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GUEST OBSERVER
Australian housing finance were materially weaker than expected in July with much of the detail also on the weak side, investor loans about the only exception.
The total number of owner occupier loans fell 4.2 percent, well below the consensus forecast for a 1.5 percent decline. 
Ex refinance the picture was even weaker with a 6.1 percent fall, the largest monthly decline since May last year.
Approvals can be choppy month to month but moves tend to be in the ±3 percent range.
Our estimates (using ABS seasonal factors) suggest seasonally adjusted owner occupier approvals ex refi were down 3-4% in NSW, Vic and Qld with, somewhat surprisingly, WA the only state to record a rise (+2.7%mth).
Note that the sum of these estimates across the big five states is firmer than the published national number (down about 2% rather than 6%).
Details 
Owner–occupiers (no.)              –4.2%mth, 1.8%yr
– ex-financing (no.)                  –6.1%mth, –2.7%yr      
Construction of dwellings (no.)  –4.9%mth, –3.9%yr
Purchase of newly built dwellings (no.)  –3.3%mth, 8.4%yr        
Value of loans:
Owner-occupiers ($bn)        –3.1%mth, 2.3%yr
Investors ($bn)                    0.5%mth, –9.3%yr
Total ($bn)                         –1.8%mth, –2.4%yr
Total ex refi ($bn)                –2.2%mth, –5.4%yr
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July Australian housing finance figures weaker than expected: Westpac's Matthew Hassan

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AMP chief executive officer Craig Meller and City of Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate opened AMP Capital's Pacific Fair shopping centre on the Gold Coast following a $670 million redevelopment.
Construction began January 2014 with 50,000 square metres (sqm) added to the existing centre. At 155,000 sqm Pacific Fair the fourth largest shopping centre in Australia with around 420 stores.
The last stores are slated to open September 2016.
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AMP Capital opens $670m Pacific Fair on Gold Coast

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Sydney home values have increased by 5.6 percent over the past three months and are 9.1 percent higher over the past year according to CoreLogic.
CoreLogic's Housing and Economic Chart Pack for August said the annual rate of value growth has slowed from a peak of 18.4 percent in July 2015 
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Sydney home values increase 5.6 percent over the past three months: CoreLogic

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GUEST OBSERVER
The June housing finance report was a mixed bag with the headline number of owner occupier approvals undershooting expectations slightly but most of the detail more positive.
The number of approvals owner occupiers rose 1.2 percent in June, below expectations of a 2.3 percent gain. However ex refi, ‘new’ approvals were more in line with a 2.1 percent gain.
The value of housing finance approvals to investors was up 3.2 percent mth – although there was not a consensus forecast on this component it was probably a touch better than expected.
Both segments appear to have responded positively to May’s interest rate cut although broader market measures such as auction clearance rates point to a firming in demand rather than a sharp pick up.
The detail also showed solid gains 2 percent+ for construction-related finance approvals. Details  Owner–occupiers (no.)   1.2%mth, 6.7%yr           – ex-financing (no.)        2.1%mth, 3.8%yr               
Construction of dwellings (no.)               2.1%mth, 1.1%yr      Purchase of newly built dwellings (no.)   2.7%mth, 19.6%yr                       
Value of loans:             
Owner-occupiers ($bn)   1.8%mth, 9.4%yr    Investors ($bn)              3.2%mth, –13.1%yr       Total ($bn)                    2.3%mth, 0%yr  Total ex refi ($bn)          2.8%mth, -3.4%yr      
Matthew Hassan is senior economist with <a href="https://www.westpac.com.au/" target="_blank">Westpac</a>.
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June Australia housing finance approvals: Westpac's Matthew Hassan

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Sydney holds a preliminary auction clearance rate of 76.2 percent for the week ending July 17 according to CoreLogic.  
The Inner West recorded a preliminary clearance rate of 91.4 percent across 35 reported auctions. 
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Sydney's Inner West takes 94 percent clearance rate: CoreLogic

