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SPONSORED POST
If you’re lucky enough to own a homesite close to Perth’s inner city, chances are you could be looking at developing on narrow lots.
<a href="https://www.summitprojects.com.au/developments-perth/townhouse/" target="_blank" title="Narrow Lot Townhouses" data-id="1148">Narrow lot subdivisions</a> are becoming increasingly popular as they enable multiple residences on a homesite. Narrow lots can have widths as low as 8-9m, maximising space while giving each home its own street frontage.
As a result, more and more narrow lot builders (Perth-based) are coming onto the market, each with their own <a href="https://www.summitprojects.com.au/developments-perth/townhouse/" target="_blank" title="Narrow Lot Townhouses" data-id="1148">catalogue of designs</a>. Yet how do you spot a really smart narrow lot design that intuitively maximises space and style, boosting your return on investment? This checklist can help.
Narrow doesn’t need to be narrow.
A narrow lot home design should defy its narrow footprint, not confirm it. A poor narrow lot home design can result in potential buyers or tenants feeling like they are walking into a tunnel. Incorporating voids above the entrance, extra high ceilings and clever lighting can be used to create a welcoming sense of space and openness.
Light = space. 
Narrow lot homes are often two-storey and positioned very closely together which can result in dark, unappealing living spaces within each home due to lack of light penetration. Quite simply, natural light instantly makes a space feel roomier and more inviting, so make sure your narrow lot builders integrate efficient solar passive principles for this very reason.
Open up your options
Open plan living continues to be popular in narrow lot home designs as it stops the home feeling ‘boxy’ and gives flexibility in regards to furnishings and layout, broadening the market appeal of the home. A smart open plan design should integrate the kitchen, dining, living and alfresco into one voluminous area.
Get in the zone
While maximising living space is essential, where that living space is positioned throughout the home is equally as important. Clever zoning and room layout will ensure that the narrow lot home is a pleasure to live in. A great idea to help create a more functional narrow lot home is to incorporate private retreats for parents and children and a distinct entertaining area.
All season alfresco
It’s often worthwhile paying a little extra to create an alfresco that is sheltered and comfortable enough to allow year-round entertaining. A well designed, quality alfresco looks fantastic and lets residents enjoy all available living space virtually every day of the year.
More in store
Ample storage space is important in any home, yet achieving it requires some clever thinking in a narrow lot home design. Ask your narrow lot builders how they maximise storage space. For example, do they utilise the area under the stairs?
Stepping out upstairs
It sounds simple, but a well-sized balcony looks great, captures any views and adds to the space and appeal of your investment property. If a balcony fits into your budget, it is well worth considering.
Nooks and crannies
Those little nooks throughout a narrow lot home design should be put to good use. For example, a well-positioned study nook can replace the need for a dedicated study room, adding to the number of bedrooms in the home and hence optimising your <a href="https://www.summitprojects.com.au/finance/" target="_blank" title="Finance" data-id="1084">return on investment</a>.
No two narrow lots are created equal so crafting an intelligent and attractive narrow lot home design is a specialist skill.
If you’re ready to <a href="https://www.summitprojects.com.au/developments-perth/" target="_blank" title="Develop your land" data-id="1076">subdivide and build</a> on your narrow lot, speak to Summit Projects. Not only will they project manage the entire subdivision process for you, they have a leading range of narrow lot home designs (including two storey narrow lot homes) that are sure to optimise your final profit margin.
<a href="https://www.summitprojects.com.au/contact-us/" target="_blank" title="Contact us" data-id="1079">Contact the narrow block developers</a> (Perth) at Summit Projects today.
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Eight clever yet essential design traits for narrow lot developments: Summit Projects

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Hedley, the four-bedroom Italianate style Paddington terrace, sold at mid-week auction.
Hedley at 172 Jersey Road fetched $2.928 million.
Its reserve price was $2.5 million after the price guidance was lifted during the campaign from $2.35 million $2.4 million.
There was interest from 14 registered bidders for the unrenovated property, marketed by LJ Levi's Tim Stern and Elise Horscroft. 
The median price for a home in Paddington is $1,820,000 according to CoreLogic.
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Hedley, Paddington terrace sold at $2.928m

