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EXPERT OBSERVATION
The Aerotropolis Investor Summit is a positive move to encourage private sector investment into future jobs for Western Sydney.
The focus on the 10,000 hectare economic zone around Western Sydney Airport as the location for a massive growth in Western Sydney jobs is a good example of the outcomes of the City Deal between the three levels of government.
And the establishment of the Western Sydney Development Authority under Chief Coordinator Geoff Roberts will lead to faster decision making in turning plans into reality.
The range of jobs proposed is impressive covering aerospace, defence, manufacturing, healthcare, freight, logistics, agribusiness and education.
Clearly these jobs will be closer to the people of Western Sydney and help redress the jobs exodus from the West to the East in Sydney.
The proposed North South Rail Link will help Western Sydney residents have easy access to the jobs hub.
The potential expansion of the West Metro from Parramatta announced by the Premier, Gladys Berejiklian, at the Summit would link all three cities across metropolitan Sydney.
While the Investor Summit has focussed on the issue of jobs there also needs to be more discussion about the residential components of the third city, the Parkland City.
With the Western Sydney Airport having no curfew clearly housing will be located kilometres away from the airport and the economic zone.
Most commentators on cities prefer a mixed use approach to planning where jobs and residential co-locate to ensure a lively public domain.
Future planning will need to address this issue so that the Parkland City can be as successful as the Harbour City and the River City.
CHRIS JOHNSON is chief executive officer of property development industry group Urban Taskforce and can be <a href="https://www.urbantaskforce.com.au/?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=97&amp;Itemid=126#.Vdaart55dFI" target="_blank">contacted here</a>.
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Aerotropolis private investment critical for Western Sydney jobs: Chris Johnson

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The recent boom in housing supply in Sydney is slowing rapidly due to excessive levies and planning changes.
The development industry is a major provider of jobs in New South Wales, providing 400,000 direct jobs as well as generating huge employment in supporting industries and services.
But a recent survey of Urban Taskforce members indicates that the number of pre-sales for apartments has slowed down and this could have major impacts on employment, particularly in Sydney.
While the property industry is a huge driver of jobs in NSW it is the residential sector that represents 70% of these jobs.
It is therefore critical to keep the supply of residential projects flowing at the levels the NSW Government has proposed.
With 325,000 new homes required over 20 years according to the Greater Sydney Commission that translates to over 37,000 new homes a year.
The peak in recent times has reached this figure but there is a worrying drop in approvals over recent months and there seems to be an even bigger drop in pre-sales of apartments.
There are a number of contributing factors to the slowing housing market.
These include confusion over possible affordable housing levies, the raising of the cap on Section 94 infrastructure levies, the increase in the stamp duty from 4 to 8% in NSW for foreign investors which has turned them away and the restrictive policies of banks in lending to purchasers and to developers.
The Urban Taskforce has produced a publication on the importance of jobs from the development industry to the NSW economy which demonstrates the extensive number of specialist jobs that are part of residential construction, including apprenticeships which provide valuable training and opportunities for young people.
We need to keep the economy performing strongly so that the jobs and the funds keep flowing to federal and state governments from GST and Stamp Duty taxes.
Chris Johnson heads the Urban Taskforce, a property development industry group, representing Australia’s most prominent property developers and equity financiers.
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Sydney housing boom starting to slow - and jobs will take a hit: Chris Johnson

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EXPERT OBSERVATION
The approval by the NSW Government of a new tower over the future Martin Place metro station is a good balanced solution.
It is important that the NSW Government works with the private sector in rolling out new metro rail lines and stations and the proposal for the Martin Place station is an excellent example of this.
The final setback above a podium of 8 metres maintains the character of Martin Place while allowing a commercial tower to be built over the podium but set back by 8 metres.
The City of Sydney have raised concerns that a set-back of 25 metres would have been preferable but their comments do not take into account that the adjacent MLC Centre tower is set back far more than this.
The proposed tower is well away from the Cenotaph down the far end of Martin Place and is more contextually related to the Reserve Bank building at the top of Martin Place.
As Sydney evolves into a global city with a population of 8 million people there will need to be a balance between maintaining the built form of the past and shaping the city of the future.
It is good that robust discussion occurs as new proposals are made but ultimately the city must change and evolve.
The government’s decision on the unsolicited proposal for Martin Place Station and related new buildings represents a good balance between the past and the future.
The use of the NSW Government Architect Peter Poulet, who strongly supported the 8 metre setback, in achieving this balance is also a good process to ensure quality change occurs in the city.
CHRIS JOHNSON is chief executive officer of property development industry group Urban Taskforce and can be contacted <a href="https://www.urbantaskforce.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=97&amp;Itemid=126#.Vdaart55dFI" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Martin Place tower a good balanced solution for Sydney: Urban Taskforce

