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Wentworth Park heads the housing developer's golden egg inner city development site prospects after the decision of the NSW government to ban greyhound racing.
It could lead to its eventual sale, along with many of the other dog tracks across the state.
With Wentworth Park's proximity to the Sydney CBD, the four hectares could fetch $160 million plus with keen competition tipped to send it soaring possibly higher.
Developer's won't be just the only buyers sitting in the abandoned 10,000-capacity race track stadium dreaming of buying, as interest is also likely from nearby universities wishing to expand their campuses.
Entrepreneurial sporting codes wanting to develop a new sports arena will be hovering, perhaps returning to the site which has previously hosted sports including rugby league and speedway in decades past.
Even Clover Moore's City of Sydney will want the race track, which sits on Crown land, to see it returned to a foreshore park. Zoning and density will be key determinants on any sale price. 
And the government late yesterday promised there will be no residential and commercial use for the track. 
 
"It would be open space and [for] community use,"a spokesman for Premier Mike Baird said in a surprise response. 
Mirvac's $187 million purchase in 2010 of nearby the Harold Park Raceway set the price benchmark when it secured its 10 hectare plot which has become a $1 billion Glebe residential hub where the first release of its 1250 homes had 45 sqm studios selling at $499,000.
The Wentworth Park site could possibly hold around 800 apartments and terraces.
The NSW government's White Bay Power Station redevelopment in Sydney's inner-west recently attracted 13 tenders, showing keen commercial space buying interest, but none were accepted.
Even the regional dog race tracks are worth a considerable amount, but not all are government owned. Dapto Agricultural &amp; Horticultural (A&amp;H) Society Inc own the Dapto course. Others are privately owned or by local councils. There are some tracks including the Yagoona based Potts Park which have previously attracted developer interest. 
Access Economics noted that the greyhound industry had been a key feature in regional areas, some dating back many decades in prime locations such as the Hasting River club at Wauchope which commenced in the 1950s.
Greyhound Racing NSW's last property purchase was a 2014 acquisition of $1.2 Wyee property called the Playhouse Pet Motel used as a facility to give dogs a post-racing adopted future.
It also purchased The Gardens sporting complex at Wallsend which was previously home to the National Soccer League team, Newcastle Breakers.
But The Gardens was still not ever financially viable.
The 3.95 hectare sporting complex at Wentworth Park in Glebe has its property, plant, grandstand, racetrack and equipment valued at $50,963,000 (nett) in recent financial statements.
It is on the books at a $96 million gross carrying value.
The area was originally the swampy mouth of the creek known as Black Wattle or Blakwattle Creek.
The swamp was polluted by various noxious industries which led to the swamp being filled due to the stench of the water.
Filling was completed in 1860 and by 1882 ovals, greens, paths, lakes were named after NSW statesman, William Charles Wentworth
It wasn't until October 1932 that greyhound racing began in the park. 
In 1979 the then ruling body, the National Coursing Association applied to construct a large new grandstand which was completed in 1985.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

