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Selected former contestants of the Channel 9 reality show The Block are rumoured to go head to head against former contestants of the Channel 7 show, House Rules in the ultimate television renovation showdown next year.
Title Tattle gleans the new show, Renovation Rumble will be on Channel 9 next year, to be hosted by Scott Cam who will no doubt try to make sports announcer Michael Buffer's trademarked catchphrase, "Let's get ready to rumble!" his own.
The series is said to be produced by Watercress Production's Julian Cress and David Barbour.
Viewers will also get two series of House Rules and two of The Block in free to air television reality renovation overload next year. 
The Block was the DIY stalwart having kicked off in 2003 at Bondi Beach, but then regularly beaten by the Joanna Grigg's compered new kid who, after a slow start in 2013, often stole the ratings top spot in the fierce war for viewers.
My Kitchen Rules was the most popular series on Australian TV this year, peaking at 1.93 million viewers, according to a recent list published by if.com.au. Episodes of The Voice, The Block Glasshouse, The Block: Fans vs Faves and House Rules figured in the top 14.
<ol>
<li>MY KITCHEN RULES - TUESDAY 1,929,000  </li>
<li>MY KITCHEN RULES - MONDAY 1,901,000  </li>
<li>THE VOICE – TUESDAY 1,892,000  </li>
<li>THE VOICE - SUNDAY 1,851,000  </li>
<li>MY KITCHEN RULES – WEDNESDAY 1,846,000  </li>
<li>MY KITCHEN RULES – SUNDAY 1,769,000  </li>
<li>THE BLOCK GLASSHOUSE – SUNDAY 1,632,000  </li>
<li>THE BLOCK: FANS V FAVES – SUNDAY 1,628,000  </li>
<li>HOUSE RULES – REVEAL 1,582,000  </li>
<li>THE VOICE – MONDAY 1,563,000  </li>
<li>LOVE CHILD 1,466,000  </li>
<li>HOUSE RULES – TUESDAY 1,428,000  </li>
<li>RESURRECTION 1,412,000  </li>
<li>HOUSE RULES – WEDNESDAY 1,386,000 </li>
</ol>
Source:  if.com.au
The 2015 Renovation Rumble show has not been confirmed by Channel 9, but leaked out via Channel 7.
There has been considerable scepticism questioning why Channel 9 would want to draw attention to a top rating rival Channel 7 show especially one that will be on twice next year. 
Title Tattle would pinpoint the vast location most likely for the showdown renovation would be <a href="/expert-insights/building/confirmed-the-block-makes-octagonal-south-yarra-hotel-reservation">t</a><a href="/expert-insights/building/confirmed-the-block-makes-octagonal-south-yarra-hotel-reservation">he eight level, 34-room</a><a href="/expert-insights/building/confirmed-the-block-makes-octagonal-south-yarra-hotel-reservation"> octagonal-shaped Hotel Saville in South Yarra</a> which has been purchased by the production company of Channel 9’s The Block.
The $6.25 million sale had been suspected since June, but confirmed only recently with the Watercress Production Pty Ltd settlement documents seen by Property Observer.
Despite its obvious noteworthy architectural shape, the former hotel attracted enduring notoriety as in 2002 it was alleged Reservoir man Shane Chartres-Abbott violently raped a client in a hotel suite, with part of her tongue missing.
The gigolo Chartres-Abbott was arrested shortly after the attack with the victim's blood on his pants and her phone in his bag. With the forensic evidence, medical reports, the victim's testimony and witness statements, Chartres-Abbott presented a bizarre, headline-grabbing defence that he was a 200-year-old vampire.
Chartres-Abbott was subsequently executed outside his Reservoir home in 2003 as he left for the County Court during the rape trial.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Renovation rumble showdown with The Block contestants v House Rules contestants?

