Attached dwelling approvals &ndash; for apartments, townhouses and semi-detached homes &ndash; have jumped, according to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Attached dwelling approvals rose 13.7% in August, sitting at 6,453.

It was the highest August figure since 2017.

Total approvals over the year to August was up 8.5 per cent at 74,000.

&quot;The lag from approvals to work done suggests dwelling construction will remain strong this year,&quot; Shane Oliver, the AMP Capital chief economist said.

The overall number of dwellings approved rose 6.8 per cent in August (seasonally adjusted) to 18,716 homes, ending four consecutive monthly declines.

The number of dwelling approvals rose in Western Australia (21 per cent), South Australia (11.8 per cent), Victoria (10.5 per cent) and Queensland (4 per cent).&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=100322 project_image_fid=163028]

Falls were recorded in Tasmania (-18.9 per cent) and New South Wales (-2.3 per cent).

It represented a recovery from a 8.6 per cent dip in July. The peak month was March with 23,445 approvals.

The increase was driven by approvals for private sector dwellings other than houses, which rose 13.7 per cent, ABS construction statistics director Daniel Rossi said.

Rossi noted the result was driven by record low interest rates, boosted household savings and confidence in the housing market.

Total approvals over the year to August was 229,035, up by almost a third on their level a year earlier.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
After some improvement in approvals performance in NSW in the earlier part of this year, the lockdown has seen a reversal with approvals going backwards for the 4th month in a row, Tom Forrest at the Urban Taskforce noted.

&quot;That said, they remain well above the number of approvals recorded this time last year,&quot; Forrest said.

Dwelling approvals data released by the ABS show that approvals in the month of August grew across all of mainland Australia, except in NSW

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Apartment approvals on the rise: ABS

Property sentiment in Australia edged lower in the latest ANZ-Property Council Survey, but remains elevated, highlighting the resilience of the sector and the economy more broadly.

While the decrease in sentiment was broadly based across sectors, the declines were surprisingly modest given that more than half the country was in lockdown during the survey period.

The survey was taken between 30 August and the 15 September, while NSW and Victoria were in lockdown.

While lockdowns have impacted confidence, particularly in the hotel/tourism and office sectors, the overall outlook remains surprisingly positive in the face of the extended lockdowns in NSW and Victoria, it showed.

"With vaccination rates approaching 80% across the country, sentiment is being underpinned by expectations of a solid economic rebound on top of a large pipeline of residential construction and strong house prices."

The impact of the pandemic has been uneven, it noted.

"In the residential sector, the outlooks for both construction and prices are benefitting from targeted stimulus like the HomeBuilder program and record low mortgage rates.

"Residential sentiment remains well above the long-run average and pre-pandemic levels of sentiment.

"Importantly, businesses report being very confident about their own outlook – with employment expectations barely nudging and the forward work schedule rising."

"In the industrial sector, where sentiment is very high, the pandemic has accelerated the shift to online sales, strengthening demand for warehousing and logistics property. 

"Conversely, the impact of COVID-19 is weighing on the office and tourism sectors. 

"The hotel property outlook is unclear, given uncertainty around the timing of international border reopening, while the latest round of lockdowns has stalled the recovery in sentiment in office property, hitting occupancy and highlighting concerns about the extent and permanence of work-from-home arrangements."

The residential construction outlook edged marginally lower, while remaining very positive, it noted.

"The HomeBuilder program has ended, and approvals are turning over, but there is an enormous amount of work in the pipeline and an uptick in investor housing finance suggests an improving outlook for the apartment market."

Nationally, a net balance of 51% of firms in the residential sector expect an expansion in activity, down from 52% in the June survey. 

The outlook varies across states, with expectations rising in NSW, Queensland and Western Australia, and declining in Victoria and South Australia.

