Loving where you live is the dream. But not all new neighbourhoods are built equal — some are places you’ll really love calling home.
Many people think a development is just about new houses and apartments. But it’s so much more than that.
It’s a place where you’ll spend time with friends and family, forge new relationships, visit cafes and walk the streets feeling safe.
Some features are absolutely necessary to create the foundations of a happy and healthy neighbourhood where you truly feel you belong.
![](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"%20viewBox="0%200%202000%201500"%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Launching April 29, Ed.Square Town Centre in Edmondson Park adds a dash of urban living to Sydney’s South West.
Here is what to look for beyond your front door when buying in a new community.
1. Everyday shopping
No one wants to get in the car and battle traffic to do the weekly shop. Being able to pop downstairs or around the corner at any time to pick up some milk and bread makes life a lot easier.
That’s why having the everyday essentials within easy reach is an absolute ‘must have’, says Frasers Property Australia’s Development Director, Warwick Dowler.
“It’s about convenience — you don’t want to have to drive a long way,” he says.
“People want the ability to walk out of their apartment or townhome and go straight to the Coles.”
2. A bustling cafe scene
Food brings people together. A local dining scene creates the buzzing heart of any community, says REA Group economist Paul Ryan.
“Restaurants, pubs and bars give that congregation feel,” he says. “It transforms the area from somewhere you just drop into and pick up essentials, to somewhere you might meet people, have a coffee or just hang out.”
From a thriving social scene to attractive green spaces, there are many factors that create a place you want to call home.
Ed.Square’s Eat Street, a new foodie precinct in Edmondson Park, is shaping up to be a great example of what community eating hubs should be.
“There’s a huge range of dining options, there is a real mix, well beyond your typical suburban offering,” says Dowler.
With cuisines from around the globe served up in a modern alfresco landscape, residents are catered for from breakfast till dinner, he explains.
3. Schools and medical centres
Looking after your health and dropping off your kids at school are an essential part of daily life, so the best neighbourhoods have easy access to good schools and healthcare.
Ideally, schools and childcare centres should be within walking distance. While a medical precinct should have a comprehensive offering with a GP, radiology and pathology centres, a dentist and 24-hour chemist, Dowler says.
4. Acres of green space
The healthiest communities have plenty of green space. In fact, residents of suburbs with open areas are more likely to exercise and be more socially connected, research shows.
But healthy communities need a sophisticated mix of areas, not just a park with a swing, to appeal to all residents Dowler says. Great communities have spaces that cater for a wealth of activities – from sports fields, to playgrounds, dog parks and bike tracks.
In total, there is six hectares of green space across the site, all connected by walkways and bike paths.
“It’s really important to have variety,” Dowler says. “At Ed.Square we have larger parks that are open to the general public, smaller parks which are resident only parks and, if you step back, it’s surrounded by parklands.”
5. Made for walking
Being able to stroll to local amenities makes for a better lifestyle. It’s good for your health, with research showing people living in walkable neighbourhoods weigh less and live longer.
“There’s also mental health benefits,” Dowler says. “People are able to have a more positive frame of mind because they’re outside walking to destinations and there are the social interactions that go with that.”
Ed.Square’s residences are all within an easy five-minute walk or ride of the town centre.
6. Entertainment on your doorstep
A great place to call home isn’t just about being close to the everyday essentials — you also want places to have fun!
Erika Moncada and Gary Jones recently moved into their two-bedroom apartment at Ed.Square. The new entertainment precinct, which includes an Event Cinema complex, iPlay, 40,000sqm of retail and the Eat Street dining strip, is something which set this new community apart for them.
“We were looking at a few options but Ed.Square attracted us the most because it offers the inner-city lifestyle that we were interested in, but obviously didn’t have the price tag like the homes in the inner west,” says Moncada.
“With the Eat Street and cinema opening up we can just walk down to grab dinner and watch a movie.”
All pictures are courtesy of Frasers Property Australia.