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What does the world’s most sustainable retail centre look like?
One might get a glimpse of it at the Living Building Challenge, an international sustainable design competition that will be held in Australia for the first time.
Presented by the Living Future Institute of Australia (LFIA) and its main partner Frasers Property Australia, the competition will focus on a retail building design for the first time, with Frasers' The Brickworks masterplanned community in Melbourne’s Burwood being the site upon which all designs must be based, in terms of the location of designed centres and their suitability.
Registrations opened February 18 with a formal launch in Melbourne on March 3. 
The Brickworks Living Building Challenge design competition aims to attract designers, professionals, environmental experts, students and anyone interested in a cleaner, regenerative future to submit their ideas and help re-imagine the possibilities when it comes to the design of retail centres. 
“Retail is a sector regrettably grounded in excess and waste. Shopping centre signs buzz at night, in-store mannequins are individually lit long after the customers have gone home, and we have somehow got to a point where we call natural daylight and fresh air ‘best practice’,” said Stephen Choi, vice-chair of the Living Future Institute of Australia. 
“This challenge is a first in a number of respects: the Living Building Challenge has never before had a retail centre as its centrepiece, nor has an Australian project been subject to such a design competition.”
The International Living Future Institute, the parent organisation to LFIA, is an environmental non-government organisation headquartered in Seattle, USA  that says it is working toward the transformation toward communities that are socially just, culturally rich and ecologically restorative. The Living Building Challenge is one of its key visionary programs. 
The closing date for entries is May 6 and there will be technical and procedural help on hand throughout the submission period. 
The winner will be announced in June 2016 and will share in prize money totaling more than $30,000. 
Local primary schools will also have the opportunity to participate – and make their school more sustainable in the process. 
 
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Melbourne to host international design contest for retail based on Frasers project

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Toga Group’s $160-million One Twenty Macquarie development will be launched this weekend.
It will be Macquarie Park’s tallest apartment tower housing 192-apartments within 23-storeys.
The group has released images ahead of its sales launch which detail One Twenty Macquarie’s landscaped gardens.
Toga has collected hundreds of expressions of buyer interest for the Turner-designed development located 16 kilometres from Sydney CBD and 450 metres from Macquarie University, Macquarie Shopping Centre and Macquarie University railway station. 
<img class="aligncenter wp-image-37858 size-full" src="https://www.theurbandeveloper.com/wp-content/uploads/160118-120-Herring-Rd-V01-Exterior-Final-2000-e1456808246512.jpg" alt="macquarie park" width="620" height="1034">
Views from the One Twenty Macquarie apartments’ include the city, North Sydney, Chatswood, Homebush and Lane Cove National Park.
One Twenty Macquarie will feature an urban-style-backyard; a 460 sqm landscaped resident’s garden with outdoor seating, timber pergola, barbeque facilities along with a reflection pond. 
Turner Associate Director Kevin Driver said uniting city life with nature was important. 
“One Twenty Macquarie sits as a pavilion in a parkland setting, offering high level amenity, coupled with a proximity to both a vibrant centre and lush, verdant nature,” Mr Driver said. 
One Twenty Macquarie is TOGA’s third project in the area following the sold out 618-apartment development Macquarie Central and Macquarie Green; a 164-apartment development now 90 percent sold.
Construction is slated to begin mid-year with 2018 completion.
For more information <a href="https://www.onetwentymacquarie.com.au/" target="_blank">click here</a>.
 
