Development Victoria has announced the shortlist of bidders for the Arden Precinct in Melbourne and it includes MAB Corp, Gurner, Lendlease and Hamton.

Four developers have been shortlisted to become the Victorian Government’s partner for the Arden Central precinct.

The development arm of the state announced yesterday [October 29] it had invited four bidders to move to the request for proposal stage for Arden Central.

The bidders include Australian Unity with Formus Property, Community Housing Limited and Lyons; and Gurner and MAB Corporation with with Women’s Housing Limited and SOM.

MAB Corporation is working on projects at Docklands while Gurner recently got approval for a $2.5-billion residential project Elysium Fields next to Southern Cross Station.

Hamton Group, currently building a residential project on the former University of Melbourne Hawthorn Campus, has teamed with architects Woods Bagot, Populous and Nelson and Khoo, while the final group is Lendlease Development and Assemble with Scape, Keyton, NH Architecture and Prior and Partners.

Development heavyweight Lendlease projects include Collins Wharf and the Gurrowa Place project near the Queen Victoria Markets.

render of a jacaranda in the middle of a road surrounded by Singapore inspired buildings in Docklands Melbourne

▲ Gurner has been shortlisted with MAB Corp for the Arden Precinct, It recently won approval for the Elysium Fields project at Docklands, pictured.

All of the shortlisted bidders will now put forward a masterplan for Arden Central, a community-focused precinct with sustainable mixed-use buildings.

The proposals and masterplans are due in the middle of next year.

Arden Central is 2km from the centre of the Melbourne CBD, and connected by new train services to the city centre.

It is expected to be home to up to 20,000 people by 2051 with the state hoping it will provide key worker accommodation for nearby hospitals and healthcare facilities.

The Urban Developer contacted Gurner, MAB Corp, and Hamton prior to publication. Lendlease declined to comment on the shortlisting.

Marisa Wikramanayake

Gurner, MAB, Lendlease Shortlisted for Arden Precinct