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GUEST OBSERVATION
Gold Coast City Council has won a four-year legal battle with Boral Resources, with the courts upholding the council’s refusal to approve a proposed quarry because of its impacts on the amenity of local residents – including the area’s koalas. In some rare good news for local government in Queensland, which has been under a cloud lately, the Court of Appeal’s decision confirms that councils are entitled to rely on their own planning schemes when deciding on local development applications. Even though Boral had secured approvals from the Commonwealth and Queensland governments, the Queensland Court of Appeal has upheld the council’s decision to refuse Boral’s application to develop a quarry.
A quarry quarrel
The council took on Boral and won after a four-year battle. In May 2014, Boral Resources had applied to the council for a permit to develop a quarry over 65 hectares of land at Reedy Creek, west of Palm Beach. State planning instruments had identified this land as a key resource area of state significance. For Boral, the quarry would generate hard rock and overburden worth A$1.4-1.5 billion.
In January 2014, the federal environment minister, acting under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, approved the development. In July 2014, Queensland’s Department of Environment and Heritage Protection did likewise.
All that remained was council’s consent. But, even though its own planning officer recommended approving the development, on July 11 2014, the council refused Boral’s application. When the local protest is loud enough and big enough – 4,200 objections were received – then even the Gold Coast Council will hear!
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/218556/original/file-20180511-34027-9dlg88.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Residents’ opposition to the quarry development was organised, loud and ultimately, after several years, successful. Stop the Gold Coast Quarry/Facebook
Not surprisingly, Boral immediately appealed that decision to the Planning and Environment Court. The court had to balance numerous competing interests to re-decide the merits of the case.
To some extent, the economic arguments were on Boral’s side. If the proposal did not proceed, competition could be reduced and the additional costs to the community could be around A$240 million over the life of the quarry, as even the Court of Appeal later accepted.
On the other side of the equation, the development would have adverse impacts on the amenity of nearby residents. These included creating ugly views and generating noise and dust by introducing an extra 450 haulage truck movements per day on local roads.
Judge Richard Jones decided the balance favoured refusing the application, confirming the council’s refusal.
Now the Court of Appeal has upheld that decision. The council, local residents and koalas have won the day.
The case also raises some points of more general planning interest. These relate to:
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the respective roles of state and local planning instruments
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whether profitable economic development may legitimately be delayed to another day
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whether protecting koalas requires protecting their habitat as well.
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State versus local planning instruments
In Queensland, the state planning policy identifies 16 state interests arranged under five broad themes. No one state interest is given priority over the others.
The Court of Appeal’s decision confirms it is the rightful business of local governments to balance and resolve competing state interests at the local level in their own planning schemes. Notwithstanding the site’s designation as a key resource area in state planning policy, the council had acted lawfully in relying on its own planning instruments to decide that adverse environmental and amenity impacts justified refusing the application.
Should good economic development be postponed?
Despite refusing the application, the judge conceded the resource should be protected for future exploitation when appropriate.
Boral argued this was an “irrational decision”. How would the amenity of residents and the survival of koalas be any less of concern in the future if they were so important even now? In Boral’s view, if this was a valuable economic resource (and everyone agreed it was), development now was the only sensible decision.
The Court of Appeal paid short shrift to this notion. It held that although the local planning instruments currently prevailed against an approval, amendments to these over time might alter the balance in favour of development. Local government, once again, is in the driving seat.
Do koalas need their trees?
Koalas are a recognised matter of environmental significance at Commonwealth and state levels. Developing the quarry would involve, over time, clearing 30,000 trees, including 23,000 koala habitat trees. The Planning and Environment Court judge recognised this would have an adverse impact in relation to a matter of environmental significance.
Boral had, like every other developer, argued conservation efforts at other sites (imposed as offsets) could produce a better outcome overall for koalas in southeast Queensland. The court dismissed this claim because the local planning scheme specified matters of environmental significance should be protected in situ.
Not to be defeated, Boral argued the judge confused koalas (a recognised matter of environmental significance) with koala habitat (of no particular status in this case). The Court of Appeal denounced this logic: "It cannot seriously be disputed that to destroy its habitat is to fail to conserve and protect it as a listed threatened species."
What are the broader planning implications?
The Boral litigation explores some really interesting principles for planning law and local governments.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/96263/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">Let’s just imagine, for a moment, a land use planning world where state planning policy is always applied with reference to the affected community’s vision for its neighbourhood; where councils regularly protect habitat for endangered species; and where, just occasionally, the drive for ever more resource development gives way to a holistic view of sustainable development … oh, what a different world that would be!
Philippa England, Senior Lecturer, Griffith Law School, Griffith University
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/long-running-battle-ends-in-a-win-for-residents-koalas-and-local-council-planning-rules-96263" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Long-running battle ends in a win for residents, koalas and local council planning rules: Philippa England

