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Melbourne’s hidden gem Bennetts Lane is set to get a new hotel.
The local developer Aust Global Investment commissioned Breathe and Plus Architecture on the boutique project.
The project will feature 44 rooms across 13 levels in a building that channels the art deco glamour of the former Bennetts Lane Jazz Club, which closed this year to make way for an apartment development.
Breathe Architecture director Jeremy McLeod said some inspiration came from Paramount House Hotel, where the operator added unusual touches like a beer tap at reception.
Aust Global Investment founder Lionel Shi said the vision was to bring a truly unique Melbourne experience to guests and the appointment of local design firms, as well as a local hotel operator, would be key to this.
“Appointing local designers and finding a local operator who not only understands Melbourne’s laneway culture but can also help curate the hotel’s jazz-inspired theme, are critical elements in delivering the hotel vision,” said Shi.
Its brick façade will rise five levels and will be topped by an integrated nine-level shimmering glass structure, punctuated by greenery at its base.
The two penthouses have been set back on the upper levels, to minimise the hotel’s perceived height while providing additional outdoor spaces for guests.
It is expected to commence construction in early 2019, and open in mid-2020.
The expressions of interest campaign for hotel operators closes in mid-September.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

New hotel set to jazz-up Melbourne’s Bennetts Lane

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Prahran’s popular retail pocket of Greville Street will become home to the newest Pizza Hub.
Fitzroys' agent James Spencer negotiated the five-year deal with a five-year option for Shop 2, 96-102 Greville Street.
It was at $60,000 per annum net on behalf of a local private investor.
Spencer said Pizza Hub will be run by chefs focusing on traditional pizza.
The hospitality group have a handful of sites around Melbourne, and although Greville Street will accommodate 20 people within the restaurant, takeaway convenience is set to play a big part in their business.
“Melbourne’s strips have seen a growing proportion of shops being used for food and beverage use, with the introduction of a number of new cafés, bars and restaurants,” Spencer said.
“Delivery services such as Uber Eats, Menulog and Deliveroo are representing a larger percentage of food and beverage turnover.”
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New pizza restaurant coming to Greville Street, Prahran

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Ray White Remuera has again been named the top office in the Ray White Group.
It was for the third year in a row.
Edging out Double Bay, the Auckland business won the award based on the highest settled commission.
Ray White Double Bay - with the dress circle address in Sydney’s eastern suburbs - had more than $930 million in residential sales.
The year saw a return of the lower north shore office in Sydney to the top 10.
Ray White Remuera principal Megan Jaffe said credit goes to the team effort.
The award came after a year in which the Ray White Group sold $45.4 billion in property.
It compared to $44.7 billion in annual sales in 2016-17, which was raised to $45.7 billion once all the sales were tallied.
The group also revealed its top-performing principal and agent for 2017-18 with Andrew Jolliffe (pictured below) announced as the company's number one principal internationally.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/8/14/JOLLIFFE.JPG" alt="">
Sydney-based Mr Jolliffe, headed up the group's hospitality and leisure arm in the Asia-Pacific.
But Jolliffe has stopped selling under the Ray White brand as he now "works in partnership with the White family and Daniel Dragicevich" at HTL.
Gavin Rubinstein of Ray White Double Bay (pictured below) was named as the top international residential performer for the sixth year in a row.
 <img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2018/8/14/GAVIN%20.jpeg" alt="">
Ray White director Dan White said the biggest real estate network in Australasia continues to remain restless in its pursuit of excellence.  
Top 10 Selling Principals - Settled Commissions (2018)
1 - Andrew Jolliffe - Top Selling Principal and No 1 International Performer -  Ray White Hotels Australasia
2 - David Walker - Ray White Wahroonga | Turramurra
3 - Geoff Smith - Ray White Lower North Shore
4 - Helen Yan - Ray White Balwyn
5 - Vivien Yap - Ray White Dalkeith | Claremont
6 - Heather Walton  - Ray White Epsom
7 - Matt Lancashire - Ray White New Farm
8 - Shaun Stoker - Ray White Surry Hills | Erskineville | Alexandria
9 - Elliott Placks - Ray White Double Bay
10 - Roger Lyne - Ray White Rural Dalby 
Top 10 Salespeople - Settled Commission (2018)
1 - Gavin Rubinstein - Top Salesperson and No 1 International Residential Performer
2 - Anton Huang - Ray White Howick
3 - Sam Guo - Ray White Broadbeach
4 - Sonya Treloar - Ray White Bridgeman Downs
5 - Matt Gates - Ray White Sanctuary Cove
6 - John Quiambao, Ray White Remuera
7 - Steve Koerber -  Ray White Remuera
8 - Ben Thomas - Ray White Ferntree Gully
9 - Robyn Ellson - Ray White Ponsonby
10 - Brendan Lappan - Ray White Macarthur Group
  Top 10 Offices - Internationally by Settled Commission
1 -  Ray White Remuera
2 -  Ray White Double Bay
3 -  Ray White Surfers Paradise Group
4 -  Ray White City Apartments
5 -  Ray White Ponsonby
6 -  Ray White New Farm
7 -  Ray White Lower North Shore
9 -   Ray White Howick
10 - Ray White Canberra 
Property Management Team of The Year
<div>
Ray White Surfers Paradise Group
</div>
 
