<html><body>
Alder, a federation style period home in Middle Park, Victoria has been offered for sale for the first time since 1964.
It has been listed with a price guide between $5.8 million to $6.3 million. 
The four bedroom, two bathroom house is situated at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-middle+park-132905282" target="_blank">117 Harold Street</a>. 
Set on a 795 sqm allotment, the freestanding house comprises nine principle rooms including living rooms, kitchenettes and roof attic. 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2020/2/24/middle%20park%202.jpg" alt="">
Alder comes with sun-drenched backyard and established front garden entrance plus double garage. 
Other features include high ceilings, open fireplaces, bay window and bluestone foundations and three street frontages. 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2020/2/24/middle%20park%203.jpg" alt="">
The house is located only 100 metres from the beach and moments to Albert Park Lake, villages, public transport and schools. 
Simon Carruthers and Michael Szulc of Cayzer Real Estate Albert Park have the listing. 
</body></html>

j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Middle Park federation style trophy home hits the market 

<html><body>
A Middle Park Edwardian house situated close to beach and trams has hit the market.
It has been listed for sale with $3 million to $3.3 million hopes. 
The three bedroom, two bathroom house is situated at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-middle+park-132908626" target="_blank">163 Richardson Street</a>. 
It was a former corner shop.
Set on a 332 sqm block, the home comes with sitting room, modern kitchen, casual living and dining room and north-facing garden. 
Other features include large workshop, off street parking and open fireplace.
The dual lots on the one title provide an opportunity to create two residences (STCA). 
The house is situated within walking distance to Middle Park Village, Albert Park Lake and schools.
Oliver Bruce and Sarah Wood of Marshall White Port Phillip have the listing. 
</body></html>

Middle Park Edwardian former shop home hits the market 

<html><body>
An Element, Burleigh Heads beachfront apartment on has been sold for $3.15 million.
The three bedroom, three bathroom 12th floor apartment with ocean and skyline views is situated at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-apartment-qld-burleigh+heads-132745674" target="_blank">35/106-108 The Esplanade</a>. 
The 330sqm apartment comprises open plan living and dining, casual meals area, media lounge room, gourmet kitchen and wine room.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2020/2/17/burleigh%20heads%201.jpg" alt="">
Other features include private balcony, frying patio, and Cbus home automation system. 
Residents' only facilities include heated lap pool, spa, sauna, gymnasium and herb garden.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2020/2/17/burleigh%20heads%202.jpg" alt="">
It is located close to beaches, parklands, shops, cafes and markets. 
Katrina Walsh of Harcourts Coastal sold the apartment. 
The home has traded for a loss at this most recent sale as it last transacted for $3.2 million in 2015.
</body></html>

Element, Burleigh Heads beachfront apartment sold for $3.15 million

<html><body>
A St Kilda Victorian house located opposite Peanut Farm Reserve has been sold for $3.71 million.
The four bedroom, two bathroom home is situated at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-st+kilda-132797042" target="_blank">50 Chaucer Street</a>. 
Set on 399sqm of land, the home features formal lounge, separate dining room, timber-topped kitchen and bay-windowed family/meals zone.
Upstairs are main bedroom with balcony, three additional bedrooms and family bathroom.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2020/2/17/st%20kilda%202.jpg" alt="">
Other highlights include front and rear garden, off-street parking, high ceilings and open fireplaces.
The home is located within walking distances to cafes, shops, restaurants, St Kilda Beach and public transport. 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2020/2/17/st%20kilda%203.jpg" alt="">
Tony Pride and Margaret Duncan of Belle Property St Kilda sold the property. 
</body></html>