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A Queensland property, set between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, has been sold by mortgagees for $341,000.
The three bedroom house was sold by Glenn Batten from First National Upper Coomera &amp; Yarrabilba earlier this month.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-qld-jacobs+well-127815842" target="_blank">Located at 1134 Pimpama-Jacobs Well Road</a>, Jacobs Well, the house comes with three bedrooms, covered rear entertaining area, and side access. 
Nestled on a 779 square metre block, it is only 600 metres to Jacobs Well Boat Ramp and opposite Riesenweber Park.
It had last sold at $368,000 in 2007.
According to CoreLogic, the suburb's median house price sits on $467,000.
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Jacobs Well, Queensland home sold by mortgagee

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Purple Bricks and agency groups like them are not “proper agents” as their television ads claim, industry leader Hayden Groves has claimed. 
"They are not properly negotiating the sale on behalf of the seller, taking on the risks nor managing the sale through to settlement because there’s no incentive for them to do so," he blogged this week.
"They’re not using ACCC approved contract documents either and if you want to use your own settlement agent, you’re forced to pay extra.
"That’s just weird," the Freemantle-based agent suggested on a blog which appeared on the REIA-funded website, the Real Conversation.
It renewed the campaign by the Deputy President of the Real Estate Institute of Australia who had previously attacked “pseudo agent” models.
Groves pointed out that “proper agents” are incentivised through the payment of a commission at settlement which ensures they work for their client from beginning to end to procure the best result possible.
"That is our responsibility by law."
Appropriately, an agent that fails to complete their task doesn’t get paid, he said.
"Comparatively, Purple Bricks charge no commissions but incentivises their agents to list your property for about $5,000 (including advertising), then effectively you’re on your own unless you pay for “extras”. 
The REIWA governing council re-elected Hayden Groves as the Perth institute’s president last October.
Groves claims WA Purple Bricks agents are not employees of the parent company and therefore must hold their own agent license.
He suggested of the 90 registered Purple Bricks participants in WA, "only three hold a license (sic) that enables them to act on a behalf of a seller; with the remainder (if not employees) breaking State laws." 
He pointed out Purple Bricks has fallen fowl of the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) in Queensland for alleged breaches of the Australian Consumer Law and Property Occupations Act (Qld 2004). 
Queensland’s regulator claim consumers were misled by Purple Bricks about additional services offered by them, despite the agency advertising ‘low, fixed fees’ for their services when selling property.
"Purple Bricks also failed to fulfill some of it's regulatory obligations around properly accounting for funds held in trust and some other technicalities that “proper agents” need to comply with."
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Purplebricks aren't offering proper agents: Hayden Groves

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The world's largest property owner Blackstone is selling its Top Ryde shopping centre.
Bought from receivers five years ago for $341 million, the private equity group has spent about $90 million on the Top Ryde complex.
Located 12 kilometres from the Sydney CBD, the centre includes a Coles, Woolworths, Aldi, Kmart, Big W, Harris Scarfe, Event Cinemas, 20 mini majors, 200 specialties and kiosks, and  parking for 2925 cars.
Its total shopping area space is 76,958 square metres.
Recent comparable shopping centre deals include AMP's purchase of Indooroopilly in Brisbane for $800 million and GPT's unlisted fund's $680 million purchase of a 25 per cent share in Highpoint, Melbourne. Both deals reflected sales prices of about 4.25 per cent. 
The Australian Financial Review suggests Top Ryde was likely to sell for about $700 million, a yield of about 5 per cent.
The shopping centre was valued at $840 million in 2008, Property Observer noted on its last sale.
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Top Ryde shopping centre set to fetch $700 million as Blackstone moves to sell

