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COVID-19 is challenging many conventions within urban development across the globe.
While the pandemic is seeing Australians adopt unprecedented social distancing measures, potential lockdowns require residents to live, work, learn, and shop for daily needs and undertake passive recreational activities within their own neighbourhoods.
One of Australia’s leading urban planners and designers believes that the crisis will spur governments, urban planners and developers to think more seriously about creating more healthly, resilient, self-sufficient, attainable and liveable communities in 2021 and beyond. 
Globally, since the beginning of 2020, we have witnessed a significant reduction in carbon emission levels in China and the United States due to limited numbers of people comuting to work in cars.
Moreover, employees of an array of businesses are rapidly becoming proficient in video conferencing from home. This has effectively reduced congestion and removed the need for the debilitating daily commute.
Residents now have time in the morning and the evening to walk, run and cycle in and around their neighbourhoods. Two instructive, institutional recreational amenities, Melbourne’s ‘Tan Track’, the 3.8 kilometre uninterrupted recreational trail around the Royal Botanical Gardens, and the walking and cycling Capital City Trail along the Yarra River, both of which prohit access by cars and bikes has, since the pandemic, become a a mecca for walking and jogging.
Mike Day is Co-founder and Director of award-winning Australian urban planning and design practice RobertsDay (<a href="https://www.robertsday.com.au/">robertsday.com.au</a>) and a Fellow of the Planning Institute of Australia.
He says most of the master-planned communities in Australia that have recently been approved or under construction follow the conventional suburban model of the 1970-1990s in which residential areas are beyond walking distance of shops, jobs and open space areas. Mike believes Australia needs to undergo a complete rethink of community design, one that is aligned with timeless urbanist principles to enable our planners and urbandevelopers to shape and deliver transit based, mixed-use, walkable urban neighbourhoods.
Mike says: “The issue that we see in many Australian cities, especially in the outer suburbs, is the frequent emergence of monocultural suburban housing developments that are not connected or walkable. Many of these areas have limited public transit connections to remote business centres, which compels residents to use a car to get around; and residents have sparse green spaces to share across expansive suburbs. 
Mike cites RobertsDay’s celebrated, Ellenbrook new town, on Perth’s north-eastern fringe as one of the best examples of a self-sufficient and livable community. 
Ellenbrook is Australia’s most awarded new town, with over 30 state and national awards, including the 2015 FIABCI World Prix d’Excellence Award from the International Real Estate Federation for the World’s Best Masterplanned Community. 
It is a masterplanned community that will ultimately deliver 11,500 dwellings, approximately 8000 jobs and be home to over 30,000 people when the last phase – Ellenbrook Town Centre – is complete by around 2025.
It is one of the largest and fastest growing new town developments in Australia. Ellenbrook has spearheaded reforms on many fronts, including: the structuring and design of mixed use and connected neighbourhoods, each designed to support local identity, walking/cycling and a genuine sense of place and community, and a town centre that successfully assimilates an open-air, main street mixed-use strip with an enclosed shopping centre environment.
Each neighbourhood has its own discernable civic centre and community hub, a well defined edge, and contains spaces and services that provide resident’s daily needs within talking distance, providing indepence of movement and to help resident’s stay connected.
Mike says that Australia needs to focus on the importance of creating new neighbourhoods in our urban growth areas where essential services – schools, shops, and workplaces – are provided early in the life of these ventures, easily reached from home on foot or by bike, and where the aim is not only to provide housing affordability but also attainable and over liveability.
“Nearly all Australian suburban neighbourhoods priorise vehicles over pedestrians. As the cost of owning and running cars in the growth areas of our capital cities is beginning to exceed the cost of housing, ‘liveability’ – rather than ‘affordability’ – has become the new catch cry.
"In self-sufficient cherished inner city neighbourhoods of our capital cities, where there are often mixed-use developments, such as townhouses and residential apartments, serviced by trams or trains and built above shops, residents can leave their homes to get their groceries on a daily basis – without relying on the car. Coupled with this increased level of walkability, is the need to provide a diverse range of civic spaces and parks, which give these communities a unique sense of, intimacy, identity and soul.” 
He adds: “In light of the deep societal challenges posed by the coronavirus, I predict more mixed-use developments will emerge to create self-contained communities built around pedestrians, cyclists, and ‘light’ modes of public transport, such as e-bikes, trackless trams, and small scale electric buses. Australians in their teens and 20s, in particular, will drive the demand for more compact, connected, mixed-use, liveable neighbourhoods that have these characteristics.”
Mike Day reveals the qualities that make up seven liveable ‘urbanised’ neighbourhoods in Australia’s metropolitan growth areas: 
