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One third of mortgage owners have less than a month's buffer against financial instability, the Reserve Bank has warned.
The RBA's half-yearly financial stability review, released today, suggested a decline in investor credit could reduce consumption sharply, then trigger a downturn in the market. 
"The concern is that investors are likely to contribute to the amplification of the cycles in borrowing and housing prices, generating additional risks to the future health of the economy," the RBA said.
"Periods of rapidly rising prices can create the expectation of further price rises, drawing more households into the market, increasing the willingness to pay more for a given property, and leading to an overall increase in household indebtedness."
The central bank warned elevated mortgage debt, especially among investors, would see pain felt across the broader economy if high debt, falling house prices, and rising unemployment combined.
It added the banks are well braced for a downturn should it come.
“The risks associated with strong investor credit growth and increased household indebtedness are primarily macroeconomic in nature,” the RBA said.
The RBA was confident that the banks are well capitalised and would ride out an economic downturn.
“Australian banks have continued to reduce exposures to low-return assets and are building more resilient liquidity structures,” it said.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Home borrowers with less than a month in reserve, so Reserve Bank steps up property warnings

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An Kensington house has been sold for $2.530 million.
Located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-kensington-124968462" target="_blank">168 Bellair Street</a>, the former Kensington Property Exchange was constructed in 1891.
The property is an example of architect Edward Owen Hughes with a heavily ornamented façade with pedimented Corinthian pavilions.
It features an octagonal tower on the first floor as well as a ground-floor commercial space suitable for an art gallery, boutique architect’s office or consultation room.
Potential to divide the property into a spacious one-bedroom first-floor apartment and three-bedroom second-floor home is available or you can retain the four-bedroom personal residence across two levels.
Other original features includes antique fireplaces, original hardwood floors, central timber staircase, stained glass windows and statuesque mouldings.
It is located steps to Kensington Station, moments to Flemington Racecourse, and within easy reach of all major amenities in Melbourne CBD.
The property was offered through Pavilion Property Melbourne agents Joe Morabito and John Slavkoski.
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Bellair Street, Kensington house sold for $2.5 million

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Condev Construction and Mirvac have almost completed construction on the $30m Greystone Terraces residential development in Brisbane's Everton Parks residential project in Brisbane.
Greystone Terraces, on the corner of Russell Street and Old Northern Road, will feature 56 two and three bedroom townhouses, with prices starting from $475,000.
Stage one is already sold out and stage two is over 90 percent sold.
Steve Marais, managing director, Condev, said Greystone Terraces have been a challenging and rewarding project.
“Our relationship with Mirvac has blossomed throughout the duration of the project and we’ve worked in partnership to see it eventuate."
Mirvac Development Manager Jacob Foran says Condev was chosen for the project because of their focus on developing high quality products.
<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/2017/04/07/_D4A8040.jpg" alt="">
 
Greystone Terraces puts the value of Condev’s workbook above $200m.
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Condev Construction's Brisbane development close to completion

<html><body>
More emergency services workers negatively gear an investment property than lawyers, the latest Tax Office figures show.
But the data shows these police, firefighters and ambulance officers get half the benefit with an average of $745 compared with $1,500 for lawyers given they earn less.
Analysis of the ATO figures by the Grattan Institute finds the biggest winners from negative gearing are surgeons, who claim an average annual tax benefit of $3,586.
The ATO's annual statistics, released on Wednesday, also showed that the number of landlords stopped growing in 2015, as did the net rental losses claimed.
As mortgage interest rates have fallen, the average net loss on property investment has stabilised at between $8,000 and $10,000 a year. 
Of the nation's 2.05 million landlords, 1.3 million were negatively geared, including 58,000 teachers and one in five police officers, Mr Morrison told an urban development conference earlier this week.
"Two thirds of those taxpayers who negatively gear their investments have a taxable income of $80,000 or less," he said.
Grattan Institute chief executive John Daley pointed out said a higher proportion of doctors and lawyers negatively geared than teachers and nurses.
Not that full-time nurses should be cast as low-income earners, he added.
"If you have two people in a household who are both full-time nurses, actually you're in the top 10 percent of income-earners," he said.
"Those professions are quite well paid," he told Fairfax.
Fewer than 5 per cent of sales assistants, cleaners and hairdressers are negatively geared landlords.
Twenty per cent of lawyers are negatively geared, as are 21 percent of emergency services workers.
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More cops are landlords than lawyers

