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GUEST OBSERVATION
After years of strong housing market growth, Sydney’s property market is slowing. Despite this, housing stress remains a reality for many Sydneysiders, with rents remaining largely untouched.
Public housing is a lifeline for those who can’t afford to rent in the private market, but the numbers of households in this position means many must wait years for a place.
Median rents for apartments in Sydney fell only 0.9% in the September quarter, to $545 a week. This means a household needs to earn about $94,000 a year to avoid housing stress. About half of the households in Sydney earn less than this.
Adding to these cost pressures, tenancy laws are strongly weighted in favour of landlords. This gives tenants little security of tenure and exposes them to frequent upheaval, inadequate conditions and rental hikes.
But public housing tenants are also facing upheaval and uncertainty in inner-city areas such as Waterloo and Redfern, as a result of redevelopments that they feel are aimed at pushing their communities out of the city.
What is happening to public housing?
The lack of public housing investment in New South Wales and the costs of private rental mean over 50,000 people are on the state waiting list. In inner-city areas, they face a wait of five to ten years for public housing.
Through the Communities Plus program and the Social and Affordable Housing Fund, the NSW government plans to build 27,000 more social and affordable homes. But this figure is somewhat misleading. In the last three years, the government has sold off half as much public housing as it has built. And the figure of 27,000 looks more like 9,900 when you consider that this includes around 17,000 dwellings that will be demolished and rebuilt.
Several of the housing estates that remain will undergo massive redevelopment. One of these projects involves Sydney’s largest inner-city public housing estates, in Waterloo. The redevelopment will transform it into a mixed estate of 70% private housing and 30% social housing, going from just over 2,000 dwellings to potentially more than 7,000.
Residents fear being pushed out
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/246155/original/file-20181119-27770-5vm6vj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
The Waterloo redevelopment will produce a mixed estate of 30% social housing and 70% private. Carol Tang, Author provided
Since the redevelopment was announced in 2015, we have been working with the residents of Waterloo to understand their experience of the redevelopment. Many residents feel the project is a ploy to “move the poor people out of the city”, as one of them put it.
While the government has promised everyone the right to return, there is still a huge amount of uncertainty. And this is justified given that, like many large infrastructure projects conceived during Sydney’s boom time, the Waterloo project will be subject to many changes and delays.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/246164/original/file-20181119-76131-1afyq2u.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Residents of the Matavai and Turanga towers installed coloured lights in their windows to make a statement: ‘We live here’. Nic Waler, Author provided
The residents of Waterloo, however, will not go quietly. “People are trying to speak up,” says Maryanne Laumua, a Waterloo tenant and key team member of the WeLiveHere2017 project.
One of the ways that residents are speaking up is by making their presence known on Sydney’s skyline. In September 2017, residents in the tallest of Waterloo’s towers, Matavai and Turanga, installed coloured lights in their apartment windows to make a statement: “We live here”. The residents’ efforts are chronicled in a new ABC documentary, There Goes Our Neighbourhood.
A long history of displacement
A history of displacement through colonialism, redevelopment and evictions has shaped Waterloo and neighbouring Redfern. The Gadigal people were violently dispossessed of their country after European invasion. Throughout the last century, “slum clearance” displaced many working-class households.
The demolition of The Block in Redfern removed many Aboriginal families from their homes. The redevelopment in neighbouring Waterloo comes at a time when approval has been given to redevelop The Block. The Redfern development includes construction of student housing that seems to have priority over affordable Indigenous housing.
These areas also have a long history of organising against displacement. Waterloo residents joined with the unions as part of the 1970s Green Bans campaigns to limit the destruction of working-class housing in the suburb. Jenny Munro and other Aboriginal leaders have campaigned tirelessly for the rights of their community, which includes a years-long tent embassy protest on the site of The Block.
The redevelopment of Waterloo’s public housing estate will hardly make a dent in easing housing pressure in Sydney. And as Waterloo resident Karyn Brown puts it: 
"To solve the city’s housing crisis, they are picking on public housing tenants, those on the second rung of the housing ladder."
Waterloo tenants resisting the redevelopment are concerned that it’s a form of state-led gentrification. They see the notion of “social mix” — the idea that introducing private owners and tenants can “fix” disadvantaged communities — as a smokescreen for the class upgrading of their neighbourhood. Indeed, there is little empirical evidence to support the notion that social mix can solve a community’s problems.
Rather than a project intended to alleviate their disadvantage, many tenants feel that “social mix” is both classist and racist. As Lorna Munro and Joel Sherwood-Spring put it, the dilution of the existing community including the Aboriginal population is simply a continuation of the colonial project.
The residents of Waterloo’s public housing might be far from the city’s wealthiest residents, but they’ve got fighting spirit and community pride in spades. As There Goes Our Neighbourhood shows, this community is diverse, creative and determined to fight for their right to remain in the city.
Pratichi Chatterjee, PhD Student, Urban Geography, University of Sydney
Alistair Sisson, PhD Candidate, Urban Geography, University of Sydney
Jenna Condie, Lecturer in Digital Research and Online Social Analysis, Western Sydney University
Laura Wynne, PhD Candidate, School of Social Sciences, UTas and Senior Research Consultant, Institute for Sustainable Futures, UTS, University of Tasmania
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/we-still-live-here-public-housing-tenants-fight-for-their-place-in-the-city-107188" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Public housing tenants fighting for their place in the city

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A brand new Pimpama Service Centre, located in Queensland’s second fastest growing suburb, has hit the market.
The property, 45km south of the Brisbane CBD and 30km north of the Gold Coast, is anchored by high profile international and national food brands and established retailers including United Petroleum, Pizza Hut, Carls Jr, Red Rooster and Zambrero.
The service centre is situated on an 8,750 sqm site, opened in July this year. It offers an annual income of around $980,000.
<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/2018/11/26/BRIS_RET_Pimpama2.jpg" alt="">
The centre benefits from a strategic position in Pimpama - Queensland’s fastest – and Australia’s second fastest - growing suburb with 25% population growth per annum.
 