NSW greyhound racing ban opens inner city residential development possibilities

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/57114/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
And there has not been a delay of the NBN… Because of Malcolm Turnbull’s management of the NBN, it will all be finished by 2020, not 2024 as Labor was promising, with speeds that people want and need. – Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science Christopher Pyne, speaking on Q&amp;A, May 23, 2016.
The election campaign has brought national broadband network policy back into the spotlight, particularly as the incumbent prime minister was responsible for the National Broadband Network (NBN) in his previous role as communications minister.
Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science Christopher Pyne told Q&amp;A there has not been a delay of the NBN. Is that right?
<h2>2013: the year of election promises and reviews</h2>
The Conversation contacted a spokesperson for Christopher Pyne seeking comment and sources to support his statement, but did not hear back before deadline.
Nevertheless, most of the documents on the recent history of the NBN can be found online.
As acknowledged in this Coalition document, the previous Labor government promised to deliver an NBN by a deadline of 2021 (not 2024 as Pyne stated on Q&amp;A).
Prior to the 2013 federal election, the nbn co under the then-Labor government said it planned to deliver a predominantly fibre to the premises (FTTP) network by 2021.
But there were delays in negotiating with Telstra for access to ducts and pits, the discovery of asbestos in some of Telstra’s network, and other teething problems.
In their 2013 pre-election promises, the Coalition said its goal was to provide everyone in the nation with access to broadband with download data rates of between 25 and 100 megabits per second by the year 2016. They also planned to deliver between 50 and 100 megabits per second by the end of 2019 to 90 percent of the fixed line footprint. That election commitment, the Coalition said, “assumes the current NBN Co satellite and fixed wireless networks are deployed on schedule.”
But after the election, the Coalition’s dropped its promise to deliver 25 to 100 megabits per second to everyone in the nation by 2016.
Then communications minister Malcolm Turnbull said that a December 2013 Strategic Review of the NBN commissioned by the new government had found that the NBN is in a fundamentally worse position than the Labor Government at any time disclosed to Parliament or the Australian public.
The strategic review also said that Labor’s NBN would not have been completed until 2024.
<h2>2015: New plans</h2>
In 2015, the nbn co issued its 2016 corporate plan.
In this document, the company now estimated that Labor’s plan for an all-FTTP fixed line rollout could be completed by 2026 but possibly as late as 2028.
However, this revised estimate has been challenged by former nbn co CEO, Mike Quigley, who said in a 2015 article that
For that to be correct, one has to assume that for the next 13 years, nbn co will roll out just 12,300 premises per week on average. Fewer premises than it regularly passes each week today… It is almost certainly true that an all-FTTP NBN would take longer to complete than its inferior MTM counterpart [the Multi-Technology Mix proposed by the Coalition]. But it would likely only be longer by one to three years.
In late 2015, an nbn co spokesman was reported as saying that the company had deliberately chosen to take a more gradual approach to [fibre to the node or FTTN] activations than was originally flagged.
<h2>The 2016 leaks</h2>
Early in 2016, internal nbn co documents were leaked to the media.
These and other leaked documents – which were at the centre of a recent Australian Federal Police raid on a Labor offices and a staffer’s home in an effort to find the leaker – were reported as showing bottlenecks and delays in the fibre to the node (FTTN) and hybrid fibre coax (HFC) components of the NBN rollout.
In response, nbn co said: NBN has met or exceeded every key target for six quarters in a row.
Current nbn co chair Ziggy Switkowski wrote on May 28, 2016 that "The company will meet its targets for the ninth quarter in a row… There are no “cost blowouts” or “rollout delays” to the publicly released plans."
It’s beyond the scope of FactCheck to say with any certainty whether the leaked documents accurately reflect the full picture.
It’s important to note that as any technical and other teething problems are resolved, nbn co should be able to ramp up the roll-out rate to improve its chances of meeting a 2020 completion project date.
Internet access speeds around the world are growing rapidly, and this growth is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. Australia’s internet speeds are slow compared to other developed countries.
Verdict
Christopher Pyne’s assertion that there have been “no delays” in the implementation of the NBN is inaccurate. Some delays occurred under the Labor government, and the early stages of the FTTN rollout under the current government have been slower than the Coalition originally envisaged.
Leaked documents and reported statements by an nbn co spokesperson also suggest delays occurred under the Coalition government. However, nbn co rejects that, saying it has met or exceeded its key targets.
Labor promised a completion date of 2021, not 2024 as Pyne said. It was the December 2013 Strategic Review of the NBN commissioned by the Coalition government that said Labor’s NBN would not have been completed until 2024. – Rod Tucker
REVIEW
This article is factual and correct. As stated in the article, delays in the nbn co’s roll out is also self evident by comparing the original deployment date promises made before the 2013 federal election with the the revised schedule outlined in the December 2013 strategic review of the NBN, initiated by the Coalition government. – Thas Ampalavanapillai Nirmalathas
Rod Tucker is laureate Emeritus Professor, University of Melbourne and author for The Conversation. He con be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rod-tucker-2000" target="_blank">here</a>.
 
 
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Election FactCheck Q&A: has the NBN been delayed?