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Toga unveils One Twenty Macquarie urban garden scheme ahead of weekend launch

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The Australian Securities and Investment Commission has noted Spring FG Limited's (Spring) decision to change its policy for recognising commissions earned on property development contracts as revenue. 
No revenue will be recognised until the company's client has exchanged unconditional contracts with a developer.
ASIC raised a preliminary concern with Spring about the recognition of revenue from property development commissions before the certainty provided by the exchange of unconditional contracts between developers and Spring's clients in its financial report for the year ended June 30, 2015.
In its December 31, 2015 interim financial report Spring elected to early adopt Australian Accounting Standard AASB 15 Revenue from Contracts with Customers. It now recognises revenue from contracts with property developers only when the developer has exchanged an unconditional contract for the sale of a property with a Spring client. This results in later recognition of revenue and smaller trade receivables and payables balances.
Revenue recognition continues to be an area of focus in ASIC's financial reporting surveillance program.
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Spring FG changes revenue recognition

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Private investors are on the move in the inner-city Brisbane fringe, as evident from a recent $2.325 million sale.
220 Boundary Street, also known as Portman Place in Spring Hill, has been snapped up by private investors with business interests in Papua New Guinea.
The tenanted site reflects a net passing initial yield of 10%.
The selling agents were JLL’s Sam Byrne and Christian Sandstrom.
The property is home to Kennedy McLaughlin &amp; Associates, one of Brisbane’s longest running and most highly respected accounting firms. They have been the primary tenant occupying four lots, for more than 27 years.
“The purchasers were very attracted to the asset given the long established tenant, the five-year lease term, fixed annual review and of course, the property’s proximity to the Brisbane CBD,” Byrne said.
“We expect transaction activity in the area will remain strong during 2016 as a result of the likelihood for long term capital growth in the Spring Hill precinct with the draft Spring Hill Neighbourhood Plan being a major catalyst,” added Sandstrom.
Portman Place comprises a two-level office building with a net leasable area of nearly 565sqm, located on the corner of Boundary &amp; Mein Street’s in Spring Hill.
The building is made up of four lots and boasts a strong street presence and is just about a kilometre from the Brisbane CBD.
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Private investors snap up Brisbane's Spring Hill property for $2.3 million 

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Luxury watchmaker OMEGA is the latest retailer to lease space at Pembroke Real Estate’s redeveloped mixed-use building at 20 Martin Place in Sydney.
The watchmaker’s commitment brings the property to 79% leased at the landmark building, with the two levels to be OMEGA’s flagship Australian store.
Set to open its doors in the second half of 2016, OMEGA will join top brands Tesla and ANZ at 20 Martin Place.
20 Martin Place recently earned the 6 Star Green Star Award from Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA), which acknowledges environment-friendly building practices.
Located in the heart of the city’s CBD, 20 Martin Place offers 19,200 sqm of prime grade commercial office and retail space over 21 levels.
“We are delighted to welcome OMEGA and its luxury watch offering to 20 Martin Place as this means we are 100% let in terms of the building’s retail offer,” said Jack Clark, senior vice president and head of Asia Pacific, Pembroke Real Estate.
Pembroke was represented by Leif Olson of CBRE.
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Watchmaker Omega is newest tenant at Pembroke’s 20 Martin Place in Sydney

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Strengthening demand for freestanding retail investment assets has spurred the listing of two prominent Melbourne service stations.
On offer are a Caltex service station in the western suburb of Altona Meadows, together with a combined BP petrol station and car wash in Blackburn.
The 2-6 Central Avenue Caltex station is set on a 2,383sqm site, and benefits from a corner location and strong tenancy profile which includes Woolworths Limited.
The property, which is expected to sell in excess of $5 million, benefits from a strong trading history, having operated as a service station for more than 25 years.
CBRE Victorian Retail Investments has been appointed to sell the assets.
“Being the only Woolworths Caltex service station in an eight kilometre radius, this property represents an outstanding opportunity to acquire a secure investment with potential for capital return,” said Justin Dowers, one of the listing agents.
The BP service station offered for sale is at 233-243 Whitehorse Road, in the heart of Blackburn’s commercial hub, and close to national retailers such as Bunnings, Officeworks, Supercheap Auto and Brandsmart.
The property has three street frontages and a 7.6 year WALE (weighted average lease expiry) provides steady income.
CBRE's Joseph Du Rieu said the underlying land holding and tightly held nature of Whitehorse Road would be likely to generate buyer interest around the $8 million mark.
“Given the current buyer market environment we expect strong interest from local and offshore groups as evidenced by the recent sales of Petbarn on Whitehorse Road and Officeworks, Vermont South, with both assets reflecting initial yields of less than 5%,” he said.
Caltex Altona Meadows is being sold through a public expression of interest closing March 17, while BP Blackburn will be auctioned on the same day.
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Melbourne service stations to pump buyer demand

