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GUEST OBSERVER
Back in the 1960s, the influential urban planner and journalist Jane Jacobs put American cities under the microscope. Jacobs was aiming to explain, and suggest ways of remedying, the hollowing out, or “doughnut effect”, which left previously well-functioning city centres rundown and devoid of new blood.
The effect was less dramatic in Australian cities, which had few, if any, residential populations in their central business districts until comparatively recently. And many of the innermost suburbs that surrounded the CBDs were industrialised and yet to feel the decline of manufacturing.
Of course, today the situation is completely reversed across Western cities. The emergence of the service economy and explosive growth of professional classes are promoting gentrification and squillion-dollar property values.
Jacobs’ conditions for a vibrant city life were that districts must serve at least two functions to attract persons of different purposes around the clock. Further, blocks must be small, with many opportunities for pedestrians to interact and a diverse range of buildings. Finally, there needed to be reasonable density. The idea was that “vitality” had a lot to do with chance encounters.
<h2>Digital entanglement</h2>
Jacobs’ encounters have now been supplemented if not entirely supplanted by social media. Enter some Italian researchers who hit upon the idea of mining “big data”. In this case, they used mobile phone calls cross-referenced to satellite-derived records such as Open Street Map to gauge where precisely this feverish activity was happening across six of Italy’s large cities. (In corroboration of Jacobs’ thesis, the best places were found to be “day end points” with concentrations of office workers at large, as well as small streets and blocks with historic buildings.)
There’s a sense that this “interconnectivity” is becoming a signal of city vitality/vibrancy. The two elements are becoming entangled like subatomic particles.
Moreover, it’s a natural fit with the vogue for blending IT with strategic planning. The new ministerial portfolio, cities and digital transformation, exemplifies this.
<h2>Smart city buzz</h2>
You don’t have to venture far into urban policy space before coming across the idea of the “smart city”. There’s a near-continuous run of conferences on the topic and even a Turnbull government plan. The plan features, among other measures, a blend of big-data thinking, with “better benchmarking of city performance”, and the prescriptions set out in Edward Glaeser’s 2013 book, Triumph of the City.
Glaeser views cities as places where human ingenuity can flourish and skills are developed and refined – a combination driving economic and technological advance. He believes increased densification, including a “vertical city” with yet higher stacks of buildings, is integral to achieving these objectives.
Glaeser, however, illustrates complexities in this debate. Jacobs opposed the view that high-rise cities create beneficial interactions. And concern is growing that increased reliance on digital communication will radically reduce urban human interaction.
<h2>Reckoning with a cantankerous planet</h2>
Smart cities need to be “resilient” if they’re to counter, for example, Paul Gilding’s “great disruption”. This includes life-threatening heat, desiccation and killer peri-urban fires. High-rise cities may prove to be the least adaptable human constructions in an era of fundamental change and add considerably to the urban heat island effect.
Should an economic perspective – like this, for instance – remain the main if not the sole focus for cities? This in a year when atmospheric carbon reached an irreversible 400ppm; the Great Barrier Reef’s coral is bleaching; wildfires have destroyed towns and cities in Canada; India has recorded its hottest day on record 51°C;  Paris has been heavily flooded; and sea-level rise threatens to inundate Silicon Valley, the spiritual home of start-ups – not to mention our home-grown variety of storm surge, erosion and flooding.
Is there something we’re missing? In the rhetoric surrounding smart cities it’s difficult to unearth specific reference to the natural world and its current plight. And when there is, it’s often a few throwaway lines about the value of green space in protecting biological diversity and threatened species.
Contrast this with the growing awareness of the benefits to our psyche of exposure to the natural world (even acting as a boost to productivity in the workplace).
Set these observations against the revelation that today’s children – the inheritors of the smart city – are spending less time outdoors than prisoners. This has occurred in a generation for whom the environment is unlikely to be mainstream given that their reality is ultimately what appears on a screen. Digital connectivity in low-amenity vertical communities is likely to prove a poor substitute for the kind of city Jacobs advocated.
Reconnecting kids and others requires rejigging our perspective, as well as starting to look out for vestiges of wildlife that has sought refuge in our cities. And providing for local food production is as big as big data itself, but that’s something for another day.
Peter Fisher is adjunct professor, Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/peter-fisher-20629" target="_blank">here</a>.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Taking the city’s pulse: we need to link urban vitality back to the planet

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Sydney publican Peter Calligeros has added The Trinity Bar in Surry Hills to his hotel group.
Calligeros, whose hotel group also owns North Sydney pubs the Rag &amp; Famish, Alberts Bar and the Mount Street Terrace Hotel, paid $8.5 million for the Crown St pub.
It was offered for sale publicly for the first time in 20 years through CBRE by vendor Ray Reilly.
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Trinity Bar, Surry Hills sells at $8.5 million