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Yuhu Group Australia has confirmed its settlement of the significant development projects at Circular Quay in Sydney and Surfers Paradise on Queensland’s Gold Coast.  
The landmark projects have been acquired from Wanda Australia Real Estate Investment by AWH Investment Group Pty Ltd, an Australian associate company of Yuhu Group Australia.
Yuhu confirmed One Circular Quay (above) and Jewel Residences (below) will each incorporate exclusive private residences, luxury five-star hotels as well as boutique retail and restaurants. 
Construction is well underway on the Jewel project which will feature three stunning, crystal-inspired towers of varying heights to take full advantage of a premier beachfront location. 
<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/2018/5/22/GC%20WANDA.jpg" alt="">
Meanwhile, demolition works are continuing at One Circular Quay in preparation for construction of a project that will further enhance Sydney’s world-renowned waterfront, in a prime position between the harbour bridge and Opera House. 
The projects combined are expected to represent about $2.8 billion of investment when completed and create more than 1,500 long-term jobs.
The chairman of Yuhu Group Australia, Xiangmo Huang said the Circular Quay project was an important part of a multibillion dollar rejuvenation plan for the Sydney CBD and waterfront.
“This is a transformational period for Sydney and we are very proud to be in a position to make a positive contribution to the urban renewal process through the highest quality of design and construction,” he said.
"These are investments for the future so our vision can be summed up as ‘built to last’ rather than ‘built to sell’,” he said. 
AWH director Jimmy Huang said the projects would set an extremely high benchmark. 
“These are outstanding development sites and there is a lot of anticipation about what we can deliver to realise their enormous potential,” he said. 
Yuhu Group CEO Nick Tobin said the acquisitions marked the beginning of an exciting new period for the company.  
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Yuhu says Australian projects will be ‘built to last’

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A new online property sales platform is being supported by the Real Estate Institutes in Western Australia (REIWA) and South Australia (REISA).
The platform, REBid, has been designed to be used by real estate agents, while offering benefits to both buyers and sellers.
Neville Pozzi, CEO of REIWA, said REIWA had partnered with REBid to offer an online solution that's "enhances the customer experience for the real estate buying public.”
Greg Troughton, CEO of REISA, said "the transparency of the online sales transaction enhances the integrity of the sales process.”
Both Pozzi and Troughton agreed REBid offered an alternative method of sale that would suit some, but not all, properties.
“It’s always up to the agent, in consultation with the vendor, to choose the most appropriate method of sale for each property – REBid simply offers another option to choose from” they said.
REBid has been developed by an Adelaide-based company, REBid Pty Ltd, whose founders combine both property and technology experience.
REBid CEO, Bill Waterhouse, said they "set out to work with the industry, not disrupt it.”
REBid is being launched at AREC 2018 on the Gold Coast on 27-28 May.
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REIs in WA, SA support new online real estate REBid sales platform

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<div>Ray White has appointed Adam Downes in its new national role, Head of Performance Management.</div>
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<div>Downes, currently Ray White’s head of agency operations in Queensland, will start his new role on July 1 after designing a benchmarking program called Pulse for the group’s business owners to measure themselves against. </div>
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<div>With more than 1000 business owners in the Ray White family, Ray White Group director Dan White said he was delighted with the gusto that Mr Downes’ had embraced this new opportunity. </div>
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<div>“This new specialist role has been created to improve the way we measure, recognise and assist the performance of all our business owners and the businesses they lead,” Mr White said. </div>
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<div>“Adam’s primary responsibility will be to introduce a new level of sophistication in this key area, which will in turn create more motivated leaders, improve our efficiency of focusing internal resources to improve office performance and measure the improvement we make as a whole.” </div>
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<div>Downes developed the new Pulse dashboard in collaboration with Harvard Professor Boris Groysberg to determine the lead indicators which drive results, plus the lag indicators which show where support was needed. </div>
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<div>“At Ray White are lucky to work with one of the best minds in organisational behaviour in the world in Prof Groysberg. So we have translated our sales agent recognition level now to the business as a whole, with Chairman’s Elite, Elite, Premier, Qualified and Unqualified businesses,” he said. </div>
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Ray White appoints Adam Downes in new national role, Head of Performance Management.