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Chinese restaurant Lotus is set to be the final retailer to occupy Grosvenor Place’s redeveloped Piazza in the Sydney CBD, adding to a multicultural range of dining options to move into the 1,950 square metre space in the third quarter of 2016.
With the final restaurant announced and construction well underway, the Grosvenor Place Piazza is expected to open to the public by late 2016.
The $10 million piazza redevelopment, is part of a broader George Street revival that includes the light rail, outdoor dining in Martin Place and the revitalisation of Circular Quay to create a new al fresco, pedestrianised precinct for Sydney. 
Lotus was voted Top Rated Asian 2016 restaurant by diners on restaurant booking network Dimmi and also figured in The Urban List’s top 10 Best Dumplings in Sydney. 
Along with its traditional cuisine, the restaurant is bringing in talented sommelier, Annette Lacey fromPei Modern and experienced cocktail artist, Kate McGraw.
"From humble beginnings at Walsh Bay, to the recently opened 270-seat CBD location in the Galeries, Grosvenor Place is the next step in the evolution of the Lotus brand. Along with our signature handmade dumplings, Grosvenor will feature a stronger focus on cocktails and a sophisticated bar atmosphere,” said Lotus dining director Michael Jiang.
The co-owners and managers of Grosvenor Place, DEXUS Property Group, Mirvac Group and Arcadia, have worked with architects, Harry Seidler &amp; Associates to ensure the overall piazza design retains and enhances Seidler’s architecture.
Besides Lotus, the Piazza will feature Southern Italian fare at Urban Purveyor Group’s Stella Ristorante &amp; Terrazzo; Sake Jnr’s Japanese fast fine-casual, Grand Dūk ‘s modern Australian with a Vietnamese and French twist and Georgie Boy’s French patisseries and desserts.
The adaptable format of the piazza allows the space to cater to office tower occupants across the working week, late-night theatre-goers, and arts enthusiasts during the evenings and weekends as well as tourists and inner city residents.
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Sydney's Grosvenor Place Piazza fully leased as makeover gathers pace

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Australia’s office market offers a mixed bag from one coast to the next.
Demand for space from tenants and level of landlord investment has fluctuated widely between the regions, so choosing the right fundamentals has become ever more important, according to valuation firm Herron Todd White latest property clock for offices.
The March property clock is a simple broad brush means to suggest where property markets are and what direction prices are moving in.
<a href="/images/2016/03/2/Screen%20Shot%202016-03-02%20at%2012.56.15%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/03/2/Screen%20Shot%202016-03-02%20at%2012.56.15%20PM.png" alt="">
Tamworth in New South Wales retains its place at the peak of the cycle and is the only one occupying the position.
NSW Far North Coast and Coffs Harbour are the new entrants to towns/cities approaching the peak of the market.
Darwin slips into the declining market position while Perth and Gladstone are approaching the bottom of the market, says the HTW clock.
In Coffs Harbour CBD, the demand and supply of office space remains stable and there has been a steady take up of oversupplied space. Rental levels are generally static with the most recent lettings effected at similar passing rental rates or subject to CPI increase. There is evidence of leasing incentives (generally two to three months rent free) within the market. 
The capital value levels for office buildings demonstrated strong demand and firm yields throughout the year.
In Darwin’s case, the outlook for the commercial office market is best described as bleak. The Charles Darwin Centre is now open for business and a number of government departments have moved in, leaving a number of other office buildings in the CBD vacant. HTW estimates that the vacancy rate for CBD office space exceeds 20% and could well climb higher over the next 12 months. 
As for Perth, the official vacancy rate in the CBD office market as at January 2016 was recorded as being 19.2%, up from 16.6% six months earlier and up 4.4% on the January 2015 result. 
Overall, the current state of the Perth office market continues to decline. Forecasts for the following six months will see little respite in vacancy numbers, with predictions as high as 24% by the first or second quarter of 2016.
Lastly, in Queensland’s Gladstone, the office market for 2016 is anticipated to remain relatively in line with 2015, with tenants keeping hold of negotiating power in new leases and when exercising option periods. Over the past 12 months there have been some reductions in rental levels of about 30% and this is expected to continue until rentals begin to flatten out.
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Australia's office market a mixed bag, Perth near bottom, Darwin outlook bleak: HTW March property clock