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The Reserve Bank Governor Glenn Stevens says the RBA does not take a doctrinaire view of the ‘correct’ level of house prices. 
"The endless discussion about whether or not the level of prices constitutes, at any one time, a ‘bubble’ is not very productive," he noted in his address to the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) which was unusually insightful.
"We can observe that, for more than a decade, the level of prices relative to disposable income has been noticeably higher than it used to be, and not just in Australia.
"If that is a bubble, it is a remarkably long-lived and widespread one.
"But even if we lose no time arguing over that question, it is still the fact that prices go up AND down, and that these trends matter for the economy.
"If we are interested in strong and steady growth, we have an interest in dwelling prices and indeed all asset prices."
<a href="/expert-insights/finance/property-investor-animal-spirits-needed-in-wider-economy-rba-governor-glenn-stevens">Offering a few observations on the topic of house prices</a>, Glenn Stevens noted having fallen in late 2010 and 2011, dwelling prices have since risen, with the median price across the country up by around $100 000 – about 18% – since the low point.
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Endless Australian housing bubble discussion unproductive: RBA's Glenn Stevens

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The Reserve Bank of Australia governor Glenn Stevens has said it should not be assumed that property investor activity is problematic. 
"Investment in new and existing dwellings is rising," he noted in an unusually insightful speech, titled '­Economics Possibilities', to the annual dinner the Committee for Economic Development of Australia.
"It ought to be possible, if we are being sensible both on the demand management side and the supply side, for this to go further yet and, more importantly, for the level of activity to stay high for longer than the average cyclical experience. 
"A high level of construction, maintained for a longer period of time, is vastly preferable to a very sharp boom and bust cycle. 
"That alternative outcome might give us a higher peak in the near term, but then a slump in the housing sector at a time when the fall in mining investment is still occurring. 
"A sustained period of strong construction will be more helpful from the point of view of encouraging growth in non-mining activity – and also, surely, from a wider perspective: housing our growing population in an affordable manner."
Stevens said it was "not clear whether price increases will continue or abate.
"Furthermore, it is not to be assumed that investor activity is problematic, per se. 
"A proportion of the investor transactions are financing additions to the stock of dwellings, which is helpful. 
"It can also be observed that a bit more of the ‘animal spirits’ evident in the housing market would be welcome in some other sectors of the economy," he said.
Offering a few observations on the topic of house prices, Glenn Stevens noted having fallen in late 2010 and 2011, dwelling prices have since risen, with the median price across the country up by around $100 000 – about 18% – since the low point.
The Reserve Bank Governor Glenn Stevens <a href="/expert-insights/finance/endless-australian-housing-bubble-discussion-unproductive-rbas-glenn-stevens">noted the RBA does not take a doctrinaire view of the ‘correct’ level of house prices. </a>
"Prices have risen in all capitals, with a fair degree of variation: the smallest increase has been in Canberra, at about 6%, and the largest in Sydney, at 28%."
Credit outstanding to households in total is rising at about 6–7% per year.
"I see no particular concern with that.
"When we turn to the rate of growth of credit to investors in particular, we see that it has picked up to about 10% per annum over the past six months, with investors accounting for almost half of the flow of new credit.
"It is not clear whether this acceleration will continue or abate."
It was not the first time he had used the phrase, but the first time in relation to property sentiment.
In August he told a Parliamentary committee the RBA would like to see companies spending money, hiring more workers and investing in new plant rather than increasing dividends and repricing existing assets.
"The thing that is most needed now is something monetary policy can't directly cause: more of the sort of 'animal spirits' needed to support an expansion of the stock of existing assets (outside the mining sector), not just a re-pricing of existing assets," he said.
Property Observer assumes "animal spirits" references the term John Maynard Keynes used in his 1936 book The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money to describe the instincts, proclivities and emotions that ostensibly influence and guide human behavior, and which can be measured in terms of, for example, consumer confidence.
The original passage by Keynes reads: "Even apart from the instability due to speculation, there is the instability due to the characteristic of human nature that a large proportion of our positive activities depend on spontaneous optimism rather than mathematical expectations, whether moral or hedonistic or economic. Most, probably, of our decisions to do something positive, the full consequences of which will be drawn out over many days to come, can only be taken as the result of animal spirits—a spontaneous urge to action rather than inaction, and not as the outcome of a weighted average of quantitative benefits multiplied by quantitative probabilities."
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Property investor 'animal spirits' needed in wider economy: RBA Governor Glenn Stevens