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EXPERT OBSERVATION
The record number of completions of 40,009 new homes in the year to February 2018 is good news for housing supply with strong population growth.
The 40,009 housing completions are above the required 20 year average of 36,250 per year which is good news.
The approvals for these homes came a few years ago at the peak of the housing boom and it is good to see that the combination of government policies and the hard work of the development industry is paying off.
The big change from earlier years on housing production has been the rise in the proportion of new homes that are apartments which are close to 70% of the total.
A decade ago detached houses and apartments were approved at similar numbers but now apartments and multi-unit dwellings are in the majority.
Changes to the planning system have also helped with the establishment of planning panels for large projects and the increase in complying development approval streams.
Most apartment projects are larger scale projects so the role of planning panels in assessing these will continue to be important.
While the housing completions have reached record levels the approvals are dropping.
In February 2017 there were 58,774 approvals compared to the 51,994 housing approvals in February 2018. This is an 11.5% drop and it appears that this will go down further.
Clearly the housing development industry will go through peaks and troughs but it is important that government policies continue to support both strong approvals and strong completions and do not add additional cost to development or add red tape.
The Urban Taskforce is keen to work with the NSW Government to ensure a consistent flow of new homes for Sydney.
CHRIS JOHNSON is the Urban Taskforce CEO.
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Sydney's record home completions is good news: Chris Johnson

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EXPERT OBSERVER
Sydney councils are requiring an excessive number of specialist reports to submit a development application (DA) for a simple house.
The Urban Taskforce has undertaken a review of the number of reports required by Sydney councils for the lodgement of a DA for a simple house and we have found an amazing number of reports required.
Bayside Council requires 27 reports, Liverpool City Council requires 26 and Willoughby requires 23 reports just for a simple house. If a residential flat building is proposed the DA requirements escalate with the Northern Beaches Council requiring 49 reports. Each council issues a check list that lists the growing number of detailed reports required. Clearly this is getting out of control.”
Recent NSW Government initiatives to increase the number of projects that are assessed under Complying Development rules are excellent moves to a simpler planning system that have been announced by NSW Planning Minister Anthony Roberts.
The Greenfield Housing Code and the Missing Middle Code bye-pass most of the excessive number of reports required for Merit Assessed projects and this system should be expanded to larger scale projects.
Reports now required by Sydney councils for lodging a residential DA include Access Report, Acid Sulfate Soils Report, Air Quality Report, Asbestos Management Plan, Construction Noise and Vibration Management Plan, Contamination Assessment, Crime Risk assessment Report, Flora and Fora Assessment, Hazardous Materials Survey, Heritage Impact Statement, Noise Impact Analysis, Reflectivity Report, Security Management Plan, Tree Management Plan, Water Cycle Management Plan and many others.
Despite the introduction of the Greenfield Housing Code the NSW Government still sets requirements for multiple reports for merit assessment for a house that does not fit the code rules in the Box Hill Growth
Centre Precincts Development Control Plan that will be assessed by the Hills Shire Council requiring or may require 23 reports for a simple dwelling house DA. The reports include a Construction Noise and Vibration Management Plan, Contamination Assessment, Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plan, Statement of Environmental Effects, Shadow Diagrams and possibly a Heritage Impact Statement, Noise Impact Analysis, Preliminary Engineering Drainage Plans.
Liverpool City Council require for a single dwelling house a Statement of Environmental Effects, Waste Management Plan, Sediment Control Plan and potentially a Traffic Report, Arborist Report, Archaeological Assessment, Salinity Management Response and Odour Assessment.
Canterbury Bankstown require a Neighbour Notification Plan for a DA for a single house. Willoughby City Council require for all DAs an Arborist Report, Acoustic Report, Archaeological Assessment Report, Demolition Report, Erosion/ Sediment Control Plan, Shadow Diagrams, Site and Context Analysis, Traffic and Parking Assessment and a Waste Management Plan.
The Urban Taskforce research found that there were 81 separate reports required for a residential DA across all of the Sydney councils and this did not include a number of other reports required for non- residential DAs.
Clearly a number of these reports are necessary to assess the Development Application for a single house but over recent years the number of specialist reports seems to have grown dramatically. Each of these reports costs the applicant a significant amount of money which just increases the cost of housing in Sydney.
It looks like council planners are very risk adverse and want expert reports on multiple areas that they can use to justify their decisions. The Urban Taskforce believes the requirements for a simple house DA have got out of control and that the NSW Government needs to review this by applying similar approaches to those contained in the complying codes. A whole industry of consultants has grown up around the requirement for expert reports and no doubt this group will encourage the need for even more reports. A balance is required in terms of a Report Impact Statement on Housing Costs to ensure the assessment process has not become too complex.
See below the schedule of reports required by 21 Sydney councils and the list of the 81 reports required for a residential DA in Sydney.
Click here <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/4/23/taskforce.jpg" target="_blank">to enlarge.</a>
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/4/23/taskforce.jpg" alt="">
Chris Johnson is chief executive officer of property development industry group Urban Taskforce and can be contacted <a href="https://www.urbantaskforce.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=97&amp;Itemid=126#.Vdaart55dFI" target="_blank">here</a>.
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27 is too many! Reports required for a DA in Sydney is excessive: Chris Johnson

