<html><body>
The Greater Sydney Commission’s draft plan and strategy for Greater Sydney, which is expected to grow by another 1.7 million people in the next two decades, has been applauded by the Planning Institute Australia.
Earlier, the GSC launched the draft ‘Our Greater Sydney 2056’. The release includes the draft 20-year Greater Sydney Regional Plan and a 40-year vision. The GSC took note of the feedback from PIA for its draft.
The plan is accompanied by the state government’s draft Future Transport Strategy 2056. 
PIA NSW president Jenny Rudolph said it is a blueprint for a city that is well networked, green and focussed around the needs of its people and businesses.
The structure plan expands on the theme of better connecting the Western, Central and Eastern Cities with their ’30-minute’ catchments. It creates the radial structure that Sydney needs to grow sustainably.
Rudolph added that the GSC had addressed the feedback from PIA and the planning industry, to focus on ensuring growth can be supported by creating great places to live and work.
PIA NSW has argued for the management of growth with local and state infrastructure in all submissions on the District Plans, Regional Plans and the EP&amp;A planning reforms. 
In particular, it supports:
<ul>
<li>Realignment of infrastructure investment to support the critical roles of Sydney’s Central and Western cities – especially passenger transit and freight links;</li>
<li>Engagement with community and councils in the preparation of Growth Infrastructure Compacts;</li>
<li>Funding the ‘Green Grid’ open space network and green infrastructure systems - and measures for a socially resilient and environmentally sustainable Greater Sydney</li>
<li>Affordable rental housing targets alongside initiatives improving housing diversity and targets for housing growth – via local housing strategies;</li>
<li>A focus on the productivity and networked connection of our strategic centres, business and freight hubs – especially supporting industrial lands for urban services and sustaining the economy of our key commercial cores;</li>
<li>Vision for stronger and faster connections with NSW regions; and</li>
<li>Recognition of the Metropolitan Rural Area for its landscape and rural productivity – not as urban land in waiting.</li>
</ul>
Rudolph said the PIA expected improvements in living conditions to accompany sustainable growth, which would be the yardstick for the success of the plan.
The plan will be on exhibition until 15 December 2017. 
 
</body></html>

j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Blueprint for a Greater Sydney unveiled

<html><body>
The most active segment of construction in the June 2017 quarter was civil engineering, with 1,020 projects entering construction at a value of $8.9 billion over the period. 
This also reflects government owned projects, particularly in transport infrastructure, the latest Market Movement report by Cordell noted.
In the private sector, renewable energy project applications and commencements have also led in the civil engineering space. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/10/26/ConstructionOverview.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/10/26/ConstructionOverview.png" alt="">
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/10/26/CivilEngg.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/10/26/CivilEngg.png" alt="">
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/10/26/ConstbyVal.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/10/26/ConstbyVal.png" alt="">
</body></html>

