This project is also a very well known property development project within the Land Development Industry in Melbourne. It is a joint venture between Urban Pacific Pty Ltd (previously Pioneer Property Group Pty Ltd) and The Office of Major Projects.

It comprises approximately 38 hectares of land abutting the Maribyrnong River, Smithfield Road, Epsom Road and Kensington Road. The land was previously owned by the State Government, Melbourne City Council and the Federal Government. It succeeded the project previously known as “Lynch’s Bridge”, which was not considered a great success, either financially for the participants or by the Land Development Industry generally.

Kensington Banks was originally known as “Lynch’s Bridge – Stage 2” but because of the stigma previously attached to Stage 1, the marketing strategy dictated a name change.

Its success to date and contribution to the Urban Development Industry was recognised by the winning of an Award of Excellence, in the President’s Award category, from the Urban Development Institute of Australia.

PGA were engaged in early 1994 as the consulting project surveyors and have been responsible for the production of all engineering and cadastral surveys, including the initial topographic plans prepared by both ground survey and photogrammetric means, plans of subdivision for each stage, both in the builders’ parcels format and re-subdivision of those parcels, generally in the form of non body corporate subdivisions. Some very innovative subdivisional formats have resulted, whereby aerial spaces have been created.

PGA instigated and arranged special consideration by the Land Registry Office to expedite processing of approved Plans of Subdivision and have continued to retain a very close liaison with the relevant officers at the Land Registry Office.

This project has been one of immense challenge in so far as bringing together many diverse interests, not least of which comprise the original owners of the land, being three parties and the format in which the project is generally marketed, namely the pre-selection of builders and then operating in a very close liaison with each of those builders to produce, in a very timely manner, their Plans of Subdivision with certification and early Statements of Compliance.

We have developed a very close relationship with all parties involved in this project, and consider that the success of the team has been largely due to the partnering process that was invoked at the outset.

This partnering process has involved all the stakeholders on a regular, albeit not frequent basis, to participate in a structured, clinical, open and frank forum. Benefits have also flowed from the “Value Engineering” approach that has also been undertaken. This has critically analysed all areas of the project and has produced some significant savings to the project.