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A Bundamba, Queensland mortgagee home has been sold for $269,000.
The sale marks a loss of $11,500 since the home last sold for $280,500 in 2015.
Gai Flynn of First National Real Estate marketed the house.
Situated at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-qld-bundamba-133038298" target="_blank">12A Charles Street</a>, the abode is comprised of three bedrooms and one bathroom across two stories.
Set on 700 sqm, the house was previously marketed in 2019 when the vendors sought $319,000.
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The median house price in Bundambah is $308,000.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Bundamba, Queensland mortgagee home sold for minor loss

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An Acacia Ridge, Queensland mortgagee home has been sold for $195,000.
The townhouse last sold for $250,000 in 2007.
As a result this latest sale represents a $55,000 reduction in value.
Mark and Debra Affleck of Elders Town &amp; Country marketed the property.
Situated at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-acacia+ridge-132090306" target="_blank">13/80 Oswin Street</a>, the two level townhouse is a three bedroom, one bathroom abode.
Set on 181 sqm, the townhouse was described in the listing as "a great opportunity for first home owners, investors and buyers looking to downsize."
This property is located within a gated complex of Acacia Ridge, behind the Acacia Market Place. 
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The median price for a home in Acacia Ridge is $395,000 according to CoreLogic.
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Acacia Ridge, Queensland mortgagee home sold for minor loss

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EXPERT OBSERVER
Urban Taskforce CEO today welcomed the announcement made by Hon Alan Tudge MHR, Federal Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure, of urgent reforms to planning laws to ensure there is no increase in the timeframes for planning decisions.
The good news is that all Planning Ministers across Australia, as well as the Local Government Association have agreed to a set of principles.
The agreed principles are:  "Decision making in the public interest is a paramount theme in all planning systems and this must continue as a guiding consideration. Transparency for stakeholders about changes to systems and particular decisions. Decisions made within jurisdictions are consistent, where possible. Consideration of the level of public interest in a particular planning change or development proposal. Balancing administrative and legal review rights with the need to address the pandemic emergency and to assist community and economic recovery. All reasonable effort is made to maintain the usual pace of planning approvals recognising, as far as practical, community consultation will continue through new forms of communication recognising social distancing requirements." 
However, in NSW, the Planning system had stagnated well before COVID-19. The emphasis on strategic planning has resulted in Councils focussing on the preparation of Local Strategic Plans (LSPSs) and Local Environment Plans (LEPs). The problem was highlighted by the NSW Productivity Commissioner well before COVID-19. Late in 2019 he found that NSW was the slowest in Australia.
In NSW, just ‘keeping up the pace of planning decision making’ is not good enough. We need to cut red tape and duplication of planning processes and kick-start the economy. The status-quo will not sling-shoot the economy out of recession, it will exacerbate it. “NSW State Government leadership is necessary to prevent an economic crisis.
Urban Taskforce CEO expressed some concern however, that we have heard this all before.
On 27 November, 2019, the Premier announced “MAJOR PLANNING REEFORM TO DRIVE JOBS AND INVERSTMENT IN NSW”.
These reforms were to focus on:
1. Cut red tape, increase transparency, reduce assessment timeframes and make e-planning mandatory for metro councils; 2. Supercharge new hubs across NSW to ensure people can live in communities close to their work; 3. Fix the uncertainty of developer contributions to boost investment; and 4. Preserve our heritage, create beautiful new public places, and promote good design.
Urban Taskforce supports all of these goals, but we urge the NSW Government to take action on Planning Reform. There is no time for ‘a plan for a plan’. 
There are billions of dollars-worth of private sector investment capital which have been stuck in the planning system and therefore not flowed into the NSW economy.
Recent initiatives taken by Minister Stokes and Treasurer Perrottet to fast-track projects through the bottle necks are strongly supported but changing the system to ensure they don’t get stuck in the first place is also critical, particularly now.
Reform in Planning has been on the agenda since the Premier’s announcement in November 2019.
So far, the Government has delivered mandated e-planning; the appointment of the Productivity Commissioner to look at developer contributions for local infrastructure; and some significant improvements to the operation of the IPC. While welcome, these improvements do not address the Premier’s mandate.
The special measures established to deal with COVID-19 are all welcome – but more fundamental reform is urgently needed.
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National action on planning reform welcomed but NSW needs more: Tom Forrest

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A local investor has purchased a childcare centre in Mount Helen in Victoria from a local private for $4,275,000.
Located at 1848 Geelong Road, the centre is currently occupied by tenant Goodstart Early Learning. The yield achieved was 6.40%.
The 120 place child care centre provides fixed annual rental growth of 5% and is situated on a 3,187 sqm landholding with dual frontages. The centre is ideally situated opposite Federation University, IBM and other major organisations within Mount Helen
The deal was negotiated by Mark Stafford, Julian Heatherich and Benson Zhou from Savills Australia.
“Through our extensive database of highly qualified and motivated buyers, Savills was able to implement a strategic and targeted off-market database campaign, and ultimately achieve a premium result for our client’ said Mr Stafford.
Mr Stafford added that “the sale price highlights the ongoing demand we are experiencing for income generating assets, with high quality tenants throughout Victoria”.
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Mount Helen childcare centre sold to local investor

