Carsales co-founder Steve Kloss has invested in Australia's largest off the plan listings platform, Apartments.com.au.

Kloss has secured $1 million worth of shares, with the investment split between Apartments.com.au and proptech agency Social Garden, which Bird and Glover co-founded back in 2013.

Apartments.com.au was formed in 2018 when co-founders Mike Bird and George Glover bought Melbourne news website Urban Melbourne. Since then they've changed the offering,&nbsp;turning the news site into the go-to place for off the plan property, with more than 20,000 off the plan property projects on the platform.

Urban works with the likes of national developers Mirvac, Lendlease and Cedar Woods.&nbsp;

Kloss will join the board of just Apartments.com.au.&nbsp;

The board seat was in recognition of Kloss' record of “delivering solid strategic advice and high-touch involvement”, Bird said.

“We’ve known Steve for a long time, and he’s informally coached us through some pretty key strategic decisions over the years, so we’re stoked that he’s backing us to deliver on the next phase of our strategy given his experience with high-growth marketplace businesses."

<a data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="32bf8201-b603-4db2-8aec-184bdc7cebe9" href="/news/australias-largest-dedicated-off-the-plan-property-portal-urban-com-au-announces-the-acquisition-of-online-news-website-property-observer"><img alt="Urban.com.au announces the acquisition of Property Observer " src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screen%20Shot%202022-10-03%20at%204.32.20%20pm.png?VersionId=l6UKQJCrdVmacQxIAVEHb3dMmkEimnPn" /></a>

Bird hopes to emulate the success of Carsales, and transition from an advertising marketplace to a transactional one.

“We have taken a keen interest in how Carsales Select is transforming the purchasing process by taking transactions online.

“We want to do something similar and partner with the best agents and agencies in the market to deliver property developers a fixed price per sale which helps them manage cost and reduce risk.”

Bird said that one of the biggest things holding&nbsp;buyers back from purchasing off the plan is the lack of transparency some developers provide.

"We’ve built a free “project tracking” tool that enables anyone to track a property development from council application, all the way through construction and any changes to the all important move-in date."

Glover, who is the CEO of Social Garden, said while he and Bird were building&nbsp;Social Garden and property AdTech platform LeadTe.ch, they found it odd that there was no centralised place for buyers to see all of the developments available.

"We decided to acquire Apartments.com.au and build that solution ourselves," Glover said.

Kloss joins other Urban shareholders, including Social Garden co-founder Andrew Archibald (also co-founder of Solar Bay), Group CFO Charlie Read (former finance executive at ANZ), Arthur Charlaftis (former COO at REA Group), longstanding advisor and board member David Trewern (founder of Fliteboard), Wendy Bonici (founder of Vocation). Other shareholders include&nbsp;Urban Melbourne founders Alastair Taylor, Baljak Family and Laurence Dragomir, partnerships executive Aaron Bird, and early employee Brendon McFarlane.

As well as LeadTech, Social Garden and Apartments.com.au, Bird and Glover own a number of property related businesses, including edtech Student Garden and the US-based Snaplistings, a full-funnel real estate marketing agency which has offices in New York and Miami.&nbsp;The pair also acquired&nbsp;news website Property Observer, and integrated it within Apartments.com.au, in 2020.

The deal represents a remarkable milestone for the entrepreneurial duo, both 33 years old. Almost 10 years ago, they bought a one-way plane ticket to Melbourne – seeking success with nothing but the clothes on their back.

Major portal co-founder Steve Kloss joins Urban.com.au

Joel Robinson

Carsales co-founder invests and joins Urban.com.au board

Prolific local development firm Sammut Group has been given the green light by the Sydney South Planning Panel to push ahead on its $350 million redevelopment of the northern end of Cronulla Mall.

The project, which will incorporate 112 apartments, a Harris Farm supermarket and 885 sqm of commercial space, is the first&nbsp;major urban renewal approval for the area since Northies Hotel in 1999.

To be called VUE,&nbsp;the development comprises four levels of basement parking, a two-storey podium including ground-floor retail and first-floor commercial and two residential buildings.

<img alt="Sammut's VUE" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0d6cfef6-8083-4b92-92c8-b981810d7e88" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-30%20at%208.45.38%20am.png?VersionId=dpbNXIcjTmdLA46MVZ6YNCnS2LX_TaYL" />

The project has a resort style feel, featuring a large communal terrace with a pavilion and pool located at podium level, while street-level landscaping and upgrades to the public domain will bring new vitality to the daily experience of the area.

VUE will sit on an amalgamated 5225 sqm site comprised of several retail and commercial buildings along the main entry to Cronulla Beach between Croydon Street and Abel Place.

Sammut Group lodged a development application for the site in June 2021. The approval comes within a month of the approval for another major Sammut Group project, PARC, a commercial building and hospitality venue PARC Pavilion they will own and operate in partnership with leading hospitality outfit Feros Group.

Sammut Group Chief Executive Officer Allen Sammut said he believes the project approval for VUE will see a reversal of fortune for the many local businesses that tackled the impacts of the pandemic.

“After a very tough few years for the local traders and retailers in the centre of Cronulla, we hope they will see this as the start of a great new time of growth and renewal. We’re extremely excited to bring a whole new life to our CBD,” he said.

<img alt="Sammut's VUE" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3a1837ab-8f78-4d5a-84ab-46e64d2349e3" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-30%20at%208.45.50%20am.png?VersionId=ifGbYxV80vD8N02uoTWB5bqL.LDKhS.6" />

“The approval for our VUE project gives us the chance to effectively ‘bookend’ Cronulla Mall with the highest level of design quality, and two very significant projects that will generate vibrancy and buzz, which the area sorely needs.” 
 
Sammut Group Chief Operating Officer Julian Sammut said the approval gave the family business the chance to make a very positive contribution to their hometown.

“We are very conscious of the role we can play as a local family-operated firm that prides ourselves on having a commitment to quality in our DNA.

“When completed, VUE will become one of Cronulla’s iconic buildings. It is a great gateway development for the area and will provide amenities to everyone in the Sutherland Shire community.

“To be able to bring Harris Farm to the Shire – and help them deliver what will be their flagship store - is a huge positive and we’re excited about the job opportunities that will come along with that,” he said.