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EXPERT OBSERVATION
The Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) report on affordable housing policies should support incentive approaches but must not increase apartment costs.
The AHURI report by a number of Australian academics is a useful exploration of trends and policies across the world but the Sydney market is different.
Many countries use taxation deductions and other incentives to achieve a supply of affordable homes.
Even the South Australian system referred to in the report is different to anything proposed in Sydney as it defines 15% of homes for sale at a reduced price.
This is much more feasible than giving 15% of all your homes to the local council.
Houses and apartments in Sydney are amongst the most expensive in the world when related to household income.
Much of this high price is driven by restrictions on zoning new land for residential homes according to the Reserve Bank report on ‘the Effect of Zoning on Housing Prices’.
The zoning effect increased Sydney per house price by a whopping $489,000 and in Melbourne by $324,000.
On top of all this there is a range of levies and taxes added to the cost of a dwelling by the NSW Government and the local council.
To add even more cost to new dwellings as proposed by AHURI will only drive overall housing costs upwards.
The AHURI preferred approach is to have inclusionary zoning only applied to apartments yet apartments have already become the affordable way to live for many Sydney households.
The average apartment in Sydney is around 40% cheaper than the average house so this dwelling type has become the affordable way to live for many households.
AHURI however proposes an inclusionary zoning system that can only lead to forcing apartment costs up.
We should be getting other building types like detached houses, commercial and retail developments to contribute to affordable housing rather than add an extra cost to the most affordable dwellings in the city.
The Urban Taskforce has developed an approach to providing up to 40,000 affordable homes across Sydney over a ten year period.
We propose using the Affordable Rental Housing SEPP that gives an uplift in floor space if 20% of the apartments are affordable rentals for 10 years.
The incentive needs to also be 20% and this will encourage most developers to provide a percentage of apartments that are lower in rent than the market.
Stronger leadership by government on affordable housing policies is needed in NSW.
Currently the Department of Planning and Environment controls some policies, the Greater Sydney Commission proposes targets only on uplift and if feasible yet many councils are pushing for inclusionary zoning percentages that would make new housing projects unviable.
The Urban Taskforce is keen to work with all agencies to get a Sydney approach to housing affordability that is sustainable in the long term.
CHRIS JOHNSON is the Urban Taskforce CEO.
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AHURI’s affordable housing proposals will only push unit prices up: Chris Johnson

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EXPERT OBSERVATION
The recent announcement by the NSW leader of the Opposition that Metro West rail will be preferred over other lines misses the point that the full network for Sydney is required.
NSW Opposition Leader, Luke Foley, has announced that he will fast track the Metro West rail if elected at the state election and cancel the Sydenham to Bankstown rail line.
But Sydney needs both rail links as part of a broader infrastructure network for the city.
As Sydney moves from a city of five million people to eight million over the next 40 years the city will need to shift to public transport with greater housing densities around railway stations.
Ultimately the city will need a metro rail network similar to London’s with a circle line and a central line.
The Urban Taskforce has proposed a structure for Sydney’s metro based on a central line that requires West Metro as an important link but we have also proposed a circle line that carries the North West rail through North Sydney and along the Sydenham to Bankstown line ultimately to the proposed Western Sydney airport.
Clearly there will need to be greater densities around railway stations on this network and it is unhelpful for the Opposition Leader to call this ‘shoehorning an extra 100,000 people into high-rise towers’.
The Metro West link is probably more important than the Sydenham to Bankstown line in the short term as the current western rail line is approaching capacity.
It is positive that the Opposition is committed to this important piece of infrastructure.
The Urban Taskforce encourages all political parties to support new metro rail infrastructure in the lead up to the next state election but we are very concerned about rhetoric from both major parties that is against the development of apartments near transport modes.
Chris Johnson is the chief executive office of the Urban Taskforce.
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Sydney rail projects need to meet broader infrastructure needs: Chris Johnson 

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EXPERT OBSERVER
The announcement by the NSW Government that four transport corridors are now on exhibition that will underpin Sydney's third city, the Parkland City, is good news.
Infrastructure is the key to accommodating Sydney's growth and the announcement that the NSW Government has identified four transport corridors for the Western City is a good step forward.
The four corridors total 192 kilometres of land reservations that link Western Sydney to the north, south, east and west.
The North South rail corridor will ultimately connect Campbelltown, Western Sydney Airport and the main Western rail line at St Marys. The Outer Sydney Orbital is a vital future ring road and rail freight corridor to Sydney's west.
The Western Sydney Freight Connection will connect to the broader network and the extensive new road connection from Bells Line of Road in the west to the M7 will connect the Blue Mountains more strongly to the road network.
All of these proposed corridors reinforce the City Deal across three levels of government and give momentum to the important development of Western Sydney around the proposed airport.
It is also important to reserve land corridors early in the planning process before prices escalate and this seems to be the case with the four corridors announced.
While these corridors have been announced, the NSW Government is still keen to get community and industry feedback on the alignments. The Urban Taskforce will look closely at the corridors and consultant with our members to provide constructive feedback.
Ministers Pavey and Ayres are demonstrating good leadership in making clear proposals for necessary infrastructure to underpin the future growth of Western Sydney.
Chris Johnson is chief executive officer of property development industry group Urban Taskforce and can be contacted <a href="https://www.urbantaskforce.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=97&amp;Itemid=126#.Vdaart55dFI" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Western Sydney transport corridors essential for Parkland City: Urban Taskforce