St Kilda bayside Victorian house sold 

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVATION
Politicians in many countries around the world claim to be experiencing a “housing crisis”. But how do they define it, who is affected, and what is the cause?
These are critical questions. Exploring them can help us understand why much of the evidence from research is not carried through into political discourse and policy.
In the wake of the growing global “crisification” of housing, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02673037.2019.1697801" target="_blank">our research</a> evaluated political speeches in Hansard connected to the housing crisis in New Zealand over three terms of the centre-right National Party government (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth_National_Government_of_New_Zealand" target="_blank">2008-17</a>). We sought to better understand how the issue became visible in politics and then trace this through to policy. We found the term “housing crisis” was rarely used before 2013.
Our aim was to provide deeper insights into why the problem appears to be resisting resolution. While the research took place in New Zealand, the findings have wider relevance for other countries grappling with this issue of “housing crisis”.
Tracing the rise of the housing crisis
Crises are truth claims. They are invoked, they define, they blame and, in doing so, they privilege certain ideologies or policy “solutions” over others.
If the problem is seen as due to “red tape”, too much immigration or unfair taxes, then these all require very different interventions. Some responses will be more effective than others. Some may have more in common with long-held political ideology than a body of scientific evidence.
The chart below shows the emergence, frequency and party-oriented nature of housing being framed in terms of a “crisis”.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/311241/original/file-20200121-117943-1pmrh05.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""> 
Frequency of the ‘housing crisis’ framing by year and political party. Author provided
From being used only two times during the first term of National government (2008-11), the term was used 105 times in the second (2011-14) and 205 times in the third (2014-17). (The lack of use in 2014 appears more related to parliament being distracted by an election year than the profile of the issue.)
You can also see it’s almost exclusively opposition parties, in particular Labour and the Greens, that use the crisis framing. MPs from the ruling National Party used the term only five times, and then mainly in response to previous speakers to resist the charge.
A contest to frame the issue
Turning to the content of debate, the following table provides an overview of the strength and focus of the framing themes used.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/312709/original/file-20200130-154320-qaf3ab.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Author provided
Even though the governing party resisted the crisis terminology, a very consistent narrative dominated housing debates. It was that the reason for poor affordability was an inefficient and overly bureaucratic planning system that stifled the release of development land. It was a problem of supply, the reasoning went: more land should logically lead to more houses to meet demand, which should make housing more affordable.
In some ways the subordinate counterframing attempts by opposition parties provide an insight into the complexity of the housing crisis. In contrast, the government framing appears both easier to communicate and “solve”.
The episodic and missing frames are of particular interest as they help demonstrate what perspectives and voices were not represented in any meaningful manner.
Even though the National government did not accept the framing as a crisis, the high profile of the political discourse led to a suite of legislative and policy initiatives. These documents strongly reflect the dominant narrative. For example, the Resource Management Act, the main planning legislation in New Zealand, receives repeated blame for high house prices as part of the justification for measures aimed at increasing the supply of land.
What does this mean for evidence and policy?
A key finding is that the crisis claim from opposition parties did not just lead to a contest over whether this was correct, or even its meaning. It also opened up a new political space for the ruling party to promote long-standing ideas about the preferred relationship between the state, private sector and market.
Researchers recognise housing as a multifaceted public policy problem and draw upon multiple streams of evidence. However, the political framing of housing as a crisis and its links to policy was much more simple, siloed and ideological. Although wider political discourse did acknowledge the complexity of housing issues, the nature of politics and the balance of power meant the cause was reduced to a simple effective message – poor land supply and an inefficient planning system – which informed the policy responses.
This gap between evidence and politics may also help explain how various urban and environmental crises have become less of a one-off event and more of a modern lived condition that may never be “solved” but rather redistributed politically.
In reality, the various frames show how there is not just a singular “housing crisis”. There may be a supply crisis, a demand crisis, a quality crisis, a distribution crisis, a credit crisis, a rental crisis, and so on. All of these issues differ between local, national and international contexts.
Lastly, if political power and existing ideological perspectives are so central to the framing and response to a crisis, then this raises questions for how researchers can better integrate research into politics and policy. While topics such as liveability, sustainability, density, connectivity, justice and quality are well represented in research, the data show this is not carried through into political discourse. Perhaps by focusing on the reasons for this gap we can better understand policy failure and the role of power and ideology in perpetuating the housing crisis.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/128861/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/iain-white-95947" target="_blank">Iain White</a>, Professor of Environmental Planning, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-waikato-781" target="_blank">University of Waikato</a>
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/housing-crisis-what-crisis-how-politicians-talk-about-housing-and-why-it-matters-128861" target="_blank">original article</a>.
</body></html>