<img alt="Sammut's VUE development" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="cbefcb80-bab8-49ff-8a75-64c383f53cc1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-30%20at%208.45.43%20am.png?VersionId=5GIIcaRpjpHff3pQ3WM7CqLZ2xOCR8RQ" />

The inclusion of Harris Farm as part of the offering had already generated significant enquiry for the additional retail spaces in the project.

VUE, which has been designed by PBD Architects will officially hit the market early in 2023, with reports of already strong interest from buyers wanting to secure an apartment.

Sammut Group is a renowned and award-winning developer of high-end residential and commercial projects across Australia.

With an extensive portfolio and impressive reputation in the New South Wales market bolstered by the success of upmarket developments such as Banc, Loft, Breeze and Drift in Cronulla, Sammut Group is also active on the Gold Coast.

Their absolute beachfront $200M 6-star luxury Coast project on Garfield Terrace has broken local price records with apartments selling for an average price of $5.25 million.

Sammut Group has teamed with its venture capital partner Alceon Group to deliver VUE, Coast and the recently approved PARC.

Alceon Group is a Sydney-based investment group and is one of Australia’s largest non-bank providers of development finance, having invested over $4 billion across real estate, private equity/credit, and listed equities investment strategies.

Sammut Group secure sign off for VUE, Cronulla Mall's mixed-use urban renewal project

Chevron Island has been a hotbed for apartments developments in the last few years, ever since Melbourne developer Bensons announced its super tower Chevron One over five years ago.

But now Vaun Developments, led by young entrepreneur Luke Vaughan who founded and now runs Gold Coast estate agency Crown Realty, and his business partner, construction industry veteran Geoff&nbsp;Pontefract, are bringing something new to the suburb, just across bridge from the heart of Surfers.

The duo has lodged plans for Aurum (Latin for gold). The boutique building at 45 Darrambal Street will have just eight two-level apartments, each set to have nearly 320 sqm of internal space, four bedrooms, a multipurpose room, and a study. Each level of the apartments will open to a 23 sqm balcony space.

The massive penthouse will be the largest apartment ever offered in Chevron Island, spanning three levels and featuring its own rooftop pool and full barbecue kitchen.

<img alt="m" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="952e0509-84df-4e94-8623-7941cf8b2fa0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-28%20at%202.25.33%20pm.png?VersionId=Ta1hlFsUshR0Dc1JRW8JBd1cu76VQ1zE" />

Vaughan says what he's producing is what is missing in the Chevron Island market place.

"The concept was to deliver vertical villas," Vaughan says.

"We wanted to encapsulate all the key benefits people look for in buying luxury villa&nbsp;and then put that in the sky.

"The result is something we're really excited about, to deliver an enclave of true skyhomes, combining the winning attributes of a villa and penthouse style into one. 
 
"We hope for the building to become a community of like minded occupants that come to enjoy socialising together as much as they enjoy residing at Aurum."

The recreation will span two levels and will feature a pool with day beds and pool deck on level one, as well as a spa retreat with cold pool, mineral spa, steam room and sauna. Level two will home a modern gym which opens to a yoga lawn.

<img alt="The podium level" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="51ce450e-0c65-4163-b569-bcb3b245bd9b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-28%20at%202.25.20%20pm_0.png?VersionId=WR1H8JAVEzOotivjqpDuhQtct0_tRqjE" />

Vaughan said he secured the Darrambal Street site, on the eastern side of Chevron Island, within a couple of hours of it hitting the market.

"Chevron was one of our target acquisition areas due to the gentrification of the area in recent years," Vaughan added.

"It's still managed to retain that village vibe, with the quaint high street dissecting the island. But it's also just a stone's throw to the much bustling Surfers, while not being in the busy central hub.

In the design statement submitted to the Gold Coast City Council, Plus Architecture said the "classically curvaceous rigorous refinement will have everyone turning heads."

"The movement of nature capture the essence of this iconic location," the firm noted.

<img alt="Gold Coast tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="705079c1-773f-4f99-b87e-bcaf0d2c2507" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-28%20at%202.25.24%20pm.png?VersionId=RdnhgzX9UMed3CK5zd2xI7BTrRYE9tEo" />

Vaughan recently lodged plans for a boutique project in Palm Beach, a collection of just seven villas dubbed Jasmine.

The villa collection, dubbed Jasmine, will be set a few rows back from the beach at 9-11 Twenty Fourth Avenue, across two 405 sqm sites amalgamated to create 810 sqm.

Most of the villas have three bedrooms and a multi purpose room. The two end villas have four bedrooms each.

Vaughan said he secured the Darrambal Street site, on the eastern side of Chevron Island, within a couple of hours of it hitting the market

First look exclusive: New high-end luxury tower Aurum planned for Chevron Island

MRCB International has received the green light for its first Queensland project, a $300 million apartment tower located on Vista Street in Surfers Paradise.

Reaching 51-levels high at 26 Vista Street, the tower will be home to 280 apartments and six three-storey townhouses that front the Northcliffe Light Rail Station.

Designed by local architecture firm DBI Design, the slender tower covers just 30 per cent of the 3,100sqm site and is orientated to the east to take advantage of its proximity to the ocean and access to sunlight and ocean breezes, while maximising views towards the river and hinterland.

<img alt="The new tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8860598b-e484-49ed-acda-705c3809a88b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/VistaStreet_Hero.jpg?VersionId=ubTKChGC74hh9lVLH7UHrApOEuTo6iPH" />

Residents will have access to a wellbeing precinct on Level 4 including a gym with outdoor yoga space, outdoor pool and spa, sauna, steam room and resident’s lounge space. There will also be verdant rooftop gardens and another resident’s lounge on Level 51, offering stunning 360 views. There is also EV charging provisions as a means of future-proofing the project.

Boasting frontages to Vista Street and Thornton Street, the site stretches across seven continuous lots and has remained vacant since 2014; MRCB International purchased it in 2022 for $17 million.

MRCB International CEO, Ravi Krishnan said the group is thrilled to achieve development approval.

“We look forward to delivering a project that will not only enhance the city skyline but will play a pivotal role in catering to the booming migration to the Sunshine State,” Krishnan said.

“Recent council population data forecasts that by 2041, the Surfers Paradise population will have nearly doubled and it is estimated that of that, close to 85,900 people will live in high-rise towers.

“Our vision for this project is to create a beautiful slender tower that will bring coastal elegance to Gold Coast while providing a rare opportunity for purchasers to buy a home that prioritises lifestyle, design and location.”

