Racehorse TALK

PLANS for the 64ha new suburb of St Clair, to be built on the Cheltenham Park racecourse site, will be released today.

The joint venture between AV Jennings and Urban Pacific will have 1200 homes.

The concept plans, being released this morning, take in the former Sheridan/Actil factory site and Cheltenham Park to create the new $500 million suburb.

Releases one to three are now available from about $230,000 for land and about $450,000 for house-and-land packages.

In the present releases, block sizes will range between 270sq m and 730sq m and there will be a range of dwelling designs available.

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St Clair project director Rob Bau said the suburb would be set among newly created parklands and wetlands covering an area more than 11 times the size of AAMI Stadium.

"Our aim is to ensure St Clair becomes a vibrant inner metropolitan neighbourhood, which will complement the current community and will also offer excellent housing diversity," he said. "It will have a strong commitment to environmental initiatives . . . water conservation".

Toop & Toop managing director Anthony Toop said the rejuvenation of the site was an "important piece of the puzzle" in an anticipated renaissance of the western suburbs.

He said once the development had begun, prices would increase in the neighbouring suburbs.

"It would be very good for all property owners in the western suburbs," he said. "A subdivision of that scale resets all the median values in the whole area because of its size."

The former Sheridan/Actil manchester factory site is being developed as the first part of the project.

Builders have now commenced work on a display village.

Subject to approvals, construction on the former Cheltenham Park racecourse site is expected to begin early next year.