Villawood’s Armstrong community scoops excellence award

VILLAWOOD Properties’ flagship Armstrong community took out the top gong yesterday at the prestigious UDIA Annual Awards for Excellence.

The Mt Duneed project was named 2017’s Best Masterplanned community.

It is the third time in eight years the developer has re- ceived this award, with all three award-winning communities featuring state-ofthe-art residents’ clubs.

Villawood Properties executive director Rory Costelloe said the Club Armstrong facility, the first in a regional area, had really lifted the standard of urban development in Geelong.

“We are thrilled to receive this esteemed award for a re- gional project and we are very proud of both the vision and the delivery of our remarkable Armstrong community,” Mr Costelloe said.

This is not the first time a Geelong region estate has won the award.

Bisinella’s Grand Lakes Estate in Lara took top honours in 2015. That was a first for the Geelong region in the awards’ history.

Villawood’s Armstrong community is a 3000-lot project in the heart of the Armstrong Creek growth area.

Mr Costelloe said there was much more to creating a living, breathing community than simply constructing a housing allotment.

“We invested heavily to provide a centrepiece for Armstrong, in the form of the stateof-the-art residents’ club and GEELONG’S BIGGEST PROPERTY GUIDE, INSIDE TODAY wiring, plumbing and plaster. “It’s a great house and a great street because all the neighbours are friendly — it’s nice to have that around you,” Ms Power said.

“The kids have the option to play out the front in the street because there’s no driveway and being close to the Botanic Gardens was always a plus for me.” adjoining said.

“Collectively the club and district park cost more than $10 million to deliver, but we feel they have already paid for themselves tenfold, having become a much-loved, vibrant hub.”

Armstrong’s features include a $7.5 million resort-style club with pools, gym, tennis courts, cafe/restaurant, $2.6 million adventure park, district park,” he sports grounds, 30km of walking and cycling tracks, 24ha of parks and green spaces and wetlands.

Armstrong’s population is currently about 1500. In the next few years it will rise to 7500 as building takes place on its 3000 lots.

Newland Developers were awarded the landscape award for their project Warralily in Armstrong Creek.

Picture: ALISON WYND TO MARKET, TO MARKET: Shannon Power with her children Max, 10, Jia, 4, and Aleisha, 10, outside their East Geelongg home, which goes to auction today.