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Stockland has launched a $640 million masterplanned community in the Wyndham growth corridor, 30 kilometres west of Melbourne.
The Grove at Tarneit sold all 55 of the available blocks on the first day of the release.
The blocks ranged in size from 333 square metres to 554 square metres and were priced from $158,200 to $225,500. 
The weekend success will be the first of 2,500 new homes in Tarneit.
The first residents in the 234-hectare community are expected in the second half of 2016. 
The Grove will offer completed homes, house and land packages along with medium density housing.
There will be 54 hectares of parkland on a site bordered by the Werribee River and Davis Creek.
Residents will have easy access to the city via the Werribee train line and the new Regional Rail Link, which is due to open in April next year.
The announcement came a day after Stockland revealed its best residential sales quarter in four years.
Its results were buoyed by improved profits from its residential business which achieved a 12.5% increase in lot sales and ended the year with a record number of contracts in hand. 
The new community at The Grove will include a 3.8-hectare town centre with a neighbourhood shopping centre.
Stockland will build a retirement village and will set aside land for new primary and secondary schools.
The Wyndham Local Government Area is one of the fastest growing corridors in Australia. In the year to June 2013, the population of the Wyndham corridor increased by around 10,800 people, representing a 6% growth rate.
Stockland general manager residential for Victoria, Mike Davis, said Stockland was well known to most people in the area because of the Allura residential community at Truganina, Point Cook Town Centre and Tarneit Skies Retirement Village.
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Tarneit's The Grove secures strong land sales for Stockland

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Low interest rates and ongoing population growth were continuing to support growth in both housing construction and the established housing market, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has noted.
The rising house prices are encouraging people to spend more money in retail.
"Growth in dwelling investment had remained strong and this was expected to continue in coming quarters, based on building approvals and other forward-looking indicators," according to the RBA November minutes.
But the central bank noted housing price growth had slowed from the rapid pace of late last year, "but was still high in Sydney and Melbourne".
"While growth in housing credit for owner-occupiers was only a little above that of income, credit extended to investors had continued to grow at a noticeably faster rate.
"Members noted that the strength in the housing market was expected to give some support to household consumption in the near term as rising housing valuations allowed some credit-constrained home owners to bring forward their consumption.
"The pick-up in retail sales in the September quarter and stronger growth in retail sales in those states with more rapid housing price growth was consistent with this view."
However, members also observed that expectations of low income growth would be likely to weigh somewhat on consumption, which was expected to continue growing at a moderate pace in the near term before strengthening over 2016.
"Very low interest rates continued to support activity in the housing market and this was expected to spur activity in other areas of the economy through the usual channels," the minutes noted.
Members noted that growth in housing credit extended to investors in housing had continued to grow at a noticeably faster rate than credit to owner-occupiers.
Their discussion came shortly before, for the first time in the 30-year history of the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ housing finance series, that the value of investor loan approvals in September, at $11.94 billion, was greater than the value of loans to owner-occupiers, at $11.77 billion.
The board members concluded their discussion of financial markets with the observation that Australian lending rates on the stock of outstanding housing and business loans were continuing to edge lower.
"The outlook for inflation had been revised up slightly in response to the depreciation of the exchange rate during October. 
"The cumulative effect of the exchange rate depreciation since early 2013 was expected to add a little under one half percentage point to underlying inflation in each year over the forecast period. 
"Nevertheless, domestic inflationary pressures were generally expected to remain subdued given spare capacity in labour and product markets. 
"As a result, underlying inflation was expected to remain consistent with the target over the forecast period."
The monetary policy committee of the RBA was attended by Glenn Stevens (Governor and Chair), Philip Lowe (Deputy Governor), John Akehurst, Roger Corbett AO, John Edwards, Kathryn Fagg, Martin Parkinson PSM (Secretary to the Treasury), Heather Ridout AO, and Catherine Tanna. Others attending were Guy Debelle (Assistant Governor, Financial Markets), Christopher Kent (Assistant Governor, Economic), Alexandra Heath (Head, Economic Analysis Department), Anthony Dickman (Secretary), Peter Stebbing (Deputy Secretary).
 