The Village in Wellard, Perth. A sustainable master-planned development situated only 30 minutes from Perth’s CBD, The Village has a diverse range of housing types to cater for the growing and varied demographic population mix in Perth, which is moving towards 3.5 million by 2050.[1] With almost 30 hectares of natural bushland and wetlands, it provides a variety of landscape parks, walking trails and nature retreats that encourage residents to walk and ride bikes – as an alternative to driving. Wellard Station Train is central to the urban neighbourhood, and includes a K-12 Anglican community school and early learning centre. The Heart Foundation has produced an <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIl970o-zSM" target="_blank">exceptional video</a> of the preventative health benefits of living in The Village at Wellard and <a href="https://www.healthyactivebydesign.com.au/case-studies/the-village-at-wellard" target="_blank">published their findings</a> on the benefits of living in the Village. Mike says: “Liveable outer-suburban neighbourhoods must be connected with sustainable forms of transport – and The Village ticks this box.”
Lightsview in Adelaide. A multi-award-winning master-planned property development by RenewalSA and Peet, Lightsview, which is forecast to be completed next year, is designed on the philosophy that where you live should be inspirational. It brings together a variety of housing options, from townhouses to apartments to studios, which are designed to maximise light and space. Residents also benefit from increased walkability, with extensive parks and reserves within 300m of every dwelling, tennis facilities, and bus routes to encourage residents to use public transport. Additionally, residents have childcare facilities and cafes and restaurants located within the neighbourhood, while shopping centres and schools are within walking and cycling distance.  
Fitzgibbon Chase in Brisbane. Designed by the Urban Land Development Authority/ Economic Development Queensland in consultation with Brisbane City Council, Fitzgibbon Chase is a vibrant, walkable, inclusive community that is set among natural bushland and centred around a multipurpose park. Its 1300 residents have everything they need from local schools, train station and bus routes just minutes away, shopping centres, health and fitness venues, cafes and local clubs – all with the goal of encouraging them to participate in their neighbourhood. 
Rouse Hill Town Centre. Rouse Hill Town Centre, located along Windsor Road in the Baulkham Hills Local Government Area, developed by the GPT Group. The urban hub combines the traditional values and streetscape of a contemporary town centre with the latest, residential, business, shopping, dining and lifestyle choices, and has set a new standard for transit based, sustainable, mixed-use developments. By integrating shops and cafes on the ground level of apartment buildings, residents are within walking distance of these services, and they have developed a sense of community from being closer together. Residents within the Rouse Hill Town Centre are also conveniently located between two metro stations – Tallawong and Rouse Hill – and a public school, both within 2km from the development. This is crucial to liveability. 
Laurimar in Doreen, Greater Melbourne. Mike is firmly of the view that the most liveable neighbourhoods recognise walking as the privileged or preferred mode of transport. This is the concept behind Laurimar – a new Lendlease community in Doreen, 30km north of Melbourne’s CBD. Laurimar was designed with the intention that residents live within walking distance to the Town Centre – this includes a supermarket, medical precinct, bank, gym and day spa, post office, restaurants, cafes and wine bar, and other specialty stores. Laurimar Primary School and Larimar Child Care and Early Learning Centre are also centrally located within the neighbourhood, enabling families to walk with their children to school, community facilities and shops. As a result, Laurimar evokes the friendliness and charm of Melbourne’s traditional ‘high streets’, while maintaining a community country feel. It also has 20km of walking, hike and bike trails.
Harvest Edge, Atwell Perth. Harvest Edge is an award-winning urban neighbourhood set within Landcorp’s Harvest Lakes project – WA’s first large-scale Greensmart community. Bringing the benefits of city living to the suburbs, the defining challenge of this project was to bring the amenity of inner-city living to the southern suburbs of Perth. Rarely achieved in practice, a diverse range of townhouses, maisonettes and apartments were integrated into the existing suburban development. A short walk to both the Harvest Lakes town centre and the Success train station, Harvest Edge demonstrates how well executed transit oriented developments can be a community and commercial success in a greenfield setting. A core part of the project’s success was a unique alliance the State’s urban developer built with a leading Perth townhouse and cottage home builder, and its focus on the quality and diversity of parks and public spaces. 
Cockburn Central West in Perth. The configuration of this mixed-use site, containing 1100 dwellings, by Development WA, has been significantly influenced by the the landscape. Mike says that by embracing walkable urbanism and sustainable transport modes the urban hub has been designed to foster liveability as residents will feel at home in a mixed use urban setting encircled by the natural landscape. Residents have access to a public oval, parks and wetlands, with Cockburn Central West also home to the Fremantle Dockers Football Club. Shops, restaurants and cafes, and businesses have been designed around the sporting hub. Designing buildings that frame and enhance quality public spaces, striving for design excellence and sustainable development – which Development WA is doing – is also an integral part of this new urban community.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

