A prominent corner in Wynnum’s central precinct could be reshaped under new plans from <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/toore-developments">Torre Development</a>, with a development application now with council for a sculptural eight-storey apartment building combining residential, office, and recreation uses.

Situated at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/63-bay-terrace-wynnum-qld-4178">63 Bay Terrace</a>, the 2,014 sqm site lies at the intersection with Charlotte Street, within the Wynnum-Manly Neighbourhood Plan’s Wynnum central business district sub-precinct. The proposal seeks to deliver 78 apartments above ground-floor non-residential tenancies, with architecture by Plus Studio.

The proposed building will be a mix of 58 two-bedroom and 20 three-bedroom apartments spread across seven residential levels, crowned by a 914 sqm communal rooftop terrace featuring a pool, gym, sauna, and private dining areas.

Ground level activation is a key aspect of the design, with 771 sqm of office and indoor sport and recreation space proposed to reinforce the area’s major centre designation. The site will also deliver improved pedestrian amenity via a recessed entry plaza on Bay Terrace and a landscaped public realm along Charlotte Street.

<img alt="63 Bay Terrace, Wynnum" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4e5ef890-2f8f-4bbd-9ff1-57fa4e4360d2" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Wynnum%20podium.png?VersionId=7_if97F1KAYrTX2BQrNspFInEHwXcQRd" />

In their design report, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a> described the form as “sculpted into a rhythmic wave, amplifying facade dynamism while merging interior life seamlessly with the city’s texture to evoke a fluid, immersive urban living experience”.

Vehicle access will be via Bay Terrace, with four basement levels accommodating 197 car spaces, including 177 for residents. Bicycle storage is also provided for 193 bikes.

The building’s architectural character is marked by curved balconies, horizontal banding at podium level, and lush greenery integrated throughout.

“Traditional developments in Wynnum typically feature above-ground car parking, a tiered 'wedding-cake' building form, no podium-level landscaping, and no rooftop amenities,” Mewing Planning noted in the DA, positioning this proposal as a departure from the norm.

The new development is Torre's second in the area, having recently completed Catalina, a more boutique building with 28 apartments.

There are only two new developments currently on the market in Wynnum: Panorama on Bay Terrace and Adena Residences on Sorrento Street, the latter of which is nearing completion.

Joel Robinson

First look: Torre eyes sculpted mixed-use apartment tower for key Wynnum corner

“We honestly never thought we’d have penthouses.”

That was the view from <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ellipse-property-group">Ellipse Property Group</a>, developer of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/carrington-place-castle-hill-36-carrington-road-castle-hill-nsw-2154">Carrington Place</a>, Cas​tle Hill’s $850 million masterplanned community. Atrium, the project’s first stage, has been one of the Hills Shire’s most successful launches, with sales cutting across almost every buyer demographic. But it was one group in particular, downsizers, that shaped the next evolution of the development.

“Our large three-bedroom apartments, anything bigger than 135 sqm, were quickly getting snapped up,” says Puja Khanna, Ellipse’s Sales, Marketing and Design Associate Director. “We had a huge amount of interest from downsizers who were living in houses and used to having extra space. Many hadn’t wanted to leave because they couldn’t see themselves in a smaller apartment.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=89496 project_image_fid=353654]

That demand drove Ellipse to reconfigure layouts during the early stages of the construction phase. “At one point a buyer asked us to combine a two-bedroom and a one-bedroom into a 145 sqm three-bedroom. We applied that across the stack and created five more, they all sold very quickly.&nbsp; Then another buyer wanted something even bigger. We looked strategically at how to cater for this appetite and ended up redesigning the whole of the top level. Sixteen units became eight penthouses, each one unique in its design, configuration, or aspect.”

Ellipse’s new penthouse collection takes space and finishes to another level. Offering up to 334 sqm of indoor-outdoor living, they feature stone kitchens with central islands designed for entertaining, walk-in pantries, and a full suite of integrated Miele appliances and a Fisher &amp; Paykel fridge.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=89496 project_image_fid=353655]

Living areas are anchored by luxury fireplaces, while expansive balconies and terraces include outdoor kitchens with bar fridges, sinks, and built-in barbecue benches. Bathrooms will feature large-format porcelain tiles, brushed brass fittings, frameless shower screens, and floating timber-toned vanities.

