<html><body><div class="page" title="Page 26">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<div class="page" title="Page 26">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
Like other parts of Sydney, investor demand has declined in recent months in Southern Sydney, while home owners are generally remaining active in the market, according to the valuation firm Herron Todd White.
<div class="page" title="Page 26">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
First home buyers generally budget up to $1,000,000, which generally restricts property options to units, villas and townhouses. 
There are a number of new unit developments in the Sutherland Shire which are attractive for rst home buyers including those at Woolooware Bay and the South Village development currently under construction at Kirrawee. 
For the latter, 1-bedroom units are selling off the plan for between $600,000 and $700,000, and 2-bedroom units for between $680,000 and $900,000, HTW noted.
First home buyers, downsizers and young professionals were prominent in the successful sales weekend of Crest at Woolooware Bay.
<div class="page" title="Page 26">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
Upsizers and families require a budget of $1 million up to $3 million in more popular beachside and riverside suburbs. 
Duplex properties are becoming increasingly attractive, allowing a more affordable option of a good sized modern home on a smaller low maintenance block of land. 
The valuation firm noted a sale at 32B Carabella Road, Caringbah, which sold for $1.562 million in August, comprised a new two storey semi- detached duplex with 4-bedrooms, 2-bathrooms and 1-car garage on a 280 square metre lot. 
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
 
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
 
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div></body></html>

j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Southern Sydney FHBs spending up to $1 million

<html><body><div class="page" title="Page 47">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
Home ownership is still the dream for most people living on the Sunshine Coast and owner-occupiers are again making up the majority of sales, particularly since APRA announced changes to investor lending, the valuation firm, Herron Todd White has advised. 
They are seeing first home buyers still very active throughout the more affordable hinterland townships as well as in the new small lot residential estates at Caloundra and Palmview. 
"Land in these estates is selling before titles are issued and is very popular amongst first home buyers," the firm's latest report noted.
"The Sunshine Coast is seeing some change with several new high density unit developments recently completed around the new hospital precinct and a large supply of small lot developments providing affordable housing.
"Lot sizes above 500 square metres are becoming scarce along the coastal strip and the number of attached housing developments is increasing. 
"Both of these residential options provide an opportunity for first home buyers to get into the market at around $400,000." 
Investors are also active for these types of properties at this price point, the valuation firm noted. 
</div>
<div class="column">
Upgraders are also active given the ability to exit out of their current home.
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div></body></html>

Sunshine Coast still seeing active first time buyers

<html><body><div class="page" title="Page 27">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
First home buyers, downsizers and families looking to upgrade have all been active in the property market as well as those who are new to Canberra, according to the valuation firm Herron Todd White.
First home buyers have affordable detached housing options in the outer suburbs of Belconnen and Tuggeranong, while Gungahlin provides newer detached housing at more of a premium.
"Alternatively, there are affordable unit options available throughout the Canberra region with new developments being completed in the city and town centres," HTW added.
There is also a large supply of older units close to the city and in the suburbs that would be suitably priced for first home buyers, the report advised.
The strong detached housing market has forced most first home buyers to look to apartments to climb onto the property ladder.
New Canberra residents have been active mainly in the Gungahlin market where they can buy new homes in a newly established suburb.
"Demand has been very strong from these buyers with land selling at a similar rate per square meter to land in established inner suburbs.
"This demographic has also been active in the new apartment market especially dwellings in close proximity to universities and town centres," HTW said.
<div class="page" title="Page 28">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
 
