Region shines at awards for excellence

BY JAMES TAYLOR AND BILLY HIGGINS

The Urban Development Institute of Australia has recognised residential developments and special purpose developments across the region at the 27th UDIA Victoria Awards for Excellence.

The program highlights quality and innovation with award categories acknowledging the best in urban development across Victoria.

Standout commitment to excellence is awarded in the areas of environment and water sensitive urban design, affordability, urban renewal, high and medium density, as well as general residential and masterplanned developments.

Across our region, three standout developments took home the top honour at the awards.

 

Category: Residential Development Award (250 lots or fewer)

Winner: Wandana, Villawood Properties

Villawood Properties’ 202-lot Wandana estate project presented significant urban design and engineering challenges.

Wandana features vistas across Geelong, Corio Bay and the Bellarine Peninsula, as well as views to the Surf Coast, Southern Ocean and hills.

The UDIA award was based on multiple grounds including urban form, community, environmental sustainability, innovation, unique features, planning, problem-solving and healthy design.

Street plantings, diverse lot sizes, parkfront lots, a strong sense of community, significant historical links and custom opportunities all led to a strong and timely market sell-out.

Working to a “Life at its Peak” theme, Villawood used the site’s nature with sharp street contours designed to capture the views, with attractive open space, playground, wetlands and pathways.

Innovative water management systems addressed run-off, stormwater and treatment issues with smart and creative technologies.

Wandana is a legacy project for its former farmer owners, the Lamb family, together with neighbouring owners, the Fagg family and utility Barwon Water.

The urban design was structured to allow for building on modestly sloping ground, again providing for views as well as capital growth with premium lots in a strong established upmarket area.

Wandana’s pricing provided purchasers – most of whom lived locally – serious buy-and-build alternative to the established homes nearby.

Day one sales featured Villawood’s first land auction, an occasion promoted by strong buyer demand.

The first open release of lots was preceded by buyers camping in tents for days on the Wandana hillside awaiting the sales opening day.

Situated beside Highton and Barrabool Hills, Wandana has education, health, retail and entertainment nearby, with the fully retail and commercial centre of the Geelong CBD only 10 minutes away.

Positioned above the Geelong Ring Road, Wandana also offers ready access to the Melbourne CBD by freeway, together with immediate coastal and south-west Victorian access.

Villawood says Wandana’s success is due to the estate’s carefully-planned and integrated approach across design, site, environment and sustainability and community, with innovative solutions sought and developed to the many challenges presented by a highly-attractive but difficult site.

 

Category: Residential Development Award (250 lots or more)

Winner: Baywater Estate, Bisinella Developments

The Bisinella Developments’ Baywater Estate at Curlewis was completed about one year ahead of schedule.

Bisinella finished the 14-stage development last year, with the 368-lot clifftop development now home to more than 1,000 people.

The 40-hectare site includes 29,846 square metres of open space, two playgrounds, more than 11,000sqm of wetlands and 175,000 native plants, plus shared use paths and a beach boardwalk.

Baywater is already completely sold out, with the pandemic accelerating demand in its latter stages as Melbourne buyer sought a sea change after the estate had already established itself as a local favourite since the start of construction in 2012.

South Geelong-based civil construction company Wellam Constructions delivered the build.

The developer’s commitment to maximising picturesque views – including through creative planning and sacrifice of some blocks – earned praise form the award’s judging panel.

 

Bisinella director Richard Bisinella said this week that he was thrilled to receive the award.

“This award is a testament to the hard work and vision of Wellam Constructions, CardnoTGM and Mexted Rimmer & Associates, landscape design firm Ausscapes and the entire Bisinella team responsible for creating this vibrant coastal community.

“Our vision for the estate was not only to create a high-quality residential community but also to contribute significantly to the lifestyle and wellbeing of the region.

“Over 10 years, Baywater Estate has evolved into a thriving community, full of striking coastal homes, a beautiful foreshore and expansive green spaces, providing access to the beach for our residents and the local community.”

Awards judges praised the developers for delivering the project on budget and ahead of schedule.

“Uniquely located on the foreshore at Curlewis Bisinella’s Baywater Estate has been thoughtfully designed to make best use of the views over Port Phillip Bay.

“This has been achieved by tiered construction, wide streets leading to the bay and having some blocks sacrificed to allow better views.”

Bisinella built a clifftop park, a significant boardwalk to the beach, 30,000sqm of open space, and a new bridge linking to the east.

 

Category: Special Purpose Living Award

Winner: Lifestyle St Leonards, Lifestyle Communities

Lifestyle St Leonards Lifestyle Communities has won commendation for its outstanding design at an affordable price for its new residents at the state’s peak development body’s annual awards.

The housing estate is aimed at senior residents and is described as “a tranquil haven for working, semi-retired and retired downsizers” in the easy-going beachside town.

Lifestyle St Leonards has 200 contemporary homes and an extensive list of facilities that provide exclusive transport, recreation, business and creative opportunities.

 

Landscape architects Fiona Brockhoff Design, architects Solomon Troup, and builders Alchemy Construction and Todd Devine Homes all had a hand in the final product.

Lifestyle Communities managing director James Kelly welcomed the award during the week: “We are extremely honoured to receive the prize,” he said.

“It’s Lifestyle at its very best, with a combination of lots of hard work from a dedicated team and fantastic partners to help make the vision a reality.”

Affordability is a key selling point of Lifestyle developments, with homeowners saving up to $220,000 on average.

Its low $5,000 deposits are also geared towards saving money for move-in days and allowing residents to make themselves at home right away with their spare money.

The affordable pricing without compromise on quality of lifestyle was among the most impressive features of the development to UDIA Victoria’s judging panel for the excellence awards.

“With a total of 199 homes, being offered in 27 different designs, their low price point is exceptional,” judges stated.

“It has a very extensive range of facilities ranging from the clubhouse, pools, electric car, and bikes and a fishing boat and the whole development is gas free.

“The continued success of Lifestyle’s product is evidenced by their achieving 100 per cent of sales within 18 months.”