How resilient, walkable and self-sufficient communities could be shaped in COVID-19's wake

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EXPERT OBSERVATION
A housing boom that lasted from the mid-1980s with only minor interruptions has added to rising income inequality in Australia. Yet an impending housing market bust, triggered by the coronavirus pandemic and the resulting spike in unemployment, will not restore greater equality. On the contrary, recent history shows housing busts can worsen inequality.
Those who benefit most from a boom are not those who pay the price when it busts. And those harmed by the boom often become even more vulnerable during the bust.
Our analysis highlights the risks for people who bought their first home at the peak of the boom. We estimate 24,000 households are at very high risk because they took out large loans that might soon exceed their home value and also work in sectors with high job losses. Another 135,200 are at high risk and 121,000 are at moderate risk.
Coronavirus has set up a housing bust
Experts have long cited an upsurge in unemployment as the main threat to house price growth. This risk became reality with the coronavirus pandemic. Over the seven weeks from mid-March to early May, jobs fell by 7.3%.
Unless employment rapidly recovers, the housing market is facing a major downturn. In one worst-case scenario released by the Commonwealth Bank, house prices could fall by up to 32%  over the next two years.
Recent first-time buyers are most vulnerable
Households that can hold on to their homes and weather the storm until the market recovers are not substantially harmed. Established owners, who bought their homes before or early in the boom years, have enjoyed the largest increase in their home values, and the largest reductions in their debt. This puts them in a position of relative resilience to a housing market bust.
In contrast, evidence from the 2008 housing crisis in the United States shows which households are most at risk. These were households that bought their first home with no deposit, or a very low one, in the period leading up to the 2008 crash. The crash left these households “underwater”, trapped with an asset worth less than their mortgage debt. Many defaulted on their mortgages, fuelling the housing market’s downward spiral.
The Australian housing market and financial institutions differ from those in the United States in 2008 in fundamental ways. Still, Australian households that bought their houses at the peak of the boom and have now lost their jobs in the coronavirus pandemic are facing the highest risk.
These include 24,000 recent (2014-5 to 2017-18) first home buyers who borrowed over 80% of the value of their home and were employed in industries where jobs have now collapsed. Another 135,200 recent first home buyers with high loan-to-valuation ratios are also at risk of going “underwater”, with homes worth less than their debt. Many of them are also in precarious employment, irrespective of the pandemic. (These figures do not include first home buyers in 2018-19, for which data are not yet available.)
Renters’ relief could be short-lived
Many private renters hope a housing downturn will translate into lower rents and perhaps give them a chance to buy their first home in a more affordable market. However, this is not always the case in a downturn. In the US from 2007 to 2009, despite declining house prices, rental affordability stress has only increased.
In Australia, the sudden decline in international students and short-term rentals has increased long-term rental vacancies in some areas. Reports suggest rents are going down, especially at the upper end of some rental markets.
However, in the longer run, the slowdown in housing construction will create supply shortages, leaving rental vacancies low and rents high. Many landlords, mostly “mum and dad” investors, have taken large loans to finance their property investment. They will need to keep rents high to hold on to their investment properties.
Lower house prices will enable some households to become home owners for the first time, after being locked out of the market during the boom years. These households could benefit from a coronavirus housing bust if the market then recovers. Even so, their gains will do little to change the overall trend of rising inequality made worse by the housing downturn.
We need to flatten out booms and busts
Improved housing affordability is necessary to reduce social and economic inequality. A housing downturn will reduce house prices. But this downturn, when coupled with rising unemployment, will not deliver greater equality, especially if it’s followed by yet another boom.
Australia has flattened the curve of COVID-19 infections. To be successful in reducing inequality, we need to flatten the curve of both booms and busts in the housing market cycle. And only a thorough overhaul of national housing policy will achieve that.
Ilan Wiesel is a Senior Lecturer in Urban Geography at the University of Melbourne
Liss Ralston is an Urban Statistician at the Centre for Urban Transitions - Swinburne University of Technology
Wendy Stone is an Associate Professor at the Centre for Urban Transitions, and the Director of the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute at the Swinburne University of Technology
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Housing boom propelled inequality, but coronavirus bust will skyrocket it

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The number of loans to owner occupiers for established homes fell by 6.3 per cent during April 2020. 
The ABS today released monthly data tracking lending activity including lending within the residential property market – for both new and existing homes purchased by owner occupiers, investors and businesses.  
Home loans approved in April largely reflect loan applications initiated in previous months. The modest decline in finance approvals in April reflects processing delays due to COVID.
Housing finance across the market fell by 5.0 per cent in the month of April. While activity in the housing market slowed considerably in April the housing finance data remained elevated as lenders worked through the backlog of loan applications.
Loans for the purpose of constructing a new home are yet to be affected by COVID, increasing by 2.9 per cent in April. Full finance approval is one of the final steps for homebuyers who would have made the decision to build a new home as far back as 2019.
The value of loans to investors fell by 4.2 per cent during April, and investor lending in the three months to April 2020 was 6.6 per cent lower compared to the previous three months.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2020/6/10/chart-housingfinanceapr2020.jpg" target="_blank">Click here</a> to enlarge: 
<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/2020/6/10/chart-housingfinanceapr2020.jpg" alt="">
Despite a small decline in lending to first home buyers during April, first homes buyers continue to represent 37 per cent of the owner occupier market. This is the largest proportion since 2009.
The volume of residential building activity is expected to decline throughout the rest of the year. The Government’s HomeBuilder scheme, First Home Loan Deposit Scheme and the various state stimulus programs will be important in mitigating the extent to which this downturn weighs on the post-COVID economic recovery.
Across the states, the value of loans to owner-occupiers during the three months to April 2020 was higher than the previous three months in Tasmania (4.0 per cent), New South Wales (1.2 per cent), and Victoria (0.2 per cent). Lending declined over this period in Queensland (-3.8 per cent), South Australia (-4.9 per cent), Western Australia (-1.7 per cent), the Northern Territory (-0.3 per cent) and the ACT (-2.2 per cent).
TIM REARDON is HIA’s Chief Economist
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COVID-19 yet to fully impact ABS finance data: HIA's Tim Reardon

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A Burwood, Victoria unit has been listed for mortgagee sale after an unsuccessful auction on May 23. 
The two-bedroom two-bathroom apartment, located at<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-burwood-133452522"> G14A/399 Burwood Highway</a>, is perfect for downsizers and investors. 
It is currently seeking $439,000.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/Screen%20Shot%202020-05-14%20at%202.43.39%20pm.png" alt="">
Within close proximity to the No.75 tram and Deakin University, this property will be ideal for students. 
The large entertaining balcony enjoys a Westerly view and the home features an open plan kitchen. 
Harcourt’s Vasil Metelovski holds the property listing. 
The median unit price for Burwood is $752,000, according to data from CoreLogic. 
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Mortgagee unit in Burwood relisted after unsuccessful auction