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Perth real estate agent Brian McKiernan has joined the national real estate network @realty.
McKiernan is the former operations manager and national recruitment manager of Sell Lease Property, which was acquired in December 2017 by The Agency Group.
At the time of acquisition, Sell Lease Property had 210 agents nationally and a revenue of $8.1 million.
McKiernan said he made the move to @realty, which has recruited more than 500 agents nationwide over the past four years, to continue to operate independently with the support of an administrative team.
"The Perth market is in a recovery phase - it's no secret that we are not in stride with the East Coast - and that's why it's even more crucial than ever to choose an agent who understands the local market and takes a tailored approach for each listing.
"Having said that, there is plenty to be optimistic about, with the economy improving and projected population growth looking solid, paving the way for growth in the market over the coming years."
@realty director JJ Taylor says it's a coup to have experienced agents like Mr McKiernan on board.
"Our 500 agents have an average  9.6 years of experience, which shows that we are attracting some of the best in the industry," he said.
"We offer commissions of 93 per cent compared to the industry average of 45 per cent, so there is a real incentive for our agents to work to their potential and to collaborate with other agents where necessary to get a faster result for the client.
"We also offer hundreds of hours of training and workshops, free of charge, to our agents each year to allow them to upskill and keep pace with the latest skills and techniques required to perform at the top level in the fast paced industry."
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Former Sell Lease Property executive Brian McKiernan joins @realty in Perth

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The 344-346 Sydney Road, Coburg (pictured below) premises have been leased to Permit Point Building Consultants for use as an administration office.
The 380 square metre building was leased on a 5 + 5-year lease term returning $55,000 per annum equating to $145 per square metre.
<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/2018/5/9/3%20Everage%20St.jpg" width="700" height="425">
Craig McKellar of CVA has also just leased retail premises located at 3 Everage Street, Moonee Ponds.
It was leased for $28,800 per annum to a construction company for office administration purposes equating to a building rate of $288 for the 100 square metre premises.
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Sydney Road, Coburg space leased by consultants 

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A home in Enmore - dubbed an overgrown Angkor Wat - has been listed with $1.3 million hopes.
The derelict property, once a boarding house, has become so over grown with vegetation that the listing agent suggests it resembles the famed Cambodian temple where tree roots dominate the environment. No devatas adorning the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devata" title="Devata"></a>walls, just graffiti.
McGrath Newtown listing agent Damien West noted the home had "succumbed to the passage of time".
The Juliett Street offering is is being marketed as having three bedrooms and one bathroom, but there's no roof or internal walls, just vegetation amid sheets of corrugated metal.
The owners, the Goldberg family of Vaucluse, gutted it as they didn't desire the unwanted guests using the property as a squat.
West, who has a June 9 auction, says the 230 square metre block will be sought after by builders, adding its is set on Enmore's best street with an eight metre frontage
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-enmore-128383846" target="_blank">The property</a> last traded at $7200 in March 1966, the month after decimal currency was introduced.
 <img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/5/18/ENMORE%202.png" alt="">
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Overgrown Enmore former boarding house for sale 

Buyers considering a residence at boutique Gordon townhouse development <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/lume-gordon-43-47-dumaresq-street-gordon-nsw-2072">Lume</a>&nbsp;now have another reason to bring forward their decision.

For a limited time, purchasers of a residence at Lume will receive a BMW iX3 50 electric SUV, valued at more than $120,000, as part of their purchase. The offer is designed to add value for buyers while complementing the lifestyle envisioned for the architecturally designed Upper North Shore development.

Scott Timmins, Development Manager at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/winim">WINIM</a>, said the partnership was created to provide buyers with a compelling reason to act.

"In today's market, buyers need a compelling reason to act now, and the BMW partnership was designed to create that catalyst. We wanted to add genuine value for our future purchasers. Choosing the all-electric BMW iX3 50 also reflects the values behind LUME, forward-thinking design, innovation and a more sustainable way of living. It's a premium incentive that complements the lifestyle our buyers aspire to and rewards those who commit early."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7354 project_image_fid=374893]

Delivered by WINIM in partnership with Burtonwood Investment Partners, Lume comprises 14 architecturally designed two, three and four-bedroom townhomes created for families seeking the space of a freestanding house with the ease of modern, low-maintenance living.

The three-storey residences, designed by award-winning architecture practice <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a>, have been tailored for families and multi-generational living, featuring private internal lifts, flexible lower-level spaces, generous open-plan living and entertaining areas, media rooms, and landscaped outdoor spaces with custom outdoor kitchens.&nbsp;

Inside, engineered oak flooring, bespoke dining joinery with integrated wine fridges and backlit bars, sculptural porcelain bathrooms, Parisi freestanding baths and Astra Walker tapware create interiors that balance functionality with refined finishes.