According to a report by Urbis, nearly 2,500 units sold across Gold Coast property last year, well above the previous average of about&nbsp;1,100 sales annually, and the previous record of 1,00 transactions in 2015.

MRCB International is planning to commence construction in the third quarter of next year with the project scheduled for completion in 2026.

Reaching 51-levels high, the tower will be home to 280 apartments and six three-storey townhouses that front the Northcliffe Light Rail Station.

MRCB get green light for $300m Surfers Paradise apartment development

It’s been an extremely successful few years in the Gold Coast apartment market for the Melbourne developer Hirsch &amp; Faigen.

They saw huge success at their maiden Gold Coast apartment project, Hemingway at Palm Beach, which only heightened their view of both the short term and long term prospect that the Gold Coast was where they wanted to set up camp for years to come.

Hirsch &amp; Faigen, led by Daniel Faigen and Richard Hirsch, are now on the hunt for their fourth site, following a sell out at Emerson Kirra Beach and solid sales occurring at Yves Mermaid Beach, now 80 per cent sold, with all three projects fully funded by ANZ and under construction by Hutchinson’s.

Given their track record of developing just off the Palm Beach beachfront, the dress circle Musgrave Street in Kirra, and Yves at Mermaid Beach, a rare prospect in the Gold Coast’s most blue chip suburb, they're only after assets in A grade areas, with the intention of supporting the housing shortage on the Gold Coast. The team are also keen on investing further into the property market in the Gold Coast, with eyes on an A grade office building in the Broadbeach precinct.

When they launched Hemingway, the buying patterns were substantially different. They had around 50 per cent buyer demand from Brisbane and Gold Coast with the rest from Sydney and Melbourne when that began its sales in late 2020. Over the last 12 months however, it’s been fairly evenly split across the board.

Hirsch &amp; Faigen’s view is that there will continue to be an ongoing shortage of supply and a maintained level of demand, Hirsch &amp; Faigen’s Sales Director Matt George says.

“We expect the shortage of supply and solid levels of demand to continue in the next decade in the lead up to the 2032 Olympic Games,” George says.

Hemingway sold out in mid-2021, with Hutchies now well underway on the construction, estimated to complete early next year.

The 14-level Hemingway, named after the famous author and featuring a distinct blush façade, sold all of its 78 apartments in just a few months.

Then came Emerson at Kirra, which was one of the hottest pockets of real estate in the Gold Coast. They recently sold out the building, with the final piece, the $8 million penthouse, selling to a Sydney purchaser relocating their young family to the Gold Coast. That had 27 luxury apartments, with prices starting from $2 million. In a nod to the quality of the design, Hutchies QLD boss and construction industry veteran Greg Quinn and wife Anne bought two apartments in Emerson, worth $3 million each.

H&amp;F’s only current project is Yves, the third that they’ve had renowned architecture firm Rothelowman design.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=102451 project_image_fid=186080]

They said&nbsp;Yves is a nod to the history of coastal masonry walk ups.

"Embedding the coastal traditions of this place within high density apartment precincts is not by any means a straight forward task," Rothelowman noted in their design submission to the Gold Coast City Council.

The $200 million project saw half of its 145 apartments snapped up in the first two months of marketing, with locals making up the most of the buyers.

Final podium stock and penthouses were recently released, with expectations that the whole building will be sold out in 2022.

Two-bedroom apartments start from $875,000. The three-bedroom apartments start from $1.5 million with eastern ocean views.

&nbsp;

Hirsch & Faigen’s view is that there will continue to be an ongoing shortage of supply and a maintained level of demand

Hirsch & Faigen seek further Gold Coast development sites as apartment demand continues

Joint venture partners Goldfields and Icon Developments have been given the green light for their first built form project in the burgeoning&nbsp;Brisbane apartment&nbsp;market.

The 18-level tower, named after its Milton dress circle location at 33 Manning, has been designed by renowned architects Rothelowman and will see 131 apartments created in the popular inner western Brisbane suburb.&nbsp;

Strategically located two kilometres from the&nbsp;Brisbane&nbsp;CBD and adjacent to the Park Road precinct, the 1,600 sqm site will feature city and river&nbsp;views,&nbsp;a rooftop pool&nbsp;and convenient transport options.&nbsp;With the&nbsp;project&nbsp;receiving&nbsp;development&nbsp;approval&nbsp;late last&nbsp;week, construction&nbsp;is set&nbsp;to commence in early 2023.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

<img alt="33 Manning living" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="46602173-efaa-40b2-9a84-cfb270f4c49c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/220624_PH_LIVING_0.jpg?VersionId=ZswsEnH9ySqvrFbjZtwFviwp47XbVzrU" />

“We are excited to&nbsp;re-imagine&nbsp;the traditional Queenslander&nbsp;for&nbsp;the 21st century with this landmark new project that&nbsp;allows us to bring over a decade of&nbsp;built form&nbsp;experience&nbsp;across Australia into&nbsp;the rapidly growing and undersupplied Queensland market,” Lachlan Thompson, Goldfields&nbsp;CEO, said.&nbsp;

“Explosive population growth in South-East Queensland and Brisbane over the past two years,&nbsp;coupled&nbsp;with&nbsp;net&nbsp;interstate migration&nbsp;which&nbsp;exceeded&nbsp;50,000 people in&nbsp;the last 12 months,&nbsp;has created an ideal environment for a well-located development with&nbsp;progressive&nbsp;design credentials to meet&nbsp;a&nbsp;growing&nbsp;requirement.

“There has been an undersupply of new housing&nbsp;across most&nbsp;of Brisbane for some time&nbsp;and the continued low vacancy rates in the&nbsp;Milton&nbsp;area&nbsp;point to&nbsp;the rise in&nbsp;demand&nbsp;in this precinct in particular.”

Icon Developments’&nbsp;Nick Sestak said 33 Manning represented an opportunity for Icon Developments to partner with leading&nbsp;national&nbsp;developer Goldfields on our first development joint venture in Queensland.

Rothelowman’s Nick Williams says the project celebrates&nbsp;the Sunshine State’s heritage.