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GUEST OBSERVER 
Until now, residential occupiers have generally been able to take comfort that they were not under an obligation to take remediating action against risks of which they were not, and ought not reasonably have been, aware.  
Two recent decisions of Schultz v McCormack [2015] NSWCA 330 and Chandler v Silwood<a href="https://archive.sclqld.org.au/qjudgment/2016/QSC16-090.pdf"> </a>[2016] QSC 90 arguably elevate the burden upon residential occupiers, and call into question what a residential occupier ought to know, and do.  
In each case the Court was persuaded by expert evidence as to the measureable slip resistance values of steps, and was prepared the find that those results were compelling evidence of the slipperiness of the steps when wet, despite the occupiers’ own evidence that they had not found the steps to be slippery, that no concerns or complaints had been brought to their attention by others, and in the absence of knowledge of prior like incidents.
This article follows on from a publication by Barry.Nilsson.’s Nick Robson entitled <a href="https://www.bnlaw.com.au/page/Events__Publications/Insurance__Health_publications/Insurance__Health_publications__alerts/Insurance_Alerts/Public_Product_Liability/Residential_Occupiers_Found_Liable_Has_the_castle_been_breached/">‘</a>Residential Occupiers: Has the Castle Been Breached?’ published 11 November 2015, regarding the Schultz decision. Since then the occupiers, the McCormacks, have sought and been refused special leave to appeal to the High Court, on a narrow point of statutory construction pertaining to obvious risks.
 
In the intervening period judgment was recently handed down in the factually similar matter of Chandler, a Queensland Supreme Court decision in which Mr Silwood, a residential occupier, was found liable for injuries sustained as a result of a slip and fall by an entrant to his premises.
 
The claim arose out of an accident at Mr Silwood’s home on the night of 9 September 2008.
 
Mrs Chandler and Mr Silwood were the parents of a newborn child, but had separated prior to the date of the incident, and had never resided together. Mrs Chandler had been to Mr Silwood’s house on many occasions, and had arranged to bring the child to Mr Silwood’s premises on the night of the incident.
Upon arriving at Mr Silwood’s residence Mrs Chandler had left her child in her vehicle and walked from the driveway, along a concrete path and toward the house, intending to bring her arrival to Mr Silwood’s attention and summon his assistance to bring in the child, and her belongings. 
As she approached the house she slipped on one of two tiled steps in an alcove outside the front door, and fell, with her right arm extending through a glass panel in the front door, sustaining significant and disabling injuries to her dominant arm. 
Mrs Chandler had consumed some alcohol before attending at Mr Silwood’s residence on the evening of the incident, the amount and effect of which was in dispute. The trial judge ultimately concluded that the plaintiff’s blood alcohol concentration was unlikely to have had any deleterious effect on her capacity. 
Mr Silwood’s evidence was that he had hosed bat droppings from walls above and adjacent to the tiled alcove some five hours earlier, on the afternoon of the incident. He was not able to say whether the tiled steps in the alcove were wet or damp at the time of the incident, as a result of his earlier hosing. He conceded both after the incident and at trial that they may have been, but that he did not know. 
At trial the Court made findings of fact that residual moisture remained on the tiled steps. 
Mr Silwood’s evidence was otherwise that the tiled steps had been in situ when he bought the premises in 2000, that there had been no previous similar incidents or complaints by guests of them being slippery, and that he himself had never found them to be slippery in either wet or dry conditions.
A good Samaritan neighbour came to the assistance of Mrs Chandler after hearing the incident take place, and gave evidence at trial that she did not find the tiles or the steps slippery and could not recall seeing any water on them when she attended only moments after the incident.
Mrs Chandler tendered expert liability evidence comprising a report of Intersafe, which made certain assumptions about the angle of the plaintiff’s approach towards the steps, was critical of the slipperiness of the steps when wet and which indicated that water was unable to drain freely from the steps and was unlikely to have completely evaporated by the time of the plaintiff’s arrival.
There was one external light at the premises which was not illuminated at the time. 
Mrs Chandler alleged that Mr Silwood had breached his duty of care by failing to take steps in circumstances where he knew Mrs Chandler would be attending at his premises on the night of the incident, and where Mr Silwood had created a hazard by earlier hosing the walls adjacent to the tiled alcove and the step.
Her Honour Chief Justice Holmes found that, as a residential occupier, Mr Silwood owed Mrs Chandler a duty to take reasonable care to avoid a foreseeable risk of injury to her, on the premise that she was exercising reasonable care for her own safety. 
In the present situation, the duty included an obligation to take such precautions as a reasonable person in the circumstances would have taken by way of response to the risk of injury posed by the wet and slippery steps.
Despite unchallenged evidence that Mr Silwood had never found the steps to be slippery when wet, nor encountered any problem with them, the Court found that the effect of the moisture on the steps was to produce a significant risk of slipping, and that Mr Silwood had breached his duty of care. 
Her Honour found that a reasonable person in his position was required to take precautions and ought to have “made sure the stairs were dry or at least warned Ms Chandler…that they might be wet and should be taken with care, and would certainly have made sure that the light was on”. 
An appeal has been commenced in the Queensland Court of Appeal on behalf of Mr Silwood challenging a number of the findings at first instance. No date for the hearing of the appeal has been set. It remains to be seen whether the Court of Appeal will overturn the findings at first instance such that residential occupiers in Queensland are still ‘safe as houses’, with respect to defects at their premises of which they were not reasonably on notice, or whether the Castle has again been breached.
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<div id="news-author">Melanie Quixley is partner and Hannah Savins senior associate, Barry. Nilsson Lawyers and can be contacted <a href="https://www.bnlaw.com.au" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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Property 101: The legal burden on residential renters on remediating property risks