“We’ve already had a buyer secure one of the penthouses purely from a hand-sketch drawing,” Khanna says. “We worked with them for months to refine the specifications and inclusions. That consultation process has helped shape the rest of the penthouses — some even feature two separate living spaces.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=89496 project_image_fid=353653]

Ellipse’s builder <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/decode">Decode Group</a>, an award-winning Tier 2 residential builder and one of the first to achieve a prestigious Gold iCIRT rating, is well advanced in construction at Atrium, which is expected to welcome its first residents in mid-2026.

There will be four stages to Carrington Place, delivering over 800 apartments alongside 20,000 sqm of outdoor recreation space. Plans include a one-kilometre boardwalk connecting to Fred Caterson Reserve, along with extensive landscaping and community amenity. Ellipse has recently launched Carrington Place’s second stage, Lily Lane, which will deliver 220 new apartments across two new buildings.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=89496]

Ellipse Property unveils Atrium Penthouse Collection at Carrington Place, Castle Hill

Latent Defects Insurance (LDI) is rapidly becoming a must-have in the New South Wales new development market, with more developers than ever adopting the rigorous insurance policy that brings confidence to the market like no other.

While LDI has been long established in Europe and the Americas, it only entered the Australian market in 2022 when Resilience Insurance was approved to offer the cover. It arrived against a backdrop of high-profile defects cases that had dented confidence in the apartment sector.

Latent Defects Insurance is secured by the developer and protects the building—and, more importantly, the apartments within it, from any structural or waterproofing defects that may arise within the first 10 years of the building's completion.

Resilience Insurance CEO Corey Nugent says developers have quickly realised its importance.

“The overarching feedback from prospective buyers in the new development space is that they have an inherent lack of confidence,” Nugent says. “That has been the number one factor in buyers transacting. 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 by taking out the insurance.”

Nugent says there has been a marked uptick in new projects with LDI in the last 12 months.

“There are now over 3,200 apartments in the pipeline that have, or will have, the Latent Defects Insurance policy. Developers understand the value it gives to buyers while also recognising that if they don’t offer it, others will—and that makes a competing development much more appealing to a buyer.”

Nugent says we are now seeing a real shift in the culture of development. The policy doesn’t just protect purchasers; it encourages better standards during construction because independent inspections are part of the process. “That’s the real long-term benefit.”

Builder-developers have been particularly active in driving adoption of the policy. Deicorp was among the earliest adopters, setting a precedent that many others have followed. Builder-developer DASCO has taken out LDI across its two new projects, Danks Street District in Waterloo and Senso in Epping.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=111820 project_image_fid=344699]

Fellow prolific builder-developer ALAND has taken out its first Latent Defects Insurance policy at The Walden, the newest apartment development in North Sydney. ALAND Founder Andrew Hrsto said offering the policy was a natural decision.

“With a project like The Walden, buyers expect certainty,” Hrsto says. “For us, LDI ensures that confidence is built in from the start, and that’s exactly what purchasers in this part of Sydney are looking for.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6384]

Newcastle builder-developer GWH has just taken out the policy at its newest development, ERA, one of the only new developments in the region with Latent Defects Insurance.

GWH Director Jonathan Craig said the policy is a “win for everyone.” “As a builder and developer, we take great pride in our work. Having third-party inspections throughout construction gives us confidence and delivers peace of mind for the buyer.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=351104]

Longstanding, diversified developer Northland Group is offering the only LDI-insured apartments in Merrylands in Sydney’s growing west. Their under-construction Pitt Street development, Central Quarter, will comprise 194 apartments above a full new commercial and retail precinct.

Chris Williams, Operations Director at Home789, who is selling Central Quarter in conjunction with Stone Projects, says buyers are seeing LDI as both a value-add and protection.