Each townhome has been designed to combine generous internal spaces with sustainability initiatives such as EV charging infrastructure, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/arcadia-landscape-architecture">Arcadia</a>'s landscaped communal areas, centred around a restored creek line and native planting, encourage residents to connect with nature and spend more time outdoors.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7354 project_image_fid=269527]

Rothelowman's Gary Tsui said the architecture was conceived to respond carefully to its Upper North Shore setting.

"Our vision was to create elegant, uplifting homes that draw on and positively contribute to the local character through meticulously considered design and an interaction with the surroundings."

The communal landscape has been designed as more than an open space between homes. Arcadia's Ben Newell and Kate Phillips said the adjoining reserve provided an opportunity to create a distinctive natural retreat for residents.

"Just as waterways carve their way through Ku-ring-gai's landscape, a raised boardwalk weaves through the reserve, connecting the homes to this tranquil oasis."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7354 project_image_fid=374892]

Located just 300 metres from <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/gordon-nsw-2072">Gordon</a> Village and Gordon railway station, Lume offers convenient access to Sydney's CBD while placing residents close to some of the North Shore's leading schools, including Ravenswood, Pymble Ladies' College and Knox Grammar. Lane Cove National Park, Gordon Golf Club and a range of cafés and restaurants further reinforce the family-focused lifestyle on offer, with the BMW iX3 50 complementing everything from local trips around Gordon to weekend drives and city commutes.

Construction is underway with completion expected in mid-2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=7354]

Joel Robinson

Boutique Gordon townhomes now come with a BMW iX3 50

Two apartments have sold for more than $10 million at EADE Byron Bay, setting some of the highest apartment prices ever achieved in the coastal town and underlining the growing appetite for luxury beachfront apartments in Australia's most popular coastal locations.

The $210 million project by Vitale Property Group has now secured more than $70 million in sales, led by residences that changed hands for $12.75 million and $11.75 million.

The record-breaking transactions reinforce the shift occurring in Byron Bay's premium property market, where affluent downsizers and lifestyle buyers are increasingly opting for high-end apartments over large beachfront homes.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/eade-byron-bay-29-shirley-street-byron-bay-nsw-2481">EADE Byron Bay</a> occupies a rare 6,000 sqm absolute beachfront site on the corner of Shirley and Milton Streets overlooking Main Beach and The Wreck surf break, just 350 metres from Byron Bay's town centre.

The 25-residence development is the first beachfront apartment project approved in Byron Bay in more than a decade and is currently under construction, with completion expected in May 2027.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145590 project_image_fid=359521]

The project has attracted a mix of local Byron Shire residents downsizing from larger homes, alongside interstate buyers from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane seeking a permanent coastal lifestyle without compromising on space.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hayball">Hayball</a> and with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/alexander-co">Alexander &amp; Co</a>, EADE comprises&nbsp;10 garden apartments ranging from 284 sqm to 622 sqm, nine with private pools, five full-floor apartments and 10 rooftop residences with private plunge pools, expansive outdoor entertaining areas and uninterrupted ocean views.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145590 project_image_fid=359527]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/vitale-property-group">Vitale Property Group</a> Managing Partner Chris Vitale said the project's combination of scale, location and limited future supply was driving buyer demand.

"There isn't another beachfront holding in Byron Bay of this size and position that could be developed again," Vitale said.

"Buyers are responding to the scarcity and the irreplaceability of a site of this calibre and to floorplans they can't find elsewhere in the market.

"We are seeing buyers place significant value on quality, space, design, resort-style amenities and the rarity of the location. The sales achieved to date demonstrate that discerning purchasers recognise the long-term significance of what is being created at EADE Byron Bay.

"Many are coming from larger homes in the Byron region, or from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and are after the space, security and convenience, without the upkeep of a house."

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[smartcode_project:default project_id=145590 project_image_fid=359523]

The Byron Bay project follows Vitale Property Group's delivery of the Mondrian Hotel and Private Residences at Burleigh Heads, with EADE continuing the developer's focus on luxury coastal developments.

Residents will have access to a resort-style swimming pool, gymnasium, sauna, cold plunge pool, concierge services and dedicated workspaces, while the project is targeting an 8-Star Green Star rating.

EADE Byron Bay is being exclusively marketed by Projx Australia in conjunction with WHITEFOX Projects.

WHITEFOX National Projects Director Phillip Rand said demand had been driven predominantly by owner-occupiers.