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
 
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div></body></html>

Canberra first home buyers have been active: HTW

<html><body><div class="page" title="Page 33">
<div class="section">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
Although we have seen considerable activity from investors over recent years, owner-occupiers still make a sizeable sector of the Coffs Harbour market, according to valuers, Herron Todd White.
"When you consider that there are first home buyers, trade up or down buyers and retirees all looking to secure properties, there is no one size fits all in relation to property, the firms latest report suggested.
 It is difficult to pigeon hole what each buyer profile looks like or the attributes sought after in a property. 
"The forst home buyer conjures up images of the young twenty something purchaser when in fact we are seeing the thirty or forty something age bracket also trying to get off the rental treadmill.
"The younger generation seems to be attracted to the shiny new product whist the older group looks towards an older home," HTW noted.
As property prices continue to strengthen, new product is becoming less affordable and it is becoming increasingly difficult to find a house under $500,000.
The trend is to go to unit product (townhouse or villa) or further a field to the smaller townships in the more affordable price range of under $500,000.
The Coffs Coast has an ample range of property priced under $350,000 so long as buyers are prepared to look at the older units in central Coffs Harbour or homes further a field in the lesser known townships such as Nambucca Heads, Macksville and Grafton. 
</div>
<div class="column">
The trade up or down buyers are diverse in their requirements and will generally be attracted to areas which suit their lifestyle depending on age and family needs. 
Downsizers typically look toward the unit and small lot properties. 
"We have seen an increase in unit development within Coffs Harbour generally centred on the Jetty precinct and Park Beach areas. 
"These two areas are only two kilometres apart however miles apart in value. 
"The more affluent downsizer looks toward the Jetty precinct close to the harbor and CBD with local restaurant and tourist facilities."
 The average price for modern units is $500,000 to $800,000.
Park Beach although having similar attributes of a good beach and shopping facilities has a more modest unit price range of $370,000 to $600,000 for modern units.
HTW noted highway upgrades north and south of Coffs Harbour have reduced travel times making commuting easier which has attracted many potential home purchasers to more fringe beachside localities such as Corindi Beach to the north, being popular with commuters from both Coffs Harbour and Grafton, and Nambucca Heads to the south where property prices are considerably more affordable in the $300,000 to $400,000 price range.
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div></body></html>

Coffs Harbour first home buyers are likely to be 30 or older: HTW

<html><body>
The founder of RAMS Home Loans, John Kinghorn, 76, has been charged with fraud offences after allegedly avoiding taxes worth more than $30 million.
Kinghorn did not enter a plea as he faced Sydney's Downing Centre Court this morning.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) alleges he fraudulently concealed his beneficial ownership of two companies from the tax office between 2004 and 2007.
He has been charged with dishonestly influencing a Commonwealth public official and defrauding the Commonwealth, after an eight-year investigation.
The maximum penalty for the offences is 10 years' imprisonment.
Court documents show the two companies are Kalomo Pacific leasing and Kalomo Corporation limited, the ABC noted.
The AFR says the charges of fraudulently concealing beneficial ownership and tax evasion against John Kinghorn relate to the sale of RAMS Home Loans in 2007.
The AFP commenced its investigation in June 2009, which the AFR noted was  two years after Kinghorn floated RAMS for $650 million. 
On Friday, 6 October 2017, AFP officers served him a Court Attendance Notice regarding Commonwealth fraud offences.
AFP Assistant Commissioner Neil Gaughan, National Manager Organised Crime and Cyber, said the investigation required extensive cooperation within the Serious Financial Crime Taskforce and with international agencies.
“I’d like to commend the officers involved in this complex and lengthy investigation for their persistence and dedication to ensuring the integrity of Australia’s financial frameworks,” Assistant Commissioner Gaughan said.
“Serious financial crime poses a threat to Australia’s economy, financial markets, regulatory frameworks, superannuation and tax system.
“Commonwealth fraud offences have a significant impact on the Australian public – every dollar represents funds that could have been put to use for the benefit of the whole community.
“This result should serve as a warning that we will use every capability at our disposal to bring allegations of fraud before court.”
The Serious Financial Crime Taskforce is a multi-agency effort targeting serious financial crime in Australia. The taskforce sits within the AFP-led Fraud and Anti-Corruption Centre. Offences targeted by the taskforce relate to serious fraud, money laundering and defrauding the Commonwealth.
Since the Serious Financial Crime Taskforce was established in July 2015, more than 614 audits have been completed and $408 million tax liabilities have been raised. Four people have received custodial sentences following prosecution. There are currently 26 criminal, civil and intelligence matters in progress.
Fairfax Media noted today that news that Kinghorn was facing investigation by the AFP was revealed in a 2014 book on Eddie Obeid by Linton Besser and The Sydney Morning Herald journalist Kate McClymont.
It noted that secret phone taps of Kinghorn and others about a Obeid coal mine were supplied to ICAC by the AFP which was conducting its tax-related inquiry.
</body></html>