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Senator-elect and One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has her Gold Coast investment apartment relisted for sale.
<a href="https://www.raywhite.com/qld/biggera-waters/1460626/" target="_blank">The two-bedroom ground floor Biggera Waters unit</a> on Loder Street was bought with her son Adam for $220,000 in 2007.
She first tried to offload it in 2008 for $298,000, then in 2010 with a $320,000 desire which was reduced to a $279,000 asking price.
Now it's up for sale seeking offers above $285,000 through Paul Parry of Ray White Labrador.
It comes with very low body corporate fees at $40 a week. It was last offered for rent at $300 a week in early 2015, representing a gross return of about 5.5 per cent to any would-be-investor buyer.
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Pauline Hanson lists her Gold Coast investment apartment 

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Visionary Investment Group has announced the arrival of Silkari – an exceptional hotel and residential brand that will deliver a new level of luxury in Australia. 
Silkari will launch in Australia with three properties billed as bringing together "the finest of East and West with an extraordinary level of service."
Silkari Suites at Chatswood are set to open 1 December with registrations of interest and sales for Silkari on Castelreagh and S Pagewood available through The Property Gallery from 1 July.
S by Pagewood (above) will feature 219 apartments and 37 townhouses.
VIG chief executive officer Michael Guo said Silkari will offer a new level of luxury, weaving together the finest elements from cultures and destinations across the world to create transcendent experiences that define a new standard in the Australian market.   “At VIG we sought some of the best designers, architects and partners from around Australia and the globe and brought them together to create a brand that will represent a new level of style for all to enjoy.  
"I am extremely proud today to be revealing Silkari to the market and excited about the delivery of our first three projects, as well as many more that we have in the pipeline."
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Visionary bring Silkari to Australian hotel market

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Property funds manager and ­industrial property specialist Propertylink is nearing its ASX float.
A listing would mark the ­return of former Valad boss ­Stephen Day to the public arena, with the company structured as a stapled vehicle that will specialise in core-plus style investing.
As revealed in The Australian in May Propertylink will seek to raise $500 million plus.
Two high-profile investors have emerged as backers to ASX-aspirant and real estate and infrastructure fund manager, Propertylink, The Australian Financial Review Street Talk column has revealed.
Point Capital, run by former Macquarie power bankers Michael Carapiet and John Prendiville, was approached about one year ago to inject capital into Propertylink.
Carapiet had several executive roles at Macquarie over 25 years, and Prendiville was a 20-year veteran and global head at Macquarie.
Goldman and Grosvenor are looking for an opportunity to sell down their stakes.
Carapiet and Prendiville's emergence in the Propertylink deal comes after sponsor broker Goldman Sachs set a $568 million to $690 million equity valuation range for the float.
Propertylink has snapped up a portfolio of eight industrial assets across four Australian states for $135.3 million from Charter Hall in May.
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Propertylink IPO nears

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The former property developer Warren Anderson is suing the mortgage fund, Angas Securities and his receivers KordaMentha.
He is seeking $174 million, claiming they acted inappropriately in selling up his assets and forcing him into bankruptcy.
The lodgement of the statement of claim by Warren Anderson and his children, revealed today in The Australian, comes as shares in Angas on second-tier bourse the National Stock Exchange of Australia were suspended from trading yesterday given its wider concerns.
The Australian on Tuesday revealed Angas, which owes investors $220 million, had missed another deadline to repay investors.
Facing major financial problems, Angas has failed to meet any of the first three instalments in time and in full and trustee The Trust Company has said it is now “deeply concerned” Angas will not be able to make the payments.
The Anderson issue arose after Anderson’s family trust Owston Nominees No 2 borrowed money from Angas.
In March 2009 Angas appointed receivers KordaMentha to the trust following a breakdown of Mr Anderson’s marriage.
KordaMentha and Angas took control of Owston’s biggest asset, the Fernhill mansion at Mulgoa in western Sydney.
A spokeswoman for KordaMentha told the Australia the firm was not handling the case because the two former partners who had overseen the Owston receivership, Chris Powell and Stephan Duncan, were no longer with the company.
Their Adelaide-based firm DuncanPowell would be responding to Mr Anderson’s claims, she said, although they had not yet been served so were unable to comment.
Fernhill is currently for sale. Set on 383 hectares at the foot of the Blue Mountains, its stunning seven bedroom sandstone residence was completed in the 1840s for the Cox pioneering family.
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Warren Anderson sues Angas in Fernhill, Mulgoa saga