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Sydney and Melbourne housing price growth "still high": RBA November minutes

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Sydney is going to remain a seller’s market for some time yet, according to estate agent John McGrath.
He said it was surprising to see media reports describing the Sydney property market changing to favour buyers.
"We are still very much in a sellers’ market because buyer demand is so far in front of supply, even with the additional stock coming onto the market today," he blogged on the <a href="https://www.switzer.com.au/the-experts/john-mcgrath-property-expert/its-still-a-sellers-market/" target="_blank">Switzer website</a>.
"The fact that the clearance rate on the second weekend of November dipped to 75% in Sydney does not indicate a change in market sentiment – it’s just a reflection of a big jump in volume and that’s only happening because vendors are feeling supremely confident, not because they’re panicking." 
As the property cycle was only two years old – and typically last three to five years - he maintains Sydney was still on a long-term growth trajectory. 
"There is still room over the next couple of years for another 5 to 10% growth in prices in key high quality Sydney markets."
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Sydney is still a sellers' market: John McGrath

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The weekend's cheapest Sydney sale was a two bedroom $273,000 Rosemeadow villa.
It last sold at $172,000 in 2008, reflecting 8% annual growth.
It was available for rent at $275 a week on its 2008 sale.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-villa-nsw-rosemeadow-118186883" target="_blank">The 4/52 Julius Road sale</a> was through Richardson &amp; Wrench Campbelltown agent Russell Wyer. 
RP Data gives the suburb's median house price as a record $375,000 and a record $320,000 for the median unit price.
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Rosemeadow $273,000 sale the weekend's cheapest Sydney property

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House price inflation will decelerate further next year, according to economist Saul Eslake, despite of record low lending rates.
The Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s senior Australian economist says the current slowdown in house price growth will persist into 2015. 
“It is our view that national median dwelling-price growth will decelerate markedly in 2015,” he wrote, adding plans by the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority (APRA) to toughen conditions around investor loans will also be a factor.
“The Reserve Bank of Australia for one has been extolling the role that increases in house prices have been playing in supporting both consumer spending and residential construction,” Eslake said.
“If house price growth decelerates and perhaps even declines in real terms this could weigh on consumption and dwelling investment into 2015.”
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Economist Saul Eslake sees marked property price deceleration in 2015

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Celebrities Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are rumoured to be thinking of buying the $5 million Queensland getaway, Turtle Island.
Indeed they want to rename it Isle Kardashian!
That's the New Idea take on the suggestion it will soon be their retreat down under, off the central Queensland coast.
<a href="https://www.cbmb.com.au/international-properties/turtle-details.php" target="_blank">The island off the coast of Gladstone in Queensland</a> has been on the market for a number of years. Turtle Island traded for $3 million in 1999 and before that by horse racing enthusiasts Bob and Sue Bentley, who had bought it in 1994 for $300,000 and built on the island. Believed to have been used as a Chinese market garden in the early 1900s, it had a series of owners who made no attempt to establish a residence. Honeymoon Hotels of Australia bought the island in 1989 for $300,000 but then also failed to develop the site into a resort.
The Christofidellis family initially listed the nine-hectare tropical island at $6,750,000.
Rumours of island buying celebrities have made marketing headlines through the years, typically only to fade away to local buyers eventually picking up the island at much-discounted prices. 
This is the 23.25 acre island that Julia Roberts supposedly missed out on owning prior to the current owners purchasing the island around years ago.
Politician Clive Palmer and businessman Geoffrey Edelsten (with Brynne) enquired about the island in 2013, according to the local paper, Gladstone Observer.
Marketing agent Richard Vanhoff of Coldwell Banker revealed yesterday to News Ltd that he was in negotiations to sell it to an overseas buyer.
Vanhoff would not reveal the identity of the buyer but said the intending purchaser had visited the island last week.
Asked if Kardashian or West were the buyers, Vanhoff said “I can’t talk to you about any of that’’. 
Kardashian is in Australia at the moment to launch a new perfume.
The freehold 9.41 hecatre island has a 600 square metre single-level house with views to the east over surrounding islands and beyond to the Great Barrier Reef.
It has its own private jetty.
The comedy duo Hamish Blake and Andy Lee are the latest attracted to tropical Queensland island securing a short-term permit to occupy an islet south-east of Mackay now dubbed <a href="https://www.hamishandandy.com/2014/claiming-peoples-island/" target="_blank">The People’s Island</a>.
The land, formally known as Iron Islet, neighbours the much larger Marble Island in the Coral Sea. The 4.5 hectare site was an iron mine before being handed off to the government by the Duke Island Pastoral Company.
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Kim and Kanye join long list of rumoured Australian fantasy island owners