Choice Homes are <a href="/expert-insights/building/pimpama-village-on-the-gold-coast-soon-to-sell-out-stage-three">currently building Pimpama Village</a>, which are selling out fast in the local area.
CBRE’s Darren Collins, Joseph Du Rieu and Kevin Tong have been appointed to manage the sale of the service centre on behalf of ADCO Constructions. 
Collins said the sale represented an outstanding opportunity to acquire a thriving asset with long lease and strong income potential. 
“Pimpama has had an extremely strong growth story over the past five years, which is attributed to its ideal location that offers affordable coastal living very close to the M1- the main road linking Brisbane and the Gold Coast," he said.
"This premier location will underpin the success of the centre and its retailers,” Mr Collins said. 
“Earlier this year, Carls Jr opened its 20th Australian store at Pimpama, marking one of the retailer’s most successful store openings to date and highlighting the tremendous appeal and strength of this outstanding location.”
The Pimpama Service Centre is being offered for sale with a 12-year WALE – with its newest retailers, Pizza Hut and a Chinese eatery, opening this week. 
 
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Service Centre in Qld’s booming Pimpama hits the market

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Knight Frank's Asia-Pacific Prime Office Rental Index for Q3 2018 has showed slower growth, however is still on the rise.
The Q3 Index increased saw an increase of 2.3% quarter-on-quarter and 6.4% year-on-year.
The index showed slower growth, as office occupiers delayed significant real estate decisions amidst rising US-China trade tensions
<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/2018/11/26/asian%20pacific%202.jpg" alt="">
Despite slower growth, 18 out of the 20 cities tracked report stable or increased rental growth.
Rental growth in Sydney and Melbourne continues to be among the strongest in the region, recording further increases during the quarter to be up 14% and 7% over the past year respectively  
Knight Frank's head of research and consulting Australia Ben Burston puts the increases down to employment growth and subdued development activity.
“Buoyant employment growth and subdued development activity continues to drive rental uplift in Sydney and Melbourne, which have recorded some of the strongest growth in the region over the past year," Burston said.
"The level of supply scheduled to deliver in 2019 simply will not redress the imbalance, and this will continue to drive rents and motivate tenants to pursue densification strategies or consider emerging fringe markets where expansion can be more easily achieved.”
Asia-Pacific Prime Office Rents
<table style="width: 430px;" border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="91">
City
</td>
<td valign="top" width="126">
Submarket(s)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="117">
3-month % change (Q2 2018 - Q3 2018)
</td>
<td valign="top" width="96">
Forecast next 12 months
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="91">
Brisbane
</td>
<td valign="top" width="126">
CBD
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="117">
0.7%
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="96">
Increase
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="91">
Melbourne
</td>
<td valign="top" width="126">
CBD
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="117">
2.6%
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="96">
Increase
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="91">
Perth
</td>
<td valign="top" width="126">
CBD
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="117">
0.2%
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="96">
Same
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="91">
Sydney
</td>
<td valign="top" width="126">
CBD
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="117">
2.5%
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="96">
Increase
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="91">
Tokyo*
</td>
<td valign="top" width="126">
Central 5 Wards
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="117">
5.6%
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="96">
Same
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="91">
Beijing
</td>
<td valign="top" width="126">
Various
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="117">
0.7%
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="96">
Increase
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="91">
Guangzhou
</td>
<td valign="top" width="126">
CBD
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="117">
0.3%
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="96">
Increase
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="91">
Shanghai
</td>
<td valign="top" width="126">
Puxi, Pudong
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="117">
0.0%
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="96">
Decrease
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="91">
Hong Kong
</td>
<td valign="top" width="126">
Central
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="117">
2.7%
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="96">
Increase
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="91">
Taipei
</td>
<td valign="top" width="126">
Downtown
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="117">
0.0%
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="96">
Increase
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="91">
Seoul
</td>
<td valign="top" width="126">
CBD, GBD, YBD
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="117">
-0.7%
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="96">
Same
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="91">
Bengaluru
</td>
<td valign="top" width="126">
CBD
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="117">
0.4%
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="96">
Increase
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="91">
Mumbai
</td>
<td valign="top" width="126">
BKC
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="117">
3.9%
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="96">
Increase
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="91">
NCR
</td>
<td valign="top" width="126">
Connaught Place
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="117">
0.0%
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="96">
Same
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="91">
Phnom Penh
</td>
<td valign="top" width="126">
City Centre
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="117">
0.1%
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="96">
Same
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="91">
Jakarta
</td>
<td valign="top" width="126">
CBD
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="117">
0.0%
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="96">
Same
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="91">
Kuala Lumpur
</td>
<td valign="top" width="126">
City Centre
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="117">
-0.2%
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="96">
Decrease
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="91">
Singapore
</td>
<td valign="top" width="126">
Raffles Place, Marina Bay
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="117">
1.1%
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="96">
Increase
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="91">
Bangkok
</td>
<td valign="top" width="126">
CBD
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="117">
0.0%
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="96">
Increase
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="91">
Manila
</td>
<td valign="top" width="126">
Various
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="117">
0.8%
</td>
<td valign="top" nowrap width="96">
Decrease
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/11/26/asian%20pacific%202.jpg" target="_blank">Click here</a> to enlarge:
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Slower office rental growth, but still increasing: Knight Frank's Prime Office Rental Index

