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The latest report by the federal government’s National Housing Supply Council provides one indication of the current state of the Victorian residential property market. 
Over the last two years the council’s estimated gap between underlying supply and demand has reduced from a revised 18,000 in 2009 to just 10,000 in 2011. 
This shows that supply and demand are very close to being in balance in Victoria and is one reason why pressure on house prices has eased. 
While the market is also affected by a range of other factors – the rate of economic growth, unemployment, interest rates and levels of consumer confidence – if there is a shortage of stock, this also results in pressure on prices.
The strong price growth between 2005 and 2010 was, in part, due to high levels of population growth and a shortage of supply.
The report now shows that the gap between the underlying demand and supply has eased, primarily because the number of new homes being constructed has increased. Dwelling completion data from the ABS shows that in the two years to the 2011 December quarter, 30% homes were built than in the preceding two years.
On current projections, it does not appear that Victoria will face a critical undersupply of housing stock in the medium term.
The council’s report also highlighted the lack of affordable housing, particularly in the rental market. Rents continue to increase at a time when there is very little growth in overall house prices.
The latest projections from the council need to be considered by the state government as it plans for new land releases and the city’s growth over the next decade.
Enzo Raimondo is CEO of the <a href="https://www.reiv.com.au/" target="_blank">Real Estate Institute of Victoria</a>.
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Increased supply eases pressure on Victorian house prices

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The Victorian Parliament amended the Sale of Land Act in the first week of June to give effect to a recommendation of the Royal Commission into the Black Saturday bushfires that vendors be required to advise if the land they are selling is in a bushfire-prone area. 
The date from which this advice will be required is yet to be decided. 
When it is required, the advice will appear in the vendor’s section 32 statement. 
This information is currently publically available, and owners can conduct a search to ascertain the bushfire status of their land. The Victorian government has made this service available through the Department of Planning and Community Development. 
By visiting the <a target="_blank" href="https://services.land.vic.gov.au/landchannel/content/addressSearch">government’s website</a>, you can confirm your land’s bushfire status by entering the address of your property and selecting a free bushfire-prone area property report. The report will advise if the land is in a designated bushfire-prone area. The areas judged bushfire prone were determined by the Minister for Planning. 
If the area is bushfire-prone, the report will advise as such and detail the special construction requirements that apply. 
While the requirement may add to the conveyancing costs of a sale, as your solicitor or conveyancer will need to locate the report and include it in the vendor’s section 32 statement, it does ensure buyers are informed and are prepared should they purchase a property in a bushfire-prone area.
Enzo Raimondo is CEO of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reiv.com.au/">Real Estate Institute of Victoria</a>.
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Victorian vendors to disclose threat of bushfire to residential land