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The Swiss-Belhotel International Group will open its first Australian hotel in Brisbane on the 1st October 2016.
Swiss-Belhotel is a rapidly growing, Hong Kong based international brand that currently spans twenty countries with over seven thousand staff.
Swiss-Belhotel Brisbane is situated at 218 Vulture St, South Brisbane.
The site was selected because of its proximity to River Quay, South Bank, the Gabba and nearby Royal Children's Hospital, Mater Hospital and Ronald McDonald House.
The 134 room hotel is made up of 108 Superior Rooms, 14 Deluxe Studios (45 sq metres) and 12 Executive Studios (54 sq metres).  
Swiss-Belhotel International Chairman and President Gavin Faull said he was presented with this exciting opportunity in Brisbane two years ago.
"We were so impressed that we have taken a long term lease on the hotel and invested in the property''.
 Cafe 63 at Swiss-Belhotel will be an expanded version of the very popular Cafe 63 in Brisbane.
Gavin Faull has built the portfolio of hotels under his management from just three to well over 135 that stretch across the globe incorporating the Middle East, Europe, China, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand. 
The brand now spans twenty countries and employs over seven thousand people.
There is no sign of a slowdown with plans to have at least 40 hotels managed by Swiss-Belhotel International in Australia within ten years.
Gavin Faull, a New Zealand born dairy and tourism entrepreneur is in Australia this week.
Faull aims to have 10 hotels managed by Swiss-Belhotel International in Australia within five years.
"We were introduced to the Horan Group by Mr Ian Pert of GPM Consulting and Project Managers and were very impressed with the hotel project, with the location and with the developers. 
"We have been working together for almost two years. 
"We were so impressed that we have taken a long term lease on the hotel and invested in the property.
''Swiss-Belhotel Brisbane is on a long term lease by Swiss-Belhotel International where the developer has been able to secure their return by leasing to an international management company yet has been able to work very closely with Swiss-Belhotel International to develop a truly international hotel product. 
"There are also strata title apartments in the complex and Swiss-Belhotel International will be managing those apartments as well as handling the letting services for those apartments.
"A unique fusion of property development; individual investment opportunities managed and incorporated into an international hotel operation''.
''This is Swiss-Belhotel International offering the investor community an alternative management and property product to the other many products in this investment space in Australia. We are an exciting alternative'', he concluded.
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New property brand, Swiss-Belhotel International launching in Brisbane

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Allure on Ludwick Cannon Hill is a development by Your Style Homes which is now almost sold out with just two apartments left.  
The apartments featured an oversized floor plan which is above the average apartment square meterage for a Brisbane one bedroom dwelling.
Managing director Dean Parker believes this offering has formed a large part of its success in a tough apartment market. 
The newly completed 58 Ludwick Street project by developers Your Style Homes has one-bedroom units featuring a combined internal and external floor space of 69 sqm including balcony or courtyard, significantly larger than Brisbane’s reported typical one bedroom apartment size of 52 sqm. 
Just two dwellings remain for sale in the 30-apartment complex after the project launched to market in late 2015 with prices starting from $325,000. 
The development is now attracting strong interest from younger renters who have begun to move in. 
Dean Parker said the apartments addressed all buyers’ wish lists in a suburb with a low suburb vacancy rate of just 1.22 per cent. 
“Our spacious, well-designed one bedroom apartments started at $325,000 - well below the $400,000 to $499,000 price point, considered the “sweet spot” for a one bedroom Brisbane apartment.  
 “These apartments offered two different colour schemes and a choice of a balcony or courtyard with secure car parking, providing a spacious and high quality offering residents. 
“We know buyers seeking one and two-bedroom stock are price-sensitive but also wish to purchase a dwelling that maximises value for money through a lower price coupled with strong potential yields. This value was recognised by buyers at Allure, and has now been passed on to renters who are now eager to move into the development,” Mr Parker said. 
The project sits less than 10 kilometres to Brisbane’s CBD and is placed 150 metres from the forthcoming $600m East Village precinct which is set to offer high quality retail and restaurant options from the designers of Brisbane’s Emporium.
Allure apartments are only a 550m walk to Cannon Hill’s Kmart Plaza. 
The two apartments remaining for sale include one one-bedroom apartment for $345,000 and one two-bedroom apartment for $465,000. Two bedroom apartments feature a combined internal and external area of 93 square metres.  
For more information, <a href="https://www.yourstylegroup.com.au/allure" target="_blank">click here</a>.
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Bigger one bedders secure sales success in Brisbane