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NSW apartment buyers will pay higher prices as the prices for services associated with the NSW LPI rise ahead of the new ownership.
The $2.6 billion sell off was announced yesterday.
The LPI service controls land title registration and creating new lots.
Apartment projects with more than 12 apartments or homes are faced with higher pre-development costs.
“The increases which have been implemented are extreme,” NSW Property Council executive director Jane Fitzgerald recently said advising a 150-lot strata plan used to cost about $22,000 to register.
Under the new fees calculated per lot, it will cost $43,050 — almost a 100 percent increase — because of the $287 per lot fee for each lot.
Other examples include a 565-apartment project in Newcastle under construction by the state’s development arm Urban Growth and listed developer GPT, which will be saddled with an extra $347,320 in costs for pre-­examination lodgement and final lodgement and registration of strata and deposited plans.
Under the new fee structure, the developer will pay $473.50 per lot for pre-examination, and then another $287 flat fee, plus $287 per lot for final lodgement or regis­tration of the plans.
There are also fears that home buyers will be needing to take title insurance to safeguard their purchase under the new structure.
Infrastructure fund manager Hastings Funds Management and pension fund First State Super signed a $2.6 billion deal to operate NSW's land titles and registry business.
 
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NSW LPI paperwork costs rise in advance of $2.6bn sale 

<html><body>
Jordan Belfort, the Wolf of Wall Street who gained international fame through a movie portrayal by Leonardo di Caprio, has reportedly inspected a prestige Brisbane home.
Place Agents agent Sarah Hackett has indicated Belfort inspected her recent listing, <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-qld-bridgeman+downs-110427609" target="_blank">58 Retreat Street, Bridgeman Downs</a>.
It is luxurious four-bedroom mansion.
His former Long Island mansion is for sale at a asking $US3.4 million price. 
The Long Island mansion was bought to the big screen in the 2013 film The Wolf of Wall Street starring DiCaprio.
The property was seized from Belfort by the United States Federal government in 2001 in order to help pay back some of the $110 million owed to his victims. 
Belfort inspected the one hectare 58 Retreat Street estate which sold for $4.96 million earlier this month.
The Wall Street Journal reported in 2014 that Belfort was living in Australia.
In 2015 Belfort was working for Brisbane-based training company Fact-to-Face.
Belfort was contacted for comment by Domain without success.
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Jordan Belfort inspects $4.96 million Bridgeman Downs, Brisbane estate

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A Forrest house designed by Canberra’s first residential architect, Kenneth Oliphant, was one of Canberra's biggest weekend sales.
It sold for $2.57 million, having last traded when Ken bought the home for $415,000 in 1995.
The four-bedroom 1940s home at <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.allhomes.com.au/ah/act/sale-residential/24-arthur-circle-forrest-canberra/1317360801611" target="_blank">24 Arthur Circle</a> attracted seven registered bidders and five parties placed a bid.
Set on 1,350 sqm, the single level home has been reinvented by Ken into a family entertainer.
Separate formal living areas each lead to outdoor areas and an entertainment patio overlooks a swimming pool and spa.
 
 
 
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Kenneth Oliphant Canberra designed home sold

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National Australia Bank (NAB) has announced further changes for residential investor and owner-occupier borrowers.
The rate for NAB’s 1 Year Package Fixed Rate for Residential Investment Home Loan has risen to 4.29 percent p.a. for principal and interest repayments.
For the 1 Year Package Fixed Rate for Interest Only Residential Investment Home Loan, rates changed to 4.39 percent p.a.
Fixed rates for all other interest only owner occupier and interest only residential investment loans increased by 0.10 percent p.a. 
“We are operating within a dynamic financial, economic and regulatory environment, and it’s important that we regularly review our pricing and policy measures across all of our home loan products to ensure we continue to lend responsibly,” a spokesperson from NAB told Australian Broker.
The changes made to our fixed rates on Friday 7 April 2017 apply to new loan accounts only.
Throughout March and the beginning of April, the Mozo website saw a spate of interest rate hikes from 40 lenders, including all four of the big banks.
"Investors were hammered in this round of increases, with rates rising an average of 0.19% on principal and interest loans, and 0.23% on interest only," Steve Jovcevski at Mozo noted.
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NAB lifts fixed rates for new borrowers

