Tract Consultants

2024 was a big year for planning and the development industry, with governments of all levels focusing on the delivery of new housing for our growing population. The Victorian Government has been focusing on a range of system reforms, many of which were announced as part of Victoria’s Housing Statement (September 2023). This momentum is expected to continue through 2025 and beyond, providing much needed improvements to planning systems that have not seen large scale reform for a number of years, with a range of outdated tools and processes now in the spotlight for a refresh. So, what’s changed? To bring you up to speed, we have provided a recap of each of the big-ticket reform initiatives:  * Activity Centres * Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) * Plan for Victoria * ResCode * The Victorian Planning Authority (VPA) * Small Lot Housing Code (SLHC) * Energy Generation, Circular Economy * Economic Growth Statement (EGS) * Planning and Environment Act 1987 * Great Design Fast Track * Affordable Housing Requirements for Development Facilitation Program What’s in store for 2025? Read the full article and key information here: https://lnkd.in/gPMwPYBG

We congratulate UEM Sunrise on the approval of their Build-to-Rent project in Collingwood. Tract's landscape architecture team worked closely with Cox Architecture to craft the external public and communal open spaces. Green open space is highly sought after within this urban neighbourhood, so we're thrilled that this project includes a new public square on Islington Street for the wider neighbourhood to enjoy. The landscape vision for the project is ‘’greening the industrial,’’ integrating materials that reflect the neighbourhood’s industrial context with a landscape overlay that provides a green oasis through an abundance of planting, including vines, ferns and trees. UEM Sunrise Grey Star Apartments Cox Architecture Images: Cox Architecture

Congratulations to Gamuda Land (Australia) on Fareham's recognition in the International Design Awards, IDA. Tract is thrilled to be part of the incredible team that's helped to bring Fareham to life - BayleyWard, HIP V. HYPE, Focus On Management Australia.

We were proud to support the Open House Melbourne Making Home program through their Make Room event over the weekend, alongside representatives from Unison Housing City of Melbourne, cohealth, and i2C Architects. Make Room is an innovative, adaptive reuse project that transformed the council-owned building at 602 Little Bourke Street into specialist supportive housing for up to 50 residents experiencing homelessness in the City of Melbourne. The development includes a rooftop garden and communal spaces designed to foster connection and well-being. Completed in November 2024, the project has received multiple awards, including UDIA Victoria Project of the Year at the last year's UDIA VIC Awards. It was wonderful to see members of the public and industry attend the event and have the opportunity to hear insights from Janis Fischer, Director Landscape Architecture and Ludovic Pilot, Landscape Technician, about the landscape approach and design. We are thrilled with the project’s overall success and delighted by the healthy plant growth and greening of the rooftop in just three months. Credit to the delivery crew - Harris HMC and the beautiful art installations by First Nations artists Matthew Harris and Mitch Mahoney.   We hope this space serves as a source of inspiration and provides the residents with a vibrant, welcoming environment to enjoy. Follow the links below to read more about the project. https://lnkd.in/gS5-Qncu - Open House Melbourne https://lnkd.in/gfhsVeyJ - City of Melbourne https://lnkd.in/gNMcXZKC - Unison Housing

Tract congratulates Coff Property Group and its joint venture partner Monark Property Partners on securing planning approval for its newest medium density project in Chomley Street, Prahran. Designed by award winning architects Cera Stribley, the development delivers 17 amenity rich and sustainable three-bedroom homes in a location served with excellent access to daily needs, transport and open spaces. The securing of this planning approval, just seven months after lodgment of the application, is reflective of a well-executed planning approval strategy and a design response that carefully balances the opportunities and challenges that come with infill development. We look forward to seeing the delivery of this project, and its establishment as a celebrated contribution to Prahran’s urban fabric. Project Team: Developers – Coff Property Group & Monark Property Partners Architects – Cera Stribley Town Planners – Tract Consultants Landscape – Andrew Panton Design Transport & Waste – onemilegrid ESD – GIW Arborist – Glenn Waters Planning Lawyers – Best Hooper Lawyers Recently featured in: The Urban Developer - https://lnkd.in/gzAvcU2p Australian Property Markets News - https://lnkd.in/g5QXK8hp

