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A lakeside unit in Wembley, Western Australia has been listed for sale by mortgagee with a price guide of $165,000.
The two bedroom, one bathroom home is situated at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-wa-wembley-134328826" target="_blank">203B/19 Herdsman Parade</a>. 
The 56sqm top floor unit comes with open kitchen, living and dining area, combined laundry and bathroom and undercover car bay. 
There is visitor parking for guests. 
It is located close to parks, Perth CBD, primary school and public transport. 
Mark Hales of Harcourts City Central Perth has the listing. 
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Wembley, Western Australia mortgagee home listed 

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A contemporary apartment in Arncliffe, NSW has been listed by the mortgagee in possession with a $690,000 asking price.
The two bedroom, two bathroom apartment at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-nsw-arncliffe-134124246" target="_blank">43/10 Bidjigal Road</a> last traded for $560,000 off the plan in 2013, two years before the building was completed.
The 90 sqm unit on the fourth level of the 2015 completed block has a modern kitchen, and open plan living area, north facing balcony, study and secure parking. 
It is located within walking distance to both Arncliffe and Wolli Creek stations, village shops and eateries. 
Toula Haddad and Sam Epsimos of Raine &amp; Horne Bexley/Beverley Hills have the listing. 
The last two bed apartment in the investor-dominated block sold for $700,000 just under a year ago.
Another two bed, on level five, has been on the market for over a year and has had a steadfast guide of $750,000 to $780,000.
 
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Arncliffe, NSW mortgagee apartment listed 

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Following the release of Myer’s annual report, publicly-listed investment company Premier has called for the immediate resignation of the Myer board.
The renewed call what Premier calls “disastrous” and “shameful” results as Myer reveals to shareholders that EBITDA is down 41.6 per cent.
“Two years into John King’s tenure – it’s clear the Myer turnaround is in tatters. It’s now time for the CEO to follow the Board through the exit”, the company said.
Premier is headed by chairman Solomon Lew, a former Coles Myer director and former board member of the RBA.
Its board also includes former David Jones CEO Mark McInnes, and former state treasurer of Tasmania David Crean.
Shares in Myer fell over 15 per cent after the release of results, dropping to 22 cents per share.
At the previous close, Myers shares were worth 26 cents per share.
Premier, a long-term investor and supplier in the retail group, said they were “perplexed” by John King’s leadership.
King, who has headed Myer as chief executive for two years, was hired as Myer’s turnaround hope following his successful turnaround of the UK department store chain House of Fraser from 2006 to 2015.
Myer delivered the second biggest loss in its history, a statutory net loss after tax of $172.4 million.
However, Premier was quick to point out that, while shareholders have been taken for a ride, King pocketed $1.59 million.
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Premier Investments call for the resignation of the Myer board

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There are 870 capital city auctions being tracked by CoreLogic this week, similar to last week when 866 auctions were held.
Over the same week last year, 1,639 homes were taken to auction across the combined capitals.
Melbourne remains in stage 4 lockdown and as such just 13 auctions are on the radar this week, down from 28 over the previous week and 826 this time last year. This is a record low for Melbourne’s auction market outside of the seasonally quiet early January period.
There are 653 Sydney homes scheduled for auction this week, up from 608 last week, and higher than the 585 held one year ago. The number of auctions held across Sydney has consistently tracked higher than a year ago since mid-June.
Across the smaller auction markets, Brisbane is set to hold the most auctions this week (83), while Adelaide and Canberra are expecting to host 54 auctions each.
There are 11 auctions scheduled for Perth this week, while Tasmania is set to see just 2 properties up for auction.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2020/9/10/CL%20SEPT%206.JPG" alt="">
One example of a property set for future auction in Melbourne is<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-st+kilda-133459414" target="_blank"> 2/93 Argyle Street, St Kilda</a> (pictured in title).
The one bedroom, one bathroom apartment comes with a price guide of $310,000 - $340,000 for its October 17 auction date.
Another of the properties listed to go under the hammer is <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-st+kilda-134113730" target="_blank">33 Henryville Street</a>, also in St Kilda, which has a November 21 auction schedule.
The house is a two bedroom, one bathroom property and comes with a prices guide of $950,000 - $1,045,000.
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Melbourne auctions dwindle down to a record low dozen