RAMS Home Loans founder John Kinghorn charged by AFP with fraud

<html><body>
Ann Sherry, the current head of Carnival Australia, the largest cruise ship operator in Australasia, is joining the NAB board.
Sherry is a former chief executive of Westpac New Zealand.
Sherry spent 12 years in senior roles with NAB's rival before joining the cruise ship operator in 2007.
She is also a non-executive director for Sydney Airport, the Palladium Group and Infrastructure Victoria.
She is on the board of Australian Rugby Union, Tourism &amp; Transport Forum and the Museum of Contemporary Art.
Dr Ken Henry, chair of the NAB, says she brings extensive banking and business skills together with a deep understanding of how to drive the right culture, community engagement and customer focus.
</body></html>

Ann Sherry sails onto NAB board

<html><body>
The freehold site of Darlinghurst’s Victoria Road institution, the Tropicana Caffe has been listed for sale.
It has been listed by the long-time owners Sergio Tezzo and George Semaan.
Tonci Farac, the former creator and owner of the Wildfire Restaurant in Circular Quay, and manager Duncan Thompson, have recently taken a 10-year lease on the site, with options extending to 2047.
LJ Hooker Commercial Sydney’s Steven Kruyer and James Griffiths <a href="https://sydney.ljhcommercial.com.au/retail-in-darlinghurst-nsw-2010-au-cu9hkr?search=%2fsearch%2fcommercial-property-for-sale-in-darlinghurst-nsw-2010-au%2fpage-1%3fsurrounding%3dtrue#.WffEABOCyfQ" target="_blank">have the listing</a> of the 284 square metre dining space, which comes with 110 square metres of storage and two secure car spaces.
<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/2017/10/31/Trop2.jpg" alt="">
The lease generates more than $285,000 in annual rent. LJ Hooker Commercial will auction the Tropicana Caffe building on November 30. 
It has been on the foodie scene for almost four decades.
The new tenants have advised they did not intend to rebrand or dramatically reinvent the Tropicana.
 
