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Hollywood film producer Robert Cohen and wife, Barbara have yet to sell their rural Balinese retreat, Villa Minangkabau for US$3 million.
Created by Irish designer Linda Garland, who has lived in Bali since the 1970s, the style is heavily influenced by the ancient royal residences of the Minang people of Sumatra.
Garland, who was nominated by The Architectural Digest as one of the most influential designers of the past century, produced a meandering three-section domain divided by a stream.
At the centre is a vast open house with 180-degree views and a huge bedroom overlooking the sea and Mount Agung.
There are two separate Minangkabau guest suites plus two Bali-modern villas with a total of six bedrooms and six bathrooms in the complex.
To ensure authenticity of the structures master builders were brought from Sumatra to oversee the project.
The Minangkabau buildings have soaring ceilings made of locally grown grass and the interiors are decorated with a beautiful collection of Indonesian masks and antiques.
The gardens are well established and lush, with privacy maintained by an unsigned dirt road entry.
Villa Minangkabau, <a href="https://www.elitehavenssales.com/component/option,com_hotproperty/task,view/id,394/Itemid,43/" target="_blank">which has been listed through Elite Havens</a>, in association with Knight Frank for about two year, is set on 24,790 square metres of the Pantai Jasi coast near Candi Dasa and looks out to Mount Rinjani on Lombok.
Cohen, who studied anthropology at Harvard, is best remembered as The Fast and the Furious director. The house featured in the August 2009 issue of Architectural Digest.
The couple <a href="https://kyerphotography.com/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=8203" target="_blank">married at the  property</a> in 2006.
 
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US film producer Robert Cohen still to sell Balinese villa for $3 million

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Perth CBD’s rental office space squeeze may be heading west. 
Savills Research’s Spotlight on West Perth found that office vacancy rate there is 4.4% – down from 5.4% in January 2012. 
In the year to March 16,027 square metres of office space was leased in the precinct, of which mining and utilities operations took up 75%, or 12,221 square metres. 
Savills notes that West Perth had 4,124 square metres of office supply enter the market in the six months to December 2011, but there have been no further additions since. 
“Larger mining firms, typically located in the CBD are now forced to look at smaller amounts of space available in fringe markets such as West Perth,” the report says. 
Savills expects that available space will continue to drop in the secondary market, which could force second- and third-tier mining firms into alternative markets such as Subiaco, Herdsman and Applecross. 
About 11,880 square metres of office space is under construction in West Perth. 
Qube Property Group’s $70 million office building on Havelock Street is due for completion in December, and it is 50% leased to the Australian Financial Group. 
“We are confident the balance of space in the building will be leased for about $2.7million by the time it is finished,” says Qube director James Collis. 
Savills tracks sales over $1 million, and the group recorded $90 million worth of sales in two deals in the year to March 2012, which is a fall of 6% from $96 million in the previous year.
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West Perth office market tightening as mining boom drills into established stock

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Like shoppers and tourists, corporate businesses are moving in on major retail centres at the price of local parking spots.
Demand from corporate tenants who want to relocate into glamorous shopping centres is on the rise, and office buildings are being planned in response.
According to Colliers International, during the past 12 months nearly 10,000 square metres of office space has been leased in such complexes, with 1,000 square metres in Doncaster and 1,500 square metres in Knox being leased to corporate clients. In the massive $1 billion-plus Chadstone complex 1,500 square metres was leased as office space, and Victoria Gardens has attracted corporate tenants across 5,000 square metres.
A proposed office tower adjoining Chadstone shopping centre will be developed over a well-used parking and landscaped area.
“While dozens of parking places will be lost, the developer is putting in two levels of basement parking to service the offices,” says Colliers associate director of leasing Travis Myerscough.
The basement parking will be leased to office tenants, and the notion of making it available to the public on weekends has been suggested.
“It has been proposed that car park be used by shoppers on the weekend, but that is still being negotiated,” says Myerscough.
So far in Chadstone corporate tenants include medical research group Celletis, while Fleet Partners and Nova Radio are in Victorian Gardens.
“This trend of medium to large corporates moving into retail centres is gaining momentum, as they want to attract and retain staff by have great amenities at the doorstep,” Myerscough says.
Myerscough says more than 20,000 square metres of office space will be released to the market by late 2013.
By 2013 Chadstone, where retailers made $1.28 million in sales in 2010, will have a hotel and an office component that will account for between 10 and 15% of the entire complex. It is already notoriously hard to find a parking space in Chadstone at peak shopping times.
The trend is being mirrored throughout major shopping centres across Australia, says Colliers national director of retail valuation Stephen Andrew.
"Shopping centres are evolving as much more than a place to shop. Nationally, we continue to see the redevelopment of major regional shopping centres to provide a greater blend of retail, leisure and commercial activities to meet changing customer demands,” he says.
 