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Residential transactions in Australia generate a very high level of economic activity and create demand for a range of products and services directly related to housing   transactions. In 2010 there were approximately   544,000 transactions of established housing and an additional 103,000 purchases of new dwellings.  In Victoria in 2010 there were 133,000 established residential transactions with a value of $64 billion, and this represented 24.4% of the total established residential transactions.
Stamp duty on these transactions is one of the few state government taxes, and it provides approximately $27 billion or between 19 and 26% of their total revenue. Victoria has the highest at just over 26%.
Thankfully after debate lasting over a decade there is a level of consensus that stamp duties should be replaced. In 2000 the REIV commissioned a report from Access Economics titled The Economic Impact of Reducing State Taxes on Property, and in this report it was stated that reducing any of the state taxes on property would provide economic benefits greater than would be attained if payroll taxes were reduced by the same amount.
REIV members regularly report that stamp duty is a significant barrier for purchasers but unfortunately, there is a lack of consensus on how stamp duty should be replaced.
When the Henry Tax Review released its report on Australia’s future tax system it was done so with explicit instructions to not consider changes to the rate of GST.
This constrained the options that faced the panel of Ken Henry, Jeff Harmer, John Piggott, Heather Ridout and Greg Smith. As a result, they decided the best option to replace stamp duty would be to introduce a new tax similar to municipal rates or a broad-based annual land tax.
This would be a tax levied by state governments.
There are considerable flaws with this idea; it would be so complicated and take so long to equitably transition from stamp duty to land tax as to be unfeasible. This is especially the case when the politics are taken into account, as very few political leaders would be prepared to effectively double home owners’ annual municipal rates, even if it were in place of stamp duty.
There is, of course, inter-governmental politics at play here. The federal government, which sets the GST, does not want to suffer voter backlash, which is why it says the states are free to remove stamp duty. That is code for telling them to replace stamp duty with another state tax.
Income taxes are similarly politically charged and unlikely to be increased. The decision of the ACT government to do this, particularly to levy land tax those who have paid stamp duty, will therefore be keenly watched by other governments and the property industry.
As options to replace stamp duty are concerned, this really only leaves the one that was ignored: GST.
When the GST was introduced it was done so to remove inefficient state taxes; indeed, it was sold as a state tax. The state government already taxes commercial gain from property through land tax, and the personal tax structure is designed to tax wealth for redistributive purposes. There has never been a rational argument for taxing property ownership – except, of course, it is easy to collect because land is fixed and immobile.
In light of that, it does not seem sensible to ignore the efficient and effective broad-based tax that is already in place: GST.
This was the initial promise of the GST, and it’s time that I was fulfilled.
Using some back-of-the-envelope calculations it’s clear to see that increasing GST from 10% to 12.5% would raise the amount required to eradicate stamp duty. Unlike bringing in a new land tax, the collection cost would be almost zero and it would be substantially cheaper than creating a new taxation system. It would also avoid the need to transition from one property tax to another.
While GST was ignored as an option in the Henry Tax Review there is little chance that stamp duty will be eradicated.
Enzo Raimondo is CEO of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reiv.com.au/">Real Estate Institute of Victoria</a>.
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Increased GST is the only real alternative to stamp duty: Enzo Raimondo

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According to data produced by the Victorian government, renters in regional areas of the state move more frequently than those in the metropolitan area.
In Melbourne the average tenancy duration in the December quarter last year was 25.9 months – i.e. just over two years. In regional Victoria the comparative number was a shorter 22.7 months – just under two years.
These numbers are skewed by some very-long-term tenancies, as the median – the middle value – is much lower.
In Melbourne the median tenancy duration was a short 17 months. In regional Victoria it was 15 months.
The data also shows that, as would be expected, the smaller the dwelling, the shorter the tenancy. In both the metropolitan and regional areas one bedroom homes have the shortest median tenancy of just 14 months. This is a very popular form of rental home. Census data from 2006 shows that there are proportionally fewer small flats or units being occupied by their owners – the majority are rented.
Interestingly, the largest homes, those with four or more bedrooms have a shorter tenancy – 16 months – compared with 18 for both two- and three bedrooms. This will be, in part, because two- and three-bedroom houses and units make up the majority of rented housing.
The average duration of tenancy is certainly lower than it is for owner-occupied housing and that is one of the advantages for people who prefer to rent than buy. If an owner-occupier sought to sell and move every two years they would find their equity was eroded by the stamp duty incurred each time.
Enzo Raimondo is CEO of the <a href="https://www.reiv.com.au/" target="_blank">Real Estate Institute of Victoria</a>.
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Regional Victorian renters move more often than their Melbourne counterparts

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When marketing a property for sale an estate agent will recommend a range of options depending on the property, location and method of sale. As advertising is an outgoing that is paid for by the vendor, it is advisable to have an understanding of the options.
The most cost-effective advertisements are on the internet. Internet advertising is now the primary way most buyers become aware of a property. The internet provides a wealth of information that is not easily included in print advertisements and you can make the advertisements interactive by including video and voice-over to describe a property’s features. If you are having photos taken, ensure that the quality and resolution are such that may be viewed clearly.
Depending on the value of the property, specific websites can also be created for a property.
While print advertisements are still being used, they are less popular than they were a decade ago; however, they have role to play in some markets. Print advertisements appear in local newspapers or magazines and in the weekend metropolitan papers and range from display advertising to simple classified listings.
Most agencies have their own magazines and window displays. As agencies tend to situate themselves in areas with high pedestrian traffic, these options provide a simple and low-cost way of bring the home to the attention of buyers.
And, of course, social media is now being used to market property. It can’t replace methods that have a significantly higher reach but can compliment a campaign.
Finally, an agency’s own database of buyers is a very valuable marketing tool. A good agency will maintain its own list of interested buyers and will market homes directly to them.
With the range of options now available, it is important that sellers work with their agent to produce the most effective marketing campaign possible.
Enzo Raimondo is CEO of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reiv.com.au/">Real Estate Institute of Victoria</a>.
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Make sure you are marketing your property in the most effective way