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One of Brisbane's oldest residences in Kangaroo Point, Silverwells, is seeking expressions of interest.
Enveloped in classic Georgian charm, this heritage landmark property, located at <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://rwnf.com.au/properties/residential-for-sale/qld/kangaroo-point-4169/house/2319903">267 Main Street</a>, was built 1860. 
The four-bedroom, four-bathroom is privately positioned across the Brisbane River from Eagle Street Pier and capitalises on CBD views.
<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/122640-WebRes-WebRes-3.jpg" alt="">
Silverwells offers a powder room, three open fireplaces, home office and private study. 
Other features include the glass mosaic-tiled heated swimming pool and crystal ball chandeliers. 
The National Trust-listed property has been magnificently restored, enhanced by recent improvements such as a riverside pool terrace and substantial four-car basement garage.
Ray White's Matt Lancashire and Josh Brown hold the listing. 
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Silverwells, heritage property in Kangaroo Point listed

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Australia’s newest super-skyscraper – Australia 108 – is officially the tallest residential tower in the Southern Hemisphere from floor to roof, spanning a colossal 319-metres tall or 100-storeys.

Located in the inner-metropolitan Melbourne suburb of Southbank, Australia 108 has been officially ‘topped out’ with its roof complete and its glass façade now reaching its highest levels.

This milestone has taken five years after piling work started in November 2015. 

The entire 100th floor of Australia 108 sold at record equaling $25 million asking price to a Chinese businessman in April 2015.

After one month, Australia 108 was marketed as 90% plus sold.

In September 2015, less than 30 Cloud residences were still remaining unsold as Brookfield Multiplex was appointed to to construct the residential tower. Three months later, the construction of Australia 108 was commerced. 

In June 2018, the first residents moved into the super-skyscraper. 

In November 2019, Australia 108 completed construction of its landmark Starburst's external facade. In the same month, the international property developer of skyscraper Australia 108 has been questioned by the Singaporean stock exchange about the tower’s structural soundness.

Builder Multiplex will now complete the remaining apartment interiors as well as the building’s Starburst amenity spaces, which includes two infinity pools cantilevering 210 metres above the street.

The building will be fully completed by the end of quarter three of this year.

Chief Executive at developer, World Class Global, David Ng said the topping out of Australia 108 was a special moment for Melbourne’s skyline.

“Australia 108 is already a familiar landmark and has cemented itself on Melbourne’s iconic skyline as it has risen over the past five years." 

Karl Fender, founding partner of the project’s architect Fender Katsalidis, said this milestone marked another satisfying achievement for the firm.

“The arrival of Australia 108 on Melbourne’s skyline is another defining moment for our city and of course one which we are extremely proud to have contributed to.”

Construction at the new Melbourne landmark has been led by Multiplex, which utilised new techniques developed specifically for the project. 

Multiplex created purpose-built platforms from which builders worked safely on to install the golden panels of the Starburst that were delivered by crane during the middle of the night.

Multiplex Regional Managing Director, Graham Cottam, said the build from many metres below ground to the top had required innovation and had proceeded without any major issues.

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One consideration the build team successfully addressed prior to topping out at Australia 108 is how the structure copes with gale force winds up to 140km/h which blow in from Port Phillip Bay. To combat this, underneath level-100 of the tower has been fitted with a 300,000-litre damper tank to act as a counterbalance.

Multiplex said the tower crane at Australia 108 would come down over the coming months. A special purpose recovery crane will be installed to the top of the building roof to recover the final tower crane. This recovery crane then breaks apart and is able to lift itself down from the roof to the ground.

Residents started moving into Australia 108 from 2018 as part of a staged handover of lower level apartments.

The building’s premium Cloud Residences – luxury apartments from levels 72 – are the latest residents moving into their new apartments, the majority of which are perched higher than most of Southbank’s surrounding buildings, offering panoramic 360-degree views of Melbourne.

More than three-quarters of apartments have been completed, with construction workers now focused on finishing the remaining premium Cloud Residences at the top of the building.

They will also focus on completing the amenity within the Starburst – the protruding golden structure from levels 70 and 71 which pays homage to the Commonwealth Star on the Australian flag.

Here, within the 2,800 square metre Star Club, residents can enjoy infinity pools, dining rooms, gyms and lounge areas, with residents living above the Starburst enjoying their own private VIP zones and exclusive pool.

A limited selection of 3-bedroom Cloud Residences are still available for sale at Australia 108. Exclusive one and two-bedroom Sky Rise Residences up to level 67 are ready to move into. 

 
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Australia 108 officially becomes the tallest residential tower in Southern Hemisphere

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An architecturally designed torrens title duplex house in Randwick has been sold for $2.55 million through Century 21 estate agents Nick Papas and Clay Chigwidden.
The 4 <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-duplex+semi-detached-nsw-randwick-133078958" target="_blank">Waratah Avenue duplex home</a> features sleek open plan living and dining which is lit by a glass ceiling area, a gourmet stone kitchen with gas appliances, and entertaining deck surrounded by high tree canopy.
<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/2020/5/27/5_Randwick%20Outside.jpg" alt="">
The four-bedroom, three-bathroom property has built-in wardrobes, two ensuites, and a loft master suite occupying the entire third floor with a private terrace. 
It was undertaken by the Dilles family.
The neighbouring townhouse set on 185 sqm at 4a was sold for $2,690,000 in December 2019. 
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Brand new designer home in Randwick sold for $2.55 million