 
 
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Corporate offices replacing customer parking at shopping centres as Chadstone joins the trend

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Gone are the washing lines, and unsightly water tanks are banished behind architecturally designed screens. Rooftop gardens are almost de rigour in new apartment blocks.
Property developers are creating park-like green spaces on their residential buildings to attract buyers with the promise of an exclusive community.
<img src="/images/stories/roofbravo.jpg">
Carlton’s $65 million Bravo residential project will turn its roof (pictured above) into a stylish space with outdoor lounges, entertaining areas, flower gardens and a vegetable patch with knockout views of Melbourne. It’s costing the developer a cool $500,000.
“Carlton has a strong identity and community spirit; therefore it was important to reflect this by democratising the views with communal rooftop gardens. Using the area simply for rainwater collection would have been a waste,” says Bravo developer Matt Vaughan.
Given that <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/developments/carlton-parkside-project-bravo-sells-24-apartments-in-first-three-weeks/2012042054370">24 apartments in Bravo sold off the plan in the first few weeks of marketing</a>, a nice rooftop might be a big drawcard.
<img src="/images/stories/roofsouthyarra.jpg">
In South Yarra Icon Properties’ $35 million See Apartments, the $300,000 rooftop garden (pictured above and three below) is such a hit that residents must reserve a portion for private parties.
<img src="/images/stories/roofsouthyarra2.jpg">
The garden has great views, covered and open-air entertaining areas, a built-in barbecue with food preparation benches and a sink. There is even a gas-log fire. It instantly became so busy that the owner’s corporation created a reservation system so a section can be divided off for private events.
<img src="/images/stories/roofsouthyarra3.jpg">
“We wanted to move away from the typical gym and provide an extended outdoor living and entertaining space that residents will actually use,” says ICON director Ashley Murdoch.
<img src="/images/stories/roofsouthyarra4.jpg">
In Sydney the trend to rooftop gardens is long established, with the Hayson Group creating a huge 2,800-square-metre garden in its M Central complex in Pyrmont back in 2005. Internationally acclaimed Sydney-based landscape architect Daniel Baffsky planted native grasses, succulents, mature trees, vine arbours and installed boardwalks, water features and art pieces. Residents even walk their dogs there.
A green rooftop not only has cultural cachet, it has green credibility, with grass extracting pollution particles from the air. They can be largely watered from harvested rainwater.
In a competitive market it’s wise to stand out from the pack, with Frasers Property and Sekisui House Australia’s $2 billion <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/time-running-out-for-stamp-duty-free-purchases-at-sydneys-central-park/2012030653714">Central Park project in Sydney’s Chippendale</a> integrating large green spaces on the 5.8-hectare site and capping the second phase – Park Lane – with a lavish gardens.
The developer secured the skills of Danish landscape architect Jeppe Aagaard Andersen to design communal rooftop gardens with themed rooms with unique uses. There will also be outdoor spas, barbecue facilities, tables and seating. Residents – there will eventually be 2,500 of them – will be able to collect and even plant their own herbs.
<img src="/images/stories/roofrozelle.jpg">
The controversial multi-tower $300 million Rozelle Village proposal in Sydney is going all out with its $2.3 million residents’ rooftop (architect's impressions above and below).
Design director Frank Stanisic of Stanisic Associates Architects aims to create a 5,000-square-metre leisure garden with a full-sized tennis court hidden behind a six-metre high, planted green screen. A tall green wall of vegetation will also surround the indoor-outdoor pool. There will gardens, green space plus decking, seating and barbecue areas.
<img src="/images/stories/roofrozelle2.jpg">
Managing director of the project Ian Wright says the user will absorb the running costs.
“The residential strata body will have a sinking fund that will reflect the amenities, however, the demographic of the people expected to buy there will accept that as a lifestyle choice.
“You can’t live so close to the city and have all of these suburban-style facilities without having to pay for it,” says Wright.
 