“LDI is helping first home buyers and investors feel more confident, especially with all the negative publicity around off-the-plan apartments,” Williams says. He adds that buyers also appreciate the strict requirements and scheduled inspections throughout construction. “That adds another layer of credibility to the project and gives them extra confidence in the build quality.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5660 project_image_fid=1673]

Developments with LDI are subject to the Technical Inspection Service program, an independent third-party review process that monitors and evaluates a building’s design and construction. By integrating regular inspections and detailed assessments into every stage of construction, the TIS significantly reduces the likelihood of latent structural defects—issues that only become apparent after project completion.

Resilience Insurance is working with the NSW Government and expects Latent Defects Insurance to be mandatory by 2028.

“There are now over 3,200 apartments in the pipeline that have, or will have, the Latent Defects Insurance policy."

Resilience Latent Defect Insurance protection runs hot in New South Wales

The builder-developer model has become a widely discussed strategy in the new development space in recent years, particularly in the face of rising labour costs, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, and a shortage of high-quality builders. Many developers who built their own projects were able to mitigate these challenges and continue delivering new apartments relatively unscathed.

In Newcastle, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/gwh">GWH</a> stands out as the city’s only local builder-developer. While operating relatively quietly for decades, the diversified developer is now becoming a major player in a city that is traditionally deemed a “regional market”, but has grown to be anything but. Increased interest from Sydney-based buyers, driven by remote working trends and the search for affordability that often lies well outside of Greater Sydney, has only heightened GWH’s visibility.

Their strength lies in their fully integrated business model and the local reputation they’ve built. This has helped them navigate challenges like the pandemic as well as any developer in the country, and continues to guide their growing pipeline of projects.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=351104]

Jonathan Craig, GWH’s Managing Director, has been with the business for nearly 30 years. He stepped out of school and straight onto a construction site with his father, a structural engineer.

“I was straight on site in Cardiff, where I met Hilton Grugeon (one of GWH’s founders). Within a week, I was working for him and Grahame Chevalley (the other founder),” Jonathan recalls.

GWH was founded in 1995, initially focusing on industrial units and then moving into bulky goods retail developments, particularly in Newcastle and Maitland. In the early 2000s, the company began developing Coles neighbourhood shopping centres. They soon built out a construction team capable of delivering larger-scale projects, paving the way for their entry into multi-residential development.

While the builder-developer model isn’t necessarily new, GWH could arguably boast one of the most vertically integrated businesses in the country. Under the umbrella of the Hunter Construction Group, GWH has access to an in-house supply chain that includes a ready-mixed concrete provider, and structural steel, aluminium windows and doors and precast panel manufacturing businesses.

“We very literally deliver the developments from the ground up,” Jonathan says.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=24247 project_image_fid=325758]

Jonathan reflects on GWH’s “bold move” to buy a residential development site in Newcastle West over a decade ago. “People thought we were mad. At the time, it was Newcastle’s tallest building at around 13 storeys.”

Apartment living wasn’t the norm in Newcastle back then.

“The city and surrounds were predominantly made up of single blocks with weatherboard cottages, even in the centre of the city,” he says.&nbsp;

But fast forward a decade, and the landscape has shifted dramatically.

“The market is now incredibly well-educated and much more open to what apartment living can offer.”

One of the most noticeable market shifts Jonathan has noticed in the past five to seven years has been the demand for resident facilities.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=24247 project_image_fid=325760]

“We started with a residential rooftop in 2018, and then added a pool and gym. Now our developments include all of the above plus cinemas, steam rooms and multiple rooftop entertaining areas.” The residential rooftop space is an amenity GWH has double-downed on in recent years. It has become one of their signature offerings, with no other developer in the area dedicating the rooftop to residents.

Another major shift over the last five years is the buyer pool. Previously, about 75 per cent of GWH’s buyers were local downsizers from within a 40-kilometre radius. Today, the buyer demographic is much more varied, with younger professionals and investors who see long-term growth in the Newcastle area becoming more prevalent.

This diversification has led GWH to design developments with a wider range of apartment configurations and sizes to meet evolving demand.

