The booming subdivision market is at its strongest point in 15 years, according to Ray White&#39;s Tony Williams.

We recently caught up with Williams,&nbsp;who for the past 15 years has been in Ray White&#39;s Special Projects Division concentrating on the residential development site market, specialising in the sale of residential land estates, subdivision sites, broad acre land holdings, englobo land and medium and high density residential unit sites.

JC: How did you view the performance of the new subdivision housing estate market and new apartment project activity in 2021, and what are the strongest positive and negative factors that will influence outcomes in 2022 and 2023?

TW: The activity in the subdivision market over the past 12 months has been the strongest we have experienced in the past 15 years. Market demand for new house and land product has outstripped developers&#39; supply leading to increased prices and pressure on builders to keep up with demand.

A range of factors will influence forward demand in the subdivision / new housing market include; 
- Interest rates and inflation at the consumer end. Should these remain stable or restricted to moderate increases then the market should enjoy continued growth.&nbsp; 
- Construction costs have increased significantly over the past 12 months from both a material and labour perspective, should this not stabilise the costs of building will continue to climb.&nbsp; 
- Population growth largely fueled by interstate migration which we expect to strengthen post Covid border restriction relaxation 
- Land supply across SEQld is under pressure, a lack of future development land releases particularly land with some forward planning undertaken to provide solutions for access to services (sewer water road networks etc)

JC: What trend (short term or long term) has prompted your greatest enthusiasm for the market, and what is the issue of most concern to you and or your industry clients?

TW: A repositioning of the Qld housing market which is now experiencing growth seen in NSW and Victoria for the past 20 years. The impact on pricing and affordability for new entrants into the market i.e first home buyers

&nbsp;JC: Has urbanisation stalled amid the rush to regions and what will happen over the decade ahead?

TW: Urbanisation is still alive and well - certainly the market growth in most recent times has been the emerging / outer areas in SEQld however we would expect the inner city markets to activate more positively over the next couple of years. Construction costs have been a dampener on inner city high density projects however the market is still moving forward with maturing and exciting developments 
&nbsp; 
JC: How important do you view the push for sustainability practices in the housing market, and what initiative has seized your interest or focus?

TW: The housing market has taken strong steps to adopt better sustainability practices in the past 5 - 10 years although it still has a long way to go. To implement additional initiatives to achieve sustainability hurdles has not transferred into any corresponding price uplift in the end product. Perhaps Govt initiatives on rebates or discounted statutory charges may be a catalyst to drive further initiatives.

jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

"Subdivision market strongest in 15 years": Five minutes with Tony Williams, Ray White Queensland special projects

Damon Krongold, the projects director at Kay & Burton has secured the sale of The Penthouse 3, 30 Anderson Street, South Yarra. 
 
The purchaser and price are confidential.

It was marketed with a $16.5 million to $17.5 million price guide.

Fadil “Butch” Sadikay, the surfwear chain retailer turned property developer, launched the South Yarra penthouse offering in his The Botanic Collection early last month.

Kay & Burton Project agents Damon Krongold and Peter Kudelka had the three-bedroom, three-bathroom listing in conjunction with Andrew Macmillan at Jellis Craig. 

The apartment overlooks the treetops of the Royal Botanic Gardens. 

It has 370 sqm internally space plus a rooftop garden and pool with some 400 sqm space.

Architect Rob Mills has designed the triplex which will set in gardens landscaped by Jack Merlo for the Sadikay Group.

The Domain precinct penthouse sits atop the 30 Anderson St portion of the 2655sq m estate bought in 2016 for $33 million from the executors of Marion Page, daughter of businessman Sir Clive McPherson.

The 3/30 Anderson Street expressions of interest campaign closed November 23.
 

The Penthouse 3, 30 Anderson Street, South Yarra overlooks the Royal Botanic Gardens.

The Penthouse, 30 Anderson Street, South Yarra sold by Kay & Burton

The Gold Coast apartment market has been one of, if not the most hotly&nbsp;contested markets across Australia in the off th​e plan apartment space.

Sell-outs are occurring at rapid pace, even before projects hit the open market.

Urban sat down with Andr​ew Bell, the managing director at Ray Wh​ite Surfers Paradise, to discuss the market in 2021, and what he seems for the immediate future.