 
 
 
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Rooftop gardens bringing communal park life to inner-city developments

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The state of smoke alarms in rented housing is back on the agenda.
NSW State Coroner Mark Buscombe recently recommended that real estate agents regularly check and maintain smoke alarms in the homes they manage.
The comments came at the inquest into the 2010 death of a man in a Hamilton house fire, near Newcastle.
Smoke detectors became mandatory for all NSW residential buildings in 2006.
Tim McKibbin, CEO of the Real Estate Institute of NSW, says that residential leases make it clear who is responsible for smoke alarms.
“The reality is that the landlord is required to have a working smoke alarm in the premises while the tenant is required under the lease to replace batteries in a smoke alarm,” says McKibbin.
The practice among some tenants of removing batteries from smoke detectors to use elsewhere, usually in a television remote control, was so prominent that such interference is now forbidden and enshrined in the NSW Residential Tenancies Act.
According to the Tenant’s Union of NSW, if a detector gives a false alarm triggered by cooking, tenants should not remove the battery or disable it.
“Contact the landlord or agent and ask for the alarm to be moved to a more suitable location or replaced with a different style of alarm,” the organisation says.
Fire &amp; Rescue NSW will replace old smoke alarm batteries for free for the elderly and people with mobility problems.
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NSW Coroner issues warning about smoke alarms in investment properties

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The Tasmanian housing market continues to struggle, with house prices falling throughout most of the Apple Isle.
While Hobart showed a modest increase of 1.6% in sales in the year to March 2012, its median house price was down 2.3% to $353,000, according to figures released by the Real Estate Institute of Tasmania (REIT).
Across Tasmania house prices dropped by 3.2% on the same time last year to a median of $300,000, the report says.
The figures reveal that people are not in trading mode as the number of sales has fallen dramatically. Only 1,252 houses sold in the 12 months to March this year – down 12.3% on the previous year.
Click to enlarge
<a href="/images/stories/reitmay2.gif" rel="shadowbox" title="Click to enlarge"><img src="/images/stories/reitmay2thumb.gif"></a>
It is not just the mums and dads that are staying home. Millionaires are avoiding residential deals, with a luxury $2.45 million Battery Point penthouse overlooking Hobart’s beautiful harbour languishing on the market for close to 200 days. It had been bought in 2006 for $1.8 million.
Battery Point has the highest median house price of $925,000 from eight sales, showing a rise of 17.8% in the year to March. Bridgewater, about 20 kilometers from Hobart in the state’s south east, was Tasmania’s least expensive spot, with a median price of $175,000 from eight sales, showing an increase of 2.9%.
<a target="_blank" href="https://reit.com.au/">According to the REIT report</a> it takes an average of 79 days to sell a Tasmanian house.
“The report wasn’t all doom and gloom though, with 11 municipalities reporting an increase in their median house price for the quarter, with six currently holding a higher median house price than the statewide figure. These included Clarence, Glamorgan/Spring Bay, Hobart, Kingborough, Sorell and the West Tamar,” says REIT president Adrian Kelly.
The rental vacancy rate also continued to increase in the March quarter, up 0.8% to 3.9%.
 
 
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Tasmanian house prices still falling: REIT

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Queensland’s plague of natural disasters has been blamed for the sunshine state’s struggling rental market.
Residential vacancy rates there are mostly below 3%, which is the excepted figure for a balanced market in terms of supply and demand, according to figures released by the Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ).
REIQ chief executive officer Anton Kardash says the contraction is a result of slowing house sales and disaster recovery.
“Until recently we had many potential first-home buyers and investors sitting on the sidelines while our market and economy recovered from the natural disasters last year, which has put pressure on our rental market,” he says.
Brisbane’s vacancy rate fell to 1.7% from 2.3% in December last year. The inner city was at 1.4% in March this year, down from 1.9% in December 2011.
Queensland’s major regional markets are in worse shape, with the amount of available homes to rent in regional Rockhampton at just 1%. In March last year the vacancy rate there was 1.8%, and that dipped to 0.9 % in December, reflecting rental trauma for tenants.
The resources boom town of Gladstone has a vacancy rate of just 1.4%, and a luxury four-bedroom, two-bathroom house near town will give tenants little change from $1,000 a week.
In far north Queensland the Cairns rental market is also undersupplied, with tight vacancy rate of 2.5%, showing a fall of 0.7% in 12 months. Bundaberg has shown some improvement, with vacancy rates increasing to 3.3% from 2.5% in the year to March 2012.
Queensland’s two major tourist hotspots have comparatively languishing residential rental vacancy rates.
On Noosa’s coast, residential vacancy rates have jumped from 4% in March 2011 to 4.8% this year while on the Gold Coast rates have increased from 3.6% last year to 3.9% in March 2012.
 