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EXPERT OBSERVER
The Victorian Government has based its roadmap to reopening and the precise nature of ongoing restrictions upon Melbourne University's Dynamic Policy Model.
While Ray White supports this scientific work, it quite explicitly does not provide any advice pertaining to the inclusion or exclusion of specific activities and certainly not of private property inspections.
Ray White Group Managing Director Dan White said the Victorian government's decision to restrict private inspections must be explained, and identify how it has balanced the danger posed by that activity, accounting for the ability to mitigate risk when performing it with the social and economic impact of restricting it.
The leading group supports that private property inspections can be conducted in a highly controlled setting - in a pre-scheduled activity where only a small group of people interact with each other, while still being able to properly observe social distancing and enact effective transmission mitigation (ie sanitisation of surfaces and the use of personal protective equipment).
This is a safe setting - it does not entail any significant risk of transmission - and it does not constitute the sort of free movement that the cited modeling quantifies the effects of.
Given this, the Victorian model should further consider the huge economic and social impact of ongoing restrictions of property inspections.
Mr White said the group’s customers are demanding to know where does the government’s modelling show that private inspections are dangerous to the community? “And if so, what elements of our protocols are unsafe?”
“And additionally, did they rank the importance of the reasons for allowable people movement from 28 September? If they did, how could they think that visits to bottle shops, hardware shops and personal trainers are more important than the private inspections needed to facilitate the sale and lease of real estate?”
“Shelter is one of the most basic human needs and real estate is an essential service. It also has major financial implications for thousands of Victorian families.”
We have heard of so many of our customers experiencing hardship because of this decision.
Yet another distressed seller was 46-year-old Berwick mum Natalie Brennan. When her husband Gerard had his second stroke earlier this year, she knew they’d need to sell their home.
Mr Brenann, 49, lost his job as a forklift driver for a major pharmaceutical company in July.
The family of four just listed their house for sale last week with experienced agent Anne Haynes of Ray White Berwick.
“We are struggling financially with our mortgage repayments so we need to sell. I’ve had to take all the photos myself and our agent fixed them up and uploaded them online but it’s simply not fair that they won’t allow anyone to have a private inspection,” Ms Brennan said.
“We are a family of four with our children Alana, 14, and Aidan, 12 both doing home schooling. I work part-time at a pharmaceutical warehouse from 2:30pm to 10pm seven days a week. We have a lot of bills with my husband’s medical expenses and I am the only one working.
“But Dan Andrews’ rules don’t make any sense. We cannot even get a signboard put up out the front of our house.
“We are in a very difficult financial position and to ease the tension and stress as we need to sell. My message to Dan Andrews is ‘you are being totally unfair’.
“If I can go to Coles with 250 people then why can’t I have a few people through my house at one on one private inspections?
“We would leave the house and our agent could have inspections with staggered times and all the sanitiser under the sun. It could be done safely.”
Another distressed commercial landlord is retiree Colin Wise, aged in his mid-70s. He and his wife own a investment property in Glen Waverley. Since a tenancy with ANZ Bank ended in May, Mr Wise has been unable to lease the property again due to Stage 4 restrictions.
Mr Wise’s son, Daniel, said the prime asset would ordinarily be tenanted by now given it’s opposite The Glen Shopping Centre on one of the most prominent corner positions.
“This is a family asset and my retired father relies on the property for income. The Andrews Government with their restrictions have curtailed our ability to lease this asset out,” Mr Daniel Wise said.
“We actually had an offer agreed in principle on the doorstep of the first round of restrictions but the uncertainty within the government meant that deal fell over.
“The property is highly sought-after but we’re unable to take people through, even privately, so these restrictions are preventing the income for a retired couple.
“We’re not alone. Our story is just one of many thousands across the state, and people are genuinely struggling out there. It feels like we’ve been completely forgotten and now being completely ignored.
“We must take positive steps to create avenues for commerce to commence. We simply can’t leave Victoria and Melbourne in a state of lockdown. We live with risk in all we do and we have to allow people to get on with their lives.
“All we ask is for a balanced approach and an even playing field. I know for a fact contact tracing is in place when all private inspections are booked and masks and hand sanitizers are compulsory. How can that be any more of a risk than a stranger delivering you UberEats to your door?
“We need an empirically based common sense approach to bring business back in an orderly way as quickly as possible, otherwise thousands of others like my father, will continue to suffer through no fault of their own.”
Dan White is the Ray White Group Managing Director
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Why are private inspections deemed so dangerous? Dan White