The survey was taken between 30 August and the 15 September, while NSW and Victoria were in lockdown

Residential construction and price rebound forecast: ANZ-Property Council survey

A $95 million apartment building, dubbed &ldquo;Fitzroy Fitzroy&rdquo;, has been proposed by Melbourne developer Chapter Group.

The nine storey Smith Street project is set to have 63 apartments, ranging in price from $570,000 to $3.7 million, plus six townhouses.

It will have 575 square metres of ground floor retail space across three tenancies fronting Smith and Leicester streets, replacing the flagship Kathmandu store in Melbourne.

The mixed-use project at 411-421 Smith Street has been designed by architect, DKO with trapezoid shaped upper levels to accommodate setbacks.

There will also be 679 sqm&nbsp;of office space in the joint venture between Chapter, CDL Australia and Crema Group.

<img alt="" height="768" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/chapter_group_fitzroy_smith_st_2.jpg" width="1200" /> 
The mixed-use project&nbsp;with trapezoid shaped upper levels to accommodate setbacks. Image credit: DKO 
&nbsp; 
CDL is a subsidiary of Singapore-listed City Developments, which has a pipeline of 800 units in Brisbane and Melbourne.

Chapter paid around $20 million for the 1820 sqm site in 2019 which contains a single and double-storey red brick interwar complex originally comprising a workshop and garage.

Its sale marketing advised the two tenants, Kathmandu &amp; Bellboy were on leases expiring March 2022 paying $580,000pa.

Haus Apartments, at 416 Smith Street, directly opposite the site, has been redeveloped with an eight-storey residential tower with set back above a two-storey podium on the street.

Its recent projects have included Ukiyo at 2 Porter St, Prahran and Monument at 608 Orrong Rd, Armadale.

Chapter Group proposes a nine level building at 411-421 Smith Street 

Fitzroy Fitzroy - 63 apartments proposed for Chapter Group's Fitzroy development

The NSW Chief Medical Officer Kerry Chant has called on NSW strata managers to update their strata rolls.

Apartment owners - resident and absentee alike - have since been asked to update their contact details, and tenant details, in case they are needed to be alerted about infections in their buildings.

The request follows numerous cases of the highly transmissible Delta variant of COVID-19 in NSW apartment complexes.

“As you are aware the COVID-19 outbreak in NSW continues to grow,” says the late August letter.

“The Delta variant of COVID-19 is highly transmissible, and we have seen an increase in cases residing in residential apartment buildings.

“We have also seen some instances of spread of COVID-19 between residents in common areas of apartment blocks.

“I am writing to seek your support in NSW Health’s management of the current COVID-19 outbreak.

“NSW Health requests that you ensure strata rolls are up to date and available to provide to the NSW Health contact tracing team upon request. Please ensure the strata roll includes the name, address, contact phone number and email address of all owners and tenants.

“We also ask that you ensure residents have contact details for their strata managing agent or owners corporation to provide NSW Health on request.”

The letter reminds managers of owners corporations’ legal duty under the strata act to maintain up to date resident rolls.

It adds that the release of the information to NSW Health is permitted under the Public Health Act 2010.

“Your assistance in streamlining the contact tracing process in this way can play a major role in decreasing risk to your building residents,” the letter says.

“Given the risk of COVID-19 transmission communal areas such as gyms, lounges and theatres should be closed at this time,” it concludes.

But it takes the form of an advisory, rather than an order. 

Some strata facilities have remained open or re-opened with voluntary QR codes, cleaning, and reduced capacity limits.

There is debate now among strata committees over restricting access to gyms, pools, spas, saunas, barbecue areas, recreation rooms, theatres and gardens to the double-vaccinated only.

The request follows numerous cases of the highly transmissible Delta variant of COVID-19 in NSW apartment complexes

NSW chief medical officer Kerry Chant calls on strata managers to update strata rolls

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has suggested financial regulators look at cracking down on high-debt home loans.

The hope is to reduce financial risks at a time of record-low home loan rates and surging property prices.