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New figures from the REIV show the median Melbourne house price increased 3.6 percent to a high of $725,000 in the three months to June 30 - the largest price growth since September 2015.
Double-digit growth was recorded in Camberwell, Prahran and Richmond. Torah, Wyndham Vale and Roxburgh Park also recorded increases with growth experienced in more affordable suburbs such as Hillside, St Albans, Sunshine West and Sunbury.  
Geoff White, chief executive officer of the REIV, said recent national data from the Real Estate Institute of Australia shows that most states, apart from Melbourne and Adelaide, have experienced moderating home prices in the opening months of 2016. 
“Just over a year ago we were seeing quarterly price growth just above five percent,” he said.
“While growth is now below four percent, it is still solid, given market conditions. There have been fewer property listings this quarter, down by around 300 weekly across Melbourne in comparison to last year.
“While fewer sellers are putting their homes on the market, prices are still extremely solid.
“The message to vendors is that the market is still bubbling along nicely – and that, given the sales results and prices, those looking to list their homes should do so prior to spring. ’Now’ is a great time to sell."
MELBOURNE MEDIAN HOUSE PRICES – JUNE QUARTER
 
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</td>
<td colspan="2" width="149">
Top Growth Suburb
</td>
<td width="82">
Jun-16 Median
</td>
<td colspan="2" width="83">
Mar-16 Median
</td>
<td colspan="2" width="64">
Quarterly Change
</td>
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1
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="149">
    BRIGHTON
</td>
<td nowrap width="82">
$2,715,000
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="83">
$2,030,000
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="64">
33.7%
</td>
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<td valign="bottom" nowrap width="26">
2
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="149">
    MOONEE PONDS
</td>
<td nowrap width="82">
$1,265,000
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="83">
$1,035,000
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="64">
22.2%
</td>
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3
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="149">
    HILLSIDE
</td>
<td nowrap width="82">
$600,000
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="83">
$505,000
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="64">
18.8%
</td>
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4
</td>
<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="149">
    NORTHCOTE
</td>
<td nowrap width="82">
$1,170,000
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="83">
$990,000
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="64">
18.2%
</td>
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5
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    TOORAK
</td>
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$4,500,000
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="83">
$3,900,000
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="64">
15.4%
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6
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<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="149">
    ST ALBANS
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$529,250
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="83">
$462,000
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="64">
14.6%
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7
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<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="149">
    WILLIAMSTOWN
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$1,155,000
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="83">
$1,010,500
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="64">
14.3%
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8
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    RICHMOND
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$1,222,500
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="83">
$1,072,000
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="64">
14.0%
</td>
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9
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    CAMBERWELL
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$2,146,250
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="83">
$1,890,000
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="64">
13.6%
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10
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<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="149">
    PRAHRAN
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$1,370,000
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<td colspan="2" nowrap width="83">
$1,210,500
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="64">
13.2%
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11
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    SUNSHINE WEST
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$520,000
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="83">
$462,500
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<td colspan="2" nowrap width="64">
12.4%
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    SUNBURY
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$412,500
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="83">
$371,250
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="64">
11.1%
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    AVONDALE HEIGHTS
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$792,500
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<td colspan="2" nowrap width="83">
$720,000
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="64">
10.1%
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14
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    ROXBURGH PARK
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$425,000
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="83">
$387,500
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="64">
9.7%
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15
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    SURREY HILLS
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$1,835,000
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<td colspan="2" nowrap width="83">
$1,676,000
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<td colspan="2" nowrap width="64">
9.5%
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    WYNDHAM VALE
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$385,000
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<td colspan="2" nowrap width="83">
$352,500
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<td colspan="2" nowrap width="64">
9.2%
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17
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    SOUTH MORANG
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$503,000
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<td colspan="2" nowrap width="83">
$461,000
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<td colspan="2" nowrap width="64">
9.1%
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    COBURG
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<td nowrap width="82">
$870,000
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<td colspan="2" nowrap width="83">
$800,000
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<td colspan="2" nowrap width="64">
8.7%
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   CRANBOURNE NORTH
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$455,000
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<td colspan="2" nowrap width="83">
$420,130
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="64">
8.3%
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    GREENVALE
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<td nowrap width="82">
$650,000
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="83">
$600,000
</td>
<td colspan="2" nowrap width="64">
8.3%
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<td colspan="2" valign="bottom" nowrap width="105">
 