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The REIV regularly surveys its Members to measure market sentiment and develop a deeper understanding of what influences decisions about buying, selling or leasing.
One of the topical issues canvassed is what drives people to buy – or not to buy – property, both residential and investment? Not surprisingly, there are differences between the two classes of purchaser.
For those considering a residential purchase, the most important factor was stamp duty. Buyers understandably see spending 4-5% of the purchase price on this tax as a significant impediment. That accords with the views of economists who cite the tax as an impediment to moving.
It was closely followed by the obvious issues of securing finance, interest rates and the availability of quality stock. Interestingly, this suggests that buyers are more likely to compromise on the quality of the home than they on are the cost. Of little importance were planning issues and land tax, as most buyers don’t buy with the singular aim of developing.
When asked what drives property investors, the most substantial difference in responses was the issue of land tax, mainly as they need to pay it when owner-occupiers generally do not. Investors ranked interest rates as the most important factor and were much more concerned about the impact of planning and building laws. This reflects the fact that the singular aim of most investors is to make money from the property by either renting it or developing it. A project or investment is not feasible when the cost of ownership – land tax and interest rates – is too high.
Enzo Raimondo is CEO of the <a href="https://www.reiv.com.au/" target="_blank">Real Estate Institute of Victoria</a>.
 
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Stamp duty sways potential owner-occupiers, interest rates and land tax deter investors

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The Victorian government has changed the way in which it will be assisting first-home buyers so that more people benefit.
The first-home buyers’ grant of $7,000 remains available for all those buying their first home for $750,000 or less. The grant is paid by the state government and has no scheduled end date.
First-home buyers also benefit from a 20% reduction on their stamp duty bill. That means that on the purchase of a $400,000 home they will save $3,274 and on a $550,000 home they will save $4,994. The stamp duty reduction is not available for homes priced over $600,000.
The good news is that on January 1, 2013 the cut to stamp duty will increase from 20% to 30%. That means that on the purchase of a $400,000 home they will save $4,911 and on a $550,000 home they will save $9,321.
The stamp duty cut will then increase to 40% on January 1, 2014 and then to 50% on September 1, 2014.
From July 1 this year the first-home buyers’ bonus will no longer be available. The bonus was only for first-home buyers of new homes and was introduced a few years ago to stimulate the building of new homes during the GFC. It has done its job and now the government’s preference is to help all first-home buyers. Those buying a new home off the plan will still benefit from concessions to stamp duty.
There is other assistance available for different groups, including exemptions for deceased estates, family farms, young farmers and pensioners. Details on those programs and the exact criteria for the assistance for first home buyers can be found at <a href="https://www.sro.vic.gov.au" target="_blank">www.sro.vic.gov.au</a>.
Enzo Raimondo is CEO of the <a href="https://www.reiv.com.au/" target="_blank">Real Estate Institute of Victoria</a>.
 
 
 
 
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Government changes helping more Victorian first-home buyers

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Just because a home is advertised for auction does not mean you have to wait until the day of the auction to bid for it. 
Through the real estate agent you can make a pre-auction offer to the vendor. 
So far this year, 18% of all auction sales have been sold before the day of the auction; this compares with 19% at this time last year. It is interesting to note that over the past six years, the proportion of homes sold before auction has reduced from around 23% to the present-day 18%. 
Over that time there has been a 20% chance the home will sell before – so, if you are interested, it is sensible to consider making an offer, lest you miss out. 
With that in mind, there are a number of advantages in making an offer, even if the offer fails. 
A successful offer can allow you and the vendor to avoid the auction itself. It is also the case that, even if your offer is unsuccessful, the vendor is less likely to sell to a higher bidder without giving you another opportunity to make an offer. 
If you do make an offer, it has to be an attractive one that gets the vendor’s attention and convinces him or her not to wait until the day of the auction. 
There are several things you can do to make the offer attractive: first, put the offer in writing; secondly, attach a time limit after which the offer expires. In some cases, presenting the offer along with a cheque for the deposit can really show the vendor that your offer is serious and that they may be better off not waiting until the auction. 
It is also always advisable to get legal advice before signing the contract of sale.
Enzo Raimondo is CEO of the <a href="https://www.reiv.com.au/" target="_blank">Real Estate Institute of Victoria</a>.
 