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EXPERT OBSERVER
Urgent and radical change in urban transport policies and practices will benefit the planet and future generations.
The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recently warned that <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/oct/08/how-the-un-climate-panel-ipcc-got-to-15c-threshold-timeline" target="_blank">global warming could reach 1.5℃ as early as 2030</a>. The landmark <a href="http://www.ipcc.ch/report/sr15/">report</a> by leading scientists urged nations to do more to avert an impending crisis.
<a href="https://www.vox.com/2018/10/8/17948832/climate-change-global-warming-un-ipcc-report" target="_blank">We have 12 years</a>, the report said, to contain greenhouse gas emissions. This includes serious efforts to reduce transport emissions. 
In Australia, transport is the <a href="https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/transport-fact-sheet/" target="_blank">third-largest source of greenhouse gases</a>, accounting for around <a href="/news">17% of emissions</a>. Passenger cars account for <a href="https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/transport-fact-sheet/" target="_blank">around half of our transport emissions</a>.
The transport sector is also one of the strongest factors in emissions growth in Australia. Emissions from transport have <a href="/news">increased nearly 60% since 1990</a> – <a href="https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/transport-fact-sheet/" target="_blank">more than any other sector</a>. Australia is ranked <a href="https://aceee.org/research-report/i1801" target="_blank">20th out of 25 of the largest energy-using countries for transport energy efficiency</a>.
Cities around the world have many opportunities to reduce emissions. But this requires renewed thinking and real commitment to change.
Our planet can’t survive our old transport habits
Past (and still current) practices in <a href="https://theconversation.com/australian-infrastructure-plan-has-some-way-to-go-to-give-our-cities-what-they-need-54954" target="_blank">urban and transport planning</a> are fundamental causes of the transport problems we face today.
Over the past half-century, cities worldwide have <a href="https://theconversation.com/density-sprawl-growth-how-australian-cities-have-changed-in-the-last-30-years-65870" target="_blank">grown rapidly, leading to urban sprawl</a>. The result was high demand for motorised transport and, in turn, increased emissions.
The traffic gridlock on roads and motorways was the catalyst for most transport policy responses during that period. The solution prescribed for most cities was to <a href="https://theconversation.com/stuck-in-traffic-we-need-a-smarter-approach-to-congestion-than-building-more-roads-84774" target="_blank">build out of congestion by providing more infrastructure for private vehicles</a>. Limited attention was given to <a href="https://theconversation.com/on-the-road-research-can-improve-transport-across-australia-43643" target="_blank">managing travel demand</a> or improving other modes of transport.
Equating mobility with building more roads nurtured a tendency towards increased motorisation, reinforcing an ever-increasing inclination to expand the road network. The result was a range of unintended adverse <a href="http://www.oecd.org/economy/rethinking-urban-sprawl-9789264189881-en.htm" target="_blank">environmental, social and economic consequences</a>. Most of these are rooted in the high priority given to private vehicles.
What are the opportunities to change?
The various strategies to move our cities in the right direction can be grouped into four broad categories: avoid, shift, share, and improve. Major policy, behaviour and technology changes are required to make these strategies work.
Avoid strategies aim to slow the growth of travel. They include initiatives to reduce trip lengths, such as <a href="https://theconversation.com/higher-density-and-diversity-apartments-are-australia-at-its-most-multicultural-97176" target="_blank">high-density</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-place-to-live-work-and-play-why-mixed-use-developments-are-making-a-comeback-73142" target="_blank">mixed land use developments</a>. Other options decrease private vehicle travel – for example, through car/ride sharing and <a href="https://www.gizmodo.com.au/2015/12/how-to-fix-traffic-congestion-in-australia/" target="_blank">congestion pricing</a>. And <a href="https://theconversation.com/go-forth-and-telework-but-will-it-work-for-you-10682" target="_blank">teleworking</a> and e-commerce help people avoid private car trips altogether.
Shanghai’s Hongqiao transport hub is a unique example of an <a href="https://uic.org/cdrom/2013/nextstation/doc/proceedings/3Ajianping.pdf" target="_blank">integrated air, rail and mixed land use development</a>. It combines Hongqiao’s airport, metro subway lines, and regional high-speed rail. A low-carbon residential and commercial <a href="https://www.usgbc.org/articles/building-shanghai-tomorrow-hongqiao-cbds-low-carbon-transportation-hub">precinct</a> surrounds the hub.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/246775/original/file-20181122-161609-x8oxhj.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/246775/original/file-20181122-161609-x8oxhj.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Layout of Shanghai Hongqiao integrated transport hub.<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Layout-of-Shanghai-hongqiao-integrated-transport-hub-SHITH_fig1_309453749"> </a>
Shift strategies encourage travellers to switch from private vehicles to public transport, walking and cycling. This includes improving bus routes and service frequency.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/stuck-in-traffic-we-need-a-smarter-approach-to-congestion-than-building-more-roads-84774" target="_blank">Pricing strategies</a> that discourage private vehicles and encourage other modes of transport <a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/jonas_eliasson_how_to_solve_traffic_jams" target="_blank">can also be effective</a>. Policies that include <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/2018/jul/02/norway-electric-cars-subsidies-fossil-fuel" target="_blank">incentives</a> that make electric vehicles more affordable have been shown to encourage the shift.
Norway is an undisputed world leader in electric vehicle uptake. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/dec/25/norway-leads-way-electric-cars-green-taxation-shift" target="_blank">Nearly a third of all new cars sold in 2017 were a plug-in model</a>. The electric vehicle market share was expected to be as much as 40% within a year.
An electric vehicle charging station in the Norwegian capital Oslo. <a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/electric-car-charging-station-oslo-eco-670494520?irgwc=1&amp;utm_medium=Affiliate&amp;utm_campaign=TinEye&amp;utm_source=77643&amp;utm_term="> </a>
Share strategies affect car ownership. New sharing economy businesses are already moving people, goods and services. Shared mobility, rather than car ownership, is providing city dwellers with a real alternative.
This trend is likely to continue and will pose significant challenges to car ownership models.
Uber claims that its <a href="https://www.uber.com/en-IN/blog/mumbai/onestepforward-with-uberpool/" target="_blank">carpooling service in Mumbai</a> saved 936,000 litres of fuel and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 2,662 metric tonnes within one year. It also reports that <a href="http://www.cityam.com/242760/uber-reveals-london-ride-sharing-figures-for-uberpool" target="_blank">UberPool in London</a> achieved a reduction of more than 1.1 million driving kilometres in just six months.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/244778/original/file-20181109-35554-ym7dj5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
UberPool is available in inner Melbourne suburbs. Trip must begin and end in this area.
Improve strategies promote the use of technologies to optimise performance of transport modes and <a href="https://theconversation.com/intelligent-infrastructure-when-roads-and-vehicles-talk-to-each-other-7865" target="_blank">intelligent infrastructure</a>. These include <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2015/03/why-our-cities-need-smart-transport/" target="_blank">intelligent transport systems</a>, urban information technologies and emerging solutions such as <a href="https://www.itf-oecd.org/files/urban-mobility-system-upgrade" target="_blank">autonomous mobility</a>.
Our <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/23249935.2018.1528485?journalCode=ttra21" target="_blank">research</a> shows that sharing 80% of autonomous vehicles will reduce net emissions by up to 20%. The benefits increase with wider adoption of autonomous shared electric vehicles.
Autonomous vehicles can offer first- and last-kilometre solutions, especially in outer suburbs with limited public transport services. <a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/iot-smart-automotive-driverless-car-artificial-794528215?irgwc=1&amp;utm_medium=Affiliate&amp;utm_campaign=TinEye&amp;utm_source=77643&amp;utm_term="> </a>
The urgency and benefits of steering our cities towards a path of low-carbon mobility are unmistakable. This was recognised in the past but progress has been slow. Today, the changing context for how we build future cities – smart, healthy and low-carbon – presents new opportunities.
If well planned and implemented, these four interventions will collectively achieve transport emission reduction targets. They will also improve access to the jobs and opportunities that are preconditions for sound economic development in cities around the world.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/106076/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hussein-dia-110689" target="_blank">Hussein Dia</a>, Chair, Department of Civil and Construction Engineering, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/swinburne-university-of-technology-767" target="_blank">Swinburne University of Technology</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/four-ways-our-cities-can-cut-transport-emissions-in-a-hurry-avoid-shift-share-and-improve-106076" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Four ways our cities can cut transport emissions in a hurry