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Mirvac has lodged a development application for the next stage in its $1 billion Waterfront Newstead community.
The DA significantly expand's the area's signature waterfront parkland, along with offering quality apartments, lifestyle amenities and retail.
Described as a building 'sculptured in the green', the new Sky Precinct features lush landscaped balconies matched with a ground-level tropical oasis of water, shaded enclaves and grassed areas, with 60 per cent of the 5,400sqm site, fronting Waterfront Park on the Brisbane River in Newstead, dedicated to open space.
Mirvac Queensland Residential General Manager Warwick Bible said the Mirvac team was 'tremendously excited' about the proposal for the Sky Precinct, which was set to follow in the footsteps of the previous landmark stages of Waterfront Newstead - Pier, Park and Unison.
Mr Bible said, "The proposed new building has been designed by the award-winning Mirvac Design team, who have worked hand in hand with landscape architects, RPS."
Mirvac Design’s Design Director, Michael Wiener, described the Sky Precinct as 'a park within a park' with green space providing the canvas for the built form.
Offering one, two and three bedroom apartments, with a limited collection of premium four bedroom residences, the Sky Precinct will boast views of the Brisbane River.
Mr Bible said, "at ground level, the Sky Precinct will boast a wellness centre for residents, complete with a gymnasium and yoga studio overlooking water features and tropical landscaping."
"Further up the building, a resident's lounge and private dining room offer the ideal space for special gatherings with premium finishes and panoramic views of the New Farm reach of the Brisbane River. Atop the building is a 25 metre infinity edge pool with views to the city and river, alongside a spa and barbeque terrace," he added.
Mr Bible said Mirvac's vision for the Sky Precinct was created following engagement with the local community.
The Sky Precinct, located at 58 Skyring Terrace, is being developed in-line with the Newstead and Teneriffe Waterfront Neighbourhood Plan.
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Mirvac lodges DA for $1 billion Waterfront Newstead community in Brisbane

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EXPERT OBSERVER
China’s economy contracted by the most since 1992 in the March quarter – as expected – as government coronavirus (COVID-19) containment measures shut down large swathes of the world’s second largest economy.
This week the International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimated that China’s annual economic growth rate for 2020 would average 1.2 per cent. Should this eventuate, it would be the slowest growth rate since the final year of the Cultural Revolution in 1976, reflecting the huge economic and social toll wrought by the virus.
That said, it appears that some ‘green shoots’ are emerging on China’s supply side. Bloomberg economists estimate that China’s back-to-work rate had climbed to around 95 per cent by April 10 with some coronavirus-enforced restrictions being eased. Data from Bloomberg also shows that larger industrial enterprises – oil refineries, steel mills and construction companies – have mostly resumed operations. In addition, around 85 per cent of small business reported being back at work last week.
And in promising news for Aussie exporters, China’s Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development has advised that 85 per cent of housing-related and municipal infrastructure projects - that were delayed due to COVID-19 enforced shutdowns - had resumed construction on April 1.
On Thursday, China’s central bank Governor Yi Gang said, “Chinese economic growth is resilient”. And judging by China’s historic-high total new credit data in March, it appears policymakers are willing to provide solid support to the COVID-19 ravaged economy.
The People’s Bank of China have continued to cut lending rates and reduce funding costs, supporting credit expansion. And in another positive sign, China’s residential home prices lifted in March on the back of pent-up demand following February’s lockdown. On the demand side, international trade data was better-than-expected in March, but that will be short-lived with major trading partners now grappling with their “lockdown recessions.”
What do the figures show? The Chinese economy (GDP) contracted by 9.8 per cent in the March quarter (forecast: -12.0 per cent). GDP contracted at a 6.8 per cent annual rate in the year to March (forecast: -6.5 per cent), following a 6 per cent expansion in the year to December. It was the sharpest contraction in economic activity since at least 1992 when official GDP records began.
Retail sales fell at a 15.8 per cent annual rate (forecast: -10 per cent) after declining at a 20.5 per cent annual rate in the year to January/February. Over the year to March, spending fell the most on restaurants &amp; catering (down 46.8 per cent), clothing (down 34.8 per cent), jewellery (down 30.1 per cent), household electronics (down 29.7 per cent), furniture (down 22.7 per cent) and motor vehicles (down 18.1 per cent). But spending lifted on food (up 19.2 per cent), medicine (up 8 per cent), telecommunications (up 6.5 per cent) and office supplies (up 6.1 per cent).
Industrial production fell at a 1.1 per cent annual rate in March (forecast: -6.2 per cent) after declining at a 13.5 per cent rate in January/February. Over the year to March, production fell the most for manufacturing (down 1.8 per cent), followed by power supply and energy (down 1.6 per cent). But mining was up 4.2 per cent. By industry, auto manufacturing fell by 22.4 per cent, but pharmaceuticals (up 10.4 per cent) and telecommunications (up 9.9 per cent) both rose the most.
Fixed-asset investment fell at a 16.1 per cent annual rate in March (forecast: -15 per cent) after declining at a 24.5 per cent rate in January/February. Over the year to March, investment fell by the most for the private sector (down 18.8 per cent) followed by state-owned enterprises (down 12.8 per cent). By industry, investment by textiles (down 37.1 per cent), general equipment (down 32.1 per cent), and railways and ships (down 31.6 per cent) fell the most. But investment in utilities rose by 2 per cent.
Chinese property investment fell at a 7.7 per cent annual rate over the year to March following a 16.3 per cent contraction over the year to January/February.
The unemployment rate (nationwide survey-based jobless rate) fell from record high of 6.2 per cent in January/February to 5.9 per cent in March.
What are the implications for interest rates and investors?
While China’s economy is expected to bounce-back in the June quarter – supported by a lift in infrastructure spending, lower interest rates and reduced bank borrowing costs – the recovery in 2020 is expected to be modest. In fact, CommBank Group economists are predicting annual growth of just 3 per cent this year as labour market strains hold back consumer spending.
The long road back to recovery is no more evident than in China’s jobs market. A recent study by China’s Peking University shows that the number of new positions on offer shrunk by 27 per cent in the March quarter, led by recruitment cuts among exporters and foreign enterprises. And round 2.3 million people received unemployment insurance in January and February, according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. A Reuters poll of economists estimates that nearly 30 million jobs may be lost in China in 2020, crimping consumer spending.
And on the demand side, external headwinds are intensifying as China’s major trading partners endure deep recessions. Government containment efforts in the US, UK, Europe and Australia to contain the pandemic - including business shutdowns, travel bans and social distancing measures – will continue to adversely impact trade, supply chains and demand for Chinese goods.
The IMF expects the Chinese economy to rebound by 9.2 per cent in 2021. If this forecast is realised or exceeded, Australia’s own road to recovery will be enhanced. But our economic dependence on China is likely to be questioned after we emerge from the crisis.
Preliminary Australian March international trade data is scheduled for Thursday March 23.
RYAN FELSMAN is a Senior Economist at CommSec
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Coronavirus causes China's GDP to fall for the first time ever

