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Some 200 affordable housing properties will be developed in the Illawarra suburbs of Berkley and Shellharbour as part of a joint venture between Hyperbuild and BuyAssist Australia, a subsidiary of the National Affordable Housing Consortium (NAHC).
Hyperbuild will develop town houses made from Cross Laminated Timber and will then make them available to BuyAssist Australia eligible buyers who do not have a deposit.
BuyAssist Australia will provide a minimum 20 per ent deposit to the eligible purchases under a regulated loan agreement, with purchasers assisted to obtain a loan for the balance. The deposit is not required to be repaid until after the property is sold or no longer occupied by the owner.
The building process with CLT works by large timber panels craned into place, forming the overall structure.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Making Illawarra housing more affordable

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Teska Carson is marketing a securely leased dental surgery investment at Surrey Hills in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs.
The property will be auctioned on March 29 with expectations it will fetch more than $1.2 million.
The suite 2, 109 Union Road (corner of Windsor Crescent) property comprises a 187 square metre premises.
Zoned Commercial 2, it comes with six car spaces including three underground.
The property is located directly opposite Surrey Hills Railway Station in a modern commercial complex, within the sought after and well-established Surrey Hills shopping village.
Teska Carson’s Tom Maule and Mathew Feld have the listing.
The surgery consists of a spacious reception/waiting room, two surgeries, a sterilisation area.
Two offices, a large storage area, lab area and kitchen/staffroom breakout area are also featured in the property.
The property is currently leased to a longstanding tenant on a five year term with a five year option at $76,784 per annum.
Mr Maule said the property represented an outstanding medical investment in a tightly held location which would continue to see strong capital growth.
"This exceptional investment is positioned in the heart of this inner-eastern, blue chip, location just metres from public transport and within the popular Surrey Hills retail precinct.
It will attract quite a deal of interest based on the location, the secure lease to a well-established, long standing tenant, and the strong potential for capital growth in a much sought after and highly regarded suburb,’’ Mr Maule said.
Mr Feld said the property was an ideal investment for the passive investor looking for an opportunity to add a retail asset to their portfolio.
"Surrey Hills lies within Melbourne’s demographic centre, an area which continues to attract strong residential growth which in turn drives retail and commercial returns.
"The precinct has an excellent tenancy history with little to no vacancy and that is a reflection of the strong demand from the surrounding residential catchment,’’ Mr Feld said.
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Dental surgery investment at Surrey Hills

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The former long-time lieutenant of Richard Branson, David Baxby and his wife Selina have sold their Coogee beachside manor.
The former co-CEO of the Virgin Group paid $3.6 million for the <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-coogee-124764870" target="_blank">1905 Federation</a> upon his late 2015 return to Australia from Geneva.
There were three interested parties at the tough auction crowd which sought to open the bidding at less than its prior sale price.
Agent Clint Ballard placed a $4 million vendor bid at its Saturday auction, which was then bettered by $10,000. Negotiations continued after the small crowd dispersed.      
The five bedroom family home comes with plans by architect Alex Roth prepared for the Baxby's who own nearby.
Baxby had previously been an investment banker at Goldman Sachs who moved to London and then found himself with Virgin as a client.
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Richard Branson's former offsider David Baxby sells in Coogee

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Sydney and Canberra houses sell in the quickest time across the capital cities, according to CoreLogic’s latest report.
The property data firm says that the average time for a house to be sold in Sydney is 26 days while a unit can expect to stay on the market for 25 days before being sold.
Canberra houses are also selling with a 26 typical day turnaround, but Canberra apartments are taking 42 days. 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/03/13/Screen%20Shot%202017-03-13%20at%2012.39.57%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/2017/03/13/Screen%20Shot%202017-03-13%20at%2012.39.57%20pm.jpg" alt="">
Melbourne has the second shortest time with only 28 days for houses and 29 days for units.
However Darwin has the longest time with a house averaging 108 days on the market while units can expect to stay for 121 days.
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Sydney and Canberra take least amount of time to sell: CoreLogic

