Sophie Aubrey
@sophieaubrey.bsky.social
City reporter at The Age covering planning, development and local government. Third-culture kid. Tips: [email protected] / [email protected]
Planners, designers, councils and even some developers say the planning tool, known as a floor area ratio control, creates certainty around density for developers and communities, leads to better-designed buildings and helps deliver new homes faster. www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
The rule change that could shield suburbs from a sweep of boxy towers
Advocates say a planning tool long used in NSW successfully could help deliver new Melbourne homes faster and reduce the practice of squeezing as much housing out of a development site as possible.
www.theage.com.au
June 12, 2025 at 4:20 AM
Planners, designers, councils and even some developers say the planning tool, known as a floor area ratio control, creates certainty around density for developers and communities, leads to better-designed buildings and helps deliver new homes faster. www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
Thousands of apartments are being built without contributing to new public parks, as build-to-rent developers access a loophole that councils say has shortchanged them of millions of dollars. Mayors are demanding state reform to force BTR to pay the green space levy www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
Build-to-rent ‘loophole’ robs communities for new parks
Councils say the controversial loophole allows build-to-rent developers to escape a green space levy.
www.theage.com.au
May 25, 2025 at 1:53 AM
Thousands of apartments are being built without contributing to new public parks, as build-to-rent developers access a loophole that councils say has shortchanged them of millions of dollars. Mayors are demanding state reform to force BTR to pay the green space levy www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
West Footscray’s Sims IGA is one of few independent supermarkets in Melbourne to maintain close community ties. But a decision at the VCAT to permit a Woolworths right next-door may mean the end of the store — an outcome VCAT members determined would be acceptable. www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
A beloved grocery has sold fruit and veg for nearly 100 years. Now Woolies has come knocking
An “absolute institution” could prove no match for the supermarket giant planning to set up shop next door.
www.theage.com.au
May 20, 2025 at 12:49 AM
West Footscray’s Sims IGA is one of few independent supermarkets in Melbourne to maintain close community ties. But a decision at the VCAT to permit a Woolworths right next-door may mean the end of the store — an outcome VCAT members determined would be acceptable. www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
As Melbourne’s congestion grows and drivers are increasingly forced to circle a block multiple times to snag a spot at shopping strips, more councils are weighing up whether to introduce paid street parking. We’ve charted which metro councils do and don't have it www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
Love free parking? Don’t get too comfortable
For many drivers, free parking is seen as a right. But as Melbourne’s congestion grows, more councils may introduce user pays.
www.theage.com.au
May 19, 2025 at 11:35 PM
As Melbourne’s congestion grows and drivers are increasingly forced to circle a block multiple times to snag a spot at shopping strips, more councils are weighing up whether to introduce paid street parking. We’ve charted which metro councils do and don't have it www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
Three suspected arson attacks targeting soccer clubs in Melbourne’s south-east are being investigated by police after a Monash Council decision to reallocate a sought-after local ground raised tensions in the sporting community. www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
Arson attacks strike local soccer clubs after stoush over sports ground
Nerves are high among soccer clubs in Melbourne’s south-east after three separate incidents, including the firebombing of a car and two blazes that have destroyed clubhouses.
www.theage.com.au
May 7, 2025 at 12:23 AM
Three suspected arson attacks targeting soccer clubs in Melbourne’s south-east are being investigated by police after a Monash Council decision to reallocate a sought-after local ground raised tensions in the sporting community. www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
Towers up to 20 storeys would loom over a coveted slice of urban bush under plans for the Suburban Rail Loop’s Burwood station precinct, prompting two eastern suburb councils to lack the lack of environment protections proposed for Gardiners Creek. www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
Gardiners Creek is a rare slice of urban bush. The government wants to build 20-storey towers on its bank
Locals and councils have raised concerns that plans for the Suburban Rail Loop will cause a loss of sunlight and impact wildlife in the suburban sanctuary.
www.theage.com.au
April 29, 2025 at 6:20 AM
Towers up to 20 storeys would loom over a coveted slice of urban bush under plans for the Suburban Rail Loop’s Burwood station precinct, prompting two eastern suburb councils to lack the lack of environment protections proposed for Gardiners Creek. www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
The Port of Melbourne is rapidly expanding, subsuming neighbouring land as it prepares for double an already record-breaking number of containers. How big is too big for Australia's busiest port, right in the middle of the city? Report with @adamlcarey.bsky.social www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
Has the Port of Melbourne outgrown its prime slice of the city?