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EXPERT OBSERVER
RE/MAX Australia Managing Director Michael Davoren puts his network’s support behind the Real Estate Institute of Queensland’s call to the Queensland Premier to reconsider proposed measures relating to tenancy.
Mr Davoren vehemently agrees with the REIQ that a more balanced and fairer framework providing equal protection for renters and owners of investment properties is needed.
The REIQ has taken the fight to the state government because the right of the landlords has been completely eroded – and the pervading perception of landlords as wealthy landowners is false. Fact is that 77 per cent of singe-property landlords are ‘ordinary people’ earning less than $100,000 a year.
Mr Davoren’s concern is that the current ‘protections’ are potentially devastating to a much broad sector of the population.
I have grave concerns about the information the Queensland Government is basing its decisions on.
People in the real estate industry – residential and commercial - have access to possibly more sectors of the population than any other, and certainly at the grass roots level.
This is about shelter… and when you talk about shelter – whether for residential or commercial premises, for owner occupiers, for tenants, for businesses – all roads lead to real estate.
We in the real estate industry are the experts in our field, just as those in the medical profession are the experts. Stop listening to people who are not the experts.
Mr Davoren agrees that governments have to lean towards the tough side when it comes to COVID-19, the virus itself, because it involves saving lives but he suggests what the Queensland government is doing in relation to landlords and tenants goes beyond dealing with the virus.
It’s a short-sighted vision. If the proposed measures go through, large numbers of landlords will divest themselves of their investment property as soon as they can. The tenant becomes the real loser. With fewer properties to rent, rents will go through the roof.
He said leadership particularly now, needed to demonstrate confidence, strength and sensitivity, and such leadership was drawing the real estate industry together, on its own behalf and on that of real estate consumers, to address how COVID-19 affects the population.
REIP (Real Estate Industry Partners), a group of the largest real estate brands and independents in Australia, is across state boundaries and engages all levels of government. At the state level, all the institutes are stepping up.
Chairman Peter Brewer and CEO Antonia Mercorella have stood up as leaders in a time when good leadership is needed like never before.
He said the Palaszczuk Government was quick to respond to the thousands of letters it received in a day from landlords, following the launch of the REIQ’s ‘Everybody Matters’ campaign.
It was pleasing to read that the Queensland government promised to consult more widely on its proposed rental protections but I sincerely hope this happens in time to prevent  the initially proposed measures being passed when Parliament sits on Wednesday 22 Apri.
MICHAEL DAVOREN is the RE/MAX Australia Managing Director 
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RE/MAX head calls for Queensland to rethink COVID-19 rental rules

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A landmark family home occupying one of the largest riverside positions in Bicton, Perth has hit the market for the first time in 32 years. 
It has been offered by Cheryl Stewart and Margaret Henderson of Central Estate Agents Subiaco with over $3.85 million hopes.
The five bedroom, three bathroom home is sitting on an 800sqm block at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-wa-bicton-128993702" target="_blank">3 Crewe Street.</a> 
The ground level comprises formal sitting room, dining room, two family rooms, kitchen and meals area overlooking gardens. 
<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/2020/4/14/bicton%202.jpg" alt="">
Level two consists master suite opening onto verandas and four additional bedrooms plus study. 
The fourth level of the home offers open plan studio with river 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/2020/4/14/bicton%203.jpg" alt="">
Other features include lower level basement with cellar, pool double garage and river views. 
The home is located within close proximity to the Swan River, the Point Walter Reserve and Blackwall Reach round to East Fremantale. 
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Bicton, Perth riverside trophy home hits the market 