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The recent interest in Brutalist buildings by the City of Sydney Council and the National Trust has become a new way to stop new housing projects.
The supporters of Brutalist buildings have moved on from their failure to get the Sirius Building listed to another Brutalist building sitting amongst the Victorian streetscapes of Glebe.
The Glebe building is the Bidura Metropolitan Remand Centre (BMRC) that was built in the 1980s to house children going through the Children’s Court system.”
“The recent Central Sydney Planning Committee meeting supported a council proposal to have the Bidura complex becoming a heritage item even though the City Council’s own Local Environmental Plan allows an 8 story apartment building on the site and no heritage controls have existed on the Remand Centre before.
The brutalist BMRC building (above) presents tall blank concrete walls to the street that have very little of the active uses the council normally requires. Proponents of the heritage listing amazingly compared it with the sandstone Queen Victoria Building on George Street in the city with its extensive display windows and many entrances.
But more importantly the moves to keep the building would stop a state government asset sale objective of providing new housing on a site close to a village centre and public transport. It will be almost impossible to find compatible uses for the concrete monolith unless they relate to prison like uses that want to exist in a concrete fortress.
At the time of the sale of the site by the NSW Government to the private sector there was no heritage controls on the site apart from the 1860 original Bidura House and the City of Sydney’s planning rules allowed an eight storey apartment building, similar to neighbouring sites, to be constructed. Now that the site has been sold to the private sector the Sydney City Council wants to change all the rules. The state government must ensure that there are consistent rules when their sites are sold or the private sector will not have confidence in the sale process.
The extensive support documents to the councils proposed heritage listing lauded British Brutalist buildings including the Barbican Centre in London as good examples of Brutalism. The Barbican Centre takes up a full city block but the street edge on all four sides is either a blank concrete wall, a concrete car park or on one side service entries off a covered road that looks like a tunnel. Brutalism seemed to be very unfriendly when it presented to the public realm of the street as demonstrated by London’s Barbican Centre and Glebe’s Bidura Children’s Court and Metropolitan Remand Centre.
The Urban Taskforce is concerned about the sovereign risk that the change of planning rules creates after government disposes of an asset. We are also concerned about the growing trend to try and list as heritage items Brutalist buildings that have poor relationships to the street and are seen by many people as being ugly.
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CHRIS JOHNSON is chief executive officer of property development industry group Urban Taskforce and can be <a href="https://www.urbantaskforce.com.au/?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=97&amp;Itemid=126#.Vdaart55dFI" target="_blank">contacted here. </a>
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Protection of Brutalist Buildings being used to stop new development

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The academic report by researchers from the Australian National University (ANU) that outlines the potential over supply of housing in Sydney misunderstands the strong swing to inner city urban living, says the Urban Taskforce. 
The academic report by Australian National University researchers Cukko Joseph and Ben Phillips seems to be based on search algorithms rather than the reality of the market place.
The researchers utilise the search algorithm Newton-Raphsin in the Gregwt SAS Code in their 22 page report to conclude that there is a major oversupply of new homes in Australian cities but NSW government data indicates an undersupply.
The ANU report focusses on a supposed over supply of 5,900 new homes in Inner Sydney but rents are still high in this region indicating an undersupply. The NSW Government predictions are that 40,000 new homes are required each year for Metropolitan Sydney for 20 years yet we are currently only at 35,000 new homes a year.
The Sydney inner city housing market is being driven by a swing to urban living where young couples and older downsizers are looking for a cosmopolitan urban lifestyle that is close to amenities and public transport. Predictions on housing demand must understand this change in living preferences that is quite different to a few decades ago.
The study does acknowledge that its methodology does not account for real demand for new housing. A ‘real demand’ analysis would incorporate consumer preferences and other economic drivers, such as interest rates or employment’. The study also admits there are limitations in its analysis – in terms of its conceptual basis and the data it relies upon. It also states that the study ‘does not conclude that people’s housing needs are being met’.
While all research reports are useful, inputs into the current discussion on housing supply and demand must be balanced with the extensive demographic research undertaken by government agencies.
Our concern with the ANU statements is that they could encourage governments at state and local level to put a brake on housing supply by adding further levies and by slowing down planning approvals. The end product would be to dramatically reduce supply and so drive up the price of housing creating affordability problems.
The Urban Taskforce urges governments at all levels to reduce levies on new housing and to simplify the planning system so that affordable housing can be delivered for those keen to own their own home as well as for those that prefer to rent.
CHRIS JOHNSON is chief executive officer of property development industry group Urban Taskforce and can be contacted <a href="https://www.urbantaskforce.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=97&amp;Itemid=126#.Vdaart55dFI" target="_blank">here</a>.
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ANU predictions of housing over supply in Sydney misunderstanding the swing to urban living

Local developer Harridan is seeking to turn its Woolloongabba apartment project into the first stage of a broader transformation of Burke Street, using a new 16-storey mixed-use building to establish a greener pedestrian connection toward the rapidly evolving Boggo Road transport and knowledge precinct.