 
 
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Tight Queensland rental market a result of natural disasters: REIQ

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As residential developers across the country offer free furniture, chuck in outdoor settings or even to pick up stamp duty costs in order to snag a sale, upscale developer Mirvac has taken a different tack.
Aurora is Mirvac’s fourth residential tower at The Peninsula project in Perth’s Burswood, and the developer is offering to pay strata levies for three years to each buyer of three apartments.
<img style="float: left; margin: 5px;" src="/images/stories/aurora1.jpg">
Mirvac will cover the cost of $3,700 a year to a maximum of $12,000 for buyers of selected two-bedroom, two-bathroom, 110-square-metre apartments.
“It [the deal] is available across all remaining two-bedroom apartments, as they make up the bulk of what’s left,” says a Mirvac representative.
Aurora, which was finished in 2010, has 130 apartments, of which 101 units have sold for an average price of $1.15 million. The remaining apartments range in price from  $679,000 for a two-bedroom unit with a balcony and single parking bay to $3.95 million for the last of the three luxury penthouses. The top sale in the building was $4.2 million for a penthouse, which was a record price when it sold in 2009 off the plan.
The Peninsula project has won many awards for the developer, including the Urban Design Institute of Australia’s best high density development award for Aurora in 2010 as well as the HIA’s SEDO Greensmart Award for Estate of the Year in 2009.
The entire project will house about 3,000 people when it is completed in 2017. Owners and tenants occupy about 75% of available stock.
“The strata deal is subject to conditions including how close to the asking price of $679,000 a buyer gets. We are smart developers and realise that it is a buyer’s market so we will enter into negotiations on asking prices,” says Mirvac selling agent Chris Plummer.
Indeed, to sure up the offer, which ends in four weeks (May 31), the sale also has to be settled by the end of the year.
Earlier this year Mirvac ran a campaign offering a 9% guaranteed rental return for 12 months to attract buyers to its Mandurah waterfront project, about an hour south of Perth.
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Mirvac offers to pay strata levies to secure remaining sales in Perth project Aurora

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Three very different projects claimed the top awards from the Australian Institute of Architects Sunshine Coast Architectural Awards.
Currimundi Beach House (pictured below) near Caloundra won House of the Year for Loucas Zahos Architects, which now has a collection of nearly a dozen AIA Queensland awards.
<img src="/images/stories/currimundi.jpg">
The house is a series of different-sized pavilions that lead from living and sleeping spaces to a canvas roof over a timber deck.
“The holiday house captures the essence of being away from routine, inviting relaxation, retreat and enjoyment of the spectacular beachfront location,” noted the judging panel.
<img src="/images/stories/viridian.jpg">
Joint winners of the Gabriel Poole Award for Building of the Year are the $300 million Viridian Noosa residence and resort (pictured above) – which fell into receivership last year – by JMA Architects and the Caboolture Hub (pictured below) by Peddle Thorp and James Cubitt Architecture.
<img src="/images/stories/caboolture.jpg">
The award for the Noosa resort, which is on a former banana plantation and bounded on one side by national park, was for its third stage.
“A direct response to the complex site is reflected in individual variations in each unit, focussing on rainforest, ocean or hillside views, while maintaining privacy. The strategy for materials is site responsive with lightweight villas occupying the challenging steep hillsides. The project displays a high level of attention to planning,” the panel commented.
The joint winner, Caboolture Hub, is a stylish cultural space with an art gallery, library and learning centre beside the town square designed by the internationally acclaimed architectural firm Peddle Thorp.
“A light-filled central atrium connects the primary spaces. Moving through the building, there is delight in the transition between spaces,” says the jury commentary.
House of the Year: Currimundi Beach House by Loucas Zahos Architects. Image: Adam Sebastian West
Joint Gabriel Poole Award for Building of the Year: Viridian Noosa: Stage 3 by JMA Architects. Image: Tom Kanchanasinith
Joint Gabriel Poole Award for Building of the Year: Caboolture Hub by Peddle Thorp and James Cubitt Architects. Image: Roger D’Souza
 