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Peterborough is the cheapest locality in South Australia to purchase a house, according to Investar’s latest report.
The property investment firm says that houses in Peterborough can be purchased at around a $110,000 median.
This is followed by Coober Pedy with $119,000 and Port Pirie with $139,000.
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"><tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="106">
Suburb
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
Postcode
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
Bedrooms
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
Current median price
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="106">
Peterborough
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
5422
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
3
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
$110,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="106">
Coober Pedy
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
5723
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
2
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
$119,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="106">
Port Pirie
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
5540
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
2
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
$139,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="106">
Port Augusta
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
5700
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
2
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
$160,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="106">
Bordertown
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
5268
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
3
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
$162,500
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="106">
Millicent
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
5280
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
2
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
$165,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="106">
Naracoorte
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
5271
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
2
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
$170,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="106">
Whyalla Stuart
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
5608
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
3
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
$179,500
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="106">
Whyalla
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
5600
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
2
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
$182,000
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="106">
Davoren Park
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
5113
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
3
</td>
<td valign="top" width="106">
$182,500
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
A three bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-sa-peterborough-124488466" target="_blank">82 Kitchener Street</a>, Peterborough (above) has been listed for $107,000.
Similarly a three bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-sa-peterborough-124753342" target="_blank">57 Wright Street</a>, Peterborough (below) has been listed for $116,000.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/04/12/57%20Wright%20Street.jpg" alt="">
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Peterborough cheapest South Australia locality for houses: Investar

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An elevated cottage house at Regency Downs in Queensland has been sold for $210,000, one of the cheapest across the weekend.
Located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-regency+downs-124912082" target="_blank">64 Cricket Road</a>, the property is set on a one acre block.
A frame style timber cottage it consists of a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and lounge room downstairs.
Two bedrooms with air conditioning are located upstairs.
Front verandah offers views to the north of Lockyer Valley.
Other features of the property include two steel sheds.
Set minutes from the growing Plainland precinct and shops, it was last sold in 2010 for $276,000.
The property was offered through Elders Real Estate agent Darryl Muckert.
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Regency Downs, Queensland cottage house sold for $210,000

Apartment buyers in New South Wales are set to gain a decade of insurance-backed protection against major building defects, after the NSW Parliament passed the Fair Trading and Building Legislation Amendment Bill 2026.&nbsp;

The Bill establishes decennial defect insurance, known in the market as Latent Defects Insurance (LDI), as an alternative to the existing two-year strata building bond. It cleared the Legislative Council with amendments on Tuesday evening (August 4, 2026), with the Legislative Assembly agreeing to those amendments shortly after.

Under the reform, eligible developers can satisfy their statutory bond obligation by taking out an approved decennial-style policy that gives owners 10 years of cover for major structural defects from completion, claimable directly, without first having to pursue developers or builders through costly legal action.&nbsp;

The change forms the final tranche of amendments arising from the 2021 statutory review of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 and related legislation.

Resilience Insurance, which originated the cover in Australia and has delivered it in NSW since 2022, welcomed the passage and credited the NSW Government for delivering it.

“This is protection apartment buyers have needed for a long time, and the credit for delivering it belongs to the NSW Government,”&nbsp;said Corey Nugent, CEO of Resilience Insurance.

“Minister Chanthivong and his team have shown real leadership in replacing an outdated two-year bond with cover that matches the lifespan of the buildings people are buying into. Reform like this is what good, evidence-based regulation looks like.”

Resilience has delivered LDI in NSW since 2022, protecting thousands of apartments, giving the State, and now the country, real-world evidence of how decade-long, no-fault protection works in practice.

The reform also places NSW within a wider national shift.

NSW is the third jurisdiction to put decennial cover into law. The ACT legislated for it in 2024, with the scheme taking effect in late 2025, and Victoria passed its own framework on 17 June. Between them, the three cover the majority of Australia's apartment market.

The reform commences once the legislation is proclaimed, which is expected in the coming weeks. From that point, developers of Class 2 residential apartment buildings can meet their statutory obligation with an approved decennial policy in place of the bond.

Buyers who purchased into projects that took out the cover early are among the first in the country to take keys to apartments carrying decade-long structural protection.

“With the legislation passed, the focus now turns to making it work for buyers,”&nbsp;Nugent said.

“There are already thousands of apartments in NSW covered by this insurance, bought by developers who moved early. The question every buyer should be asking in a display suite is a simple one: does this building come with 10-year defect cover, and who stands behind it?&nbsp;

“We look forward to working with the Government and the Building Commission in coming weeks as the framework moves to implementation, and to sharing what we have learned over the past four years so the protection reaches owners as smoothly and quickly as possible.”

Other states are working through their own reform programs. Western Australia has indicated that decennial cover is within consideration a later stage of its reform sequence, and Queensland has been examining the settings as it looks at the development pipeline ahead of the 2032 Olympics.