Cordell charts civil engineering as highly active

<html><body>
A tourist icon of north east Victoria, the five-star resort Villa Gusto, has been listed for private sale with a price tag of $3.85 million as a going concern.
The freehold at <a href="https://dickensrealestate.com.au/3922011/" target="_blank">630 Buckland Valley Road</a> offers a slice of Italy, having been built by Italophile Colin McLaren who took inspiration from the grand lakeside villas and hilltop homes and resorts of northern Italy to create a unique and indulgent country property. 
McLaren was an ex-Victoria Police detective-turned-author.
Its features include Glenrowan granite stone, reclaimed timbers and the classics of marble, internal fittings like hand woven tapestries, artworks and distinctive finishes and fine detailing.
It with its distinctive buildings and all operating facilities is offered for sale on a walk-in walk out basis creating multiple options or choices for a new owner. 
The property has been listed by Ben and Kirsten Edwards having upgraded Villa Gusto’s services, but now want to part with it for personal reasons.
The resort was used solely for Fiat Chrysler Australia's marketing operations since 2013, but the company ended its contract with Ben Edwards's company Vinfinity in 2015. 
The listing agents are DRE Business Brokers, a division of the property agency Dickens Real Estate in Bright. The marketing is being handled by Gerald Gray.
Villa Gusto is offered for private sale in full operational mode or on an effective going concern basis save for some heirloom family items that the vendors wish to retain.
Its features include:
<ul>
<li>a freehold of 5,416 sqm (almost an acre and a half) with bitumen road access that is 12.7 kms from Bright, even closer at 6.8 kms from the delightful village of Porepunkah on the Great Alpine Road with also a local aerodrome.</li>
<li>two buildings housing seven comfortable accommodation units supported by a full commercial kitchen with its own walk-in cool room.</li>
<li>the half circular shape of the Grand Palazzo central entry building faces to the west to give idyllic views and sunsets, across to Mount Buffalo</li>
<li>a solar-heated swimming pool that measures 14 by 8 metres and is edged in Travertine limestone with timber decks, pool furniture and is managed by a European BioTop filtration system.</li>
<li>a separate owner’s accommodation — an apartment with space and services of a size that is ideal for a couple with even a small family.</li>
</ul>
There is also a climate-controlled wine room and cellar with a capacity to house 1000 bottles. Ben Edwards is a noted wine reviewer, show judge and previously President of Sommeliers Australia. 
<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/2017/11/1/Dickens1.jpg" alt="">
Services include 60 solar panels of 15 kW capacity on the roof that transmit power back to the grid.
According to the owners, the peak trading period are summer, spring and the autumn months.
“I don’t think we have pushed the accommodation numbers from visitors and travellers through the high and alpine country so this potential remains to be tapped under new ownership”.
“We are offering the property and business for sale with all operational facilities in place, forward bookings and a complete IT operating software system and website,” Gray said.
</body></html>

Villa Gusto in the Buckland Valley via Bright is for sale

<html><body>
Banning foreign property speculators has been laid out in New Zealand Labour's 100-day plan, which meant legislation is likely to be passed before Christmas.
The ban will trigger higher interest in Australian property by wealthy buyers from China, the USA and Europe.
<div id="story-description">
New Zealand Prime Minister-elect Jacinda Ardern says she wants to ban overseas buyers from purchasing existing homes as prices grow more unaffordable for local residents.
</div>
The rise in New Zealand house prices over recent years has been fuelled by strong immigration, low interest rates and limited housing supplies.
“We have agreed on banning the purchase of existing homes by foreign buyers,” she said, specifying that the new rules only applied to non-residents.
They also have plans around farmland and other critical infrastructure, she added.
Anti-immigration campaigner Winston Peters, whose support was crucial for Ardern to form a ruling coalition, said it sent a message that New Zealand was “no longer for sale”.
A recent survey by property consultants Knight Frank found annual house price growth in New Zealand was 10.4 percent. 
The median price for residential property in Auckland is $845,000, according to data from the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand.
 
</body></html>

New Zealand ban on foreigners buying homes will increase Australian acquisitions

<html><body>
Guest Observer
Consumer expectations for house prices have softened slightly in recent months.
The Westpac Melbourne Institute Consumer House Price Expectations Index has fallen about 2.5% between July and Oct, allowing for seasonal fluctuations.
At just over 140, the index still shows price expectations in firmly positive territory, well comfortably above its long run avg of 127.
Of those with a view, nearly 60% expect prices to rise over the next year, 26% expect no change and 15% expect price falls – a net proportion expecting prices to rise of 43%.
Our analysis suggests Oct is a slight seasonal low for expectations (markets tend to cool heading into year end as sellers look to transact before the off season and buyers dry up).
The state breakdown shows a sharper pull back in price expectations in NSW, where the market slowdown has been more pronounced. The shift in expectations suggests the moderation will carry into year end and early 2017.
In contrast, price expectations have continue to rally strongly in WA.
Despite ongoing price slippage in the Perth market, consumer price expectations have swung from clear pessimism to what now looks to be reasonably robust optimism.
While the state market clearly still faces significant headwinds – not least of all a large overhang of vacant dwellings – the sentiment preconditions for a recovery look to be coming into place.
Read the full report: <a href="https://westpaciq.westpac.com.au/wibiqauthoring/_uploads/file/Australia/2017/October/WestpacRedBookOctober2017.pdf" target="_blank">Westpac Red Book October 2017 (378kb)</a>.
 <img src="https://westpaciq.westpac.com.au/wibiqauthoring/_uploads/image/The_Red_Book/Red_Book_bites/Redbook-bite-20171023-6.jpg" alt="">
<h2 class="Textspacebefore"> Matthew Hassan is senior economist with <a href="https://www.westpac.com.au/" target="_blank">Westpac</a>.
</h2>
</body></html>