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GUEST OBSERVER
Housing finance approvals continue to point to subdued conditions in April with a further softening in investor activity.
The headline figure – the number of owner occupier finance approvals – posted a 1.7 percent rise, more or less in line with expectations (market +2.5 percent, Westpac 2 percent).
The detail was a touch softer including additional data on the value of investor loans.
Ex refinance, the number of new owner occupier loans was up just 1.1 percent, only reversing part of March’s 1.5 percent decline. Overall, the monthly moves are slow and suggest owner occupier demand is drifting around rather than strengthening or weakening.
Within the owner occupier segment, the number of loans of housing-related loans posted a solid rise but are still down significantly on a year ago (+4 percent mth, –5.9 percent yr on a combined basis).
By state, gains were a bit firmer in Vic and Qld but softer in the other main states.
The value of investor loans fell 5 percent to be down over 20 percent yr.
Notably, the weakness in the investor segment outweighed the gain in owner-occupiers with the total value of loans ex refi down 3.7 percent mth, 9.2 percent yr.
Overall, the numbers suggest conditions remained soft in April ahead of the RBA’s May rate cut.
The Bank’s moves should draw more buyers into the market although that will take a few months to become apparent in finance approvals and may continue to be offset by weak investor activity. Details  Owner–occupiers (no.)   1.7%mth, 4.6%yr          
– ex-financing (no.)        1.1%mth, 0.7%yr          
Construction of dwellings (no.)               4.4%mth, –5.6%yr        
Purchase of newly built dwellings (no.)   3.3%mth, –6.7%yr        
Value of loans:             
Owner-occupiers ($bn)   0.1%mth, 7.8%yr          
Investors ($bn)              –5%mth, –20.8%yr       
Total ($bn)                    –1.8%mth, –4.4%yr      
Total ex refi ($bn)          –3.7%mth, –9.2%yr                      
 
Matthew Hassan is senior economist with <a href="https://www.westpac.com.au/" target="_blank">Westpac</a>.
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Number of owner occupier housing finance approvals up in April: Westpac's Matthew Hassan

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<div class="column">Housing finance decreased in April, with investor finance posting a sharp 5 percent decline in the month.</div>
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<div class="column">Looking through today’s soft monthly growth, the housing market has shown clear cyclical improvement recently, reflected by the pick-up in house prices and building approvals. This cyclical rebound is likely to be further supported by the May interest rate cut. However, today’s data indicates that growth in the current cycle will be limited by soft household income growth, the presence of macroprudential policy targets, and concerns about future tightening of housing policy.</div>
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 Today’s data was driven by a sharp monthly decline in investor lending. This continues to reflect the negative impact of macro prudential policy targets on investor lending, with lenders mindful of the regulatory investor lending growth target. Nonetheless, investor demand for housing is likely strengthen in the coming months, supported by the solid pick- up in house prices (Figure 3).</div>
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 In comparison, owner-occupier finance posted an increase in April, with upgrader finance higher and first home buyer finance lower in the month. While upgraders remained the key to driving owner-occupier lending, first home buyers continued to be weighed down by housing affordability concerns, which are being amplified by weak wage growth. Finance for the purchase or construction of new dwellings declined sharply in the month.</div>
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<div class="column">However, the pipeline of existing housing construction remains solid. Building approvals have trended higher recently, and are likely to be supported in the coming months by both solid house price gains and lower interest rates. As such, we continue to expect that housing construction activity will remain elevated in 2016, however today’s data indicates that any further growth is likely to be modest compared to recent years. </div>
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David Cannington is senior economist, ANZ and Daniel Gladwell is economist. The can be contacted <a href="https://www.anz.com/personal/" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Australian mortgage lending slows in April: ANZ Research