<img alt="Dining area 33 Manning" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b17a6f2d-2b60-48a1-acff-6ceba7bcb289" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/90F9A8A0-8A84-4613-9978-C6017DEA8727.jpeg?VersionId=.Xmi3t7uyvICoGatymNK1VI2KrCrmrmG" />

”33 Manning pays homage to the verandah – the culmination of the functional intelligence of the traditional Queensland home,” Williams said.

“33 Manning brings the scale and function of a traditional Queensland home to an apartment building, aligned to Queensland’s subtropical climate while transforming it for contemporary high-rise living.

“33 Manning is an open embrace to the sunlight and temperate breezes that give Brisbane its allure,&nbsp;with&nbsp;a&nbsp;design&nbsp;language&nbsp;centred on indoor/outdoor living and elevated by the&nbsp;panoramic views across the Brisbane River and city skyline.”

The striking tower will home a mix of&nbsp;one, two and three-bedroom homes&nbsp;and penthouses&nbsp;designed to&nbsp;enhance inner-city living.

The rooftop pool will offer 180-degree views&nbsp;from&nbsp;Mount Coot-tha to the Brisbane CBD. Communal dining&nbsp;spaces,&nbsp;a&nbsp;yoga&nbsp;area,&nbsp;and the&nbsp;verdant landscaping of the zengarden provide further amenity.

Milton is an evolving area nestled between the established suburbs of Paddington, West End and South Brisbane,&nbsp;in close proximity to transport options, the Brisbane CBD and River and&nbsp;an&nbsp;eclecticarray of&nbsp;cafes, eateries and bars.

Colliers agent Andrew Scriven says migration to&nbsp;Brisbane&nbsp;has continued to increase at a faster rate than the supply of new homes.

“Post-pandemic, we have&nbsp;started to recognise&nbsp;that although sea-changers and tree-changers initially started buying land to build bigger houses at the height of the pandemic, affordability has led to a recent surge in apartment living,” Scriven said.

“Additionally, many owner occupiers have been unlocking equity as house prices rise, downsizing their home while upsizing their lifestyle.&nbsp;City side precincts like Milton that provide river and city views, an active healthy lifestyle and connectivity in a burgeoning village atmosphere tick the box for these buyers.

“In Brisbane,&nbsp;there is currently a 46% difference between the average house price and apartment&nbsp;price,&nbsp;the largest gap in the country, and the most significant in 10 years. Apartments in the city are currently providing the&nbsp;great&nbsp;value for owner occupiers&nbsp;and investors alike.

“With population growth&nbsp;now exceeding&nbsp;50,000 per year, relative affordability when compared to traditional houses and&nbsp;indeed&nbsp;interstate apartments markets, a vacancy rate less than 1% and the city moving towards the 2032 Olympics,&nbsp;the investment equation has never been as strong.”

&nbsp;

The 18-level tower, named after its Milton dress circle location at 33 Manning, has been designed by renowned architects Rothelowman

Goldfields and Icon secure approval for Milton apartment tower

Fortis has secured development approval for a premium residential project in the heart of Woollahra.&nbsp;

The prominent eastern suburbs developer has been working with the 14 owners of the 2a James Street address for the last 12 months, recently finalising the purchase of the 3,500 sqm development site, the largest ever land consolidation in Woollahra and now the largest privately held parcel of land in the suburb.

The current existing and dilapidated buildings on the site date back to the late 1800s and early 1900s and will be architecturally restored as part of the $170 million project.

Alongside the refurbished buildings, the approved concept will also feature a collection of newly built luxury residences, comprising two-, three- and four-bedroom apartments.. Funded by Pallas Capital, construction on the project is expected to commence late 2023.

Fortis paid around $50 million for the site.&nbsp; 
 
Fortis Director Charles Mellick says the team’s&nbsp;work at the nearby Pallas House Sydney and Gaden House demonstrates their commitment towards retaining Sydney’s architectural heritage.

“We feel privileged to have the opportunity to lovingly restore and reinvigorate this site, bringing it back to life,” Mellick says.

”We will be preserving the best architectural elements of the site so it can be enjoyed by future generations.

Mellick says the project is the first time off the plan apartments of this scale are being offered in Woollahra, also marking the biggest sqm regeneration in this suburb.

“Our aim with this project is to be sympathetic to its heritage and context, ensuring that the existing buildings are restored. A new build on the site will feature a collection of premium apartments, bringing together unparalleled quality and premium amenities in a location where new apartments are few and far between.” 
​ 
​MHN Design Union have been appointed as the lead architects on the project, with landscaping by Wyer &amp; Co. The 1900s terrace interiors are being redesigned by local Phoebe Nicol, with a collection of two- and three- bedroom homes with north-facing gardens and secure car parking. 
​ 
​The interiors of the luxury new residences are being undertaken by Alexander &amp; Co. The new build will comprise north facing, two-, three- and four-bedroom residences with large entertaining areas and ample outdoor space. 
​ 
​The 1880s theatre will be restored by Mim design and converted into a single trophy residence, with an expected end value of $20 million. The interiors will be an ode to the historic grandeur of the original property, complete with its own basement, tunnel cellar, internal landscaped courtyards and pool.&nbsp; 
​ 
​Woollahra, one of Australia’s most tightly held suburbs with generational wealth, is located five kilometres from the CBD in Sydney’s east, and is known for its timeless, tree-lined suburban streets and village-style shopping areas. The site is in proximity to the Paddington retail precinct, as well as the heritage-listed Centennial Park.

Pallas Group is the parent company of real estate financier and investment manager, Pallas Capital, and property developer, Fortis. The expected end value of Fortis projects currently under construction or under a planning proposal is $4 billion nationwide.

Fortis paid around $50 million for the James St site.

The current existing and dilapidated buildings on the site date back to the late 1800s and early 1900s and will be architecturally restored as part of the project

Fortis secure approval for $170 million Woollahra development

Having completed One The Waterfront in Sydney's Wentworth Point, busy apartment developer Piety Group is onto its final stage of their Wentworth Point project.

They've submitted plans for two more buildings, at this stage just known as Building F and Building C, which will bring a further 155 apartments to the area which was not so long ago just mud flats.

The development will have 620 apartments across nine buildings with the new apartments since Piety Group started the $520 million development phase in 2010.

Turner Studio noted in their architectural report submitted to the Parramatta council that the architectural form of the two towers seeks to acknowledge the pattern of the substantially completed One The Waterfront residential development.