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The largest real estate group in Victoria holds great concern for many of its customers following the announcement by the Victorian Government that private inspections of properties will not be allowed until 26 October, 2020.
As managing director of the Ray White Group, I am asking the Victorian Government to reconsider its ban on private inspections.
Private inspections alone will enable the industry to safely serve its customers and ensure that the most important financial transactions of their lives can be undertaken without further delays.
It has been a devastating day. Many of our customers often need to move properties for fundamental reasons - be it illness, divorce or other hardships like unemployment. It’s been distressing to listen to the feedback from customers now facing significant financial consequences as a result of these restrictions.
It makes absolutely no sense to forbid private inspections when you compare the safe environment we can create compared to the activities that are being allowed.
Despite many customers needing to buy and sell, yesterday’s decision means that many customers will be racing the clock to achieve a settlement before Christmas, given the time required to market property and the usual settlement period. It also applies significant pressure to those searching for a rental property or trying to lease their property.
Our leading group has been inundated with calls from customers who are distraught at the prospect of further significant delays in the marketing and sales of their properties.
Distraught customers include 70-year-old Brenda Hemphill, of Ringwood, who has bone marrow cancer and just needs to find a rental property to move into on September 25.
"I have to be out of the house by September 25 as my husband’s business went bankrupt and forced the sale,” said Mrs Hemphill, who recently sold her unit at auction through Ray White Ringwood.
“I have bone marrow cancer and need to stay close to the hospital for treatments. We have had to sell our forever home and there’s no chance of delaying the settlement as my husband went bankrupt but the house was in both names,” Mrs Hemphill said.
“I cannot go and view any rental properties. I am imploring Dan Andrew to make life a bit easier for us as not everything is around the corner to get the things we need.”
Another distressed client named Judy, who has her home on the market with Ray White Chelsea, simply wants to move to Queensland to help support her daughter.
“My son-in-law is a pilot and due to COVID-19, he has been relocated to Sydney to fly freight planes and my daughter is a working mum trying to juggle work around their two year old child. I’m a nurse and I’m incredibly disappointed that real estate activity hasn’t been reinstated because with the correct COVID procedures in place, the risk to the public is absolutely minimal when privately inspecting a property,” Judy said.
“I’m all alone down here and my daughter is all alone up there, and she’s had her own emergencies. All I want is to be in a financial position to sell soon and go to her when the borders finally reopens.”
Based on the people we have spoken to, there would be thousands of Victorians in distress as a result of the announcement.
The Big Four Australian banks have all spoken at length about the size and extent of mortgage deferrals. While they confirmed that loan deferrals will be extended on a case-by-case basis to March 2021, the message is clear: “the property market is holding up well, you may want to make the decision to sell and put yourself on a stronger footing”. Unfortunately for our Victorian customers with mortgage deferrals in place, they will be unable to do so.
In collaboration with the industry, Ray White has developed a detailed set of operating protocols for conducting private inspections to keep our customers safe.
These include a single buyer and agent inspecting for less than 15 minutes, without touching surfaces and observing social distancing.
We are not aware of any community transmission occurring in Australia as a result of real estate activity, and we estimate that nearly 180,000 properties were listed and marketed across Australia since April. That includes conducting open homes and auctions throughout Sydney throughout July and August and private inspections in the lead up to the Stage 4 Melbourne lockdown, when community outbreaks were occurring in both cities.
We note that physical on-site meetings will be permitted from 13 September in the construction industry and display homes will be open by appointment only from 28 September. We see no difference between these settings (particularly for many properties that are vacant) and believe the same settings can be achieved in the real estate industry.
We call on the government to review its decision and would welcome any opportunity to work collaboratively, for the good of the Victorian community.
Dan White is the Ray White Group Managing Director
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Victorian real estate customers stuck in limbo: Dan White