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Sentiment in the Australian commercial property market hit a new high in Q4, but the headline index continues to mask big differences across property sectors and states, according to NAB’s quarterly tracker on the state of the sector.
The NAB Commercial Property Index rose to +17 points in Q4 from +10 in Q3, a new high since it first came out in 2010.
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By sector, CBD hotels and office markets are leading the way. NSW and Victoria are also out-performing, but WA is lagging considerably, it showed.
Property professionals noted a deterioration in their funding conditions on both debt and equity fronts in Q4, with tighter credit conditions also reflected in higher pre-commitment hurdles for new developments. 
The improvement in the overall index was led by CBD hotels, followed by office and retail. Sentiment in industrial property markets fell and is now weakest overall. 
Looking ahead, property professionals operating in CBD hotel markets are most confident, which may reflect a shortage of supply and the broader pick up in tourism on the back of the lower AUD, along with a pick-up in business travel. 
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Confidence is lowest (albeit positive) among retail property operators, perhaps reflecting expectations that the impetus to household consumption from the housing market will wane through 2016 as house price growth slows. 
The headline Commercial Property Index also continues to hide some very big differences in performance by state. 
“NSW and Victoria remain at the forefront of the improvement in market sentiment, with WA still wallowing in deeply negative territory,” said NAB Group chief economist Alan Oster. 
NSW would remain the most optimistic state for commercial property in the next two years, with Queensland tipped to be the big improver and WA the most pessimistic. 
Survey respondents believe that CBD hotels will provide the best capital returns in the next 1-2 years (4% in each year), followed by office (1% &amp; 1.2%), with significantly higher returns in NSW and Victoria masking further big corrections in WA. Capital returns are expected to be lowest for retail property (0.4% &amp; 0.6%). 
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In leasing markets, office property is expected to provide the best returns over the next 1-2 years (0.7% &amp; 1.7%), with rental growth in NSW and Victoria leading the way. In contrast, office rents in WA are expected to continue falling heavily amid elevated and climbing vacancy rates, significant over-supply and weak tenant demand. 
In the national industrial market, the outlook for rents has been pared back a little (0.2% &amp; 0.4%) with rental returns for retail property also softer (0.2% &amp; 0.5%). 
Despite an overall improvement in commercial property market sentiment, the survey reveals that fewer developers are planning to start new works in the short term. 
“Funding issues may be playing a role here, with more developers indicating that their debt and equity funding situations had deteriorated,” said Oster. 
Tighter credit conditions are also being reflected in higher pre-commitment hurdles for new developments - up for the third consecutive quarter to 53.5% in Q4 and expected to tighten further over the next 6-12 months. 
Around 250 panel respondents participated in the Q4 2015 survey, consisting of real estate agents/managers, property developers, asset/fund managers and owners/investors. 
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Sentiment at record high in NAB Q4 commercial property survey  