</body></html>

Freehold site of Darlinghurst's Tropicana Caffe for sale

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVER
The Reserve Bank of Australia should have a board member whose job it is to “represent the poor”, says Catholic Social Services Australia in a report released this week.
This hasn’t been tried before but it’s an interesting proposal and worth considering – particularly as recent central banking programs like quantitative easing have inflated the value of assets belonging to the very rich, exacerbating inequality and even threatening democracy.
The report is part of a continued effort by Catholic Social Services Australia to draw attention to those disenfranchised by an increasingly winner-takes-all society.
In fact, the entire notion of “trickle-down economics”, in which poorer sections of society supposedly benefit from policies that help the rich, is increasingly disputed.
Central bankers overlook inequality
Central bankers historically have not considered economic equality to be a key concern, and have been described (somewhat generously) as “innocent bystanders”. This does not really make sense, as central bank policies have statistically significant impacts on aspects of inequality including household income and consumption.
Central bankers tend to have a narrow focus, restricted to managing a small set of macroeconomic variables, and inflation in particular (which they refer to as “price stability”). Unfortunately, even after the global financial crisis, many central banks have continued to focus on inflation at the expense of a more complex economic picture, including inequality.
Central bankers are also very conscious of the need to maintain credibility. This involves presenting the board of a central bank as a group of “experts” with a long-term economic focus. Their expertise tends to be heavily tilted towards traditional economics, and they are influenced by traditional economic ideologies that do not emphasise inequality.
For example, central bank policies that focus on inflation and economic output (GDP) are limited by the fact that they do not capture the nature of unequal social conditions.
As we can see from the minutes of central bank board meetings, members do disagree and present dissenting views. However, having a representative for the poor on the board would challenge the general consensus in a new way.
A seat for the poor
In arguing for a “seat for the poor” there are several elements that need to be unpacked.
The first is the question of central bank accountability. Having a seat for the poor means that there would be a person on the board constantly questioning and challenging the other members. This is known as horizontal accountability because it is a type of oversight among equals.
As central banking involves involves deliberation among policymakers of equal rank, horizontal accountability can be an effective way for them to regularly check one another’s actions. If an “ambassador of the poor” regularly questions other board members it could keep them on their toes even if it doesn’t always sway their decisions.
The next question is around the tools and metrics that a board member representing the poor would use to present dissenting views. If the board member draws on the usual metrics that central bankers monitor, such as labor market figures and general price levels, they might arrive at similar viewpoints to their peers.
On the other hand, if this board member used metrics centered on inequality, it could be extremely beneficial to the deliberations and help to realign policy. These metrics could include income distribution, savings behaviour, welfare dependency, and socioeconomic variables - including healthcare and education outcomes.
How would we pick a representative of the poor? How would this person display and maintain their professional credibility? How would they juggle broader macroeconomic concerns with their own ideological inclinations?
The idea that a person appointed by the church should intercede in deliberations over monetary policy is antiquated at best. So the mechanisms for appointing such a person need to be carefully addressed.
Where the poor really need representation
The past few years have shown that central bank policy has a large impact on inequality. If anything, in Western countries it has made inequality much worse, as the benefits of stimulus programs have disproportionately gone to the very richest.
But it is actually fiscal policy (otherwise known as government taxation and spending), and not central bank policy, that is the best tool for addressing inequality.
This is because decisions on taxation and payments are a more direct method for addressing inequality. Progressive programs such as basic incomes, universal healthcare and public education directly impact peoples’ lived experience.
If anything, it is fiscal policy that most needs a “representative of the poor”.
Fiscal policy is so abjectly political and so deeply entrenched that a “depoliticized” fiscal regime only exists in the fantasies of academics (my own included).
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/85992/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">Nevertheless, if we want to make a real dent in inequality, it is only possible when fiscal policy is fully committed as well.
Usman W. Chohan is an economist at UNSW.
This article was originally published on <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/should-central-banks-have-a-representative-of-the-poor-85992" target="_blank">original article</a>.
</body></html>