JC: How have you viewed the performance of the GC apartment market (established and or off th​e plan) in 2021, and what are the strongest positive and negative factors that will influence outcomes in 2022 and 2023?

AB: The Gold Coast apartment market has been outstanding throughout 2021. &nbsp;

A unprecedented demand by owner occupiers was timely met by many property owners of apartments who either could not get returns on their investments due to closed borders and lockdowns, who chose to sell their AirBNB or rental properties rather than hold the properties, or were under some financial pressure back home which also caused them to sell their properties.

This resulted in a decline of investment held ownership of many Gold Coast properties and the significant rise in new owner occupiers or people simply buying apartments for personal use on a regular basis in a year. &nbsp;

In years gone by whenever there was an economic downturn in Australia, many investors would put their properties on the market to sell and this caused an oversupply of apartments for sale causing prices to fall proportionally more than other markets in Australia. &nbsp;

With a higher degree of owner occupiers now in apartments, we are now on level pegging&nbsp;with other markets in Australia and it will contribute to the old boom and bust scenario on the Gold Coast. &nbsp;

The unit markets are also the beneficiary of significant downsizing of people out of their houses whether here locally on the Gold Coast or indeed migrator&#39;s from interstate who chose to move into large apartments for the next phase of their life. &nbsp;This has seen significant growth and price increase for one&nbsp;per floor apartments or large 3 bedroom apartments. &nbsp;With an undersupply of such apartments on the Coast, there has been a significant amount of new development work to cater for this market. 
&nbsp; 
With the Gold Coast market now the number one go-to market for migrator&#39;s, many are opting for apartment lifestyle so the influence over 2022/23 will be the continuous development of new apartment buildings to meet this demand. &nbsp;New architecture, new buildings and new technical capabilities in newer buildings has also seen a flurry of new generation buildings which are simply stunning and will add to the appeal of the Coast. &nbsp;With international borders opening and the ease of return of expats and significant spike of enquiries from overseas investors, a strong platform has been established to meet those demands.

JC: What trend (short term or long term) has prompted your greatest enthusiasm for the GC apartment market, and what is the issue of most concern to you and or your clients? 
&nbsp; 
AB: What has prompted our greatest enthusiasm is the incredible volume of people looki​ng to buy apa​rtments and now an increasing supply of new brilliantly designed buildings to meet that demand. &nbsp;It was certainly frustrating over the past year to simply not have sufficient properties to offer the buyer demand but now it&#39;s so satisfying to be able to help people with a greater degree of choice with the building that they chose to be in. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
The only issue of concern for me, is that there is a reality that some of the proposed buildings may ultimately not ever get built. &nbsp;Building costs have risen sharply and as a result some buildings where perhaps developers have paid too much for the land or where they are poorly funded developments, may find that they can&#39;t proceed to construction and that would prove frustrating for buyers who had made commitments to o​ff the plan sales. &nbsp;

It would be important for all buyers to make sure they are buying in buildings where developers have a proven track record and where clear undertakings can be provided that the buildings have either started construction or are starting construction shortly.

The Event, now in its third decade, will be held Sunday the 23rd of January at RACV Royal Pines, Beno​wa.

Andrew Bell is predicting the biggest auction on record due to the market conditions on the Gold Coast when the Event is held in January 2022

Gold Coast now "level pegging" with other Australian property markets: Five minutes with Ray White Surfers Paradise Managing Director Andrew Bell

While house values have rocketed over 2021, apartment values have too quietly shown steady growth over the year to date.

And as house prices continue to escalate and become affordable for many, apartments are becoming a much more attractive, and necessary, proposition, with further growth forecast when international borders open and investors come back in to the market.

Urban recently caught up with John McGrath, who founded McGrath back in 1988, to discuss how the apartment market went in 2021, and how it is shaping up for the next few years.

JC: How have you viewed the performance of the apartment market (established and or off the pl​an) in 2021, and what are the strongest positive and negative factors that will influence outcomes in 2022 and 2023?

JM: There’s no doubt that apartments, other than luxury, have missed much of the price surge that established houses have enjoyed. &nbsp;In many locations we’ve seen houses prices escalate by 35-40% and&nbsp;in those same areas we’ve seen a more modest 5-10% rise in apartment values.