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/62964/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
A university education is a highly valued commodity in Asia. Australia has benefited from this in terms of the economic advantages international education has brought.
In 2015, there were 272,095 higher education international students in Australia who contributed almost A$12.5 billion to the economy. The vast majority were from Asia.
They also supported thousands of jobs and businesses across the property, hospitality and retail sectors in cities and regions.
However, developments in the higher education sector in a number of Asian countries may threaten Australia’s billion-dollar education industry.
<h2>Who are the rising Asian players?</h2>
The US and UK dominate the international education market in Asia, hosting 19% and 10% of the global share of international students.
More recently, however, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia have become more attractive destinations for Asian and non-Asian students, including those from the Middle East.
The attraction is due to a variety of factors, such as scholarships, job opportunities in the region, cultural and geographical advantages, and governments investing in higher education.
In 2013 these countries combined hosted 7% of the global share of international students, edging out Australia, which has 6% of the market share.
Many are looking to reform and improve their higher education sectors. Some have plans to almost double their international student intakes over the next four years. China is seeking to grow numbers by 500,000, Japan by 300,000 and Malaysia by 200,000 by 2020.
While Australia also aims to almost double its intake to close to a million by 2025, the Asian countries' targets may well prove formidable competition.
Malaysia and Singapore are attractive because of the availability of local jobs after graduation. Regardless of where they are from, international students on Singapore government-funded tuition grants are contractually obligated to work for locally based companies in the republic for three years. The aim of the scheme is to meet labour shortages and harness the skills of the graduate workforce.
In Australia, however, international students have few scholarship opportunities, and no local jobs specifically waiting for them after graduation.
Having an Australian qualification does not necessarily mean an international student will be employed in Australia. Here any foreigner – which is how international students are regarded once they finish their studies – must possess the skills Australia needs and/or undergo a skills assessment by the relevant Australian authority before they will be granted permission to work.
The movement of international students from developing nations to developed nations is no longer the norm within the region.
In South Korea, for instance, students are studying in Indonesian universities with the prospect of gaining employment with South Korean-based companies in Indonesia.
<h2>Moving up the global rankings</h2>
Asian universities are also punching their way up university rankings.
In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for 2015-2016, Asian universities outperformed Australian universities in the top 100 list.
Nine Asian universities in comparison to six Australian universities made the top 100.
The top Asian university, the National University of Singapore (NUS), ranked 26th, above Australia’s best performer, the University of Melbourne, which is 33rd.
And while there are more universities in Asia than in Australia, what is significant about such rankings is that key Asian universities are fast becoming globally recognised as premier research and teaching institutions. They are overtaking Australian institutions in the competitive higher education space.
The QS World University Rankings place Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University as the leading institution for universities under the age of 50 years.
Asian universities again dominated, with 16 institutions in the top 50 under 50. Australia had six universities in this category, with 14th-ranked University of Technology Sydney leading the pack.
Together with robust funding support from the government, NUS strategies for simply being the best include high calibre-recruitment, a commitment to innovation and collaborations with overseas partners such as the Singapore-based NUS-Yale College.
Asian education hubs have ambitions not only to maintain their positions but also to increase the number of their institutions at the high end of these rankings.
In 2013, Japan for instance launched its Top Global University Project to place ten or more of its universities in the global top 100. Like Singapore, the Japanese government has been providing generous funding to its premier universities to achieve this goal. The government invests millions of dollars in annual subsidies for its leading research and education institutions.
<h2>How can Australia stay competitive?</h2>
What can traditional players like Australia, the US and the UK do to maintain their competitive edge?
With Asian universities becoming some of the best in the world, it is vital that the traditional markets provide strong research funding support to their universities to build up their research and innovation strengths.
In 2013, according to the OECD, Australia invested 2.112% of its GDP in research and development. This is marginally more than the UK (1.664%), China (2.015%) and Singapore (2%), yet significantly less than Japan (3.482%), Korea (4.149%) and the US (2.742%).
Asian students and their families value quality education. Eventually they will look to universities that have globally recognised quality brands, which would help students with their own professional mobility.
A way for Australia to stay competitive would be through research collaborations and partnerships with Asian institutions.
If traditional and emerging markets are competing for students, it is imperative that strong research and teaching links be formed between universities from both sides of the divide.
One aspect of this discussion policymakers might want to consider is becoming host to satellite campuses from world-renowned universities.
So far only Carnegie Mellon has an offshore campus in Australia.
Having such satellite campuses creates not only diversity and internationalisation in the Australian higher education space, but also provides other benefits. These include more competitive choices of institutions on Australian soil, as well as greater opportunities for students to move between countries on exchange.
Having top Asian universities set up campuses in Australia promotes increased flows of top students and staff. This would help strengthen Australia’s position in the region as a high-quality education hub.
Catherine Gomes is senior lecturer, RMIT University and author for The Conversation. She can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/catherine-gomes-12634" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Rising players in higher education: the countries to watch out for