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The competition watchdog is taking a Perth home building company to court for allegedly setting up misleading review websites that were misrepresented as being independent.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has launched Federal Court proceedings against Perth-based Aveling Homes Pty Ltd.
Websites created by the company allegedly gave an impression they were affiliated with an independent third party consumer review website, Product Review, when this was not the case.
Aveling Homes is also alleged to have managed comments on the websites - Aveling Homes and the First Home Owner's Centre - to obscure or remove unfavourable reviews.
The watchdog has begun proceedings for alleged misleading conduct and false or misleading representations.
“We believe the potential for harm from the conduct alleged in this case is significant, as buying or building a home is one of the biggest purchasing decisions for Australians,” ACCC deputy chair Dr Michael Schaper said.
Dr Schaper said consumers were increasingly relying on online reviews and they should be able to trust that those reviews are independent and unbiased.
The ACCC also alleges Aveling's marketing manager, Sean Quartermaine, was 'knowingly concerned' in the company's conduct.
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ACCC takes Aveling Homes to court

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A luxury Toorak mansion designed by architect Christopher Doyle has been listed for sale.
The Georgian style<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-toorak-124959850" target="_blank"> Forrest Court home</a> spans over three levels and sits in gardens landscaped by Paul Bangay.
Set on 693 sqm, the four bedroom, three bathroom home is designed with high ceilings and walls of glass to maximise space and light.
There's an expansive living and dining space that flows to a westerly garden terrace.
Melbourne Sotheby's International Realty agent Phillip French has the listing.
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Toorak mansion designed by Christopher Doyle hits market

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Aqualand has settled on its latest acquisition, an office conversion property located at 61 Lavender Street, Milsons Point.
To be known as Blue at Lavender Bay, the 18 level commercial office building has been purchased with approval to develop 137 luxury residential apartments, comprising of studios, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom dwellings.
Over 80 per cent of apartments have views to the Harbour Bridge.
The name ‘Blue’ was chosen to echo the waterfront location of the property, and as a homage to the historical figures of Milsons Point, George Lavender and Susannah Blue.
<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/2017/03/14/61%20Lavender%20St%20-%20image.jpg" alt="">
Jin Lin, the managing director of Aqualand said with the appointment of PTW’s architectural team, Blue at Lavender Bay "will be an example of the high standard of lifestyle we pride ourselves on delivering for our customers.”
Alex Adams, Aqualand’s head of sales and marketing, said sales are expected to commence by mid-year.
The structure of the 40 year old building is already optimised for generous space and views, he added.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/03/14/No.61_Level%2017%202.JPG" alt="">
 
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80 percent of Aqualand's Blue at Lavender Bay have bridge views 

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Channel 9 has purchased the infamous Gatwick Hotel in Melbourne's St Kilda as the location for an upcoming series of The Block.
A caveat was placed on the property on Wednesday by a company owned by Nine Entertainment Group.
Channel Nine's The Block was keen to renovate the notorious Gatwick Hotel in Victoria despite its seedy location on Fitzroy Street.
It was originally advertised at $11 million plus when placed on the market in December 2015 through Lemon Baxter
Applications are now closed for a 2017 series with an Elsternwick property location in the mix.
The owners of The Gatwick Hotel, sisters Yvette Kelly and Rose Banks, have declined to confirm a sale of the boarding house.
Residents have been given four months notice of the need to move.
The Gatwick Private Hotel at 34 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda was constructed by 1938, one of a number of substantial apartment buildings or private hotels constructed in St Kilda during the inter-war period. It is a three-storey stuccoed building with three street frontages, executed in a restrained Spanish Mission manner.
The building is built to the property boundaries to the three streets.
The interior of the hotel is highly intact.
On the ground floor the reception office and a spacious (former) telephone booth feature Jacobean dark wood panelling with beveled glass lights above.
The former lounge has a large Adamesque ceiling centre in fibrous plaster.
The staircase has a wrought-iron balustrade with a lyre motif.
The Gatwick Private Hotel has been historically associated with the Carbone family who have owned and managed the building since 1977. Vittoria Carbone or ‘Queen Vicky’, in particular is fondly remembered for her compassionate management of the Hotel and her legacy is carried on by her daughters Rose and Yvette.
The 64 room hotel had been on the market for a year before being removed from the market in October 2016.
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The Block secures the Gatwick on seedy Fitzroy Street, St Kilda