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Strong trading has prompted healthy food purveyors and café Cocomamas to expand into a nearby bigger space within its home suburb of Elsternwick.
It will move around the corner to an 80sqm space on busy Glen Huntly Road following a deal negotiated by Fitzroys agent Jordan Ceppi, following a high level of demand for the space from hospitality operators.
Ceppi negotiated the 4x4-year deal for <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-retail-vic-elsternwick-502917398" target="_blank">341 Glen Huntly Road</a> at $55,000 per annum on behalf of a private investor.
“Cocomamas will move from their smaller premises of 20sqm that has served them well in their formative period, and their strong performance has prompted the operators to take the next step in its journey,” Ceppi said.
Ceppi said the precinct’s offering of national and well regarded local tenants and operators had benefited from numerous mixed use developments recently completed and in various stages of planning, bolstering the immediate residential catchment.
“Glen Huntly Road has developed an attractive lifestyle and hospitality offering, bringing people to the precinct across all hours,” he said.
“A large proportion of Melbourne’s rapid population growth is being accommodated in the inner- and middle-suburban retail strips, generating sustained local demand for hospitality and retail services in particular.”
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Cocomamas cafe expands in Elsternwick

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NSW local councils are being encouraged to work with property owners who have unpaid rates to get on payment plans instead of taking ratepayers to court.
The State’s 128 councils collect more than $4 billion in rates each year which fund roads, footpaths, libraries, parks and swimming pools. 
Council actions to recover debts for unpaid rates make up 30 per cent of Local Court civil matters.
"More than 80 per cent of these claims involved amounts less than $2,000 and a high proportion were settled, paid or written off by councils before judgement,” Attorney General Mark Speakman said.
Local Government Minister Gabrielle Upton and Attorney General Mark Speakman released new Debt Management and Hardship Guidelines and called on all councils in NSW to review their policies and procedures to treat ratepayers more fairly.
The guidelines promote a range of strategies and actions councils can use to help ratepayers pay on time including:
<ul>
<li>·         a ‘stop the clock’ approach to suspend debt recovery, legal action and interest accrual while a ratepayer’s hardship application is awaiting determination or while they are complying with a payment plan;</li>
<li>·         tailored plans and flexible payment options including weekly, fortnightly and monthly instalments;</li>
<li>·         promoting Centrepay as a voluntary way for people to pay their rates directly from their Centrelink payments;</li>
<li>·         discounts to provide incentives for prompt payment in full;</li>
<li>·         greater discounts for pensioners facing hardship;</li>
<li>·         options for ratepayers to receive their rates and pay their rates electronically; and simplified rates notices including information in relevant languages.</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://www.olg.nsw.gov.au/content/debt-management-and-hardship-guidelines-0" target="_blank">The guidelines</a> have been issued by the Office of Local Government under the Local Government Act.
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New debt collection measures as council rate debt recovery make up 30 per cent of NSW Local Court civil matters

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The now not so hip activist investor Nick Bolton has emerged as a backer of Antony Catalano’s 11th-hour plan to derail the Fairfax-Nine merger.
The former Domain CEO has confirmed he will mount a court challenge to the merger between Fairfax Media and Nine Entertainment.
Catalano says he has a superior proposal to the Fairfax-Nine merger, which was given shareholder approval last week.
He will ask the Federal Court to reject or defer the deal as he has support from shareholders.
"I have heard from a number of shareholders that would like to consider an alternative proposal," Catalano says.
Catalano says his court submission would outline a "range of concerns" with the Fairfax-Nine merger.
Controversial greenmailer Nick Bolton's investment vehicle Aurora Funds Management was set to appear before Judge Jacqueline Gleeson.
On the evening before the shareholder vote last Monday week, Catalano launched a dramatic eleventh hour bid to stall the merger by revealing he had a plan to implement a range of asset sales to deliver value to shareholders.
Catalano sent a letter to the Fairfax board at 8pm Sunday, with the board meeting to reject the proposal ahead of the 10am Monday shareholders' meeting.
The Fairfax board rejected the approach and proceeded with the long-scheduled vote of the merger.
Nine and Fairfax sources expect Catalano's court action to be unsuccessful.
And Herald Sun columnist Terry McCrann wrote Catalano was "not the 2018 version of the 1980s corporate raider and master manipulator Robert Holmes a Court. Not even close.'
"If Holmes a Court had pulled a stunt like the one you tried on Fairfax Media on Sunday night, it would have been an elegant combination of real financial substance, loaded with menace, and actually committing him to nothing."
"To call it an inept and rather embarrassing joke would be to give it more credibility than it deserved," McCrann wrote.
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Antony Catalano’s 11th-hour plan to derail the Fairfax-Nine merger hits Federal Court

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A demand for affordable and housing is driving a continuing drop in median lot sizes across Melbourne’s greenfield market.
The median lot size has dropped from 514 square metres in 2009 to 405 square metres in 2017, according to data cited by AVID Property Group.
The developers are looking to capitalise on the demand with its recently released Orbit Homes Tempo Living collection at Bloomdale, a masterplanned community in Diggers Rest.
<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/2018/11/22/Tempo%20Living%20-%20Madrid%20Facade%20low%20res.jpg" alt="">
AVID Property Group Senior Development Manager Chris Monahan said the group was seeing the benefits of partnering with builders such as Orbit Homes to produce smaller, smarter and affordable homes.
“The Tempo Living homes are a well-designed and well-priced product, which offer a unique opportunity for buyers to snap up some of the best-located blocks in Bloomdale’s masterplanned community,” Monahan said.
“Following its success in Bloomdale in early 2017, the Tempo Living collection offers three- bedroom house and land packages, priced from $442,340, all within 45 minutes from Melbourne’s CBD.”
Orbit Homes Sales and Marketing Director Paul Millson said smart design and functionality can go a long way in making homes on smaller blocks feel spacious.
“We have a dedicated team working on the functionality and layout of our Tempo Living designsto ensure we maximise the use of space, open planning and low maintenance living to meetconsumer’s accommodation needs,” Millson said.
“As the dream of quarter-acre blocks fades into the past, people are seeing the value of living within an existing community.
“These homes may have a smaller yard, but we ensure the lots are integrated into well located communities like Bloomdale with surrounding parks, amenity, open space and infrastructure.”
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Smaller, smarter and affordable homes the focus of new release at Bloomdale