What housing crisis? How politicians talk about housing and why it matters

<html><body>
Darwin City Council installed a network of hundreds of new devices across the centre of the city last year. This web of “smart” lights, environmental sensors and video cameras is designed to give the council more power to monitor and manage urban places – and the people who occupy them.
The council says the A$10 million “<a href="https://www.darwin.nt.gov.au/council/transforming-darwin/key-projects/switchingondarwin" target="_blank">Switching on Darwin</a>” project is “delivering smart technology to encourage innovative solutions and enhance community life”. We argue it is better seen as a project of surveillance and control, which is embedded in a long history of settler-colonial urbanism.
Intensified surveillance
Journalists and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/505755470028036/permalink/515375359066047/" target="_blank">community members</a> alike worried about the project. The scale and rapid rollout of the project, some argued, meant it would erode Darwinians’ privacy through intensified surveillance.
The introduction of new digital surveillance measures in Darwin poses particular concerns for already marginalised groups, as ANU sociologists Gavin Smith and Pat O’Malley have pointed out. The most affected are likely to be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, who are already disproportionately <a href="http://www.yjc.org.au/resources/YJC-STMP-Report.pdf" target="_blank">targeted</a>, <a href="https://www.griffithreview.com/articles/white-justice-black-suffering/" target="_blank">criminalised</a> and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/ng-interactive/2018/aug/28/deaths-inside-indigenous-australian-deaths-in-custody" target="_blank">incarcerated</a>.
The Darwin project also occurs in the context of the federal government’s plan to develop northern Australia. This development agenda has been criticised for, among other things, its <a href="https://newmatilda.com/2014/11/11/white-paper-black-australia-developing-whose-northern-australia-whom/" target="_blank">lack of interest</a> in the Indigenous people who are the traditional owners of much of the land.
Privacy concerns dismissed
Two of the chief concerns for Switching on Darwin critics were the possible use of facial recognition software and the potential involvement of Chinese tech company Huawei. Darwin’s lord mayor <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-13/darwin-smart-city-rollout-privacy-concerns-dismissed-lord-mayor/11203528" target="_blank">dismissed</a> criticisms as the baseless concerns of “conspiracy theorists”. He also gave advice to people worried about privacy: “don’t get a licence, give away your credit cards, and get out of Facebook”.
Compared with the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0162243918806061" target="_blank">slick sales pitch</a> that usually accompanies smart city projects, the lord mayor’s blunt approach is more like the strident accusations of “fake news” that are now common in political discourse.
The logic of ‘smart cities’
But if we dig a little deeper, the lord mayor’s comments reveal a set of assumptions about “smart cities” that animate conversations about how cities should work in Australia.
First, that digital technologies – typically in the form of solutions and services bought from companies outside government – are a necessary part of <a href="https://www.infrastructure.gov.au/cities/city-deals/darwin/" target="_blank">“vibrant” and “liveable”</a> <a href="http://www.choosebrisbane.com.au/2022plan" target="_blank">“world cities”</a>.
Second, that privacy and surveillance issues are unfortunate byproducts of technological progress, but are outweighed by their benefits.
And finally, that technologies are straightforward non-political ways to change cities.
For governments and corporations, the vision of the smart city means a generic “public” enjoys more convenience, planners enjoys more information and efficiency, and politicians enjoy more growth and security. It’s an enticing vision, but it is built on faulty assumptions.
This vision assumes smart systems are simply a matter of technocratic management or corporate outsourcing and focuses on the supposedly unprecedented “disruption” of emerging technologies. In doing this, it overlooks important connections between the operations of smart urbanism and much older practices of colonial control.
Smart urban systems function in remarkably similar ways, for similar purposes and with similar outcomes. For example, the high-tech, data-driven systems that police now use to identify and assess people, like the New South Wales Police Force’s Suspect Targeting Management Plan, <a href="https://rlc.org.au/article/policing-young-people-nsw-study-suspect-targeting-management-plan" target="_blank">disproportionately target</a> the same exact marginalised groups who have always been subjected to over-policing – in this case young and/or Aboriginal people. But now these decisions can be hidden and justified by algorithmic analysis.
Existing power dynamics and structural inequalities cannot be erased by installing some new digital systems and declaring that the future city has arrived. Instead, the new systems can make these dynamics harder to see and at the same time entrench them more deeply.
Captured cities
In practice, the smart city is very different from the vision. It is better understood as the <a href="https://reallifemag.com/the-captured-city/" target="_blank">captured city</a>.
As a model for urban governance, the captured city takes the capabilities offered by smart systems and puts them to work in surveillance and control. Often this includes importing tools and ideas from military intelligence into police departments, and extending methods of colonial control – such as <a href="https://www.themonthly.com.au/today/amy-mcquire/2017/21/2017/1487653645/please-hold" target="_blank">welfare restrictions in Aboriginal communities</a> – to the population at large.
The city and its inhabitants are thus “captured”, both by surveillance that collects data and by authorities who control territory.
What happens to the captured city then will be shaped by the context in which the smart urban systems are deployed.
There is no reason to believe things will be different now because the boosters of smart urbanism drop a few buzzwords and make some lofty promises. Indeed, these technologies equip the state with even better tools to monitor and control its population – often by design. We’ve heard it all before, every time a tech executive or venture capitalist makes promises to fulfil the techno-utopian dream of disruption.
Darwin is not alone
Darwin is well on its way to becoming a captured city, but it is not alone. As all levels of government across Australia seek smarter ways of governing, examples of similar urban technologies being used in policing and control are springing up around the country.
These projects include a police scheme to target people who they believe may commit crimes in future in Sydney (which <a href="https://rlc.org.au/article/policing-young-people-nsw-study-suspect-targeting-management-plan" target="_blank">disproportionately affects Aboriginal people</a>), “<a href="https://westender.com.au/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/WETA-CPTED-Study.pdf" target="_blank">Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design</a>” guidelines in Brisbane and <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-06-08/city-of-perth-rolls-out-new-facial-recognition-cctv-cameras/11147780" target="_blank">facial recognition systems</a> in Perth.
These examples demonstrate how the perceived neutrality of smart city technology uses stories about progress, modernity and innovation to entrench and disguise existing urban injustices.
Ultimately, the “smart city” in Australia is best understood not as a break with older, analogue modes of governing urban space, but as a continuation of the settler-colonial project of <a href="http://radioskidrow.org/projects/survival-guide" target="_blank">displacement, enclosure and control</a>.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/127118/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jathan-sadowski-887412" target="_blank">Jathan Sadowski</a>, Research Fellow in the Emerging Technologies Research Lab, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065" target="_blank">Monash University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/anna-carlson-911286" target="_blank">Anna Carlson</a>, Researcher, School of Political Science &amp; International Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805" target="_blank">The University of Queensland</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/natalie-osborne-282804" target="_blank">Natalie Osborne</a>, Lecturer, School of Environment and Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828" target="_blank">Griffith University</a>
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the original<a href="https://theconversation.com/darwins-smart-city-project-is-about-surveillance-and-control-127118" target="_blank"> article</a>.
</body></html>

Darwin's smart city project is about surveillance and control

<html><body>
Increasing sales volumes and moderating prices indicate buyers are seeing ‘fair value’ in Melbourne’s land market compared to runaway price growth in the established market, according to RPM Real Estate Group's latest Residential Market Review.
RPM, Victoria’s biggest land sales agency found in their Q4 report that not only are first home buyers seeing better value in Melbourne’s house and land market given moderating prices (while values in established housing continue to rise), but investors too.
Investors were the missing ingredient throughout most of last year, but RPM’s Q4 report reveals investors are seeing increasing opportunity in Melbourne’s greenfield market.
RPM saw a jump from a share of 24% of all purchases to 37% in the December quarter.<a class="btn modal-button" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/administrator/index.php?option=com_media&amp;view=images&amp;tmpl=component&amp;e_name=jform_articletext&amp;asset=150862&amp;author=38130" title="Image" rel="{handler: 'iframe', size: {x: 800, y: 500}}"> </a>
For the December quarter total lot sales increased 17 per cent to 3,185 lots from the previous quarter.
November recorded the eighth straight month of sales growth.
Click <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2020/2/24/RPM%20housing%20data.JPG" target="_blank">here</a> to enlarge:
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2020/2/24/RPM%20housing%20data.JPG" alt="">
(Source: RPM Real Estate Group) 
In the December quarter, other dwelling approvals jumped 78 per cent to 7,284 from the September quarter and 21 per cent compared to the same period a year ago (albeit it came off a record low).
The most substantial increase occurred in apartments, which rose 149 per cent over the quarter and 69 per cent from December 2018, although this sector is coming off a long term low.
The improved December quarter results have helped ease the rolling annual falls, with the townhouse market down 24 per cent and the apartment market down 18 per cent over the past year when compared to the same period a year earlier.
In the development site market, the quarter marked a pronounced turnaround resulting from pent up demand from developers and landowners who held back their properties for most of 2019 until they saw more stable market conditions where their values could again be supported.
Stockland’s acquisition of a large-scale site in Donnybrook Rd for more than $100 million signified a big deal by a big player, and gave other local developers confidence to invest, resulting in deal flows in the back half of the year in excess of $350 million.
In the inner and mid-ring apartment and townhouse market, Mr Kelly said while tentative positive approval numbers provide cautious optimism, the mismatch between supply and demand is still a key challenge.
“New project activity going through the pipeline is vital given once supply is absorbed there will need to be readily available stock to meet demand, otherwise a shortage will occur, putting pressure on vacancy rates, rents and prices overall,” he said.
Melbourne’s median lot price declined 2.1 per cent to $308,900, partly due to a reasonable amount of unsold or overhang stock on the market.
</body></html>