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An ocean-view sub-penthouse in Broadbeach sold for $2.3 million last month through Kollosche estate agent Rob Lamb. 
The<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-apartment-qld-broadbeach-133260414" target="_blank"> 129 Surf Parade</a> Belle Maison sub-penthouse was listed after the owners of 16 years decided to downsize. 
It was previously sold for $1.6 million in 2004. 
The three-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment is positioned on the 31st floor with 360 degree views of the Pacific Ocean, Nerang River and the city skyline. 
The 307 sqm floor plan allows for multiple living spaces including a light-filled formal lounge, an elevated dining area, and a large north-facing terrace for entertaining. 
Adjacent to the TV living room is another alfresco terrace complete with BBQ and outdoor dining space. 
The master suite have built-in and walk-in robes, and an ensuite, while the two bedrooms share a two-way bathroom. 
The Belle Maison also provides such amenities as two tennis courts, a gym, a large heated pool, indoor and outdoor spa, sauna, library and billiards room. 
Broadbeach is situated 500 metres from the property.
 
 
 
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Ocean-view sub-penthouse in Broadbeach sold for $2.3 million

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An elevated six-bedroom, five-bathroom luxury house in Shailer Park perched up high on a hill on Brisbane’s Southside is for sale through Ray White agents Phillip Harrigan and Marion Sheerman. 
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-shailer+park-133572974" target="_blank">118 Boxer Avenue property</a> was built by high-end commercial builder, Christi Tufis of Pride Homes eight years ago with no expense spared. 
“The kids have all now grown up but it’s been a great family home, with lots of parties over the years. This is the best house to isolate in with its tennis court, home cinema and spa,” Mr Tufis said.
The home was built to a high standard with its signature 20mm pure white quartz tiles used throughout plus 3.6m high ceilings and double glazed windows.
The 5,284 sqm parcel of land offers three levels of living and incorporates two homes with the other two story house providing a good second rental income. 
“There’s vast entertaining spaces including a covered alfresco with outdoor kitchen and beautiful balconies with breathtaking views. A choice of perfectly executed living zones, each with soaring high ceilings and glossy tiled flooring,” the pair said.
“Hidden and private, this bushland retreat is bordered by sub-tropical gardens, each property overlooking the spectacular resort-style swimming pool and full-sized north-south tennis court.
“An entertainer's dream, this home offers an expansive alfresco with outdoor kitchen and incredible balconies with breathtaking views.”
The owners are downsizing into an apartment in the city while considering their next project. The property has a lot of fruit trees - mangoes, apples, avocados, a coffee tree, bananas, oranges, mandarins and limes to name a few.
The house is close to the shops and good schools like John Paul College.
Secure and gated, this residence adjoins Kimberley Grove Park and Cornubia Forest Nature Refuge. At just 20km to the Brisbane CBD and 45mins to the Gold Coast, it’s a great location on top of the hill with a lot of wildlife such as parrots and Mr Tufis has even spotted a white kangaroo in the bush reserve.
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Elevated six-bedroom trophy home in Shailer Park for sale

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GemLife has purchased the balance of ‘The Heights Estate’ in Pimpama, Gold Coast, for $29,700,000 and plans to deliver an over 50’s lifestyle resort on the substantial site.   The subdivision site, that offered around 46.41ha in land size, came with preliminary approval for 267 detached residential lots.   The asset was marketed and sold by Ray White Special Projects Queensland Executive Directors Matthew Fritzsche, Mark Creevey and Tony Williams.   Mr Fritzsche said the expressions of interest campaign demanded very strong enquiry and serious interest from groups.   “There's limited developable land on the Gold Coast of this scale and quality, and it showed in the strong number of enquiries we had throughout the campaign,” he said.   “It formed part of the master-planned ‘The Heights estate’ – which is a very well curated and presented estate by Sunland – on the northern Gold Coast.
“The Heights is 20 minutes* from the central Gold Coast and [approximately] 40 minutes from the Brisbane CBD. It’s in an elevated position within the estate, offering Gold Coast skyline views.   “The target list comprised local, interstate and international groups, and interest was predominantly from the residential and retirement/manufactured home estate sector.”   Mr Creevey said the sale highlighted that even in testing times, development sites with an element of approval would always be appealing.   “This really is an exciting project and we’re looking forward to seeing GemLife deliver yet another quality project,” he said.   “This is one of South East Queensland’s most recognised land estates - in a market with rapidly diminishing forward land supply.   “It's a high-quality estate with a significant entry statement, boulevard roads and footpaths, landscaping throughout and features central parkland.”
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GemLife pays $29.7 million to build Pimpama over 50's lifestyle resort

Longstanding Gold Coast and Canberra developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/morris-property-group">Morris Property Group</a> is continuing to roll on with its Glitter Strip apartment pipeline, seeking to return to Mermaid Beach with a new 68-apartment development.

Morris, founded by Barry Morris in 1978 and one of the Gold Coast’s most prolific apartment developers over the past two decades, has filed plans for a 12-storey mixed-use building at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/36-seabeach-avenue-mermaid-beach-qld-4218">34-36 Seabeach Avenue</a>, on the prized eastern side of the Gold Coast Highway.

The 1,227 sqm site occupies a prominent corner position at Seabeach Avenue and the Gold Coast Highway, opposite the Mermaid Plaza retail and office precinct and around 140 metres walking distance from the future Mermaid Beach South light rail station.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fraser-partners-0">Fraser &amp; Partners</a> has designed the project, which will comprise 68 apartments across a mix of 48 two-bedroom and 20 three-bedroom residences.