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In 2017/18, real economic output grew by 2.8% nationally, accelerating from 2.3% in 2016/17, according to the latest State by State Growth Report from Westpac.
The NSW economy performed over the past four years with output growth averaging an above trend 3.1% - the strongest four year performance for the state since the late 1990s.
The report found: "output growth was 2.8% in 2014/15, surging to 4.0% in 2015/16 and then moderating to 3.1% in 2016/17 and 2.6% in 2017/18 particularly as housing has become less supportive."
By industry, agriculture, real estate and professional services led the growth moderation in 2017/18.
Construction added a 0.4ppts to growth with broad strength as investment responded to the growing needs of a rising population.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/11/22/WESTPAC%20NSW.JPG" alt="">
The Victorian economy has been performing strongly, in particular, driven by a population boom.
Output growth was 3.5% in 2017/18, matching the average for the past four years but down from on last year.
Andrew Hanlan, the report author, noted: "State demand grew to 4.7% in 2017/18, up from 4.2%, the fastest pace in a decade.
"On a per capita basis, output grew by 1.2% in 2017/18, in line with the national average.
"Construction remained a key growth driver."
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/11/22/WESTPAC%20NSW%202.JPG" alt="">
In Western Australia output bounced back from a 1.8% decline this year to grow by 1.9% this year.
The construction sector added 0.2ppts to activity in 2017/18, a turnaround from a 2.6ppts drag in 2016/17.
Mining output was a key growth driver, adding 0.8ppts, with new capacity coming on stream, according to the report.
"Consumer related sectors were subdued, significantly underperforming gains across the rest of the country as household incomes remained under pressure," Hanlan said.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/11/22/WESTPAC%20NSW%204.JPG" alt="">
The Queensland economy grew 3.4%, the strongest levels since 2011/12.
Construction added 0.4ppts to activity, a turnaround from a -0.1ppts impact in 2016/17 and from the sharp negatives in 2014/15 and 2015/16.
"srowth was broadly based across a range of business sectors, indicative of an improvement in underlying conditions," Hanlan said. 
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/11/22/WESTPAC%20NSW%203.JPG" alt="">
The South Australian economy expanded by 2.0%, slightly reduced on last year's 2.4% but in line with the long term average.
This is an improvement on the previous six years, when growth averaged just 0.9%.
Andrew Hanlan found: "the health sector added an exceptional 0.8ppts to activity, well above the national average (0.4ppts) boosted by the progressive roll-out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
"Construction advanced, +0.3ppts, after three years of modest negatives, with home building and business investment expanding," he added.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/11/22/WESTPAC%20NSW%205.JPG" alt="">
The 2017/18 year was a standout for Tasmania, with output growth of 3.3%, a doubling of the 1.5% rise in 2016/17 and the strongest post GFC result in a decade.
"Per capita output growth of 2.3% in 2017/18 was the envy of all other states," stated Hanlan.
"State final demand grew by 4.1% in the year, with broad based strength across the consumer, housing, business investment and public demand."
The health sector was a key growth driver, +0.7ppts.
Of the 19 broad industries, none were a drag on activity in 2017/18 - a relatively rare outcome, Hanlan said.
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How each state economy is performing: Westpac