<img alt="A proposed building" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="99c63429-a1c0-45fb-8007-7f53b0078340" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-23%20at%2012.46.36%20pm.png?VersionId=L8oH8jbEu6lqeLA.ygFDJ0cG4BI8Svr3" /> 
A render of Building C. Image credit: Turner Studio

They noted that the&nbsp;built form of the previously approved development applications have allowed for stepping in the facade alignment, and substantial indents in the built form along Bennelong Parkway.

"These result in a highly articulated streetscape and urban design outcome," Turner suggested, adding that the proposed built form opens up view lines into the central podium courtyards to Bennelong Parkway that improves the permeability of the scheme.

"The new buildings are in keeping with their adjoining context and will marry with the remainder of the scheme. Their stepped building form will further enhance the articulation of the precinct’s streetscape."

<img alt="Building F" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e0495a65-175e-4b16-bc61-aff866e1ecc1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-23%20at%2012.46.25%20pm.png?VersionId=ysmLohibLzmMPUjNleUAMPa1X7n86eh5" /> 
A render of Building F. Image credit: Turner Studios

They say the proposal significantly improves the building separation distances already achieved within the already completed components of the scheme.

Turner note that the proposal seeks to do better than 'business as usual' and has made the landscaping component key to the design excellence of the overall scheme.

"The proposal seeks to create a lush green landscape that frames and envelopes the proposed new Buildings E &amp; F. These new additional landscaped spaces will complete a network of green links that connect Homebush Bay to the Millenium Parklands, and the adjacent Bay Park to the Haslams Creek wetlands."

Turner note that the proposal seeks to do better than 'business as usual' and has made the landscaping component key to the design excellence of the overall scheme.

Piety Group submit final stage of Wentworth Point masterplan

While buyers continue to watch the RBA raise interest rates which, in turn, is damaging prospective buyers potential spending capacity, Sydney developer Piety Group is looking to offset any fears of future rate rises.

As an industry-first, Piety Group, in conjunction with Laver Residential Projects who are selling and marketing the newly completed luxury lifestyle apartments at ONE the Waterfront in Wentworth Point are making a unique ‘freeze your rate’ offer to investor and owner-occupier buyers.

The offer covers the cost of future interest rate rises of up to 1% over two years to help reduce the mortgage costs for buyers should the Reserve Bank of Australia continue to lift the cash rate.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5751 project_image_fid=195417]

James Quigley, Managing Director of Piety Group said they believe the direct cost saving will appeal to both owner-occupiers and investors alike.

Sam Elbanna, Project Director at Laver Residential Projects, calls it a fantastic initiative.

“This is the first of its kind that I can recall in the Sydney market and I think this will give people confidence and, more importantly, peace of mind when buying," Elbanna said.

"There has been uncertainty - however, we know from experience this is likely to be a short-term rate hike for buyers and our offer can help overcome this.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5751 project_image_fid=195420]

The offer applies across the range of one, two and three-bedroom apartments at the brand-new resort-style ONE the Waterfront complex located at Wentworth Point, with prices starting from&nbsp;$599,000. The rate freeze applies for both owner-occupier and investor mortgages.

Piety Group recently lodged plans for the final stage of their Wentworth Point masterplan, adding another 155 apartments to the precinct.

The RBA has now hiked the cash rate in five consecutive months, with experts suggesting there are still a few more rate rises expected in 2022.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=5751]

The offer covers the cost of future interest rate rises of up to 1% over two years to help reduce the mortgage costs for buyers should the Reserve Bank of Australia continue to lift the cash rate

Piety Group offer 'freeze your rate' at One the Waterfront, Wentworth Point apartments

The busy South East Queenslander apartment developer Spyre Group, who recently set the record for the most expensive apartment in Queensland at their Glasshouse, Burleigh Heads project, are set to take on a new development in the same suburb.

They've lodged plans for Basalt, 46 apartments at&nbsp;1871 Gold Coast Highway, just one row back from Ed Harry Park and the beach and across the road from Burleigh Heads State School.

The design was all about the headland, DKO Architecture noted in their design submission to the Gold Coast City Council.

"The [Jellurgual] Burleigh headland area has been a place of special stories for the Kombumerri people for 30,000 years," DKO stated.

"The headland is a living museum and habitat for many rare plant species - dominated by a littoral rainforest, a dry form of rainforest which grows only by the sea.

"Taking inspiration from the [Jellurgual] Burleigh headland, the protective dense vegetation of the rainforest and the filtered views is reflected in the building's plan."

<img alt="The outside of a tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="32b09b62-37ac-4a6f-8175-df2c0e751ea1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-23%20at%2010.37.14%20am.png?VersionId=Hg5KXciLPR06FAK_pvkfC45csmeCRZ9W" />

The building caters for a number of buyers, with 14 two-bedroom apartments and 32 three-bedders across the 18-level building, which complies with the 53m above ground level restriction in the area.

There's around 240 sqm of resident amenity, including a 90 sqm private dining space on level two, and a 10 metre pool, deck, and gym, on level three.

The building opens up to the views in the more public spaces in the apartment, DKO suggest, like the edge of the dry rainforest overlooking the rocky edged ocean.

<img alt="The outside of a tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="45dd18b1-884e-4d8c-82dc-32ae3ca501fc" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-23%20at%2010.37.23%20am.png?VersionId=KXHBnmmVgov.1BoUg7QMkjcaWbpgHqS0" />

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Town Planning Report by Urban Strategies believes the development will deliver an innovative and attractive piece of architecture that will complement and contribute to the emerging Burleigh Heads skyline.

"A central feature of the design is to modulate the long axis of the building. Consequently, the typical tower floor plate is incredibly slender and has significant variation in plan form to provide articulation.

"Additional design features such as vertical landscaping (occurring adjacent to the core of the north and south façade) and a unique perforated metal spiral screen will provide built form relief and 3-dimensional effects. The screens span the full height of the building."

<img alt="The outside of a tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c7c7860b-c688-4d0a-8fb3-fd7c64e66a4e" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screen%20Shot%202022-09-23%20at%2010.37.28%20am.png?VersionId=gNrAjXvhNoRELvbKUUdcYkpXKs8HhfHB" />

The site currently contains a three to four-level apartment building that comprises of 12 apartments.

Spyre Group secured the $20 million sale of the penthouse in their nearby Goodwin Terrace development Glasshouse, earlier this year, which was not only the biggest off the plan apartment sale in Queensland, it was the biggest sale of any apartment.

