Construction Commences on Mirvac’s $350M Altona North Community

Mirvac has commenced construction on its highly anticipated $350 million masterplanned community, The Fabric in Altona North.

Mirvac has commenced construction on its highly anticipated $350 million masterplanned community, The Fabric in Altona North, a significant milestone that follows positive buyer sentiment toward its innovative sustainability strategy, with more than 85 per cent of Stage 1 now sold.

Approximately 1,000 new jobs are anticipated to be created as part of Stage 1 construction, with Mirvac being the first developer to market its future-ready townhouse product at the Hobsons Bay City Council’s 67-hectare Altona North Strategic Site, Precinct 15. Bound by Blackshaws Road and Kyle Road in Altona North, and New Street and the West Gate Freeway in South Kingsville, the rezoned site is being transformed from its former industrial uses into a vibrant mixed-use neighbourhood.

Mirvac Head of Residential, Stuart Penklis, said the company’s ability to lead development across the whole of Precinct 15, was a direct result of its continued commitment to its integrated model. “With design, marketing, development and construction sitting under one roof, our project vision is shaped by the wants and needs of the market at any given time,” Mr Penklis said.

“This unique end-to-end in-house approach allows for product and quality control, flexibility of timing and delivery, and the ability to take a longer-term view. The key to our success is that we listen to our customers, with our integration allowing us to chart a course that is responsive to market demand, while freely creating multi-faceted places to cater to our customers’ diverse and ever-changing needs and lifestyles.”

Due to purchasers’ overwhelmingly positive response to the 49 fully electric townhomes in The Fabric’s Stage 1, Mirvac has released 16 park fronting townhomes in Stage 2 to market ahead of schedule, evolving their design to incorporate customer feedback, with sustainability features, rooftop terraces, reverse living layouts and seamless connections to private outdoor courtyards and balconies.

Mirvac’s award-winning approach to environmentally sustainable design and “future ready” housing goes significantly further at The Fabric, with its ambitious target to implement fully electric, net zero energy townhomes while achieving a minimum seven-star NatHERS energy rating for every townhome on the 11.5-hectare site at 188-198 Blackshaws Road.

In collaboration with sustainability experts HIP V. HYPE, Mirvac has developed its ground-breaking approach to achieve this target, while simultaneously adapting its residential design strategy to be conducive with a post-COVID-19 lifestyle. Mirvac’s engagement with HIP V. HYPE will be further enhanced by its strategic partnerships with the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and from a social perspective the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation (SAKGF).

“Our collaboration with HIP V. HYPE to implement fully electric homes across the entire masterplan of The Fabric reinforces Mirvac’s This Changes Everything sustainability strategy, which makes sustainability a central part of our long-term focus to be net positive on energy and water by 2030,” Mr Penklis, said.

“Mirvac understands that home efficiency is more important than ever to home-owners and we are passionate about our contribution through reimagining urban life sustainably. We have a long-term goal to improve our residents’ lifestyle, through reducing their energy bills and environmental impact.”

HIP V. HYPE’s Better Cities & Regions Lead, Gavin Ashley, led the sustainability design assessment of The Fabric to communicate the approach to integrate sustainability to the building and operation of the new homes and demonstrate value to new residents.

“The fundamental focus of The Fabric is on building a ‘future ready’ community,” Mr Ashley said. “Improved sustainability performance is a key driver of the project, with an eye to the future prosperity of its residents and the community as a whole.”

He went on to say that The Fabric’s sustainable design features also supported a post-COVID-19 lifestyle, with Mirvac responding to what future residents might be looking for in their new homes and how residential design needed to adapt to accommodate the increasing amount of time people were spending, and were likely to continue to spend, at home.
“Mirvac is creating more comfortable, healthier spaces with low operational costs at The Fabric, ensuring families can work and learn from home in comfortable temperatures that will not cause sky-high energy and water bills,” he said.

Mr Penklis echoed this sentiment, saying that Mirvac expected to see purchasers gravitate to developers with a reputation for quality and design excellence that have inhouse construction capibility, as the economy started to recover in the wake of COVID-19.

“Mirvac is focused on leaving a positive legacy by designing communities that are timeless, sustainable and enduring. Our ability to design and facilitate the early delivery of amenity in places where people want to live, work, play and shop unlocks substantial long-term value and puts people front and centre of all that we do,” he said.

The Fabric’s seven-star NatHERS energy rated homes are designed to use 28 per cent less energy for heating and cooling than a standard six star rated home. With the additional inclusions of energy-efficient appliances and photovoltaic (PV) solar panels, the homes are estimated to deliver household savings of up to $2,400 per annum* on energy bills.

Powered by renewable energy, all townhomes throughout The Fabric masterplan will also exceed typical home specifications with market-leading inclusions, such as smart-home energy monitoring, high-performing lighting, heat-pump hot water systems, fully electric appliances, and provision for an electric vehicle charger.

Upon completion, The Fabric will be home to circa 1,500 residents across more than 500 two-, three- and four-bedroom townhomes and future mid-rise apartments, with a 4,000-square-metre Patchwork Park at its centre. With lush private front and rear gardens designed by the award-winning Eckersley Garden Architecture, The Fabric’s masterplan focuses on creating green, landscaped public and private garden spaces set within a dynamic, family-friendly urban village.

Bulk earthworks are underway in preparation for the civils works commencement on Stage 1’s The Boulevard neighbourhood. Construction is forecast to take between 18 to 24 months, with residents anticipated to move into their new homes from early to mid-2022.

Launched in October 2019 with an estimated overall completion timeframe of FY2029, The Fabric joins Mirvac’s growing residential portfolio across Victoria, including masterplanned communities, Woodlea at Aintree, Tullamore at Doncaster, Olivine at Donnybrook, and Smiths Lane at Clyde North.