There are a few reasons for this. Firstly, apartments have a larger investment buyer profile &amp; the strongest demand has been from owner occupiers. Also a large percentage of apartments that are not bought by investors sell to first home buyers who generally don’t have the same buying power or discretionary spending that is appearing higher up the price chain.

And finally, in many of the big cities apartments have been hit hard by the closure of international borders &amp; less inflow of migrants &amp; students which have increased vacancy &amp; reduced rental returns momentarily. But I think if anything this makes apartment buying represent better growth in many parts of the country as houses become less affordable and&nbsp;overseas borders open up in 2022.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=94147 project_image_fid=152849]

JC: What trend (short term or long term) has prompted your greatest enthusiasm for the apartment market, and what is the issue of most concern to you and or your clients?

JM: In general apartment living has replaced the traditional quarter acre aspiration for many Australians due primarily to housing affordability for younger buyers and&nbsp;also an ongoing desire to live in urban, inner city and&nbsp;beachside locations. And whilst COVID has driven many buyers to more remote lifestyle areas there’s no doubt that convenient, secure, low maintenance strata living will continue to be in great demand as we move through the immediate impacts of the pandemic. &nbsp;

And as COVID has changed the way many of us live, many developers have also pivoted &amp; are now designing and&nbsp;buil​ding apartments that cater to the needs of this changing environment. And finally I believe the ideal combination of many empty nesters moving forward will be a great inner city living space along with a getaway within two hours so apartment living will reinvent itself and&nbsp;deliver the population what it wants post-COVID.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=9040 project_image_fid=28461]

JC:&nbsp;Has urbanisation stalled or what will it look like over the decade ahead?

JM: As more employers and&nbsp;employees discovered that they no longer need to travel to a central location to effectively conduct their work I believe we will find a reduction of 25-35% of the workforces commuting daily to the CBD and&nbsp;commercial centres.

So this will have an impact on many jobs, employees and&nbsp;employers. Ans as many opt for home-based work this will undoubtedly have some impact on the shape of home and&nbsp;work environments &amp; locations.

Proximity to these commercial hubs for a percentage of the population will become less of a priority and&nbsp;lifestyle benefits such as proximity to family, beaches and&nbsp;parks will move up the checklist. But many people still want to be located within a reasonable commute of the many lifestyle benefits located in and around the CBD so I have no doubt that demand for these will continue to be in high demand.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=24444 project_image_fid=81414]

JC: How important do you view the push for sustainability practices in the apartment market/new housing estates, and what initiative has seized your interest or focus?&nbsp;

JM: With more &amp; more demand for environmental sustainability from all generations there’s no doubt that buildings that are both gentler on the environment and&nbsp;more self-sufficient will become increasingly popular, especially for the younger generations.

As yet we’ve seen some movement in this direction but I expect this to rapidly escalate moving forward due to increasing education and&nbsp;agitation towards a cleaner greener environment. I think we will see this manifest in more environmentally friendly building materials as well as buildings that are less taxing on the planet once built.

Even though much of the demand has been driven from Generation X &amp; Y we are also seeing older generations paying more attention of late which will increase the pressure on developers to build bu​ildings that fall in line with not only council expectations but more importantly the expectations of the community and&nbsp;residents.

"Apartment buying represents better growth in many parts of the country as houses become less affordable and overseas borders open up in 2022."

Apartment living to reinvent itself post COVID: Five minutes with John McGrath

Sydney has taken the top position for greatest uplift in waterfront sales this year, according to Knight Frank Australia head of residential research, Michelle Ciesielski.

The pandemic had seen an increased focus on the importance of the home, Ciesielski added.

"Australians are paying greater premiums than ever before for waterfront real estate in Australia’s prime and super-prime residential market.

The Knight Frank research calculated one-in-three super-prime residential sales in Australia over the last year have been absolute waterfront properties, both houses and apartments.

Harbour waterfront sales dominated, totalling 64% of super-prime sales in the last year and representing a 16% increase from 2020.

It noted price premiums for waterfront properties in 2021 have increased by 14.4% to represent a 79% price premium on inland properties.

The Knight Frank Australia’s Australian Waterfront Premium 2022 report shows that waterfront real estate dominate the super-prime $10 million plus markets. 

"Over the last year, one-in-three (32.9%) of the 374 super-prime residential sales were found to be located on the absolute waterfront across Australia.