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The ABS April housing data suggests first home buyers are re-emerging, possibly filling the void of investors.
The value of lending to Australian housing investors fell in April, according to figure released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) earlier today.
The value of investor lending was down 5 percent from March to $11.291 billion in seasonally adjusted terms.
The value of new lending to owner-occupiers ticked up by 0.1% to $20.702 billion.
The number of first home buyer commitments as a percentage of total owner occupied housing finance commitments rose to 14.4 percent in April 2016 from 14.2 percent in March 2016.
Between March 2016 and April 2016, the average loan size for first home buyers rose $1,900 to $330,600.
The average loan size for all owner occupied housing commitments rose $4,300 to $361,500 for the same period.
At the end of April 2016, the value of outstanding housing loans financed by Authorised Deposit-taking Institutions (ADIs) was $1,490b, up $8b (0.5%) from the March 2016 closing balance.
Owner occupied housing loan outstandings financed by ADIs rose $7b (0.7 percent) to $960b and investment housing loan outstandings financed by ADIs rose $0.9b (0.2 percent) to $530b.  Bank housing loan outstandings rose $7b (0.5 percent) during April 2016 to reach a closing balance of $1,448b.
Owner occupied housing loan outstandings of banks rose $6b (0.7 percent) to $927b and investment housing loan outstandings of banks rose $0.9b (0.2 percent) to $521b.
Between March 2016 and April 2016, the number of owner occupied housing commitments (trend) rose in Victoria (up 51, 0.3 percent), South Australia (up 19, 0.5 percent) and the Australian Capital Territory (up 7, 0.7 percent), while falls were recorded in New South Wales (down 50, 0.3 percent), Queensland (down 24, 0.2 peace t), Western Australia (down 13, 0.2 percent), Tasmania (down 10, 1.2 percent) and the Northern Territory (down 2, 0.6 percent). The seasonally adjusted estimates rose in Victoria (up 314, 1.9 percent), Queensland (up 156, 1.5 percent), New South Wales (up 128, 0.7 percent), Tasmania (up 71, 8.4 percent), the Northern Territory (up 22, 7.3 percent), Western Australia (up 17, 0.3 percent) and South Australia (up 7, 0.2 percent), while a rise was recorded in the Australian Capital Territory (down 10, 0.9 percent).
The ABS housing finance figures released today indicated that new home lending to owner occupiers experienced solid growth during April, said the Housing Industry Association.
During April 2016, the number of loans to owner occupiers for dwelling construction increased by 4.4 per cent with loans for the purchase of new homes rising by 3.3 per cent.
Overall, new home lending saw growth of 4 per cent during the month but was 5.9 per cent lower than a year earlier.
“Today’s official figures confirm that demand for new home purchase across Australia remains very strong,” remarked HIA senior economist Shane Garrett.
“Even though the amount of new home lending for owner occupiers peaked over a year ago, current loan volumes remain elevated by historic standards.
"This means that activity on the ground over the remainder of 2016 will be healthy,” predicted Shane Garrett.
“May’s interest rate reduction is likely to provide some impetus to new home lending over the coming months."
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April housing finance shows first home buyers up slightly: ABS

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Stockland chairman Graham Bradley has announced that Stephen Newton will join the Stockland board.
Mr Newton has deep experience across real estate development, property management and infrastructure investment gained during almost 23 years with Lend Lease Corporation and more than 13 years as a principal of investment management and capital advisory business, Arcadia Funds Management.
He is currently a director of listed Gateway Lifestyle Group and a non-executive director of Campus Living Funds Management Limited.
Mr Newton was a director of Australand Property Group from 2007-2014.
He is an advisory board member, representing Alberta Investment Management Corp (Canada), of the Forestry Investment Trust, a director of both BAI Communications Group and the University of Notre Dame Australia, and chairman of the Finance Council for the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney.
As required by the Stockland constitution, Mr Newton will offer himself for election by securityholders at the 2016 annual general meeting to be held in October.
Mr Bradley also announced that, following more than 10 years of service on the Stockland board, Peter Scott will retire from his position in August 2016. 
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Stephen Newton joins Stockland board

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GUEST OBSERVER
No surprises as the RBA held its cash rate steady at 1.75 percent. 
Of course, this follows an action-packed and finely-balanced May meeting, where the central bank cut to a new record low. Now the question being asked is: what's next and when? Is it one and done, or is there more to come? 
The statement was very light on any hints about what might happen next. In short, there was no real forward guidance. The statement noted that 'inflation has been quite low ... [and that] ... this is expected to remain the case for some time'. 
At the same time, it noted that non-mining domestic demand has been 'expanding at a pace at or above trend'. In our view, the RBA will need to see the Q2 CPI print (due on 27 July) before it would consider cutting further. Our central case is for a 25bp cut in August, to 1.50%, and for the RBA to remain on hold in subsequent quarters. 
Facts 
The RBA held its cash rate unchanged at 1.75 percent, as expected by 25 of 26 economists in the Bloomberg survey (including HSBC). Immediately prior to the announcement the market was pricing a 6 percent chance of a 25bp cut. 
Implications 
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Is it one and done, or is there more to come? Well, if you are looking for hints in today's post- meeting statement, you may be sadly disappointed. It was more backward-looking than usual and contained very little that could be described as forward guidance. 
On growth, the statement described the Q1 GDP figures suggesting that, despite 'a very large decline in business investment' non-mining domestic demand had been 'expanding at a pace at or above trend'. At the same time, it stated that 'inflation has been quite low' and that this was expected 'to remain the case for some time' (the one clear reference to the future). The RBA noted that low inflation was due to 'very subdued growth in labour costs and very low cost pressures elsewhere in the world'. The statement did not attempt to reconcile the apparent disconnect between the strong local growth and weak inflation. 
On the housing market, the statement noted that although 'supervisory measures have strengthened lending standards' ... 'dwelling prices have begun to rise again'. It then also noted that 'a considerable supply of apartments is scheduled to come on stream' leaving the reader to draw the conclusion that boosted supply might help to slow housing price growth in the future. 
More generally, the statement noted that low interest rates and the lower AUD are assisting the rebalancing act to proceed, although the central bank repeated that an 'appreciating exchange rate could complicate' the rebalancing of growth.
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Finally, the statement noted that a key reason for not moving this month was that the RBA had just cut the cash rate in May. Again, this is quite backward-looking. It seems to us that the central bank will need to see the Q2 CPI print (due on 27 July) before it would consider cutting further. 
<a href="https://www.about.hsbc.com.au/hsbc-in-australia/management-team" target="_blank">PAUL BLOXHAM</a> IS CHIEF ECONOMIST (AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND) FOR HSBC. 
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RBA on hold, with little forward guidance: HSBC's Paul Bloxham

