Luke Sonnex
Portfolio of projects
A short summary of experience
DIRECTOR, DEVELOPMENT VICTORIA, MELBOURNE
Delivering development strategy, business cases, development agreement management and precinct project level advice as acting Director to Development Victoria's executive and senior members of the Victorian State Government
All with a view to optimising the achievement of State Government policy targets through the application of Development Victoria's role as master developer and referral authority under the Docklands Act
NEWQUAY PRECINCT, DOCKLANDS, BUXTON GROUP/MAB
Negotiation of development outcomes and land sale staging to achieve delivery of housing targets and establishment of vibrant communities in a post-COVID economic environment
DIRECTOR, PRECINCTS GROUP
Development Victoria
Negotiate staged delivery of the remaining 5.5 hectares of this 14 hectare precinct through a development agreement with MAB to secure outcomes that contribute to housing policy targets and diversification of stock (BTS/BTR)
Navigation of specific issues such as establishing an investment plan for aging maritime assets and infrastructure that were increasing land holding costs and decreasing development viability; working collaboratively with other parts of State Government to deliver social infrastructure options that increase development viability and meet local and state policy guidelines; driving achievement of policy outcomes while improving development viability
971 COLLINS STREET, DOCKLANDS
312 beautifully designed and crafted homes
28 storey cutting edge inner city living
DIRECTOR, PRECINCTS GROUP
Development Victoria
Negotiated development agreement and land sale with Lendlease
Led contract negotiations on behalf of the State Government
Appointed and drove legal, financial and technical specialists
Briefed executive on project progress and performance
COLLINS WHARF 4, 5 and 6, DOCKLANDS
3 state of the art residential towers
1,200 new homes into the market circa 2027 onwards
Revitalised public realm and heritage assets
DIRECTOR, PRECINCTS GROUP
Development Victoria
Managed planning process as master developer and referral authority
Drove detailed review of submission and provision of meaningful direction to achieve transformation of underutilised industrial land into mixed-use precinct creating a vibrant waterfront community
ELYSIUM FIELDS, DOCKLANDS
1,100 homes including build-to-rent
inner city health focused green living
DIRECTOR, PRECINCTS GROUP
Development Victoria
Negotiated development plan and public realm outcomes with lead developer (Gurner Group)
Delivered solution focused outcomes including land swaps to
achieve built form outcomes acceptable to planners, city council (FMC) and State Government
SHIPPING CONTROL TOWER, DOCKLANDS
Listing on the Victorian Heritage Register (VHR)
Rejuvenation of beloved heritage asset
DIRECTOR, PRECINCTS GROUP
Development Victoria
Stratigised and delivered refurbishment and registration on VHR
Strategise, obtain endorsement of and implement heritage registration plan to demonstrate State Governments commitment to heritage values
DISTRICT LIVING, DOCKLANDS
Australia’s largest build-to-rent developments with 925 apartments delivered over two stages at circa $600 million construction cost
SENIOR DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, PRECINCTS GROUP
Development Victoria
Negotiation of development agreement and land sale
Negotiated land sale terms, conditions precedent and land sale contract to bring Australia's largest BTR project to market
951 COLLINS STREET, DOCKLANDS
317 beautifully designed and crafted homes
29 storey cutting edge inner city living
SENIOR DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, PRECINCTS GROUP
Development Victoria
Negotiated the development agreement and land sale to Lendlease
Led contract negotiations on behalf of the State Government
Appointed and drove legal, financial and technical specialists
Briefed executive on project progress and performance
CENTRAL PIER, DOCKLANDS
Demobilisation, demolition and reimagining a high profile heritage registered asset of State significance
SENIOR DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, PRECINCTS GROUP
Development Victoria
Led the decommissioning, demolition and business case for revitalisation of Central Pier
Immediate closure, make safe works and media strategy
Briefings to Development Victoria executive and senior State Government officials
Negotiation and obtainment of heritage demolition permit to enable demolition of the pier
Project management of the appointment of suitably qualified maritime demolition contractor to undertake demolition
Preparation and submission of multiple business cases to Department of Treasury and Finance seeking State support to redevelop the site and neighbouring waterfront sites
Optioneering and revisioning to account for post-COVID economic and market conditions
Negotiation with State Government agencies and departments, Melbourne City Council and Heritage Victoria to progress the project
899 COLLINS STREET, MELBOURNE
Lendlease and Nippon Steel Kowa Real Estate (NSKRE) partnered to deliver this 499 apartment waterfront build-to-rent tower
SENIOR DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, PRECINCTS GROUP
Development Victoria
Led the negotiation of the land sale and establishment of terms that were acceptable to all parties including tripartite agreements with NSKRE
Negotiation of the staged planning permits were ongoing at the time and required collaborative discussions with the City of Melbourne and Department of Transport and Planning to ensure their concerns were addressed
DOCKLANDS ASSET MANAGEMENT STRATEGY, MELBOURNE
Development Victoria has significant land holdings in Docklands and is obligated to maintain them before they are developed via development agreements with private sector partners
SENIOR DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, PRECINCTS GROUP
Development Victoria
Assessment and mapping of asset base
Categorisation by asset type and assessments of condition to arrive at a unified understanding of the maintenance and repair works required to maintain the asset base over the short, medium and long term depending on development pipleline timeframe
All within the context of the Docklands Act self-funding model