"The most popular type of ‘waterfront’ for super-prime sales is the harbour, representing an emphatic 64% of super-prime sales in the last year. 

"This has also risen in the last year, from 48% in Q3 of 2020. 

"This reflects the surge in the super-prime market this year, which Knight Frank research showed more than doubled in the first three-quarters of 2021. 

"Properties with coastal frontage represented 16% of total sales in 2021, followed by 13% on a canal and 7% on a river.

“Given the lengthy pandemic lockdown endured, it’s perhaps not surprising that waterfront homes in Melbourne have experienced the strongest growth of the five major Australian cities, with the waterfront premium increasing from 30% in Q3 2020 to 37% in Q3 2021.

“Sydney has taken the top position for greatest average uplift in waterfront sales this year, rising by 13.5% in the last year to 119% in Q3 2021.

"Interestingly, the prime markets in both Gold Coast and Perth continue to assert their growing share of voice, with the Gold Coast following Sydney at a premium of 71% in Q3 2021, representing a growth of 5% year-on-year, and Perth recording an average uplift of 67% at 9.5% year-on-year growth. 

"Brisbane’s prime market has been dominated by interstate buyers and local upsizers who favour riverfront real estate in prestige suburbs, averaging a waterfront premium of 54% at a 14% uplift.”


The pandemic has been an increased focus on the importance of the home, Knight Frank Australia head of residential research, Michelle Ciesielski said

Increase in price premiums for waterfront properties in 2021: Knight Frank

Penthouse 404W on the top floor of Eden West overlooking Perry Lakes has been sold for $2,895,000. 

The apartment is in the recently completed Eden West which is over 95 percent sold.

The apartment features two master bedrooms that spill out on to private balconies plus two queen bedrooms plus a home office.

The apartment has a 25m heated swimming pool plus yoga studio and plush indoor cinema.

Eden Floreat is the latest apartment project by Edge Visionary Living and Hillam Architects, located adjacent to Perry Lakes Reserve and Bold Park.

Eden West was recently awarded the UDIA WA 2021 Award for Excellence for High Density Development, and also the Russel Perry Award for Urban Development Excellence.

Eden East is set for completion with buyers scheduled to move in during December and January. 

Penthouse 404W is on the top floor of Eden West

$2.895 million Eden, Floreat penthouse sale tops Perth apartment sales list

An apartment in the new Indooroopilly project, The Priory has been sold for $4.1 million.

It was the highest advised apartment sale in Queensland last week secured by estate agent Jarrod Perry at Hutton &amp; Hutton.

Completion is expected in early 2023.

Residence 8/100 Goldieslie Road has a total area of 172 sqm, plus 34 sqm in car spaces and storage of 19 sqm.

There are just 12 residences at The Priory, with floor plans from 196 sqm to 452 sqm of living space.

The communal space includes pool, spa, gym, steam room and fire pit.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=94742]

The estate was once owned by the late Colonel J. F. G. Foxton, whose house was built around 1888.

Justin Foxton was a notable Queensland politician and soldier.&nbsp;

The Priory has been a work in progress since 2016 with the 4069 sqm site bought in 2015 at $4.385 million.

Pitman Properties, which has been constructing multi-unit residential projects, commercial buildings and motels for four decades, is headed by Paul Pitman.

The Priory sits at the end of a cul-de-sac on Goldieslie Road with its design by Wiltshire Stevens Architecture amid landscaping by LAUDink.

Another new architectural landmark is set to rise in Indooroopilly after receiving planning approval from Brisbane City Council.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=94742]

Located at 97 Swann Road, Ethereal Residences by North is a cross-studio collaboration between Rothelowman, Carr Design and Form Landscape Architects and will deliver a collection of 46 two- bedroom, two-bedroom plus multi-purpose room, and three-bedroom apartments.

North managing director, Scott Ginnivan, said the vision for Ethereal Residences was to deliver an exceptional standard of architecture to Brisbane&rsquo;s inner west that celebrates its elevated position.

[smartcode_project_cta: project_id=94742]

The Priory will have 12 luxurious apartments in the estate

$4.1 million off the plan apartment sale in The Priory, Indooroopilly by Pitman Properties

Sydney's Manly had the nation's top recorded apartment sale last week when $5,425,000 was paid for an apartment on North Steyne.