As part of Deakin University’s Women in Design & Construction Program, we recently teamed up with Built. to engage three female high school students to design artificial habitat structures to be featured at the Nyaal Banyul Geelong Convention and Event Centre future Garden for Wildlife temporary display garden, which aims to support unique and special plant and animal species native to Victoria through its promotion of ‘Wildlife Gardening’ practices. The students were tasked with designing habitat & nesting structures for either the Gang Gang Cockatoo or the Spotted Pardalote and paid careful consideration to disassembly in their design and construction processes.   The Women in Design & Construction Program is designed for Year 9 and 10 students, to inspire young women to explore careers in design (architecture) and construction.   We look forward to seeing the nesting boxes throughout the Gardens for Wildlife display garden providing habitat opportunities for these threatened and endangered species. 

As 2024 draws to a close, we reflect on a year marked by innovation and inquiry. We take pride in our collective efforts as planners and designers to challenge the brief and celebrate our advocacy - alongside our clients, peers and collaborators - to strive for sustainable, equitable and meaningful outcomes that make a positive contribution to the environment and the communities they support. While this year we were saddened at the loss of three members of the Tract family, it has offered us a time to come together, to acknowledge the dedication and humility they each brought to their work, the depth of talent we are privileged to have worked alongside, and the profound legacy they leave behind. Our passionate belief in shaping places for the better has never been more resolute, against the backdrop of both enormous challenges and opportunity. With collaboration at the heart of our approach, we thank everyone that has played a part in Tract’s journey over the past year, and look forward to continuing to create projects and places with impact together in 2025. We wish you a safe and restorative festive season. 

We were proud to sponsor this year's UDIA Annual Geelong Summit and support an ongoing conversation about opportunities for the Geelong region, including an important panel discussion moderated by Nick Clements, Senior Principal Town Planner at Tract and Chair of the of the UDIA VIC Geelong Chapter. Thanks to UDIA Victoria for continuing to host events that bring industry together - we look forward to more in 2025. 

Morris Moor has been recognised with an Urban Renewal Award at the 2024 UDIA Awards. We congratulate and celebrate with ClarkeHopkinsClarke Architects, Up Property, Morris Moor and the entire project team on this achievement. What was once a collection of seven disused industrial buildings, has been transformed into a vibrant community hub in the heart of Moorabbin, blending commercial and industrial spaces. “Clarke Hopkins Clarke for Morris Moor by Up Property is an excellent example of urban renewal through an innovative approach to reuse and retain historic mid-century buildings with great industrial character. Close collaboration between builder and designers and creative problem-solving overcame the endless surprises associated with adaptive reuse, and while challenging, repurposing rather than demolishing buildings minimises embodied carbon, reduces operational carbon and construction waste, and expediates construction. Beyond bricks and mortar, the overhaul of the site’s masterplan put sustainable design and social interaction at the project’s core. Morris Moor has successfully delivered on its goal of creating a desirable, socially responsible, sustainable development that benefits the community. Its focus on supporting local businesses and organisations has fostered community and improved social and economic outcomes for the entire neighbourhood and beyond.” - UDIA Victoria Our landscape and planning teams, in collaboration with the wider project team, were instrumental in developing the vision and facilitating the re-imaging of this public place that offers diversity of experience, rewards individual discovery and nurtures new employment and creative opportunities. 📸: Robyn Oliver

As part of Geelong Design Week for 2024, Simon Loader and Nick Clements, Senior Principal Town Planners at Tract, had the pleasure of joining Tony Costa and the team from Scaada Environmental & Sustainability to dive deep into the challenge surrounding water sustainability. A fantastic session facilitated by the Geelong Design Leaders Forum.