GWH has delivered over 700 apartments since entering the multi-residential sector, and will add a further 193 apartments in the coming months with the completion of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/one-apartments-newcastle-west-1-national-park-street-newcastle-west-nsw-2302">ONE Apartments</a> in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/newcastle-west-nsw-2302">Newcastle West</a>. GWH focused on larger floorplans at ONE, which are around 20 per cent larger than what is typically available in both the new development and established apartments sectors in the region. The taller of the two towers in the building, at 80m high, will become the tallest tower in Newcastle.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=351103]

Just 650 metres away, GWH will soon break ground on their next project, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/era-newcastle-west-124-126-bull-street-newcastle-west-nsw-2302">ERA</a>. Another two-tower development, ERA will comprise 281 apartments, an open-air swimming pool on the shared podium level, a gym with a dedicated fitness studio and a dry sauna, and a rooftop terrace crowning each building.

ERA will be GWH’s first development to include Latent Defects Insurance by Resilience Insurance, which protects buyers from structural and waterproofing defects for 10 years post-completion.

“The policy is a win for everyone,” Jonathan says.

“As a builder and developer, we take great pride in our work. Having third-party inspections throughout construction gives us confidence, and delivers peace of mind for the buyer.”

GWH plans to take out Latent Defects Insurance on all future projects.

One of GWH’s most ambitious upcoming projects will reshape the west end of Newcastle. The developer recently secured The Cambridge Hotel, situated on a prized 1,942 sqm site, along with an adjoining 4,096 sqm parcel. Together, they form a 6,038 sqm megasite set to become a mixed-use precinct, featuring significant retail and hospitality on the ground floor, and several residential towers above.

“There’s such an opportunity to deliver something really special for this part of the city. “It’s one we, as a whole business, are very much looking forward to bringing to the people of Newcastle.”

Building from the ground up: GWH takes fully-integrated development model to new heights

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/bellevue-hill-nsw-2023">Bellevue Hill</a> has long been one of Sydney’s premier suburbs. With having the highest median house value in the nation exceeding $10 million, it’s home to some of Australia’s most prestigious schools and The Royal Sydney Golf Club. What the suburb lacks, however, is new apartments which meet the needs of local downsizers and families.

Most units in the area date back to the 1960s, with layouts that no longer suit modern lifestyles, particularly for the downsizer market that dominates Bellevue Hill. As the downsizer trend sweeps through Sydney’s eastern suburbs, many long-time residents are looking for low-maintenance living options without leaving the suburb they love.

When new developments do emerge, they’re typically full-floor residences in boutique buildings, which work for some downsizers, but don’t speak for the whole demographic who might want more amenity, generous open spaces. These types of apartments can also be out of reach for many downsizers.

That’s where developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/kew">Kew</a> identified an opportunity with its fourth project in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kew-palm-house-bellevue-hill-84-88-birriga-road-bellevue-hill-nsw-2023">Kew Palm House</a>. The team amalgamated three sites to create a generous 3,000 sqm block on Birriga Road, bordering the Royal Sydney Golf Club. The result is a design that feels more like a resort hotel with lush landscaped gardens and traditional harbour-view homes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=133966 project_image_fid=352223]

While downsizers and families are expected to make up the majority of buyers, Kew is offering a mix of two, three, and four-bedroom apartments among the 16 residences. The two-bedroom layouts, rare for Bellevue Hill, are ideal for lock-and-leave downsizers, while the larger residences are tailored for more permanent owner-occupiers.

Architect <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a> was engaged to design Kew Palm House with a brief to create “a modern interpretation of a classic townhome nestled within a resort.” The project comprises two separate four- and five-level buildings, surrounded by extensive landscaping by renowned firm <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/dangar-barin-smith">Dangar Barin Smith</a>.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=133966 project_image_fid=352220]

Communal gardens weave through secluded tree-lined paths leading to a pool house and alfresco spaces, amenities designed to bring neighbours together for communal functions and family events.

To be in keeping with what the market expects in Bellevue Hill, interiors will feature high-end fixtures and finishes such as expanses of travertine, natural stone, engineered timber, and luxury appliances by V-ZUG in the kitchens.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=133966 project_image_fid=352219]

Kew Co-Founder and CEO Ali Mohammed spent two years researching the local real estate market in Bellevue Hill to understand what buyers were looking for.

