TWO of St George and Sutherland Shire’s major developments, Woolooware Bay Town Centre and Discovery Point at Wolli Creek, have taken out top design awards.
The 2015 Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) Meriton NSW and ACT Awards for Excellence saw Woolooware Bay Town Centre named best concept design of the year.
Discovery Point at Wolli Creek won the sustainable development and master-planned development categories in the awards.
Woolooware Bay, by Bluestone Property Solutions, is being built around the Cronulla Sharks Remondis Stadium and was recognised for its innovation and commitment to nurturing community pride.
‘‘We were impressed with the multi-faceted nature of the development and the work they’ve done well before a building is even complete, to connect in a relevant and authentic way to the local community,’’ UDIA chief judge Julie Bindon said.
When completed in 2017, the project will have 600 apartments, a 17,500-square-metre retail centre anchored by a leading supermarket chain, 50 speciality stores, a casual and formal dining precinct, a medical centre and parking for 700 vehicles.
There will also be a revitalised foreshore, 7000 square metres of outdoor space and a new Sharkies leagues club and headquarters.
Bluestone managing director Ben Fairfax said embedding the development within the local community and enhancing the benefits for all was key to the entire project.
‘‘We have the opportunity to introduce exciting new housing to a dramatically under-supplied market and bring shopping amenity [that] doesn’t currently exist,’’ he said.
The judges commented: ‘‘This is a large and complex project that is already acting as a catalyst for regeneration of both the surrounding area and the landowner, The Cronulla Sutherland Leagues Club’’.
The judges were impressed with the range of housing provision (including 30 percent accessible), integrated all-abilities playground, 66 percent open space, and the extent to which the broader community had been integrated and influenced the evolution and refinement of the master plan.
Australand’s Discovery Point was recognised for its water-treatment plan, which allows for water reuse and water purification.
At the time of its implementation, this was one of only two such residential master-planned projects in Australia that collects and purifies wastewater, rainwater and stormwater from the community for toilet flushing, irrigation, laundry and car washing.
The judges said Wolli Creek railway station lies within the site and the developers had augmented this with the provision of ‘‘Go Get’’ share spaces, and walking and cycling paths connected to regional routes.
The developers have restored two heritage buildings, Tempe House and St Magdalen’s Chapel, which are now owned by the residents and used for a range of community activities.
They have also paid a great deal of attention to remediating and embellishing the Cooks River foreshore, which had been badly degraded.
