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There was competitive bidding at a mortgagee auction in Camberwell of a residential development site.
Nine would-be buyers fought for two partially-built townhouses at <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/23-acheron-avenue-camberwell-vic-3124-2013430639" target="_blank">23 Acheron Avenue</a>.
They pushed the sale price more than $750,000 over reserve.
The 975-square-metre block with existing plans and potential to redevelop sold for $3,451,000.
The buyers will also have to pay GST because of the nature of the sale.
Auctioneer Bernard Corser, of Corser Property, declared it on the market at $2.7 million.
Jellis Craig’s Mark Pezzin, who sold the property in conjunction with Corser Property, said the strong result came as here was a lack of quality stock.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Camberwell residential development site sale

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AstraZeneca Australia, an arm of global biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, has ‘zoned in’ its employees, literally, at its new Macquarie Park offices.
The firm’s adoption of agile-based working is founded on specialised work ‘zones’, four at the moment, with each catering to different styles of working and collaborating with other people.
The concept was by design firm Futurespace, whose managing director Angela Ferguson said, “We designed the four zones to liberate workers from the desk bound experience.”
The new 3,000 sqm office gives AstraZeneca Australia’s 200 office-based employees the option to work in four ‘zones’:
The Unplugged Zone – this area is characterised by highly interactive management activities.
The Connected Zone – this is a stimulating environment, where employees engage with colleagues and visitors and includes formal meeting spaces, conference rooms with video conferencing and audio-visual systems, as well as collaborative spaces.
The Base Zone – is at the heart of the office and includes open plan work areas, private work areas, project areas and informal meeting areas.
It acts as the primary space for individuals and teams to carry out their core activities throughout the working day.
The Virtual Zone – this zone isn’t a physical zone, but is the integrated technology overlaid in and out of the workplace for employees. It is designed to allow employees greater mobility, both in and out of the office.
<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/2017/03/20/image003.jpg" alt="">
“Sitting at the same desk all day does not promote productivity, health and wellbeing, or collaboration,” said Ferguson.
“However, it is just as troublesome to have employees work wherever they want without having the correct design infrastructure in place. That is why the ‘zones’ are effective.”
She said that “each zone was designed to facilitate different styles of working, whether it’s informal chats over coffee, structured team meetings or focused individual work”. 
Another standout feature being rolled out includes wi-fi technology that will allow staff with no assigned seating to locate each other within the large building at any time, enhancing collaboration.
The planning also involved features such as use of timber to create warmth, plenty of natural lighting, indoor greenery, and a multi-purpose open area where employees can have lunch and meetings.
<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/2017/03/20/image005.jpg" alt="">
The ‘zones’ are consistent with AstraZeneca’s global workplace strategy, called “iwork”, which outlines a more agile way of working.
“iWORK, agile- based working environments, is the future of AstraZeneca’s workplaces,” said Paul Spittle, country president AstraZeneca Australia and New Zealand.
“The amount of impromptu conversations in passing I now have with people from all across the business, how I can walk past an open meeting space and stumble across a cool piece of work one of the teams is doing, which I otherwise would never have seen. It’s changed the dynamic of the business totally.”
The ‘energy’ of the new office will also help the company attract and retain talent, concludes Kimberly Elliott, director of People, Capabilities and Sales Operations. 
 
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AstraZeneca Australia's new, agile office uses ‘zones’ to keep staff engaged 