Resilience Insurance acknowledges the NSW Government’s continued focus on strengthening consumer protection while supporting housing delivery across the State.

Fast Facts: What the reform means

<ul style="color:#222222; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:small; font-style:normal; font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-weight:400; text-align:start; white-space:normal; background-color:#ffffff; text-decoration-thickness:initial; text-decoration-style:initial; text-decoration-color:initial">
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Proven at scale:&nbsp;Decennial cover has operated in NSW since 2022, protecting thousand of apartments.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">10 years of cover:&nbsp;Protection for major structural defects runs for a decade from completion, claimable directly and with no legal action required.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">An alternative to the bond:&nbsp;Eligible developers can meet their statutory obligation with an approved decennial-style policy in place of the 2% strata building bond.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Part of a national shift:&nbsp;The ACT has had decennial provisions in force since 2025 and Victoria passed its framework in June. NSW now joins them.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">No-fault, first resort:&nbsp;Owners corporations claim directly from the insurer without first having to establish who is liable for the defect.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Cost-competitive:&nbsp;At approximately 1.8% of build cost, LDI is typically priced below the 2% bond while offering broader, longer protection.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Market position:&nbsp;Resilience originated LDI in Australia and has delivered it in NSW since 2022.</li>
</ul>

Fast Facts: What is Resilience LDI?

<ul style="color:#222222; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:small; font-style:normal; font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-weight:400; text-align:start; white-space:normal; background-color:#ffffff; text-decoration-thickness:initial; text-decoration-style:initial; text-decoration-color:initial">
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Resilience Latent Defects Insurance (LDI):&nbsp;Covers major structural defects for 10 years from completion.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Consumer-first:&nbsp;Direct claim access, no need for lengthy legal action.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Cost advantage:&nbsp;At approximately 1.8% of build cost, LDI is typically priced below the traditional 2% Strata Bond while offering broader protection.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Market leader:&nbsp;&nbsp;Resilience Insurance originated LDI in Australia and is the national market leader.</li>
</ul>

Joel Robinson

NSW parliament passes 10-year defect insurance laws for new apartment buyers

Builder-developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mcnab-developments">McNab</a> has wasted little time reshaping one of South Brisbane's most significant undeveloped apartment sites after acquiring the property earlier this year.&nbsp;

McNab has lodged plans to scrap an existing approval for two 30-storey towers and instead deliver a single 28-storey residential building, preserving part of the site for a future development opportunity.

The proposal, lodged over <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/64-peel-street-south-brisbane-qld-4101">64 Peel Street and 9 Cordelia Street</a>, is for a residential-led mixed-use development comprising 124 apartments above a landscaped podium, alongside a boundary realignment that preserves part of the land for a future residential project.

<img alt="First look: McNab resets decade-old South Brisbane approval with 124-apartment tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="743bf564-3f8f-45fc-b8d3-bbf18f5b628f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/mcnab%20Peel%20st%20podium.png?VersionId=EhCxGrVn_VFH3qTbKnI4WppGwaMnOn0t" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hayball">Hayball</a>, the development will deliver 119 two-bedroom and five three-bedroom apartments across 23 residential levels. A five-level podium will accommodate 135 car spaces, while the ground floor will include a 66 sqm commercial tenancy, an activated residential lobby with work-from-home spaces, and a publicly accessible landscaped plaza linking Cordelia and Peel streets.&nbsp;

Communal amenities will span Level 6 and the rooftop, including indoor and outdoor recreation spaces, a swimming pool, barbecue facilities, kitchen and dining areas, lawn space, sauna, steam room and yoga facilities.

The application also proposes a boundary realignment to create a standalone 1,290 sqm development lot while retaining an adjacent parcel for future redevelopment, allowing the balance of the site to contribute additional housing over time.

Hayball said the architecture has been shaped by the site's elevated corner position at the intersection of Peel and Cordelia streets and Brisbane's subtropical climate.

The design incorporates generous landscaped setbacks, a masonry podium wrapped with planting, large north-facing balconies, and a slender tower profile intended to maximise natural light, cross ventilation and long-range views. The rooftop has been conceived as a wellness-focused retreat overlooking Brisbane, with amenities positioned to capture views towards Mount Coot-tha and the CBD.

<img alt="First look: McNab resets decade-old South Brisbane approval with 124-apartment tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c5f99e84-6ad8-4a87-82d1-869685b754d2" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/mcnab%20tower%20perspective.png?VersionId=Gw0IuJaSAlk.tvGBxInhZOcQAdIB..2b" />

The planning submission positions the proposal as a response to both changing market conditions and Brisbane's Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct planning reforms.

