Corporate News

The Urban Development Institute of Australia has recognised residential developments and special purpose developments across the region at the 27th UDIA Victoria Awards for Excellence.

The program highlights quality and innovation with award categories acknowledging the best in urban development across Victoria. Standout commitment to excellence is awarded in the areas of environment and water sensitive urban design, affordability, urban renewal, high and medium density, as well as general residential and masterplanned developments.

Across our region, three standout developments took home Category: Residential Development Award (250 lots or fewer)

• Winner: Wandana, Villawood Properties

Villawood Properties’ 202-lot Wandana estate project presented significant urban design and engineering challenges.

Wandana features vistas across Geelong, Corio Bay and the Bellarine Peninsula, as well as views to the Surfcoast, Southern Ocean and hills.

The UDIA award was based on multiple grounds including urban form, community, environmental sustainability, innovation, unique features, planning, problem-solving and healthy design.
Street plantings, diverse lot sizes, park front lots, a strong sense of community, significant historical links and custom opportunities all led to a strong and timely market sell-out.

Working to a “Life at its Peak” theme, Villawood used the site’s nature with sharp street contours designed to capture the views, with attractive open space, playground, wetlands and
pathways.

Innovative water management systems addressed run-off, stormwater and treatment issues with smart and creative technologies.

Wandana is a legacy project for its former farmer owners, the Lamb family, together with neighbouring owners, the Fagg family and utility Barwon Water.

The urban design was structured to allow for building on modestly sloping ground, again providing for views as well as capital growth with premium lots in a strong established upmarket area.

Wandana’s pricing provided purchasers – most of whom lived locally- serious buy-and-build alternative to the established homes nearby.

Day one sales featured Villawood’s first land auction; an occasion promoted by strong buyer demand. The first open release of lots was preceded by buyers camping in tents for days on the Wandana hillside awaiting the sales opening day.

Situated beside Highton and Barrabool Hills, Wandana has education, health, retail and entertainment nearby, with the fully retail and commercial centre of the Geelong CBD only 10 minutes away.
Positioned above the Geelong Ring Road, Wandana also offers ready access to the Melbourne CBD by freeway, together with immediate coastal and south-west Victorian access.

Villawood says Wandana’s success is due to the estate’s carefully planned and integrated approach across design, site, environment and sustainability and community, with innovative solutions sought and developed to the many challenges presented by a highly attractive but difficult site.

Originally published in the Surf Coast Times on 09/12/2022.