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Property sale numbers increased slightly Brisbane's fringes in the past three months, while sales figures showed a significant rise, according to CoreLogic’s latest Brisbane Fringe Cityscope.
The property data firm says that the last three months to the beginning of February 2017 recorded 37 sales for a total of $313.1 million.
This consists of  $262.6 million for commercial, $3 million for commercial strata, $3.5 million for retail, $7.4 million for retail strata and $36.7 million for other.
In comparison, the last three months to the beginning of November 2016 recorded 31 sales for a total of $88.8 million.
This consists of $4.6 million for commercial, $9.9 million for commercial strata, $1.6 million for retail, $66.9 million for retail strata and $5.8 million for other.
The 12 months leading up to early February 2017 recorded 128 sales for a total of more than $728.2 million, over $80 million more than the same time last year.
The table below shows sales recorded for the past eight updates of Brisbane Fringe Cityscope:
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/15/Corelogic-5.jpeg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/02/15/Corelogic-5.jpeg" alt="">
Together the top sales recorded this quarter total over $181 million, these sales include:
<ul>
<li>Kings Row Office Park, 40-52 McDougall Street, Milton, comprising multiple office buildings between two and six storeys and over 400 car parks, was bought for $94.9 million  by Shayher Alliance Pty Limited. The buildings were constructed between 1989 and 1996. Anthony Ott and Peter Chapple of Savills Brisbane negotiated the sale.</li>
<li>33 Park Road, Milton, a four-storey office building, was sold with a residential building at 14 Gordon Street (not covered by Cityscope) for $48.2 million  to Wholesale Australian Property Fund. The sale represented an initial yield of 7.37% on passing income of over $3.55 million. Peter Court and Mike Walsh from JLL Brisbane sold the property in conjunction with Seb Turnbull and Luke Billiau of CBRE Brisbane.</li>
<li>200 Creek Street, formerly known as Medtronic House, a ten-storey office building with basement car parking, sold in January 2017 for $38.7 million to Sentinel Regional Office Trust. The sale represented an initial yield of 9.58% on passing income of over $3.7 million. Luke Billiau and Seb Turnbull of JLL Brisbane sold the property in conjunction with Peter Court and Mike Walsh from JLL Brisbane.</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/15/Corelogic-6.jpeg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/02/15/Corelogic-6.jpeg" alt="">
Properties for sale include:
<ul>
<li>337 Water Street, Fortitude Valley – a two-storey, 320 sqm office building with six car parks. For sale with an asking price of $1.65 million; agent, Cushman &amp; Wakefield Brisbane (Sam Callanan and Michael Gard).</li>
<li>12 Cribb Street, Milton – a five-storey office building with basement car parking. For sale by expressions of interest; agents, Savills Brisbane (Peter Chapple and Nick Russell) and JLL Brisbane (Christian Sandstrom and Sam Bryne). The property was initially advertised with an approximate fully leased income of over $1.55 million net (as at December 1, 2016)</li>
<li>John Oxley Centre, 337A Coronation Drive, Milton – a U-shaped building with five storeys of offices and two levels of basement car parking for 319 vehicles. For sale by expressions of interest; agents, JLL Brisbane (Seb Turnbull and Geoff McIntyre) and CBRE Brisbane (Bruce Baker and Flint Davidson).</li>
</ul>
Properties under contract (conditional or unconditional) include:
<ul>
<li>Green Square South Tower, 505 St Pauls Terrace, Fortitude Valley – a four-storey building with ground floor retail space and upper level office space. Due diligence is being conducted by AXA Investments Managers; agents, Colliers International Brisbane (Tom Barr and Don MacKenzie) and Colliers International Melbourne (John Marasco).</li>
<li>164 Wharf Street, Spring Hill – a three-level office building comprising two levels of offices above ground floor car parking. Under conditional contract; agent, Savills Brisbane (Jack Morrison and Nick Russell).</li>
<li>100 McLachlan Street, Fortitude Valley – a four-storey commercial building completed in late 2013 as stage 3 of the M&amp;A development. Under contract for $30 million to an offshore purchaser; agent, Cushman &amp; Wakefield (Nick Spiro). The sale represented a yield of 6%.</li>
</ul>
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Brisbane fringe property sales numbers edged up over past three months: Cityscope