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Dan Andrews, the Victorian premier, was asked by journalists at his Wednesday press conference on the holding of open for inspections and auctions.
There is currently a late October and late November roadmap.
Melbourne real estate will fully open with safety measures from November 23, however from October 26, if the daily average of new cases is fewer than five and there are fewer than five cases with an unknown source in the prior fortnight, agents would be allowed to hold private inspections and to hold outdoor auctions subject to gathering limits.
The REIV requested a review.
Here is the response to questions put by journalists at the Wednesday press conference:
Q: They can’t have an inspection, let alone an auction, when can they start to expect –
Dan Andrews: I don’t have the roadmap in front of me, but I’ll find out when we can expect to have those inspections, open houses and auctions. Looking closer to a normal, it’s not next week. It needs to be, for safety reason. When you think about it, there are many people who attend auctions. There are many people who would see themselves as there to bid. There, are then – I had a house sell in our street not long ago, prior to COVID, so it is a little while ago actually. There were a lot of people there who had no intention of buying the place, could never have had registered, but turned up to have a look. And all of a sudden you have a gathering that is way too big and way too risky, in terms of spreading this virus. I know it’s not easy, I know there are many in the real estate community and vendors and people across the state, who are all in different settings. But just like pubs, cafes and restaurants, they wouldn’t be back to normal for long. You’ve gotta find that long-term normal and then lock that in.   
Q: Like pubs or cafes, restaurants, what if you could have inspections or at least people could come along and leave their details with their mobile number and their names.
Dan Andrews: Sure, let me come back to you. As I said, I haven’t got the document in front of me now. There’s a lot in it. But, I’ll get you an answer on when we think that will be able to happen. It did come back but of course the circumstance has changed.
Q: And are there any hardship exemptions on that? Can people apply, say if they are in financial dire straits, and they apply in some way, they can have a few people come over and look at the house, to sell the house?
Dan Andrew: Look, there are exemptions available to any of these rules and we have always welcomed people making their case. And there is a whole team dealing with that… On the specifics of that, I am not sure if I have had anybody come to us arguing that. But, I am more than happy to ask.
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Dan Andrews looks at Melbourne having open for inspections and auctions

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Whitsunday achieves record month of sales as Melbourne buyers in lockdown dream of a tropical getaway.
Ray White Whitsunday sold more than $21 million worth of stock in August, with principal Mark Beale claiming he is fielding “dozens of calls” a day from southerners prepped to travel at the end of lockdown.
“So many people are looking to buy a holiday home in Airlie Beach with the option of living here full time or working from home", Beale says.
"It feels like everyone from down south wants to have a property here.
"So many of our buyers are working remotely anyway."
Recently, Hog’s Breath Café founder Don Algie sold his Whitsundays mansion Chesapeake Whitsundays through Beale.
<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/2020/9/9/Chesapeake.jpg" alt="">
The off-market sale was the highest price achieved in the Whitsundays mainland since 2018 when Mandalay House sold for $14 million.
The buyer was revealed to be Alan Thomas Galloway of the world famous Alabar horse breeding stud in Victoria.
“I was flying and I saw the mountain with Chesapeake on the top at 1000ft above sea level, it was like a beacon", Galloway says.
"I have fallen in love with Airlie Beach, it’s like a hidden gem, a slice of paradise."
Set on 22 hectares, the gated Chesapeake estate has a three bedroom, four bathroom home with a number of living areas, a full stainless steel chefs kitchen and an upper pool.
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Surge in demand for tropical paradise as Whitsunday's nets big sale