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Viridian Noosa resort named Sunshine Coast building of the year as receivership sales continue

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Western Australian property developer Finbar has recorded residential sales of just over $100 million in its completed $160 million East Perth apartment project, Fairlanes.
<img style="float: left; margin: 5px;" src="/images/stories/fairlanes1.jpg">
The 27-level tower has 128 apartments, and 120 deposits have been taken, including one for a $2.5 million penthouse.
The most expensive penthouse, which has views of Rottnest Island and a price tag of $2.65 million, is yet to sell.
Finishing touches are being made to the project, and residents will start moving into the tower in three weeks.
So far the average sale price in the completed Adelaide Terrace development is $850,000.
The completed Fairlanes was launched on by WA Premier Colin Barnett on Friday, April 27 and has 7,000 square metres of office space over five levels plus 600 square metres of ground-floor retail and food space, of which about 3,600 square metres has been leased. Finbar will move its own corporate headquarters into some of the office space and retain the balance as an investment. The commercial area is valued at $53 million.
“The completion of Fairlanes is very well timed to benefit from the squeeze in Perth city vacancy rates and unrelenting demand from companies associated with the resources sector,” says Finbar managing director Darren Pateman.
The developer believes the remaining space and apartments will sell and lease steadily without the need for incentives.
<img src="/images/stories/fairlanes3.jpg">
“This will also help underpin the value of the retained commercial investment and provide a boost to the company’s reoccurring investment income. Revenue from successful settlements at Fairlanes coupled with recent revenue received from settlements from our ‘18 On Plain’ 29-apartment project will support an anticipated moderate increase in forecast profit from last year’s record profit of $24.03 million,” he says.
<img src="/images/stories/fairlanes2.jpg">
Finbar has produced eight high-rise apartment towers in WA since 2009 and has a further 10 buildings under construction in WA.
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Finbar’s East Perth project Fairlanes complete and almost sold out

Perth’s new apartment market recorded its strongest quarter of sales since Q4 2021, with 412 apartments sold in Q1 2026 and a record quarterly sold value of $537 million, according to Urbis’ latest Apartment Essentials results.

Urbis said the March quarter result reflects strong, highly product‑specific demand across both ends of the market, from more attainable projects delivering at scale, through to premium stock being absorbed by equity‑rich downsizers.&nbsp;

David Cresp, Partner at Urbis, said the key story in Perth is not demand, it is the market’s ability to convert demand into delivered housing.&nbsp;

“This is the strongest sales quarter since Q4 2021, and it reinforces that demand in Perth is real and it’s local,” David Cresp said. “But the task now is delivery, turning that demand into projects that can actually be built and completed.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110291 project_image_fid=302785]

<h2>Affordable product leads, premium demand remains resilient</h2>

Sales in Q1 were led by more affordable projects, with The Boulevard (SKS Group) recording 115 sales in the quarter, the presentation noting this is only the second time a single project has surpassed 100 quarterly sales. The project was able to offer more affordable housing product right next to a train station.&nbsp;

Palmyra West (Finbar) also delivered strong results with 28 sales in Q1, following 84 sales in Q4, with an average price of under $800,000, underscoring depth of demand for well‑located, attainable new stock.&nbsp;

At the premium end, Urbis said downsizer demand is continuing, with the results highlighting Romeo (Applecross, Finbar) recording 75 sales and reaching almost 50% sold in one quarter.

Jual (Shenton Park, Celsius Property) also posted a strong quarter with 28 sales, reaching 39% sold in one quarter.