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An outright majority (55%) of consumers still expect house prices to rise over the next year with just under half expecting it to be a rise of up to 10%.
Just over 13% expect prices to fall according to the latest Westpac-Melbourne Institute Consumer House Price Expectations Index which rose 1.4% in November.
<img src="/images/2014/11/18/west-nov-18-one.jpg" alt="">
Westpac noted at 140.8 the Index is well down on the 164.2 reading this time last year but still in strongly positive territory and well above the 125 average of the past decade.
"As with the ‘time to buy a dwelling’ index, this measure also seems to be settling into a less optimistic but still positive range," the report noted.
<img src="/images/2014/11/18/west-nov-18-two.jpg" alt="">
Optimists still outnumber pessimists, though the sentiment points to a clear moderation in housing demand, it noted.
"While the investor segment remains an important exception, actual data on housing activity is also showing a clear moderation."
<img src="/images/2014/11/18/west-nov-18-three.jpg" alt="">
It noted big geographic differences with a weak reading for WA notable - given a clear drop-off in price momentum.
Despite interest rates at historic lows and a buoyant housing market, home owners are significantly more downbeat about Christmas spending, particularly those with a mortgage, the report found.
<img src="/images/2014/11/18/west-nov-18-four.jpg" alt="">
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Few people, but slightly more, believe house prices will fall: Westpac consumer index

A trio of Queensland property groups have unveiled plans for a $300 million mixed-use redevelopment of the former Noosa Bowls Club site, a proposal that would deliver more than 200 new homes in one of the Sunshine Coast's most supply-constrained markets.

Kilter Property, Frank Developments and Calile Malouf Investments are behind the plans for the 1.8-hectare site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/99-noosa-drive-noosa-heads-qld-4567">99 Noosa Drive</a>, which would transform the long-vacant site into a new residential precinct featuring 208 apartments, retail, hospitality and public space.

The proposal comes as Noosa continues to grapple with housing affordability and a shortage of permanent accommodation, particularly for key workers. The site's location in Noosa Junction, close to shops, public transport and employment, aligns with the direction of Noosa Council's Housing Strategy, which encourages higher-density housing within established activity centres rather than continued urban expansion.

The draft plans include 48 affordable-by-design apartments and 48 rooming accommodation units aimed at key workers. Around 2,000 sqm of ground-floor retail and food and beverage space would activate the street frontage, alongside a new public town square and landscaped open space.

<img alt="Noosa" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2dd02f53-1360-4e51-801e-bfd61a6c980e" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-26%20at%208.44.34%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=x1iNs3BSMN6Jy7YUwaBZMHRrrKX2hMpy" />

&nbsp;

Frank Developments Founder and Director Frank Licastro said the development would continue the company's focus on architecturally-led residential projects while addressing one of the region's biggest challenges.

"Not only will this project exude a sense of luxury, it will also enhance not only the built environment but also the surrounding community," Licastro said.

"Noosa's success relies on the people who live and work here. Providing well-designed accommodation for key workers is critical to supporting the local economy and ensuring the Shire can continue to thrive."

Kilter Property Co-Founder Huw Williams said the focus was on delivering additional permanent housing while creating a mixed-use destination that benefits both residents and the wider community.

"Our focus is on delivering a well-considered mixed-use project that provides more permanent housing options, supports local workers and businesses, and delivers an exceptional product for the local market," Williams said.

"The redevelopment vision aligns with the long-term evolution of Noosa Junction as a vibrant activity centre, creating a destination that enhances the area's character while delivering significant economic and community benefits."