Spyre recently launched their new Toowong apartment development, Arc Residences, a striking 28-apartment building by bureau^proberts.

Last year they sold out Cala Dei, the apartment redevelopment of the Hotel Komune Resort at Coolangatta's Greenmount Beach. They're also putting the finishing touches to their other Burleigh Heads project, Natura.

The design was all about the headland, DKO Architecture noted in their design submission to the Gold Coast City Council.



Exclusive first look: Spyre submit Burleigh Heads apartment project inspired by the headland

One of North Sydney's best-known commercial buildings could become hundreds of new homes, with insurance giant Zurich Australia lodging a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) to transform 5 Blue Street into a mixed-use residential development above North Sydney Station.

Rather than demolishing the existing building and starting again, Zurich is proposing an adaptive reuse project that would convert the landmark office building into a 15-level residential development delivering 62 apartments, 86 affordable co-living dwellings, activated retail and significant upgrades to the Blue Street Plaza.

The proposal reflects a growing trend of commercial property owners repositioning ageing office assets into residential housing as Sydney grapples with housing supply shortages and changing workplace demand.

<img alt="Zurich" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0bba7d12-06dc-4375-aad7-238c94b21ac5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%2010.42.05%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=NJl5oLAEBDGuPmY3RnyliKODjMc8lvRh" />

Located directly above North Sydney Metro and train station, the 3,051 sqm site occupies one of the most strategically positioned parcels of land on Sydney's Lower North Shore.

Designed by fjcstudio, the proposal seeks to retain and adapt much of the existing structure while creating a contemporary residential address that better connects with the public domain surrounding North Sydney Station.

The application proposes two basement levels, ground floor retail, affordable co-living accommodation across the podium levels, and apartments above, while preserving and enhancing the publicly accessible Blue Street Plaza.

Rather than pursuing maximum apartment numbers, Zurich has opted for a housing mix heavily weighted towards larger owner-occupier residences.

The proposal includes 62 build-to-sell apartments comprising 12 one-bedroom, 19 two-bedroom, 29 three-bedroom apartments and two premium penthouses. It also incorporates 86 affordable co-living dwellings, which would be managed in perpetuity by a Community Housing Provider.

That balance between traditional apartments and affordable housing reflects the NSW Government's push to increase housing diversity around major transport infrastructure.

The proposal has been lodged concurrently with a rezoning application, with Zurich arguing the site is ideally positioned to support additional housing given its immediate proximity to public transport, employment and services.

"The proposal aims to respond to the housing challenges facing Sydney through the delivery of diverse housing types in a highly accessible location," the design report by fjcstudio states. It also seeks to improve pedestrian amenity through upgrades to Blue Street Plaza while creating a high-performing residential building that responds to the surrounding context.

<img alt="Zurich" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="36082e15-c636-4481-bb68-5a5f6443fe39" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%2010.41.36%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=5P6VD.fvmqjQfIG3TWWMRXxQWiQBjeFB" />

Rather than replacing the commercial building, fjcstudio has developed a design that works with the existing structural framework above the rail corridor, an approach that significantly reduces demolition while allowing the site to be repositioned as a mixed-use residential precinct.

The existing structural constraints have informed much of the building's design, including its relationship with Blue Street and surrounding public spaces.

The building has been designed as a slender tower rising above a clearly defined podium, with vertically expressed façades intended to reduce the perceived bulk while reinforcing North Sydney's emerging skyline.

According to fjcstudio, the architectural language responds directly to the surrounding commercial towers while maintaining a finer grain expression more closely aligned with the neighbouring Lavender Bay streetscape.

The tower incorporates articulated façade elements, landscaped podium edges and recessed upper levels to soften its appearance and improve pedestrian amenity below.

A significant component of the proposal is the revitalisation of Blue Street Plaza.

The existing public space has long served as one of the primary pedestrian connections between North Sydney Station, Greenwood Plaza and Blue Street, yet its role is expected to become even more important following the opening of Sydney Metro.

Zurich's proposal seeks to strengthen that role by improving landscaping, introducing new retail frontages, enhancing pedestrian permeability and creating more active edges throughout the day and evening.

Ground floor retail would wrap the plaza, while separate residential and co-living entries have been designed to improve wayfinding without reducing street activation.

Landscape design has been integrated throughout the podium and public realm, softening what is currently one of the most heavily urbanised parts of North Sydney.

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fjcstudio has carefully oriented apartments towards Sydney Harbour and the CBD while using privacy blades and articulated façades to minimise overlooking between neighbouring buildings.

Large framed openings along the western elevation maximise harbour outlooks, while the eastern apartments have been angled towards the south-east to improve privacy from neighbouring development.

The project forms part of the continuing transformation of North Sydney from a predominantly commercial CBD into a genuine mixed-use city centre.

Since the completion of Victoria Cross Metro Station, developers have increasingly shifted their attention towards residential projects capable of leveraging the area's unparalleled transport connectivity.

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FiveX recently lodged plans for a 61-storey, 490-apartment tower that would become one of the tallest residential buildings in North Sydney if approved.

Aqualand continues to expand its Lower North Shore presence following the completion of AURA on Walker Street and its recent St Leonards and Roseville proposals.

Developers are also progressing projects throughout Walker Street, Miller Street and the Victoria Cross precinct as demand for well-located owner-occupier apartments continues to strengthen.

First look: Zurich targets North Sydney office conversion with 148-unit proposal above Metro station

Busy developer Aqualand Prestige has formally taken the next step in its expansion across Sydney's Lower North Shore, lodging a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for its long-held Archer Street site in Chatswood.

The application covers <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/51-55-archer-street-chatswood-nsw-2067">51-55 Archer Street</a>, a 1,767 sqm amalgamated site on the eastern edge of the Chatswood CBD, where the developer is seeking approval for a 45-level mixed-use tower delivering 114 apartments, including a significant affordable housing component, alongside retail, commercial space and six basement levels of parking.

The SSDA marks the latest milestone for a project Aqualand has been quietly progressing over the past two years. The developer first secured the site for its Aqualand Prestige platform before undertaking an alternative design excellence process with PTW Architects, ultimately avoiding a formal design competition through the Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

The proposal has evolved considerably from Aqualand's original concept. The revised scheme has been designed around larger owner-occupier product, with an unusually high proportion of three and four-bedroom apartments, targeting the more affluent buyer profile, and downsizer, emerging across the North Shore.