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GUEST OBSERVER
Sydney’s lockout laws, as well as current and proposed restrictions in other Australian cities including Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Newcastle, are perhaps more about regulating people’s behaviours in cities than about liquor licensing.
Such knee-jerk responses to tidy up the mess of complex issues belie society’s need for diversity. They also neglect culture’s debt to the manifold possibilities of social behaviour in urban space.
Viewed as part of a broader historical pattern, such episodes of regulatory crackdown remind us that a seemingly purified city is not necessarily a healthy or diverse one.
<h2>Early steps</h2>
Australian cities have always been extraordinarily diverse places. Amid broader sociocultural and regulatory shifts, this diversity has produced instability as people from different backgrounds, ages, means, religions, sexualities and abilities have come together.
Some of the places where these instabilities play out are on the streets and in drinking establishments such as the café, bar and pub. People watch each other, ascribing meanings onto each other based on visual cues. Public drunkenness is one such cue.
An especially notorious instance was in London in the early 1700s during the gin craze. William Hogarth, the pictorial satirist of urban life, captured “Gin Lane” in 1751. On the streets of London, Hogarth moralised the issue, representing men wasting away rather than working, and a mother neglecting her children, allowing them to fall headfirst down the stairs. 
The issue was not alcohol itself (Hogarth thought beer okay), but rather the relationship between gin, nationalism and the lower classes, which apparently produced vice and neglect. The London authorities’ response was to regulate by introducing the Gin Acts, which raised prices and cut consumption.
In Australia, liquor licensing has also never operated in a historical or urban vacuum. English writer Richard Horne observed in Melbourne in the 1850s:
"The scenes that are witnessed, half-way up Bourke Street, in the direct line of both our Houses of Parliament [Spring Street], actually surpass anything in St Gile’s or Covent Garden [London] after dusk. It may seem strange that city authorities do not abate these disgraceful nuisances.
The “nuisances” he saw were young women. A typical mid-19th-century moralist, Horne believed – based on visual cues – that these women were “depraved”. Being an unaccompanied woman on the street was apparently linked to the dual vices of drinking and prostitution.
The solution Horne proposed was intervention by the urban authorities, to clear the streets for people that he perceived as more respectable.
<h2>The 20th century to today</h2>
Over the next century, the temperance movement sought to eliminate all alcohol consumption. So came about the pubs with no beer: the coffee palaces.
Across the Australian city, immaculate buildings were designed by leading architects to house these late-night venues, including the Federal Coffee Palace in Melbourne, the Sydney Coffee Palace in Woolloomooloo and the People’s Palace in Brisbane.
Urban improvement extended from buildings to the streets where freshwater fountains were constructed to quench the thirst of urban dwellers “in the interests of humanity and temperance”. Improving streets and cities for the greater good, such measures were typical of turn-of-the-20th-century social advocacy.
Young people were known to congregate around the fountains. Even during periods of restrictive liquor licensing, urban diversity has taken many forms, so long as alternative public places have been provided.
The next challenge for inner-city urban life related to liquor regulation was the early closing movement, coupled with rapid mid-20th-century suburbanisation that emptied out the Australian CBD outside the working week. The early closure of pubs led to the infamous six o’clock swil<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://journals.publishing.monash.edu.au/ojs/index.php/ha/article/view/347">l</a>.
Although temperance campaigners denied the existence of a “Pig Swill” during the NSW Royal Commission on Liquor in 1952, had the campaigners visited a pub or the street in the late afternoon their minds might have been changed. The refusal to visit the streets, to seek out visual cues, represented a form of wilful blindness typical across urban history.
At that time, hordes of pub patrons, predominantly men, entered the street on their way home to the suburbs. Outside Melbourne’s Young and Jackson pub on Swanston Street, opposite Flinders Street Station, men lined up to publicly urinate against the tiles. Walking past this prominent spot, opposite St Paul’s Cathedral, was no doubt an undesirable street experience.
Over the coming years every Australian city liberalised its licensing hours. Adelaide was the last to do so in 1967. These changes paved the way for the night culture familiar to us today.
Whenever authorities have regulated the city there have been unintended consequences. Heightening liquor regulation has for centuries been the immediate response of urban policymakers when confronted with people and behaviours deemed socially undesirable.
The overarching goal has been to impose a sense of order on the city and its spaces. But that happens at the expense of street life, public safety and social diversity. Shutting the pub early impacts urban life as a holistic ecosystem and, without viable public alternatives as in the past, this serves to eliminate difference on the street.
Cities thrive as messy places. No matter the underlying justification, to “lock out” the city is to diminish it.
Andrew J. May is professor of history, University of Melbourne and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/andrew-j-may-96245" target="_blank">here</a>.
James Lesh is research assistant and PhD candidate, School of Historical and Philosophical Studies, University of Melbourne and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/james-lesh-257650" target="_blank">here</a>.
Both are authors for The Conversation.
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Lockout laws repeat centuries-old mistake of denying value of cities as messy places