Consumer house price expectations soften: Westpac's Matthew Hassan

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVER
The “great Australian dream” of owning your own home is rapidly proving to be an illusion for many in the early 21st century.
In an environment of exceedingly high house prices, groups who don’t have secure, long-term employment are at risk of homelessness, particularly as they age. Single, older women are one such group at increasing risk of being homeless.
While housing policy has neglected this area of concern, recent work is beginning to highlight this gap. Most research has been done in metropolitan areas, but women living in regional Australia merit attention too.
In our study of 47 older women who do not own homes in regional New South Wales nearly all were living on low incomes. Their housing ranged from dingy hotel rooms and makeshift sheds or shacks to rundown flats or housing in regional towns. Only a few lived in reasonable circumstances, including community housing.
We discovered that the women had clear ideas about what sort of housing would suit them as they age. For all of them, stability and security of tenure were priorities. Other aspects of what these women wanted were perhaps more surprising and differed from research findings on older women living in cities.
Why is housing a problem for these women?
In a recent article, we argued that women’s work and family roles in the last century left them economically disadvantaged. Most had interrupted employment histories, lower status and lower-paid jobs than men.
Research shows that women who don’t have a partner generally suffer greater insecurity when they can no longer work, particularly if they don’t own their own homes.
Many single women now have to contend with a rental market in Australia in which the laws tend to be skewed in favour of landlords. Leases are typically short-term and tenants have little security of tenure. An overheated housing market, which encourages speculative investment, makes this insecurity worse.
To make matters worse, the availability of public housing has fallen.
What are their housing priorities?
Our study of older women in the Northern Rivers region of NSW found that only two participants had never had a partner. All but four had borne children.
Their shared desire for stability and security of tenure is understandable, given most had very disrupted housing histories.
Many worried about what would happen to them. Elizabeth said: "It would be just lovely to be somewhere where I know I could stay until I died."
Agnes thought she might end up “in an old school bus on somebody’s property”.
The women also expressed a strong desire for privacy and independence, which many of them called their “own space”. They wanted to come and go as they please. For instance, Anne just wants her “own little space to be private”.
Many women linked their desire for security, privacy and independence to their age and their gender. Jane, for example, associated wanting her own kitchen space with being a woman.
In contrast to some research on this group in cities, our participants insisted they did not wish to share housing with other women. They spoke quite vehemently at times – Susan would rather live in a tent than share housing.
What was surprising was that nearly all the women wanted some sort of garden, even if it was a tiny space. This was almost as important as their need for security and independence.
Finally, the women wanted to have space to accommodate their grandchildren and pets. They saw their role as being able to provide a base for their family and to nurture their grandchildren. This seems to reflect more traditional notions of women’s caring responsibilities, which were more widespread last century when these women were young.
We know that pets play a significant role in fostering mental and emotional health in older people. We also know that describing pets as family members is part of a broader trend in Australia. In our study, one participant minded the “grand-dogs” when her daughter was away.
A few women even said they would rather be homeless that give up their pet, such was their attachment. But, for many, lack of secure tenure and independence meant they were denied this source of emotional security.
The Victorian government has recently announced changes to tenancy laws that will allow renters to keep pets, as well as improve security of tenure. This is a welcome development for Victorians. It must be hoped it spreads to other states.
Preferences have policy implications
Our study emphasises the housing preferences of a regional cohort. Though the desire for secure tenure may be widespread, some preferences such as the expressed need for a garden may reflect regional values.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/84780/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">If the housing problems that many single, older women experience are to be solved, housing policymakers need to be informed by research about what makes these women’s lives meaningful and productive.
Yvonne Hartman, Lecturer in Politics and Sociology, Southern Cross University and Sandy Darab, Senior Lecturer in Sociology, Southern Cross University
This article was originally published on <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-do-single-older-women-want-their-own-little-space-and-garden-to-call-home-for-a-start-84780" target="_blank">original article</a>.
</body></html>