Should central banks have a 'representative of the poor'?: Usman W. Chohan

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVER
Smart cities promise efficiency and resilience in urban design to combat climate change, population growth, transport congestion and other wicked problems. The processes that run a city may be abstracted into algorithms that feed on big data, their design optimised for efficiency, commuting, work and other purposes.
This is a positive development for urban spaces, but does this approach overlook other human needs?
While research centres and urban designers are installing sensors, trackers and cameras on every street corner, game designers and artists are using a cornucopia of technologies to bring back an old idea – playing on the street. I have developed one such game for Melbourne International Games Week.
Everyone knows what play is, but as adults we often forget how to play or trivialise its significance. Play is a particular way of being, a different way of seeing the world.
The idea of play as pointless fun is challenged by the designers of serious games who remind us that it is fundamental to learning. We play with possibilities, see how something plays out – this allows us to explore alternative realities and to see familiar situations in a new way.
Play also creates social bonds, connection and community through these shared experiences. Play activates cities and engages people. It appropriates and takes over urban space, changing what it means to people.
Playful citizens can then see their town or city in a new way, feeling a new sense of connection, and sensing new ways it could be.
Not entirely a new idea
While children used to play routinely in cities before the age of digital distraction, adult play in cities is not entirely a new idea. The emergence of the modern city in the 1900s led to changes in how people engaged with and experienced public space in the form of promenading and other social play.
Last century, the playground was invented as a site designed for play. During the 1960s, the Situationists deployed play in cities as a strategy for subversion. And in the 1970s the New Games movement developed outdoor play as a community-building process.
More recently, the interventions into public space of playable cities have revitalised earlier strategies for urban play. Technology has enabled urban play to introduce new modes of engagement.
What is a playable city?
Play creates alternative ways of seeing the world. This involves not only changes in data, but changes in attitude and how we feel in cities. These are things that are harder to achieve with other design strategies in public spaces.
We all know what a game is – we are living in a time with the highest level of play literacy. Participation in games continues to rise, with 68% of Australians playing video games.
Play is often structured through technology. We may recognise that the city has rules, but those rules become changeable through an invitation to play. Games provide new rules of engagement.
Cities are in process, in flux. Although on the surface they are made of concrete, data, steel and glass, they are equally made of people and culture.
Rather than creating playgrounds for adults, playable cities transform spaces that adults already occupy into playful experiences.
A new creative platform
Playable cities appropriate smart cities infrastructure to engage people with their city and with one another. It’s a form of “hacking” urban space. Through a shared sense of community and ownership, visitors, residents and workers in playable cities may then become part of the conversation about urban design.
In this way, smart cities and playable cities may inform each other and provide a new creative platform for artists and designers. Developing encounters in a playable city blends disciplines such as urban design, public art and game development into a hybrid practice situated in urban space.
Technologies like augmented reality sit alongside live theatre, as players move between looking at the screen of their mobile to one another, observing the spaces of the city, or drifting through information architecture.
Invitations to be citizens of play
This approach recognises the multilayered nature of urban space, its complexity, possibilities and how these can be remapped into a playful experience. This happens through mobile phones, signs and ciphers hidden in laneways, large public screens and through the changes in the behaviour of players and the attitudes of those who watch them play.
Cities have always been melting pots of possibility, places that we go to rediscover ourselves - some of their major contributions to the cultural economy are community, connection and creativity.
If that sounds too utopian as we reach peak popularity in dystopian fiction, then perhaps all this play is simply training for the apocalypse – zombie survival runs are a popular genre in street games.
Playable cities do not delineate sites of play but blend this activity with the daily operation of the city itself. Sometimes it is overt, where player behaviour challenges existing rules and conventions of public space and, as a result, transforms the meaning of the site in question. More often than not it is covert, play in secret.
In this way, play persists in cities despite mass surveillance and urban alienation. It’s emerging in opposition to these as a coping strategy that draws attention to the many tensions in cities today: connection and alienation, actual and virtual, digital and analogue, public and private, civic and corporate. Come and join the big game.
Troy Innocent is City of Melbourne knowledge fellow 2017-18 and senior lecturer in games and interactivity at Swinburne University of Technology.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/85756/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">You can experience Melbourne as a playable city with <a href="https://ludea.net/wayfinderlive/" target="_blank">Wayfinder Live 2017</a>, a mixed-reality mobile game that explores Melbourne’s laneways and streets to unlock a hidden city. The author developed Wayfinder for <a href="https://www.gamesweek.melbourne" target="_blank">Melbourne International Games Week</a>, Asia Pacific’s largest digital games festival, from October 22-29.
This article was originally published on <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/bringing-back-an-old-idea-for-smart-cities-playing-on-the-street-85756" target="_blank">original article</a>.
Photo provided by author.
</body></html>

Bringing back an old idea – playing on the street: Troy Innocent 

<html><body>
Net rental yields were mostly under 5% at Bayleys' recent auction of Auckland commercial properties.
The net yields achieved ranged from 6.11% on a medical clinic in Penrose that fetched $1,065,000, to just 2.66% on a $3.61 million house in Takapuna that had been converted to <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.bayleys.co.nz/1501322" target="_blank">legal offices</a> (pictured above).
The Bob Dey Property Report suggested it had more intensive development potential.
Most of the properties sold on yields between 4% and 5%, with prices ranging from $1,065,000 to $4.04 million.
The yields suggest commercial properties in Auckland can still be purchased for about the same price or less than the average price of a house in the region, but the commercial properties are likely to be providing investors with significantly better returns.
Other recent commercial property sales around New Zealand include a hair dressing salon in Hawkes Bay which sold for $815,000 providing a net yield of 5.61%.
A large industrial building in New Plymouth sold for $2.6 million providing its new owners with a net yield of 7.65%.
Another recent sale was 303-305 Great South Road, Papakura, an Asian supermarket a mixed use zoned site for $3,440,000 at a 4.73% yield. It was declared on the market at $2,800,000. 
</body></html>