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EXPERT OBSERVER
In the past week, a sharp decline in sentiment has been seen amongst Australian consumers and business. In the US, President Trump and the market remain optimistic on the ability of their economy to rebound quickly from this crisis, but data to hand is increasingly challenging this view.
Beginning with our business sector, <a href="https://westpaciq.westpac.com.au/wibiqauthoring/_uploads/file/Australia/2020/April/er20200414BullAustralianbusinessconditionsMarch.pdf">the NAB business survey</a> reported a dramatic decline in confidence, the index declining from -2pts in February to -66pts in March as severe restrictions over trading and social gatherings were implemented. The March level of the index compares to a reading of around -30 at the depths of the GFC, and -24 in the 1990’s recession.
Conditions also fell sharply this month, from 0pts to -21pts. This outcome is worse than the GFC (-17pts), but not as bad as the 1990’s recession (-39pts). All the components of conditions were weak in March, and the experience of businesses across the states was uniform. Unsurprisingly, business is reticent to invest in this climate, the capex expectations index falling to -23, below the GFC low of -20. Fiscal measures introduced to accelerate business investment are then set to struggle.
Turning to the Australian consumer, in April our <a href="https://westpaciq.westpac.com.au/wibiqauthoring/_uploads/file/Australia/2020/April/er20200415BullConsumerSentiment.pdf">Westpac-MI consumer sentiment survey</a> registered the single biggest monthly decline in the 47 year history of the survey, taking the Index beyond its GFC lows to 75.6, levels only seen during the deep recessions of the early 1990s (64.6) and early 1980s (75.5). As detailed by Chief Economist Bill Evans, it is “pertinent to note that the lows in previous recessions were reached after one to two years of continuous deterioration compared to the one month collapse we have seen here”.
Consumers’ view of the ‘economy, next 12 months’ recorded its biggest monthly fall on record, a 31% drop to 53.7, in line with GFC lows. Households are however still optimistic that this is only a temporary shock, with the ‘economy next 5yrs’ sub-index only down 3.8% to 87 – still above this cycle’s lows of 85.5 averaged during the second half of 2014.
Views on family finances were also hit in April, though the cost was much less severe than for immediate expectations of the economy (down 14.8% for ‘finances, versus a year ago’, and 6.6% for ‘finances in the year ahead’). While households are hopeful regarding their financial position, very clearly they are taking preventative measures when it comes to spending, ‘time to buy a major household item’ plunging 31.6% in the month – also its largest ever shock. As detailed in the survey release, health concerns and social distancing requirements are likely on the minds of consumers, in addition to their finances. 
A similar argument can be posited for housing, with sentiment around the sector having collapsed in April. ‘Time to buy a dwelling’ fell 26.6%, and house price expectations declined by over half (-50.8%). These outcomes are discussed in more detail by <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://westpaciq.westpac.com.au/Article/42983">Chief Economist Bill Evans</a> in our weekly video update, along with the responses to a number of special questions on the experience of consumers in this outbreak – <a href="https://westpaciq.westpac.com.au/wibiqauthoring/_uploads/file/Australia/2020/April/er20200415BullConsumerSentiment.pdf">also highlighted in the bulletin</a>. 
Turning to the labour market, while <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://westpaciq.westpac.com.au/Article/42990">the unemployment rate</a> was little changed in March at 5.2%, Westpac-MI unemployment expectations continued to rise, another 8% increase seen in April. Helpfully, the current level for the index of 130 is well below that seen in the GFC and the 1990’s recession, circa 180 and 170 respectively. Presumably, the Government’s JobKeeper package has given households some confidence in the labour market. It is also likely that households view the threat of job loss as temporary because it is being caused by a virus. On this point, while Westpac expect the unemployment rate to peak around 9% mid-2020, by the end of 2020, it should be back near 7%.
The significance of the JobKeeper program to Australia’s economic outlook was a key topic discussed by Chief Economist Bill Evans in our inaugural <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://westpaciq.westpac.com.au/Article/42984">Market Outlook in conversation podcast</a>. In this edition, Bill was joined by our Head of Financial Market Strategy Robert Rennie who covered off on key financial market developments, particularly with respect to the Australian and US dollar.
Turning to the US, the economic situation they face as a result of COVID-19 is becoming more and more severe. In just four weeks, around 22 million US citizens have now filed for unemployment benefits after losing their jobs. This loss will see the unemployment rate rise from 4.4% at March to around 15% in April. Further job loss has to be expected, and so the peak for the employment rate will be closer to 20% come mid-2020. Despite the benefit of precautionary buying in March, retail sales have already been hit hard, falling 8.7% in March, the worst outcome on record. Another, likely larger, decline will be seen in April, with durable goods and discretionary services expected to be the hardest hit.
While a sharp reduction in consumption is the prime shock coming to the US as a result of this crisis, investment in housing and the business sector has also been hit hard, and will remain weak for some time. Both Westpac and the IMF expect a contraction in US GDP of around 6.0% in 2020. While the IMF forecast a V-shaped recovery, circa 5.0% growth in 2021, we are much more circumspect, instead anticipating year-average growth around 1.0%. Hot spots such as New York City look to be coming under control, but the virus has now spread across the US, making it difficult to trace and contain. This will delay a return to normal conditions, with wide-ranging economic consequence. 
ELLIOT CLARKE is a <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://westpaciq.westpac.com.au/Article/42750" target="_blank">senior economist at Westpac</a> 
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COVID-19’s terrible toll: Elliot Clarke