Calile Malouf Investments, best known for its role in Brisbane's James Street precinct and The Calile Hotel, will bring its place-making experience to the project. The company recently commenced construction on The Calile Noosa hotel and says the residential development will complement its growing investment in the region.

CMI Director Cal Malouf said the aim was to create a walkable precinct combining housing, retail and hospitality while remaining true to Noosa's character.

"We see a similar opportunity in Noosa to deliver a vibrant, walkable destination that combines exceptional housing, hospitality and retail in one integrated project," Malouf said.

Brisbane-based Cavill Architects has been appointed to design the project.

Joel Robinson

Noosa Bowls Club to be redeveloped into mixed-use apartment precinct

One of Brisbane's last major riverfront redevelopment opportunities has taken a significant step forward, with Lendlease selected as the Queensland Government's preferred development partner for the former Visy site in South Brisbane.

The seven-hectare industrial site, positioned between South Bank and West End and 1.3 kilometres from the Brisbane CBD, will be transformed into a mixed-use precinct expected to deliver more than 4,000 new homes alongside extensive public open space and riverfront parkland.

The project is one of the largest urban renewal opportunities currently planned in Brisbane and is expected to play a key role in accommodating the city's growing population ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Plans for the precinct include a network of riverfront promenades and boardwalks, new public plazas, parkland, amphitheatre-style gathering spaces and shared pedestrian and cycling links designed to reconnect the long-isolated site with the Brisbane River.

The Queensland Government is targeting delivery of the first homes and key public spaces before the 2032 Games, allowing the precinct to begin contributing new housing and public amenity well before the broader masterplan is complete.

The redevelopment is also expected to support more than 3,000 jobs across planning, construction and ongoing operations.

For Lendlease, the appointment adds another major urban regeneration project to its Queensland portfolio. The developer has operated in the state for more than 70 years and has delivered a number of large-scale mixed-use precincts in partnership with government.

Lendlease Development CEO Claire Johnston said the project represented one of Brisbane's most significant redevelopment opportunities.

"The transformation of the former Visy site represents a rare opportunity to reimagine one of Brisbane's most significant riverfront locations, deliver thousands of much-needed homes, and create long-term legacy," Johnston said.

"In partnership with the Queensland Government, we have the opportunity to create a new riverside destination that will help shape Brisbane's growth and how people experience the city for decades to come.

"This is exactly the type of large-scale, city-shaping development that will provide lasting benefits for Queensland, bringing together housing, jobs and world-class public spaces."

Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jarrod Bleijie said the riverfront transformation would deliver a thriving new community precinct.

“The Crisafulli Government is delivering this golden opportunity to unlock a riverfront jewel for all Queenslanders,” Deputy Premier Bleijie said.

“This is a once-in-a-generation moment to reshape a significant slice of Brisbane and deliver lasting benefits – thousands of new homes, and public spaces for all Queenslanders to enjoy well beyond the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games – unlike Labor’s plan which would have delivered zero benefits and zero new homes.

“Queensland is well and truly open for business and through partnership with the private sector, we are accelerating delivery while ensuring strong housing, community and economic outcomes."

Early works on the precinct are expected to commence in April 2027.

Lendlease selected to deliver transformative South Brisbane riverfront precinct

Eddy Haddad's <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/level-33">Level 33</a> is levelling up its approved Wollongong development, as the coastal city south of Sydney continues to prove popular in the high-density development space.

Level 33, a longtime developer in the Wollongong area, has gone through the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority to upsize its approved two-tower development on the corner of Crown Street and Gladstone Avenue, just 100 metres from Wollongong Station.

The developer currently has approval for 252 apartments across two buildings rising to 19 storeys. It is now seeking approval for 33 and 38-storey towers that would deliver 467 apartments, including 67 affordable homes.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bka-architecture">BKA Architecture</a>, the development would comprise apartments above a three-level podium with around 1,100 sqm of retail space, along with basement parking for 448 vehicles.

According to the Urban Design Report by BKA, the proposal has the capacity to "reinforce the precinct's identity by strengthening links between health, education, and transport services, while also contributing to Wollongong's ongoing evolution as a key regional centre."