 
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Why pre-auction offers can be to a buyer’s advantage

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The REIV 2012 March quarter median prices show that regional Victoria property prices have remained flat over the quarter and year.
The median house price in regional Victoria was $314,000, representing a minor increase of 1.3% from a revised December quarter median of $310,000. This is similar to the increase of 0.9% recorded in metropolitan Melbourne.
Demand for residential property over the past year reflected the broader state of the economy and that buyers would continue to find that prices will maintain their current levels in the short term.
The property market moves in cycles, and now we are in one of stability, with overall median house prices showing no real growth.
The last 12 months also reflect both an easing in population growth and improvement in the supply of new homes.
Of the three main regional cities, demand was strongest in Bendigo, where a 5.2% improvement has caused the median house price to increase to $305,000. This is a new high for Bendigo.
In Geelong demand is also stable, with a 2.1% increase to $385,000, and in Ballarat there was a minor reduction of 0.3% to $288,000.
In Mildura there was a 5.6% increase over the quarter from $215,000 to $228,000.
A reduction in the median was recorded in Wodonga, where the price dropped from $298,000 to $255,000 over the quarter; however,  there does appear to have been a spike in prices in December, as the annual reduction was a more moderate -4.1%.
Until the economy and confidence improve, the market is likely to remain as it is now. Buyers and sellers over the next quarter in particular will be watching interest rates over the three months.
Enzo Raimondo is CEO of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reiv.com.au/">Real Estate Institute of Victoria</a>.
 
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Regional Victorian property prices going nowhere

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As any buyer of a home for $550,001 or more will attest to, stamp duty rates in Victoria are in need of revision. 
It will surprise most home buyers to know that if you purchase a home to live in for $550,001 rather than $550,000 then you will be forced pay an additional $3,100 in stamp duty. This is because the stamp duty payable on a home purchased for $550,000 is $24,970 and on a home purchased for $550,001 it is $28,070.
This anomaly dates back to 2007, when stamp duty rates were cut for homes lived in by the purchaser and valued under $550,001. Those purchased for a higher amount were subject to the older stamp duty scales.
There is no rational reason for this, and it seems unfair to penalise buyers who need to pay just a little bit more. To someone buying a new home, $3,100 could, for example, meet relocation costs or legal expenses.
It’s interesting that the distortion to the scales does appear to have created a high number of buyers at the $550,000 price point. In 2011 there were 418 buyers who paid $550,000 and avoided the extra $3,100 in stamp duty and only 28 who paid between $550,001 and $551,001. This, however, may simply be because $550,000 is a round number.
The REIV has campaigned to have stamp duty reduced; however, the unfair distortion of the tax scales at $550,000 shows that the rates could also easily be made fairer.
Enzo Raimondo is CEO of the <a href="https://www.reiv.com.au/" target="_blank">Real Estate Institute of Victoria</a>.
 
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When a dollar extra paid for property costs you $3,000 in tax

<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-5" data-turn="user" data-turn-id="e65dbe94-e3b6-47f7-b62a-9cbb30c9bf79" data-turn-id-container="e65dbe94-e3b6-47f7-b62a-9cbb30c9bf79" dir="auto">Time &amp; Place’s plans to transform the former David Jones factory building in Surry Hills into a mixed-use residential precinct have gone on exhibition through the NSW Government’s In-fill Affordable Housing pathway.</section>

<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-6" data-turn="assistant" data-turn-id="request-WEB:f4d533b7-64a5-413d-86fd-5c99649c2b73-2" data-turn-id-container="request-WEB:f4d533b7-64a5-413d-86fd-5c99649c2b73-2" dir="auto">
The Marlborough House proposal, lodged for the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/marlborough-house-47-97-marlborough-street-surry-hills-nsw-2010">47-97 Marlborough Street</a> site, would see the adaptive reuse of the heritage-listed warehouse building alongside the construction of new residential additions and a separate apartment building on the northern portion of the site.