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Cairns remains a rising market, following a year of continued growth and consolidation as a result of its steadily improving economy and the market being positioned in the rising market phase of the property cycle throughout the year, say Herron Todd White in their latest property clock.
Valuation firm Herron Todd White’s property clock is a simple broad brush means to suggest where property markets are as at March 2016 and what direction prices are moving in.
<a href="/images/2016/03/2/Screen%20Shot%202016-03-02%20at%2010.20.25%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/03/2/Screen%20Shot%202016-03-02%20at%2010.20.25%20AM.png" alt="">
Cairns is typically counter-cyclical to the national market, according to HTW. Whenever the national economy slows and the Australian dollar falls, the Cairns tourism industry becomes more competitive, the local economy improves and the real estate market revitalises.
There is good demand for most residential property types and although sales growth has eased, prices continue to rise. 
HTW expects 2016 sales volumes to see a slow but steady increase and flow through to price rises being maintained typically at around the 5% mark. 
There will be on-going demand for rental property which, given the relatively slow rate of new housing development and tighter lending conditions to investors, will keep the supply of rental property moderately tight and maintain a slight upward pressure on rents. 
Cairns remains in a positive position at present compared to the downward adjustments taking place in the major capitals. 
The median price of units in the city was $370,000 at the end of 2015, according to RP Data. There was no comparable data for houses.
As an example of recently sold units around the median, a two-bedroom dwelling at <a href="https://realestateview.com.au/real-estate/161-163-esplanade-cairns-city-qld/property-details-sold-residential-9716215" target="_blank">161-163 Esplanade</a> sold for $388,000, according to www.realestateview.com.au.
HTW noted with new construction and development remaining quiet in Cairns, gentrification is not an especially strong force in the overall development landscape.
The inner suburbs of Cairns North and Parramatta Park have traditionally been the popular gentrification areas of Cairns, with some extension into suburbs such as Edge Hill, Manunda and Westcourt.
It noted the slowdown in new unit development in Cairns.
There was something like 980 new units built on greenfield or recycled sites in Cairns North over the period from 2000 to 2008.
"However there’s been absolutely nothing since."
Parramatta Park has experienced significant gentrification over the years typically based on renovation and modernisation of its older style Queenslander dwellings. This also reflects the character precincts in place in much of Parramatta Park as opposed to the more blank canvas development approach that has taken place in Cairns North.
"By way of example, renovated Queenslanders in Parramatta Park currently command a market range typically of $450,000 to $600,000, compared to a typical market range of $350,000 to $450,000 for unrenovated dwellings." 
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Counter-cyclical Cairns in a positive position in 2016: HTW property clock 

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/broadbeach-qld-4218">Broadbeach</a> offers plenty of reasons to live vertically, but moving from a substantial family home into an apartment can expose the compromises of high-density living. Privacy, room for guests and usable living space tend to matter more when an apartment is intended as a permanent home rather than an occasional coastal base.

A typical residential floor at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-eveleigh-broadbeach-7-9-surf-parade-broadbeach-qld-4218">The Eveleigh</a>, on Surf Parade,&nbsp;contains just four apartments. The 94-residence development by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hirsch-faigen">Hirsch &amp; Faigen</a> is predominantly made up of expansive three-bedroom homes, with a limited collection of half-floor penthouses above.

Across the apartment floors, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> has used the relatively limited number of residences to give each home greater access to natural light and outlook. Living spaces extend towards full-height glazing, while a series of bay windows frame selected views across the Pacific Ocean, city and hinterland rather than treating the building edge as a continuous wall of glass.

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“The apartment floors deliver a collection of homes that embrace controlled outlook via a series of bay windows deliberately framing moments of view,” Rothelowman Director Kim Lowman said.

From outside, those projecting forms contribute to the tower’s faceted profile. Strong horizontal and vertical elements establish its proportions, while the changing position of the sun alters the light, shadow and reflection across the façade throughout the day.

The same attention moves inside the apartments, where the material palette combines warm timber, natural stone, metallic detailing and softer curved forms. Kitchens sit within the main living zone, with stone island benches, integrated joinery and European appliances, before the living areas extend towards the glazing and the outlook.