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The Real Estate Institute of Victoria (REIV) has called for an independent review of the roadmap announced by the Andrews government when it comes to real estate listings. 
It labelled the Victorian government’s response as disproportionate, alarmist and short sighted. 
"There is no dispute that health and safety of the community is a priority and the roadmap out of the lockdown must ensure safety of all Victorians," the REIV advised.
"However, the path proposed jeopardises livelihoods and assets of hard-working Victorians who have abided by the rules and restrictions for over six months.
"Pushing the Victorian economy to the brink of collapse cannot be the only method of preventing the spread of coronavirus."
The REIV has criticised the lack of genuine consultation by government with business.  
"The irreversible impact of these decisions on the mental and financial well-being of ordinary people is being ignored.
"People who have saved and invested in an asset like property are unable to sell it to tide over these difficult times. 
The REIV urged the Federal government to immediately initiate an independent review of the roadmap, every Victorian is being impacted by the lack of vision and planning shown by the Andrews government.
The REIV president Leah Calnan said the decisions compounded the financial stress on Victorians and the Victorian economy. 
“We have cases being reported every day where people need to sell their property to get through these financial challenging times, and they can’t do so because the government won’t allow even a one-on-one inspection.” 
 
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REIV calls for an independent review of Victoria’s real estate roadmap

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GUEST OBSERVATION
The Victorian government today announced the eagerly anticipated roadmap out of COVID-19 lockdown. It features several steps that reflect a much slower relaxing of restrictions than last time around.
While the government has provided a provisional time frame for the various steps, it is data, not dates, that will determine when restrictions are actually eased.
We applaud this strategy. The virus does not obey a timeline. Rather, we have to beat it down to a level at which easing of restrictions is safer.
What was announced?
Metropolitan Melbourne’s current stage 4 restrictions will be extended for two weeks, to September 27. But from 11:59pm on September 13, there will be a few key changes.
The nightly curfew will be shortened by one hour, and will be in place from 9pm to 5am. Also, two people or a single household can meet outdoors for two hours maximum, up from the previous one hour, for exercise or recreation.
For people living alone, and single parents with children under 18, there will be a “single person bubble” policy that allows them to designate one other person who can visit their home.
Regional Victoria is already faring better than Melbourne, and will have a faster timeline.
Premier Daniel Andrews wants to maximise the chance of getting to Christmas in something like stage 1, while minimising the chance of a third wave of infection that sends the state back into lockdown. This means staying in strict restrictions for longer, and easing out more gradually.
How did data influence the decision?
The Victorian government’s decision was based in part on the output of a model developed by researchers at the University of Melbourne and the University of New England. It simulates population movements in a simplified world, based on parameters that describe the spread of COVID-19 and people’s interactions with each other.
In the real world, these patterns are highly random. So the researchers ran the model 1,000 times, with thresholds for relaxing (or tightening) restrictions set at an average of 25, 10, and 5 cases per day on a fortnightly basis. The model could then report the probability, under a given set of policy settings, of having to lock Victoria down again before Christmas.
 