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<td colspan="3" valign="bottom" nowrap width="172">
 
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<td colspan="2" nowrap width="109">
 
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<td width="18">
 
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Melbourne property market reaches $725,000 median price: REIV

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Building approvals in Tasmania are on a downward trend and lower than at same time last year according to Herron Todd White.
Herron todd White's latest market report for Tasmania who attributes market cooling to the decrease of the First Home Builders Boost (FHBB) grants, reduced from $20,000 on 31 December 2015 to $10,000 on 1 January 2016 for first home buyers or builders of new residential dwellings.
HTW said some land developers anticipated this cooling towards the end of 2015 and were attempting to bring forward demand with advertised incentives such as new cars and gift vouchers.
"Incentives were also extended to the building industry and are still being offered," the report said.
The residential property market continues to experience small annual increases in sales volumes across the state and in some areas, stock shortages have seen some capital growth in the major population centres.
"Statewide centrally located suburbs that contain a good range of facilities, larger infrastructure such as shopping centres, educational and health institutions and public transport tend to be popular with renters and purchasers alike and are viewed as having the best capital growth potential. 
"Kingston, Howrah, Blackmans Bay, Glenorchy, New Norfolk and Sandy Bay are suburbs where the greatest sales volumes have occurred recently in the south, while in the north the suburbs of Riverside, Newstead and Newnham have experienced the greatest recent volumes of sales. In the north-west region, Devonport has seen the greatest number of sales."
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Tasmanian home building approvals on a downward trend: Herron Todd White

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Developers Meriton are building a stormwater diversion project in Sydney's northern beaches suburb of Dee Why ahead of their development of the 18 level 356 apartment complex named the Lighthouse to be built on the corner of Pittwater Road and Howard Avenue.
Lighthouse will be built on the site purchased from Canadian group Brookfield for $52 million in 2013.
The development will eventually become a four-tower project with an upmarket retail centre, childcare facilities and commercial suites on the 1.44ha site.
The civil project, approved after extensive flood modelling of the development site, will divert existing stormwater system to alleviate previous flooding issues .
Meriton head Harry Triguboff said the aim was to provide Dee Why with a pulsating community heart.
“We intend to make this new town centre a vibrant destination for Dee Why’s residents – it will give the whole suburb a lift.”
The complex will contain 356 one, two and three-bedroom apartments, along with a number of resident facilities.
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Meriton starts stormwater redevelopment in Sydney's flood-prone Dee Why 

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New South Wales based Sammut Developments has won the HIA-CSR Australian Home of the Year award for ‘Nautilus’, a seven bedroom, six-storey waterfront home.
The home also won the Australian Custom Built Home award, partnered by Stramit Building Products.
Judges were impressed with the level of detail and high-quality finishes.
Other award winners from across Australia in eight regions include:
Mirvac from Victoria won Australian Apartment of the Year, partnered by Caltex HIA fuel card. 
Sunland Group from Queensland won Australian Apartment Complex, partnered by Toyota Fleet. 
Atkinson Pontifex from Victoria won both the Australian Townhouse/Villa of the Year, partnered by newhomesguide.com.au and Australian Outdoor Project partnered by James Hardie Australia. 
Ryan Designer Homes from Queensland won Australian Townhouse/Villa Development, partnered by Rheem Australia. 
Peter Sosso Building from the Hunter won Australian Specialised Housing, partnered by HIA Insurance Services. 
Art Nouveau Homes from Victoria won Australian Spec Home, partnered by Stratco Australia. 
Samuel James Homes from South Australia won Australian Display Home, partnered by ActronAir. 
Alvaro Bros Builders from ACT/Southern NSW won Australian Renovation/Addition Project, partnered by BlueScope Steel. 
Kalka from Queensland won Australian Project Home, partnered by OneSteel Reinforcing. 
Minosa from NSW won both the Australian Bathroom Design, partnered by GWA Bathrooms &amp; Kitchens and the Australian Kitchen Design, partnered by Miele. 
Drew Moore Constructions from Tasmania won Australian Bathroom of the Year, partnered by GWA Bathrooms &amp; Kitchens. 
Stewart Homes and Ultraspace from Queensland won Australian Kitchen of the Year, partnered by Miele.
Jake Laidlaw from Victoria won the Jim Brookes Australian Apprentice, partnered by Stratco Australia. 
Dale Alcock Homes from Western Australia won Australian Professional Major, partnered by Companion Systems. 
 