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Three genuine bedrooms provide room to accommodate family and guests, while two secure car spaces and storage address some of the practical considerations that can become more noticeable when moving from a larger home. Feedback from the display suite has centred on the warmth and restraint of the interiors, with buyers commenting that the residences feel like homes rather than conventional coastal apartments.

A limited collection of half-floor penthouses occupies the upper levels, increasing the scale of the living spaces and adding private balconies and elevated finishes. From this position, the outlook extends between the ocean and hinterland.

Outside the private residences, The Eveleigh separates its shared spaces between the podium and rooftop. The podium is centred on wellness, with subtropical landscaping surrounding a swimming pool and pool terrace, yoga garden, private gymnasium, sauna and hot and cold plunge facilities. Landscaped retreats and pavilions provide additional places to sit away from the main recreation areas.

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Higher in the building, a rooftop pavilion and private dining suite sit alongside resident lounge, barbecue and outdoor dining areas, opening towards panoramic views across the ocean, city and hinterland.

“Buyers are no longer just looking for an apartment, but a lifestyle where they can relax, reset, and enjoy a balanced way of living,” Hirsch &amp; Faigen Director of Sales Matt George said.

Interest to date has come from established owner-occupiers and interstate lifestyle purchasers, including buyers planning a future move to the Gold Coast. Many are coming from larger homes and want to reduce ongoing maintenance without giving up space for family and guests, privacy, two car spaces or the ability to entertain at home.

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Much of that daily life can also take place beyond the building without requiring a drive. Kurrawa Beach and Pratten Park are an easy walk from Surf Parade, while Pacific Fair, Oracle Boulevard, The Oasis, restaurants, cafés, entertainment and public transport are also within walking distance.

The Eveleigh is Hirsch &amp; Faigen's fourth Gold Coast development since entering the market in 2021, following The Hemingway at Palm Beach, The Emerson at Kirra and Yves at Mermaid Beach. Each of the preceding projects sold out before completion.

“Broadbeach had been on our radar throughout our time operating on the Gold Coast,” the developer said. “Following our projects in Palm Beach, Kirra and Mermaid Beach, Broadbeach represented the natural next step for the business.”

The Surf Parade site brought together proximity to the beach, protected coastal outlooks and walkability to dining, shopping and recreation. Hirsch &amp; Faigen also identified the street as an emerging premium residential address, with enough separation from Broadbeach's busier destinations to retain a quieter environment at home.

The Eveleigh is now under construction by Maxcon, with completion forecast for mid-2028. Three-bedroom residences are currently available from $2.87 million.

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Joel Robinson

The Eveleigh brings house-like apartments to Broadbeach

A long-stalled Campbelltown development site is back in play, with new plans for 139 apartments set to supersede a mixed-use scheme approved almost a decade ago but never built.

The new proposal for 28 Cordeaux Street would deliver 116 market and 23 affordable apartments in a part 14-storey building, bringing a substantial new project into a Campbelltown market where new apartment supply remains limited.

Plans have been filed over the 3,092 sqm corner site at Moore-Oxley Street, around 600 metres from Campbelltown Railway Station and the city-centre retail core.

The site already carries a mixed-use residential approval dating to 2016. Doroch Architects has now been engaged on a larger replacement scheme, which is progressing as a State Significant Development Application following a Housing Delivery Authority determination in August 2025.

The apartment mix comprises 39 one-bedroom, 72 two-bedroom and 28 three-bedroom residences. Two-bedroom apartments make up just over half of the project, while three-bedroom homes account for 20 per cent.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="136dd5b9-3791-4da6-9e31-76f533f5b4de" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da2.png?VersionId=LgOSy9nwf5u.MGswBBwaGGxuX8QpHSl_" />

Of the 139 apartments, 23 will be delivered as affordable housing under the in-fill affordable housing provisions of the Housing SEPP. The affordable component represents 15 per cent of the residential gross floor area and will be managed by a registered Community Housing Provider.

Doroch has sought to break the scale of the building into two distinct elements, with a masonry podium of around four storeys establishing the street edge before the residential tower steps back above.