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The UK commercial property investment markets were already past their peak in both pricing and volume terms a year ago, and the result on the referendum on EU membership has arguably done little to change the trend, according to Savills’ latest report.
Confidence was definitely rocked in the third quarter of 2016, but by the end of last year there was acceptance that Brexit is a long process, rather than a one-hit event.
What has changed since the referendum is the make-up of investors that are active in the UK, with less activity by institutions and a sharp rise in demand from overseas private investors.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/21/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-21%20at%207.03.04%20pm.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/02/21/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-21%20at%207.03.04%20pm.jpg" alt="">
Many investors have been attracted by the weakening of the pound, and at present this is seen as enough to compensate for a perceived increase in occupational risk.
Overall, our predictions for 2017 and beyond are investment volumes are expected to trend downwards towards £50 billion per annum, with a swing away from opportunistic deals to income-security plays.
Yields are expected to rise in most sectors, though the stable debt market, low vacancy rates, and global investor demand is expected to put a lower ceiling on prime yields than was reached during the GFC.
Brexit definitely carries a risk of creating a sustained period of occupier uncertainty, but to some degree this should be balanced by lower levels of development activity.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/21/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-21%20at%207.03.12%20pm.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/02/21/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-21%20at%207.03.12%20pm.jpg" alt="">
However, until some clarity emerges as to how Britain will exit from the EU, the real impact on the UK market will be hard to quantify.
“We expect investment volume in Continental Europe in 2017 to be similar to that of 2016,” the report stated.
Although interest rates are expected to rise to 1.16% in the Eurozone, the property market should remain high on investors’ radar.
“In France, Germany and the Netherlands, where elections will be held, we expect a wait and see attitude by some investors during the first half of the year,” the report stated.
However, the prevailing story regarding core countries is the lack of prime product.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/21/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-21%20at%207.03.21%20pm.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/02/21/Screen%20Shot%202017-02-21%20at%207.03.21%20pm.jpg" alt="">
At the other end of the spectrum, prime yields in non-core countries are still above the European average, offering more attractive returns and yield compression potential.
This is especially so in countries like Spain and Italy where strong property fundamentals combined with the availability of portfolio opportunities are attracting foreign investors.
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Little change in the United Kingdom commercial property market despite Brexit: Savills