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/63455/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has sternly told the banks they should pass on the whole of Tuesday’s rate cut - or their chief executives must explain why they are not doing so.
After the Reserve Bank cut the cash rate by 25 basis points to 1.5 percent, the four big banks said they would pass on only part of the reduction. They have also said they are putting up their term deposits rates, to a greater or less extent.
Turnbull said the banks should be fully accountable. “It is up to them. They are big institutions. They operate with a very substantial social licence and they owe it to the Australian people and their customers to explain fully and comprehensively why they have not passed on the full rate cut and they must do so,” he said.
“They can’t just say ‘oh, it’s none or your business. Please don’t tell us how to run our business’.”
The banks should pass on the cut because it reduced their cost of funds, Turnbull said.
His tone was considerably tougher than that of Treasurer Scott Morrison on Tuesday - while Morrison said the banks should pass on the cut, he allowed them more slack than Turnbull has done.
“There is no real argument based on cost of funds that would mean that they shouldn’t pass [the cut on],” Morrison said. “But I do note that they have actually taken another action and that is to lift deposit rates. So you’ve got to look at the deposit rate increase and the mortgage rate decrease as a package of response from at least the two banks that have done that. But it’s for them to make that decision.”
The government is under some pressure on the broad issue of banks' behaviour, with Labor running hard in the election campaign on its call for a royal commission into the banks.
Michelle Grattan is professorial fellow, University of Canberra, and author for The Conversation. She can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/michelle-grattan-20316" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Turnbull to banks: pass on whole interest rate cut

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A Chinese company has purchased a historic cattle station featured in the Baz Lurhmann film, Australia, in a deal worth about $60 million.
Spanning 476,000 hectares across the Western Australian Ord River District, the deal was almost two years in the making.
Shanghai Zhongfu-owned Kimberley Agricultural Investments is the new owner of Carlton Hill and Ivanhoe, which operate as one station on the doorstep of Kununurra.
The properties, settled by the pioneering Durack family in 1893, are split by a 35km stretch of the Ord River.
Consolidated Pastoral Company will lease back the properties, which cover 662,900ha, and continue to use them to run about 50,000 cattle.
KAI gains 15,000ha of freehold land which it plans to develop for irrigated cropping after the sale was ticked off by Foreign Investment Review Board before the Federal election and approved by the State Government this week.
KAI general manager Jim Engelke said about half of the 15,000ha parcel of freehold land was suitable for farming.
Consolidated Pastoral Company is owned by the Britain-based investment firm Terra Firma.
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Chinese buy Ord River cattle station from the Brits

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GUEST OBSERVER 
There is growing anger in the WA property industry with the continuing delay in introducing much-needed reforms to the state’s antiquated strata title laws. 
The industry is calling on the Minister for Lands, Terry Redman to reconsider an announcement last month that the reforms are unlikely to make the 2016 Parliamentary priorities.  
After more than five years of consultation and promises it is disappointing that we still are still no closer to achieving strata reforms in WA in the near future.
“It is crucial that the state’s property laws keep up with the growing popularity of strata titles in WA. 
Over 40 percent of all new homes and many businesses in WA, are located in strata titled properties. 
However the current strata laws were not designed for this level of strata activity, which has resulted in a lot of complex systems and procedures for everyone involved in strata, including home buyers, property managers, investors and developers.
Key reforms that we are waiting for, include: community titles and staged strata developments to create better places to live and work; leasehold strata to enable groups like universities and church groups to do strata development; improvements to management of strata schemes and easier ways to settled strata disputes; and better buyer information.
Unfortunately the lack of strata reforms will impact the anticipated wave of activity centre development in Perth and the regions. 
Some developments will go ahead but they will miss out on the innovations that would be possible with reforms like community titles, and other developments will be delayed until the reforms are introduced.
Meanwhile strata buyers and strata managers will have to continue to struggle with out-dated systems.
Lino Iacomella is executive director, Property Council WA and can be contacted <a href="https://www.propertycouncil.com.au" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Industry anger at delayed strata reform: Property Council WA