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ANZ has returned to the heart of Sydney’s traditional banking district with the opening of its new flagship branch in Martin Place at the site of its former NSW headquarters.
ANZ Group executive Australia Fred Ohlsson said the opening a flagship branch in the heart of Sydney’s traditional finance district reinforced to its customers the importance they place on growing our presence here in NSW as well as supporting our customers and local businesses.
“It made sense to build a flagship branch on the site of our original headquarters in NSW given NSW remains the powerhouse of the Australian economy."
The new three-level branch in Martin Place is the largest in ANZ’s network.
It features the full range of ANZ digital functions, including mobile banking app goMoney, smart ATMs, Apple Pay and internet banking across 21 digital screens customers can use throughout the branch. There are spaces for educational seminars and community events, and a vertical digital wall that spans all three levels of the branch and responds to the environment.
Since 2015, ANZ in NSW has opened four new branches, a home loan centre, two business centres as well as refurbishing 18 branches and four business centres.
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ANZ opens flagship branch in Sydney's Martin Place

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Chief executive of real estate group Starr Partners, Douglas Driscoll, has predicted a property bubble in Sydney to form if the market keeps on the same growth trajectory in hand with an imbalance of the housing affordability to wage ratio.
He said at the moment, the average house price is nearly 12 times the average salary in Sydney, which is considered by some respected commentators as the early fizzing of a bubble and added it is now undeniable that we are in unchartered territory and without some intelligent intervention, he believes there could be trouble ahead.  
“Based on demand, I’m hearing that agents are short on listings by 10-20 percent right across Sydney and this could be partly hinging on July 2.
"Elections directly impact consumer sentiment, with the uncertainty usually making people nervous. Historically we have almost always seen a pre-election lull, but at the moment auction clearance rates are hovering around 80 percent and property prices are still ascending across many Sydney suburbs. For me, it is almost inconceivable that a looming closely-fought election and the recently introduced macroprudential measures haven’t appeared to have put the brakes on the market.”
“Property is front and centre of the current political debate, with a strong emphasis on a proposed change in negative gearing concessions. Without thorough morphological research, it is very difficult to predict the full extent of any change in policy, but it is very likely that there would be wide-felt ramifications. Negative gearing has dominated conversation for months – and has taken the limelight away from an even bigger issue: housing affordability.
"According to CoreLogic data, Sydney house prices went up three per cent in May and based on how the market is travelling and I anticipate prices will go up by at least six percent by the end of the year. A bubble is something that has never been seen in Sydney and is understandably a subject that a lot of my peers shy away from discussing, or if they do, simply dismiss out of hand. Economists might be predicting that house prices will fall by 10 percent in 2019 but for me, it’s too far ahead to call. A lot can change in three weeks, let alone three years into the future.”
He said amalgamated councils could help keep the bubble at bay, adding hyper-localisation could feature heavily as part of the solution. 
“I acknowledge that it is an incredibly complex issue and I certainly don’t envy politicians – it’s a real juggling act. The Government is letting things take their natural course, which can be potentially dangerous. Now, I’m not necessarily calling for widespread changes because one size doesn’t fit all. This is primarily a Sydney issue, so tinkering with policy on a national level could create an unwanted butterfly effect elsewhere in Australia," he said.
“One way to address this matter could be to give Sydney’s new ‘super councils’ more power and the freedom to operate with more autonomy after amalgamating. They can’t be toothless tigers. We need to think of more creative ways to problem solve and this could start by looking at trialling localised or hyperlocal policies in certain areas. My only caveat would be that they are still ultimately under the auspices of the State Government for guidance and supervision.”
"This may not seem as far-fetched as it sounds; similar systems currently exist elsewhere. In the UK suburb of St Ives for example, one in four properties were believed to be used as holiday homes, being vacant most of the time. To combat this, legislation was introduced where new-build properties are only available to full-time residents in a bid to preserve community. Off the back of this, Douglas believes Australia should look to countries with similar systems for inspiration about what might work on our soil. 
“Both policy makers and real estate professionals alike cannot afford to take an ignorant approach because we will lose a lot of credibility if we don’t address, acknowledge and pass comment on these complex issues – the negatives as well as the positives. Today’s consumer is educated and informed, and they look to us for candid advice. It’s our duty to be transparent, even in times when we are faced with situations that make us feel uncomfortable. We must take a responsible solution-orientated approach to the facts as we find them."
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Hyper-localisation key to avoid property bubble: Douglas Driscoll

Apartment buildings are increasingly being designed around how people actually live day to day, not just how they want a building to look.

For buyers, that shift is showing up in practical inclusions that respond to changing habits. Work-from-home spaces, EV charging, wellness amenities, secure bike storage and parcel management are becoming part of the broader apartment conversation, reflecting a move toward buildings that reduce friction in everyday life.

Online shopping has become one of the clearest examples of that change.

