Becton Property Group Limited (“Becton”) has won the award for Best Master Planned Community at the 2012 Property Council of Australia / Rider Levett Bucknall Innovation and Excellence Awards. The award, for Becton’s Newleaf Bonnyrigg Living Communities project in New South Wales, was conferred at a gala dinner hosted by Mike Munro in Sydney last night. The awards, now in their thirtieth year, showcase excellence and innovation in the property development and investment industries across Australia. The Grocon Best Master Planned Community Award is assessed on a range of criteria including project vision and innovation, the quality of design and finish of the development, facilities and services to residents and demonstrable tangible economic, environmental and social dividends. The award caps off a stellar performance by Becton’s Newleaf project, having also been awarded the Urban Taskforce Master Planned Communities Award, the UDIA NSW Austral Bricks Award for Urban Renewal, and the UDIA NSW Presidents Award within the past year. The Newleaf Project is a 30 year Public Private Partnership with Housing NSW for the redevelopment of the 81 hectare Bonnyrigg housing estate into a vibrant new community comprising over 2,300 private and community dwellings as well as infrastructure: roads, parks and multi-purpose community centre. The project, with a 70:30 mix of private to community dwellings, is currently into its fifth year with the first 2 of 18 stages complete (comprising 210 homes in stages 1 and 2). Stage 3 comprising 159 homes – both houses and apartments - is fully sold and since release in February 2012, Becton has taken 29 reservations for dwellings in Stage 4.

Newleaf, Bonnyrigg is the first public-private partnerships of its kind in Australia, regenerating the whole area and delivering a fully integrated master planned community. It includes new public parks, family picnic and play areas and a wide variety of quality homes at a range of affordable price points between $300,000 and $500,000. Newleaf is located in an established neighbourhood already well served by schools, transport and shopping. Becton and its partners are now well on the way to delivering their vision of making Bonnyrigg the place of first choice where people want to live in Western Sydney. “We are very proud of what we have achieved so far at Newleaf. The project is truly transformational. The built environment features innovative, energy efficient yet affordable new private and community homes including a broad choice of detached, duplex and terraced homes as well as garden apartments overlooking the new parks. The considered design of the whole project promotes sustainable living and environmental benefits aimed at reducing water and power bills,” Matthew Chun, Becton’s CEO said.

The Newleaf project, a Public Private Partnership with the NSW State Government, is being undertaken by Bonnyrigg Partnerships, a partnership between Becton and WEST, a wholly owned fund of Westpac Banking Corporation operated and managed by Hastings Funds Management. Becton is also the developer and provides construction services to the project. Westpac Banking Corporation provides term debt for the project. Facilities management services are provided by Spotless Group Limited and tenancy management by St George Community Housing. The newest park, Tarlington Reserve, is being maintained through the Green Wings social enterprise scheme – a subsidiary of Newleaf Community Renewal - as part of a job training and employment creation program.