduced below the standard requirements, justified in part by the site’s proximity to public transport and active transport networks.

<img alt="208-210 BAY ROAD SANDRINGHAM VIC 3191" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d622acc1-0917-43d4-b8ba-8857ded0cc73" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/perspective_2.png?VersionId=iSrKHlI_D11ckyBzWdgq5QEy2TSWZCTW" />

Architect Rothelowman noted in the Urban Context Report that the proposal&nbsp;"seeks to balance site efficiency, residential amenity, and a sensitive response to its urban interface."

Rothelowman's design inspiration stemmed from asking the question 'What does&nbsp;Sandringham and Bayside have that is unique to other parts of suburban Melbourne?'

They said indigenous coastal flora and fauna, extensive areas of recreational greenland, and living by the ancient land that follows the bay, are the three key features of Sandringham.

The proposed mix includes affordable and market housing, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a>&nbsp;seeking to balance increased density with amenity through articulated built forms and communal offerings such as a gym, co-working space, and rooftop spa.

John Patrick Landscaped Architects have come in to enhance the landscaping, which was another key factor in the VCAT decision to refuse the original application. Now there will be rainforest and coastal gardens with a predominantly native and indigenous planting palette.

<img alt="208-210 BAY ROAD SANDRINGHAM VIC 3191" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7cdceff0-aa99-4ed7-a159-0038e8f66fbb" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/perspective_3.png?VersionId=uvTAu41Ryn3GWKLjJrIbilvQO09MsuR9" />

The Town Planning Report by Urbis suggested the project is designed to deliver “a much-needed increase in dwelling diversity and density” in an area earmarked by Bayside Council as a Moderate Residential Growth Zone.

The Bayside Housing Strategy identifies the corridor as suitable for higher density residential renewal, aligning with the state government's recent target of 30,000 new homes in Bayside by 2051.

The application is being assessed by the Minister for Planning under Clause 53.23 due to its scale, provision of affordable housing, and $70 million-plus investment.&nbsp;The project is forecast to support 200 full-time construction jobs and deliver $56 million in gross value added during the build period.

Hengyi has previously developed Swanston Central and Light House, both in the Melbourne CBD.

The Bayside Housing Strategy identifies the corridor as suitable for higher density residential renewal, aligning with the state government's recent target of 30,000 new homes in Bayside by 2051

First look: Hengyi proposes trio of apartment buildings for Sandringham’s Bay Road

Sport

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International sporting brand Decathlon has announced its expansion plans for Australia, including the establishment of its first store in Victoria.
The store in Box Hill South is set to open in November 2018.
Decathlon landed in Australia last year, opening its first store in Tempe in New South Wales in December (above).
Since opening the store has sold over 60,000 items on average per month, attracting 500,000 visitors per month and selling over 600,000 items to date in total including online sales.  
The brand is one of the world’s largest sporting retailers, often likened to the Ikea of sporting goods, and originates from France.  
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/6/18/dec2.jpg" alt="">
It has 1200 stores across the globe in 30 countries and 80,000 staff worldwide.
CEO of Decathlon Australia Olivier Robinet says Victoria will love Decathlon.
“We are extremely pleased to be expanding our presence across Australia,” Robinet said.
“Building on the success of our website and our first store in Tempe, Sydney, we want to maintain the momentum by opening further stores across Australia.  
"The people of Australia have embraced our brand and we are excited about this. 
Robinet announced they have plans to open five stores in Victoria over the next two years, while they will open their second store in New South Wales in Auburn.
“In keeping with our generous warehouse design, the stores will be over 3800 square metres in size, represent over 70 sports and carry more than 7,000 different products, with walls and aisles lined with an endless array of unique and innovative items.
“Australians are some of the most active people in the world, the whole country is like a playground," Robinet said.
Customers can test their products in the ‘active zones’ and take products home to try them for up to a week. 
“We employ many local staff and our whole team is focused on assisting customers to fall in love with sport and benefit from our great products, affordable prices and wonderful service.
“In fact, our expansion across Victoria means that we will be providing jobs for hundreds of Victorians. 
Each store employs up to 100 people.
 