Australians spent a record $82.6 billion online in 2025, with nearly one in four retail dollars now spent online. That has made parcel delivery a regular part of apartment living, rather than an occasional inconvenience.

For apartment residents, however, the delivery process can be less straightforward than it is for detached homes. Parcels may be left in lobbies, redirected to Post Offices, missed entirely, or placed under the responsibility of building managers and concierge teams.

That is why secure parcel infrastructure is increasingly being considered alongside more familiar apartment amenities.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-VjjLwoViX0?si=A3k7ws9NX35Uac7_" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Australia Post Parcel Lockers offer one way to address the issue. When a parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS, then collect it using a QR code or one-time PIN. The parcel is kept secure, accessible and removed from common areas.

The broader Parcel Locker network now includes more than 1,500 locations across Australia, positioned at Post Offices, shopping centres, supermarkets, transport hubs and other accessible locations.

For new apartment projects, the relevance is clear. A building’s amenity offering is no longer only about lifestyle spaces, but also about convenience, security and functionality.

As buyer expectations evolve, secure parcel delivery is becoming part of the same design conversation as flexible working, sustainable transport and resident wellbeing.

It is one less thing for residents to worry about, and another example of apartment design adapting to the way Australians now live.

Joel Robinson

Apartment design is adapting to the way Australians shop

While school holidays and trips to Europe tend to define the winter property market, there's been no cold snap at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-walden-north-sydney-177-walker-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">The Walden</a> in North Sydney.

Developer-builder&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/aland">ALAND</a> sold more than $35 million worth of apartments throughout June, including a $6.8 million apartment that now ranks among the highest apartment sales ever recorded in North Sydney.

SRM Residential agent Ben Stewart said buyer demand throughout June reflected a mix of improving market confidence and longer-term thinking from owner-occupiers.

"We're seeing strong demand from owner-occupiers who are taking a longer-term view," Stewart said.

"Many recognise the opportunity to secure an apartment in an iconic building and premium location while values remain attractive. They may initially lease the property, but the intention is to eventually move in themselves, rather than purchasing purely as an investment."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=367129]

Located at 177 Walker Street, The Walden will deliver 161 one, two, three and four-bedroom residences across a 30-storey tower designed by Rothelowman. Every apartment occupies a corner position, maximising natural light, cross ventilation and views across Sydney Harbour, the Opera House, Sydney Heads and the northern districts.

Rather than a traditional balcony, the residences feature winter gardens that seamlessly extend the open plan living areas, creating versatile spaces for relaxing or entertaining throughout the year. Floor-to-ceiling glazing draws in natural light while showcasing sweeping views from the building's elevated Walker Street position.

Every apartment features high-end Calacatta marble, bespoke joinery, and fully integrated appliances.

The larger residences have been planned with distinct entertaining and private zones, with many master suites positioned on corners to capture natural light and harbour views. Walk-in dressing rooms, freestanding baths and refined stone finishes reinforce the house-like feel that has resonated with downsizers and owner-occupiers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6393]

Rothelowman Principal Ben Pomroy said the project was designed to make the most of its unique position overlooking the harbour.

"The Walden is a celebration of all things beautiful, curated for those who expect nothing less than exceptional," Pomroy says.

"Meticulously designed entertaining spaces and light-filled living areas that capitalise on capturing the natural beauty of Sydney's iconic harbour."

Residents will also have exclusive access to The Pavilion, a dedicated amenity building featuring a rooftop pool, wellness studio, gymnasium, sauna, concierge service, residents' lounge, private dining spaces and work-from-home facilities.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6402]

The project marks ALAND's first major luxury apartment development in Sydney's inner-city market after more than two decades delivering residential communities across Greater Sydney.

Founder and CEO Andrew Hrsto previously said the rarity of the Walker Street site made it an opportunity the company could not overlook.

"This is a rare opportunity to bring a truly exceptional project to life in one of Sydney's most iconic locations, and to showcase our craftsmanship and design expertise at a world-class level," Hrsto said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6383]

The Walden has been introduced to the market at a time when demand for living in North Sydney is at an all-time high. Billions of dollars have been invested in infrastructure, including the recently opened Victoria Cross Metro station, located just 300 metres from The Walden, providing residents with direct access to the Sydney CBD in just minutes.

Private investment has also transformed the area through the arrival of new retail and dining destinations, elevating the lifestyle offering in what was once considered primarily a commercial precinct rather than an aspirational residential address.

The Walden is currently under construction and is scheduled for completion in 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134323]

ALAND records $35 million in sales in North Sydney as The Walden bucks quiet winter selling season

The long-awaited redevelopment of the former Eastlakes Shopping Centre site has reached a major milestone, with Conquest's plans for a new mixed-use precinct officially placed on public exhibition.

The State Significant Development Application would transform the 1.7-hectare site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/19a-evans-avenue-eastlakes-nsw-2018">19A Evans Avenue</a> into one of Sydney's largest urban renewal projects, delivering 736 apartments above a new shopping centre anchored by Woolworths, alongside specialty retail, dining, commercial space and new public open spaces.