Australia’s busiest port plans to handle even more containers from even more mammoth ships. But some think its time in the inner city might be nearly over.
www.theage.com.au
April 25, 2025 at 12:02 AM
The Port of Melbourne is rapidly expanding, subsuming neighbouring land as it prepares for double an already record-breaking number of containers. How big is too big for Australia's busiest port, right in the middle of the city? Report with @adamlcarey.bsky.social www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
A $183m project to move goods to and from Melbourne’s port to its suburbs by rail is yet to shift a single shipping container - meaning more and more trucks are clogging our roads. Here's part one of a project I've worked on with @adamlcarey.bsky.social on the port www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
Melbourne roads to cop tripling of trucks as rail freight plans flounder
Australia’s busiest container port is pumping shipping containers onto Melbourne’s roads. And it’s about to get worse.
www.theage.com.au
April 24, 2025 at 1:58 AM
A $183m project to move goods to and from Melbourne’s port to its suburbs by rail is yet to shift a single shipping container - meaning more and more trucks are clogging our roads. Here's part one of a project I've worked on with @adamlcarey.bsky.social on the port www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
Residents in Moonee Ponds are demanding urgent upgrades to deal with a growing threat of flooding. The situation highlights a looming danger across the city, with stormwater systems struggling to handle rising pressure from denser development and climate change www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
These homeowners are facing a new flood threat – and many more residents may soon be affected
A family whose property was flooded by overflowing drains has been given sandbags in a situation that highlights a looming danger across the city.
www.theage.com.au
April 23, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Residents in Moonee Ponds are demanding urgent upgrades to deal with a growing threat of flooding. The situation highlights a looming danger across the city, with stormwater systems struggling to handle rising pressure from denser development and climate change www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
One from a couple of days ago: Apartment blocks can now be built with fast-tracked approval closer to footpaths and neighbours, as new diagrams reveal the kinds of developments that could hit residential streets across the state under new ResCode planning rules. www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
The three-storey apartment blocks coming soon to your neighbourhood
Townhouses and apartments can now be built, with fast-tracked approval, closer to footpaths and neighbours under sweeping changes.
www.theage.com.au
April 2, 2025 at 2:33 AM
One from a couple of days ago: Apartment blocks can now be built with fast-tracked approval closer to footpaths and neighbours, as new diagrams reveal the kinds of developments that could hit residential streets across the state under new ResCode planning rules. www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
The future of e-scooters in Melbourne is under threat with only Port Phillip Council to have a hire scheme operating from April, after Lime and Neuron pulled its e-scooters out of Yarra after the council decided to hike its fees five-fold. www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
E-scooter operators pull out of Yarra after council imposes drastic fee hike
The future of e-scooters in Melbourne is increasingly under threat with Neuron and Lime announcing they will no longer operate in the City of Yarra after they copped a 400 per cent fee hike from counc...
www.theage.com.au
March 21, 2025 at 1:34 AM
The future of e-scooters in Melbourne is under threat with only Port Phillip Council to have a hire scheme operating from April, after Lime and Neuron pulled its e-scooters out of Yarra after the council decided to hike its fees five-fold. www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
Parents of sick newborns and women needing cancer treatment or abortion care have been moved out of the Royal Women’s Hospital’s free family accommodation, with the Victorian government selling the site to build new apartments. www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
Hospital patients booted from free family accommodation to build new apartments
The Victorian government stripped free housing from breast cancer patients and parents of ICU babies months ago, with no alternative system in place.