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Property yields will continue to compress before bottoming in the second half of 2017, according to CBRE’s latest report.
The rate of compression in H117 differs between sectors and markets.
Bond yields are expected to rise in 2017 but with property risk premiums currently high there is room to absorb higher bond yields before property yields start to rise, says CBRE's Asia-Pacific Real Estate Outlook report.
Transaction volumes in Australia (office, retail, industrial and hotels &gt;$5 million) declined 23% from $36.5 billion in 2015 to $28.1 billion in 2016.
The decline in the number of deals was less (18%), meaning that 2016 saw average deal size shrink.
Hotels recorded the largest decline (40%), office and retail declined roughly in line with the average, and industrial declined 9%.
The key contributing factor to the decline in transactions was lower volumes of stock for sale. Investor appetite for Australian real estate remains strong.
The proportion of foreign investors declined from 40% in 2015 to 32% in 2016 but there remains a large pool of overseas capital seeking allocation in Australian real estate assets.
A main factor contributing to less stock being available for sale is that owners are increasingly happy with portfolio weightings, having invested/divested assets in active capital markets since 2012.
Furthermore, recycling capital becomes more difficult as yields approach the bottom of the cycle and there are fewer opportunities to purchase assets.
Figure 22 illustrates the inverse relationship between transaction volumes and prime office yields, noting that the trend in the latter is a reasonable proxy for all property yields.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/22/Figure%2022.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/02/22/Figure%2022.jpg" alt="">
“Our forecast of rising property yields from 2018 is consistent with expectations of lower transaction volumes,” the report stated.
As for 2017, with yields levelling out in the second half, a lack of stock for sale will constrain transaction markets, as was the case in 2016.
Yield compression was recorded in all sectors in 2016 on the back of lower interest rates and continued strong buyer interest.
Compression was strongest in the office and retail sectors, in particular secondary office and large format retail (Figure 23).
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/22/Figure%2023.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/02/22/Figure%2023.jpg" alt="">
“We expect further, albeit moderate, compression before yields bottom in the second half of 2017.
Property risk premiums – approximated by the property yield spread over the interest rate on 10-year Australian Government Bonds – since 2011 have been at a historically high level, primarily due to low interest rates.
Figure 24 illustrates that the spread for Sydney commercial property (office, industrial and retail) has averaged 290bps since 2011.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/22/Figure%2024.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/02/22/Figure%2024.jpg" alt="">
The Sydney market was used in CBRE’s analysis due to it being the most comprehensive dataset; other markets would yield a similar relationship, albeit with higher spreads.
As bond yields have trended downwards since the 1980s, property risk premiums have increased (Figure 24).
In the immediate post-GFC period, property yields blew out to their previous highs but bond yields were marginally lower – property risk premiums increased, which could be expected in the aftermath of an extreme economic shock.
The average spread (for Sydney commercial property) was 183bps.
“We see this spread as being too high in a risk-neutral market, preferring a value around 150bps, which is closer to the 135bps average observed form the late 1990s to December 20015,” the report stated.
The spread is currently around 280bps, meaning that interest rate could rise another 130bps before reaching the 150bps spread.
This is unlikely to happen, of course, but it helps illustrate the point that rising bond yields don’t immediately translate into higher property yields.
Evidence of investors moving up the risk curve can be found in changes in quality and locational compositions of the overall transaction pool.
In terms of asset quality this was apparent in the office and retail sectors, where a higher proportion of sales were secondary grade.
By contrast, the industrial sector saw the proportion of super prime and prime grade assets increase in 2016.
In terms of locational composition, in the office, retail and hotel sectors CBD sales (by number) accounted for 16% of transactions in 2015 but fell to 13% in 2016, meaning that a higher proportion of sales occurred in non-core locations.
On a risk/return basis CBRE’s near-term total return forecasts leads them to expect that investors will retain a geographical preference for the lower risk markets of Sydney and Melbourne, with the former likely to be the only capital city market to achieve total returns above the long term average (Figure 25).
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/02/22/Figure%2025.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/02/22/Figure%2025.jpg" alt="">
While Perth and Brisbane are seen as diversification plays, the near-term outlook for limited growth suggests investors will remain selective.
Yield convergence between high and low yielding real estate in 2016 was most prominent in the office and retail sectors.
This is consistent with these sectors recording a higher proportion of secondary grade transactions.
At the national level, yields on large format retail converged 25bps to (an average of) prime CBD retail and regional shopping centres.
The current spread of 228bps is consistent with the post-1999 average. Yields on secondary offices converged 22bps to prime office yields.
This trend was more pronounced in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. Brisbane, Adelaide and West Perth bucked the trend and saw the secondary yield spread widen.
Nationally, the spread between secondary and super prime industrial was static in 2016. Strong convergence in Sydney was offset by spreads widening in Melbourne and Adelaide.
Secondary spreads for all markets except Sydney are above long-term averages.
The prospects of secondary yield convergence in 2017 will be hindered by rising interest rates and also domestic banks limiting growth in their loan books.
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Bottom of property yield cycle nears: CBRE