"We are seeing buyers at EADE place significant value on quality, space, design, resort-style amenities and the rarity of this location," Rand says.

"The sales achieved to date demonstrate that purchasers at this level recognise the long-term significance of what is being created at EADE Byron Bay."

Residences at EADE Byron Bay are currently priced between $4.75 million and $15.95 million.

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[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145590]

Vitale breaks Byron Bay records with EADE sales flurry 

When buying an apartment, most people compare the big-ticket items first. Floorplans. Kitchens. Balcony size. Natural light. The view.

But there's one everyday consideration that often doesn't come up until after moving in: how parcels are delivered.

As online shopping has become part of everyday life, parcel deliveries have shifted from an occasional event to a regular occurrence. Australians spent a record $82.6 billion shopping online in 2025, with almost one in every four retail dollars now spent digitally.

For apartment residents, that can present a challenge.

If nobody is home to accept a delivery, parcels may be redirected to a nearby Post Office, left in a building lobby or common area, or require building management to step in. In higher-density buildings, where dozens or even hundreds of residents may receive deliveries each day, parcel management has become an increasingly important part of everyday living.

That can create a range of frustrations. A missed delivery often means making time to collect a parcel elsewhere, while packages left unattended in foyers or mail areas can create clutter and increase the risk of theft. What seems like a minor inconvenience can quickly become a recurring issue for residents who shop online regularly.

It's one of those details that rarely features in a display suite but can have a noticeable impact once residents move in.

As a result, buyers are beginning to look beyond traditional apartment features and consider how a building supports day-to-day convenience, including whether there are secure options for receiving deliveries.

Australia Post's Parcel Lockers provide one solution.

<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/CkF2oKmlACg?si=C50sDaoUUn2nuLmq" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Rather than having a parcel delivered directly to an apartment, eligible deliveries can be sent to a nominated Parcel Locker. Once the parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS and can collect it using a QR code or one-time PIN at a time that suits them.

The Parcel Locker network now includes more than 1,500 locations nationwide, with installations at Post Offices, shopping centres, transport hubs and an increasing number of residential developments. By providing a secure collection point, Parcel Lockers help reduce missed deliveries and avoid parcels being left unattended in common areas.

For developers, parcel infrastructure is becoming another way to improve the resident experience. Rather than relying on concierge staff or leaving parcels in communal spaces, secure collection points help streamline deliveries while preserving the presentation and functionality of shared areas.

For buyers, it's a reminder that the best apartment features aren't always the most obvious.

A generous floorplan or quality finishes might help narrow the shortlist, but the conveniences that simplify everyday life, whether that's EV charging, secure bike storage or reliable parcel delivery, often become the features residents appreciate most once they're living there.

The apartment feature many buyers don't think about, until their first missed delivery

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hg-developments">HG Developments</a> is doubling down on Maud Street in Newstead, filing plans for a new apartment tower just a few doors down from its under-construction Aire Newstead development.

Recently submitted to Brisbane City Council, the proposal is for an 18-storey building designed by bureau^proberts, which has drawn heavily on Brisbane's subtropical design principles while referencing the suburb's industrial heritage.

A total of 64 apartments are planned for the amalgamated 1,518 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/17-21-maud-street-newstead-qld-4006">17–21 Maud Street</a>, a short walk from the Brisbane River and Newstead Riverwalk.

<img alt="First look: HG Developments plans 18-storey subtropical apartment tower for Newstead" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a400c7fd-bd15-48f8-a63b-10ede92efe00" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Maud%20st%20bldg.png?VersionId=.0vPmjpbC7CNP7kqGWa6L7rGIwsNExaw" />

"The building is defined by a series of vaulted motifs that reinterpret the arches, colonnades and layered facades evident throughout Newstead's historic built fabric," the Urban Design Report states.

"Combined with recessed glazing and generous balconies, these elements create a layered building envelope that provides shade, weather protection and opportunities for natural ventilation whilst establishing a distinctive architectural identity."

The proposal comprises 64 two, three and four-bedroom apartments across 18 residential levels, positioning it alongside a growing number of taller residential projects transforming Newstead's northern precinct. The tower incorporates extensive subtropical landscaping, with cascading planter boxes, deep planting at street level and a landscaped rooftop recreation area.