Urbis noted that Perth apartment demand is not speculative, not investor‑led, and not uniform, describing it as localised, often equity‑driven and highly product‑specific, a pattern reflected in the polarisation between strong “attainable” performers and premium downsizer product.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=148957 project_image_fid=364102]

<h2>Prices underpinned by costs, and the delivery risk is growing</h2>

Urbis said pricing pressure is cost not demand‑driven: construction costs and delivery risk are now a central constraint, with the results noting build costs remain elevated and volatile, and that energy, fuel and labour uncertainty weigh on feasibility.

David Cresp said a growing challenge for private Build‑to‑Sell developers is simply securing a builder in the current environment.

“Developers are really feeling the pressure from a building market that was operating at capacity and securing a builder is challenging,” David Cresp said, adding that even where a builder can be secured, “trying to get to the price that makes the development financially viable is incredibly challenging in the current market.”&nbsp;

Urbis’ broader WA commentary also notes that industry remains at or above capacity with lot and housing creation, and that many builders are limiting new sales to manage stretched workforces and fixed‑price contract pressures, conditions that flow directly into apartment feasibility and delivery timing.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108869 project_image_fid=317905]

<h2>Supply: improving later, but still constrained, and Perth lags eastern benchmarks</h2>

While near‑term supply remains constrained, Urbis’ forecast shows completions lifting “Supply is forecast to be back above 1,500 apartments per annum for the first time since 2019”, with 1,775 completions forecast for 2026, and volumes remaining above that level over the following years.&nbsp;

Looking further ahead, completions are forecast to reach 2,500 in 2028, with the report noting 32% of that total is social/affordable, reflecting the role of government‑supported delivery in rebuilding the pipeline.&nbsp;

However, Urbis said Perth remains behind comparable markets on pipeline scale. In a national comparison of projects under construction, the report shows under construction Perth Build‑to‑Sell (BTS) at 3,446 apartments versus the Gold Coast at 7,922. Mr Cresp said “The challenge for Perth is how to we grow the delivery pipeline”.

Urbis’ conclusion is that Perth’s market is increasingly defined by product discipline and delivery certainty, with the research identifying “delivery certainty is key” and calling out builder risk and procurement models as core success factors, alongside “timing and staging”.&nbsp;

Joel Robinson

Perth apartment sales hit strongest pace since late 2021 as builder capacity tightens

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sammut-developments">Sammut Group</a> has secured development approval for its latest Brisbane apartment project, marking the Sydney developer’s next step in expanding its Queensland pipeline following the success of its debut Gold Coast development, Coast.

The approved project at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/44-glen-road-toowong-qld-4066">44 Glen Road, </a><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/toowong-qld-4066">Toowong</a> will deliver a 15-storey riverfront apartment building with 42 residences, significantly increasing the scale of the site’s previous approval for a smaller luxury scheme. Designed by Bureau^proberts, the development will comprise a mix of predominantly four-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments positioned to maximise Brisbane River and city views.

Sammut Director Julian Sammut said the group had been actively searching Brisbane for several years before identifying Toowong as the right fit.

“Brisbane was the right step for Sammut,” Sammut said.

“With the success of Coast we thought we should definitely look to do more in Queensland alone. We then pushed up to look at Brisbane. We've been looking for I'd say two to three years actually and it was hard to find the right location.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_75/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.14%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=dYAVIL7qdcGA8ojvkslSrLjczXFejSSx" />

Sammut said suburbs including New Farm and Teneriffe were considered before the group ultimately focused on Toowong due to its strong downsizer demographic and limited supply of developable riverfront land.

The site was acquired off-market after what Sammut described as a lengthy negotiation and planning process, with the developer pursuing an uplift to the original approval.

“We are DA approved now which is very exciting,” Sammut said.

“We've had our change approval come through and we've obviously doubled the height, 15 storeys plus rooftop. We've got 42 amazing apartments that are going to be coming to market soon.”

<img alt="Sammut makes Brisbane apartment play" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-12-23%20at%203.27.26%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=ohkRkY0dIZlqdfME2EZePsCQavRiBadE" />

Bureau^proberts said the design responds to Toowong’s evolving urban character, balancing contemporary apartment living with the area’s established residential identity.

“A place where traditional Queensland living has taken place for centuries; Toowong is seeing a shift of contemporary influence, commercial and retail hubs mixed with well-considered residential offerings – all the while maintaining its character and charm,” the architect noted in planning documents submitted to Brisbane City Council.