<img alt="Archer St" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0171204c-5811-41b5-9b09-2335d1b7c3d0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%208.52.48%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=6YTuxfq.puZo7k2wbfgemcO5K3QfXYGQ" />

The 114-apartment mix comprises six studios, 27 one-bedroom apartments, 18 two-bedroom apartments, 50 three-bedroom residences and 13 four-bedroom homes. A quarter of the building will be dedicated to affordable housing, well above the mandated 15 per cent&nbsp;

PTW has structured the building vertically, with affordable housing across levels one to six, premium apartments through levels seven to 31, duplex skyhomes on klevels 32 to 43, a penthouse on level 44, and a rooftop plant level above. Six basement levels will provide resident parking and servicing.

The tower is proposed to reach approximately 154 metres, placing it among a growing collection of residential high-rises transforming Chatswood's skyline.

Rather than competing purely on height, PTW says the design has been driven by creating a slimmer tower capable of delivering significantly larger apartments.

"The primary objective of this project was to create a distinctive building that stands out from the recently approved or built structures in the Chatswood area," the design report states, noting the structural efficiency allows greater investment into apartment quality and resident amenity.

Residents would have access to more than 450 sqm of communal open space including landscaped gardens, swimming pool, rooftop entertaining areas, fitness spaces, community gardens, children's play areas and barbecue facilities.

A major focus of the design has been the public domain.

The ground plane has been opened up through landscaped terraces inspired by Willoughby's sandstone ridges, with native planting, public seating, artwork, retail activation and a series of gathering spaces intended to soften what has traditionally been a hard commercial streetscape.

The landscape strategy references Blue Gum forests once common throughout the area, while incorporating Indigenous storytelling, public art and lighting installations to strengthen the connection to Country.

Chatswood has been one of Sydney's busiest apartment markets over the past 12 months, with a steady pipeline of both new project launches and fresh development applications.

Hyecorp recently launched Celine, a 122-apartment development just along Archer Street, while Changfa and Huirong Group are progressing The Anderson, an 84-apartment project on Anderson Street.

Develotek recently secured approval for a 101-apartment tower on Pacific Highway, while Tian An LFD received the green light for Hammond Greens, its apartment development on the edge of the Chatswood Bowling Club.

Commercial property developer FiveX is also making its move into the residential market. Last month it lodged plans for a 61-storey tower with 490 apartments, which, if approved, would become one of the tallest residential buildings in Chatswood.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-fivex-targets-chatswood-skyline-with-61-storey-tower-after-north-sydney-plans">First look: FiveX targets Chatswood skyline with 61-storey tower after North Sydney plans</a>

Aqualand is also expanding its development pipeline following the launch of its luxury residential brand, Aqualand Prestige. The developer has delivered a string of high-end apartment projects across Sydney's affluent suburbs over the past decade, most recently AURA by Aqualand on Walker Street in North Sydney.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=30959 project_image_fid=292863]

It has since quietly assembled its next wave of projects.

Earlier this year Aqualand launched Boronia in Roseville, a boutique 111-apartment development on Larkin Street. The project is one of the first significant apartment developments to launch in the suburb ahead of what is expected to become one of Sydney's most active new housing precincts under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing reforms, which allow greater density around train stations.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152095 project_image_fid=373685]

The developer has also lodged plans for a two-tower, 413-apartment development on Herbert Street in nearby St Leonards, further strengthening its presence across the Lower North Shore.

Beyond that, Aqualand remains behind the final stage of Barangaroo, where plans will deliver a five-hectare mixed-use precinct comprising new homes, retail, hospitality and community facilities, alongside a new Metro entrance and more than two hectares of public open space, completing the Barangaroo precinct.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/central-barangaroo-development-takes-big-step-with-concept-proposal-approval">Central Barangaroo development takes big step with concept proposal approval</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-aqualand-joins-st-leonards-apartment-party">First look: Aqualand joins St Leonards apartment party</a> 
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First look: Aqualand pushes ahead with Chatswood apartment tower as SSDA lodged for Archer Street

Mass timber is becoming an increasingly popular construction material in apartment developments, but Adelaide developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/otello">Otello</a> is taking the approach a step further.

At its new <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flowe-bowden-18-gibson-street-bowden-sa-5007">Flowe Bowden</a> development, the exposed cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure isn't just about reducing the building's environmental footprint. It also forms the foundation of a broader wellness strategy, influencing everything from indoor air quality and natural materials to the way residents move through and experience the building.

The 115-apartment mixed-use development, designed by Melbourne-based architecture practice Fieldwork, will occupy a prominent island site opposite Bowden Village Reserve, combining one, two and three-bedroom apartments with retail and a dedicated wellness destination.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375528]

Wellness isn't confined to a gym or shared resident facility at Flowe. Instead, Fieldwork embedded the concept into the building itself.

The development has been split into two residential wings connected by a naturally ventilated central breezeway, replacing traditional enclosed corridors with open-air walkways that improve natural light, encourage cross ventilation and create more opportunities for neighbourly interaction.

"Rather than treating wellness as something that only happens on the ground floor, our response integrates it throughout the building, which led us to ask what it really means to design a healthy building," Fieldwork Director Quino Holland said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375531]

The building's architecture also reflects Bowden's industrial heritage. The lower podium references the area's historic brick and sandstone buildings, while the upper levels transition to exposed CLT, allowing the timber structure to become a defining feature throughout the apartments and shared spaces.

The use of mass timber sits alongside a range of sustainability initiatives, including a fully electric, gas-free design, rooftop solar and a targeted 5 Star Green Star rating.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375524]

Inside the residences, the focus remains on natural, durable materials. Blackbutt engineered timber flooring, exposed CLT ceilings, porcelain surfaces and warm timber joinery create a calming interior palette, while low-VOC finishes and responsibly sourced materials have been selected to improve indoor air quality.

Kitchens have been designed as the centrepiece of each apartment, featuring porcelain island benchtops, timber-look cabinetry and brushed steel tapware, with layouts that maximise natural light and ventilation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375530]

The more traditional interpretation of wellness comes in the form of Level Eleven, a two-storey wellness club spanning the ground floor, mezzanine and first floor.