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GUEST OBSERVATION
When it comes to access to housing in Australia, the playing field is far from even.
<a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1745-5871.12313" target="_blank">Our recent research</a> has found that “race” matters. Many Australians experience racism and discrimination based on their cultural background.
This is particularly the case for Asian Australians. They experience much <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/no-place-for-racism-mayor-fights-back-over-anti-asian-poster-blitz" target="_blank">higher rates of racism across a variety of everyday settings</a>, but particularly when renting or buying a house.
Asian Australians’ experiences of racism
<a href="https://www.westernsydney.edu.au/challengingracism/challenging_racism_project/our_research/face_up_to_racism_2015-16_national_survey" target="_blank">An online national survey</a> of 6,001 Australians measured the extent and variation of racist attitudes and experiences. We examined the impacts of where Australians are born and what language they speak at home on their experiences of racism.
<a href="https://researchdirect.westernsydney.edu.au/islandora/object/uws:39004" target="_blank">Our research</a> revealed that if you were born overseas, or if your parents were born overseas and you speak a language other than English at home, you are likely to have many more experiences of racism than other Australians. Racism is experienced in a variety of settings –workplaces, educational institutions, shopping centres, public spaces and online.
Survey participants born in Asia were twice as likely as other Australians to experience everyday racism. In fact, 84% of these Asian Australians experienced racism.
For those born in Australia to parents who were both born in an Asian country, rates of racism were just as high (86%).
If you speak an Asian language at home, your experiences of racism are also likely to be high. Speakers of South Asian and East Asian languages experience racism at alarming rates – 85% and 88% respectively. Those who speak Southwest/Central Asian and Southeast Asian languages experience rates of discrimination (79% and 78% respectively) similar to those for all participants of a non-English-speaking background (77%).
Anti-Asian housing discrimination
<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/240629570_Racism_in_Australia_Cultural_imperialism_disempowerment_violence" target="_blank">Published findings</a> for New South Wales and Queensland in the 1990s revealed that 6.4% of Australians reported having experienced ethnic-based discrimination when renting or buying a house. Our <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1745-5871.12313" target="_blank">recent national study</a> has found this proportion has increased dramatically. In recent years, 24% of Australians have experienced housing discrimination.
As with the broader pattern of everyday racism, Asian Australians are feeling the brunt of housing discrimination. Almost six in ten (59%) Asia-born participants in our study experienced racism in accessing housing. This compares to only 19% of non-Asian-born participants.
Asia-born respondents were also more likely to report frequent experiences of housing discrimination. Some 13% reported these experiences occurred “often” or “very often”. This is more than three times the average exposure of non-Asian-born Australians.
In particular, participants born in Northeast and South/Central Asia are more frequently exposed to racism in housing. And 15% and 16% respectively reported housing discrimination occurred “often” or “very often”. This compares to only 9% of those born in Southeast Asia.
The survey also found that if you have two Asia-born parents you are highly likely to experience such racism (44%). Similarly, if you speak a language other than English at home (especially an Asian language), you are more likely to experience housing discrimination (45%).
South Asian language speakers (e.g. Hindi, Tamil, Sinhalese) experience housing discrimination at a much higher rate of 63%. The rate for East Asian language speakers (e.g. Chinese, Japanese, Korean) is 55%. Only 19% of English-only speakers had the same experiences.
Why is this happening?
These findings suggest that the owning and occupying of space by Asian Australians is seen as a threat to Anglo-Australian hegemony. Alternatively, or perhaps relatedly, many real estate agents and owners assume Asians are somehow suspect, or will be a lesser quality tenant or owner. This would be an echo of colonial racist thinking in which Asians were seen as <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1745-5871.2010.00647.x" target="_blank">biologically inferior and a potential source of racial impurity</a>.
The repression of Chinatowns and more recent <a href="http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=6&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjW5c2sk_ndAhXHEXAKHaeiBdYQFjAFegQIBBAC&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyassignment.help.com.1.s3.amazonaws.com%2F175156_318938547.pdf&amp;usg=AOvVaw30E4JYk4Q9glqwo1SDQmVE" target="_blank">moral panics about Indo-Chinese settlement areas in Sydney and Melbourne</a> – such as Cabramatta and Richmond – point to these stereotypes of vice, uncleanliness and chaos. Perhaps this 20th-century troubling of the white spatial order is continuing today.
Sinophobia in Australia is also emerging in debates about <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-australian-cities-are-adapting-to-the-asian-century-103917" target="_blank">housing investment</a>, donations to political parties, university campus politics, the purchase of agricultural land for mining, as well as general concerns about Chinese government influence, geopolitics and human rights issues in China. Public debate is appropriate, but emerging hysteria and sensationalism are shifting into <a href="https://www.humanrights.gov.au/news/opinions/chinese-influence-debate-must-avoid-racism" target="_blank">animosity towards people with Chinese heritage in Australia</a>.
Authorities need to act
Exclusion from an important urban resource like housing can generate <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953699004967" target="_blank">profound levels of substantive inequality</a>. This in turn is associated with health issues and poorer access to other elements of life chances like employment, transport and education. It can also generate society-wide issues like segregation and intergenerational inequality.
Australia has laws against racist discrimination in access to goods and services like housing. Our findings, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08111146.2015.1118376?journalCode=cupr20" target="_blank">among others</a>, indicate that housing discrimination is more acute for some groups than others, particularly Asian Australians. So where is the coordinated response to this clear injustice?
Alanna Kamp, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Australian Cultural Geography, Western Sydney University
Ana-Maria Bliuc, Senior Lecturer in Social Psychology, Western Sydney University
Kathleen Blair, PhD Candidate, School of Social Sciences and Psychology, Western Sydney University
Kevin Dunn, Dean of the School of Social Science and Psychology, Western Sydney University
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/asians-out-not-in-this-suburb-not-in-this-apartment-103919" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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We need a response to Anti-Asian housing discrimination

Nature Based Cities (NBC), the not-for-profit organisation focused on improving biodiversity and nature outcomes in urban development, has launched its latest industry design guidelines and accreditation framework, this time targeting precinct-scale residential communities.

The move extends NBC’s influence beyond its initial focus on medium and high-density residential developments. Several projects have already achieved NBC accreditation since the launch of its Medium &amp; High-Density Residential Guidelines in early 2025.

The expansion into masterplanned communities and new residential precincts reflects the growing need for stronger nature-positive benchmarks as Australia’s outer suburban growth corridors continue to expand at pace.

Paul Hameister OAM, NBC Founder and the Executive Chairman of Melbourne developer Hamton who itself leans heavily into nature and biodiversity in its developments, says the&nbsp;nature-first approach to mitigate the effects of climate change has become standard in other parts of the world such as the UK, but Australia is lagging.&nbsp;Australia’s environmentally sustainable design (ESD) rating tools have no minimum mandatory requirements for living landscapes.

“We’ve always wanted to do more, and we know other developers who want to do more, but the ESD rating tools just aren’t there,” Hameister says. “In Australia, you can have a five-green-star rated building that’s concrete and glass with not a blade of grass. 
 
“The focus is on reducing emissions, which is laudable, but there hasn’t been enough attention paid to protecting and re-establishing nature. We need both for the health of the environment and for communities.”

He says that having now&nbsp;made good progress in supporting developers of medium and high-density residential projects, NBC is now looking to bolster better nature-based decision-making and recognise developers of greenfield projects in the outer ring and large inner-ring brownfield precincts, who want to champion nature and living landscape as a defining feature.

Since 2022, the not-for-profit has sought to remove the roadblocks preventing developers from incorporating nature and living landscapes into their projects, shifting the conversation from the reduction of emissions and grey infrastructure, toward recognising nature as an essential infrastructure.

The New Communities Design Guidelines and Scorecard arm developers with the tools needed to deliver a nature positive outcome for their new communities. Intended to be adopted at the outset of the planning process, the guidelines are designed to help create communities that are cooler, healthier and more resilient while also enhancing social wellbeing and long-term economic value.&nbsp;

New Communities developers seeking accreditation will be independently assessed across a range of key criteria including ecology, tree canopy, biodiversity, and walkability. Once the masterplan is complete and submitted for approval, the scorecard is formalised based on proposed outcomes. Projects that meet the NBC criteria will receive either Commended or Exemplary accreditation outcomes, creating a clear benchmark for nature-positive new communities in Australia.&nbsp;

Janis Fischer, Director at Tract and NBC Advisory Council member, said the development of new communities in our suburbs can have a substantial impact on nature and biodiversity.

"By incorporating nature-based design principles at the inception of a project, developers and their design teams can achieve nature positive outcomes that are good for both people and the planet.’’&nbsp;

NBC accredited New Community projects will gain access to NBC branding and marketing tools to help communicate their nature-based credentials to purchasers and the broader market.&nbsp;

Joel Robinson

Nature Based Cities: A new Australian benchmark for developing nature-positive new communities

Apartment buildings are increasingly being designed around how people actually live day to day, not just how they want a building to look.