Wollongong is somewhat in vogue. Between Level 33 and Urban Property Group, the two developers have several thousand apartments planned across the city.

Level 33 is currently delivering Easterly Wollongong, one of its most boutique projects to date with just 21 high-end apartments, as well as Atchison &amp; Kenny, a 329-apartment development due for completion later this year.

The developer plans to redevelop the 13,088 sqm WIN Grand megasite into <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/crown-square-216-238-keira-street-wollongong-nsw-2500">Crown Square</a>, a new $500 million precinct with nearly 600 apartments. It also has more than 900 apartments planned for the former Bunnings Warehouse site at the intersection of Gipps and Flinders streets.

Urban Property Group is also playing a major role in the city's transformation. Its five-tower Keira Place precinct will deliver more than 800 homes, and it has recently lodged plans for a further 300 apartments near Wollongong Station.

First look: Level 33 upsizes Wollongong apartment towers

Just a week after filing plans for the final stage of its major Keira Place masterplan, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> has unveiled another significant housing proposal in Wollongong, this time targeting a prominent site opposite North Wollongong Station.

The developer has lodged a State Significant Development Application for a 38-storey mixed-use tower at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/4-4a-flinders-street-north-wollongong-nsw-2500">4-4A Flinders Street</a>, around one kilometre north of the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/keira-place-wollongong-120-122-smith-street-wollongong-nsw-2500">Keira Place precinct</a> currently taking shape on the edge of the CBD.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group plans 38-storey North Wollongong tower as Keira Place expansion gathers pace" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2b6428f1-6405-4038-8476-897de440e90d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/flinders%20podium.png?VersionId=QLqEvK0OuCEwRC47oHNftrw2B1YqaHF8" />

Designed by Studio.SC, the proposal comprises a 38-storey mixed-use development containing 303 apartments, including 45 affordable housing units, alongside 174 co-living residences. The scheme also includes ground-floor retail space, extensive landscaping and public domain improvements.

Studio.SC noted in the proposal it "outlines a vision for a landmark transit-oriented mixed-use development centred around North Wollongong Station, designed to support the city’s future growth while responding to the NSW Government’s housing and planning reforms."

The architecture firm said the proposal responds to the opportunities and constraints shaping future growth within the 400-metre catchment of the station and represents "a coordinated and future-focused approach to urban intensification, contributing to the long-term evolution of North Wollongong as a connected, walkable and high-density station precinct."

The site occupies a strategic corner bounded by Flinders Street, Station Street, Stafford Street and the Princes Highway, directly opposite North Wollongong Station.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group plans 38-storey North Wollongong tower as Keira Place expansion gathers pace" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7863adad-1f71-4022-b850-f44b252738fd" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/flinders%20podium%20a.png?VersionId=WsU7av0g8_8R2tGHWxgHeFSlhu7yeY1V" />

The proposal follows Urban Property Group's recent submission for the second and final stage of Keira Place, which would deliver a further three buildings comprising 657 homes opposite Beaton Park. It builds on the first stage, which features 150 apartments across two towers and recently commenced construction.

Urban Property Group CEO Patrick Elias said breaking ground on the first stage marked a significant milestone for Wollongong and reflected the developer's long-term commitment to regional cities.

"Today's groundbreaking is about turning approvals into homes and moving quickly to deliver much-needed housing in Wollongong's city centre," Elias said.

"Keira Place will provide a diverse mix of homes close to jobs, transport and services, while setting a high benchmark for quality, durability and consumer protection."

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/urban-property-group-unveils-trio-of-towers-for-next-stage-of-new-wollongong-precinct-keira-place">Urban Property Group unveils trio of towers for next stage of new Wollongong precinct, Keira Place</a>

First look: Urban Property Group plans next major Wollongong tower

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/arada">Arada Australia</a> has wasted little time expanding its ambitions in Campsie, lodging plans for a second major project in the rapidly transforming town centre just months after unveiling its three-tower One Campsie proposal on Beamish Street.