The architecture practice said the project’s form was shaped by its riverfront setting, flood considerations, neighbouring building scales, and view corridors.

“They said the mix of four and two-bedroom apartments capture the ‘fundamental qualities of Queenslander living,’ translated into the context of a contemporary subtropical building.”

The development sits just off Coronation Drive within walking distance of Toowong’s retail precinct and the upgraded Regatta ferry terminal, while also benefiting from proximity to the incoming green bridge connection to West End. Sammut said the accessibility and amenity offering were central to the site’s appeal.

The approval adds to growing residential activity along the Toowong riverfront, joining nearby projects including Consolidated Properties’ Monarch Residences and Spyre Group’s ARC Residences.

Sammut secures approval for debut Brisbane apartment development in Toowong

Developer Lanevick is heading back into Sydney’s apartment market after focusing more heavily on the luxury townhouse and terrace sector in recent years.

Lanevick, founded and directed by Steve Maroun, is expecting to receive approval in the coming months for a new apartment development in Gladesville, with the aim to launch it to the market later this year.

The 51-apartment project, designed by Studio Johnston, will comprise a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments positioned toward the Hunters Hill downsizer market.

“Traditionally it’s been difficult for people in that market to downsize because there just hasn’t been the right product available,” Maroun said.

“We’re targeting buyers who might have 30 to 40 per cent of their house value sitting in the bank after downsizing.

“They still want good spacious entertaining areas, they still want quality design, but they also want flexibility and the ability to enjoy life a bit more after working hard for a long time.”

The project sits near Boronia Park and within close proximity to the Parramatta River foreshore, an area Maroun says offers more of a Hunters Hill lifestyle than a traditional apartment precinct.

“From a lifestyle perspective, it’s really more Hunters Hill than Gladesville,” Maroun said. “You’re close to the foreshore, close to parklands, and still connected back into the village precinct.”

From level four and above, apartments will capture water views&nbsp;toward Sydney Harbour. Communal amenity will include rooftop entertaining areas, wellness spaces, and a gym tailored toward owner-occupier buyers.

“We’ve really designed these apartments around that buyer coming from the Hunters Hill LGA and what they’re actually looking for in their next chapter.”

The proposed development has also been designed to respond to the changing character of the broader Gladesville town centre, where a growing number of mixed-use and residential proposals are expected to emerge over the coming years.

“Gladesville presented a rare opportunity to deliver a genuinely design-led residential project within an evolving lifestyle precinct, just moments from the growing Gladesville town centre, and we’ve approached the project with a strong focus on architecture, liveability and long-term community value,” Maroun said.

Maroun said Lanevick saw a first-mover advantage within the precinct as planning controls continue to evolve to accommodate greater housing density.

“We think there’s a real opportunity there that hasn’t really been serviced properly yet,” he said.

“There’s going to be a broader evolution of the whole Gladesville village precinct over time, particularly with more activation and mixed-use outcomes.”

The Venus Street proposal will include a commercial and retail component at ground level designed to contribute to that evolving streetscape activation.

“A big part of the thinking was how do you activate that area properly and create more vibrancy and amenity, which is what Hunters Hill has been looking for,” Maroun said.

Lanevick’s focus since 2020 has largely been on smaller-scale luxury townhouse and terrace developments. The developer recently completed Royale Randwick, also designed by Studio Johnston, where prices reached $3.65 million. The project was featured in the UDIA NSW 2026 Professional Development Prospectus and was also named a finalist for Development of the Year.

&nbsp;

Lanevick to cater for Hunters Hill downsizers with new Gladesville apartment development

Property developer One Living, backed by former Macquarie banker turned investment manager Chris Green’s investment firm, has unveiled plans to bring more institutional capital into housing to help address the national supply crisis.

The New York-based investor has focused his firm, GreenPoint Partners, on addressing the supply shortage hitting middle market housing in Australia.

It is backing the new One Living business to develop more than 1000 units along the eastern seaboard. The new firm is starting with a development on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, with around 140 apartments planned. They are eyeing off more sites across the city.

With cost pressures rising in the industry, One Living’s model is to be a vertically integrated developer-builder, so it can respond directly to the housing gap by removing the cost inefficiencies embedded in traditional residential delivery.