For buyers, that shift is showing up in practical inclusions that respond to changing habits. Work-from-home spaces, EV charging, wellness amenities, secure bike storage and parcel management are becoming part of the broader apartment conversation, reflecting a move toward buildings that reduce friction in everyday life.

Online shopping has become one of the clearest examples of that change.

Australians spent a record $82.6 billion online in 2025, with nearly one in four retail dollars now spent online. That has made parcel delivery a regular part of apartment living, rather than an occasional inconvenience.

For apartment residents, however, the delivery process can be less straightforward than it is for detached homes. Parcels may be left in lobbies, redirected to Post Offices, missed entirely, or placed under the responsibility of building managers and concierge teams.

That is why secure parcel infrastructure is increasingly being considered alongside more familiar apartment amenities.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-VjjLwoViX0?si=A3k7ws9NX35Uac7_" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Australia Post Parcel Lockers offer one way to address the issue. When a parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS, then collect it using a QR code or one-time PIN. The parcel is kept secure, accessible and removed from common areas.

The broader Parcel Locker network now includes more than 1,500 locations across Australia, positioned at Post Offices, shopping centres, supermarkets, transport hubs and other accessible locations.

For new apartment projects, the relevance is clear. A building’s amenity offering is no longer only about lifestyle spaces, but also about convenience, security and functionality.

As buyer expectations evolve, secure parcel delivery is becoming part of the same design conversation as flexible working, sustainable transport and resident wellbeing.

It is one less thing for residents to worry about, and another example of apartment design adapting to the way Australians now live.

Apartment design is adapting to the way Australians shop

While school holidays and trips to Europe tend to define the winter property market, there's been no cold snap at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-walden-north-sydney-177-walker-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">The Walden</a> in North Sydney.

Developer-builder&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/aland">ALAND</a> sold more than $35 million worth of apartments throughout June, including a $6.8 million apartment that now ranks among the highest apartment sales ever recorded in North Sydney.

SRM Residential agent Ben Stewart said buyer demand throughout June reflected a mix of improving market confidence and longer-term thinking from owner-occupiers.

"We're seeing strong demand from owner-occupiers who are taking a longer-term view," Stewart said.

"Many recognise the opportunity to secure an apartment in an iconic building and premium location while values remain attractive. They may initially lease the property, but the intention is to eventually move in themselves, rather than purchasing purely as an investment."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=367129]

Located at 177 Walker Street, The Walden will deliver 161 one, two, three and four-bedroom residences across a 30-storey tower designed by Rothelowman. Every apartment occupies a corner position, maximising natural light, cross ventilation and views across Sydney Harbour, the Opera House, Sydney Heads and the northern districts.

Rather than a traditional balcony, the residences feature winter gardens that seamlessly extend the open plan living areas, creating versatile spaces for relaxing or entertaining throughout the year. Floor-to-ceiling glazing draws in natural light while showcasing sweeping views from the building's elevated Walker Street position.

Every apartment features high-end Calacatta marble, bespoke joinery, and fully integrated appliances.

The larger residences have been planned with distinct entertaining and private zones, with many master suites positioned on corners to capture natural light and harbour views. Walk-in dressing rooms, freestanding baths and refined stone finishes reinforce the house-like feel that has resonated with downsizers and owner-occupiers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6393]

Rothelowman Principal Ben Pomroy said the project was designed to make the most of its unique position overlooking the harbour.

"The Walden is a celebration of all things beautiful, curated for those who expect nothing less than exceptional," Pomroy says.

"Meticulously designed entertaining spaces and light-filled living areas that capitalise on capturing the natural beauty of Sydney's iconic harbour."

Residents will also have exclusive access to The Pavilion, a dedicated amenity building featuring a rooftop pool, wellness studio, gymnasium, sauna, concierge service, residents' lounge, private dining spaces and work-from-home facilities.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6402]

The project marks ALAND's first major luxury apartment development in Sydney's inner-city market after more than two decades delivering residential communities across Greater Sydney.

Founder and CEO Andrew Hrsto previously said the rarity of the Walker Street site made it an opportunity the company could not overlook.

"This is a rare opportunity to bring a truly exceptional project to life in one of Sydney's most iconic locations, and to showcase our craftsmanship and design expertise at a world-class level," Hrsto said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134323 project_image_fid=6383]

The Walden has been introduced to the market at a time when demand for living in North Sydney is at an all-time high. Billions of dollars have been invested in infrastructure, including the recently opened Victoria Cross Metro station, located just 300 metres from The Walden, providing residents with direct access to the Sydney CBD in just minutes.

Private investment has also transformed the area through the arrival of new retail and dining destinations, elevating the lifestyle offering in what was once considered primarily a commercial precinct rather than an aspirational residential address.

The Walden is currently under construction and is scheduled for completion in 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134323]

ALAND records $35 million in sales in North Sydney as The Walden bucks quiet winter selling season

The long-awaited redevelopment of the former Eastlakes Shopping Centre site has reached a major milestone, with Conquest's plans for a new mixed-use precinct officially placed on public exhibition.

The State Significant Development Application would transform the 1.7-hectare site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/19a-evans-avenue-eastlakes-nsw-2018">19A Evans Avenue</a> into one of Sydney's largest urban renewal projects, delivering 736 apartments above a new shopping centre anchored by Woolworths, alongside specialty retail, dining, commercial space and new public open spaces.

The public exhibition marks the next chapter for the project after <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/conquest">Conquest</a> acquired the stalled Stage Two development from Crown Group, who completed the first stage across the road prior to their voluntary liquidation.

<img alt="First look: Conquest unveils plans for 736-home Eastlakes Shopping Centre redevelopment" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5fca22c5-d1ed-4e2c-8801-03f7df1eafc8" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/eastland%20podium.png?VersionId=uomwr41nF8CmLUZRDcu3mHQechlbxucS" />

&nbsp;

Designed by DKO Architecture, the proposal comprises four residential buildings ranging from 14 to 18 storeys above a two-level retail podium. The development would deliver 736 apartments, including 74 affordable homes, 215 Build-to-Rent apartments and 521 market residences. Provision has also been made for dual-key apartments, which could increase the total number of dwellings to 877.