Opening up too soon is likely to cause a third wave. In simulations in which restrictions were eased once average daily cases dipped below 25 per day, there was a 62% likelihood of new lockdowns. But with restrictions retained until daily cases dropped below 5 daily cases, the lockdown likelihood was just 3%.
Viewed in that light, it is easy to see why the Andrews government opted to set strict criteria for lifting restrictions, knowing that short-term pain is better than the economic ravages of another lockdown in the long term.
What might hold Victoria back?
First, there’s the elephant in the room — the quality of Victorian contact tracing (especially in comparison to New South Wales). Living with the virus requires high-quality contact tracing. There’s no doubt contact tracing in Victoria has improved since June when our second wave started. There is therefore a real possibility that we may get the case numbers down faster, and hold off resurgences of case numbers more effectively or for longer than the modelling suggests.
Second, infection disease control in health care and aged care has not been up to scratch in Victoria (compared with, dare we say it again, New South Wales). These represent particularly dangerous settings. Older adults are much more likely to become severely ill with COVID-19, whereas health-care workers who become infected with the coronavirus risk infecting the most vulnerable and reduce health capacity when it is most needed.
And of course, health and aged care workers live in the community too, and if community restrictions are relaxed the virus will leak back out through family members and surge again. The Victorian government decided to deal with both community and health-care transmission simultaneously. We think that it is the right approach.
Is elimination still possible?
There were strong arguments for an explicit <a href="https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2020/probability-6-week-lockdown-victoria-commencing-9-july-2020-achieving-elimination">elimination strategy back in early July</a>, requiring “going hard” for a six-week lockdown. Unfortunately, Victoria didn’t go hard early enough. The government waited three weeks, numbers got out of control, and then we went into stage 4. With the benefit of hindsight, it was a huge missed opportunity.
The Grattan Institute is also <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/how-australia-can-get-to-zero-covid-19-cases/">arguing strongly</a> for an explicit elimination strategy and much longer hard lockdowns. It argues this will result in better economic outcomes in the long run. An <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.08.31.20185587v1">impressive modelling paper</a> by Australian National University researchers also supports the theory that elimination is better for both health and the economy in the long run (although this paper has not yet been peer-reviewed).
However, things have changed in the past two months. First, we are now closer to a vaccine, so in theory the long-term payoff for short-term pain will arrive sooner. Second, New Zealand (and Queensland) have taught us that elimination can be lost. Third, NSW has taught us you can live with the virus at low levels (so far). Fourth, the imminent border openings and hotspot strategy are not really consistent with the hard border controls needed to defend elimination in places that achieve it.
Andrews aptly termed the state’s strategy “aggressive suppression”. It may even achieve elimination, as the first wave effort so nearly did. We hope it does – but do not bank on it.
It’s in our hands now, both the government and citizens. With some good luck – and few would begrudge Victorians a little of that – the roadmap will pan out as planned.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/145558/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/laxman-bablani-1153311">Laxman Bablani</a>, Research Fellow, Population Interventions Unit, Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-melbourne-722">University of Melbourne</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/driss-ait-ouakrim-1153309">Driss Ait Ouakrim</a>, Research Fellow, Population Interventions Unit, Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-melbourne-722">University of Melbourne</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/slow-and-steady-exit-from-lockdown-as-victorian-government-sets-sights-on-covid-normal-christmas-145558">original article</a>.
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Victorian government has set its sights on a 'COVID-normal' Christmas

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.

Joel Robinson

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.

First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Fitzroy apartments

The Gold Coast Planning Committee has supported the preliminary approval for the Benowa Gardens Urban Village project following an extensive community consultation and assessment process.

The proposal will now proceed to a full council vote on June 2.

The application sought approval for a masterplanned urban village on the existing Benowa Gardens Shopping Centre site, combining new housing, retail, dining, health and lifestyle amenities within a walkable, integrated precinct.&nbsp;

The proposed redevelopment includes around 413 apartments integrated above a revitalised mixed-use centre featuring a full-line supermarket of 4,000 sqm, 6,000 sqm of specialty retail and dining space across around 30 retailers, a 7,000 sqm health and wellness precinct, and roughly 9,630 sqm of office and medical suites.&nbsp;

<img alt="$1b Benowa Gardens Urban Village moves to Full Council following Planning Committee support" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fb36ae47-80bc-45f0-9914-31b0c7b6007d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/PR26576%20Ashmore%20Road%20C4%201121%20FI.jpg?VersionId=6mRKk2uU4r67TmTt39DKGUlvFRbTVqWa" />

The broader masterplan also includes very significant traffic and transport improvements, wide pedestrian walkways, upgraded pedestrian and cycle connections, and enhanced public areas designed to create a more connected and walkable community environment.&nbsp;

Centre owner Patrick Lu said the milestone reflected months of detailed planning, technical assessment and ongoing communication with local residents, businesses, schools and stakeholders.

“We appreciate the time, consideration and care Council officers and the Planning Committee have given this proposal throughout the assessment process,” Lu said.

“We also sincerely thank the local community for engaging with us, sharing feedback and participating in the consultation process over many months.

<img alt="$1b Benowa Gardens Urban Village moves to Full Council following Planning Committee support" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="32fd1fc3-d0e6-485f-ac57-9916c9bcb818" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/PR26576%20Ashmore%20Road%20C5%201121%20FI_2.jpg?VersionId=fz8qQKDBLQ7MyFRc856Zccfbh9nFwLOe" />

“We understand projects of this scale bring questions and concerns, which is why we have worked hard to listen carefully, provide information transparently and continue refining elements of the proposal where possible.