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/57114/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
Housing affordability issues in Australia have resulted in people looking for alternative ways to build accommodation more cheaply. A recent worldwide trend has been to convert shipping containers to liveable accommodation. However, some real challenges lie behind the rosy picture of turning shipping containers into homes.
From the perspective of recycling and environmental sustainability, it is a very good initiative. Many containers are on a one-way journey, mostly originating from China (the world’s manufacturing house), to the developed nations. These containers are used just once for shipping and then end up being used – if at all – as storage or portable office spaces.
Many companies are now offering to build container homes. One can find a great variety of interesting floor plans to turn containers into housing. But the reality isn’t always as straightforward as these plans suggest. What are the main challenges to consider?
<h2>Container quality and engineering sign-off</h2>
Online videos and photos emphasise the benefits of recycling containers to build accommodation. However, a number of conditions must be met to ensure the house is structurally sound.
First, if the design requires cutting through the walls to put in windows or doors, it affects the structural integrity of the container. A structural engineer will be needed to develop an engineering drawing to ensure the house will be structurally sound. There is a cost associated with this activity, as with any other type of construction such as steel-frame housing, timber-frame housing or brick-and-tile housing.
Further, many engineers are wary of signing off on used shipping containers, because it is more difficult to assess the structural state of these. They most often recommend using a brand-new container. This is another added cost, as the price of 12-metre cube containers starts from A$5,000, whereas a used container may cost $1,800.
<h2>Health and safety</h2>
Health and safety concerns arise when it cannot be ascertained what was shipped using a second-hand container.
If human carcinogenic elements or harsh chemicals (which may have left invisible traces) were shipped in a container, one would not want to use that container to live in.
Ensuring this is not the case adds to the challenges of using a second-hand container. This is because tracing the cargos and journeys end-to-end across the full container lifecycle can be very difficult.
<h2>Usable space</h2>
Housing built from shipping containers is limited by their dimensions. They are roughly 2.35m wide internally and commonly come in two lengths: 6m or 12m.
One also needs to take into account internal stud work to put in drywalls, which can further reduce the width. A 2.35m width is already quite small for any room other than a shower or a bathroom.
To give an idea of how small, a king-sized bed is 1.83m wide. So there will very limited room to put bed side tables or dressing table.
If two containers are cut to create a 4.7m wide room, the space becomes too big for many purposes. If you need a smaller (or more common) width, you need to build a stud wall. That is another added cost.
Hence, the options for customising the container home are very limited if it is to remain affordable.
<h2>Insulation and comfort</h2>
Insulation is a very critical element of a comfortable lifestyle. The Building Code of Australia as well as the local shire or council are very conscious of insulation standards.
The shipping container is a basically a large steel box. Physics says steel will get hot in summer and cold in winter. To counter these natural effects, the container has to be very well insulated.
Now, the question is where to insulate: on the exterior, or the interior, or both?
Exterior insulation will be better because this will prevent the heat or cold reaching the metal and keep the internal environment comfortable. But putting external insulation on a container means having a stud wall frame or similar arrangement to hold the insulation in place, so that’s an additional building cost.
Ceramic paint insulation is another option and it does offer some degree of insulation. Note, though, that most “before and after” studies have taken a dark-coloured container (such as red, green or blue) and shown the benefit when painting it with a white ceramic paint. The reduction in temperature is partly due to using white paint.
Container housing may be a viable alternative accommodation option. But it can be hard to know whether it will be significantly cheaper than any other ways of building a home without doing considerable research into what the housing requirements and design will involve.
Vidyasagar Potdar is senior research fellow, School of Information Systems, Curtin University and author from The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/vidyasagar-potdar-229256" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Are shipping containers really the answer for affordable housing?