The building will rise 12 storeys, reaching a maximum height of 36 metres, with the apartments accounting for a total of 156 bedrooms. The development application also seeks approval for short-term accommodation across the 68 apartments, while two office tenancies are proposed at ground level.

The plans show 108 car spaces across the development, with parking accommodated at ground level and within a three-level basement accessed from Seabeach Avenue.

<img alt="Seabeach Avenue and the Gold Coast Highway" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c2175c99-12fd-4a3c-9be1-89bbf258a90d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-20%20at%202.59.41%E2%80%AFPM_0.png?VersionId=iNLzWcE6gaAE76rafhEXfHve.4g4Se0p" />

Resident amenity will be concentrated on level two, where Fraser &amp; Partners has designed a recreation deck with a swimming pool, 90 sqm pool terrace, outdoor barbecue area and gym.

The broader communal offering will also incorporate landscaped spaces, with the planning documents noting the amenity has been designed to provide areas for recreation, social interaction and outdoor living.

The proposal would continue the transformation of the Gold Coast Highway corridor through Mermaid Beach ahead of the arrival of the light rail.

The site is zoned Neighbourhood Centre and sits within the Mermaid Beach/Broadbeach Light Rail Corridor neighbourhood plan. While the prescribed building height is 24 metres, the site is identified within an Urban Neighbourhood context providing for a 50 per cent height uplift to 36 metres.

Planning documents describe the stretch of the Gold Coast Highway between Broadbeach and Nobby Beach as increasingly characterised by medium and high-rise development, with the proposed Morris tower joining projects including Ventura, The Alfred, Oceans and Otto.

<img alt="Seabeach Avenue and the Gold Coast Highway" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="911f193f-e381-4a55-be08-58be87fcf978" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-20%20at%202.59.48%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=oxVvLJaY.SOXEdXrIcogfyEXDfvCmmpM" />

The development would mark Morris Property Group's latest investment in Mermaid Beach, where it has already delivered two apartment projects.

Otto, at 1 Bondi Avenue on the western side of the Gold Coast Highway, comprises 70 apartments across nine storeys. The project was completed in 2019 and includes a residents' gym, recreation deck and swimming pool.

Morris also developed Oceans at 46 Ocean Street, a nine-storey, 70-apartment build-to-rent development completed in 2019. Oceans was the group's first build-to-rent project and incorporates commercial space at ground level.

The two existing Morris projects sit further north along the same Gold Coast Highway corridor as the proposed Seabeach Avenue development. Fraser &amp; Partners' planning analysis specifically identifies both Otto and Oceans among the established built-form precedents surrounding the site.

<img alt="Seabeach Avenue and the Gold Coast Highway" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="14925119-7b71-4812-8149-340317512c7c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-20%20at%203.00.15%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=aEJqYuw_nTCjcin17BSD0piB1EFotTlj" />

Mermaid Beach represents only part of Morris' considerable Gold Coast footprint.

The family-owned developer has been particularly active in neighbouring Broadbeach, delivering projects including Sierra Grand, Eclipse, Synergy, Qube, Koko, Opus and Malo, while its current pipeline includes Maison and the two-tower Crest development.

Further south, Morris has also developed a string of projects in Burleigh Heads, including Element, Boardwalk and Sandbar, while Essentia expanded its footprint north into Surfers Paradise.

The Seabeach Avenue application has been lodged by PMM Broadbeach Pty Ltd and seeks a development permit for a Material Change of Use for multiple dwellings, short-term accommodation and office uses. Zone Planning Group prepared the planning application, with Fraser &amp; Partners commissioned as architect.

The project comes as the developer continues to expand its Gold Coast pipeline while retaining a significant presence in Canberra. Morris now has more than $2.5 billion of development in its national pipeline and has delivered more than 7,000 homes during its near five-decade history

Joel Robinson

First look: Morris Property Group returns to Mermaid Beach with new Seabeach Avenue apartment development

<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/fortis&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1787272340808000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3hvFB2uWTRfEyEcpTSnnK9" href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/fortis" target="_blank">Fortis</a>&nbsp;is continuing its stronghold on Sydn​ey’s eastern suburbs apartment market, launching&nbsp;in September&nbsp;its latest boutique&nbsp;<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/double-bay-nsw-2028&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1787272340808000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0GI5S9-wNeiLUnM-d1uYkw" href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/double-bay-nsw-2028" target="_blank">Double Bay</a>&nbsp;development,&nbsp;<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/55-william-double-bay-55-william-street-double-bay-nsw-2028&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1787272340808000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2YNouJQcFjiTTgVHbgDLA-" href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/55-william-double-bay-55-william-street-double-bay-nsw-2028" target="_blank">55 William</a>.

55 William presents&nbsp;just eight north-facing&nbsp;two-bedroom, three-bedroom and full-floor&nbsp;residences to the market, priced from $4.5 million.

The upcoming launch comes just weeks after Fortis secured approval for the $80 million development, its third eastern suburbs approval in two months. Construction is already underway, with completion targeted for 2028.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152579 project_image_fid=376250]

55 William adds to a growing concentration of Fortis projects in and around Double Bay, a market the developer has become increasingly active in over recent years.

Fortis previously completed the nine-residence Marmont on New South Head Road, while it is currently developing a mixed-use residential and retail project at 12 Cross Street. Its wider Double Bay footprint also extends into commercial and retail development.