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GUEST OBSERVATION
It’s hard to forget the thick smoke plumes <a href="https://theconversation.com/bushfire-smoke-is-everywhere-in-our-cities-heres-exactly-what-you-are-inhaling-129772">blanketing</a> Australia’s cities and towns during the black summer. But consecutive days of smoke haze can also come from planned burns to <a href="https://www.mssanz.org.au/modsim2013/A3/meyer2.pdf">reduce fuel loads</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/logging-burns-conceal-industrial-pollution-in-the-name-of-community-safety-96712">fires set after logging</a>.
Expanding planned burning is often touted as a way to mitigate the risk of bushfires rising with climate change. But the autumn burn-off season is bad news for the COVID-19 pandemic, as smoke exposure can make us more vulnerable to respiratory illnesses.
In fact, <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/months-of-haze-doctors-demand-smoke-pollution-check-as-pandemic-raises-burn-off-fear-20200407-p54hy4">doctors in the Yarra Valley</a>, Victoria, are campaigning for better air quality monitors. They argue burn-offs are a serious health risk during this pandemic, particularly with asthma inhaler stocks in <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-greg-hunt-mp/media/interview-with-deborah-knight-on-2gb-about-covid-19">limited supply</a>.
Yes, planned burns can be useful, but they offer limited protection from bushfires and, right now, they pose an immediate health risk. It’s a reasonable bet that planned burning will do us more harm than good in 2020.
The same can be said of <a href="https://soe.environment.gov.au/theme/ambient-air-quality/topic/2016/fine-particulate-matter-pm25">other sources of smoke</a>, including from logging regeneration burns, wood heaters, backyard burn-offs and burning fossil fuels.
How does smoke from bushfires hurt our lungs?
Smoke pollution from the black summer <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.5694/mja2.50545">may have killed</a> more than 400 people, and sent 4,000 people to the hospital.
Bushfire smoke includes fine particles – less than 2.5 micrometers in size (one micrometre is a ten-thousanth of a centimetre) – that can reach to the ends of our lungs and enter the bloodstream. They <a href="https://www.mua.org.au/sites/mua.org.au/files/uploads/201912%20-%20CAR%20factsheet%20-%20Bushfire%20Smoke%20and%20Health.pdf">compromise our immune system</a>, weakening our <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340343851_Environmental_pollutants_modulate_RNA_and_DNA_virus-activated_miRNA-155_expression_and_innate_immune_system_responses_Insights_into_new_immunomodulative_mechanisms">antiviral defences</a>.
Smoke also has a toxic mix of metals and organic chemicals that include <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969719347874">known carcinogens</a>. Even short term exposure increases hospital admissions and ambulance call-outs in Australia for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, cardiovascular attacks and <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-does-poor-air-quality-from-bushfire-smoke-affect-our-health-126835">other health effects</a>.
It’s not just humans – health impacts from smoke <a href="https://ca.audubon.org/news/birds-suffer-air-pollution-just-we-do">extends to wildlife</a>, with smoke reducing their ability to mount an immune response and <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/aa8051/meta">increasing their stress</a>.
The <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-25847-1">ecological effects</a> of smoke can also compromise animal survival, including making it harder for them to <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/aa87ed/meta">forage</a>.
Exacerbating COVID-19
Smoke exposure causes inflammation in the lungs, as does coronavirus infection. But it’s a not a simple equation; they likely act in a synergistic way with complex interactions.
Recent studies have linked worse outcomes of COVID-19 infections with <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7083240/">long-term cigarette smoking</a> and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749120320601?via%3Dihub#bib6">air pollution</a>, both of which have similar chemical components to <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es981277q">wood smoke</a>.
New research from the USA shows average air pollution with one extra microgram of fine particles per cubic metre is associated with a 15% higher death rate from <a href="https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/files/covid-pm/files/pm_and_covid_mortality.pdf">COVID-19</a>.
In other words, if COVID-19 has a base death rate of about <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(20)30244-9/fulltext">1 in 100</a>, and fine particles in air pollution span from near one microgram/litre to higher than 12 in major <a href="https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/files/covid-pm/files/pm_and_covid_mortality.pdf">urban centres</a>, then the death rate could more than double to 2.65 per 100 infections.
Research into other viral infections shows just two hours of exposure to smoke can make people <a href="https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/full/10.1164/rccm.201807-1287OC">more susceptible</a> to respiratory infections. But what we’re uncertain about is if short term exposure to smoke would illicit the same dire consequences – dramatically higher death rates – as there appears to be with long-term exposure to air pollutants.
What’s more, men could be more at risk than women. Men find it harder to fight off the flu than women, and prior exposure to wood smoke can make flu symptoms <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6467314/">worse in men</a>.
Planned burning is under pressure
The amount and pattern of planned burning is under pressure to change. Some <a href="https://theconversation.com/theres-only-one-way-to-make-bushfires-less-powerful-take-out-the-stuff-that-burns-129323">commentators</a> are campaigning for increased planned burning, but others are <a href="https://theconversation.com/percentage-targets-for-planned-burning-are-blunt-tools-that-dont-work-39254">asking for less</a>, and the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-07/fuel-reduction-burn-debate-rubbish-says-vic-fire-chief/11849522">Victorian firefighter chief has said</a> it’s no silver bullet.
While planned burns aim to reduce wildfire, it’s <a href="https://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5330&amp;context=smhpapers">not yet clear</a> whether this will ultimately alter the amount of smoke over communities.
On the one hand, planned burns could pump more smoke into the atmosphere than wildfires because <a href="https://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5330&amp;context=smhpapers">larger areas need to be burned</a>, smoke can build up and <a href="https://www.mssanz.org.au/modsim2013/A3/meyer2.pdf">hang around for longer</a>, and planned burns could produce <a href="https://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=5330&amp;context=smhpapers">more toxic smoke by burning wetter fuels</a>.
On the other hand, planned burns have lower severity and are <a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/WF/WF16167">more patchy</a> than wildfires, so burn less of the vegetation in a given area, potentially producing less smoke.
What about protection? Planned burns can make <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/Publications_Archive/CIB/cib0203/03Cib08">firefighting easier for a few years after fire</a>. But current rates of planned burning give little protection for houses when wildfires are driven by <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-surprising-answer-to-a-hot-question-controlled-burns-often-fail-to-slow-a-bushfire-127022">extreme weather</a>.
Planned burns within a few hundred metres of houses <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0029212">can give protection</a> but must occur frequently, such as less than every <a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/WF/WF18128">five years</a>. We shouldn’t expect towns to endure local smoke pollution this often.
A matter of timing
In the context of COVID-19, the seasonal timing of fires is also important.
Flu risk is lowest in the <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/flu-trends-in-australia">summer months</a>, and COVID-19 might <a href="https://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/health/dreaded-duo-australia-will-likely-hit-peak-coronavirus-cases-around-flu-season">peak in late winter</a>. This means smoke from wildfires in summer may have less impact than smoke from planned burns in autumn and spring.
 
The coming summer is unlikely to bring a repeat of last summer’s fires because so much forest is already burnt.
So, even if COVID-19 spills over into 2021, the compounding smoke risk from wildfires is likely to be lower than smoke from planned burns in autumn and spring.
Not worth it
All things considered, it’s not worth the health risk to conduct planned burns, logging regeneration burns or other burning this year while the pandemic continues to sweep through the country, particularly in areas close to towns such as the Yarra Valley.
Still, whether or not planned burns will change our total exposure to smoke from bushfires, the effects of climate change are <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/2019GL083699">definitely bringing more fire</a> and with it more smoke.
This means we can expect to have to deal with interactions between virus risks and smoke risks more often in the future.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/136230/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/don-driscoll-17432">Don Driscoll</a>, Professor in Terrestrial Ecology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/brian-oliver-113740">Brian Oliver</a>, Research Leader in Respiratory cellular and molecular biology at the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research and Professor, Faculty of Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/courtney-alice-waugh-1032568">Courtney Alice Waugh</a>, Associate Professor in Immunology and Disease, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/nord-university-3607">Nord University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/marcel-klaassen-425221">Marcel Klaassen</a>, Alfred Deakin Professor and Chair in Ecology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/veerle-l-b-jaspers-1032459">Veerle L. B. Jaspers</a>, Professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/norwegian-university-of-science-and-technology-715">Norwegian University of Science and Technology</a>
This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-smoke-from-autumn-burn-offs-could-make-coronavirus-symptoms-worse-its-not-worth-the-risk-136230">original article</a>.
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The smoke from autumn burn-offs could make coronavirus symptoms worse

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sunland-group">Sunland Group</a> has officially lodged plans for its first Gold Coast apartment project since the departure of the Abedian family from the company three years ago, unveiling a new high-rise proposal for a prominent Broadbeach corner site on Old Burleigh Road.