The Australian Financial Review reported financial regulators have been asked to work on plans to clamp down on high debt-to-income ratios among new borrowers.

More than one in five potential home-buyers borrow more than six times their income, the AFR noted.

"Last Friday, I joined the Council of Financial Regulators to discuss a range of issues including the state of the housing market which is a particular focus for both APRA and the RBA," Treasurer Josh Frydenberg later told the ABC in a statement.

"We must be mindful of the balance between credit and income growth to prevent the build-up of future risks in the financial system.

"Carefully targeted and timely adjustments are sometimes necessary. There are a range of tools available to APRA to deliver this outcome." 

The CBA chief executive Matt Comyn warned last week, with interest rates at record lows, that borrowers could be taking on too much debt.

He made the call for macro prudential measures while appearing before the House of Representatives economics committee.
 
Comyn said he was not particularly concerned about the current circumstances, but suggested it was prudent for regulators to take proactive regulatory action.

He thought it better for regulators to avoid harsher measures in the future, such as those imposed in New Zealand, given the apparent speed at which Australian capital city property prices are rising.

“We think it would be important to take some modest steps sooner rather than later to take some of the heat out of the housing market,” Mr Comyn said.

It comes as investment bank UBS has warned that a record level of "liar loans" as buyers "chase the market."

The bank's annual survey of around 900 new borrowers over the past year showed that 41 per cent submitted loan applications not completely factually accurate — so-called "liar loans".

It was a record high in the seven year survey, up from 38 per cent last year and 27 per cent when the survey started in 2015. 

Financial regulators are working on plans for a clamp down 

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg seeks financial regulator clamp down on home loans

Dwelling approvals continued to unwind after the end to the major policy&ndash;induced pull-forward.

Approvals have declined by 25% from their March peak, given the end of the Federal Government&rsquo;s HomeBuilder scheme.&nbsp;

Westpac noted dwelling approvals had posted a &quot;phenomenal&quot; 84% surge between last year&rsquo;s COVID low and the March 2021 peak.

&quot;Even with the big decline since then, monthly approvals are still up 21%yr and 8.6% above their pre&ndash;pandemic level,&quot; the Westpac analysis noted.

&quot;The HomeBuilder unwind likely has further to run, approvals potentially dropping well below their &lsquo;underlying trend&rsquo; pace as the shadow of the pull&ndash;forward effect rolls through.&nbsp;

&quot;We expect approvals to fall another 5%,&quot; Westpac noted.

Monthly approvals are still up 21% annually 

Westpac expect the HomeBuilder unwind has further to run

Westpac expect that the heat will be coming out of the housing market from the middle of next year, as the prospect of the first rate hike remains years off.

The comments came from Westpac's chief economist Bill Evans ahead of the October RBA board meeting.

The RBA board noted housing prices are continuing to rise, although turnover in some markets had declined following the virus outbreak. 

"Housing credit growth has picked up due to stronger demand for credit by both owner-occupiers and investors," the RBA governor Dr Philip Lowe said.

Lowe noted the Council of Financial Regulators has been discussing the medium-term risks to macroeconomic stability of rapid credit growth at a time of historically low interest rates.

"In this environment, it is important that lending standards are maintained and that loan serviceability buffers are appropriate.becomes apparent," Lowe said.

After the meeting, Bill Evans noted there were no policy changes announced or much change in the governor's statement.

"He did make us aware that the Council of Financial Regulators is closer to adopting some form of macro prudential tightening with loan serviceability buffers being singled out," Evans noted.

"There was clearly a discussion about the prospect for macro prudential policy with the only “clue” being a consideration of loan serviceability buffers," he said.

Westpac's expectation is that an increase in the overnight cash rate of 0.15% can be expected by the March quarter 2023.

The ANZ advised more on the RBA’s concerns around housing will come on Friday with the release of the bi-annual Financial Stability Review.