The proposal seeks approval for 172 apartments across three buildings, including 15 per cent affordable housing managed by a community housing provider for at least 15 years from occupation.

<img alt="Marlborough" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5d1d3c2a-bf13-47d6-a335-7c01102cdee1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.29.36%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=cjMYrbR.BLUlWH4dar0RVDDo0bG.u2YT" />

Interior view from the Northern Building Penthouse overlooking the park

&nbsp;

The redevelopment is planned for the prominent 3,413 sqm site bounded by Marlborough Street, Goodlet Street and Lansdowne Street, directly opposite Eddie Ward Park and around 200 metres from the Surry Hills light rail stop.

Time &amp; Place acquired the former David Jones building in 2024, marking the first time the property had changed hands in around 50 years.

Designed by Wardle, the proposal centres around the adaptive reuse of the former David Jones factory, originally constructed between 1913 and 1935 in the Inter-War Chicagoesque architectural style.

Wardle noted in its Architectural Design Report that the building “occupies a significant place in the industrial and cultural history of Surry Hills” and at its peak was “the largest department store manufacturing facility in Australia, employing over 800 people and fuelling the growth of Sydney’s fashion and retail industries.”

The practice said the project positions itself “not as an isolated intervention, but as a contributor to the civic, social, and architectural grain of the precinct.”

The proposal would deliver 75 apartments within the retained southern heritage building, 59 apartments within the central addition, and a further 38 apartments within the new northern building fronting Lansdowne Street.

Planning documents show the scheme would comprise a mix of heritage apartments, new-build apartments, townhouses and penthouses.

<img alt="Marlborough" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="57758518-40a3-4b83-958c-d06e96a2cffa" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.29.42%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=VerlX9ST5xgBi8.1_YRsqdWTJeT6ygjs" />Interior View of the Heritage Building Apartment

The development would also include a ground-floor retail tenancy on the corner of Marlborough and Lansdowne streets, rooftop communal open space, a landscaped pedestrian link along the western edge of the site, and basement parking accessed from Lansdowne Street via a car stacker system.

&nbsp;

The scheme emerged from a competitive design process run by Urbis, with Wardle ultimately selected as the winning architect ahead of FJC Studio, TZG, Architectus and Wilkinson Eyre.

The Design Integrity Panel later described several aspects of the Wardle scheme as fundamental to the project, including “the stepped character of the new addition to the north of the site”, the landscaped western pedestrian link, and the “garden arrival” experience separating the original Marlborough House from the heritage addition.

Wardle’s design heavily references the site’s industrial and heritage history, while also responding to the surrounding Surry Hills streetscape.

The Architectural Design Report describes Surry Hills as “a finely grained neighbourhood with beautiful and expressive brickworks throughout the suburb,” with the proposal introducing a material palette intended to sit comfortably alongside the existing warehouse fabric and neighbouring terraces.

The report also outlines the project’s relationship with Eddie Ward Park and the broader landscape context of the area.

“Marlborough House occupies a site of deep cultural memory and the neighbouring Eddie Ward Park is of local ecological significance, where natural systems, topography, and stories have long shaped human experience,” Wardle noted in the report.

The architects said the proposal sought to “rebind built form to Country” through landscape, materiality and the adaptive reuse of the heritage structure.

<img alt="Marlborough House" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9ae3f2f9-c85f-477a-a6f8-b43f6cb97c41" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.29.53%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=B.qUCLqRvJOR.n9CvYcTpaknIX9LuqKZ" />

The project is also being progressed under the NSW Government’s in-fill affordable housing provisions, allowing developments that include affordable housing to access additional height and floor space incentives.

Under the plans, 2,593 sqm of the project’s floor space would be dedicated to affordable housing, slightly exceeding the required 15 per cent threshold.

In its Design Excellence Strategy, Urbis said the project aimed to “sensitively adapt and enhance the heritage-listed building on site through alterations and additions that preserve its historical significance” while delivering “high-quality market and infill affordable housing development in Surry Hills.”