The application was submitted by an entity directed by Tom Jamieson, stepson of longtime Sunland leader Soheil Abedian, and Riaz Rezvanipour, brother-in-law of Sahba Abedian, Soheil’s son.

Sunland acquired the 1,283 sqm site on the corner of Old Burleigh Road and Armrick Avenue for $9.5 million late last year and is now seeking approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/99-101-old-burleigh-road-broadbeach-qld-4218">42-storey tower with 81 apartments</a>.

<img alt="First look: Sunland Group returns to Broadbeach with new Old Burleigh Road tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fea2946d-90ee-4cfc-babe-2a8ad5db2cb6" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/pers.png?VersionId=BV0fihJw31nDIQ8ozY_h3GbS8mxDyhnm" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/contreras-earl-architecture">Contreras Earl Architecture</a>, the proposed tower at 99-101 Old Burleigh Road would deliver a predominantly larger-format apartment mix aimed at the owner-occupier market. Plans include 17 two-bedroom apartments, 55 three-bedroom apartments, and nine four-bedroom residences across 35 residential levels.

The development also incorporates three basement levels, four podium parking levels, two levels of communal recreation facilities, and rooftop plant and equipment. A total of 189 car spaces are proposed, significantly exceeding the 90 spaces required under the planning scheme.

The architecture adopts a sculpted, curvilinear form, with deep wraparound balconies and integrated landscaping intended to soften the tower’s vertical expression. The planning report states the building’s “slender footprint/form provides a complimentary yet varied built form within the local streetscape” and contributes to “a varied, yet ordered skyline.”

Contreras Earl noted in its Architectural Statement that from the early stages, the project addressed a fundamental challenge: how to accommodate the required residential yield while avoiding the conventional model of a tower sitting on a rigid, fully resolved parking podium.

“The most direct response would have been to consolidate parking into a singular, flat podium and extrude a repetitive tower above,” the statement said. “While efficient, this approach would result in a consolidated built form with limited engagement with the surrounding landscape and public realm.”

Instead, the conventional podium model was “deliberately rejected”. The architects described the base of the building as “a landscaped architectural condition where structure, planting and circulation are integrated”.

“Rather than presenting a continuous built mass, the base of the building is articulated through a series of concrete planter elements that organise the podium into a fragmented system,” the statement said. “This approach reduces the perceived bulk of the lower levels while establishing a more permeable interface with the streetscape and adjacent open space.”

<img alt="Sunland" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="923fad8d-c960-4527-8fbe-975cf1ddf88d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-25%20at%2010.32.03%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=pngwb0hYOIUpq9vDw6F2EsOiVuHF3DiX" />

&nbsp;

The site sits within the High Density Residential Zone and inside the City of Gold Coast’s unrestricted “HX” building height area, where the planning framework anticipates intensified residential development tied to the expanding light rail corridor. The planning report notes the area is undergoing “transition toward more intense development forms” given its proximity to Broadbeach, Surfers Paradise, and high-frequency public transport infrastructure.

Positioned directly opposite Broadbeach Park and within walking distance of Florida Gardens light rail station, the development would sit among a rapidly evolving stretch of Old Burleigh Road that has become one of the Gold Coast’s most active apartment development corridors.

The application joins a growing pipeline of luxury residential projects reshaping Broadbeach, including nearby developments by 5Point Projects, Polycell, and Graya.

The planning report argues the project contributes toward the Gold Coast’s long-term housing targets under the South East Queensland Regional Plan, which forecasts the need for more than 100,000 additional high-rise dwellings across the city by 2046.

<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-4" data-turn="assistant" data-turn-id="request-WEB:84a2af5e-d7cf-4ddf-922a-f4d44d6c6caa-1" data-turn-id-container="request-WEB:84a2af5e-d7cf-4ddf-922a-f4d44d6c6caa-1" dir="auto">
The Abedian family departed Sunland Group in late 2023, ending a four-decade association with the company, and subsequently established the private development firm Abedian &amp; Co. The group is currently delivering <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/greenmount-residences-cnr-hill-street-and-marine-parade-coolangatta-qld-4225">Greenmount Residences</a> at Rainbow Bay and recently launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/18-mary-avenue-14-18-mary-avenue-broadbeach-qld-4218">18 Mary Avenue</a> in Broadbeach.
</section>

Joel Robinson

First look: Sunland Group returns to Broadbeach new apartment market with new Old Burleigh Road tower plans

The Minns Labor Government has established the new Bays West Delivery Authority to lead the development&nbsp;of the Bays West Precinct and Blackwattle Bay Precinct.&nbsp;

The Authority is charged with creating Sydney’s newest precinct, a thriving, connected, sustainable hub with White Bay Power Station as its cultural heart. Its vision is to build on the area’s natural, cultural and industrial history to shape a vibrant new neighbourhood.

The precinct will deliver up to 8,500 well-located homes, including a minimum of 10 per cent affordable and essential worker homes. Combine new housing with public open space, opening public access to the waterfront for the first time in more than 100 years, while retaining important deep-water facilities to support Sydney’s working harbour.

Located just minutes from the Sydney CBD and connected to a world-class metro, ferry, walking and cycling links, the Bays West precinct will rebalance housing growth towards well-serviced inner-city locations and help tackle the state’s housing crisis.

The Bays West Delivery Authority,&nbsp;an agency of the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, will report to the NSW Minister for Lands and Property who already has oversight of major precinct renewal projects including at Blackwattle Bay and Barangaroo.

As part of the broader Bays West transformation, the Minns Government recently announced that a proposal from Lendlease to redevelop part of the Bays West Precinct has progressed to Stage 2 of the NSW Government’s unsolicited proposals process.