www.theage.com.au
March 19, 2025 at 4:52 AM
Parents of sick newborns and women needing cancer treatment or abortion care have been moved out of the Royal Women’s Hospital’s free family accommodation, with the Victorian government selling the site to build new apartments. www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
The area of Rockbank in Melbourne's outer west is the most fastest growing region in Australia, and it's not about to slow, with the population set to almost triple by 2046. But here, residents are still relying on a single-lane clogged main road riddled with danger www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
It’s a suburb ‘on steroids’, but residents are forced to avoid its main road
Once a single-lane road between farms, this is now a major thoroughfare carrying 14,500 cars a day. But locals say crashes, bottlenecks and dangerous manoeuvres prove urgent upgrades are needed.
www.theage.com.au
March 5, 2025 at 3:09 AM
The area of Rockbank in Melbourne's outer west is the most fastest growing region in Australia, and it's not about to slow, with the population set to almost triple by 2046. But here, residents are still relying on a single-lane clogged main road riddled with danger www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
Prominent state planners are warning that Melbourne’s activity centres risk becoming places where people don’t want to live if the design process is not improved, with the Victorian government not following its own rules for planning activity centres: www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
The liveability risk in building 60 new housing hubs across Melbourne
Victoria’s top planners are warning that suburban activity centres risk becoming places where people don’t want to live if some crucial rules are ignored.
www.theage.com.au
March 3, 2025 at 3:20 AM
Prominent state planners are warning that Melbourne’s activity centres risk becoming places where people don’t want to live if the design process is not improved, with the Victorian government not following its own rules for planning activity centres: www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
Tonight's Hobsons Bay City Council meeting is going to take aim at the state government's Level Crossing Removal Project works that will permanently close Champion Road. More on this issue here: www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
February 24, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Tonight's Hobsons Bay City Council meeting is going to take aim at the state government's Level Crossing Removal Project works that will permanently close Champion Road. More on this issue here: www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
It was a $250,000 playground that was meant to attract more young families to Nicholson Street Mall in Footscray. But Maribyrnong Council pulled the pin on a two-year trial after overwhelming feedback that it had backfired. www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
A $250,000 playground in Footscray’s mall backfired
Nicholson Street is one of Australia’s oldest pedestrian malls but traders say it was the wrong move to install a playground.
www.theage.com.au
February 14, 2025 at 1:30 AM
It was a $250,000 playground that was meant to attract more young families to Nicholson Street Mall in Footscray. But Maribyrnong Council pulled the pin on a two-year trial after overwhelming feedback that it had backfired. www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
The Dynon Rd rainbow bridge and Footscray Rd green bridge have appeared finished for months after being built as part of the West Gate Tunnel project. Cyclist advocates now accuse the Vic gov of delaying the opening of vital infrastructure for political convenience www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
Bike bridges were built months ago but are still closed
The bridges over Footscray Road and Dynon Road remain fenced off, forcing cyclists to stay on dangerous roads.
www.theage.com.au
February 12, 2025 at 2:09 AM
The Dynon Rd rainbow bridge and Footscray Rd green bridge have appeared finished for months after being built as part of the West Gate Tunnel project. Cyclist advocates now accuse the Vic gov of delaying the opening of vital infrastructure for political convenience www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
Premier Jacinta Allan’s government faces its first major electoral test with the Feb 8 byelection in Werribee, a traditional Labor stronghold. It's also a crucial test of Brad Battin’s new stewardship of the Vic Liberals and his pitch to win outer-suburban voters www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
The race for Werribee: How the west will be won (or lost)
Labor has held the seat of Werribee since 1979, but with crime on the rise and traffic eating hours of residents’ days, can the party hold onto its traditional heartland?
www.theage.com.au
January 30, 2025 at 2:47 AM
Premier Jacinta Allan’s government faces its first major electoral test with the Feb 8 byelection in Werribee, a traditional Labor stronghold. It's also a crucial test of Brad Battin’s new stewardship of the Vic Liberals and his pitch to win outer-suburban voters www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
Does it seem like everybody is angry at cabanas or jet-skis on our beaches this summer? Fresh data shows Victoria's beaches are busier than ever, and behaviour experts says we are facing a "tragedy of the commons" scenario. www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
Why the beach wars are hotter than ever this summer
From cabanas to jet-skis, off-leash dogs and loud music, it seems everybody has an opinion on beach behaviour. With soaring beach visitor numbers, experts say we are facing a known phenomenon: the “tr...