Time &amp; Place has been one of the most active developers nationally in the last 12 to 24 months. Late last year they completed&nbsp;The Queensbridge in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/southbank-vic-3006">Southbank</a>, a mixed-use tower with 353 apartments and a hotel. They are currently selling Park Modern, 246 apartments near the famous Botanic Gardens in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/south-melbourne-vic-3205">South Melbourne</a>, and have future projects, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-wilmot-173-burke-road-28-hope-street-glen-iris-vic-3146">The Wilmot</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/glen-iris-vic-3146">Glen Iris</a>, the redevelopment of the Northcote Plaza, and another tower in South Melbourne.

The developer broke into Sydney just a few years ago with Two Tides in Manly. They have another project nearby, which is at the ultra-luxury end of the market on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/shoreline-manly-beach-89-90-north-steyne-manly">North Steyne</a>, fronting the beach.

It is also continuing to work through the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-time-place-settles-on-design-for-the-chimes-potts-point-redevelopment">redevelopment of The Chimes building</a> on Macleay Street in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/potts-point-nsw-2011">Potts Point</a>, as well as a project on <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/time-place-to-take-on-mosman-apartment-market">Mosman's Redan Street</a>.
</section>

Joel Robinson

First look: Time & Place unveils Marlborough House redevelopment designs for former David Jones warehouse in Surry Hills

The residential transformation of St Kilda Road is set to continue into with more new apartment plans for the sought-after boulevard.

Wing Tai Asia has lodged plans for a major residential tower at 464-466 St Kilda Road, replacing the former VACC House with an 18-storey mixed-use development designed around a retained heritage podium and a sculpted contemporary tower.

The proposal, prepared under Victoria’s Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway, would deliver 325 apartments and ground-floor retail across the prominent 4,653 sqm boulevard site in Melbourne’s St Kilda Road North Precinct.

The project centres on the adaptive reuse of the site’s heritage-listed VACC Building, an eight-storey office designed by Bernard Evans that has occupied the address for decades. Planning documents state the development would involve “carefully dismantling and conserving off-site the original metal fabric of the podium visible from St Kilda Road,” before reinstating it as the defining frontage of the new scheme.

Above the restored podium, Wing Tai is proposing a curvilinear residential tower. The scheme includes 172 one-bedroom apartments, 63 two-bedroom apartments, 66 three-bedroom apartments, and 24 four-bedroom apartments, alongside two ground-floor food and beverage tenancies fronting St Kilda Road.

The tower has been designed with substantial articulation and variable setbacks to minimise perceived bulk and maintain view corridors along the boulevard. Urbis, which prepared the planning report, said the design “has been significantly articulated through a curvilinear design” with “an interplay with materials, façade expression and depth” to create visual separation and visual interest.

The proposal also includes 254 basement car spaces, landscaped pedestrian links connecting St Kilda Road and Queens Lane, and a biophilic landscape strategy featuring canopy trees, raised planters, cascading greenery and a glass oculus pool overlooking the eastern frontage.

Planning documents confirm the $270.1 million development will contribute 3 per cent of project costs to the Social Housing Growth Fund as part of the application process.

Wing Tai acquired the St Kilda Road property in 2018 alongside Abacus Property Group for $95.38 million, before later consolidating ownership of the site. The property previously served as the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce headquarters for around 60 years.

The transformation of the St Kilda Rd boulevard is already beginning to materialise, with a number of high-profile projects recently completed, launched, or approaching launch as developers continue to back the long-term appeal of the precinct.

Among the most notable recent completions is Louise by Samuel Property Group, just off the strip on Queens Lane, the same pocket Hirsch &amp; Faigen recently launched The Queensbury. Mirvac is too on the same street with The Albertine, which is approaching completion.

Dexus recently secured approval for its slice of St Kilda Road, while Gurner also has approved plans for the precinct.

Wing Tai unveils 325-apartment St Kilda Road tower on former VACC House site

Malaysian developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/s-p-setia">SP Setia</a> is the latest to jump into St Leonards booming Transport Oriented Development precinct.

The developer, which has previously delivered Sapphire by the Gardens apartment development in Melbourne, identified the Atchison Street site in 2023. It filed a Scoping Report around 12 months ago, and now has revealed the designs for the new&nbsp;40-storey mixed-use tower.