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NSW builder Sammut Developments wins Australian Home of the Year

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Illawarra's heritage housing market is anything but basic with Californian bungalows and miner cottages dotted throughout the region accordding to analyst firm Herron Todd White.
Herron Todd White's recent heritage market review found around the Illawarra district, Shellharbour, Kiama and Shoalhaven regions, have considerably more heritage housing precincts with prices varying due to their appeal and location.
According to HTW as they are generally located within close proximity of the CBD area or coastal regions, the values tend to be higher than outer areas, underpinned by a higher land content and value but don't appeal to all.
"There are costs and problems associated with restoration and upkeep and many buyers are seeking modern fixtures and fittings rather than heritage style. If a full restoration is to be undertaken the cost to complete such work to comply with local council regulations and rules will be higher than that required for non listed buildings. Therefore cost will not always equate to value added and unless located in a highly sought after inner area where capital values are rising, return on investment is not assured," HTW said.
"Attributes which make these types of dwellings desirable generally include proximity to good infrastructure and a liquid market. In villages such as Berry or Jamberoo there is also a pattern established where there are a group or precinct of such dwellings of the same ere which are all renovated or restored to much the same standard and they become the norm for period dwellings.
"The Southern Highlands residential property market has been increasing in both volume and price activity since late 2014. We saw a noticeable increase in activity by investors in 2015. The Highlands property market is heavily influenced by the Sydney property market with many buyers relocating from Sydney to the region. Now that Sydney has slowed and softened, the Highlands market, while currently still increasing, is also anticipated to slow."
HTW gave a recent example of a heritage listed dwelling which sold at the higher end of the scale in nearby Kiama. Rockleigh (above), a heritage listed circa 1860 Victorian style two storey dwelling in Bong Bong Street with northerly aspect and ocean and harbour views recently exchanged at around $1.1 million.
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Heritage property aplenty in NSW's Illawarra district: HTW  

The residential transformation of St Kilda Road is set to continue into with more new apartment plans for the sought-after boulevard.

Wing Tai Asia has lodged plans for a major residential tower at 464-466 St Kilda Road, replacing the former VACC House with an 18-storey mixed-use development designed around a retained heritage podium and a sculpted contemporary tower.

The proposal, prepared under Victoria’s Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway, would deliver 325 apartments and ground-floor retail across the prominent 4,653 sqm boulevard site in Melbourne’s St Kilda Road North Precinct.

The project centres on the adaptive reuse of the site’s heritage-listed VACC Building, an eight-storey office designed by Bernard Evans that has occupied the address for decades. Planning documents state the development would involve “carefully dismantling and conserving off-site the original metal fabric of the podium visible from St Kilda Road,” before reinstating it as the defining frontage of the new scheme.

Above the restored podium, Wing Tai is proposing a curvilinear residential tower. The scheme includes 172 one-bedroom apartments, 63 two-bedroom apartments, 66 three-bedroom apartments, and 24 four-bedroom apartments, alongside two ground-floor food and beverage tenancies fronting St Kilda Road.

The tower has been designed with substantial articulation and variable setbacks to minimise perceived bulk and maintain view corridors along the boulevard. Urbis, which prepared the planning report, said the design “has been significantly articulated through a curvilinear design” with “an interplay with materials, façade expression and depth” to create visual separation and visual interest.