The South East Queensland developer has filed plans for 154 apartments on the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/4-burke-street-woolloongabba-qld-4102">southern side of Burke Street</a>, where its proposal has been designed alongside a wider vision by LatStudios for the street.

That vision positions the southern side of Burke Street for buildings of 15 storeys and above, while envisaging lower-rise development of up to five storeys on the northern side to transition into Woolloongabba's existing character housing. It also proposes wider pedestrian verges, deep planting, new street trees and upgrades to the pedestrian approach to Boggo Road Station.

The Harridan development itself has been designed by Brisbane-based Arqus Design and will comprise 154 apartments across 16 storeys. The mix is weighted heavily toward two-bedroom apartments, with 121 proposed alongside 10 one-bedroom and 23 three-bedroom residences. There will typically be around 14 units per floor.

A lower-ground car park and three podium levels will accommodate 156 resident parking spaces, along with visitor and commercial parking. There will also be 154 resident bicycle spaces and 40 visitor bicycle parks.

&nbsp;

Harridan is a family-owned developer and part of the Holmwood Highgate Group, with more than three decades of development activity across South East Queensland. Its portfolio spans residential, commercial and industrial property, with current residential projects including Riverbank on Byron in Bulimba, Esperance Residences in Carina and The Precinct at Kinross Road in Thornlands.

Wooloongabba has been popular for apartment developers, particularly since the announcement of the 2032 Summer Olympics games in Brisbane.

While there have been a lot of development applications, it has failed to materialize into real supply.&nbsp;

Sarazin has been the major player in the area. They are under construction at Murcia Residences, on the fringe of East Brisbane and Woolloongabba. They have just launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-stanley-residences-woolloongabba-8-trafalgar-street-woolloongabba-qld-4102">The Stanley Residences</a>, in Woolloongabba on Trafalagar Street. They also have Nuage coming soon on the nearby <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nuage-woolloongabba-14-wellington-road-woolloongabba-qld-4102">Wellington Road</a>.

Joel Robinson

First look: Harridan plans Burke Street transformation beside Boggo Road transport hub

IN BRIEF

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	Just three double-storey Sky Homes sit at the top of The Waterline, each with its own private marina berth and rooftop terrace.
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	Construction on The Waterline is complete, with the first residents expected to move in from mid-October.
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	Sky Homes range from 282 sqm to 367 sqm and are priced from $3.65 million.
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</ul>

<hr />
Lewis Land has opened the first completed sky home for inspection at Harbour Shores, giving buyers their first opportunity to step inside one of just three double-storey residences crowning The Waterline.

Each sky home comes with its own private marina berth, rooftop terrace and Broadwater views, combining the scale of a larger home with direct access to the boating lifestyle that underpins the wider <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/harbour-shores-biggera-waters-564-oxley-drive-biggera-waters-qld-4216">Harbour Shores</a> masterplan.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=113271 project_image_fid=366708]

Lewis Land Head of Development Michael Long said the inclusion of a berth with every Sky Home had become increasingly valuable as marina access across the Gold Coast tightened.

“Marina berths are becoming increasingly difficult to secure across the Gold Coast, so including one with every Sky Home makes this a genuinely rare offering,” Long said.

“The private 70-berth marina will accommodate boats up to 12 metres in length and is positioned just 2.5 kilometres from the Broadwater, placing the open ocean only 15 minutes away.

“Being able to step out of your home onto your boat is a rare luxury, and it’s something residents here can look forward to when it opens later this year.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=113271 project_image_fid=366709]

The display opening comes as construction completes on The Waterline, with the first residents expected to move in from mid-October.

The three Sky Homes range from 282 sqm to 367 sqm and each feature three bedrooms, three bathrooms, multiple living zones, expansive kitchens with butler's pantries and large balconies taking in the Broadwater outlook.

Each residence also has three secure basement car spaces and additional storage.

“This is the first opportunity the Gold Coast has had to step into Harbour Shores and see, touch and feel what we’re bringing to life here,” Long said.

“There are only three Sky Homes within The Waterline, ranging in size from 282sqm to 367sqm, with each residence featuring three large bedrooms, three bathrooms, multiple living zones, expansive custom-built kitchens with butler’s pantry, and large balconies capturing Broadwater views.”

