The Village residential estate in Townsville is among 17 Queensland projects in the running for recognition in the 2018 Property Council of Australia / Rider Levett Bucknall Innovation and Excellence Awards.

The Economic Development Queensland  affordable housing development is a finalist in three categories: EPM Projects Award for Best Master Planned Community; Equiem Award for Project Innovation; and KONE Award for Development Innovation.

According to RLB managing director David Stewart, the award-winning development “demonstrates housing innovation, affordability and diversity, with 78 per cent of residential dwellings priced at or below the median house price in Townsville.”

The other Queensland finalists are:

• Bells Reach (Crown Group Award for Best Residential Development)
• Eat Street Northshore (Brain & Poulter Award for Best Tourism & Leisure Development)
• Justin Gordon, Turner & Townsend (Du Chateau Chun Award for Future Leader of the Year)
• Kings Co-op: Creators are the new innovators (Equiem Award for Project Innovation)
• Kingsgate, Bowen Hills (Two categories – SAS International Award for Best Office Development and WSP Award for Best Sustainable Development – New Buildings
• Mater Hospital Whitty Building Refurbishment (S4B Studio Award for Best Heritage Development)
• Newport by Frasers Property Australia (Crown Group Award for Best Residential Development)
• North Lakes Ikea Link Mall, Entertainment and Dining Precinct (Yardi Award for Best Shopping Centre Development)
• Northshore Activation Strategy (Equiem Award for Project Innovation)
• Pacific Fair (Three categories KONE Award for Development Innovation; Brain & Poulter Award for Best Tourism & Leisure Development; and Yardi Award for Best Shopping Centre Development)
• Tempo Living Stage 7 (KONE Award for Development Innovation)
• The Melbourne Residences (Crown Group Award for Best Residential Development)
• The Residences, Yungaba (S4B Studio Award for Best Heritage Development)
• Unison by Mirvac (Crown Group Award for Best Residential Development)
• V2i Realtime (Equiem Award for Project Innovation)
• Yarrabilba, Lendlease (EPM Projects Award for Best Master Planned Community)

Like The Village, Pacific Fair is a finalist in three categories and Kingsgate in two, taking the total Queensland nominations to 22.

The Property Council’s executive director in Queensland, Chris Mountford, said the state’s property and construction industry consistently delivered high-quality, innovative development, and this was underscored by the calibre of its national finalists.

All national development finalists are in the running for the Rider Levett Bucknall Australian Development of the Year award. All development projects named as finalists are also vying for the State Development of the Year award in their state.

National award winners will be announced at the 2018 Property Council of Australia / Rider Levett Bucknall Innovation and Excellence Awards Gala Dinner, to be held at the ICC Sydney Convention Centre on Friday, May 11.

The full list of finalists can be viewed at www.propertycouncilawards.com.au