At ground level, the shopping centre has been designed as the suburb's new meeting place, anchored by a full-line Woolworths and complemented by a curated mix of fresh food retailers, cafés, restaurants, health services and everyday convenience shopping. Generous pedestrian links and landscaped public spaces will connect the retail precinct through to Jack Mundey Reserve, creating a more walkable and connected neighbourhood.

Conquest CEO Michael Akkawi said the redevelopment was about far more than replacing a shopping centre.

"Eastlakes has been overlooked for too long, and this is the community’s moment. We are building a shopping centre and homes, a genuine heart for the suburb, and we genuinely want locals to help shape it."

"We enrich communities through the creation of homes, places, and experiences designed for life, built to last, and owner for generations. That starts with listening, so we warmly encourage everyone with a connection to Eastlakes to view the plans and share their thoughts."

<img alt="First look: Conquest unveils plans for 736-home Eastlakes Shopping Centre redevelopment" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="22f6fb20-54fb-4bd7-8a92-48fafdd00608" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/eastland.png?VersionId=cugp7s9hrMHGJJdYzkeAkrFoQgnF4GXf" />

DKO said the design had been shaped by the site's landscape setting and surrounding open space.

"Our vision for the site embraces its unique Bidjigal identity by blending the residential living with generous landscaping and a material palette inspired by the Bidjigal locality, and celebrating the panoramic views to Botany Bay and the wetlands reserves."

"Taking cues from Country, we seek to harmonise built form with the landscape and lightly touch the earth. By reconnecting, retaining and regenerating existing ecology, and weaving in natural elements, we can deepen our connection to Country."

The landscape strategy extends across the podium and rooftops, incorporating communal gardens, children's play areas, lawns, community gardens, family gathering spaces and extensive tree planting. New landscaped links will also strengthen the connection between the precinct and Jack Mundey Reserve, while publicly accessible open spaces have been integrated throughout the development.

The proposal builds on Conquest's broader placemaking strategy for the site. Through an ongoing partnership, local artist Joe Rashbrook has been appointed Urban Art Curator, working alongside young residents to transform the project's site hoardings into a public art gallery that allows the community to engage with the redevelopment before construction is complete.

Conquest has rapidly expanded its development pipeline since acquiring the Eastlakes site, with more than $6 billion worth of mixed-use projects now in planning across Sydney, including Stanmore, Castlecrag and Waterloo.

Conquest CEO Michael Akkawi said the redevelopment was about far more than replacing a shopping centre.

First look: ‘Far more than replacing a shopping centre’ as Conquest unveils 736-home Eastlakes redevelopment

Abadeen has lodged a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for one of Mosman's largest apartment developments in recent years, seeking approval to transform the former Honeysuckle Garden and Midas site on Military Road into a 100-apartment mixed-use development.

The SSDA, lodged with investment partner Phoenix Property Investors, proposes around $230 million worth of new housing on the prominent <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/494-516-military-road-mosman-nsw-2088">494-516 Military Road</a> site.

The proposal comes as Mosman Council continues to progress its recently endorsed Masterplan, which identifies the precinct for increased housing density while maintaining the suburb's established character.

Designed by DKO Architecture, the development would comprise 100 apartments above ground-floor retail, with a rooftop wellness precinct including a gym, sauna, entertaining areas and landscaped communal spaces.

Rather than pushing to the full 12-storey height identified in Council's Masterplan, the proposal ranges between five and nine storeys, stepping down towards Hale Road. A tenth level would accommodate resident amenities rather than additional apartments.

The project has been designed to appeal to a broad range of buyers, from first home buyers and young professionals through to families and local downsizers looking to remain on the Lower North Shore.

<img alt="Mosman" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5dada03f-5b4c-43ba-ba62-2868add31440" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-27%20at%209.57.55%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=7LBy0B.Jo8_iWAFJsClcV7Q3UnXrv49r" />

Abadeen Executive Chairman Justin Brown said the apartments had been designed as genuine long-term homes rather than investor-focused stock.

"The apartments have been designed as genuine long-term homes, with efficient floorplans that maximise usable living areas, generous storage, natural light and strong connections between indoor and outdoor spaces," Brown says."

"We've focused on creating homes for a broad range of buyers, from first home buyers and growing families through to downsizers who want to remain in Mosman."

The rooftop wellness offering forms a key part of the proposal, with residents set to have access to a gym, sauna, outdoor entertaining spaces, communal dining areas, landscaped gardens and a multi-use recreation court overlooking Sydney Harbour.

<img alt="Mosman" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d37c2d6b-583a-4a0f-b7a9-9f46b893d2f4" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-27%20at%209.58.06%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=FPoa5FCm2RtzjhAh2w5FTWJbV6GHfY8D" />

DKO drew heavily on the site's natural and cultural history, undertaking a Connecting with Country process with local Aboriginal Elders to inform the architectural and landscape design.

Senior Associate Matthew Ritchard said the design sought to create a building that responded to both the site's landscape and its cultural significance.

"The architectural language of the project is a deep expression of Connecting with Country, where the materiality and colour palette serve as a bridge between the site's geological history and its future as a residential sanctuary."

The proposal also retains the site's established blue gum tree as the centrepiece of the communal landscaped gardens, while introducing activated retail fronting Military Road to strengthen the connection between Mosman and Cremorne villages.

If approved, the project would deliver 100 new homes within walking distance of shops, public transport, schools and local amenities, adding to the limited pipeline of new apartments on the Lower North Shore.

<h2>Project Snapshot</h2>

Project: Honeysuckle Garden Redevelopment

Address: 494-516 Military Road, Mosman

Developer: Abadeen and Phoenix Property Investors

Architect: DKO Architecture

Lead Architect: Matthew Ritchard

Value: $230 million

Residences: 100 apartments

Key features:

<ul>
	<li>
	Ground-floor retail
	</li>
	<li>
	Rooftop wellness precinct
	</li>
	<li>
	Gym and sauna
	</li>
	<li>
	Outdoor entertaining and BBQ areas
	</li>
	<li>
	Landscaped communal gardens
	</li>
	<li>
	Multi-use recreation court
	</li>
	<li>
	Retained mature blue gum tree
	</li>
	<li>
	Connecting with Country design process
	</li>
	<li>
	Harbour, CBD and Balmoral views from upper-level apartments
	</li>
</ul>

Abadeen Executive Chairman Justin Brown said the apartments had been designed as genuine long-term homes rather than investor-focused stock

Staff reporter

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