<img alt="Harbour Shores" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bab65e10-4fab-45e1-92d8-fc56e2ab98ff" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-25%20at%202.00.16%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=XT8q76LsPkw3cYTsvN3JfFDaPLud90PN" />

Residents of The Waterline will have access to a private pool, along with Harbour Shores' wider collection of amenity including a lagoon pool, social clubhouse, tennis court, gym, yoga facilities and sauna.

Lewis Land partnered with Studio Collective to furnish the completed display, with the interiors designed to demonstrate how the residences could function as permanent homes rather than simply as show apartments.

Studio Collective Director Melissa Park said the surrounding waterways informed the interiors, but in a more restrained way than a traditional coastal scheme.

“We drew inspiration from the canals and coastal surrounds, but our approach was to interpret that subtly through layered materials and a grounded palette of earthy tones, rather than literal coastal references,” Park said.

“We introduced hero moments of green and teal to reference the surrounding waterways, while mirrored elements help reflect natural light.

“The result is a residence that feels elevated yet comfortable, somewhere buyers can genuinely imagine themselves living, entertaining and unwinding.”

Sky Homes are priced from $3.65 million.

Lewis Land is also offering private marina berths with The Residences, its limited collection of three and four-bedroom villas positioned directly along the Harbour Shores waterfront boardwalk.

Three-bedroom villas are priced from $2.99 million, while four-bedroom residences start from $3.19 million.

Harbour Shores is being marketed by Colliers International.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=113271]

Lewis Land opens sky home display as The Waterline completes at Harbour Shores

St Vincent de Paul Society Housing Australia has filed plans for a major mixed-use housing precinct on the southern edge of the North Sydney CBD, adding another significant proposal to a pocket around North Sydn​ey Station that is quickly becoming one of the LGA's busiest development zones.

The State Significant Development Application covers a 5,990 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/1-19-mackenzie-street-lavender-bay-nsw-2060">1-19 MacKenzie Street and 211 Blues Point Road in Lavender Bay</a>, immediately south of Nor​th Sydney Station and between the commercial core and the lower-rise Lavender Bay Heritage Conservation Area.

Designed by Wardle, the proposal would deliver a new residential tower comprising 88 build-to-sell apartments and 19 affordable apartments, alongside a separate co-living building with 57 rooms and a building manager's studio.

It would also see the significant restoration and upgrade of St Francis Xavier Catholic Church, the adaptive reuse of the former school building, new parish facilities, retail, a new public square and around 1,000 sqm of publicly accessible open space.

<img alt="Vinnies North Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d5dd7f87-a617-463e-b577-17541e01f0e9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.10.13%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4R8TsFN3P_LrrXO2HswTOIrx2blil8lh" />

The project is seeking a concurrent rezoning of the site to R4 High Density Residential and an increase in the maximum building height to allow a tower reaching RL120, or up to 20 storeys. The proposal was progressed through the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

The build-to-sell component will be weighted toward larger apartments, with just six one-bedroom apartments compared with 31 two-beds, 43 three-beds and eight four-bedroom residences.

The 19 affordable apartments will comprise two studios, 15 one-bedroom apartments and two two-bedroom apartments, taking the total apartment component to 107 residences before the 58 co-living rooms are included.

<img alt="Vnnies" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7d568ca5-cb90-4e18-96c6-d9795dba0c56" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.10.05%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=GY2R5M9VtQh0EKy1vajaea19PSLOPuRD" />

Wardle's design for the Vinnies site has sought to negotiate that emerging high-rise context while retaining the lower-scale character of MacKenzie Street and the adjoining heritage conservation area.

The main building adopts a three-storey podium and tower arrangement, with the podium aligned to the ridgeline and front setback of St Francis Xavier Church.&nbsp;Wardle has designed the podium with colonnades, seating, recessed entries and active ground-floor frontages, with sandstone-toned precast concrete and face brick referencing the materiality of the existing church.

The tower then steps back eight metres to the south and six metres to the north before rising in a sculpted form comprising four interlocking quadrants. Wardle has also introduced rounded forms and chamfered corners to reduce the tower's perceived bulk and improve view sharing with neighbouring development sites.

Resident facilities and outdoor areas are planned at the separation between the podium and tower at Level 3, oriented toward Sydney Harbour and the CBD skyline.

The tower itself will feature a glass reinforced concrete facade, with recessed balconies and deep reveals used both to provide shading and privacy and frame views toward the harbour and city. The lower levels take a different architectural approach, using brick and sandstone-toned finishes intended to establish a stronger relationship with St Francis Xavier Church. The Church itself will be conserved and upgraded for its continued use, while the former school building will be adaptively reused as part of the co-living component.

<img alt="Lavendar Bay" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2d4418ad-90aa-4d49-af93-c80b140aea80" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.09.47%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=Kv4gzbsACaGvZSRuaqcfGC54jEJRXIDJ" />

&nbsp;

The proposal adds to an increasingly concentrated pipeline of residential development around Blue Street, MacKenzie Street and Lavender Bay.