<img alt="First look: HG Developments plans 18-storey subtropical apartment tower for Newstead" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1d8140f4-8b98-45cd-b1b8-1efe8c8e266b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Maud%20st%20podium.png?VersionId=VAZtbCoD44YCJ57N99fQCAKeSJx7ldZs" />

Bureau Proberts has prioritised passive environmental design throughout the project, with generous balconies, recessed glazing and operable façades helping reduce solar heat gain while maximising natural ventilation. River views become available from the upper levels, while the building has been orientated to capture prevailing breezes from both the Brisbane River and the west.

The architects say landscape is intended to be integral to the building rather than an applied element.

"Vertical greenery, cascading planter boxes and elevated gardens are woven throughout the architecture, softening the built form and strengthening the connection between residents and the subtropical environment."

"Through the integration of landscape, high-quality materials and passive design principles, the development delivers a refined residential address that celebrates Newstead's heritage character while contributing positively to Brisbane's evolving subtropical identity."

Newstead has remained one of Brisbane's most active apartment markets in recent years, with a number of developers continuing to back the inner-city suburb.

HG Developments is currently delivering the 40-apartment Aire Newstead at 25 Maud Street. Fortis recently launched the 65-apartment <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/crest-walker-newstead-12-kyabra-street-newstead-qld-4006">Crest &amp; Walker</a> on Kyabra Street, while builder-developer BPG and Don O'Rorke's Consolidated Properties are both expected to launch their respective Newstead projects before the end of the year.

HG Developments doubles down in Newstead with second Maud Street apartment development

Walk past a new apartment development promoting its sustainability credentials and it's easy to picture rooftop gardens, mature trees, landscaped courtyards and residents surrounded by nature.

But in many cases, that's not actually what those sustainability ratings guarantee.

Australia's leading environmental rating tools have played a significant role in improving the energy efficiency and environmental performance of buildings. Yet despite their focus on reducing emissions, many don't require developers to include trees, biodiversity or meaningful green space.

In other words, a building can achieve one of the country's highest sustainability ratings while containing little more than concrete, glass and hard landscaping.

That disconnect has led to the emergence of a new movement across Australia's property industry: nature-based cities.

The concept goes beyond designing buildings that consume less energy. Instead, it encourages developers to treat nature as essential infrastructure, integrating biodiversity, tree canopy, living landscapes and green spaces into projects from the earliest stages of planning.

Research has consistently linked access to nature with better physical and mental health, cooler neighbourhoods, improved biodiversity, stronger climate resilience and more connected communities. As Australia's cities continue to become denser, advocates say those outcomes should be considered just as important as energy efficiency.

Nature Based Cities (NBC) was established in 2022 to help accelerate that shift.

Founded by Hamton Executive Chairman Paul Hameister OAM, the not-for-profit was created after research highlighted a significant gap in Australia's sustainability framework. While existing environmental rating tools rewarded energy performance and emissions reductions, they placed little emphasis on the inclusion of 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."

Since its launch, NBC has developed independent design guidelines and accreditation frameworks that encourage developers to prioritise ecology, biodiversity, tree canopy, walkability and living landscapes alongside traditional sustainability measures. The organisation first focused on medium and high-density residential developments before recently expanding into precinct-scale communities and masterplanned neighbourhoods.

Jan Talacko, founder of sustainability consultancy Ark Resources and a member of the Nature Based Cities Advisory Council, says the initiative addresses an area that has largely been overlooked by the property industry.

"Throughout my 25 years of working collaboratively with all stakeholders in the property sector, I've always favoured a pragmatic approach to sustainable design which encourages initiatives that not only meet environmental expectations but also improve amenity," Talacko says.

"Whilst we are making steady progress in relation to energy and carbon emissions from buildings, there has been much less emphasis on encouraging biodiversity and tackling the urban heat island effect.

"The Nature Based Cities initiative responds to a gap in the suite of tools currently used by the property development sector, which don't provide sufficient incentive, or recognition, for the integration of landscaping and greenery."

For apartment buyers, the shift is also changing the questions worth asking.

Rather than assuming a sustainable building will naturally include abundant green space, buyers are increasingly being encouraged to look beyond environmental ratings and ask what nature is actually being delivered. How much tree canopy will the development create? Has biodiversity been considered? Are landscaped spaces designed for people as well as appearance?

As Australia's cities continue to grow upwards and outwards, the next generation of sustainability may not simply be measured by lower emissions, but by how successfully developments bring nature back into everyday urban life.

Staff reporter

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