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JLL is building up its Queensland property management business, with the leading commercial property management firm recently announcing more residential management rights acquisitions.
The latest management rights JLL acquired are:
<ul>
<li>The Water’s Edge development that includes the two towers, Drift and Reach, at 45 Duncan Street Brisbane, comprising 234 units;</li>
<li>Rise &amp; View Towers, 232 units located in 30 Duncan Street;</li>
<li>Parc &amp; Arbor Towers, 237 units also located in Duncan Street.</li>
</ul>
The six towers take the total number of residential apartments managed by JLL to 1,700 in Queensland.
“Growing and diversifying our large property management business through acquisitions and expansion into new sectors such as residential has progressed very successfully,” JLL’s Australia CEO Stephen Conry. 
The latest addition adds to JLL’s existing Urban Edge in Kelvin Grove, Regatta Apartments in Toowong and the Newstead Series Development.
“JLL enjoys a leadership position in this sector in the UK, North America and Hong Kong, and while the industry works under different structures across the world, and indeed across Australia, it represents a major engine room for growth for the JLL business,” said Conry.
The industry in Australia was previously the mainstay of single operators and is still in its infancy in terms of “truly commercializing the processes and returns for investors”, said JLL’s Queensland head of property management, Brett Stack.
However, with residential requirements changing rapidly, more long-term rent contracts, tenant expectations constantly evolving and multi-tower developments now part and parcel of the landscape, it has become important for real estate firms to have sophisticated IT systems and solutions to maintain their edge, says JLL.
“Given the rapid development of this sector, it represents significant investment potential and part of our business is dedicated to identifying and realising this potential for our clients,” said Stack.
“It is an exciting time to be leading the way in Australia in this area.” 
The expansion program in Queensland is headed up by Stack and Tina Grey, JLL’s head of Residential Management in Queensland.
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JLL expands property management footprint in Queensland as sector grows

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A fully-functioning, owner-operated hotel in the western sector of Melbourne’s CBD has been listed for sale, a welcome move in a market desperate for hotel properties as the city’s hotel occupancy rates hits all-time highs, according to Savills.
Flagstaff City Inn Hotel at 45 Dudley Street is on the market with expectations of more than $18 million. 
The property is being sold on a ‘walk-in, walk-out’ basis with expressions of interest closing April 11.
The hotel makes an income of nearly $1.3 million per annum, and presents the new owner as either a running lucrative hotel business or one with redevelopment play, according to Savills agents Clinton Baxter, Benson Zhou and Jesse Radisich, who are marketing the property.
The two-level hotel contains 42 hotel suites, a restaurant and conference facilities. It occupies 1,304 sqm and is a mixed-use zone.
Located a short walk from Flagstaff Gardens, the property has strong redevelopment potential, judging from the success of a 38-level tower development next door.
"This property has extraordinary potential as an already strongly trading going concern in a hotel market which is in the midst of a severe shortage of stock and a consequent spike in occupancy and room rates,” said Baxter.
"The property‘s potential for redevelopment is perhaps even more exciting given the zoning and the resounding success of other development ventures in this precinct.’’
The record tourism driven hotel sector has seen occupancy rates of near 90 per cent in Melbourne and, with forecasts of further growth in tourism, any investment opportunities which come to the market are much sought after, according to Savills.
<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/2017/03/21/44-55%20Dudley%20St%20aerial.jpg" alt="">
Zhou said the hotel’s close proximity to Melbourne University and Australia’s largest medical precinct, RMIT and the new Halleybury College Campus, would continue to provide a strong catchment for the hotel and likely underpin the viability of any future use, particularly residential use, of the property.
Future development for the site could include high density residential and retail, commercial, student accommodation and hotel uses, added Radisich.
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Melbourne's Flagstaff City Inn expected to fetch upwards of $18 million: Savills

