December 13, 2008 - Links Living Limited's Sandhurst Club project in Melbourne's south east has continued to be recognised for its cutting edge environmental design and management being the only multiple winner at the prestigious 2008 UDIA Excellence Awards.

The awards, announced last week, saw Sandhurst, Victoria's only drought proof suburb, receiving awards for the 'Best Environmentally Designed Project' and the 'Best Landscape Design.'

Links Living Limited's Managing Director Stephen Head said, this takes our grand tally to 7 UDIA Awards, 3 Australian Property Institute Awards and 2 HIA Greensmart Awards, all within the last 7 years.

Sandhurst Club is now a mature project with two completed Peter Thomson designed golf courses, a $16 million function centre and clubhouse and a gym/indoor pool complex.

"We have now sold well over 600 of our 1800 plus home sites since 2000 and all properties have access to Class A recycled water in what is clearly Victoria's biggest and most advanced water reuse scheme to date. It has been very successful because the entire 310 hectare project is so green and the community amenities and facilities are of such a high quality," Mr Head said.

Sandhurst, developed by Links Living in conjunction with the Roche and Mantello families, had provided Victoria with a major showcase of environmental design to prove the case for recycled water which has now become vital in the current drought.

"The $6 million spent to make Sandhurst drought proof with Class A recycled water will see billions of litres of drinking water saved in the next decade, and had underpinned the project's award winning environmental credentials.

"We have had people from all over Australia visiting Sandhurst to observe how the project had been designed and our elaborate environmental management plan.

"With every home using recycled water for toilet flushing and garden watering, every resident in the suburb is contributing to saving around 40% of normal water use, making Sandhurst the most water efficient suburb in Victoria at a time when Melbourne's water supplies are under threat.

"The Sandhurst Class A recycled water project has also had major wider benefits to the community saving hundreds of millions of litres of sewage being released into the ocean at Gunnamatta surfing beach on the Mornington Peninsula."

Sandhurst residents also have access to over 50 kilometres of off road pathways which connect homes to the central core facilities. "These paths encourage the community to leave the car at home and either walk, cycle or drive an electric golf cart - again, it's great for the environment and a sales winner."

The Sandhurst Club awards tally is now rapidly approaching the number Links received a few years ago for its other landmark project, Sanctuary Lakes Resort situated at the start of Melbourne's now burgeoning western growth corridor.

"We are equally proud of each project, albeit for slightly different reasons," Mr Head said.

Links Living are currently finalising details for two new master planned community projects, one in Geelong, Victoria and the other at Airlie Beach, Queensland. Links has a third potential project currently before the NSW Government awaiting D.A. approval.

Sandhurst Environmental Initiatives
Providing a regional wildlife sanctuary especially in the drought
Preservation of open space, remnant vegetation and historic trees
Protection of top soil from degradation and erosion.
Protection of water resources.
Rehabilitation of tracts of degraded land.
The provision of an environment to promote physical and mental well being
The preservation and promotion of Australian indigenous flora and fauna
Improve air quality and moderate temperature
Utilise and treat water resources such as sewage, storm water and urban runoff
Create and sustain a high quality environment.