Just west of the site, Central Element lodged plans earlier this year for one of the most significant residential developments proposed in Lavender Bay in recent years.

Central Element's SJB-designed scheme at 64-66 Lavender Street and 3-7 Middlemiss Street would deliver 163 apartments across two towers rising 23 and 32 storeys, replacing five existing apartment buildings containing 32 homes. The project also forms part of the Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-central-element-reveals-lavender-bay-apartment-plans?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">First look: Central Element reveals Lavender Bay apartment plans</a>

Immediately around North Sy​dney Station, another two significant proposals have emerged at 5 and 15 Blue Street.

Zurich Australian Insurance Properties is seeking to adaptively reuse its longstanding commercial building at 5 Blue Street, directly above North Sydney Station, rather than demolishing the structure.

Its SSDA proposes converting the building into a 14-storey mixed-use development with 62 apartments and 86 co-living rooms, together with ground-floor retail and a major refurbishment of Blue Street Plaza. The application is currently at the Response to Submissions stage.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-zurich-targets-north-sydney-office-conversion-with-148-unit-proposal-above-metro-station">First look: Zurich targets North Sydney office conversion with 148-unit proposal above Metro station</a>

&nbsp;

First look: Vinnies files for 20-storey Lavender Bay apartment tower as North Sydney housing pocket heats up

When the opportunity arose for South Australian developer Palumbo to return to Kent Town, where it had previously delivered East Park Apartments and the East 
Rundle Apartments, it wasn't one the longstanding developer-builder was going to pass up.

The decision was quickly vindicated, with more than 30 apartments sold within the first month of launching <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/royal-apartments-kent-town-2-8-north-terrace-kent-town-sa-5067">Royal Apartments</a> to the market.

The 206-apartment development, which will bring significant new supply to Adelaide's tightly held eastern city fringe, also gives <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/palumbo">Palumbo</a> the opportunity to bring new life to one of Kent Town's most recognisable watering holes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376073]

Royal Apartments incorporates the historic Royal Hotel, a venue Palumbo Managing Director Daniel Palumbo said has a longstanding connection with the local community.

"Everyone in the area has history with the Royal Hotel," Palumbo told Apartments.com.au.

"It was quite an active pub and social gathering place for locals. We want to bring it back to its former glory."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376072]

The wider development will comprise two residential towers alongside the restored hotel, sitting on North Terrace opposite the Adelaide Park Lands.

For Palumbo, the project also marks a return to familiar territory.

The developer completed East Park Apartments next door more than a decade ago and jumped at the opportunity to develop in Kent Town again when the Royal Hotel site became available.

"The opportunity emerged, and we moved to secure the site," Palumbo said.

"We were approached by the previous landowner, who said they had extensive commitments in Sydney and weren't in a position to deliver the project.

"We took over the site and within six months recut the design scheme to be more in keeping with the type of development we want to bring to Adelaide.

"Now we're on the market and those changes have really resonated with local buyers."

That has translated into a strong start to sales, with 33 apartments transacting in the project's first 35 days.

Palumbo said the early purchaser profile had been consistent with the group's traditional focus on owner-occupiers rather than investor-led apartment stock.

"Local owner-occupiers have always been our market," he said.

"There are always some investors, but we've never developed what would be called traditional development stock. Owner-occupiers are very much our market."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376068]

The buyer mix has been diverse so far, with downsizers and younger professionals both accounting for a significant portion of early sales.

South Australia's current stamp duty settings, which allow&nbsp;eligible homeowners in South Australia aged 60 savings of up to $103,830 on stamp duty when they downsize to a new property valued at up to $2 million,&nbsp;have helped encourage downsizer activity, while younger buyers in their late 20s and early 30s have been attracted to the opportunity to live immediately outside the CBD while still being able to walk into the city.



Location has been a major part of the proposition for both buyer cohorts.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376075]

Royal Apartments sits on North Terrace directly opposite the Adelaide Park Lands, with residents able to walk through the parklands toward the East End, Rundle Street and Rundle Mall.

Apartments have been positioned to capture views across the parklands, Adelaide skyline, Botanic Gardens and Adelaide Hills.

Palumbo believes the scarcity of developable land along this section of the Park Lands makes the site particularly difficult to replicate.

"There's very few allotments on that side that can be developed," he said.

"If this location was in New York and you were sitting on Central Park, you'd be talking about a $60 million apartments."

Royal Apartments will offer a broad mix of residences, ranging from one-bedroom apartments through to four-bedroom sub-penthouses and penthouses.

Current listings include one-bedroom apartments from $680,000, while larger three and four-bedroom residences are priced around $2.5 million.

Residents will have access to a swimming pool, gym, barbecue and recreation areas, residents' lounge and dining space, and a communal deck.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376067]

The apartments will feature generous balconies, while secure parking, bicycle storage and storage cages will also be provided.

A porte-cochère-style arrival and drop-off area has also resonated with buyers, particularly those attracted to being able to walk into the CBD during the day while retaining secure vehicle access at home.