www.theage.com.au
January 13, 2025 at 2:07 AM
Does it seem like everybody is angry at cabanas or jet-skis on our beaches this summer? Fresh data shows Victoria's beaches are busier than ever, and behaviour experts says we are facing a "tragedy of the commons" scenario. www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
The Australian Open has been making a mint on ponchos today. The wearable layers of blue plastic sell for $25 a pop and AO shops are sold out this arvo. More rainy tennis coverage here: www.theage.com.au/sport/tennis... #ausopen
January 12, 2025 at 6:32 AM
The Australian Open has been making a mint on ponchos today. The wearable layers of blue plastic sell for $25 a pop and AO shops are sold out this arvo. More rainy tennis coverage here: www.theage.com.au/sport/tennis... #ausopen
The Age is this week exploring how Melbourne has rapidly expanded to the west in the last 20 yrs and what factors hold the region back from truly flourishing — with the reasons part historic, part political. Reporting with @adamlcarey.bsky.social and Patrick Hatch www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
It was once declared ‘unpopular for living’. Now it’s Australia’s fastest-growing region
The Age explores what’s driving the boom in Melbourne’s western suburbs, and challenges some of the common assumptions about the area.
www.theage.com.au
January 2, 2025 at 1:03 AM
The Age is this week exploring how Melbourne has rapidly expanded to the west in the last 20 yrs and what factors hold the region back from truly flourishing — with the reasons part historic, part political. Reporting with @adamlcarey.bsky.social and Patrick Hatch www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
Reposted by Sophie Aubrey
"We cannot continue to participate in the social network feed of a man who proclaims the death of the media and therefore of journalists... X is a platform that no longer serves the public interest at all, but the special ideological and financial interests of its owner and his political allies"
European Federation of Journalists to stop posting content on X
The EFJ represents over 295,000 journalists in 44 countries.
www.thelondoneconomic.com
December 2, 2024 at 3:12 PM
"We cannot continue to participate in the social network feed of a man who proclaims the death of the media and therefore of journalists... X is a platform that no longer serves the public interest at all, but the special ideological and financial interests of its owner and his political allies"
Inner-west residents are demanding that pollution filters be installed on the West Gate Tunnel’s enormous vents, which spew truck fumes into the air near homes and sport fields. The government and EPA rejected with an earlier recommendation to install filtration. www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
‘We’ll cop the full brunt’: West Gate Tunnel to pump out toxic fumes near homes
Campaigners push for filters to be installed on the project’s enormous vents in Melbourne’s inner west as pollution fears grow.
www.theage.com.au
November 23, 2024 at 12:42 AM
Inner-west residents are demanding that pollution filters be installed on the West Gate Tunnel’s enormous vents, which spew truck fumes into the air near homes and sport fields. The government and EPA rejected with an earlier recommendation to install filtration. www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
The findings from new Deakin research that assessed the kitchens of 115 two-bedroom apartments for sale in Melbourne have prompted calls for stricter standards to ensure the Victorian government's high-rise ambitions deliver quality, liveable housing. www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
Kitchens are cramping apartment living, forcing residents to cook less and shop more
New research into impractical cooking areas in modern apartments has prompted calls for stricter standards to ensure the state government’s high-rise ambitions deliver quality, liveable housing.
www.theage.com.au
November 19, 2024 at 10:17 PM
The findings from new Deakin research that assessed the kitchens of 115 two-bedroom apartments for sale in Melbourne have prompted calls for stricter standards to ensure the Victorian government's high-rise ambitions deliver quality, liveable housing. www.theage.com.au/national/vic...
Well I very much like Bsky's casual tone of "What's up?", as opposed to the unhinged, frenzied "What is happening?!..????!!!!" Says everything, really.
November 18, 2024 at 11:38 PM
Well I very much like Bsky's casual tone of "What's up?", as opposed to the unhinged, frenzied "What is happening?!..????!!!!" Says everything, really.