The corner position has shaped that approach. Cordeaux Street faces toward the commercial and civic centre, while Moore-Oxley Street leads into the lower-scale residential neighbourhood to the south, and the design verification report describes the site as "bridging the commercial core to the north and established residential areas to the south."

The podium will be expressed predominantly in face brick, while the upper levels shift to brushed and grooved concrete cladding with darker metal detailing. Recessed sections, deep balcony edges and landscaping break down the upper form, with an approximately 11.8-metre setback to the northern boundary addressing the adjoining St Peters Anglican School.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c8b3d2d3-c561-4bfc-a5d9-a68c0c10dac1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da1.png?VersionId=AeAEyJU02Gk2k5noUj2StziCvdQ7fW4B" />

Campbelltown has been starved of new residential developments in the last decade.

The only other notable development set to come to market this year is ALAND's Queen Square, a mixed-use precinct on over two hectares that will comprise apartments above a vibrant ground-level retail and hospitality dining precinct.

First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site

First Look: Sherlock Construction pitches apartments for low-rise Deception Bay

Queensland builder-developer MAYD has revealed the first look at its major North Kirra beachfront development, lodging amended plans that reduce the number of apartments and increase the proportion of larger residences.

The project is planned across a substantial 4,742 sqm amalgamated site spanning seven lots at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/2-6-pacific-parade-bilinga-qld-4225">2-6 Pacific Parade</a> and 27-33 Golden Four Drive in Bilin​ga, directly opposite Nor​th Kirra Beach.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mayd-group">MAYD</a> secured the site for $32.5 million in 2025, in what was one of the Gold Coast's largest property transactions of the year.

The development will be delivered across two stages, with the first stage carrying an estimated gross realisation value of around $360 million.

The latest amendments seek to reduce the overall apartment count and shift the project further toward the owner-occupier market, with larger residences designed for buyers wanting considerably more space than traditionally offered in a beachfront apartment.

The residential mix will include townhomes, oversized two-bedroom apartments, substantial three-bedroom residences and four-bedroom homes.

MAYD has appointed Cera Stribley to lead the architecture and interiors, with the Melbourne-based design practice drawing on the beachfront setting through a series of ocean-facing terraces and heavily landscaped balconies.

Strong horizontal forms and curved balconies will define the exterior, with subtropical landscaping integrated throughout the building to soften the built form and increase the connection between the residences and the beachfront.

The project will also include an extensive collection of resident wellness and lifestyle facilities, continuing the broader shift across the Gold Coast's luxury apartment market toward larger homes supported by resort-style amenity.

<img alt="MAYD" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d1bcbb05-e659-4b47-8bd4-1e595315e2ad" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%202.05.03%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=jj0XEud1X1DuLt7_KyElhjMdZGOXmLHP" />

MAYD Founder Todd Mould said North Kirra was increasingly appealing to buyers attracted to the more established, lower-density character of the southern Gold Coast.

"North Kirra presents one of the most compelling luxury residential opportunities currently emerging in Australia, combining absolute beachfront with the character and authenticity that buyers are increasingly seeking, and the same sense of tight-knit community that defined Burleigh and Currumbin perhaps 10 or 15 years ago," Mould said.

"With Gold Coast Airport on its doorstep, it also offers a level of accessibility that broadens its appeal across almost every market demographic."

The project comes as the southern Gold Coast continues to attract an increasing share of high-end apartment development and buyer activity.

Kirra in particular has emerged as one of the region's more tightly held beachfront markets, with its relatively low-density character, established surf and hospitality scene and proximity to Gold Coast Airport differentiating it from the higher-density markets further north.

Mould said those characteristics had informed the approach MAYD and Cera Stribley had taken to the project.

"We've worked closely with Cera Stribley to create a vision that is deeply connected to its surroundings," he said.

"Inspired by the coastline itself, the architecture has been shaped around space, privacy and resort-style living, creating a collection of homes that reflects the next generation of luxury on the southern Gold Coast."