“What we found is that the majority of the homes in Bellevue Hill are very grand, with generous open spaces and established gardens,” Mohammed said. “We wanted to create that grandiosity in an apartment development, not just focussing on the building but creating plenty of open space to move around.”

Ali Mohammed says he was inspired to create garden-led developments after a trip to London’s Kew Gardens in 2009. “Just as plants thrive under optimal conditions, Kew believes humans flourish in well-designed environments. The residences blend architectural innovation with sustainability, fostering a harmonious connection between people and nature.”

Kew is part of Positive Investment Enterprise, a development and investment group founded in 2011. The company has taken a particular interest in Bellevue Hill, with Kew Palm House being the first in a succession of upcoming projects in the area. They have previously completed Kew Bondi, one of the most architecturally striking buildings on Bondi Road.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=133966]

Kew takes a shine to Bellevue Hill as Palm House launches

Streetscape

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Taxis have traditionally competed for kerbside space in our cities, but they now have many new competitors. <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805"> </a>
In case you missed it, 2018 was designated the <a href="https://mobilitylab.org/2018/06/08/managing-the-chaos-of-the-21st-century-curb/" target="_blank">Year of the Kerb</a> by Sabrina Sussman, <a href="https://www.zipcar.com/" target="_blank">Zipcar’s</a> public partnerships manager. This is because competition for limited kerb space has been increasing over the past few years, particularly in cities.
The kerb is the place that provides “access” between the street and the footpath. The definition tends to include the lane beyond the kerb that is used for car parking, bus stops, taxi pickups and dropoffs, and loading and unloading goods.
But kerb competition is increasing from a range of new users including: car sharing, ride sharing, e-scooter share, bike share and e-bike share, food delivery, online order deliveries and, in coming years, autonomous vehicles.
And this increasing focus on the kerb is highlighted in recent reports by the <a href="https://www.ite.org/technical-resources/topics/complete-streets/curbside-management-resources/" target="_blank">Institute of Traffic Engineers</a>, the <a href="https://www.itf-oecd.org/shared-use-city-managing-curb-0" target="_blank">International Transport Forum</a> and North America’s National Association of City Transportation Officials (<a href="https://nacto.org/tsdg/curb-appeal-whitepaper">NACTO</a>).
With this range of new users, cities need to rethink how they manage this contested real estate. Without better kerb management, cities will face increased congestion on local streets from vehicles circulating to access the kerb and on footpaths from a range of shared mobility devices.
One change cities will need to make to accommodate these new users is to repurpose kerb space, which has traditionally been used for parking, to other uses. This change will most likely have a significant financial impact.
<a href="https://www.wired.com/story/city-planning-curbs/" target="_blank">One survey</a> of the 25 largest US cities found parking-related revenues totalled US$5 billion in 2016, or about US$129 per person. While repurposing kerb space will not affect all of this revenue, it will have an impact on city budgets. To minimise this impact, cities will need to think about if, and how, to charge new users of kerb space.
To manage kerbs, first identify the uses
The City of Seattle is one of the leaders in kerb management. The city categorised kerb use into six key functions:
<ol>
<li>
mobility for travel lanes, bike lanes and bus lanes
</li>
<li>
access for people using bus stops, bike parking and loading zones
</li>
<li>
access for commerce to deliver goods
</li>
<li>
activation for <a href="https://theconversation.com/people-love-parklets-and-businesses-can-help-make-them-happen-87172" target="_blank">small parks</a>, food trucks and public art
</li>
<li>
greening for plantings, rain gardens and bio-swales
</li>
<li>
storage for parking, bus layovers and construction.
</li>
</ol>
One of the first in-depth analyses of the kerb was in San Francisco. As part of <a href="https://www.fehrandpeers.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/SF_Curb_Study_2018-10-19_web-download.pdf" target="_blank">this 2018 study</a>, commissioned in 2018 by Uber Technologies, the consultants (Fehr and Peers) developed a Curb Productivity Index (CPI). The index considered three things to compare productivity of kerb use.