First homer buyers and investors jumping on Melbourne land market opportunities: RPM Real Estate

<html><body>
At call savings rates are continuing to fall ahead of the RBA’s meeting next week with the average interest rate cut recorded coming in at 0.17%, according to analysis by financial comparison site Mozo.com.au.
<a href="https://mozo.com.au/savings-accounts" target="_blank">Mozo</a> also found the average ongoing at call savings account rate is now sitting at just 0.97%, well below inflation at 1.80%.
The Big 4’s average rate for at call savings accounts is just 0.66%, 0.31% below the average. ANZ (-5bp), NAB (-11bp) and Westpac (-10bp) have all made significant cuts to their at call savings rates this year.
Mozo Director Kirsty Lamont said, "although the Reserve Bank has left official interest rates on hold since October, it hasn’t stopped some of our biggest banks slicing interest rates of most the popular savings accounts."
“The most recent interest rate cuts by the big banks is not great news for savers but if you are looking for a savings account currently the best ongoing bonus rate in our database today is 2.25%. That’s 1.28% higher than the average."
“If you don’t need to access your savings on a regular basis you could also consider hedging against a further official rate cut by switching to a fixed term deposit,” says Lamont.
Mozo found the average 6 month term deposit rate is 1.48%, with the highest 6 month term deposit rate being 1.95% through Judo Bank.
</body></html>

Big banks continued with saving rate cuts: Mozo

<html><body>
Capital city auctions saw a national clearance rate of 77 per cent as 2,446 homes went under the hammer. 
Sydney recorded the highest clearance rate with 81 per cent of listings finding buyers, with Melbourne closely behind at 79 per cent. 
Both major market improved their success rates on higher volumes, CoreLogic auction analyst Kevin Brogan noted.
<div class="page" title="Page 1">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
One year ago, Sydney 801 auctions were held and the clearance rate came in at 50.2 per cent.
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
Once again, Melbourne was the busiest auction market with a total of 1,215 auctions , according to CoreLogic. Sydney was the second busiest with 938.
Of the 557 Sydney results captured, 454 homes sold.
A Surry Hills terrace with a colourful brothel past soared $440,000 above reserve selling for $2.87 million at its weekend auction.
It was the first sale in more than 100 years of the three-bedroom Victorian terrace.
It was a suspected former brothel during the Great Depression with links to the infamous madam Tilly Devine.
The Surry Hills terrace attracted 17 registered bidders for the <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/448a-bourke-street-surry-hills-nsw-2010-2016025975">448A Bourke Street</a> premises.
Bidding started at $2.3 million and quickly passing the $2.43 million reserve for the 125-square-metre block.
It sold to the family of wealthy rag trader Michael Gazal.
It was held by the same family for four generations.
The terrace was transferred last for £30 in 1916.
Elizabeth “Granny” Lynn, the vendors great grandmother had been friends with Tilly Devine, hence the reputed association.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2020/2/CoreLogic_FEB22.png" alt="">
Sydney had the most expensive sale among the capitals when <a href="https://www.simeonpartners.com.au/AB1P0839/15-stanley-avenue-mosman" target="_blank">15 Stanley Avenue, Mosman</a> sold through Simeon Partners for $8,460,000. 
The four-bedroom, three-bathroom early 1980s home had a price guide of $6.5 million.
However, after 21 contracts were issued, and 11 registrations, the selling agent Richard Simeon advised there was "one delighted vendor." 
The Mosman Daily reported there were 65 bids lodged during the 30 minute auction.
The residence situated on 600 sqm was offered to the market for the first time in some 37 years. 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2020/2/6_FEB22.jpg" alt="">
Sydney's most affordable auction was a two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment at <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://auburn.randw.com.au/property/0000427274" target="_blank">10/118 Woodbury Road, Berala</a>.<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property/unit-8-118-woodburn-rd-berala-nsw-2141" target="_blank"></a><a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property/unit-8-118-woodburn-rd-berala-nsw-2141" target="_blank"></a>
Built in 1969, the unit fetched $387,000 through R&amp;W. It had last sold at $29,950 in 1979.
Housing commentator Dr Andrew Wilson at My Housing Market noted the Sydney auction market had recorded "the highest for the year so far despite another surge in listings."
Sydney's Northern Beaches secured the highest clearance rate among all sub-regions.
It saw a clearance rate of 95 per cent from 100 auctions, reports CoreLogic.
The Hotspotting housing commentator <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/terry-ryder/110306-northern-beaches-rising-buyer-demand-drives-greater-sydney-to-strongest-sydney-market-hotspotting-s-terry-ryder" target="_blank">Terry Ryder recently suggested</a> among Sydney sub-regions "the leading market is the Northern Beaches."
In Melbourne, of the 970 weekend auction results captured, 772 homes were sold.
The highest residential sale reported in Melbourne was at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-parkville-132827938" target="_blank">69 Fitzgibbon Street, Parkville</a> when the five bedroom Postmaster's residence sold through Woodards for $4,040,000.
Its price guide had been between $3.6 million and $3.9 million given it currently returns $72,000 from the retail and residential components.
The post office lessee is open to staying on at a current annual rental of around $31,000.
It last sold 23 year ago.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2020/2/MEL_POST.jpg" alt="">
Built in 1889, the 510 sqm residence features a grand arched hallway and staircase which transitions through to the north-facing lounge area. 
The property has a spacious rear yard accessible via the Post Office Lane. 
The post office at the front of the building is currently leased on a monthly basis by Australia Post.
There was a higher undisclosed sale in Kooyong when three bidders took the top offer for <a href="https://kayburton.com.au/real-estate/house-3-st-martins-close-kooyong-vic-3144-1425126" target="_blank">3 St Martins Close</a> to $5,561,000. It was sold after auction at an undisclosed price.
The Steve Domoney Architecture designed home set in Jack Merlo gardens was a four bedroom, five bathroom home with a study set on a 600 sqm block.
The price guidance had been $5.5 million to $5.9 million.
Melbourne's cheapest auction sale was a beachside apartment at <a href="https://www.hodges.com.au/property/875044/11-62-72-bay-road-sandringham/" target="_blank">11/62-72 Bay Road, Sandringham</a>.
It was the nation's cheapest capital city result.
The one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment sold two days prior to auction through Hodges Real Estate for $275,000.
The price guide had been $270,000 to $297,000.
Last advertised as a $310 a week rental in 2016, it sold in 2009 at $355,900.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2020/2/CHEAPEST_MEL_FEB22.jpg" alt="">
 