The State Significant Development Application covers <a href="https://next-portal.urban.com.au/projects/14650/summary">20-22 Atchison Street</a>, a 1,374 sqm site positioned between St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, the project would deliver 181 apartments, above a four-storey commercial podium, five basement levels, and new public domain works along Mitchell Street. The apartment mix comprises 35 one-bedroom apartments, 39 one-bedroom-plus-study apartments, 85 two-bedroom apartments, and 22 three-bedroom residences.

The proposal has been lodged as a shop-top housing development under the NSW Government’s TOD planning pathway, which allows increased density around key transport infrastructure. The site sits within the recently rezoned Crows Nest Accelerated TOD Precinct.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b799673d-48e2-46b0-801a-0e33a9330100" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20site.png?VersionId=dPh0UfwfaHpbFL1R7H1cbZNbIW0CHbCC" />

SP Setia acquired the Atchison Street site as part of its continued expansion into the Australian apartment market. In comments made to City &amp; Country (The Edge Malaysia) in 2023, SP Setia President and CEO Datuk Choong Kai Wai described the acquisition as “a strategic move” aligned with the group’s post-pandemic market recovery strategy.

“Our target for this exceptional development is local and overseas buyers, including first-home buyers, downsizers and investors,” Choong said.

The tower has been designed as a slender vertical form rising from a mixed-use podium, with COX Architecture positioning the development as a response to the evolving St Leonards and Crows Nest skyline.

“The purpose of the project is to facilitate the delivery of high-quality housing at a strategically located site and deliver a built tower outcome that is consistent with the desired future character of St Leonards and aligns with the TOD controls,” the design report stated.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1a85eee-76f7-436c-a6da-73ba827b9b13" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20entry.png?VersionId=dA9jHGPMcm.dDbwk4QfxqWiY5bfh3UVt" />

The podium would incorporate retail uses fronting Atchison Street, commercial tenancies, landscaped communal areas, and pedestrian improvements along Mitchell Street. Vehicle access and loading would be consolidated via Atchison Lane.

Residents would have access to more than 665 sqm of communal indoor and outdoor spaces, while the development proposes 96 parking spaces across five basement levels.

The proposal also includes a commitment for 10 per cent of residential floor space to be allocated toward affordable housing through a monetary contribution.

COX said the tower form responds directly to the emerging high-density character of the precinct while seeking to maximise solar access, cross ventilation, and outlook from apartments.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2163f85c-f63b-4be3-aafa-f8763976cec5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29_5.png?VersionId=WiAmtIKJ6.ZQ41EtYEQ1fol7AeorKBlL" />

“The building is orientated towards north,” the Apartment Design Guide compliance report noted, adding that the tower’s slim form was driven by the constrained inner-urban site dimensions.

The design also incorporates landscaped setbacks and communal open space at podium level, intended to soften the interface with surrounding streets and improve pedestrian amenity.

The project adds to a growing wave of redevelopment proposals reshaping St Leonards and Crows Nest following the opening of the Sydney Metro City line and the NSW Government’s push for higher-density housing around major transport nodes.

Last week Stockland filed plans just down the road. They want to build a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/601-pacific-highway-st-leonards-nsw-2065">52-storey tower on Pacific Highway</a>.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">First look: Stockland plans 52-storey, 538-apartment St Leonards tower&nbsp;</a>

First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> has revealed plans for a new mixed-use tower at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham, advancing a proposal that would reshape the southern gateway to Newcastle’s city centre with one of the city’s tallest residential buildings.

The State Significant Development proposal, now on exhibition, seeks approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bowline-10-dangar-street-wickham-nsw-2293">43-storey tower</a> immediately adjacent to the Newcastle Interchange. The project would deliver around 200 apartments, including 42 affordable housing dwellings, alongside 99 co-living units, a 171-room hotel, retail space, and new public domain integrated through the site.

The scheme marks a significant escalation of plans previously approved for the site. Urban Property Group took over the prominent 2,904 sqm parcel, where excavation and demolition had already commenced under an earlier consent for a 14-storey mixed-use development.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="58a96dd9-407f-4d20-86b4-94e4bfeef74b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20podium.png?VersionId=LGlf08pdFGAZDzvx_CXC4XakHNZRuEE0" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, the tower has been conceived as a landmark transit-oriented development anchored to the Newcastle Interchange precinct. The proposal includes 245 build-to-sell apartments across a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom residences, as well as two penthouses. Fifteen apartments and one operational unit are earmarked for NDIS housing. The co-living component would add a further 99 units, while the podium would accommodate retail uses and hotel facilities.