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GUEST OBSERVER
The Eastern seaboard markets have performed counter-cyclically to growth in wages and GDP, both of which are trending below the historical average.
When wages are low but growth in housing is high, the credit used to fund this growth in housing is found elsewhere.
Reportedly, an increased number of Australians coming into retirement have used money in a Self-Managed Super Fund (SMSF) to take out a loan for property. The new normal of low economic growth and low yields from most assets makes east-coast property an economic anomaly.
Graph 3 shows the latest data from the Australian Taxation Office on SMSFs. The graph plots the number of SMSFs and the asset allocation to property, at each quarter over the last 5 years.
Graph 3: Percentage of Real Estate Assets in SMSFs vs No. SMSFs
<a href="/images/2016/08/04/Graph_3.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/08/04/Graph_3.jpg" alt="">
Source: ATO, SMSF Statistical Report September 2015
Without a longer time series, it is difficult to say whether residential property has made up an increasing percentage of retirement portfolios. However, the increase of SMSFs with a fairly consistent rate of allocation to residential real estate suggests this could be one source of growth in the Australian housing market.
From the March to September quarter of 2015, there was an increase of allocation to residential property from SMSFs, of 0.43 percent. This was a time when the Sydney market was coming into its peak growth rates for this cycle.
Interestingly, the same period saw a higher increase in the share of commercial property that composed SMSFs assets. This could be because the ATO sometimes permits the purchase of business premises for fund members to operate in. Commercial property also presents a favourable tax environment, with a capital gains tax of just 10 percent if the property is held for over 12 months.
These trends are important to note as they highlight the sources of demand outside of Australian wages and employment. When there are multiple sources of demand flowing into a locally supplied market, property prices could be affected by the current regulatory uncertainty around superannuation.
It is also important to note that the oldest baby boomers in Australia are now at retirement age. The property purchased through SMSFs will one day need to be liquidated in order to supplement pension income and address extremely high health and aged care costs. If a large number of stock is to be liquidated at once, this could erode some value in the properties owned by retirees, unless offset by an increased population.
Eliza Owen, is market analyst for Onthehouse.com.au and can be contacted <a href="https://www.onthehouse.com.au/" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Housing and an ageing population: Eliza Owen

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GUEST OBSERVER
The announcement by NSW Planning Minister Rob Stokes that plans have been made for Wilton New Town and that the boundaries of the Greater Macarthur Priority Growth Area are to be extended is good news for managing Sydney’s growth.
Sydney’s growth needs new greenfield development as well as inner-city urban renewal.
A number of Urban Taskforce members are developing sites in the Wilton and Macarthur areas and they will be encouraged by the government’s announcement of the expanded growth area.
The go-ahead for Wilton New Town will give a focus to development in the area and ensure that jobs are able to be located in the region. The extension of the growth area boundaries to include the land release areas of Menangle Park and Mt Gilead will ensure an ongoing supply of new housing sites.
Care will need to be taken about the cost of levies that contribute to the funding of infrastructure to ensure that the levy costs do not over inflate the cost of new homes. Clearly contributions will be needed towards necessary infrastructure but Government also has a role to ensure timely delivery of this infrastructure.
As Sydney grows from a city of 5 million to 8 million over the next 40 years the boom in inner city apartment buildings must be balanced by medium density dwellings and by houses built on green field sites like the Greater Macarthur Priority Growth Area.
Chris Johnson is chief executive officer of property development industry group Urban Taskforce and can be contacted <a href="https://www.urbantaskforce.com.au/index.php?option=com_content&amp;view=article&amp;id=97&amp;Itemid=126#.Vdaart55dFI" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Greater Macarthur Priority Growth Area plans important for Sydney’s growth

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The thinking behind yesterday's RBA cash rate is illustrated by today's RBA chart pack. 
Here's five that Property Observer suggests are helpful.
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August 2016 RBA chart pack gives interest rate insights

A landmark former orphanage site in Surrey Hills could be transformed into a new residential community under plans lodged by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/antipodean-land-developments">Antipodean Land Developments</a> that would deliver 76 apartments and townhouses while restoring some of the suburb's most significant heritage buildings.

The burgeoninng Melbourne-based developer has submitted plans for the 9,158 sqm site at 1 Kent Road and 24 Durham Road, home to the former St Joseph's Home for Destitute Children, a historic institutional complex dating back to the late 19th century. The proposal seeks to adaptively reuse several heritage buildings while introducing two new four-storey residential buildings set within extensive landscaped grounds.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a> and Kerstin Thompson Architects, the project has been conceived as a contemporary residential village embedded within a restored heritage precinct. The development team describes the design approach as "The Village in the Garden," with new buildings positioned among mature landscaping by OCULUS and significant heritage structures.

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="44ec8c1b-c0b6-44ae-859e-5811b3e6a023" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%281%29.png?VersionId=p.p1_KFh4iQoV4nisdnPfQBAsWNi7m79" />

The proposal would deliver 76 dwellings comprising a mix of apartments and duplex-style residences, significantly increasing housing supply on one of the largest privately held residential landholdings in Surrey Hills. The development includes 127 car spaces, 24 bicycle spaces and more than 1,000 sqm of communal amenity, with the existing chapel building earmarked for conversion into resident facilities.