The developer's broader Sydney residential pipeline is particularly concentrated across the eastern suburbs, with projects spanning Doub​le Bay, Ro​se Bay, Wo​ollahra, Dar​ling Point, Poi​nt Piper and Eli​zabeth Bay.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152579 project_image_fid=376253]

At 55 William, Fortis has again turned to MHN Design Union, the architecture practice behind several of its eastern suburbs projects, while London-based 1508 London has been appointed to handle the interiors and Wyer &amp; Co the landscaping.

The six-level building will comprise a combination of two and three-bedroom apartments, including a garden residence, full-floor apartments, a sub-penthouse and penthouse. Each residence will have secure basement parking and private outdoor space.

A rooftop terrace for all residents, along with select apartments, enjoys views across Double Bay Harbour and toward the Sydney skyline.

Ceiling heights will reach up to three metres&nbsp;in select residences, while the kitchens will feature natural stone and integrated Gaggenau appliances.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The boutique nature of the project reflects the type of stock Fortis has increasingly targeted across Sydney's eastern suburbs, where larger apartments and smaller buildings are being pitched primarily toward local owner-occupiers and downsizers.

Fortis Group General Manager Ed Eve said the developer continues to see demand from buyers wanting to remain in the eastern suburbs but move into newer, lower-maintenance housing.

“We're seeing continued demand from local owner-occupiers and downsizers looking for high-quality homes that allow them to remain in the eastern suburbs, close to the lifestyle and community they know,” Eve said.

55 William is also one of the early projects to respond directly to the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing reforms. Fortis had previously secured approval for just two townhouses on the 599 sqm site before revising the scheme to eight apartments following the planning changes.

Situated one street back from Double Bay's water's edge, the project enjoys an enviable harbourside setting within walking distance of Double Bay Village and the ferry wharf.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152579 project_image_fid=376252]

Fortis has increasingly made the eastern suburbs a major focus of its Sydney pipeline. Beyond Double Bay, it recently completed the 14-residence Piper in Point Piper and has projects underway or planned across Rose Bay, Woollahra and Darling Point.

The developer recently secured approval for Verano in Rose Bay, a six-level development comprising 21 two, three and four-bedroom apartments, also designed by MHNDU.

55 William&nbsp;is soon to be release to the market with VIP appointments commencing early September,&nbsp;with residences priced from $4.5 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152579]

Fortis continues eastern suburbs push with 55 William launch

UAE-based developer Arada has unveiled plans for a $2 billion twin-tower apartment development in Broadbeach, marking its first move into Queensland as it continues its rapid expansion across Australia.

Arada will develop 952 apartments across two towers on a prominent site opposite the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, with the project targeted for completion ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The project represents Arada's largest commitment to the Australian market since arriving in the country in 2024 and significantly expands a local pipeline that has now grown to eight projects and more than 5,000 homes.

It will also be the first major Queensland project delivered by Roberts Co since the tier-one contractor was acquired by Arada Group in 2025.

Plus Studio has designed the Broadbeach development, which will comprise one, two and three-bedroom apartments across two towers connected by a landscaped podium.

A significant resident amenity offering will include lagoon and lap pools, a gym, sauna and steam room, alongside a mist room, infrared room and salt scrub facilities. Communal terraces, private dining areas, a library, residents' lounge and work-from-home spaces are also planned. Around 1,200 sqm of retail and hospitality space will occupy the ground floor.

The site puts Arada in one of the Gold Coast's most active apartment markets, directly opposite the convention centre and within walking distance of Pacific Fair, The Star Gold Coast and Broadbeach's dining and retail precinct.

It also has immediate access to the Gold Coast light rail network and sits just a few blocks from the beach.

Arada Group Chief Executive Ahmed Alkhoshaibi said Broadbeach represented an opportunity for the developer to expand beyond its initial NSW pipeline.

“Broadbeach is a world-class address that gives us the canvas to create a community of exceptional design and lifestyle quality that genuinely enriches the daily lives of the people who call it home,” Alkhoshaibi said.

“This is our first development outside New South Wales, and it reflects our growing ambition to grow in key urban markets around the country.”

Alkhoshaibi said bringing Roberts Co into the project would give Arada greater control over the development and construction process.

“Delivering this project through Roberts Co, our own tier-one construction business, means we can bring the quality, pace and accountability that our buyers expect.”

The move into Broadbeach comes as Arada accelerates its Australian expansion following its entry into the market two years ago. The developer has assembled a pipeline of eight projects comprising more than 5,000 homes, while the acquisition of Roberts Co last year gave the group its own Australian construction capability.

Globally, Arada has a development portfolio valued at $50 billion comprising more than 55,000 homes across the UAE, United Kingdom and Australia.

The Gold Coast is emerging as the next major market for the developer, with strong population growth and infrastructure spending ahead of the 2032 Games continuing to underpin significant apartment development across the coastal strip.

Arada plots $2 billion Broadbeach towers in major Queensland move

Sydney’s downsizer market is changing, with a growing cohort of buyers prioritising the right home over simply finding a smaller one.

Coronation Property Head of Sales Cam Porter says the traditional idea of downsizing does not necessarily reflect what many buyers are now looking for, particularly those moving from established family homes across Sydney.

Instead, he says they are increasingly becoming “right-sizers”, seeking lower-maintenance homes without sacrificing the space, amenity or quality they have become accustomed to.