McNab acquired the site after the previous approval was granted, with the existing scheme no longer reflecting current residential market demands, economic conditions, construction challenges, construction efficiencies or the quality of development outcome now being pursued, the planning report noted.

McNab continues to expand its residential development pipeline across Brisbane and the Gold Coast. The developer recently launched The Tannery in West End, securing more than 60 per cent of apartments before the project's public release. It is also delivering Elements Budds Beach in Surfers Paradise and Lucia Highgate Hill, an eight-apartment boutique development overlooking the Brisbane River.

McNab resets decade-old South Brisbane approval with 124-apartment tower

A steeply sloping Bellevue Hill site is set to accommodate a new mid-rise apartment development, with plans lodged for 20 homes that respond to the site's dramatic topography.

The proposal for the consolidated land at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/138a-140-bellevue-road-bellevue-hill-nsw-2023">138A-140 Bellevue Road</a> has been designed by Sydney architecture practice Common Office, which has used the site’s substantial fall to distribute the building’s scale and unlock 20 apartments without presenting the full height to the street.&nbsp;

“The unique design strategy leverages the site’s substantial topographical fall to facilitate increased density, presenting a seven-storey profile to Bellevue Road while rising to 10 storeys at the rear,” Common Office said in its architectural design report.

The apartment mix spans one, two, three- and four-bedroom residences. Four two-bedroom apartments are designated as affordable housing, while the plans also include two adaptable dwellings. The mix is majority three-beds, with the typical three-bed apartment offering around 144 sqm internally, with balconies of around 15 sqm.

The affordable housing component represents 15 per cent of the residential floor area and allows the project to access additional height and floor space under the NSW Government’s in-fill affordable housing provisions. The site also falls within the inner area of the Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy because it is within 400 metres walking distance of Double Bay Town Centre.

<img alt="First Look: Plans lodged for topography-led affordable housing project in Bellevue Hill" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1230d0f-3bfa-4a11-abaf-0928c66ef345" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Bellevue%20da.png?VersionId=dZeMK3P.OutGjN8ycjsxm8uNsj_QFWQv" />

Common Office has arranged the building around a masonry podium and a lighter upper volume, drawing on two recurring elements of Bellevue Hill’s established architecture: sandstone bases and the vertical proportions of local Inter-war Art Deco apartment buildings.

“The proposal is governed by a holistic design language that reconciles the solid horizontal masonry of the neighbourhood’s podiums with the elegant verticality of its Art Deco heritage,” the architect said.

“The building maintains a consistent rhythmic logic utilising deep recesses and a sophisticated material transition to break down the 10-storey scale into a series of articulated, human-scale volumes.”

<img alt="First Look: Plans lodged for topography-led affordable housing project in Bellevue Hill" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0147f503-1af1-4d51-97fb-c2f1cba63a9d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Bellevue%20bldg.png?VersionId=GoW7q3NlK67OpnePXhk7zvklrlKb72Qc" />

Large-format sandstone tiles will define the lower levels, establishing a robust base that negotiates the change in elevation from Bellevue Road. Above, red-tinted precast concrete frames, recessed balconies, anodised aluminium screens and expanded metal details will create a more vertically expressed façade. Integrated planter beds will introduce greenery across balcony edges and recessed sections of the building.

The elongated northern façade has been divided into three recessed vertical masses to reduce its perceived length. Triangular window elements and metal privacy screens reference the geometry of nearby Art Deco buildings while controlling overlooking toward surrounding homes. The southern elevation will incorporate further privacy screening, landscaped edges and deep balconies to maintain light and ventilation.

<img alt="First Look: Plans lodged for topography-led affordable housing project in Bellevue Hill" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e8679cf1-18bc-4447-8a0f-0052b94ab83c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Bellevue%20da%20rooftop.png?VersionId=5SQqQqRFf76rvE2p1TbxJSweMN70AIbc" />

Private and communal landscaping is distributed throughout the development. A landscaped garden apartment is positioned within the lower portion of the site, while a communal terrace on Level 5 will include a central timber deck, barbecue facilities, resident planting plots and areas for outdoor dining and informal gatherings.

Common Office described the terrace as an elevated sanctuary designed to capture district views and sunlight. Its planting strategy incorporates endemic species associated with the Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub, extending the landscape vertically through the building and providing habitat for local flora and fauna.