<img alt="Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2ed71eb9-d8e8-4fa7-b9d1-de4531dcf2f3" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-25%20at%209.42.31%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=IDryFIbped9SNDg72LEN_EecvhUsOPvp" />

The Minns Labor Government has also confirmed the Bays West precinct will have a new suburb name. This will be the first major suburb built in close proximity to Sydney’s CBD in decades and will encompass the area currently being referred to as Bays West, including Glebe Island and the White Bay Power Station. Served by a new Metro station just five minutes from the CBD, it will become one of the most populous suburbs in the Inner West and one of Sydney’s premier cultural destinations.

An early works program is taking shape, which&nbsp;includes the first stages of an international design competition.&nbsp;

The aim of the Bays West&nbsp;International&nbsp;Design Competition is to&nbsp;ensure design excellence is embedded in the project from the start. The competition will deliver an&nbsp;urban framework that defines the character, ambition and long-term identity of&nbsp;this&nbsp;former industrial precinct as it transitions to a vibrant, inclusive and sustainable residential&nbsp;neighbourhood.

The competition will be led by the Bays West Delivery Authority in partnership with Government Architect NSW.&nbsp;

It will launch with an invitation for a global Expressions of Interest, before moving to an invitation-only stage that will be assessed by a panel that&nbsp;will provide advice to Cabinet who will select a winner.

Premier of NSW, Chris Minns said the establishment of the new Authority is the first step in transforming the Bays West precinct into a vibrant, livable suburb minutes from the Sydney CBD and two stops from Hunter St Station on the Metro West line.

“The Authority will deliver well-located homes close to the heart of the city and integrate the new precinct with Blackwattle Bay and the new Sydney Fish Market.

“This is a generational opportunity to build a new suburb on the city’s edge and open the harbour foreshore to the public for the first time in a century.”&nbsp;

Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said the new Bays West Delivery Authority established by the Minns Government will turbocharge the development of Sydney’s newest suburb.

“The Authority is working at a record pace to deliver an international design competition, planning pathways and a financial model so that this development benefits Sydney with well-designed homes in a central location, close to public transport, jobs, entertainment and essential services.

“If we want Sydney to stay liveable and affordable, we need to be bold about using underutilised government-owned land to deliver homes for the future while making sure essential working harbour functions can be accommodated.”

Bays West Delivery Authority established to "turbocharge" Sydney’s newest suburb

Around 400 additional homes could be built at Southwark Grounds on Port Road, lifting total site capacity from 1300 to around 1700 dwellings.

A recently approved code amendment would allow apartment towers of up to 14 storeys in some areas of Renewal SA’s redevelopment of the former West End Brewery.

Renewal SA Acting Chief Executive Shane Wingard said he welcomed the code amendment, with the increase in heights and homes making a positive impact on the supply of high-quality, well-connected housing close to the city.

“By going higher across some parts of Southwark Grounds, we are adding a substantial number of very well-located homes with little impact on project delivery time or planned open space,” Mr Wingard said.

Since the project officially launched in 2025, Mr Wingard said more than 12,000 enquiries had been received about living at Southwark Grounds.

“The very strong early interest we’ve seen since homes were first released in the precinct reinforces our plans to create more housing opportunities,” he said.

The Southwark Grounds code amendment was launched in December last year, with community engagement undertaken over five weeks from January.

It proposed increasing maximum building heights from eight to 14 storeys on the eastern section of Southwark Grounds, and to 12 storeys across the remainder of the site, with minimum building heights ranging from two to four storeys.

The code amendment was implemented through an Early Commencement policy in late January, allowing developers to quickly explore the viability of increased height and housing yield while other planning processes continue.

One of the first developers delivering apartment sites have already finalised redesigns to increase the number of apartments following the code amendment.

Samaras’ development adjacent to the future Colonel Light Park is now planning to deliver 125 apartments across 11 storeys, significantly greater than original plans of around 50 apartments across four storeys.

The developer is also exploring the potential for additional affordable housing outcomes.

Most of the apartments at Southwark Grounds will be delivered within a master-planned precinct on a large parcel of land on the eastern portion of the site, covering around two-thirds of its 8.4 hectares.

Wingard said detailed precinct planning over the coming months may identify further opportunities to increase yield further that could see total apartment numbers at Southwark Grounds, exceed this number.

Affordable homes at Southwark Grounds will also see a net increase, with Renewal SA maintaining its commitment to a minimum of 20 per cent affordable housing across the development.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Civil works have begun across the site, with construction under way on the first new roads surrounding a townhouse precinct in the south‑west corner of Southwark Grounds. This includes Renewal SA’s 17 Founder’s Row homes, which are on track for completion by Christmas.

“We expect to have people living at Southwark Grounds by the end of the year, so delivering roads and public spaces for those residents is among our highest priorities.”

Construction of 40 townhouses off Anderson Street, known as West Village and being delivered by Contour, is forecast to begin in mid‑2026. Kolabb’s Anderson Lane development will follow shortly after, delivering a further 26 townhouses.

Southwark Grounds is a state government‑led urban renewal project now set to deliver around 1,700 homes over the next decade.

Homes will be supported by a supermarket, a range of retail and hospitality offerings anchored by a revitalised Walkerville Brew Tower, a childcare centre, car parking and well‑connected public spaces.

400 new homes planned for Adelaide's former West End Brewery site

Brisbane developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/cavcorp">Cavcorp</a> has lodged plans for a new mixed-use residential development at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/55-wyandra-street-teneriffe-qld-4005">55 Wyandra Street</a>, Teneriffe, anchored by an 85-metre public laneway designed to reconnect the suburb’s riverfront with the Gasworks precinct.

The buildings, known as Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane, would replace the existing Queensland Cotton head office site with a 15-storey residential tower transitioning to eight storeys toward Helen Street. The project has been designed by Plazibat Architects and lodged as a code assessable development application for 93 apartments across a 3,401 sqm mixed-use site within the Newstead and Teneriffe Waterfront neighbourhood plan.

