Curtins’ Post

Building is on track

There are heaps of reasons why Arden will succeed where other precincts have struggled. Arden is the Victorian government's biggest and best chance to deliver a sustainable new inner-city precinct. Inevitably, scare stories will emerge. I was closely involved in the Arden structure plan; here are the reasons why it will work: > State govt owns the land > Proper mass transit from Day 1 > Close to the CBD with no river in the way > Permeable street network with small city blocks > Next to principal bike paths > It has 3 train stations - not just the new Arden Station > Metro Tunnel 2 at Parkville will help (Fishermans Bend is dependent on it) > No mandatory maximum or minimum car parking rates > Car parking overlay that will transition from current car use to planned lower car use by 2050 > The principle of consolidated (centralised) parking is better managed by one developer. Worries that a single developer is the only way this will work are ill-founded. > There are already plenty of consortia working on state govt PPPs across the country that can deliver a project on this scale. > The best developers know that a single "design hand" is not a good expression for a typical large site, let alone a site the size of several city blocks. They'll not need to be contracted to use multiple architects, but probably will be. https://lnkd.in/gQagAijN

The Land and Environment Court has approved two major development projects in Bondi Beach after Clutch Developments Pty Ltd successfully appealed decisions by Waverley Council. The court’s rulings clear the way for a new shop-top housing development at 135–139 Curlewis Street and modifications to the approved project at 141–155 Curlewis Street, already under construction. Both decisions include strict conditions to address public domain improvements, noise controls, and environmental safeguards. Project Team: Developer: Clutch Developments Pty Ltd Architects: PBD Architects Urban Planning and Environmental Assessment: Auswide Consulting Geotechnical and Structural Engineering: Geotechnical Consultants Australia, Dunnings Consulting Engineers Traffic and Parking: McLaren Traffic Engineering Landscape Design: Myles Baldwin Design Acoustic and Waste Management: Rodney Stevens Acoustics, E-LAB Consulting #urbandevelopment #sydneydeveloper #landandenvironmentcourt #bondi #waverlycouncil https://lnkd.in/gjHp2uTb

Vancouver Elevates Mass-Timber Building Limits: A New Era of Sustainable Construction   Vancouver is taking a significant step towards sustainable building practices by amending its building bylaw to permit mass-timber buildings up to 18 storeys, an increase from the previous limit of 12 storeys. This change aligns with updates to B.C.’s building code introduced in April 2024. and underscores the city’s commitment to environmentally friendly construction.   The amendment was inspired by successful projects like The Hive, a striking 10-storey office building near the VCC-Clark SkyTrain station, and the Brock Commons student residence at the University of B.C., an 18-storey mass-timber building. These projects initially required special approvals, which involved extensive engineering assessments and alternative solutions to meet building code requirements. However, with the new bylaw, such extra steps are no longer necessary, simplifying the process for future developments. This simplification is expected to encourage more developers to consider mass-timber for their high-rise projects, fostering innovation and sustainability in the construction industry.   Vancouver has been a strong supporter of mass-timber construction, providing density-bonus incentives to promote its use. These incentives, coupled with the new height limits, make it more feasible and attractive for developers to choose mass-timber over traditional materials like concrete and steel.   This regulatory change marks a progressive shift towards sustainable urban development. It represents an exciting opportunity for Vancouver to lead by example in integrating innovative building practices that reduce environmental impact while meeting the growing demand for urban housing.   For those interested in exploring how this change can benefit their projects, we encourage you to connect with industry experts and explore sustainable building options that align with these new regulations.     Source: Vancouver raises limits for mass-timber construction along with B.C. | Vancouver Sun B.C. builders can now use mass timber in taller buildings | BC Gov News Levkro. "New home construction framing." Depositphotos, Photo ID 9634000. #WeConstruX #SustainableConstruction #GreenBuilding #MassTimber #VancouverConstruction #UrbanDevelopment #TimberTech

🏗️ Abbey Pynford Secures Landmark Project for 99 Units in Wiltshire! 🏗️ We are proud to announce that Abbey Pynford has secured the design and installation of our Housedeck piled raft foundation solution for a residential development of 99 units in Wiltshire. 🏘️✨ Housedeck solution was chosen to tackle the challenges posed by soft clay soils, providing a robust and cost-effective foundation system that supports long-term stability. 🌍 🔍 Why Housedeck Piled Raft Foundations? Adaptability: Ideal for overcoming complex ground conditions. Efficiency: Combines piling and raft foundations to save time and reduce costs. Sustainability: Minimizes material usage and environmental impact. 📅 Progress update: Detailed design is already underway, and piling is due to commence in Spring 2025. We’re thrilled to bring our innovative approach to this project and look forward to sharing updates as construction progresses. Stay tuned! #newhomes #developers #housebuilders #housedeck #newbuilds #piledraftfoundations #abbeypynford #newhomes #construction #housedeckfoundation #housebuilders #engineeredfoundations

These 10 real estate projects or potential projects are worth keeping an eye on for the rest of the year and heading into 2025. #dc #washingtondc #maryland #virginia #realestate #construction