The proposal also includes 254 basement car spaces, landscaped pedestrian links connecting St Kilda Road and Queens Lane, and a biophilic landscape strategy featuring canopy trees, raised planters, cascading greenery and a glass oculus pool overlooking the eastern frontage.

Planning documents confirm the $270.1 million development will contribute 3 per cent of project costs to the Social Housing Growth Fund as part of the application process.

Wing Tai acquired the St Kilda Road property in 2018 alongside Abacus Property Group for $95.38 million, before later consolidating ownership of the site. The property previously served as the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce headquarters for around 60 years.

The transformation of the St Kilda Rd boulevard is already beginning to materialise, with a number of high-profile projects recently completed, launched, or approaching launch as developers continue to back the long-term appeal of the precinct.

Among the most notable recent completions is Louise by Samuel Property Group, just off the strip on Queens Lane, the same pocket Hirsch &amp; Faigen recently launched The Queensbury. Mirvac is too on the same street with The Albertine, which is approaching completion.

Dexus recently secured approval for its slice of St Kilda Road, while Gurner also has approved plans for the precinct.

Joel Robinson

Wing Tai unveils 325-apartment St Kilda Road tower on former VACC House site

Malaysian developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/s-p-setia">SP Setia</a> is the latest to jump into St Leonards booming Transport Oriented Development precinct.

The developer, which has previously delivered Sapphire by the Gardens apartment development in Melbourne, identified the Atchison Street site in 2023. It filed a Scoping Report around 12 months ago, and now has revealed the designs for the new&nbsp;40-storey mixed-use tower.

The State Significant Development Application covers <a href="https://next-portal.urban.com.au/projects/14650/summary">20-22 Atchison Street</a>, a 1,374 sqm site positioned between St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, the project would deliver 181 apartments, above a four-storey commercial podium, five basement levels, and new public domain works along Mitchell Street. The apartment mix comprises 35 one-bedroom apartments, 39 one-bedroom-plus-study apartments, 85 two-bedroom apartments, and 22 three-bedroom residences.

The proposal has been lodged as a shop-top housing development under the NSW Government’s TOD planning pathway, which allows increased density around key transport infrastructure. The site sits within the recently rezoned Crows Nest Accelerated TOD Precinct.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b799673d-48e2-46b0-801a-0e33a9330100" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20site.png?VersionId=dPh0UfwfaHpbFL1R7H1cbZNbIW0CHbCC" />

SP Setia acquired the Atchison Street site as part of its continued expansion into the Australian apartment market. In comments made to City &amp; Country (The Edge Malaysia) in 2023, SP Setia President and CEO Datuk Choong Kai Wai described the acquisition as “a strategic move” aligned with the group’s post-pandemic market recovery strategy.

“Our target for this exceptional development is local and overseas buyers, including first-home buyers, downsizers and investors,” Choong said.

The tower has been designed as a slender vertical form rising from a mixed-use podium, with COX Architecture positioning the development as a response to the evolving St Leonards and Crows Nest skyline.

“The purpose of the project is to facilitate the delivery of high-quality housing at a strategically located site and deliver a built tower outcome that is consistent with the desired future character of St Leonards and aligns with the TOD controls,” the design report stated.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1a85eee-76f7-436c-a6da-73ba827b9b13" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20entry.png?VersionId=dA9jHGPMcm.dDbwk4QfxqWiY5bfh3UVt" />

The podium would incorporate retail uses fronting Atchison Street, commercial tenancies, landscaped communal areas, and pedestrian improvements along Mitchell Street. Vehicle access and loading would be consolidated via Atchison Lane.

Residents would have access to more than 665 sqm of communal indoor and outdoor spaces, while the development proposes 96 parking spaces across five basement levels.

The proposal also includes a commitment for 10 per cent of residential floor space to be allocated toward affordable housing through a monetary contribution.