“We are increasingly seeing buyers who are not motivated by the idea of simply moving into a smaller property,” Porter says.

“They are right-sizers. They want a home that is easier to manage and better connected, but they still expect generosity, quality and a floorplan that supports the way they live.”

It is a subtle but important distinction in a market where apartment developers are increasingly targeting established owner-occupiers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135149 project_image_fid=377495]

For many of these buyers, moving from a house to an apartment is not driven by a desire to dramatically reduce their living space. Instead, the appeal is in removing some of the maintenance associated with a larger home while retaining generous living areas, storage and enough flexibility to accommodate family and friends.

Coronation’s sales team is seeing buyers place particular importance on natural light, practical storage and additional rooms that can be used as guest bedrooms, home offices or secondary living spaces.

Kitchens and dining areas are also playing an increasingly important role, particularly for buyers who regularly entertain or have children and grandchildren visit.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135149 project_image_fid=377494]

“These buyers still want their home to feel generous,” Porter says.

“They may want less maintenance, but they are not looking for less life.”

The challenge for the broader housing market is providing enough of the right stock to encourage that move.

While much of the discussion around Sydney’s housing shortage has centred on the number of homes being delivered, Porter says the diversity of those homes is equally important.

Older homeowners can remain in large family houses for longer when they cannot find an appropriate alternative in the neighbourhoods where they have built their lives.

“The decision is rarely as simple as wanting fewer bedrooms,” Porter says.

“People are weighing up their connection to a neighbourhood, the space they need for family, the quality of the home and whether it will continue to work for them over the long term.”

It also has implications beyond the downsizer market. Providing suitable apartments for smaller households can free up established houses for families who need the additional bedrooms and land, creating greater movement through the housing market.

<h2>Lillian targets the next stage of apartment buyer</h2>

It is a buyer Coronation is targeting at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/lillian-erskineville-9-metters-street-erskineville-nsw-2043">Lillian</a>, its new collection of apartments, terraces and penthouses at Erskineville Village.

Designed by Silvester Fuller, Lillian has been shaped around larger living spaces, natural light and flexible floorplans, alongside landscaped areas, wellness amenity and communal spaces for residents.

The development will form part of Coronation’s broader Erskineville Village precinct, which will combine new homes with green space, retail, hospitality and new pedestrian connections.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135149 project_image_fid=377688]

McPherson Park will sit at the centre of the precinct, creating a significant new green space alongside the project’s retail and hospitality offering.

For Porter, the opportunity is to give buyers another housing option without forcing them to leave the part of Sydney they already know.

“People should be able to change the type of home they live in without having to change their entire life,” he says.

“For many buyers, Lillian offers the opportunity to remain connected to the Inner West and the city, while gaining access to a more convenient, walkable and considered way of living.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135149 project_image_fid=377687]

Coronation will explore the changing <a href="https://lillianresidences.com.au/news/lillian-x-space-x-downsizers-event-27-august/">right-sizer market at an event on August 27</a>, bringing together experts across property, design and lifestyle.

Held in partnership with SPACE, Poliform and Downsizer.com.au, the event will include a property market outlook from economist Michael Blythe alongside discussion around the considerations facing buyers planning their next move.

Attendees will also be able to learn more about the residences and amenity planned at Lillian Erskineville.

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From downsizing to right-sizing: What Sydney buyers want from their next home

Family-owned builder and developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/omaya">Omaya</a> is bringing its 27-storey The Maybelle development to market, with the 229-apartment tower rising alongside Ismay Reserve near North Strathfield.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-maybelle-21-parramatta-road-homebush-nsw-2140">The Maybelle</a> will comprise one, two and three-bedroom apartments, with its height providing elevated outlooks towards the Sydney skyline and Harbour Bridge, while other residences will look across neighbouring Ismay Reserve.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/squillace-architects">Squillace Architects</a>, the tower combines its parkside setting with proximity to the established retail, dining and transport amenity around North Strathfield.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134873 project_image_fid=376196]

Residences will feature open-plan living spaces and a choice of two interior schemes, while communal amenity is spread across two elevated levels of the building.

Level 8 will be home to the Garden Pavilion, a full-floor resident space incorporating communal entertaining and breakout areas, seating and recreation spaces. Further up the tower, a landscaped Sky Terrace on Level 14 will provide another communal area with panoramic views towards the Harbour Bridge and Sydney skyline.

At ground level, the development sits directly alongside Ismay Reserve, where lawns, walking paths, children's play areas, picnic spaces and recreational facilities extend the green space available immediately around the project.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134873 project_image_fid=376194]

The Maybelle is also within walking distance of North Strathfield and the Bakehouse Quarter, which provides a mix of cafés, restaurants, shops and everyday services.

Existing rail and bus services provide connections across Sydney, while the future North Strathfield Metro and access to the M4 will add to the transport options available around the precinct. Walking and cycling routes also extend via Powells Creek towards Sydney Olympic Park and its sporting, entertainment and parkland precincts.

Families are also well positioned for access to a broad selection of established schools and education options across Strathfield and the surrounding Inner West.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134873 project_image_fid=376181]

Omaya has operated in Sydney for more than 35 years, managing projects from acquisition and design through to construction and delivery. The family-owned company is both developer and builder of The Maybelle.

Apartments start from $560,000, with the development protected by 10-year Latent Defects Insurance.

Construction is well underway, with completion expected by the end of 2026 and move-in anticipated from Q1 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134873]

Staff reporter

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