According to the planning submission, the project centres on the restoration and adaptive reuse of the site's most significant heritage assets, including the original c.1889 St Joseph's building, the chapel designed by architect Augustus Andrew Fritsch, and the historic brick perimeter walls and entry gates. The proposal also incorporates the retention of other contributory buildings including the former infirmary and school building.

Tract Consultants, in the planning report accompanying the application, said the scheme had been shaped through extensive heritage analysis and design development.

"The shared vision for the Site by the project team has culminated in a scheme which successfully breathes life back into a historic site while delivering upon the objectives of Victoria's Housing Statement in a carefully curated and contextually responsive manner."

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7263b7d8-95ea-400f-9531-6ca7d22c3c33" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%282%29.png?VersionId=4cR1tiWOsDpgxEOwZi5vVFcyvvOsYkIE" />

The proposal is being assessed under Victoria's Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway. As part of the application, three per cent of the project's residential development cost would be contributed to the Social Housing Growth Fund. The development would also provide a diverse mix of one, two and three-bedroom residences targeting a broader range of buyers than typically found in Surrey Hills' detached housing market.

Sustainability initiatives include an anticipated 66 per cent BESS score, natural cross-ventilation to 80 per cent of apartments, 28 per cent deep soil landscaping and a canopy cover outcome exceeding local planning requirements. The proposal also sets aside more than 1,083 sqm for communal indoor and outdoor resident amenity spaces.

<img alt="First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="33fad46f-fe26-4d0a-acfd-6b776e1c6a3d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design.png?VersionId=D9F6WVSyYCtGvSUmith35LRp6R7PQkw_" />

Planning documents describe the property as one of the largest underutilised residential sites in Surrey Hills, arguing it presents a rare opportunity to introduce "missing middle" housing in an established inner-eastern suburb while preserving and revitalising a significant heritage precinct.

Antipodean Land Developments has built a reputation for design-focused residential projects across Melbourne, particularly in the medium-density sector. Previous developments include Neighbourhood in Brunswick East, delivered with Breathe Architecture, and Balfe Park Lane, designed by Kerstin Thompson Architects.

They've been very active in site acquisition as they build out their future development pipeline. They recently launched Thornubury House, 45 apartments above a mix of commercial, retail, and food and beverage tenancies, and have plans for a boutique project in Fitzroy and another <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/vic/antipodean-plan-apartments-for-deepdenes-missing-middle-on-whitehorse-road">"missing middle" project</a> on Deepdene's Whitehorse Road.

Joel Robinson

First look: Antipodean Land Developments plans heritage-led apartment community in Surrey Hills

Developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/auyin-property-development">Auyin</a> is the latest to turn to the Victorian Government's Development Facilitation Program in an effort to secure approval for its long-planned, mixed-use project in Elsternwick.

In 2018, Auyin lodged plans with Glen Eira City Council for a 14-storey building, however Council approved a reduced eight-storey scheme. A subsequent VCAT appeal in 2019 upheld the eight-storey height limit.

The project was later amended to nine storeys, but Auyin is now seeking to revive something closer to its original vision. The developer argues that the planning context has evolved significantly over the past decade, particularly within the Elsternwick Activity Centre, where higher-density development has increasingly been encouraged along Glen Huntly Road.

The proposal would transform the 1,239 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/7-12-horne-street-elsternwick-vic-3185">7-15 Horne Street</a>, opposite Elsternwick Railway Station, into a 13-storey residential and retail development designed by CBG Architects, with 40 apartments

The site currently comprises three commercial properties.

<img alt="First look: 13-storey mixed-use tower planned for Elsternwick activity centre" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5f465dd4-509b-4082-a669-0253b313914b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/elsternwick%20podium.png?VersionId=72frWi0SmQ5AVJ3ARRhX5ILUYObhTm7x" />

The proposed apartment mix comprises 25 two-bedroom and 15 three-bedroom residences above 200 sqm of retail space at ground level. Residents would have access to a 90 sqm wellness facility, a 351 sqm communal indoor and outdoor terrace on the third level, and extensive landscaped areas throughout the development. A publicly accessible 135 sqm plaza would be created on the north-east corner of the site, providing seating, landscaping, and a new gathering space adjoining Horne Street.

The design adopts a four-storey podium that references the finer-grain character of the surrounding streetscape, with the upper tower recessed behind generous setbacks on all boundaries.