COX said the tower form responds directly to the emerging high-density character of the precinct while seeking to maximise solar access, cross ventilation, and outlook from apartments.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2163f85c-f63b-4be3-aafa-f8763976cec5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29_5.png?VersionId=WiAmtIKJ6.ZQ41EtYEQ1fol7AeorKBlL" />

“The building is orientated towards north,” the Apartment Design Guide compliance report noted, adding that the tower’s slim form was driven by the constrained inner-urban site dimensions.

The design also incorporates landscaped setbacks and communal open space at podium level, intended to soften the interface with surrounding streets and improve pedestrian amenity.

The project adds to a growing wave of redevelopment proposals reshaping St Leonards and Crows Nest following the opening of the Sydney Metro City line and the NSW Government’s push for higher-density housing around major transport nodes.

Last week Stockland filed plans just down the road. They want to build a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/601-pacific-highway-st-leonards-nsw-2065">52-storey tower on Pacific Highway</a>.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">First look: Stockland plans 52-storey, 538-apartment St Leonards tower&nbsp;</a>

First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> has revealed plans for a new mixed-use tower at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham, advancing a proposal that would reshape the southern gateway to Newcastle’s city centre with one of the city’s tallest residential buildings.

The State Significant Development proposal, now on exhibition, seeks approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bowline-10-dangar-street-wickham-nsw-2293">43-storey tower</a> immediately adjacent to the Newcastle Interchange. The project would deliver around 200 apartments, including 42 affordable housing dwellings, alongside 99 co-living units, a 171-room hotel, retail space, and new public domain integrated through the site.

The scheme marks a significant escalation of plans previously approved for the site. Urban Property Group took over the prominent 2,904 sqm parcel, where excavation and demolition had already commenced under an earlier consent for a 14-storey mixed-use development.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="58a96dd9-407f-4d20-86b4-94e4bfeef74b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20podium.png?VersionId=LGlf08pdFGAZDzvx_CXC4XakHNZRuEE0" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, the tower has been conceived as a landmark transit-oriented development anchored to the Newcastle Interchange precinct. The proposal includes 245 build-to-sell apartments across a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom residences, as well as two penthouses. Fifteen apartments and one operational unit are earmarked for NDIS housing. The co-living component would add a further 99 units, while the podium would accommodate retail uses and hotel facilities.

SJB said the site presents “a valuable opportunity to anchor the precinct by setting the standard for design, active ground planes and character at the key southern gateway.”

The architecture responds directly to the site’s position beside major transport infrastructure and within one of Newcastle’s fastest-evolving urban renewal precincts. The tower form sits above a sculpted podium designed to frame new public spaces, including a through-site pedestrian link connecting Station Street to Hannell Street, landscaped plazas, and activated retail edges.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a7bd6ff0-f7db-4ce8-a6dc-ea56e72c6149" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20lanne.png?VersionId=xzf39VADyhj7zBQY2I9fx9vI62u2tuSb" />

The design report describes the project as part of the broader transition of Wickham into “a vibrant, high-quality mixed-use urban precinct” that leverages proximity to the station, open space, and regional connectivity.

A detailed public art strategy has also been prepared for the development. The strategy positions the project as “a transit-oriented development of state significance at the gateway to Newcastle’s city centre” and outlines a series of integrated artworks responding to Newcastle’s industrial and transport heritage.

Creative Road’s curatorial framework for the project, titled Unveil, draws on “stratified surfaces, carved volumes, and light-filled apertures” while referencing Newcastle’s transformation from an industrial city into a contemporary education and technology hub.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="77a882bb-14b1-4d28-99ff-9438e39508c0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20site.png?VersionId=cevgo_vN0eKPK78P8YcEu3mKPLkpFqE7" />

The proposal is being advanced through the NSW Housing Delivery Authority pathway after being declared State Significant Development in June 2025. The accompanying scoping report states the development aims to “maximise the site’s proximity to the Newcastle Interchange by delivering transit-oriented development” while increasing housing supply and affordable housing provision within the Newcastle LGA.

Urban Property Group’s plans align with the long-term strategic vision established under the Wickham Master Plan, which identified the interchange precinct as suitable for substantial uplift in height and density. The current proposal would significantly intensify that vision, positioning the tower among the tallest developments proposed for Newcastle.