<ol>
<li>
number of passengers using kerb space by mode
</li>
<li>
time period the activity was observed
</li>
<li>
total space dedicated to that use.
</li>
</ol>
How to calculate kerb productivity
The CPI is a useful way of quantifying the various competing uses for the kerb.
It’s calculated by dividing the amount of activity by the amount of space used, multiplied by the unit of time. For example, the CPI for a bus stop that uses 45 metres of kerb for 250 arriving and departing passengers over four hours would be: 250 passengers/(45 metres x 4 hours), or 1.39 passengers/metre-hours.
Alternatively, the CPI for a car space that uses five metres of kerb that services two passengers over four hours would be: 2 passengers/(5 metres x 4 hours), or 0.1 passengers/metre-hours.
The CPI shows a bus stop is 13.9 times (1.39/0.1) more productive than a car park.
This analysis of usage data provides some rigour in developing a kerb management plan.
Base management on ‘measurement over myth’
As a way forward, <a href="https://www.fehrandpeers.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/SF_Curb_Study_2018-10-19_web-download.pdf" target="_blank">Fehr and Peer recommend</a> a management strategy with three components:
<ol>
<li>
relocation of existing kerb uses to other areas
</li>
<li>
conversion, which involves eliminating some current uses and replacing them with new uses
</li>
<li>
flexibility, so kerb uses change depending on the time of day.
</li>
</ol>
Trials of flexible kerb management are under way in Washington DC, San Francisco and Fort Lauderdale.
In changing how the kerb is managed, the <a href="https://nacto.org/tsdg/curb-appeal-whitepaper/" target="_blank">2018 report</a> from North America’s National Association of City Transportation Officials recommends a “measurement over myth” strategy when converting parking to other uses.
Surveys on arrival mode consistently show public transport and active travel modes deliver more customers to adjacent businesses than private motor vehicles. <a href="https://www.torontocycling.org/uploads/1/3/1/3/13138411/cycling_economies_eglinton_final.pdf" target="_blank">Before-and-after studies</a> confirm that replacing parking with public transport or bike lanes increases sales for area businesses.
To manage the conflicting needs of car and bike users for roadside space, San Jose has created kerbside bike lanes separated from the road by car parking. <a class="source" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.flickr.com/photos/willbuckner/45885808941"> </a>
While new mobility startups are part of the reason cities need to develop kerb management plans, other startups are developing new ways to manage this increasingly contested space. Some of these new companies include:
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.coord.co/post/open-curbs-the-first-open-data-multi-city-platform-to-unlock-curbs" target="_blank">Open Curbs</a> from <a href="https://www.coord.co/" target="_blank">Coord</a>, a spin-off of <a href="https://www.sidewalklabs.com/" target="_blank">Sidewalk</a>, that provides wheelchair cuts, fire hydrants, bus stops and other physical kerb assets
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.populus.ai/" target="_blank">Populus</a>, a San Francisco transport company that has developed a mobility manager that provides data on e-scooter and e-bike share parking data
</li>
<li>
Remix, which has developed the <a href="https://www.remix.com/new-mobility" target="_blank">New Mobility tool</a> to analyse and visualise data-streaming feeds.
</li>
</ul>
These startups have raised millions of dollars, due in part to the recognised value of the kerb.
Cities need to make the transition from parking cities to pickup/dropoff cities and to flexible cities. For this to happen, cities will need to think strategically about how to manage their kerbs with the emergence of new users and new mobility management options.
One of the first steps in this transition is for cities to ensure data standards and data-sharing arrangements are established as part of the basis for giving new users permission to access the kerb.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/neil-sipe-346144" target="_blank">Neil Sipe</a>, Professor of Urban and Regional Planning, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805" target="_blank">The University of Queensland</a>
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/competition-for-the-kerb-is-rising-and-cities-are-going-to-have-to-manage-it-117410" target="_blank">original article</a>.
</body></html>

j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Competition for kerb is rising, cities have to manage it: Neil Sipe