The facility will include a gym, yoga and reformer Pilates studios, Finnish and infrared saunas, magnesium hot and cold plunge pools, and dedicated recovery spaces. Unlike many residential wellness facilities, Level Eleven will also operate commercially, allowing the broader Bowden community to access the venue while giving residents exclusive membership benefits.

The ground floor has also been designed around everyday living. A café overlooking Bowden Village Reserve will activate the street frontage, while a bike workshop with tool storage, co-working space and dog wash has been incorporated to support daily routines and encourage interaction between residents.

"Flowe brings together my two biggest passions, creating places and creating healthier lives," Otello founder Daniel Harris said.

"We wanted to create something Adelaide hasn't seen before, a genuinely healthy building, where the way you live is lifted without even trying."

Flowe is positioned directly opposite Bowden Village Reserve and within walking distance of Bowden Railway Station and the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, placing future residents just minutes from the Adelaide CBD while remaining connected to one of the city's most established urban renewal precincts.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152022]

Otello launches wellness-focused Flowe Bowden with Adelaide-first mass timber apartment design

Not all apartment amenities are immediately visible.

Swimming pools, gyms, rooftop terraces and residents' lounges have long featured on buyers' wishlists, but as the way Australians live has changed, so too have the features that make apartment living more convenient.

Increasingly, buyers are placing value on the practical aspects of day-to-day life. Fast internet, EV charging, secure bike storage, flexible workspaces and parcel management are becoming just as relevant as lifestyle amenities, reflecting changing habits and expectations.

Online shopping has been one of the biggest drivers of that shift.

Australians spent a record $82.6 billion shopping online in 2025, with almost one in every four retail dollars now spent digitally, making parcel deliveries a routine part of everyday life rather than an occasional convenience.

For apartment residents, however, receiving those deliveries isn't always straightforward.

Without someone home to accept a parcel, deliveries can be redirected to a nearby Post Office, left in building foyers or common areas, or require building management to temporarily store packages. As apartment living continues to grow across Australia's cities, parcel management has become an increasingly important consideration for both residents and developers.

Australia Post's Parcel Locker network is one response to that shift.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KPZ9j5FRdsQ?si=Qztc1dNP3ZvEIUhb" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Rather than relying on home delivery, eligible parcels can be directed to a nominated Parcel Locker, where they're securely stored until collected. Once a parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS and can retrieve it using a one-time code or QR code at a time that suits them.

The network has expanded to more than 1,500 locations nationwide, with Parcel Lockers positioned at Post Offices, shopping centres, supermarkets, transport hubs and, increasingly, within or alongside residential developments.

That growing presence reflects a broader change in how apartment buildings are being planned.

Developers are increasingly considering the operational side of apartment living alongside traditional lifestyle amenities. Just as secure mailrooms, bicycle storage and EV charging have become more common inclusions, parcel management is emerging as another feature that supports everyday convenience.

It also helps preserve the arrival experience within a building. Carefully designed lobbies and communal spaces can quickly become cluttered when deliveries accumulate, while secure parcel solutions reduce the likelihood of missed deliveries or parcels being left unattended.

For buyers comparing apartments, these everyday details are becoming part of the decision-making process.

Location, floorplans and finishes remain fundamental, but the features that simplify daily life are carrying greater weight than they once did. As online shopping continues to shape consumer behaviour, secure parcel delivery is increasingly becoming another amenity worth looking for.

Parcel delivery is joining the apartment amenity checklist

Inca Property Group has lodged a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for Dawn, a 53-apartment oceanfront development overlooking Mona Vale Beach.

The proposal, at 35-39 Darley Street East, would replace an existing 18-apartment strata building with a new owner-occupier-focused development comprising 53 two and three-bedroom apartments, including nine affordable built-to-rent residences delivered under the State's infill affordable housing scheme.

Positioned on a 2,679 sqm elevated site around 280 metres from Mona Vale Beach, the development has been designed to maximise panoramic ocean views while responding to the site's sloping topography.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/inca-property-group">Inca Property Group</a> Managing Director Josh Thompson said the State Significant pathway provided greater certainty for projects of this scale.

"This State Significant pathway gives the team real certainty to progress <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/dawn-35-39-darley-street-east-mona-vale-nsw-2103">Dawn</a> through to completion," Thompson said.

"It allows us to acquire a one-off site, design it carefully and deliver the right offering for the suburb, assessed by the NSW Government's planning department."

The project is one of the first developments in the area to be assessed under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy, with the site sitting on the edge of the policy's designated inner area.

The proposal includes three basement levels providing 124 car spaces, alongside a range of resident amenities including a swimming pool, gym, sauna, wellness facilities and private plunge pools for selected ground-floor and penthouse apartments.

<img alt="Dawn" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fc1a1daf-0ce4-4f12-9076-b1fa553c7a91" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-21%20at%208.42.11%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4GZ9h.gpNkTljbxyAET8Jfhv51XUamDm" />

Thompson said Dawn had been designed specifically for owner-occupiers and downsizers, a buyer profile that has driven demand across Inca's recent Upper North Shore developments.

"The majority of buyers in our recent North Shore projects have been downsizers, and we are learning exactly what this market is looking for. Beyond the location itself, we have included resort-style amenities to deliver a genuine lifestyle offering," Thompson said.

Located within walking distance of Mona Vale Beach, the town centre, Mona Vale Golf Club and the Royal Motor Yacht Club, Dawn represents Inca's first Northern Beaches project following the sell-out of Tara on Park in Waitara and Ellis Residences, currently under construction in St Ives.

Construction will be undertaken by Inca's in-house construction arm, GOP Constructions.

Dawn is the latest major apartment proposal for Mona Vale, with the suburb emerging as one of the key beneficiaries of the NSW Government's new Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy.

New developer One Living, led by industry veteran Joseph Scuderi, recently secured a site on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, where it is planning around 140 apartments.

IPM is also planning its third project in Mona Vale, significantly increasing the scale of its previous developments with an 82-apartment proposal at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/159-167-darley-street-west-mona-vale-nsw-2103">159-167 Darley Street West</a>, opposite Bayview Golf Course and less than 800 metres from Mona Vale town centre.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/one-living-enters-sydneys-new-apartment-market-with-northern-beaches-site-acquisition">One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-ipm-plans-third-mona-vale-project">First look: IPM plans third Mona Vale project</a>

Joel Robinson

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