What single older women want with the great Australian dream

<html><body>
GUEST OBSERVER
On Monday night Four Corners asked Australia to consider “What’s wrong with the NBN?”.
Prior to the episode airing, a lot of the debate focused on the NBN’s business model, and that it may not be profitable.
I, however, am not sure if the financial returns need be our biggest concern when referring to public service and critical infrastructure. My answer to the question “what’s wrong with the NBN?” is quite simple: the NBN is inequitable.
A “train wreck”
This week started with a fiery speech delivered by the Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull. He said the NBN was a mistake, blamed the former Labor government for the set up, and described the NBN’s business model as a “calamitous train wreck”.
Turnbull’s remarks triggered a number of responses, including one from former Labor Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd. He attached responsibility of NBN’s failure to the current government, as they “changed the model completely” compared to the original design.
More broadly, the Four Corners program itself created mixed reactions on social media. It was criticised for being “weak”, and not “challenging enough”, but also praised as “exceptional”.
I find it incredibly frustrating to see a national critical infrastructure project diminished to political ping pong. In my opinion, bipartisan commitment is required in order to deliver an equitable NBN for all Australians.
Inequity from the start
Introduced by Labor, the original NBN was announced in April 2009. The plan was to provide terrestrial fibre network coverage for 93% of Australian premises by the end of 2020, with the remaining 7% served by fixed wireless and satellite coverage. In other words, Labor’s NBN was mainly equitable in terms of the advanced technology adopted across the board.
However, research on the early NBN rollout pointed out the issue of timing. Even under the most optimistic estimations, it was going to take over a decade to build the nation-wide infrastructure. So, there were always questions about who was going to get the infrastructure first, and who had to wait over a decade for a similar service.
The results of the 2013 Federal election changed the fate of the NBN. The elected Coalition government decided the NBN rollout should transition from a primarily fibre-to-premises model to a mixed-technology model.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/175122/original/file-20170622-3031-jt1gt9.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Various/The Conversation, CC BY-D
FTTP = fibre to the premises; FTTN/FFTB = fibre to the node/basement; HFC = Hybrid Fibre-Coaxial
This added to the complexity of the NBN, and created new layers in the inequality concerns around the NBN. In the Coalition’s NBN, many could be waiting quite some years and yet still only receive a lower quality level of access to the service.
Now we’re past the halfway point of NBN delivery, and inequality of the service is clear at two levels.
Large scale
Recent research shows there is a clear digital divide between urban versus regional Australia in terms of access to the NBN. Regional Australia is missing out, both in terms of pace and quality of delivery in the mixed-technology model. This pretty much means that WA and NT are the worst off parts of the nation, because of the spread and dominance of regional and remote communities within them.
“Fine grain” scale
As described on Four Corners, mixed-technology NBN within local government areas and neighbourhoods means some people are better off than others.
Some receive fibre-to-premises service while others have fibre-to-node. The quality of the service also depends on how far someone lives and works from a node, which basically suggests even people on the same fibre-to-nodes service could have varied level of (dis)satisfaction with their internet and phone services.
Research published in 2015 captured some of the frustrations on the ground at the local government level. Differing qualities of internet services available were perceived to have direct implications for local economic development, productivity, and sense of community at the local level.
The two layers of NBN inequality mean that while some customers may be happy with their NBN, many experience a frustrating downgrade of service after moving to the NBN. This may help explain the increase in the number of NBN complaints across the nation.
Let’s start moving forwards
Politicising the NBN and blaming one party over another has been part of the national misfortune around the NBN. But, I believe, the inequality of the NBN is part of a bigger trend in infrastructure decision making in Australia that fails to fully account for the socioeconomic implications. Other examples of this trend are seen in major (controversial) transport projects around the nation (e.g. East West Link in Melbourne, WestConnex in Sydney).
Current and future Australian governments must accept responsibility, and find a way forward for the NBN that is built on the notion of equitable service.
We can start with questions such as who needs the service the most, and who can do the most with it. These two questions refer to the social inclusion and productivity implications of the NBN.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/86221/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">The NBN, as a publicly funded national infrastructure project, has to be equitable to be a truly nation building platform. As long as it is failing some, it is failing us all as a nation.
Tooran Alizadeh, Senior Lecturer, Director of Urban Design, University of Sydney
This article was originally published on <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/turnbulls-government-must-accept-responsibility-for-delivering-an-equitable-nbn-for-all-australians-86221" target="_blank">original article</a>.
</body></html>