Planning trends for the Autumn/ Winter Season – The Khaki Belt. Read Holly Lewis in Architects’ Journal. Ahead of an anticipated change of government at a general election, everyone is paying close attention to #Labour’s plans for accelerated housing delivery. The most attention-seeking policy is the introduction of ‘grey belt’ status for poor quality green belt land, but number one on Labour’s five Golden Rules for Housebuilding list is still ‘brownfield first’. It seems that we’re heading for a period of discussion about the subtleties between colours, and whether ‘green’ plus ‘brown’ always equals ‘grey’. There are some to whom Green Belt is sacrosanct, so we can reasonably anticipate battles about classifications in the overlap between brownfield sites in land currently designated as Green Belt. Given the colours and high emotions involved it may be that the ‘khaki belt’ is a more accurate description to be used for these areas. But, do we understand enough about the on-the-ground reality of areas in each of these ‘colours’? Let’s start with brownfield first. We know from our detailed work at We Made That, that the ‘field’ aspect of this descriptor can be misleading. In areas like Charlton Riverside in Greenwich – specifically called out by Michael Gove last year as an area for “beautiful, well-connected homes and new landscaped parkland” – the current industrial areas account for around 9% of the local borough’s jobs, which must not be lost. Rather than being a ‘field’ ready for housing to be rolled out, this ‘brown’ area calls for a more ambitious approach that embraces a wide mix of uses - including industry - delivered with careful consideration of current uses and predicted demand. We can’t underestimate the importance of infrastructural investment to unlock change in these areas. This may include conventional transport and utilities infrastructure, but in the case of industrial areas like Charlton or Purley Way in Croydon, we must also think of employment space as part of the infrastructural requirements of regeneration. Without innovative thinking and bold commissioning to secure long-term economic prospects in these areas through mixed-use development and industrial intensification, current ‘brown’ fields risk turning to ‘beige’ and boring monocultures. I don’t think the built environment industry underestimates the challenges of brownfield site delivery, there’s no reason to think that Grey Belt sites will suddenly unleash scores of easy wins. Many of the same challenges that brownfield sites contend with will still be present, such as fragmented land ownerships and the need for new infrastructure to attract wider investment. The principle of a clear review of where Green Belt is really offering ecological amenity, and where it could be put to better use is welcome. There’s certainly scope for more and better neighbourhoods to be delivered in these ‘grey’ areas, let’s just not look at them as though the grass is always greener.

Boston Borough Council has submitted a planning application for the redevelopment of the Crown House site on the Rosegarth Square regeneration scheme. The Crown House proposal, subject to planning consent, would see a new mixed-use building featuring retail units on the ground floor and apartments on the remaining two storeys above. The scheme will also be enhanced with landscaping, parking and cycle storage to complement the overall Rosegarth Square masterplan. In addition, the council has also submitted demolition notices for both Crown House and the former B&M buildings, marking an important milestone in transforming this area of the town centre. You can also view and comment on the planning application here: https://lnkd.in/eD8isXN3 using the reference B/24/0476 You can read the full release here ➡ https://loom.ly/v5HmOnE Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government Richard Hodgson Pranali Parikh Rebecca Harris Emma Staff MCIPR Sam Bevin Anne Dorrian Andy Fisher Rob Barlow Lindum Group Ares Landscape Architects Ltd

While commercial construction has been slower in 2024 compared to the previous year, the #Triangle still saw more than 200 new commercial building permits through August – 186 permits issued in Wake County, 23 in Durham and 9 in Orange. Read more about these projects in the Triangle Business Journal's special report. #commercialconstruction #commercialrealestate #newconstruction #NorthCarolina

Two-Tower Complex Proposed Near Richmond Hill GO Transit Station Iron Construction Developments have submitted Official Plan and Zoning By-law Amendment applications to the City of Richmond Hill, seeking to #redevelop parcels of low-rise homes with a high-density mixed-use #residential/#commercial #development comprised of two towers of 12 and 20 storeys on the southwest corner of Major Mackenzie Drive and Maple Avenue in the York Region (The Regional Municipality of York)'s Beverley Acres neighbourhood. Wallman Architectshave designed a #development comprised of two #residential towers rising to 12 and 20 storeys, and connected by a 6-storey podium with #residential, #commercial, and amenity uses. The proposal includes a total of 29,797m² gross floor area, resulting in a net density of 5.0 FSI across the assembled site. Source: Urban Toronto #BASTET #CANADA #BRITISHCOLUMBIA #ONTARIO #TORONTO #OTTAWA #LONDON #GTA #MANITOBA #ALBERTA #HAMILTON #QUEBEC #NIAGARA #VANCOUVER #CALGARY #RICHMOND #BURNABY #SCARBOROUGH #SURREY #BRAMPTON #COQUITLAM #TORONTO #MISSISSAUGA #ACBIM #ADABIM #ACPBIM #COORDINATION #VALUEENGINEERING #PEERREVIEW #CONSTRUCTIONPLANNING #PROJECTMANAGMENT #REALESTATE #DEVELOPMENT #CONSTRUCTION #DESIGN #RISK #PROJECTS