What it takes to create an entirely new city suburb from scratch

Bringing an entirely new city suburb to life is a multifaceted feat, often taking years or even decades to complete.

Right across the country at this very moment, dozens of new large-scale neighbourhoods are rising from the ground.

But what does it take to ensure these new suburbs work? It’s about much more that divvying up a chunk of land into house blocks and throwing in a few roads.

To ensure the future success of a masterplanned community, Mike Davis, executive general manager of masterplanned communities at Stockland, said connecting people to the place they call home is an important aspect in the design phase.

“For Stockland, this first involves establishing a unique identity and vision for the community,” Mr Davis said.

“This is done through deep customer and market insights, ensuring the community has infrastructure and amenities residents expect. We want our homeowners to be proud of where they live.”

Stockland is developing The Gables – a new masterplanned suburb in Sydney. Picture: Stockland

Working closely with all levels of governments, community organisations, and ratepayer groups is vital, he added.

“A thorough analysis of each site informs our vision for the community. Building a new community is incredibly complex.

“Masterplanning is highly technical and requires cooperation between multiple stakeholders, over many years, often decades – and during this time, Stockland constantly assesses market shift, customer preferences, and emerging opportunities to enhance the liveability and sustainability of our communities.”

Well-designed homes, good access to transport links, quality facilities customised to suit the location, and the integration of essential services such as childcare, doctors, and schools, plus open spaces, were among the key elements which helped foster a sense of community, Mr Davis said.

While it is the developer who decides to put their money at risk by pursuing a development pathway, there is also a lot of public investment at risk too, Planning Institute Australia national policy director John Brockhoff said.

“And it’s not just a risk, it’s an enormous opportunity to fulfil the strategy the community’s got for how it’s going to manage growth,” Mr Brockhoff said.

“So, it’s a joint thing and the art and science of planning is lining those two things up and lining the delivery of public facilities at the same time (as the) private facilities, the houses.

“The availability of public funds and finances is enormously important and there’s an amazing amount of effort and trouble over who contributes to what.”

Designing the perfect suburb

A masterplanned community generally has 2000 or more home lots, Satterley development manager Sandy Biagioni said, in addition to a town or village centre, with retail, community facilities, and maybe some medium to high density housing.

An array of lot configurations to suit different buyer types, a primary school, and usually a secondary school, as well as public open space and parks are among a masterplanned community’s features.

Beaumaris Beach now has 4000 home lots. Picture: Satterley

Satterley’s award winning estate, Beaumaris Beach – located in the northern coastal suburbs of Perth, approximately 28km north of the CBD – comprises of more than 560ha of prime coastal frontage.

“The Beaumaris Structure Plan was first lodged in 1988,” Ms Biagioni said.

“The first sales release occurred in 1989 and the final stage was released late 2021. More than 4000 lots have been created during the past 30 years.

“There are many examples of residents having bought up to five to six homes within the Beaumaris over this time. The final release of 30 lots was completely sold to existing residents of Iluka.”

Located 35 minutes south west of Brisbane, Lendlease’s Springfield Rise has been designed and built for a flourishing community, where urban living and amenity meet the outdoors and natural environment.

Springfield Rise is more than 50% complete and currently home to 6500 residents. When finished, the community will be home to some 12,000 people and 4000 homes

New parks and sports fields are set to open next month.

Springfield Rise will be home to 12,000 people when complete. Picture: Lendlease

“Springfield Rise is the number one selling project in the Ipswich corridor and has become an ‘address of choice’ due to its proximity to a wide range of childcare centres, schools, and facilities,” Lendlease head of Queensland communities Ian Murray said.

“It’s a community within a community and its location and connection to convenience makes it a highly desirable place to call home.

“Springfield Rise is a great opportunity to be part of a vibrant and well-designed master planned community.”

About 50km northwest of the Sydney CBD is Stockland’s new suburb The Gables. Upon completion, it will feature approximately 4000 homes.

“Our vision for The Gables is to create a community with a strong identity,” Mr Davis said.

“We’ve worked with local builders in NSW to offer a collection of design-approved house and land packages that give buyers a diverse range of housing options while maintaining consistency in the design of homes. It also means buyers can get into their new home sooner.”

Building a whole new suburb is about much more than land lots. Picture: Stockland

The Gables encourages a modern Australian farmhouse architectural style, which has been outlined in the design guidelines.

Land for sale at The Gables ranges from 250sqm to more than 2000sqm.

Offering close proximity to schools, shops, parks and public transport links, The Gables also has 15km of planned bicycle pathways and walking tracks.

“We’re also working to deliver nearly 75ha of green, open space, and a four-hectare lake,” Mr Davis said.