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVATION
There’s a difference between a road and a street. Roads take you from one place to another, but streets are more than functional channels. They are public spaces.
The streets of downtown Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, are about to be transformed. A <a href="https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/plans-projects-policies-reports-bylaws/our-plans-strategies/place-based-plans/Pages/city-centre-masterplan.aspx" target="_blank">masterplan for the city centre</a> was approved back in 2012, and now a proposed design is <a href="https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/articles/news/2019/07/future-city-centre-designs-approved-for-consultation/" target="_blank">open for feedback</a>.
The idea behind this masterplan is to design the central city as a cohesive public space rather than simply the sum of a thousand independent decisions.
The design will include further changes in support of walking, cycling and public transport, and less space for cars. Significantly, sections of Queen Street, which runs through the centre to the waterfront, may be closed to cars completely.
We can expect to see outraged responses from those wedded to their cars, those who see the project as an expensive beautification scheme, and those who resent the idea of Auckland’s population intensifying.
A shared world
This is a good time to reflect on what we mean by “public space” and what we need it for.
Streets are some of our most important public spaces, but are often managed as if they were mainly pipes for cars (or, if we’re lucky, bicycles and pedestrians). Roadways, water pipes, optical fibres and pedestrian walkways are “bundled” together.
Because it is relatively easy to assign metrics to these flows, it is easy to think of streets as technological problems. The implicit ideal is for a city to be a “<a href="http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/32763717/his-majesty-pick-aesthetics-demolition">sleek, efficient machine</a>” with a “rationalised circulatory network”, as architectural historian Spiro Kostof put it. The idea is at least as old as <a href="https://doi.org/10.24135/ijara.v0i0.476">Baron Haussmann’s 19th century rebuilding of Paris</a>.
Today’s smart cities are just <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2014/dec/17/truth-smart-city-destroy-democracy-urban-thinkers-buzzphrase">the latest corporate version</a> of the perfectly rationalised city. The automated city sounds great, but uncritical reliance on metrics locks in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/oct/27/cathy-oneil-weapons-of-math-destruction-algorithms-big-data">technological assumptions and biases</a>. Airy promises and overhyped technological solutions divert from the more mundane but ultimately critical job of making public space.
How to define public space
Philosopher <a href="https://www.philosophersmag.com/opinion/187-the-urgent-relevance-of-hannah-arendt">Hannah Arendt</a> wrote of public space as a “<a href="https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/arendt/#ActPowSpaApp">space of appearance</a>”, a place where we can become meaningfully visible to one another, and where we can present ourselves on our own terms, not as data points, customers, stereotypes or debating partners.
As social theorist <a href="https://english.yale.edu/people/tenured-and-tenure-track-faculty-professors-staff/michael-warner">Michael Warner</a> put it, “<a href="https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/publics-and-counterpublics">a public is a relation among strangers</a>”. To be in public, I have to negotiate my relationship with strangers, and recognise that I am also a stranger.
Arendt believed that democracy itself could be understood as a project for public space, the creation of a shared world. Māori, New Zealand’s first people, have also long thought of our shared world as a <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/genealogy3030042">place of connections</a>.
In other words, there is more at stake with the council’s plan than pleasant streetscapes or well-engineered infrastructure. To make Auckland’s streets good public space, I offer five suggestions:
1) Good public space is meaningful and enabling
It helps us make sense of our relationships, and supports our self-determination. It should be a platform on which we can all build, something like the old concept of the <a href="https://mitpress.mit.edu/books/commons-history">commons</a>. Public space is filled with people pursuing various goals, individually and collectively, according to various value systems and ways of living. To imagine new kinds of public space is to imagine <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://hdl.handle.net/10292/11645">new ways to enable people</a>.
2) Public space needs to accommodate informal uses
Streets, unlike roads, are not just spaces to move through, but places to do things. The famous American urban activist <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.worldcat.org/title/death-and-life-of-great-american-cities/oclc/1015890160">Jane Jacobs</a> famously pointed to the significance of children playing in the street, and the importance of minor interactions like holding a neighbour’s mail, or leaving a key for someone at the corner store.
Similarly, the iconoclastic theorist of human-centred design <a href="https://www.worldcat.org/title/pattern-language-towns-buildings-construction/oclc/705864158&amp;referer=brief_results">Christopher Alexander</a> even suggested that a marker of healthy public space is people feeling comfortable enough to take naps there. Informal uses of space like this should be maximised. Public space should be a bit of a mess, not a perfectly optimised machine.
3) Public space allows for discontent
Streets are places for people to gather. The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://cup.columbia.edu/book/voices-of-the-arab-spring/9780231163187">Arab Spring uprisings</a> of 2010-11, the subsequent <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.worldcat.org/title/dreaming-in-public-building-the-occupy-movement/oclc/813844064">Occupy movement</a>, ongoing <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/12/world/asia/hong-kong-protests-communist-party">protests in Hong Kong</a>, and Auckland’s own <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/396470/occupiers-at-ihumatao-remain-strong-in-mud-rain-and-wind">land occupation at Ihūmatao</a>, may have been coordinated on social media, but were ultimately powered by the physical presence of people in public space.
Public spaces are stages where collective identities can be expressed. If we want places where people can appear authentically as themselves, we also need to recognise public space hosts difference, disagreement and <a href="https://doi.org/10.24135/ijara.v0i0.328">potentially conflict</a>.
4) Good public spaces requires joined-up, human-centred thinking
It might seem efficient to treat roads, plumbing, architecture, gardens, community events, public art, planning rules, maintenance, commerce and so on as separate domains best handled by experts in each area. Detailed expertise is essential, but to design good public space we need to join the dots. This isn’t easy.
In recent years, <a href="https://at.govt.nz/">Auckland Transport</a>, nominally a council-controlled organisation, has asserted its independence, <a href="https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2018/01/26/auckland-transport-goes-rogue/">proposing its own plans</a> that are in conflict with the council’s aims. We need to dissolve silos, get more people around the table, and maintain a clear focus on who and what our public spaces are for.
5) Public space needs public involvement
Public space doesn’t just happen. Arendt told us to see it as an ongoing labour, something to achieve together, not something that exists by default. Auckland’s masterplan is a step in the right direction but good public space needs public involvement.
Public consultation can be a fraught process. Typically, only a few people respond, and they are <a href="http://shorthand.radionz.co.nz/white-noise/index">disproportionately older, wealthier and white</a>. The council has a duty to seek public input. We as the public have a responsibility to make ourselves heard.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/122396/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/carl-douglas-791136">Carl Douglas</a>, Lecturer in Spatial Design, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/auckland-university-of-technology-1137">Auckland University of Technology</a>
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-turn-aucklands-inner-city-streets-into-public-spaces-people-can-enjoy-122396">original article</a>.
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How to turn Auckland’s inner city streets into public spaces: Carl Douglas