The 6/93-95 North Steyne is positioned on Manly’s coveted beachfront strip with a north east aspect.

It sits in the Manly Oasis complex.

The 210 sqm apartment had been recently renovated before its sale through Clarke & Humel.

It is three bedrooms, three bathrooms plus study area.

It last sold in 2007 at $1.963 million. It first sold in 1991 at $540,000.

There was a national 63 percent auction success rate for apartments and townhouses over the past week, according to CoreLogic.

Sydney saw a slightly higher 67 percent success rate.

The apartment is located on North Steyne 

$5.425 million Manly apartment tops weekly apartment sales

The NAB chief executive Ross McEwan has flagged home loan interest rates being discounted for borrowers doing their part to reduce household emissions.

The National Australia Bank has backed a new tool to help lenders across the world meet tougher environmental reporting standards.

NAB have gone to Adelaide-based start-up ValAi for a home sustainability rating tool, known as Greenhouse.

Property accounts for 23 per cent of Australia&rsquo;s emissions and residential property accounts for half of the tally with the main source of residential emissions being heating and cooling, which account for 40 per cent, followed by appliances at 25 per cent and water heating at 23 per cent.

&quot;Residential mortgages are a huge proportion of National Australia Bank (NAB)&rsquo;s book &ndash; roughly 50 per cent of the bank&rsquo;s balance sheet,&quot; David Jenkins Head of Sustainable Finance at NAB told a Green Energy Finance Corporation panel discussion recently.

&quot;The average house emits around seven tonnes of greenhouse gases per year, and if you extrapolate this over our book it is immense.

&quot;If we can reduce this by a sizeable amount it will have a marked impact,&quot; he said.

&quot;Borrowers want to see a green-mortgage product because it makes sense for them and they want to play a part in the low-carbon transition,&quot; Jenkins noted. &ldquo;If [customers] put themselves in a better position, then we should recognise that,&rdquo; McEwan told The Australian Financial Review earlier this month.

The chief executive Ross McEwan has flagged home loan interest rates being discounted for borrowers doing their part to reduce household emissions,

NAB flags mortgage discounts on loans for homes that cut emissions

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed construction held up stronger than expected in the September quarter with just a 0.3 per cent decline in output despite lockdowns in Sydney and Melbourne.

The value of residential construction was unchanged in the past three months at a total $18.8 billion, but 7 percent higher than at the same time last year..

Residential work done was varied with work done on houses up 3.3 per cent quarter-on-quarter to a record high, while work on other dwellings fell 7.7 per cent quarter-on-quarter to a seven-year low.

Westpac's Andrew Hanlan noted while private residential was broadly flat, there was strength in renovations, which offset a dip in new home building, of - 0.8 percent.

"Home renovation activity has been a stand-out during the covid period, encouraged by record low interest rates and with folk redirecting spending towards home improvements (while the closed national border prevented overseas travel)," he said.

CommSec economists estimate that the number of residential dwelling commencements will ease from 181,000 in 2020 to 178,000 by 2021 year end, before falling to 159,000 in 2022 due to slower population growth and some overbuild supply.

CommSec senior economist Ryan Felsman said supply chain issues and rising labour cost pressures would persist into 2022, until skilled inbound migrant workers return and pandemic demand-supply frictions subside.

“Dwelling commencements could be nearing a peak as the HomeBuilder grant is pared back, property prices moderate and building costs surge,” Felsman said.

“Of course, growing supply chain snarls, elevated freight costs, lower product availability and labour shortages have all combined to constrain output.

"Construction work was supported by the Federal Government’s HomeBuilder grants, record low interest rates, state-based housing grants, first home buyer stamp duty exemptions, rising home prices and heightened connectedness to homes during the pandemic," he said.

"Construction businesses continue to report ongoing supply delays and price hikes for building materials and inputs. 

"Builders are reporting shortages for key materials, such as steel, timber, PVC pipes, electrical equipment, concrete, bricks and tiles – all driving up costs," he noted.

Construction businesses continue to report ongoing supply delays and price hikes for building materials and inputs

2022 to see reduced residential dwelling construction

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

Joel Robinson

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

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

Sammut secures approval for debut Brisbane apartment development in Toowong

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

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

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

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

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

Jonathan Chancellor

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