The public exhibition marks the next chapter for the project after <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/conquest">Conquest</a> acquired the stalled Stage Two development from Crown Group, who completed the first stage across the road prior to their voluntary liquidation.

<img alt="First look: Conquest unveils plans for 736-home Eastlakes Shopping Centre redevelopment" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5fca22c5-d1ed-4e2c-8801-03f7df1eafc8" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/eastland%20podium.png?VersionId=uomwr41nF8CmLUZRDcu3mHQechlbxucS" />

&nbsp;

Designed by DKO Architecture, the proposal comprises four residential buildings ranging from 14 to 18 storeys above a two-level retail podium. The development would deliver 736 apartments, including 74 affordable homes, 215 Build-to-Rent apartments and 521 market residences. Provision has also been made for dual-key apartments, which could increase the total number of dwellings to 877.

At ground level, the shopping centre has been designed as the suburb's new meeting place, anchored by a full-line Woolworths and complemented by a curated mix of fresh food retailers, cafés, restaurants, health services and everyday convenience shopping. Generous pedestrian links and landscaped public spaces will connect the retail precinct through to Jack Mundey Reserve, creating a more walkable and connected neighbourhood.

Conquest CEO Michael Akkawi said the redevelopment was about far more than replacing a shopping centre.

"Eastlakes has been overlooked for too long, and this is the community’s moment. We are building a shopping centre and homes, a genuine heart for the suburb, and we genuinely want locals to help shape it."

"We enrich communities through the creation of homes, places, and experiences designed for life, built to last, and owner for generations. That starts with listening, so we warmly encourage everyone with a connection to Eastlakes to view the plans and share their thoughts."

<img alt="First look: Conquest unveils plans for 736-home Eastlakes Shopping Centre redevelopment" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="22f6fb20-54fb-4bd7-8a92-48fafdd00608" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/eastland.png?VersionId=cugp7s9hrMHGJJdYzkeAkrFoQgnF4GXf" />

DKO said the design had been shaped by the site's landscape setting and surrounding open space.

"Our vision for the site embraces its unique Bidjigal identity by blending the residential living with generous landscaping and a material palette inspired by the Bidjigal locality, and celebrating the panoramic views to Botany Bay and the wetlands reserves."

"Taking cues from Country, we seek to harmonise built form with the landscape and lightly touch the earth. By reconnecting, retaining and regenerating existing ecology, and weaving in natural elements, we can deepen our connection to Country."

The landscape strategy extends across the podium and rooftops, incorporating communal gardens, children's play areas, lawns, community gardens, family gathering spaces and extensive tree planting. New landscaped links will also strengthen the connection between the precinct and Jack Mundey Reserve, while publicly accessible open spaces have been integrated throughout the development.

The proposal builds on Conquest's broader placemaking strategy for the site. Through an ongoing partnership, local artist Joe Rashbrook has been appointed Urban Art Curator, working alongside young residents to transform the project's site hoardings into a public art gallery that allows the community to engage with the redevelopment before construction is complete.

Conquest has rapidly expanded its development pipeline since acquiring the Eastlakes site, with more than $6 billion worth of mixed-use projects now in planning across Sydney, including Stanmore, Castlecrag and Waterloo.

Conquest CEO Michael Akkawi said the redevelopment was about far more than replacing a shopping centre.

First look: ‘Far more than replacing a shopping centre’ as Conquest unveils 736-home Eastlakes redevelopment

Abadeen has lodged a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for one of Mosman's largest apartment developments in recent years, seeking approval to transform the former Honeysuckle Garden and Midas site on Military Road into a 100-apartment mixed-use development.

The SSDA, lodged with investment partner Phoenix Property Investors, proposes around $230 million worth of new housing on the prominent <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/494-516-military-road-mosman-nsw-2088">494-516 Military Road</a> site.

The proposal comes as Mosman Council continues to progress its recently endorsed Masterplan, which identifies the precinct for increased housing density while maintaining the suburb's established character.

Designed by DKO Architecture, the development would comprise 100 apartments above ground-floor retail, with a rooftop wellness precinct including a gym, sauna, entertaining areas and landscaped communal spaces.

Rather than pushing to the full 12-storey height identified in Council's Masterplan, the proposal ranges between five and nine storeys, stepping down towards Hale Road. A tenth level would accommodate resident amenities rather than additional apartments.

The project has been designed to appeal to a broad range of buyers, from first home buyers and young professionals through to families and local downsizers looking to remain on the Lower North Shore.

<img alt="Mosman" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5dada03f-5b4c-43ba-ba62-2868add31440" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-27%20at%209.57.55%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=7LBy0B.Jo8_iWAFJsClcV7Q3UnXrv49r" />

Abadeen Executive Chairman Justin Brown said the apartments had been designed as genuine long-term homes rather than investor-focused stock.

"The apartments have been designed as genuine long-term homes, with efficient floorplans that maximise usable living areas, generous storage, natural light and strong connections between indoor and outdoor spaces," Brown says."

