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In the outer reaches of Melbourne’s expanding western suburbs, a revolution in sustainable community design is taking shape. Society 1056, rising from the grounds of Fraser Rise, isn’t just a bold experiment in beating the urban heat island effect that bedevils Australia’s sprawling suburbs; its developer, YourLand, wants to create a blueprint for future ‘utopian’ communities. YourLand Developments Senior Development Manager James Saunders says they have “always envisioned this as a very inclusive, dynamic integrated community”.

YourLand Developments senior development manager James Saunders says they have “always envisioned this as a very inclusive, dynamic integrated community”. The vision behind Society 1056 is to create a sustainable community that “showcases the best of the west of Melbourne”, Saunders tells The Urban Developer. It all starts with ‘natural’ innovation. While most new estate developments plant about 1.5 trees per home, Society 1056’s streets will be lined with up to four trees per household-5000 in total, all grown in an onsite nursery. “The west, especially out in some of these new areas, can be quite flat, really windy and the soil quality is not always fantastic,” Saunders says. “You can’t bring stock from elsewhere that’s been growing in lovely soil-it just doesn’t thrive once it’s planted here.”

This led to the decision to source, grow and plant trees locally, ensuring they are adapted to the specific conditions of Melbourne’s western suburbs. “Then we provide free frontyard landscaping for every house that includes a tree, and that helps us kind of ‘force’ the installation of more soft scapes to help reduce overall temperature across the community,” Saunders says.

Through careful environmental design, Society 1056 converts sustainability measures into tangible household benefits. The development’s integration of innovative road surfaces, extensive tree canopy and thoughtful design is engineered to create a cooler microclimate. PolyPave, a sustainable road surface material made with recycled materials including high-density polyethylene hard plastic (HDPE) and Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP), plays a crucial role in temperature reduction. “It’s amazing-you can actually see bits of the glass in there,” Saunders says. “We also looked at changing the pigmentation of the asphalt so it’s not as dark. It’s not going to be bright white but it just needs to be a little bit lighter than that really pitch black.”

Wider roads and nature strips allowed for diverse native plantings, creating food sources for local insects, Saunders says. These green corridors create natural thoroughfares connecting the development’s 9ha of open space, planned primary school, childcare centre and community facilities. It’s a design philosophy that prioritises what urban planners call the “15-minute neighbourhood”, where daily necessities are within a short walk or bike ride. Society 1056’s innovative approach to street design puts pedestrians first, creating safer pathways particularly for children walking to school. Children would be able to move through the community without crossing driveways due to careful placement of rear and side garages in home designs.

“It’s pedestrian focused design,” Saunders says, describing how key linkages are engineered to maintain consistent grades for accessibility and pedestrian-priority crossing points where cars are physically forced to slow down. Saunders says these thoughtful design choices create spaces where residents naturally interact, supporting the development’s broader community vision. “We’re bringing together likeminded people by providing a place that they want to live,” Saunders says. “We’re building a place that encourages people to make new connections because of this shared sense of place.”

Technology and digital infrastructure amplify these connections. While high-speed NBN fibre connects every home and free WiFi blankets public spaces, creating seamless connectivity in the community. “The traditional image of a park is changing,” says Saunders. “We’re designing spaces where people can work outdoors, children can do homework and community members can stay connected.”

Future plans include “self-cleaning barbecues and smart bins that would reduce the amount of times councils have to come out to clean”, Saunders says. The development’s commitment to health and safety extends to innovative partnerships, including collaboration with the Cancer Council on playground design to ensure spaces are engaging and sun-safe.

Looking beyond 2033, when the final stages are scheduled for completion, Society 1056 offers more than just a glimpse of future suburban development-Saunders hopes it may provide a proven blueprint for how growth, sustainability and savings can coexist in large-scale community developments. “A lot of this stuff is not brand new so it’s not impossible,” Saunders says. “It’s been done on a small scale or in isolation or executed poorly because people haven’t been thinking about it from the start.” With its extensive tree canopy, adaptable community spaces, and forward-thinking infrastructure, Society 1056 appears built for longevity. As climate challenges mount and energy costs rise, the development’s early adoption of sustainable solutions may prove its most valuable legacy.

Real the exclusive piece by Leon Della Bosca on The Urban Developer here.