The level of uncertainty is high and the prospect of four years of holding the cash rate near zero presents real risks for asset markets, Bill Evans, the Westpac chief economist said

Heat will come out of the housing market in mid-2022: Westpac's Bill Evans

A Windsor offering comprising four two-bedroom flats and two one-bedroom flats sold at recent auction for $2,410,000.

There were 10 Brisbane bidders at the auction which prompted its sale at 25 per cent above reserve through Ray White Special projects agents Matthew Fritzsche and Andrew Burke. 

The 885sqm site has development approved for a four-lot subdivision with freehold title houses. 

The property received 150 enquiries prior to auction.

Burke noted flats and boarding houses that tended to transact in the sub-$5 million category were sought after by ‘Mum and Dad’ or first time investors.

“Blocks of flats as an investment class are seeing benefit from Brisbane having one of the tightest rental markets nationwide, with a vacancy rate of 1.30 per cent recorded for May 2021,” he said. 




The property received 150 enquiries prior to auction, and 10 registered bidders on the day

10 investors seek Windsor, Brisbane apartment offering

The penthouse at 835 High in Armadale has been sold for a record $15 million.

The six floor complex is under construction by Moda, the property development company headed by Ed Farquharson and Jordan Hooper.

The double-storey apartment will come with two pools, a children's play area and barbecue.

It is understood to have sold to a well-heeled Melbourne family who will use it as a city base.

It is tipped as the priciest apartment sold in the suburb.

Moda secured a sellout of its 26 apartments.

The three-bedroom-plus-study penthouse had originally been planned as two apartments, but amalgamated to a 630sq m residence with almost 400sq m outdoor space.

The 835 High Street complex designed by Carr Design had prices from $2.5 million.

The retail space has been taken by the organic grocer, The Leaf Store.

Mona is backed by David Tarascio and Mazen Tabet, who bring decades of experience to the team.

Its completed projects include 97 Mathoura Road, Toorak, consisting of six, single-level luxury residences.

Completed in 2019, it was also designed by Carr, when built by Flux.

The branding firm, Assembly was responsible for its marketing.&nbsp;

Mode's upcoming Hobart project, St David has recently secured an $8 million penthouse sale.

The penthouse at 835 High in Armadale is understood to have sold to a well-heeled Melbourne family

835 High Armadale secures sellout including $15m penthouse

Most apartment markets around Australia have seen fresh highs, according to Eliza Owen, CoreLogic Australia head of research.

The report noted while some apartment markets in the inner cities struggle, demand was strong in suburbs offering desirable lifestyles.

Some 56 per cent of the 994 unit markets analysed are sitting at record highs.

There was an average growth of 16 per cent or $108,00 in value since the start of stage two restrictions in March last year.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=5328 project_image_fid=155345]

The CoreLogic analysis shows nearly two-thirds of the 560 record-breaking unit markets are in the capital cities, seeing a $595,000 boost in value during the period.

Eliza Owen, CoreLogic Australia head of research, said that while some apartment markets in the inner cities continued to struggle, demand was strong in areas that were offering desirable lifestyles.

Owen expects to see continued increases in values in some of these markets through the rest of the year.

It comes as there are more signs of capital growth slowing in houses so Owen expects a little more acceleration pivoting to the unit segment.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=100322 project_image_fid=163028]

Regional apartment value rises reflected the ongoing desire to &quot;chase a more affordable lifestyle relative to capital cities.&quot;

The analysis noted many inner-city suburbs continued to lag.

A total of 434 unit markets are still below their pre-pandemic levels, with 10 of the suburbs posting the largest decline in Greater Melbourne given the demand shock from closed international borders.

Nearly two-thirds of the 560 record-breaking unit markets are in the capital cities

Apartment prices hitting fresh records: CoreLogic

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

Joel Robinson

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

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

Sammut secures approval for debut Brisbane apartment development in Toowong

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

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

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

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

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

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