"We've focused on creating homes for a broad range of buyers, from first home buyers and growing families through to downsizers who want to remain in Mosman."

The rooftop wellness offering forms a key part of the proposal, with residents set to have access to a gym, sauna, outdoor entertaining spaces, communal dining areas, landscaped gardens and a multi-use recreation court overlooking Sydney Harbour.

<img alt="Mosman" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d37c2d6b-583a-4a0f-b7a9-9f46b893d2f4" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-27%20at%209.58.06%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=FPoa5FCm2RtzjhAh2w5FTWJbV6GHfY8D" />

DKO drew heavily on the site's natural and cultural history, undertaking a Connecting with Country process with local Aboriginal Elders to inform the architectural and landscape design.

Senior Associate Matthew Ritchard said the design sought to create a building that responded to both the site's landscape and its cultural significance.

"The architectural language of the project is a deep expression of Connecting with Country, where the materiality and colour palette serve as a bridge between the site's geological history and its future as a residential sanctuary."

The proposal also retains the site's established blue gum tree as the centrepiece of the communal landscaped gardens, while introducing activated retail fronting Military Road to strengthen the connection between Mosman and Cremorne villages.

If approved, the project would deliver 100 new homes within walking distance of shops, public transport, schools and local amenities, adding to the limited pipeline of new apartments on the Lower North Shore.

<h2>Project Snapshot</h2>

Project: Honeysuckle Garden Redevelopment

Address: 494-516 Military Road, Mosman

Developer: Abadeen and Phoenix Property Investors

Architect: DKO Architecture

Lead Architect: Matthew Ritchard

Value: $230 million

Residences: 100 apartments

Key features:

<ul>
	<li>
	Ground-floor retail
	</li>
	<li>
	Rooftop wellness precinct
	</li>
	<li>
	Gym and sauna
	</li>
	<li>
	Outdoor entertaining and BBQ areas
	</li>
	<li>
	Landscaped communal gardens
	</li>
	<li>
	Multi-use recreation court
	</li>
	<li>
	Retained mature blue gum tree
	</li>
	<li>
	Connecting with Country design process
	</li>
	<li>
	Harbour, CBD and Balmoral views from upper-level apartments
	</li>
</ul>

Abadeen Executive Chairman Justin Brown said the apartments had been designed as genuine long-term homes rather than investor-focused stock

First look: Abadeen plans 100 apartments on former Honeysuckle Garden site in Mosman

The wave of apartment proposals sweeping through Mosman shows no signs of slowing, with another major residential development lodged through the NSW Government's State Significant Development pathway.

Developer First Quadrant Properties, which recently completed Willoughby Grounds and has several projects in planning across the North Shore, has unveiled plans for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/cove-on-ourimbah-40-56-ourimbah-road-mosman-nsw-2088">Cove on Ourimbah</a>, a 63-apartment development on Ourimbah Road, adding to the growing pipeline of projects reshaping one of Sydney's most tightly held harbour suburbs.

The proposal would consolidate nine properties at 40-56 Ourimbah Road into a part eight, part nine-storey apartment building, continuing the momentum created by the NSW Government's accelerated planning pathways that have seen several significant developments emerge across Mosman over the past 12 months.

Designed by Doroch Architects, the project would deliver 63 apartments, resident wellness facilities including a gym, pool and sauna, landscaped communal spaces and basement parking, while using recessed upper levels, generous setbacks and extensive planting to reduce the perceived scale of the building.

<img alt="First look: First Quadrant Properties eyes nine-storey Mosman apartment project under State Significant pathway" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="32ee68e4-141e-4a10-8f83-48e961a5e71e" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Ourimbah%20Road%2C%20Mosman%20a.png?VersionId=CUeILFc6APlwXPc.iplElbxHvREKwjig" />

Doroch Architects said the building had been designed to reinforce Mosman's established character.

"The building's aesthetic is grounded in the existing residential character of Ourimbah Road and the broader Mosman context," the architect noted in the planning documents submitted to the NSW Government.

The design adopts a contemporary material palette of natural stone, textured concrete and brown concave metal cladding, complemented by integrated planters and deep balconies. The podium incorporates softened curved concrete forms, while increased setbacks have been provided adjacent to the heritage-listed property at 60 Ourimbah Road to create a more sympathetic transition.

The site sits around 330 metres from Mosman Town Centre, placing it within the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy area, where increased residential density is being encouraged close to shops, transport and services.

The proposal follows a string of major apartment projects lodged or declared State Significant in Mosman in recent months, including Abadeen's 100-apartment Honeysuckle Garden redevelopment on Military Road and several other developments across Awaba Street, Redan Street and Muston Street from the likes of Time &amp; Place, HELM and Prosker Property.

&nbsp;

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/time-place-to-take-on-mosman-apartment-market">Time &amp; Place to take on Mosman apartment market</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/first-look-abadeen-plans-100-apartments-on-former-honeysuckle-garden-site-in-mosman">First look: Abadeen plans 100 apartments on former Honeysuckle Garden site in Mosman</a>

&nbsp;

Jonathan Chancellor

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