“We are building a platform designed to operate at scale and starting in a market where there’s a clear need for quality, attainable housing,” One Living joint managing director Joseph Scuderi said.

“It’s that missing middle – it’s that attainable end of housing… that’s what most Australians invest into and what Australians can actually afford.”

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="798dfa93-4941-4db6-a696-31e9dc18e81c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.31.50%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=mKBqi5C_DmeiXS.AtJkcR8LQIxqCqmFi" />

GreenPoint Partners brings years of experience assembling and scaling real estate operating businesses across major markets. And Green sees a big opportunity in Australia.

“For its size, sophistication and importance to the community, Australia’s living sector has remained largely under-institutionalised, which represents significant opportunity,” Green said. “GreenPoint identified that gap, assembled the right team, and is backing One Living to build a platform that is aligned to market needs.”

Green said being a builder-developer would give the company the capacity and flexibility it required to deliver reasonably-priced homes.

“We want it to be at that attainable level; not super high end luxury but at that attainable level,” he said.

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="74a5344a-4b26-4d4a-ada3-056b1220be77" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.32.15%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=vY8hXHO4reBMdO8ZXMWCNtGZJofUPQ3j" />

&nbsp;

One Living will undertake a component of affordable housing in its schemes, which it will own and operate, and it could also run build-to-rent on some sites.

Green praised local policy settings.

“The NSW government is being very supportive, strategic and pragmatic in terms of how do we generate more supply of housing,” he said. “We think it’s actually positive for development and the bit that’s been lacking at that attainable level is that it’s lots of relatively small private developers, whereas we want to create an institutional platform.”

One Living is also&nbsp;looking at high-density projects and could take on more institutional funding in the future.

“The way we will be able to achieve economies of scale is through size,” Green added.

One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition

It's been several years since there's been an opportunity to buy a brand new townhome in Melbourne's coastal suburb of Mordialloc. Even apartment developments in recent times have been few and far between in the area.

Local developer LDS Property identified the gap in new housing, securing a site on White Street, directly opposite&nbsp;Woodlands Golf Club Mordialloc. They've recently launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/wm-residences-mordialloc-102-white-street-mordialloc-vic-3195">WM Residences</a>, just 13 townhouses which they have already started building.

Projects by Buxton Director Heath Thompson, who is selling WM Residences, says the townhouses x that perfect middle ground be

"Mordialloc residents have had limited options to downsize within the suburb, often forcing them to look elsewhere despite long-standing ties to the area," Thompson says.

"With very little comparable new supply coming to market, projects like WM Residences are well placed, particularly as buyers look to capitalise on current conditions amid constrained supply."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6109]

The development, designed by regarded architecture firm&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ewert-leaf">Ewert Leaf</a>,&nbsp;adopts a deliberately restrained architectural approach, focusing on simplicity, durability and liveability rather than overt design gestures.

The boutique scale is central to the offering. With only 13 three-bedroom residences, each home is configured to prioritise functional layouts and everyday use, supported by private terraces and secure two-car garages.

Ewert Leaf’s design response leans into a calm, neutral material palette. Interiors are defined by oak flooring, white walls and soft finishes, creating a consistent and understated backdrop. The approach avoids trend-driven detailing in favour of longevity, with an emphasis on natural light and spatial clarity.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6110]

Beyond aesthetics, the homes are designed to meet contemporary performance expectations. Each residence targets a minimum 6-star energy rating, incorporating double glazing, comprehensive insulation and all-electric Bosch appliances.

The project’s location supports a walkable coastal lifestyle, sitting within close proximity to Mordialloc’s foreshore, Main Street retail strip and the train station. Local cafés and dining venues, including Suburbia Deli and Hendriks Café, are within a short walk, reinforcing the area’s established neighbourhood character.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6116]

While <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/mordialloc-vic-3195">Mordialloc</a> is often defined by its beach and pier, the project taps into other areas of day to day living, offering easy access to local food, casual dining and transport, rather than positioning itself purely as a lifestyle retreat.

WM Residences reflects a continued trend across Melbourne’s coastal suburbs towards smaller-scale, design-led townhouse developments, particularly on infill sites where proximity to amenity is already established.

With construction commenced prior to its market entry, the project aligns with a growing preference among buyers for developments with visible progress and defined delivery timeframes.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134646]

Andrea Dixon

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