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

Global sports retail giant Decathlon to expand to Victoria

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Park soccer, social cricket and street basketball bring the public spaces of our cities to life. For many of the most marginalised communities, access to public space for sport is crucial for developing and maintaining a sense of belonging. But as populations grow and competition for playing fields, courts and parks becomes fiercer, many communities are losing access to their sporting spaces.
Our research project is exploring informal team sport, social inclusion and urban space in Sydney and two other cities, Singapore and London.
Just turn up and play
We are focusing on “pick-up sport” – regular or semi-regular team sports played in public spaces where people join in on a “turn up and play” basis.
On Friday nights in Sydney’s Blacktown, people of all ages from Filipino and African backgrounds play basketball in neighbourhood stadiums and public courts. In Redfern, Aboriginal youth play street ball on outdoor playgrounds in a rapidly gentrifying neighbourhood.
Ashfield Park in Sydney’s inner west comes alive in the late afternoons as Sudanese, Nepalese, Indian, Chinese, Afghan, Iranian and Turkish people gather for park soccer. On Friday nights, a group of Colombian men play against Chileans. Both groups wear homemade team jerseys. On Sunday afternoons in summer the informal Sydney Nepalese Soccer Club uses the park to train. Later in the evening, men from Nepal and India play social cricket.
These games have histories. Many of the players have gathered weekly for years. In some cases, informal teams have evolved into official ethnic leagues.
For new arrivals, getting involved in pick-up sport can be an important first step into the friendships and social networks that help a newcomer with settlement, integration and belonging.
Structured sport programs are often used to increase community cohesion and assist migrant settlement. However, many marginalised city inhabitants prefer informal sport to official club sport.
Registration costs, language barriers and stigmatisation of racial minorities – including Aboriginal youth – make joining an official club difficult. For transient groups, like temporary migrants, the constraints of organised club sport are prohibitive. And, of course, women face a number of barriers to participating in sport. For many, just finding and registering for a formal neighbourhood team is a leap into the unknown.
Pick-up sport, on the other hand, allows for relaxed rhythms of encounter. These unhurried interactions allow space for the “slow cook” that is needed for new forms of community and “multicultural conviviality” to emerge.
Interactions across ethnic and socioeconomic lines, and between newly arrived and longer-term residents, help city communities to thrive. Pick-up sport provides the perfect opportunity for this.
‘Sorry you can’t play here’
But this social activity is increasingly under threat. The threat is palpable for one group of migrant and refugee men we have been observing in Sydney’s inner west.
They have been playing social soccer in the same park for over a decade. The players come from Afro-Caribbean, Chinese, Afghan, Iranian, Turkish, Nepalese and South American backgrounds. They are a mixture of longer-time immigrants and relative newcomers, including refugees and international students, with ages ranging from early 20s to 60s. The group is always evolving as people come and go.
For these men, playing soccer gives them a real sense of community and belonging. It also cultivates an openness to meeting new people who regularly join in.
Their games have run through summer, while official club games run over winter. Traditionally, this sporting ground has been happily shared between the formal and informal teams. However, the council has recently started renting the fields for private summer competitions and training, ending its support for “time share” between paid and unpaid use.
The group of men were reportedly politely told “sorry you can’t play here” and that the clubs were paying, had booked the space, and thus had a “right” to it. The team has since been forced to play on sloping bumpy ground among the trees.
These displaced players feel angry, marginalised and discriminated against. Their long-term use of the space was not recognised, nor was the social value their activity brings to the area.
This story is repeated around Sydney and across the country as sporting clubs compete for space and increasingly cash-strapped local councils look for ways to increase revenue. We met a social soccer team of young Muslim girls who were displaced because, they were told, the council needed funds from paying club sport to maintain the fields.
Meanwhile the New South Wales state government is pushing ahead with plans to spend over $2 billion on two major Sydney stadiums, despite considerable community backlash.
These commercialising forces ultimately undermine the social benefits of both formal and informal sport and the inclusivity of cities.
Counting the cost
Beyond sport, these instances raise important questions about urban planning, gentrification and the privatisation of public space. These forces have real consequences for the formation of new communities and integration in diverse cities.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/92352/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">As the sociologist Iris Marion Young argues in her book, Justice and the Politics of Difference, public space is where the city’s strangers come together. Sport can produce great community benefits. We urge planners and politicians to consider the important role that open spaces have for informal social team sport in enhancing community cohesion in our big cities.
Amanda Wise, Associate professor, Macquarie University
Keith Parry, Senior Lecturer in Sport Management, Western Sydney University
Kristine Aquino, Lecturer in Global Studies, University of Technology Sydney
Sarah Neal, Professor of Sociology, University of Sheffield
Selvaraj Velayutham, Senior lecturer, Macquarie University
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/pushing-casual-sport-to-the-margins-threatens-cities-social-cohesion-92352" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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