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GUEST OBSERVER
Sound neighbourly relations and an attractive streetscape have the potential to improve the value of a property and slash days on market considerably for those vendors seeking a swift sale.
The streetscape refers to the appearance of all houses, footpaths, gardens and landscaping along a street.
But it is possible to upset the local streetscape applecart with just a single property eyesore, which has the potential to turn away buyers now and in the future.
The infamous and so-called 'hoarder’s home' in Bondi, in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs is an example.
This is an extreme example, however it has been an issue for those living in Boonara Avenue, Bondi for many, many years, and has undoubtedly impacted the values of homes located near this controversial property.
The streetscape is the visual identity of a neighbourhood and plays an important role in facilitating interaction between residents and creating a community.
It also contributes to building the value of our properties, which for many of us, are our most important investment asset.
The property industry talks ad infinitum about the importance of presenting a property in its best light to potential sellers.
However, a subtler element is how your street presents to potential buyers. The streetscape is really the first impression for potential buyers, even before they walk through the front gate.
To be fair, individual owners can do little about the collective streetscape, but the value of a good looking street, where all the gardens are well-tended, can have an impact on the saleability of a property.
It’s worth keeping in mind that by collectively maintaining the kerbside appeal of all properties in a street, owners can maintain and grow the values of their properties.
Angus Raine is executive chairman, Raine &amp; Horne and can be contacted <a href="https://www.raineandhorne.com.au" target="_blank">here</a>.
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