Across the smaller auction markets, Canberra recorded the highest preliminary clearance rate of 70 per cent, followed by Brisbane at 62.7 per cent. 
Brisbane's most expensive auction, according to Domain, was the Queenslander at <a href="https://www.belleproperty.com/listings/874529/50-groom-street-gordon-park-qld-4031/" target="_blank">50 Groom Street, Gordon Park</a>.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2020/2/BRIS_FEB22.jpg" alt="">
The four-bedroom, three-bathroom home was sold through Belle Property for $1,950,000
It sat on a 1,214 sqm parcel of land with solar heated pool. 
Meanwhile Domain reported Brisbane's most affordable auction was a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment at <a href="https://aspley.ljhooker.com.au/unit-in-chermside-qld-4032-au-1wdsf1r#.XlHySS2B3eQ" target="_blank">11/23 Playfield Street, Chermside</a>. 
The 306 sqm unit sold through LJ Hooker for $345,000.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2020/2/BRIS3_FEB22.jpg" alt="">
The third-floor apartment in the HQ complex sold at a loss given its last sale in 2008 for $445,000.
It had been a $400 a week rental offering in 2018.
 
 
 
 
</body></html>

Ragtraders return to Surry Hills as Sydney records highest clearance rate

<html><body>
Regional NSW is still in the grips of the worst drought on record with 99 per cent of the state still drought affected, despite recent rain in coastal areas and some inland regions.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW John Barilaro today spoke with farmers, families and business owners in Yass, Boorowa, Cowra and Orange about the drought and reassured them that they have not been forgotten.
“The recent downpours were a welcome relief, but people need to understand that many parts of the state did not receive a single drop and that 99 per cent of the state, particularly areas like the Far West, Central West and Southern NSW, remain in drought,” Mr Barilaro said.
“The drought is not over, far from it, and I want farmers, families and businesses to know that, while there has quite rightly been much attention given to firefighting and recovery efforts, our focus and commitment to drought support and response has not wavered.
“I am looking forward to the day I can say the drought has broken but that day is not today. 
“The recent rain has given a lot of communities hope for the future but for those who have missed out it is a tough pill to swallow. We will continue to stand by them until this drought breaks.”
Minister for Agriculture and Western NSW Adam Marshall said a further 50mm of rain is forecast on the North Coast for the coming week, following similar falls last week, however it will take months of sustained and widespread rainfall to break the drought.
“I’m sure many people have seen photos of green grass sprouting in some drought affected areas, but the reality is this recent growth is not that widespread and will provide only limited nutritional value for livestock,” Mr Marshall said.
“In farming areas, stored soil moisture levels remain very low, which shows the recent rainfall hasn’t provided the nourishing effect needed to improve conditions, while algal blooms and further fish kills remain a very real possibility across multiple regions.”
Mr Barilaro said as of February 2020, more than $1.9 billion has been committed to the Emergency Drought Relief package to help farmers and regional communities, on top of the $1 billion Safe and Secure Water program which is delivering water infrastructure that boosts drought resilience.
“We haven’t stopped and we won’t stop delivering for drought affected communities. Despite the bushfires, the bushfire recovery operation and despite recent rain, our commitment to regional towns suffering through this overwhelming drought is unwavering.”
</body></html>

Regional NSW is still in grips of worst drought: John Barolaro

Developers and apartment buyers have a narrowing window of opportunity before Brisbane's Olympic infrastructure pipeline begins competing directly with residential construction, pushing up costs, tightening labour supply and making new projects increasingly difficult to deliver.

While Brisbane's apartment market continues to benefit from strong population growth and limited housing supply, industry research suggests the years leading up to 2027 could prove to be the most important period for developers looking to secure builders and buyers hoping to purchase before the next wave of price increases.

A new Colliers report, Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games: Creating Solutions, highlights the scale of the challenge. While thousands of new homes are planned across South East Queensland, the Brisbane Olympic Athletes Village alone will deliver more than 10,500 beds during the Games before being converted into around 1,750 to 2,000 apartments. Equivalent to almost two years of typical inner-city apartment supply, the project will also absorb a significant share of the construction workforce and building materials.

The broader construction pipeline paints an even clearer picture.