Auckland commercial property yields sitting under 5%

Article summary

<ul data-end="785" data-start="311">
	<li data-end="459" data-section-id="5hbcyr" data-start="311">Pikos Group has released the five-penthouse collection at Skye Kangaroo Point, headlined by a two-storey sky home spanning more than 1,000 sqm.</li>
	<li data-end="561" data-section-id="1p7lq8n" data-start="460">Early buyer interest suggests the residences could set a new Queensland apartment price record.</li>
	<li data-end="667" data-section-id="1y70z0l" data-start="562">The collection includes four move-in ready penthouses and the highly customised Skye One residence.</li>
	<li data-end="785" data-section-id="yvm0y1" data-start="668">The release caps one of Bri​sbane's most ambitious luxury apartment developments overlooking the Brisbane River.</li>
</ul>

<hr data-end="790" data-start="787" />
Pikos Group has released the five-penthouse collection at its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/skye-residences-by-pikos-kangaroo-point-8-river-terrace-kangaroo-point-qld-4169">Skye by Pikos</a> development in Kangaroo Point, with early buyer interest indicating the flagship residences could eclipse every apartment sale previously recorded in Queensland.

The collection crowns the luxury riverfront development with five residences, including four completed penthouses and Skye One, a two-level sky home spanning more than 1,000 sqm that will be tailored to its eventual owner.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374075]

Wanting to offer a fully customisable home, Pikos is offering Skye One as a blank canvas, allowing the buyer to work alongside the developer's design team to customise the home's layout, finishes and internal spaces.

The residence will feature a 247 sqm private rooftop terrace with its own swimming pool, sauna, steam room, outdoor kitchen and multiple entertaining areas overlooking the Brisbane River and CBD skyline.

The remaining four penthouses have been completed and are ready for immediate occupation, each offering four bedrooms, expansive open-plan living areas, soaring ceilings and private lift access.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374059]

One of the defining features throughout the project is its use of Roman Classic Travertine, with more than 20,000 sqm of the natural stone imported from Italy after being personally selected by Pikos Group Founder and Executive Director Pedro Pikos, interior designer Julie Williamson and third-generation stone specialist Mario Caucci.

Pikos said the penthouse collection represented the culmination of the company's long-term vision for Skye.

"True legacy isn't measured by what we build today, but by what endures tomorrow," Pikos said.

"Our ambition is to create places that become more valuable with time, enrich the lives of generations, and stand as timeless landmarks long after we've stepped away."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374060]

Williamson said the interiors were inspired by the natural character of Kangaroo Point and the Brisbane River rather than international design trends.

"Materiality tells the story of a place," Williamson said.

"We looked to the movement of the Brisbane River, the texture of the cliff face and the warmth of the surrounding landscape to create interiors that feel understated, enduring and unmistakably Brisbane."

Positioned above the Kangaroo Point cliffs, Skye places residents within walking distance of Howard Smith Wharves, South Bank and James Street while offering uninterrupted river and city views.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=90059]

Joel Robinson

Brisbane's next apartment price record? Pikos unveils Skye's exclusive penthouse collection

Article summary

<ul data-end="888" data-start="289">
	<li data-end="442" data-section-id="8tsh6o" data-start="289">DVB Projects is preparing to launch its second Gold Coast apartment development, with demolition now underway at 137 Old Burleigh Road, Broadbeach.</li>
	<li data-end="573" data-section-id="1nyxl3e" data-start="443">The 34-level tower will comprise just 49 ultra-luxury residences, including half-floor, full-floor and penthouse apartments.</li>
	<li data-end="717" data-section-id="oiyimj" data-start="574">The launch follows strong demand at DVB's nearby Sea Glass project, which is more than 50 per cent sold and currently under construction.</li>
	<li data-end="888" data-section-id="epk9o9" data-start="718">The development adds to the transformation of Old Burleigh Road, with premium beachfront apartment projects continuing to reshape the tightly held Broadbeach strip.</li>
</ul>

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/dvb-projects">DVB Projects</a> is preparing to launch its second Gold Coast apartment development, with demolition now underway on the Broadbeach site as the Sydney developer moves closer to bringing the ultra-luxury project to market.