MOTIV Managing Director Carly Cottam, who has been appointed to market the project, said buyer attention had continued to move south along the Gold Coast.

"Purchasers who may once have defaulted to Broadbeach, Main Beach or Surfers Paradise are increasingly recognising the value of a genuine beachfront location that offers lower density, strong amenity and a more established sense of community," Cottam said.

"Kirra has a powerful combination of growing demand and genuine scarcity. Beachfront supply is inherently constrained, the area remains relatively low density, and buyers are increasingly placing a premium on locations that feel established, uncrowded and authentic rather than heavily developed."

Cottam said the proximity to Gold Coast Airport was also proving increasingly important for interstate and second-home buyers.

"Being minutes from Gold Coast Airport makes it particularly compelling for interstate buyers, frequent travellers and second-home purchasers who can access an authentic coastal lifestyle almost immediately after stepping off a flight."

The acquisition takes MAYD's active development portfolio to more than $500 million, with the North Kirra project representing one of its largest undertakings to date.

MAYD is targeting an early 2027 launch.

First look at MAYD's North Kirra mixed-use precinct

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Castle Hill, the longtime hub of the Hills District, has been one of the major beneficiaries of Sydney's Metro expansion, with improved connectivity helping drive continued population growth, development and buyer demand across the Hills District.

But despite that growth, the suburb has seen relatively few major new apartment projects brought to market over the past 18 months.

Hills District developer Reve Group is looking to fill that gap with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nova-r-ve-castle-hill-2-garthowen-crescent-castle-hill-nsw-2154">Nova Rêve</a>, a major new mixed-use precinct on the corner of Garthowen Crescent and Old Castle Hill Road, a short walk from Castle Hill Metro Station and Castle Towers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377679]

The project will comprise three residential towers alongside a hotel, restaurants, cafes and a skybar, more than 1,600 sqm of ground-floor retail and almost an acre of landscaped gardens.

It represents the largest project undertaken by Reve Group, the development arm of the Kassis family, which has been building across the Hills District for more than 30 years through Kassis Homes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377675]

Nova Rêve also represents a significant step up from the family's first apartment development, Grand Rêve, which was delivered nearby on Garthowen Crescent.

Grand Rêve introduced larger, house-like apartment layouts and premium inclusions including Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances to the Castle Hill market.

Nova Rêve takes that approach to a precinct scale, combining the residential component with hospitality, retail and substantial public and resident landscaping.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377685]

Reve Group Managing Director Sam Kassis said the project reflected the family's three decades of building in the Hills, which has evolved from trophy homes on quarter-acre blocks to larger-scale apartment development.

"Grand Rêve was our first apartment project here and it showed us what this pocket of Castle Hill could be. Nova Rêve is the refinement of that idea: not just apartments, but a place the whole suburb can use," Kassis said.

A key part of that approach is the hotel, which has been designed to operate as an amenity for the wider Castle Hill community rather than solely hotel guests.

It will include restaurants, cafes, skybars and all-day dining, alongside conference and event facilities catering to business functions, community groups and private events.

At ground level, more than 1,600 sqm of shops and cafes will open onto the surrounding streets and landscaped areas.

Almost an acre of gardens designed by Land and Form Studios will run through the precinct, incorporating pathways, seating, barbecue areas and children's play spaces.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377680]

Reve Group's Romio Georges said creating an active ground plane had been central to the planning of Nova Rêve.

"There are gardens with pathways, barbecues, seating and play areas, shops and cafes opening onto the street, and a hotel with restaurants and a skybar that anyone in Castle Hill can walk into," Georges said.

The project's elevated position on one of Sydney's highest ridgelines will also provide apartments with outlooks toward the Sydney skyline, surrounding parkland and the Blue Mountains.

More than 80 per cent of the apartments will occupy corner positions, with Turner responsible for both the architecture and interiors.

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[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152737]

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Prateek Chatterjee

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