Turnbull's government must accept responsibility for delivering an equitable NBN: Tooran Alizadeh

<html><body>
Savills have listed a Melbourne city fringe development opportunity.
Designed by Fender Katsalidis Architects, <a href="https://commercialpropertysearch.savills.com.au/searchdetailplainnew2noborder.aspx?id=05a59360-50c7-e611-80c4-005056816dfc&amp;jt=For%20Sale&amp;com=False&amp;ret=False&amp;ind=False&amp;lan=False&amp;addr=68%20Buckhurst%20Street%20South%20Melbourne%20%20VIC%203205" target="_blank">68 Buckhurst Street</a>, South Melbourne is a mixed use project. 
The near hectare site comes with a newly approved permit for a landmark mixed-use development permit that allows for 1,004 apartments over four towers.
It is listed through Savills agents Benson Zhou, Nick Peden and Jesse Radisich, in conjunction with Colliers.
The 9,478 square metre site has three street frontages bounded by Kerr Street, Buckhurst Street and Gladstone Place, South Melbourne. 
It has view corridors toward CBD/Southbank, Royal Botanic Gardens, and Port Philip Bay.
It was 2014 when the then Minister granted a permit for the proposal, subject to conditions, but the land and permit were later sold.
The subsequent owners then prepared an amended proposal. 
</body></html>

Landmark Fender Katsalidis South Melbourne development site listed

<html><body>
The Babington-Lees family, seeking to capitalise on strong market conditions, have listed a block of 11 units in Edgelicff that they have owned for nearly 80 years.
The art deco building cost £29,000 in 1938, three years after it was built.
The property is expected to fetch about $20 million when expressions of interest close November 30 through CBRE and Ray White.
Eynesbury, at 22 Albert Street, Edgecliff, has a rental return of $690,000 a year.
It includes 10 three-bedroom units each of about 164 square metres each.
There is one 400-square-metre penthouse, with harbour views.
The neighbouring house sold this week when investment banker Scott Malcolm and his wife Jane Taylor secured<a href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/investment-banker-scott-malcolm-sells-edgecliff-trophy-home-for-15-million-20171023-gz65uo/?benref=smh" target="_blank"> $15 million for their trophy home Carmel</a>.
The building was on one title, on a 1296 square metre parcel, which could potentially be converted to strata for onsale.
</body></html>

Eynesbury, the art deco Edgecliff apartment block listed for the first time since 1938

<html><body>
A $120,000 sale has been achieved by mortgagees in Queensland's Moranbah.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-unit-qld-moranbah-126447502" target="_blank">The 26/15 Bacon Street offering</a> was in the Monterey Apartments complex, in the coal district town 804 kilometres north-west of Brisbane.
It last sold at $461,000 in 2011, according to CoreLogic.
The two bedroom, two bathroom modern apartment came with a modern furniture package.
The unit iincludes floor tiles throughout the living areas, carpeted bedrooms, modern window coverings, fully air conditioned, neat and tidy bathrooms.
The body corp fees are $2092.77 per six months including administrative fund, sinking fund and insurance fund.
</body></html>

$120,000 Moranbah mining town mortgagee sale

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