The 34-level tower at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/137-old-burleigh-road-broadbeach-qld-4218">137 Old Burleigh Road</a> will comprise just 49 residences, ranging from half-floor apartments through to full-floor homes and a penthouse. The launch follows the strong sales performance of DVB's nearby Sea Glass development. More than half of the apartments at Sea Glass, on the other side of Broadbeach, have been snapped up, well ahead of its late 2027 completion

<img alt="DVB Projects to commence demolition on $320m Broadbeach luxury tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2944b4be-c84e-4b54-8dc1-c712e76704c0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/E02_Exterior_Street%20Level%20Entrance.jpg?VersionId=YoNig7pRdrE3HCue7sUj78LzJteeQf3H" />

The start of demolition at 137 Old Burleigh Road signals DVB Projects’ underlying confidence in the Gold Coast’s luxury beachside apartment sector.

“We see the Gold Coast as one of the most compelling lifestyle markets in Australia, particularly at the premium end where demand continues to deepen,” said Dean Brown, Managing Director of DVB.&nbsp;

“This project has been carefully designed to respond to that demand - delivering large-format residences with a level of quality, privacy and amenity that is still relatively rare in the apartment market on the beachside."

Brown says the site itself is "exceptional."

"Old Burleigh Road is one of the most tightly held beachfront strips, and opportunities to deliver a project of this scale and calibre in this location are extremely limited.”

<img alt="DVB Projects to commence demolition on $320m Broadbeach luxury tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="398f377a-c037-455e-9250-0c5e0d84c35b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/I12_FF%20Balcony.jpg?VersionId=NwOiRWGMubR1c8wthuEfggklcja7al9." />

The project will comprise 40 half-floor residences of approximately 260 sqm, alongside eight full-floor residences spanning around 524 sqm.

A single penthouse will crown the building, featuring a private pool, barbecue area, indoor gym and dedicated entertaining spaces.

Residents will have access to a resort-style suite of amenities, including a 20-metre pool with daybeds, a gymnasium, hot and cold plunge pools, a sauna, and private residents’ lounge and dining facilities.

<img alt="DVB Projects to commence demolition on $320m Broadbeach luxury tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d1642bb0-9a66-4427-a022-dfc0988c6287" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/A02_Pool%20to%20View.jpg?VersionId=c0IXPyn_Gp_Kn3XCwzMrqIVkAdCEwVXP" />

Sales agent Todd Matheson, of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/pezet-matheson">Pezet Matheson</a>, which is marketing both 137 Old Burleigh Road and Sea Glass, said 137 Old Burleigh Road would address a clear gap in the market for genuine luxury products.

“There are very few opportunities on the Gold Coast where buyers can secure a residence of this size and quality in a new building,” Matheson said.

“What we’re seeing is a growing cohort of downsizers and interstate buyers who still want space - they’re not willing to compromise on living area, entertaining or finishes.

“This project has been designed with that buyer in mind. It offers the scale of a home, combined with the convenience and security of apartment living, in one of the coast’s most desirable positions.”

<img alt="DVB Projects to commence demolition on $320m Broadbeach luxury tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="59aae0ca-5639-4320-8aca-d0bf60f48e43" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/E01_Exterior%20Hero.jpg?VersionId=DS8Zfy2WtgUEtdfe0TEUuf1W1GfcZq8S" />

Located on a 1,156 sqm site one block from the beachfront, the development will replace an ageing walk-up building and is expected to contribute to the ongoing transformation of the Old Burleigh Road strip into one of the Gold Coast’s most prestigious residential corridors.