SJB said the site presents “a valuable opportunity to anchor the precinct by setting the standard for design, active ground planes and character at the key southern gateway.”

The architecture responds directly to the site’s position beside major transport infrastructure and within one of Newcastle’s fastest-evolving urban renewal precincts. The tower form sits above a sculpted podium designed to frame new public spaces, including a through-site pedestrian link connecting Station Street to Hannell Street, landscaped plazas, and activated retail edges.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a7bd6ff0-f7db-4ce8-a6dc-ea56e72c6149" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20lanne.png?VersionId=xzf39VADyhj7zBQY2I9fx9vI62u2tuSb" />

The design report describes the project as part of the broader transition of Wickham into “a vibrant, high-quality mixed-use urban precinct” that leverages proximity to the station, open space, and regional connectivity.

A detailed public art strategy has also been prepared for the development. The strategy positions the project as “a transit-oriented development of state significance at the gateway to Newcastle’s city centre” and outlines a series of integrated artworks responding to Newcastle’s industrial and transport heritage.

Creative Road’s curatorial framework for the project, titled Unveil, draws on “stratified surfaces, carved volumes, and light-filled apertures” while referencing Newcastle’s transformation from an industrial city into a contemporary education and technology hub.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="77a882bb-14b1-4d28-99ff-9438e39508c0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20site.png?VersionId=cevgo_vN0eKPK78P8YcEu3mKPLkpFqE7" />

The proposal is being advanced through the NSW Housing Delivery Authority pathway after being declared State Significant Development in June 2025. The accompanying scoping report states the development aims to “maximise the site’s proximity to the Newcastle Interchange by delivering transit-oriented development” while increasing housing supply and affordable housing provision within the Newcastle LGA.

Urban Property Group’s plans align with the long-term strategic vision established under the Wickham Master Plan, which identified the interchange precinct as suitable for substantial uplift in height and density. The current proposal would significantly intensify that vision, positioning the tower among the tallest developments proposed for Newcastle.

The site sits immediately north of the Newcastle Interchange, bounded by Dangar Street, Hannell Street, and Charles Street. It is surrounded by a rapidly growing cluster of residential towers and mixed-use projects that have emerged following the completion of the light rail and transport interchange.

First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s latest tower at Wickham interchange

Bottega House has completed settlement of a landmark riverfront site in Macquarie Street, St Lucia, representing its first major Brisbane development.&nbsp;

Positioned on the banks of the Brisbane River, the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/180-macquarie-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">premium site at 180 Macquarie Street</a> features uninterrupted river frontage in one of Brisbane’s most tightly held residential precincts.&nbsp;

The proposed development, currently under assessment with Brisbane City Council, has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/mim-design">Mim Design</a> and will deliver a boutique collection of premium residences positioned specifically for owner occupiers and downsizers.&nbsp;

The residences are set to redefine luxury apartment living in the area, with a focus on architectural quality, refined finishes, landscape integration and elevated amenities including curated wellness facilities, resort-style pools and recreation spaces rarely seen in the local market.&nbsp;

Exclusive sales for the project will be led by Keenan &amp; Byrne, ahead of an anticipated launch later this year.&nbsp;

Bottega House Managing Director Nick Malloch said the project reflects the group’s ambition to deliver a highly curated residential offering within one of Brisbane’s most tightly held precincts.&nbsp;

“This is an incredibly rare riverfront opportunity and one we have approached with a long-term perspective,” Malloch said.&nbsp;

“Our vision from the outset was to create a boutique collection of residences that feel more like private homes than traditional apartments, with generous proportions, refined finishes and exceptional amenity throughout."

Malloch says there is a&nbsp;lack of premium owner-occupier stock of this quality in the market, particularly for downsizers wanting space, privacy and a true lifestyle offering without compromise.&nbsp;

"Demand is expected to be strong given the scarcity of premium riverfront opportunities of this nature within Brisbane’s inner-west."&nbsp;

Enzo Raimondo

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