A second communal outdoor area is proposed at roof level, with built-in seating, paved gathering areas and perimeter planting.

Bellevue Hill is enjoying renewed momentum in the new apartment market, with several boutique developments recently launched and currently under construction. Positive Investment Enterprise is delivering the 16-apartment Kew Palm House on Birriga Road, while Chanine Developments is also under construction at Florian, a 36-apartment project on Banksia Road.

&nbsp;

Bellevue Hill is enjoying renewed momentum in the new apartment market, with several boutique developments recently launched and currently under construction.

First Look: Apartment development pitched for Bellevue Hill, Double Bay fringe

South Brisbane's apartment pipeline continues to build momentum, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/trk-property-group">TRK Property Group</a> lodging plans for a 161-apartment tower on Montague Road as developers accelerate investment across the Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct.

The proposal for 176–186 Montague Road would replace an existing office building with a 20-storey residential tower designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, adding to a growing pipeline of high-density projects reshaping one of Brisbane's fastest-evolving inner-city precincts.

The project has been conceived as a "living building", featuring a flowing tower form, extensive vertical landscaping, and generous communal spaces that respond to the evolving Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct.

TRK Property Group Development Director Matt Kan said the project reflected the confidence developers have in South Brisbane's long-term future.

"South Brisbane is entering an incredibly exciting period, and we see Montague Road sitting right at the heart of that evolution," Kan said.

"With the former Visy site directly opposite us and significant investment planned throughout the broader Kurilpa precinct, there is a real sense of momentum around this part of the city and what it will become over the coming years.

"For TRK, this is an opportunity to be part of that next chapter and deliver a project that responds to where the precinct is heading, while contributing to the continued evolution of Brisbane's river edge."

<img alt="First look: TRK Property joins South Brisbane apartment surge with Montague Road tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="590fe1ad-f892-4446-a679-80e33a16d029" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/TRK%20tower%20facade.png?VersionId=uOJStrcKpyHFcPE1w6_9SMAFzVMCcZll" />

The scheme includes a mix of one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments, incorporating multi-purpose rooms in selected residences to provide additional flexibility for home offices or expanded living areas. The proposed mix comprises 15 one-bedroom, 13 one-bedroom plus MPR, 73 two-bedroom, 26 two-bedroom plus MPR, 30 three-bedroom, and four four-bedroom apartments.

Rather than adopting a conventional rectilinear tower, COX Architecture has developed a sculpted form inspired by the movement of the Brisbane River.

"The proposal has been designed by COX Architecture as a 'living building' that responds to the site's riverine setting, floodplain history and evolving urban context within the Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct," the planning report states.

"The architectural form draws from the fluid nature of the Brisbane River, with a curved and undulating tower form that creates a varied architectural edge and avoids a conventional rectilinear tower expression."

The podium has also been designed as an architectural feature rather than a conventional parking structure, with cascading planting, screening and natural-toned materials softening its appearance. Resident parking is elevated above ground level to address the site's flood constraints, while habitable apartments sit above flood planning levels. Upper-level communal facilities are designed to accommodate shelter-in-place arrangements during major flood events.

<img alt="First look: TRK Property joins South Brisbane apartment surge with Montague Road tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="01fa15d0-90df-46c7-9555-7941fc45373c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/TRK%20podium.png?VersionId=mHyua.w1pHGBt9qEdWzrlsv.leztUCwO" />

Communal amenity is a major focus of the proposal. Around 1,815 sqm of shared resident space is proposed across the ground floor, level 19 and the rooftop, including co-working areas, indoor and outdoor recreation spaces, wellness facilities, dining and gathering areas, lawn spaces, a rooftop pool and spa, and extensive landscaping. At street level, a landscaped forecourt and approximately 345 sqm of publicly accessible open space along Montague Road are intended to improve the pedestrian experience while activating the building's frontage.

The development will provide 163 car spaces, including 152 resident bays and 11 visitor spaces, together with 144 bicycle spaces incorporating resident storage, visitor parking, bicycle maintenance facilities and e-mobility charging infrastructure.

The site sits within one of Brisbane's fastest-changing inner-city precincts, less than two kilometres from the CBD and within easy reach of South Bank, West End, the Queensland Cultural Centre and extensive public transport connections. The Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct planning framework is encouraging higher-density residential development to help meet Brisbane's housing supply targets while supporting walkable, transit-oriented neighbourhoods.

TRK Property joins South Brisbane apartment surge with Montague Road tower plans

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]

Staff reporter

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