The site sits immediately north of the Newcastle Interchange, bounded by Dangar Street, Hannell Street, and Charles Street. It is surrounded by a rapidly growing cluster of residential towers and mixed-use projects that have emerged following the completion of the light rail and transport interchange.

First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s latest tower at Wickham interchange

Bottega House has completed settlement of a landmark riverfront site in Macquarie Street, St Lucia, representing its first major Brisbane development.&nbsp;

Positioned on the banks of the Brisbane River, the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/180-macquarie-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">premium site at 180 Macquarie Street</a> features uninterrupted river frontage in one of Brisbane’s most tightly held residential precincts.&nbsp;

The proposed development, currently under assessment with Brisbane City Council, has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/mim-design">Mim Design</a> and will deliver a boutique collection of premium residences positioned specifically for owner occupiers and downsizers.&nbsp;

The residences are set to redefine luxury apartment living in the area, with a focus on architectural quality, refined finishes, landscape integration and elevated amenities including curated wellness facilities, resort-style pools and recreation spaces rarely seen in the local market.&nbsp;

Exclusive sales for the project will be led by Keenan &amp; Byrne, ahead of an anticipated launch later this year.&nbsp;

Bottega House Managing Director Nick Malloch said the project reflects the group’s ambition to deliver a highly curated residential offering within one of Brisbane’s most tightly held precincts.&nbsp;

“This is an incredibly rare riverfront opportunity and one we have approached with a long-term perspective,” Malloch said.&nbsp;

“Our vision from the outset was to create a boutique collection of residences that feel more like private homes than traditional apartments, with generous proportions, refined finishes and exceptional amenity throughout."

Malloch says there is a&nbsp;lack of premium owner-occupier stock of this quality in the market, particularly for downsizers wanting space, privacy and a true lifestyle offering without compromise.&nbsp;

"Demand is expected to be strong given the scarcity of premium riverfront opportunities of this nature within Brisbane’s inner-west."&nbsp;

Bottega House secures landmark riverfront site in St Lucia 

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The arrival of the first piling rig officially marks the commencement of construction at SIERA’s new beachside apartment development, Exhale, in Northcliffe.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/exhale-surfers-paradise-8-enderley-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Exhale</a>, a glass-encased tower featuring 54 large-scale apartments at 8 Enderley Avenue, is SIERA’s third Gold Coast development. It follows the recently completed PIPIS Bilinga beachfront project, which achieved suburb-record prices, and the soon-to-be-completed Chevron Island development, Tapestry.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359603]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/siera">SIERA</a> Founder and Managing Director Brent Thompson said the arrival of the piling rig represented a significant milestone for the development, which is scheduled for completion in late 2028.

Over the next month, around 260 piles are expected to be installed as work progresses on the basement structure. The building is anticipated to rise above ground level early next year, before unveiling its sculptural glass curtain wall, developed in collaboration with specialist façade engineers.

“The façade was designed to maximise panoramic coastal views while creating a distinctive architectural identity,” Thompson said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=355935]

Designed by BDA Architecture, Exhale will comprise just 54 two- and three-bedroom residences across 26 levels, a level of low-density living rarely delivered in this beachside pocket between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.

The project has been conceived as a resident-only building, with no short-stay accommodation permitted. SIERA says the model is intended to appeal to long-term owner-occupiers rather than transient holiday demand.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=361052]

Residences have been designed with large-format layouts and expansive glazing, with most apartments featuring more than 30 metres of glass frontage to maximise natural light and ocean views.

The amenity offering spans two levels and centres on wellness and lifestyle, including a heated magnesium pool, sauna, yoga and Pilates studio, gymnasium, private dining facilities, cinema lounge, and dedicated surfcraft storage.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359607]

More than half of the apartments have already sold. SIERA has also opened a sales gallery for Exhale at its Chevron Island commercial premises, near its Tapestry tower and the site of its second Chevron Island apartment development, which is slated to launch in early 2027.
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[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112661]

Michael Crawford

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