The UAE-backed developer has now taken aim at one of the suburb’s most strategically positioned sites, filing a State Significant Development Application for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/10-north-parade-campsie-nsw-2194">33-storey mixed-use tower</a> at 10 London Street and 43 North Parade, directly opposite the future Campsie Metro Station. The proposal is currently on public exhibition and represents another significant vote of confidence in Campsie's emergence as one of Sydney’s key transit-oriented growth centres.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a>, the development would deliver 156 apartments above a podium containing retail and commercial space, creating a new residential and commercial gateway to the town centre. The scheme also includes a four-level above-ground parking podium and a dedicated residential amenity floor featuring wellness and recreation facilities. At least 10 per cent of the apartments would be allocated as affordable housing for a period of 10 years.

The proposal occupies a 1,631 sqm site bounded by London Street, North Parade and Dispensary Lane, immediately adjoining the future Metro station precinct and just metres from Beamish Street’s retail and dining strip. According to the Urban Design Report, the project seeks to deliver "a great place that prioritises human-scaled experience and provides spatial improvements to the area."

<img alt="First look: Arada doubles down in Campsie with 33-storey Metro-front tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="175a8324-015b-4856-abe3-ce6f23199fa7" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/podium%20campsie.png?VersionId=742UGwXFhFBX4GEl6wX4PYIWREAgn6il" />

Woods Bagot describes the tower as a key marker within Campsie's next phase of growth.

"Located directly opposite the new Campsie Metro Station on North Parade, 10 London Street is a thoughtfully composed 33-storey mixed-use tower that contributes to the ongoing transformation of the town centre," the Architectural Design Report states. The report says the project is intended to provide "high-quality homes within a vibrant, connected urban environment, while helping define Campsie's future skyline."

A strong emphasis has been placed on the public realm. The ground floor incorporates over 500 sqm of retail space and active frontages along both London Street and North Parade, while the podium is wrapped by extensive landscaped planting intended to soften the building's scale and strengthen the pedestrian experience. The development would also widen surrounding footpaths and improve connections between the Metro station and the broader town centre.

Above the podium, residents would have access to more than 1,400 sqm of communal amenities, including a pool, gym and landscaped recreation spaces. A distinctive green-wall treatment extending across four podium levels forms a major architectural feature, helping differentiate the project within the emerging high-density precinct.

The tower's design is closely tied to the broader Campsie Town Centre Master Plan and the arrival of Sydney Metro. The Urban Design Report notes the proposal "directly supports the Campsie Town Centre Master Plan by delivering new homes in a location explicitly identified for growth, improved accessibility, and high-quality urban renewal." It adds that the project contributes to the master plan's vision for a strengthened town centre supported by thousands of new homes around the future Metro station.

<img alt="First look: Arada doubles down in Campsie with 33-storey Metro-front tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bfd17654-253e-489a-bade-6278d63db412" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/base%20campsie.png?VersionId=3roJPMQGs36dazpkhvpvbDDP73Ld.Ica" />

The application follows Arada Australia's recently lodged One Campsie project at 124–142 Beamish Street and 16–18 Ninth Avenue, where the developer is seeking approval for 346 apartments across three towers rising 24, 32 and 39 storeys. Together, the two proposals would cement Arada Australia as one of the most influential developers shaping Campsie's future urban form.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-arada-files-for-trio-of-apartment-towers-in-campsie-town-centre">First Look: Arada Australia files for trio of apartment towers in Campsie town centre</a>

Arada Australia entered the Australian market in 2024 and has rapidly assembled a significant development pipeline across Sydney. Alongside its Campsie holdings, the developer is soon to launch <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/wattle-green-2-fishburn-crescent-castle-hill-nsw-2154">Wattle Green</a> in Castle Hill, and has expanded its local operations following its acquisition of construction firm Roberts &amp; Co.

Located around 14 kilometres south-west of the Sydney CBD, the site sits at the centre of one of Sydney's fastest-changing middle-ring precincts. The Metro conversion of Campsie Station, combined with Canterbury-Bankstown Council's master planning framework, is driving significant residential intensification around Beamish Street and North Parade, with thousands of new homes expected over coming decades.

Jonathan Chancellor

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