<img alt="First look: 13-storey mixed-use tower planned for Elsternwick activity centre" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e637e763-2abc-4c34-a0aa-5c7ad36fae18" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/elsternwick%20open.png?VersionId=J1AoOpZgTyaF.KeeFSX6lMjEScX8KKRi" />

A key element of the proposal is the reconfiguration and widening of the surrounding laneways. Vehicle access would be retained from Lois Lane, with upgraded pedestrian connections linking Ross Street and Horne Street. The development would provide 58 residential car spaces, two retail car spaces, and 52 bicycle spaces across two basement levels and ground-floor facilities.

Architecturally, the building draws inspiration from the established character of Elsternwick Village. The façade combines dark charcoal brickwork, textured concrete, bronze-toned metal detailing, and extensive planting integrated into podium and tower levels. The design also incorporates a chamfered corner treatment and publicly accessible plaza intended to strengthen pedestrian activity around the station precinct.

Elsternwick's last new development completion was&nbsp;EVA Elsternwick by Pitard late last year. <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/milieu-property">Milieu</a> is working away on its nature-led neighbourhood, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/elsternwick-gardens-by-milieu-8-gordon-street-elsternwick-vic-3185">Elsternwick Gardens</a>, on Gordon Street, with its first stage expected to complete next year.

First look: Auyin seeks mixed-use apartment project in growing Elsternwick Activity Centre

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/otium-parkdale-123-125-como-parade-east-parkdale-vic-3195">Otium Parkdale</a>, the 13-residence boutique development by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/huxtable-property">Huxtable Property</a>, has entered its final stages of delivery, with completion expected within the coming month and more than half of the residences sold.

The Como Parade East project is nearing the finish line at a time when opportunities to purchase new apartments in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/parkdale-vic-3195">Parkdale</a> remain exceptionally limited. Fewer than 10 per cent of dwellings in the bayside suburb are apartments, making developments like Otium a relatively rare addition to a market traditionally dominated by detached housing.

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The three-level development comprises 13 residences, including ten two-bedroom apartments and three larger three-bedroom homes, all positioned above a secure basement car park.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/almeida-architects">Almeida Architects</a> with a strong connection to its coastal surroundings, Otium combines red brick, exposed concrete and dark metal detailing with integrated landscaping and greenery. Expansive glazing, generous balconies and terraces have been incorporated throughout the design to maximise natural light and reinforce indoor-outdoor living.

Inside, the residences feature engineered European oak flooring, natural and reconstituted stone benchtops, Bosch kitchen appliances, ducted heating and cooling, lift access and secure entry systems. The larger three-bedroom residences on the upper level have been designed with house-like proportions, while the two-bedroom apartments prioritise functionality, flexibility and low-maintenance living.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134974 project_image_fid=5421]

The project is now in its final stages, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/labco">Labco</a> completing the remaining landscaping and external finishing works following the completion of the residences' interiors.

Otium's location within the heart of Parkdale continues to underpin its appeal. Residents will be just steps from local cafés, restaurants, shops and the newly elevated Parkdale Station, while the beach is less than a kilometre away.

With the project tracking ahead of schedule, buyers can currently secure a residence with a five per cent deposit and benefit from settlement terms of up to eight months. The advanced stage of construction also provides buyers with the opportunity to walk through the near-complete residences and experience the quality and finishes firsthand ahead of completion.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134974]

Otium Parkdale enters final month before completion as rare apartment opportunity nears sellout

A new boutique apartment development is entering the market in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/chermside-qld-4032">Chermside</a>, with Brisbane-based developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ausdev">Ausdev</a> bringing 33 residences to a well-connected pocket of Brisbane's north.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/parkdrive-apartments-chermside-25-sammells-drive-chermside-qld-4032">Parkdrive Apartments</a>, at 25 Sammells Drive, will comprise a mix of one- and two-bedroom residences positioned within walking distance of Westfield Chermside, The Prince Charles Hospital, and Bradbury Park.

Established in 1989, Ausdev has a long-standing presence across both development and construction, with Parkdrive Apartments representing its latest residential project in Brisbane's northern suburbs.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152125 project_image_fid=363778]

The development has been designed around open-plan living and natural light, with residences featuring stone benchtops, timber cabinetry, BOSCH appliances, and private balconies that extend the living areas outdoors.

Kitchens are positioned as the centrepiece of the homes, incorporating natural material palettes and integrated appliances, while bathrooms have been designed with a focus on functionality and understated finishes.

Residents will have access to a communal barbecue and entertaining area on Level 3, providing shared outdoor space within the development. Secure parking and lift access are also incorporated into the building.

The project will deliver a limited collection of 33 apartments, with one-bedroom residences priced from $749,000.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152125 project_image_fid=363782]

Beyond the building itself, the location places residents within easy reach of several of Chermside's key amenities. Bradbury Park is around 350 metres away, while Westfield Chermside is approximately 1.3 kilometres from the site. The Prince Charles Hospital is located within 750 metres, and the Chermside Bus Interchange is around 1.5 kilometres away, providing connections across Brisbane.