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Club Crocodile Hotel, the resort in Airlie Beach, has been sold to Singaporean group Well Smart Investment Holdings.
Owning the Mantra Terrace Hotel in Brisbane and the Ibis Budget Hotel Melbourne, Club Crocodile is the group's third hotel.
The sale was brokered by PRD Airlie Beach.
The 3.5-star Club Crocodile Resort was sold by David Kingston's Ocean Hotels for between $8 million and $9 million.
The resort features 161 rooms on a large freehold site close to the beach front and Abell Point Marina.
Resorts in Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays have recently had high occupancy levels. 
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Club Crocodile sold to Well Smart 

Just a few months after acquiring a prime Broadbeach site on the corner of First Avenue and Surf Parade, family-run developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/raptis">Raptis</a> has filed fresh plans for a new apartment development.

Raptis is seeking to deliver a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/17-19-first-avenue-broadbeach-qld-4217">29-storey tower with 73 apartments</a> on the 818 sqm site. It will be the developer's seventh project in the suburb, as they are approaching completion of The Sterling on George Avenue.

There will be a pool, barbecue and outdoor dining area, residents lounge and dining, sauna and steam room, gym, and a Yoga and Pilates studio.

<img alt="Raptis" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b554da3f-7344-49aa-b1c9-44cf459af0d7" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-05%20at%2010.41.45%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=zzjWu1iO1wnuYv4EV4fyOyf5nSXjGYut" />

Raptis Joint Managing Director, Evan Raptis, says they remain&nbsp;committed to developing quality infill sites across the Gold Coast in the lead-up to the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.

"This project continues our long track record of delivery in Broadbeach, and we look forward to bringing another premium development to this thriving precinct."

The announcement follows strong delivery momentum for Raptis, with The Sterling Broadbeach nearing completion and construction well underway on the final stage of the Waterpoint community adjacent to Harbour Town. The developer's continued investment in the Gold Coast reflects confidence in the region's apartment market fundamentals, underpinned by sustained Southeast Queensland population growth.&nbsp;

The outlook for the region is further bolstered by infrastructure investment tied to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games, which is expected to drive continued economic and population growth across the SEQ corridor.&nbsp;

Subject to a favourable response from Gold Coast City Council, construction on the new First Avenue tower is targeted to commence before the end of 2026.&nbsp;

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/it-s-all-in-the-family-four-decades-later-raptis-continues-to-shape-the-gold-coast-skyline">It’s all in the family: Four decades later, Raptis continues to shape the Gold Coast skyline</a>

Read more: <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/raptis-secures-prime-surf-parade-site-for-next-broadbeach-apartment-development">Raptis secures prime Surf Parade site for next Broadbeach apartment development</a> 
&nbsp;

Gold Coast developer brings seventh Broadbeach project to market, targeting construction commencement before year end

Joel Robinson

First look: Raptis lodges plans for new 29-storey Broadbeach tower 

Brisbane development veteran Kevin Seymour's Seymour Group is set to deepen its presence on one of Brisbane's most tightly held riverfront addresses, lodging revised plans for a luxury apartment development on Oxlade, just a few doors down from The Oxlade, which it completed in 2024.

The <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/70-72-oxlade-drive-new-farm-qld-4005">new project at 70-72 Oxlade Drive</a>, directly north of The Oxlade, will have 27 apartments across a seven-storey building&nbsp;overlooking the Brisbane River and Merthyr Park. It's a revision from a 2021-approved design.

Designed by bureau^proberts, the project has evolved from the previously approved 26-apartment scheme, introducing an additional penthouse level while maintaining a low-density, boutique character. The development will comprise 26 three-bedroom apartments and a single four-bedroom penthouse, supported by two basement levels with 86 car spaces and 34 bicycle spaces.

The architectural response is centred around two distinct building forms separated by a landscaped open-air atrium.&nbsp;"This dual composition captures and embraces Brisbane’s subtropical environment whilst breaking down built form and scale," the submission to the Brisbane City Council noted.