Construction Skills Queensland's Horizon 2032 report forecasts Queensland's annual construction pipeline will average $69 billion over the coming years before peaking at $75 billion in 2027-28. Demand for construction workers is expected to increase by 17 per cent to almost 150,000 people, with the industry facing an annual shortfall of around 19,000 workers that could blow out to as many as 35,000 during the peak construction period.

The Olympic venues, athletes village and supporting infrastructure will account for billions of dollars worth of work across South East Queensland through to 2032, creating intense competition for labour at a time when Australia's residential construction sector is already under pressure.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150489 project_image_fid=373834]

Colliers Queensland Residential Director Andrew Scriven said the convergence of these projects is creating a clear window of opportunity for both developers and buyers.

"From 2027 onwards, the market will shift dramatically," Scriven said.

"Labour will increasingly be locked into government-led infrastructure and Olympic projects, which means private residential developments will face higher costs and tighter margins. The developers who move now are the ones most likely to get projects off the ground."

Scriven said the same dynamic would also affect buyers, with fewer apartment projects expected to launch once construction capacity tightens.

"If you're looking to change your lifestyle over the next five years, now is your window of opportunity to buy."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150713 project_image_fid=373827]

Developers are already positioning themselves ahead of that window.

Following the success of Monarch at Toowong, Consolidated Properties is preparing to launch two new Brisbane apartment projects in the second half of 2026. They include <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/gloriette-30-bedivere-street-yeerongpilly-qld-4105">Gloriette</a> at Yeerongpilly Green, a 25-storey tower within one of Brisbane's key Olympic precincts, and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/castile-47-skyring-terrace-newstead-qld-4006">Castile</a>, a recently approved 25-storey riverfront development at 47 Skyring Terrace in Newstead.

Hutchinson Builders will deliver both projects, with early works already underway at Yeerongpilly and Newstead expected to commence later this year.

The timing comes as Brisbane's fundamentals continue to strengthen, with strong interstate migration, population growth and vacancy rates remaining below 1.5 per cent.

Colliers Queensland researcher Pragya Sharma said Greater Brisbane is forecast to require around 40,000 new apartments between 2021 and 2031.

"There's a real mismatch emerging between when housing is needed and when it will be feasible to build," Sharma said.

"As a result, the period leading up to 2027 presents a key window of opportunity for developers to secure approvals, funding and construction capacity, while buyers will have greater choice before supply constraints intensify."

Colliers research outlines a critical pre-2027 window to start residential projects before labour squeeze: now is the time to buy

Joel Robinson

Developers, buyers on watch in South East Queensland ahead of construction crunch: Colliers

It's taken less than nine months for developer Sherpa Property Group to sell out all 51 apartments in its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-oasis-palm-beach-7-9-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Oasis</a> development in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/palm-beach-qld-4221">Palm Beach</a>, over a year before its anticipated completion.

&nbsp;

Located at 7-9 Sixth Avenue, the $67 million development has resonated strongly with both local owner-occupiers and downsizers seeking high-quality apartments within walking distance of the beach, dining precincts and everyday amenities.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151449 project_image_fid=357458]

Christie Leet, Founder of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa Group</a>, said the sell-out reflected both the strength of the Palm Beach market and the success of Sherpa's community-first approach to development.

"The sell-out of Oasis is a fantastic outcome and reinforces the strong demand we're seeing for thoughtfully designed apartments in lifestyle locations," Leet said.

"From the outset, our vision was to create a development that genuinely enhanced the Palm Beach community while providing residents with exceptional homes and wellness-focused amenities.

"We've been incredibly encouraged by the level of local support throughout the campaign, 72.5 per cent of buyers are locals, with a significant proportion of purchasers choosing Oasis as their future home rather than an investment."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151449 project_image_fid=357463]

Construction is now progressing following development approval, with trusted builder LPS Group delivering the project and completion anticipated in Q3 2027.

Oasis forms part of Sherpa Group's successful Flourish collection, which has become recognised for its focus on wellness, community and elevated coastal living.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151449 project_image_fid=357469]

Residents will have private access to a rooftop amenity space featuring a pool, gym, sauna, steam room, hot and cold plunge pools, spa and barbecue facilities.

"The success of Oasis demonstrates that buyers continue to prioritise quality, location and lifestyle," Leet said.

"We are proud to have delivered a project that has resonated so strongly with the market and look forward to bringing Oasis to life for our future residents."

Sherpa recently launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-soleira-palm-beach-1150-1160-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Soleira</a>, its third instalment of the Flourish brand in Palm Beach following Flourish Oasis and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/amargo-6-12-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Amargo</a>.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=151449]

Sherpa sells out Flourish Oasis in booming Palm Beach

Urban Property Group's <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/la-vera-macquarie-park-94-talavera-road-macquarie-park-nsw-2113">La Vera</a> is leading the next phase of Macquarie Park's residential evolution, with the new apartment development set to become the first of several new apartment projects in the precinct to complete.

The 169-apartment building has now topped out ahead of its scheduled completion in the third quarter of 2026, as new residential investment continues to reshape one of Sydney's largest employment hubs into a true mixed-use precinct.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=368645]

Cox Architecture has designed La Vera to capture the best of its unique positioning on Talavera Road, orienting the building towards Lane Cove National Park.&nbsp;The building features a sculpted northern façade with flowing curves inspired by the surrounding landscape, while its city-facing elevation adopts a more structured architectural expression to maximise skyline views.

"The vision for the project was to conceive a building that adopted an organic and curvilinear form to the northern portion that faces the Lane Cove National Park," <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">Cox Architecture</a> Director Felipe Miranda said.

"The residents that reside in the northern portion of the building benefit by having beautifully crafted curved balconies that speak to the natural context and heighten the relationship of their internal living spaces to the external balconies."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=358802]

La Vera offers a diverse mix of one, two, three, and four-bedroom configurations, with prices currently starting from $740,000. Buyers so far have been a mix of Sydney-based investors,&nbsp;metro commuters, owner-occupiers and downsizers from surrounding North Shore suburbs.