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Even if the Reserve Bank of Australia keeps the cash rate steady, a JPMorgan Mortgage Industry Report has warned young property investors who are "materially dependent" on income generated from renting their property could face higher rates in the coming years.
It will occur as banks respond to global regulatory changes that will require them to hold higher levels of capital against such loans.
The report published by JPMorgan says Basel 4 will require banks to hold up to five times the amount of capital against investor loans materially dependent on rental income to repay the loan.
It was speculated this could lead to interest rates for loans to investors with deposits of less than 20 per cent rising 3 percentage points, lifting from the present rate of about 4.5 per cent to 7.5 per cent.
The international Basel 4 reforms, which are expected to be finalised soon and adopted in Australia in the coming years, require banks to carry capital based on loan-to-value (LVR) ratios rather than the probability that a loan will default.
So far the definition of "materially dependency" has been left vague by the Basel committee. According to analysis by JPMorgan and Digital Finance Analytics, property investors have already been hit by higher interest rates as banks try to avoid running into investor loan growth caps of 10 per cent imposed by the prudential regulator in late 2014.Since mid 2015, investor and interest-only loans had increased an average of 65 basis points.
JPMorgan analyst Scott Manning said these increases were just the beginning.
"We think the repricing we have seen to date ... is purely a toe in the water, [with banks] testing the elasticity of the market [and] the response from brokers and politicians," he told The Australian Financial Review.
There is a lot more pricing differential to come through the market ... [and] we can definitely see the prospects for significant amounts of refinancing."
It is tipped ANZ Banking Group would be the biggest beneficiary among the major banks of Basel 4, because it has the lowest market share and slowest growth rate for investor lending. The report co-author Digital Finance Analytics' Martin North noted banks do not necessary capture all expenditures that households have.
"There is more work to be done to capture the cost of living in households.
"Even with a small rate rise, more than 50 per cent [of investors in this categories] will struggle if there is a small rise in rates say up to 3 percent."
North warned the Australian investor market was "growing way too quickly" despite the 10 percent growth rate cap imposed by APRA
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JP Morgan warn low deposit property investors on looming Basel 4 impacts 

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Two companies operating rooming houses and their sole director, Ben Alexander Strachan, 42, of West Melbourne, have been ordered to stop operating rooming houses for five years, unless they implement a strict legal compliance program after admitting to contravening Victorian renting laws and the Australian Consumer Law (Victoria)(ACL Vic).  
In 2014 and 2015, Strachan Research Pty Ltd (ACN: 082 279 650) and House Share Management Pty Ltd (ACN: 164 365 593) contravened the Residential Tenancies Act 1997 (RTA) by charging more for bond than is allowed.
The maximum bond that can be accepted by a rooming house operator can be no more than 14 days’ rent. 
On one occasion, Strachan Research charged a resident $1035 bond, when the weekly rent was $345. On another, a resident was charged $900 bond when their weekly rent was $300. 
Strachan Research also failed to: 
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<li>provide two residents with condition reports. An operator must do this if they accept a bond from a resident </li>
<li>lodge three residents’ bonds with the Residential Tenancies Bond Authority </li>
<li>give two residents 24 hours’ notice to inspect their rooms.</li>
</ul>
Both companies also admitted to contravening the ACL Vic by making representations to residents through terms of their residency agreements that were inconsistent with the RTA, specifically relating to: 
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<li>access to rooms </li>
<li>a resident’s ability to give notice of their intention to vacate </li>
<li>Rent payable if a resident ends their agreement without notice. </li>
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Victoria rooming houses caught demanding higher bonds than permitted

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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