With the development moving into the delivery phase, 137 Old Burleigh Road is slated to hit the market later this year.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145141]

DVB Projects to launch second Broadbeach apartment tower as demolition commences

A proposal to redevelop one of North Sydney's ageing commercial buildings has taken another step forward, with plans for a 38-storey mixed-use tower adding momentum to the long-awaited transformation of the Alfred Street precinct.

Now on public exhibition through the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority-led State Significant Development pathway, the proposal for 271-273 Alfred Street would replace an underutilised commercial building with 95 apartments, ground-floor retail, commercial space and affordable housing. The proposal was submitted by&nbsp;Tara Shore Pty Ltd, acting for the John Taylor Family Trust.

While the project will deliver much-needed housing on the southern edge of the North Sydney CBD, it also represents another piece of a broader precinct that has spent years in planning limbo.

<img alt="First look: New public domain vision underpins 95-apartment North Sydney tower on Alfred Street" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7e1ce1b4-38df-48ab-992f-386814d86308" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Alfred%20St%20da%20podium.png?VersionId=sC_h6w.A9VEoB98qsqowPlIoz__sBZBt" />

Despite its proximity to both North Sydney Station and the Victoria Cross Metro, redevelopment of Alfred Street has progressed slowly over the past decade as broader planning controls, zoning and building heights remained unresolved. The introduction of the Housing Delivery Authority pathway has provided a new avenue for projects to progress, allowing rezoning and development assessment to occur concurrently and unlocking sites that have long been earmarked for renewal.

Designed by Office of Cortese &amp; Gilder, the proposal seeks to do more than replace an ageing office building. The architects have positioned the project as the first stage of a wider public domain vision that would improve pedestrian connectivity and create a more cohesive mixed-use precinct as neighbouring sites are redeveloped over time.

The proposal includes a widened Alfred Street setback, new street trees, landscaping and outdoor seating, along with a landscaped through-site pedestrian link connecting Alfred Street with Little Alfred Street. The connection is intended to become the first section of a future east-west pedestrian network extending across the precinct.

<img alt="First look: New public domain vision underpins 95-apartment North Sydney tower on Alfred Street" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8ea39ac3-46ad-4562-b4a0-b862e91c2dda" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Alfred%20St%20da%20site.png?VersionId=K7umCd21KpetEFuVfsPlnJKhUOsmTTdV" />

The mixed-use tower would comprise retail space at ground level, commercial uses on level two and apartments from level three upwards.

In total, the development would deliver 95 apartments, including nine one-bedroom, 28 two-bedroom, 56 three-bedroom and two four-bedroom residences. Twenty-one apartments, representing 15 per cent of the residential gross floor area, would be secured as affordable housing and managed by a registered community housing provider for at least 15 years.

Nine basement levels would provide 133 resident car spaces, seven motorcycle spaces and 111 bicycle spaces.

According to the Architecture and Urban Design Report, the public domain strategy is designed to transform what is currently an inward-facing commercial edge into a more active and connected pedestrian environment, creating a stronger relationship between the commercial core and surrounding residential neighbourhoods.

Office of Cortese &amp; Gilder has also prepared a broader public domain framework spanning neighbouring properties between 263 and 283 Alfred Street, arguing that a coordinated approach to redevelopment will deliver better public spaces, improved tower separation and a more connected streetscape as the precinct evolves.

The proposal comes at a time where North Sydney is slated for future residential growth. Commercial developer FiveX has residential plans for the neighbouring site at 275 Alfred Street. They've proposed a 39-storey mixed-use tower with 184 apartments, while Freecity was recently approved for nearly 300 apartments across a 51-storey building on Walker Street.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-freecity-gets-green-light-for-mixed-use-apartment-and-hotel-tower-in-north-sydney">First look: Freecity gets green light for mixed-use apartment and hotel tower in North Sydney</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-fivex-plans-39-storey-residential-tower-in-booming-north-sydney">First look: Fivex plans 39-storey residential tower in booming North Sydney</a>

&nbsp;

Alfred Street the latest North Sydney pocket to be transformed by residential development

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]

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."

&nbsp;

[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.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145590]

Staff reporter

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News