Central to the scheme is the transformation of an existing service easement into a publicly accessible cross-block connection linking Wyandra and Helen Streets. Cavcorp says the new laneway will act as both a pedestrian shortcut and a landscaped civic space between the Teneriffe Riverwalk, ferry terminal, and Gasworks precinct.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="26e7f058-b065-4de8-b13d-a2b8cb64dfcc" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/bldg.png?VersionId=sELS0ZKYi361oYipUa1BIKfe_.DLZoFV" />

“The revised proposal delivers a legacy public-realm cross-block link, permanently secured for community use, transforming an existing private easement into a safe, high-quality pedestrian connection between the Teneriffe heritage riverwalk and the Gasworks–Long Island precinct,” the planning report states.

The laneway will sit beneath a large subtropical loggia integrated into the podium levels of the development. The design incorporates deep landscaping, water gardens, lobby spaces, business lounges, and ground-floor apartments to create what Cavcorp describes as a climate-responsive “urban verandah.”

The tower itself has been designed as a slender form with recessed floorplates and curved translucent corners inspired by contemporary Japanese architecture. The building height aligns with the Commercial Road precinct controls, which permit towers up to 15 storeys within proximity to Longland Street.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a8a17d40-43b6-4718-b3fd-67676fcbb485" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/pers%202_1.png?VersionId=i3VwDtp5AmL_8InW7w4qRbDFEpb744Jt" />

The project will comprise a mix of larger-format apartments aimed at owner-occupiers, downsizers, and families. The proposed apartment mix includes 11 loggia apartments across the lower levels, 50 four-bedroom Sky-Terrace apartments from levels three to seven, and 32 Sky-Pool Homes occupying the upper tower levels. The Sky-Pool Homes will feature private thermal plunge pools integrated into oversized balconies.

According to the application, the apartments are intended to reinterpret the scale and character of Teneriffe’s woolstore conversions and Queensland homes within a vertical residential format.

“The sky-pool homes build on Cavcorp’s previous projects and introduce a distinct apartment typology to Teneriffe, informed by both local and international precedent and responding to an identified market demand for enhanced safety, space and amenity,” the planning submission notes.

A major focus of the proposal is its five-level wellness and lifestyle offering, extending from the basement through to the rooftop.

Amenities proposed include a rooftop Swim &amp; Racquet Club with a 25-metre Olympic lap pool and tennis court, coworking spaces and libraries, golf simulators, wine storage, concierge facilities, business lounges, pet wash areas, and rooftop longevity-focused wellness spaces with spas, outdoor fitness zones, and landscaped terraces.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="944b352c-49b9-4247-a4c6-5967b4b69fda" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/amenity.png?VersionId=Ed_qKjAtMwFT.5gfl3jiA9QwdWxSMsaX" />

All parking will be concealed within basement levels accessed from Wyandra and Helen Streets. Cavcorp says the deep-basement engineering approach allows the entire ground plane to prioritise landscaping, pedestrian movement, and active frontage rather than vehicle infrastructure.

The development continues Cavcorp’s concentration in Newstead and Teneriffe, where the Brisbane developer has delivered a number of apartment projects including Lucent, Le Bain, and Luminare, as well as the Long Island Wellness Precinct nearby. Several of those projects have received national design and architecture awards, including recognition under Brisbane’s “Buildings that Breathe” program.

Cavcorp unveils wellness-focused Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane apartment buildings

Focus Group Investments has lodged plans for a new apartment development at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/64-70-hanover-street-fitzroy-vic-3065">64–70 Hanover Street</a> in Fitzroy, seeking to utilise the Victorian Government’s recently introduced Great Design Fast Track pathway to accelerate approvals for the project.

The proposal is among the latest developments to emerge through the state-led initiative, which was established to fast-track well-designed residential projects in activity centres and transport-connected inner-city locations. The pathway allows qualifying developments that meet elevated design and housing benchmarks to bypass traditional council planning timeframes and instead be assessed directly by the Department of Transport and Planning.

Designed by SJB, the development will comprise a mix of apartments above activated lower levels, with a strong focus on architectural articulation, landscaping, and communal amenity. The design response seeks to balance the industrial character of Richmond’s former warehouse precincts with a more contemporary residential form.

<img alt="First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Richmond apartments" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="abea51cc-d85b-479e-9aef-a589f3b37ca7" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/ground.png?VersionId=e1Kf8EyPWwyiVumtqQ4rM5S4GpOR3CCz" />

Proposed are 63 new dwellings, a wide ranging mix of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, and townhouses and duplexes. They will be spread across a part-three, part-eight storey building.

The Planning and Urban Context Report by Tract says the development is of an "exemplary architectural standard" and has been carefully crafted by SJB Architects.

"Dwellings&nbsp;will benefit from excellent access to natural light, cross-ventilation opportunities and extensive communal space," the report noted.

The architectural material highlights the project’s integration of landscaped elements and communal spaces throughout the building. The proposal also incorporates sustainability initiatives aligned with the Victorian Government’s push for higher-performing apartment developments under the fast-track program.

The Great Design Fast Track was unveiled by the Victorian Government in 2024 as part of a broader housing supply strategy aimed at accelerating the delivery of new homes. Projects assessed through the pathway must demonstrate high-quality architecture, sustainability outcomes, and housing diversity while being located close to public transport and existing infrastructure.

<img alt="First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Richmond apartments" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="afdbe834-8dc4-4a77-a943-ba07bc927348" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/site_11.png?VersionId=0J657j.TaChAZfp93wqJYBTqSsnREJx2" />

Focus Group, founder and led by Paul De Lutiis, is increasingly active across Melbourne’s inner suburbs, targeting well-connected urban renewal locations suited to medium and higher-density residential development. The Fitzroy proposal continues that strategy, leveraging the area’s strong transport links, established retail amenity, and proximity to the CBD.

Fitzroy has been one of the most popular spots for developers and buyers in recent years. The likes of PACE Development Group, SMA Projects, Crema Group and Chapter Group, currently selling projects in the suburb.

Staff reporter

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