<img alt="First look: Seymour Group returns to Oxlade Drive with revised riverfront apartment plans in New Farm" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c12d84d0-bc11-4067-b46f-5bd2d786a34d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/new%20farm%20landscape.png?VersionId=YEPc2k5CAdh6aAPlu4uVpgZadh4MEfRd" />

A defining feature of the design is a deep landscaped void running through the centre of the building, creating what bureau^proberts describes as a "natural ravine" that enhances airflow, daylight penetration and resident amenity. The design report notes that the separation of the two building volumes is intended to maximise natural light, cross-ventilation and outlook while strengthening connections to the surrounding riverfront setting.

Curved balcony edges, integrated planting and extensive landscaping throughout the façade reinforce the subtropical design approach. The building's façade is softened by elevated gardens and planter beds, creating a green edge that complements the established landscape character of Oxlade Drive and neighbouring Merthyr Park.

New Farm has become one of Brisbane's most sought-after suburbs for developers delivering premium downsizer-focused apartments.

GRAYA has been particularly active in the precinct, completing both Chalk and York in recent years, while construction of Moray House, being delivered for Spyre, is now nearing completion. Architect-turned-developer Joe Adsett recently launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/arcilla-new-farm-by-joe-adsett-28-maxwell-street-new-farm-qld-4005">Arcilla on Maxwell Street</a>, an exclusive collection of just nine apartments.

First look: Seymour Group returns to New Farm's Oxlade Drive with riverfront apartment plans

A new residential tower will be the first piece of a broader mixed-use precinct set to reshape a prominent Newcastle West site, with local developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/gwh">GWH</a> bringing its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/cambridge-quarter-newcastle-west-12-denison-street-newcastle-west-nsw-2302">Cambridge Quarter</a> vision to market.

The first release, Tempo, will introduce 87 apartments across a 24-storey tower, marking Stage 1 of the residential component of a larger urban regeneration project planned for the western end of Newcastle's city centre, encompassing the former Cambridge Hotel site.

Positioned on Denison Street, Tempo has been designed as the inaugural building within Cambridge Quarter, a precinct that will ultimately combine apartments, retail activation and revitalised public spaces including the revamping of the Cambridge Hotel.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135876 project_image_fid=368853]

The tower will comprise a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, including layouts with multipurpose rooms, catering to a broad cross-section of owner-occupiers. Apartment sizes range from around 60 sqm to 192 sqm, with a number of residences oriented to capture views across Newcastle Harbour, the city skyline and coastline.

GWH has emphasised liveability in the design, with open-plan layouts extending to generous balconies and terraces. Residents will have a choice of two interior palettes, while specifications include engineered stone benchtops, SMEG appliances, full-height bathroom tiling and secure building access. Premium upgrade packages will also be available.

Multiple rooftop resident retreats will provide communal outdoor space overlooking the harbour and city, offering an elevated amenity layer above the activity of the precinct below.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135876 project_image_fid=368851]

The broader Cambridge Quarter vision extends beyond the residential tower itself. Ground-level retail activation and landscaped public areas are planned throughout the precinct, creating a walkable neighbourhood environment connected to the surrounding renewal of Newcastle West. The Cambridge Hotel is also earmarked for future redevelopment into a family-friendly hospitality venue integrated with the new precinct.

The project is strategically positioned within walking distance of Newcastle Interchange, providing access to light rail, regional rail services and direct connections to Sydney. Residents will also be close to Honeysuckle, Newcastle Harbour and the city's beaches and coastal walkways.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135876 project_image_fid=368852]

For GWH, Cambridge Quarter represents one of its most significant Newcastle developments to date. The locally based developer, which has operated in the Hunter region since 1995, describes the project as a new chapter in the ongoing transformation of Newcastle West.

GWH Executive Director Jonathan Craig said the project had been shaped by a focus on creating lasting community connections.

"We take pride in creating places that last. Spaces where people feel connected, comfortable and a genuine sense of belonging," Craig said.

"Cambridge Quarter is something we are truly proud of, a place shaped by local knowledge, built with care and designed to be part of Newcastle's next chapter."