Parkdrive Apartments adds to the growing residential pipeline in Chermside, a suburb that continues to evolve as a major retail, healthcare, and transport hub for Brisbane's north.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152125]

Ausdev introduces boutique Parkdrive Apartments to Chermside's growing centre

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/skymark-group">Skymark</a>'s boutique Cronulla development Solis has secured a 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy through Resilience Insurance, providing buyers of the 16-residence building on Ewos Parade with structural and waterproofing protection that extends a decade beyond the building's completion.

Currently under construction and due for completion in late 2027, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/solis-cronulla-8-ewos-parade-cronulla-nsw-2230">Solis</a> is one of a small number of new developments in the Sutherland Shire to carry Resilience LDI coverage, a distinction that carries increasing weight as buyer confidence in the off-the-plan sector continues to be shaped by how developers stand behind their product.

Latent Defects Insurance, which entered the Australian market in 2022 when Resilience Insurance was approved to offer the cover, protects buyers against major structural or waterproofing defects for ten years post-completion. Unlike traditional statutory warranties, it operates as a first-resort policy, if a covered defect arises, the insurer responds directly, without the buyer needing to pursue the builder or developer through a lengthy claims process.

Resilience Insurance CEO Corey Nugent has noted that the product addresses something fundamental to the new apartment market.

"The overarching feedback from prospective buyers in the new development space is that they want more confidence and assurances around the quality of the build," Nugent says.

"Resilience Insurance Latent Defects Insurance not only gives them complete peace of mind for 10 years, but it shows the developer they are buying from is standing by their product."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370898]

For Solis, the Resilience LDI policy adds a meaningful layer of accountability to an already considered project. The development comprises nine two-bedroom and seven three-bedroom residences, including one dual-level three-bedroom apartment, across a five-storey building on Ewos Parade, positioned between Shelly Beach and South Cronulla.

Garden apartments connect directly to private landscaped courtyards, while upper-level homes capture beach views to the east from level four and above.&nbsp;

All 16 residences include at least one balcony or courtyard, and select apartments on the upper floors feature bar areas and secondary flexible living spaces.

Hiba Sander, Managing Director of Skymark, says Solis offers a rare balance, nestled between the quiet beauty of secluded beaches and the lively charm of South Cronulla's esplanade.

"It's a place to choose your pace and live gracefully, seaside'," Sander says.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370900]

The architecture, designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ida-design-group">IDA Design Group</a>'s Michael Trinh, draws from the natural erosion patterns of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/cronulla-nsw-2230">Cronulla</a>'s sandstone headlands, translating the organic forms of the coastline into soft curves, pavilion-style massing, and a material palette chosen for longevity in a salt-tinged environment.&nbsp;

Textured natural stone, soft renders, and timber-look battens reference the tones of the surrounding cliffs, while the building has been oriented to maximise natural light and passive ventilation, with primary living spaces facing north and east to capture morning sun and sea breezes.

"At Solis, our aim was to create architecture that feels quietly confident, grounded in natural materials like stone and timber, and elevated by light and landscape," Trinh says.&nbsp;

"The buildings are designed to sit gently within their coastal surrounds, with expansive glazing and abundant greenery creating a seamless dialogue between inside and out."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370897]

Interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hot-black">Hot Black</a> carry the same material language through to every room. Kitchens feature integrated Gaggenau appliances, sculpted stone benchtops, and Lo &amp; Co joinery, while bathrooms feature natural stone, timber, and brushed metal finishes.&nbsp;

Hot Black Founder and Design Director Sophie Safrin describes the intent as one of considered restraint: "At Solis, every detail has been thoughtfully considered to create a timeless coastal retreat, calm, refined, and effortlessly liveable. From natural finishes to seamless indoor-outdoor flow, Solis offers a quiet elegance that's deeply connected to its surroundings.

The landscape, designed by Julian Brady of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/sitedesignstudios">Site Design Studios</a>, treats green space as an integral part of the resident experience rather than an afterthought.&nbsp;

"Gentle curves and layered native plantings mirror the ebb and flow of the ocean," Julian Brady says, "creating a serene connection between architecture and place."&nbsp;

Coco Republic has provided bespoke furniture packages tailored to the project's coastal palette.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150499 project_image_fid=370899]

Skymark has an established track record in the Sutherland Shire, with a portfolio spanning Cronulla, Woolooware and Burraneer that includes Isla, Sylva, Bask, Shells, Sula and Mist. Securing LDI on Solis reflects a broader shift in how the developer is positioning its buildings to buyers, at a time when Resilience Insurance expects the policy to become mandatory in New South Wales by 2028.

Sales at Solis are launching soon through Ray White Projects, with an official event scheduled for 11 June. Enquire for more information.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150499]

Jonathan Chancellor

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