“Our vision has always been to create a well-designed, community-focused urban village that responds to the changing needs of the Gold Coast, while delivering improved amenity, housing diversity, healthcare access and local lifestyle benefits.

“This proposal is about creating a genuine live-work-play environment where residents can access everyday services, schools, healthcare, dining, shopping and green space within walking distance, while also supporting local jobs and economic activity.”

<img alt="$1b Benowa Gardens Urban Village moves to Full Council following Planning Committee support" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="50dfbd04-590e-4fc6-983b-766880947867" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Dining%20Day%20Time%20-%20High%20Resolution.jpg?VersionId=BP7ZoKJ0DdL_8iRkkC8VVx99moICV6kg" />

Lu said the proposal had evolved significantly through consultation and technical review, particularly around traffic, pedestrian and student safety and neighbourhood connectivity.&nbsp;

Melissa Griffin, Director at Urbis, said the recommendation recognised the strategic importance of delivering more housing and services within established urban areas already supported by infrastructure.

“This proposal represents the type of thoughtful, integrated growth that planning frameworks across South-East Queensland are encouraging,” Ms Griffin said.

“The project seeks to place housing, retail, healthcare and employment opportunities together in a highly accessible location close to schools, transport and existing services.

“Importantly, the process has involved significant technical assessment and community engagement to ensure local issues and feedback were properly considered throughout the planning pathway.”

$1 billion Benowa Gardens Urban Village heads to council vote following Planning Committee support

Surfers Paradise is officially set for its first new residential development with a 45-storey skybridge connecting the two towers.

John Camilleri’s Celestino Developments has been given the green light by the Gold Coast City Council to develop its major beachfront precinct across its huge 4,000 sqm oceanfront site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/63-79-garfield-terrace-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">63–79 Garfield Terrace</a>, just five months after its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/first-look-exclusive-billionaire-winx-breeder-s-bold-two-tower-surfers-paradise-play-with-45th-storey-skybridge">submission in late 2025</a>.

The approved scheme will deliver two towers rising 55 and 48 storeys, connected by a skybridge positioned on level 45 that will house a range of resident-only wellness and entertainment spaces.

In its notice of approval, the Gold Coast City Council said the&nbsp;proposed overall built form has been designed to complement the scale, intensity and protect the adjacent amenity and surrounding streets through the use of varied setbacks, site cover and architectural elements.

<img alt="First look exclusive: Billionaire Winx breeder’s bold two-tower Surfers Paradise play with 45th-storey skybridge" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_75/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Screenshot%202025-12-30%20at%209.53.48%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=ADyPJ_TFbJvSU9wZFOiCBnlPtgF7VWqW" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/dbi">DBI</a>, the development will comprise 275 apartments across the two towers, including a mix of two-, three-, and four-bedroom residences, as well as several penthouses. The apartments will sit above a landscaped podium featuring more than 90 metres of beachfront pool frontage, private resident lawns, lounges, and wellness spaces.

DBI said the design draws heavily from the movement and form of the coastal environment, with curving balcony lines and sculpted façades intended to soften the scale of the towers while maximising ocean outlooks and passive shading outcomes.

“The project occupies a rare, uninterrupted oceanfront site and has been shaped by a design philosophy that merges architectural elegance with environmental responsiveness and a carefully curated lifestyle experience,” DBI said in planning documents submitted to the Gold Coast City Council.

The most distinctive element of the approved project is the skybridge linking the two towers at level 45. The elevated communal space is planned to include executive lounges, formal dining areas, wellness facilities, and panoramic ocean-facing outlooks.

“The skybridge enhances the identity of the development, promotes social interaction, and delivers a lifestyle experience not found elsewhere on the Gold Coast,” DBI said.

At podium level, residents will have access to a suite of resort-style amenities, including resident lounges, private dining rooms, a yoga lawn, gymnasium, plunge pools, and treatment spaces. The beachfront pool has been designed with separate lap, lounge, and children’s areas extending across the width of the site.

The project will also introduce new food and beverage offerings along the Enderley Avenue and Oceanway frontages, contributing additional activation to the beachfront precinct.

Staff reporter

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