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135876]

GWH unveils first release at landmark Cambridge Quarter precinct in Newcastle West

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ss-projects">S&amp;S Projects</a>,&nbsp;Rainbow Bay's busiest developer,&nbsp;has officially lodged plans for the largest development in its booming local portfolio, seeking approval for a further 88 apartments on Boundary Street.

The proposal&nbsp;at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/209-213-boundary-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">209–213 Boundary Street, Coolangatta</a>,&nbsp;marks the next chapter in the developer's transformation of the southern Gold Coast beachside precinct. It will be its fifth in the area, having already delivered Flow, Awaken and Esprit, while construction continues on the 38-apartment Radia. The new project would rise 57 metres above a consolidated 1,518 sqm site, on the same street as Radia and Esprit.

&nbsp;

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cottee-parker-architects">Cottee Parker</a>, the proposed development comprises 88 two and three-bedroom apartments across a contemporary podium-and-tower form that integrates extensive landscaping from street level through to the rooftop.

The tower would be delivered above a basement and multi-level podium accommodating resident and visitor parking, with the residential component commencing from level three. The design incorporates cascading planting throughout the façade, landscaped podium edges, and deep planting zones along the Boundary Street frontage.

<img alt="First look: S&amp;S Projects lodges plans for 88-apartment wellness tower at Coolangatta's Boundary Street" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="677e6615-b5c0-4b6c-b4f9-efb14fcde1a6" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/ss%20da%20pers.png?VersionId=YOnPKQm7IFXv0M5H326djEpxk80500Hi" />

A key feature of the development is its expansive rooftop wellness and recreation precinct. Plans reveal a resort-style pool deck, gymnasium, sauna, steam room, hot and cold plunge pools, rooftop terraces, barbecue areas and landscaped relaxation spaces positioned to capture views across the southern Gold Coast coastline.

The rooftop wellness focus builds on the vision S&amp;S Projects first outlined when it acquired the site for $20.25 million last year.

"We are taking every advantage to create a truly unique rooftop wellness experience with a natural feel for residents, offering stone features throughout and an underlying theme that emulates a botanical garden," S&amp;S Projects founder and director Paul Gedoun said at the time.

The proposal seeks a 57-metre building height, representing a 50 per cent uplift on the site's mapped 38-metre height limit. Planning documents argue the additional height is consistent with recently approved and emerging towers in the immediate Boundary Street and Rainbow Bay precinct.

Urbis, acting as planning consultant, said the development would provide "88 dwellings, comprising a mix of two and three-bedroom apartments, contributing to housing choice and supply within an established medium to high-rise coastal urban neighbourhood."

The scheme has undergone extensive pre-lodgement consultation with the City of Gold Coast, with the design refined following feedback relating to architectural expression, landscaping, traffic access and podium treatment.

<img alt="S&amp;S" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0a2d70fd-62ac-4b83-97c6-b798fc1243dd" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-05%20at%209.16.31%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=yHmghUwKM3IVGpBktQU1mE.0Lpf3WimG" />

The architectural team is led by Brisbane-based Cottee Parker, one of Australia's most active residential design studios, with landscape architecture by Dunn + Moran. The consultant team also includes ADG Engineers, Windtech and Acoustic Works.

S&amp;S Projects has become one of the most influential private developers operating on the southern Gold Coast. Since entering Rainbow Bay in 2022, the company has assembled a portfolio exceeding $1 billion in end value, establishing itself as a key player in the area's evolution into a premium apartment destination. Pezet Matheson will again handle the sales for S&amp;S.

Coolangatta is entering another wave of apartment development, following the delivery of several prominent residential projects in recent years.

John Kearney's Immerse Projects will launch&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kaiya-kirra-beach-5-haig-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Kaiya on Haig Street</a>&nbsp;soon, meanwhile, Palm Beach-based Sherpa Property Group is preparing to bring its debut Coolangatta development, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-viver-87-griffith-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Flourish Viveré</a>, to market later this year, subject to approvals.

First look: S&S Projects proposes 88-apartment wellness tower at Coolangatta's Boundary Street

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.

Jonathan Chancellor

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