Both investors and owner-occupiers have been drawn to La Vera's proximity to Macquarie University, Macquarie University Hospital, Macquarie Centre and the Sydney Metro, infrastructure that supports both strong rental demand and a convenient lifestyle for residents.

The apartments feature full-height glazing, timber flooring throughout living areas, stone kitchen benchtops, SMEG appliances, floor-to-ceiling bathroom tiling and ducted air conditioning.

Residents will have access to a rooftop recreation level featuring a swimming pool, sauna, barbecue facilities and landscaped relaxation areas, complemented by additional communal space at ground level. Many apartments enjoy uninterrupted views across Lane Cove National Park, reinforcing the project's connection to its natural setting.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=364551]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a>, a family-owned developer and builder with nearly four decades of experience, holds a 4.5-star iCIRT rating and was Australia's first developer to introduce 10-Year Latent Defects Insurance (LDI). La Vera is the first apartment development in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/macquarie-park-nsw-2113">Macquarie Park</a> approved to offer the additional insurance protection, alongside a five-year warranty on SMEG appliances.

Urban Property Group CEO Patrick Elias said the additional protection reflects changing buyer expectations in the off the plan market.

"Consumers are a lot more weary and a lot more concerned in buying off the plan than they ever have been. Having LDI is a tool to portray the confidence that we have in our product, and a confidence we want buyers to share," Elias said.

Following completion of the building later this year, buyers will move into their apartments well before Christmas.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134951]

La Vera closes in on completion as Macquarie Park continues residential transformation

Brisbane developer Red &amp; Co's decision to include dual key apartments in its debut Gold Coast apartment development, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/como-varsity-lakes-22-lake-street-varsity-lakes-qld-4227">COMO Varsity Lakes</a>, is proving to be one of the project's biggest drawcards, with buyers quickly snapping up the flexible residences.

More than half of the project's 36 dual key apartments have already sold, helping drive COMO beyond the 50 per cent sold mark within the first month of launch.

The strong response highlights growing demand for apartment designs that can adapt to changing lifestyles, with buyers increasingly looking for homes that accommodate multi-generational living, provide rental income opportunities or simply offer greater flexibility over time.

Located on the shores of Lake Orr, COMO will deliver 156 apartments across 16 levels, with the dual-key residences forming a limited release within the broader development.

Each combines a primary two-bedroom apartment with a fully self-contained studio on a single title, connected by a shared foyer and lockable internal door. The design allows owners to house ageing parents, adult children or guests while maintaining privacy, or lease the secondary residence to generate additional income.

Just 17 of the original 36 dual key apartments remain available.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=367096]

The innovative configuration combines two fully self-contained residences on a single title, typically comprising a primary two-bedroom apartment alongside a separate studio residence, connected via a shared foyer and lockable internal door.&nbsp;

The model is proving particularly attractive to owner occupiers navigating changing family dynamics and the realities of the current housing crisis.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=363511]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/npa">NPA</a>&nbsp;CEO Andrew Erwin said dual key living was resonating strongly with modern buyers because it delivered both financial flexibility and practical lifestyle benefits.&nbsp;

“The housing crisis and rising cost of living are fundamentally changing how Australians think about home ownership,” Erwin said.&nbsp;

“Dual key apartments provide a genuine solution for families who want to stay connected while maintaining independence. Parents can help adult children save for a future home, ageing parents can remain nearby without moving into aged care, and owners still retain privacy and flexibility.

“Importantly, buyers are also recognising the financial advantages. It creates the opportunity to generate additional income from part of the home without the holding costs associated with owning a separate investment property.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=363509]

Unlike traditional dual occupancy arrangements, the residences operate under a single title, meaning owners only incur one set of body corporate fees, council rates and holding costs.&nbsp;

The secondary residence can also evolve over time - functioning as guest accommodation, a home office, creative studio or private retreat before later becoming an income-producing asset.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/red-co">Red &amp; Co</a>&nbsp;Director and Co-Founder David Laverty said the strong early sales reflected growing buyer urgency and changing priorities within the market.&nbsp;

“Securing more than half of COMO’s residences within such a short timeframe is an outstanding result and a clear endorsement of both the design and location,” Laverty said.&nbsp;

“Buyers are responding to the combination of location, connectivity and amenity, but ultimately it’s value relative to other East Coast markets that is driving enquiry.”&nbsp;

“We’re also seeing strong interest from owner occupiers looking for homes that can adapt with them over time. Flexibility has become one of the most important considerations for buyers in today’s market.”&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135546 project_image_fid=363515]

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bda-architecture">BDA Architecture</a>, COMO features a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom residences with 2.7-metre ceilings and larger-format floorplans aimed at owner occupiers, downsizers and lifestyle-focused buyers.&nbsp;

The development will feature an extensive rooftop recreation and wellness offering including a 25-metre lap pool, sundeck, barbecue and dining areas, gym, sauna, plunge baths, landscaped gardens, wellness spaces and rooftop pickleball and paddleball courts.

The remaining dual key apartments range from 137 sqm to 167 sqm and include generous three-bedroom layouts with separate self-contained studio accommodation and dual parking.&nbsp;

Erwin said the dual key concept represented a broader shift in how Australians would live in the future.

“People want homes that can evolve with their lives,” he said.&nbsp;

“A dual key apartment can suit a family today, support an ageing parent tomorrow, and potentially generate income later on. That adaptability is becoming incredibly valuable in the current environment.”

Prices currently range from $2,115,750 to $2,583,000.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135546]

Inter-generational living drives demand for COMO’s dual key apartments as housing pressures reshape buyer priorities 

Builder-developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ceerose">Ceerose</a> has doubled down on its Leichhardt ambitions, lodging its second State Significant Development Application (SSDA) in the suburb in the last six months.