Palumbo is acting as developer, architect and builder on Royal Apartments, continuing the vertically integrated model it has used across its South Australian portfolio.

The group was also behind the $150 million Sofitel Adelaide, the 251-room five-star hotel and residential tower which opened in 2021.

Palumbo said Royal's launch had come at an interesting time for the broader Adelaide apartment market.

Buyer confidence had initially been impacted by uncertainty surrounding the Federal Budget and broader economic conditions, but Palumbo believes sentiment is beginning to improve against a backdrop of significant investment flowing into South Australia.

He pointed to increased activity across defence and resources, including Olympic Dam, as potential long-term drivers of the state's economy and housing market.

"Money is starting to flow into Adeliade, significant amounts as Adelaide bucks the trend of the rest of the country.," Palumbo said.

"There's a lot of activity in the economy over the next decade. I think more investment will come into this market."

Early works on Royal Apartments are expected to commence this year, with major construction activity and cranes anticipated on site from early next year.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=6109]

Palumbo's return to Kent Town strikes early chord with buyers

Go-to builder-developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/graya">GRAYA</a> is continuing to bulk out its already impressive and diverse apartment portfolio across South East Queensland. Their latest milestone is securing development approval for Silk, its boutique riverfront apartment development in St Lucia.

The approval clears&nbsp;the way for the team to begin construction planning for the 22-residence project.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/silk-st-lucia-16-18-sandford-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">Silk</a> will rise 15 levels from an 810 sqm site at 16-18 Sandford Street, occupying a prominent bend of the Brisbane River with a prized northern aspect across Orleigh Park toward the Brisbane CBD.

The approved scheme will comprise 16 split-floor and six full-floor residences, continuing GRAYA's move into larger-format apartment developments targeting Brisbane's prestige owner-occupier market.

The project has been designed around the site's broad river frontage and dual-direction views, with GRAYA prioritising larger residences, privacy and outlook over apartment yield.

<img alt="Silk St Lucia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="aa5c2349-f96c-4914-a812-1f2cd6827af8" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%208.25.44%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=WY0vEU_7vYjeRJKQHiCwFdMxu8PvFh52" />

GRAYA Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Rob Gray said the project had been shaped around local homeowners wanting to remain in St Lucia without maintaining a traditional family home.

"St Lucia is one of those suburbs people do not want to leave," Gray said.

"They know the river, the trees, UQ, the golf course, Toowong and Indooroopilly, and that familiarity is hard to replace.

"True riverfront opportunities here are exceptionally scarce. What we have designed at Silk is a way to stay in the suburb people love, with the scale and privacy of a private home and far less to maintain.

"This is not typical apartment product. It is a proper home on the river, and that is exactly what this market has been missing."

The approval comes as new apartment development continues to increase across the St Lucia and neighbouring Toowong corridor, although direct riverfront sites remain considerably more tightly held.

GRAYA Co-founder and Managing Director Andrew Gray said securing the approval had removed a significant element of development risk from Silk.

"Genuine riverfront sites of this quality in St Lucia are not something that comes up regularly," Gray said.

"The approval removes a substantial layer of execution risk, and the location underwrites demand in a way very few inner-city sites can.

"The fundamentals here are as strong as anything we have assessed in Brisbane."

<img alt="Silk St Lucia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d0f3d734-65e1-48e8-8ed3-2e0715ffcdd9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%208.25.56%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=sOLSs_jdHkXLWbBKzRyayf5BfTb2vPsD" />

Silk will see GRAYA return to a stretch of the Brisbane River where it already has recent construction experience. The vertically integrated group recently completed ARC in neighbouring Toowong as builder for developer Spyre, delivering the riverfront project on a constrained site.

GRAYA will take a different role at Silk, controlling the project from design and development through construction and aftercare under its vertically integrated model.

The development will include a gym and resident leisure areas at ground level, integrated with the river's edge.

Silk joins a growing pipeline for GRAYA across Brisbane and the Gold Coast, which includes Enclave, The Gallery, Coral and Ripple.

The developer-builder has also recently lodged plans for its largest project to date, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-silo-19-chester-street-newstead-qld-4006">The Silo</a>, a proposed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/graya-buys-frasers-newstead-site-plans-the-silo-between-james-street-and-gasworks-precincts">$700 million mixed-use development</a> in Brisbane's James Street precinct.

Silk is expected to predominantly target local owner-occupiers and prestige buyers seeking a permanent riverfront home in Brisbane's inner west.

Registrations of interest are now open, with further details on the project and construction program to be released as it progresses.

<hr />
<h2>SILK PROJECT FACTS</h2>

Developer-builder: GRAYA

Project: Silk

Location: 16-18 Sandford Street, St Lucia

Apartments: 22

Built form: 15 levels

Site: 810 sqm riverfront holding

Mix: 16 split-floor and six full-floor residences

Status: Development approved

Next step: Construction planning underway

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152168]

Chris Johnson

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