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Blaming booming housing market conditions and also concerns that APRA will further tighten lending standards, the Commonwealth Bank and St George have joined NAB and Westpac in another out-of-cycle increase in mortgage rates for investment and owner-occupier loans.
CBA has raised the standard variable rate on interest-only owner-occupier loans by 25 basis points to 5.47 percent, while principal and interest loans will edge up by 3 basis points.
CBA, which has already tightened investor lending requirements, made the most aggressive push on interest-only investor loans, raising them up by 26 basis points to 5.94 percent.
Late on Friday Westpac-owned St George Bank announced it planned to follow suit with the big four banks and raise its rates.
St George said property investors would see their home loan rates rise by 23 basis points while investors with interest-only loans would see their rates increase by nearly one-third of a percentage point.
Rates for owner-occupiers with interest-only mortgages would go up by eight basis points.
ANZ also raised rates on Friday.
"These changes reflect a need to closely manage our regulatory obligations, our portfolio risk and the competitive environment," said ANZ's group executive for Australia, Fred Ohlsson.
The bank's moves follows similar action from both Westpac and NAB after concerns were again raised by the banking regulator APRA about the need to rein in speculative property lending.
NAB raised its standard variable rate by 7 basis points to 5.32 percent, while investor loans jumped 25 basis points to 5.8 percent.
Westpac moved a more modest 3 basis points on its standard variable loan and 23 basis points on investor loans.
"Investors have been slapped with the biggest rate hikes so far amid growing speculation that APRA will further tighten investor lending standards in another attempt to cool down unsustainable housing prices in Sydney and Melbourne," Mozo director Kirsty Lamont said. 
Commonwealth Bank was among the nation’s banks to hit investors with surprise interest rate hikes made independently of any move in the Reserve bank’s official interest rate.
Some analysts argue rate hikes are piling more risk on to a system.
“There is clear evidence that the macro conditions for Australian house prices are deteriorating,” CLSA analyst Brian Johnson told The Australian.
“This change in sentiment is particularly worrisome, given the extent of Australian housing investors who are willing to tolerate a substantial post-tax negative carry on home loans in anticipation of a future gain,” he said.
“The expectation that house prices are no longer rising in itself could trigger correlated selling from this negative cash flow cohort.”
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CBA raise rates for interest-only loans to 5.94 percent

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Melbourne model Megan Gale has found a buyer for her designer mansion in Aberfeldie.
It took just 26 days for the contemporary five bedder to sell.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/03/27/Screen%20Shot%202017-03-27%20at%2011.23.21%20AM.png" alt="">
It sold through Charlie Bongiovannica at alexcarbon, who sold her the home when she paid $2,375,000 in 2013.
Bongiovannica was seeking offers above $2.5 million.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/03/27/Screen%20Shot%202017-03-27%20at%2011.23.16%20AM.png" alt="">
It's widely anticipated she is likely to upgrade her home in the southern capital, with the news her partner, Richmond ruckman Shaun Hampson, has signed with the club for another two years.
Set near the Maribyrnong River, the modern home with a fully imported Italian kitchen comes with a dedicated theatre room and a large sunken lounge with fireplace.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/03/27/Screen%20Shot%202017-03-27%20at%2011.23.11%20AM.png" alt="">
The lounge transitions to a large undercover alfresco area overlooking a salt-chlorinated, self-cleaning, solar-heated infinity pool.
Late last year the Australia's Next Top Model judge scored $3 million for her former Sydney weekender at Palm Beach.
She had paid $3.2 million in 2006, fresh from a seven-year modelling stint in Italy.
Now the last of the Gale's Perth property portfolio is for sale too.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/03/27/Screen%20Shot%202017-03-27%20at%2011.23.06%20AM.png" alt="">
The Attadale home, south of Perth, is being sold with a guide of $1.3 million through Moncrieff Realty agent Anita Moncrieff. 
Gale also recently signed off on the $515,000 sale of one of the family's properties in her hometown Perth.
The three bedroom home just outside of Fremantle had been in the co-ownership of Megan, mother May and late father Alan since 2005 when they paid $332,000.
This article first appeared in The Weekend Australian's Mansion Australia section. 
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Megan Gale finds buyer for designer Aberfeldie mansion

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A Robin Boyd house with no heritage protection sold after its weekend auction for $1.5 million to lovers of Boyd architecture.
The Blott House at 7 Allambi Road in Chirnside Park, sits on 1965 square metres, so had interest from developers despite its significance.
The Blott House sold through Jellis Craig.
The 1956 home was given three vendor bids between $1.2 million and $1.35 million as interested buyers kept their hands in their pockets.
It sold to a couple from the outer east who plan to maintain the property.
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Robin Boyd-designed home at Chirnside Park sells

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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