Their newest proposal seeks to transform a former industrial precinct into a new residential community centred around the adaptive reuse of one of the site's heritage warehouse buildings.

The new project, on a 6,930 sqm block at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/40-76-william-street-leichhardt-nsw-2040">40–76 William Street</a>, will bring more than 200 apartments to a suburb that has seen little to no new supply in recent years. It follows Ceerose's late 2025 SSDA for a mixed-use apartment project on nearby Parramatta Road, signalling the developer's growing investment in Sydney's Inner West.

Ceerose Founder Edward Doueihi told Apartments.com.au the developer’s long-standing presence in Leichhardt and the Inner West had given it a strong understanding of how the area has evolved and where its future opportunities lie.

“Ceerose has had a long-standing presence in Leichhardt and the Inner West, giving us a unique understanding of the area’s evolution and future potential,” Doueihi said.

“Having delivered projects throughout the region, we have witnessed the suburb’s transformation first-hand and understand the opportunities for its continued growth.”

Doueihi said that understanding also informed the planning process, with a comprehensive Stakeholder Engagement Outcomes Report prepared before the application was lodged.

The report identified the key issues and concerns raised by neighbouring residents and other stakeholders, allowing those matters to be considered and incorporated into the design where appropriate.

He said the delivery of additional housing would also play an important role in supporting the revitalisation of Norton Street and the Italian Forum.

“By increasing the local residential population, the development is expected to strengthen demand for local businesses, encourage further investment, and help restore the vibrancy that made the precinct a thriving destination in the early 2000s.”

<img alt="First look: Ceerose returns to Leichhardt with 203-apartment adaptive reuse proposal at former warehouse site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7258c54c-8167-479e-8361-2d5fca9915b4" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Appendix%2010B%20-%20CGI%20-%20View%202.jpg?VersionId=S9DQfxu_jpcB5LrAEYFUbyMzg5odW6i5" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a>, the redevelopment would involve the demolition of four existing industrial buildings while retaining and adaptively reusing the site's most significant warehouse. The retained structure would anchor a new residential precinct comprising five interconnected buildings arranged around a large central landscaped courtyard, with heights stepping from five storeys along the surrounding residential streets to 11 storeys at the William Street corner.

According to the Architecture Design Report by Woods Bagot, the proposal "seeks to create a residential village centred around a generous green heart while celebrating the site's industrial heritage through the adaptive reuse of the existing warehouse building."

The development would comprise 203 apartments, with 188 proposed as build-to-sell residences, alongside 15 affordable housing apartments.

Rather than treating the retained warehouse as a standalone heritage object, Woods Bagot has sought to weave the site's industrial history throughout the masterplan. The proposal retains the north and west facades of the landmark corner warehouse, while new buildings reinterpret the site's brick-and-steel industrial language through their material palette and architectural expression.

<img alt="First look: Ceerose returns to Leichhardt with 203-apartment adaptive reuse proposal at former warehouse site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9e8c64c2-881b-49e1-8c90-6b6acaaa45b6" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Appendix%2010C%20-%20CGI%20-%20View%203.jpg?VersionId=Qm8_8H_Xrg_sc4Mdjc59vlAcKF_5wRTb" />

The design is organised around what Woods Bagot describes as a "green heart", a landscaped communal open space that reinstates the leafy character removed when the site became an industrial storage facility. A new pedestrian laneway running through the site would improve permeability between William, North and Francis streets, linking residents through landscaped public spaces while activating the ground plane.

Residents would have access to communal gardens and shared recreation areas distributed throughout the development. Sustainability has also been prioritised, with the project targeting an average 7.9-star NatHERS rating. Proposed initiatives include rooftop solar generation, rainwater harvesting, passive solar design, naturally ventilated lobbies, extensive cross-ventilation and the reuse of existing building fabric to reduce embodied carbon.

The adaptive reuse strategy became a defining feature of the application after heritage investigations found only one of the site's industrial buildings could feasibly be retained. The Heritage Impact Statement concludes that preserving the key warehouse façades while referencing the site's industrial character throughout the new development provides an appropriate balance between renewal and conservation.

<img alt="First look: Ceerose returns to Leichhardt with 203-apartment adaptive reuse proposal at former warehouse site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="efffafdb-594f-4e2b-a067-921fd51c05e1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Appendix%2010D%20-%20CGI%20-%20View%204.jpg?VersionId=DPmE4.k16YRt0i27hEZVtJAffarpvUfx" />

"Retention and adaptation of the site buildings has been explored but found not to be feasible except for the tallest building, whose street facades will be retained," the heritage report states.

"The proposed building will interpret the brick and steel character of the subject site, including reuse of some components and construction of a large 'sawtooth' structure in the proposed open space."

<img alt="First look: Ceerose returns to Leichhardt with 203-apartment adaptive reuse proposal at former warehouse site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3bfef2b5-83f5-40cd-9cab-767092f34266" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Appendix%2010E%20-%20CGI%20-%20View%205.jpg?VersionId=7asb3i_ql4ybbuJOUb5UHBEIy0Q9t.DF" />

The William Street site is located around 300 metres from Leichhardt North Light Rail station and a short walk to Norton Street's retail, dining and hospitality precinct. The surrounding area has increasingly become a focus for urban renewal given its proximity to public transport and the Parramatta Road corridor.

Doueihi founded Ceerose in 1998 and has grown the business to become one of Sydney's more active apartment developers in recent years, with completed projects including The Alex Collective in Alexandria, Abbie's Lane in Annandale, and the award-winning Munro House in Elizabeth Bay. They are currently delivering Belgravia, 17 luxury apartments in Potts Point.

Staff reporter

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News