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Ray White Remuera beats out Double Bay again, but Gavin Rubinstein takes the top residential spot for sixth time

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Australia’s student housing sector is set to boom in coming years, according to a report from Knight Frank.
Australia’s PBSA (purpose built student accommodation) sector is undergoing "rapid growth" due to an increasing number of Australian and international university students.
This year, over 8,000 new PBSA beds will become operational across Australia, approximately 20% more than in 2017.
Demand is outstripping supply with a growing population of both local and international students strengthening current demand.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the number of 18-25-year-olds in Australia is projected to increase by 104,000 between 2016 and 2026, increasing the number of Australian university students.
Chinese Higher Education enrollments in Australia could more than double by 2027; rising from the current figure of 124,700 to 294,000 enrollments according to Knight Frank Research estimates.
Knight Frank’s Paul Savitz, Director, Research and Consulting, Australia, said that speculation about the negative impact of high-ranking Chinese universities is unwarranted.
"There has been speculation of late that because Chinese global university rankings are improving, that this may have negative consequences for Australian universities; given their part reliance on full-fee paying international students," Savitz said. 
"However, when students are looking to study abroad, research shows that lifestyle factors are equally as important as the quality of education and because Australia offers international students a fantastic lifestyle with excellent employment opportunities, we have every confidence international student numbers will continue to rise."
In addition to freestanding PBSA developments, an additional opportunity for developers lies in upgrading existing university accommodation.
As a result, it’s expected that some of the largest investment opportunities will be in partnership with regional or metro universities to redevelop older on-campus stock.
Recent examples of public-private partnerships include the Living + Learning Partners consortium investment in the University of Wollongong’s on-campus student accommodation facilities, and ANU’s agreement with investment management firm H.R.L Morrison and Co over nine student residences.
The report suggests that establishing long-term partnerships with universities is the key to success in the PBSA sector.
"Whether it’s upgrading university accommodation or targeting overseas students in the direct let market, the key is developing long term relationships with universities to help meet their specific needs and investors and developers who are able to match a university’s vision will benefit long term; much more than those who simply target particular cities,” Savitz said. 
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Rapid growth in student housing demand presenting opportunities for developers: Knight Frank

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Pump and water treatment systems manufacturer AKS Industries has leased a level one office space Melbourne CBD’s historic Scottish House.
Stephen Land of Fitzroys negotiated the three-year deal for the 290 square metre space within the 90 William Street building, at $124,700 per annum gross on behalf of a private owner.
Land said the property’s high ceilings, ample natural light and William Street aspect was a drawcard for prospective tenants, as well as its location in an evolving part of the CBD.
“The large number of developments through the CBD’s western corridor has seen a growing range of tenants enquire for spaces in this part of the city, beyond the law firms seeking a place close to the legal precinct,” he said.
Scottish House is just metres from the dual-tower, office, hotel and residential Collins Arch development at 447 Collins Street, on the corner of William Street, as well as Mirvac’s Olderfleet project at 477 Collins Street, which will bring more than 52,000 square metres of new office space.
“Tenants were looking for an opportunity to take up a character space in the CBD, while being able to enjoy the increasing number of lifestyle and food and beverage offerings being delivered nearby in response to the booming worker population,” Land said.
The six-storey Scottish House building was designed for prominent shipping agents McIlwraith McEacharn Ltd in 1907, by architect Charles D’Ebro, and was their head office for more than 70 years.
The Heritage Council Victoria has deemed Scottish House as architecturally significant “as an office building that expresses both in style and structure the commercial values and status of a leading Australian company”.
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New tenants for Melbourne CBD’s Scottish House pumped for move

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EXPERT OBSERVER
Gig platforms don’t have a large share of the labour market yet.
A common narrative nowadays is that standard, secure full-time work is a thing of the past thanks to increasing casual jobs, labour hire, temping and non-standard work contracts that side-step collective bargaining. The ACTU says insecure work has grown to “<a href="https://www.actu.org.au/media/349417/lives_on_hold.pdf" target="_blank">crisis levels</a>”. A <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Education_and_Employment/AvoidanceofFairWork" target="_blank">Senate inquiry rehashed</a> the same themes last year. Much of the academic literature is also <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10301763.2018.1427424?journalCode=rlab20" target="_blank">toeing this line</a>.
Yet there is very little evidence that jobs are any less secure than they were decades ago. This is not to deny that some people are leading very precarious lives. <a href="https://www.canberratimes.com.au/politics/federal/company-fined-record-660000-for-paying-refugee-worker-as-little-as-350-an-hour-20170802-gxnrsf" target="_blank">Recent stories</a> of wage theft and exploitation, particularly among migrant workers, are truly disgraceful.
But, on the whole, Australian workers are not on some inexorable march toward an uncertain and perilous future of work.
It is true that the labour market has changed. The types of jobs we do and the industries we do them in are very different today than in the ’70s. There’s a <a href="https://theconversation.com/three-charts-on-how-part-time-work-is-growing-more-slowly-but-more-men-are-doing-it-79352" target="_blank">lot more part-time work</a>. There’s a lot <a href="https://theconversation.com/women-are-less-likely-to-be-replaced-by-robots-and-might-even-benefit-from-automation-96728" target="_blank">more women</a> in the workforce. The balance of industrial power has shifted in favour of employers.
These changes partly reflect the restructuring of the economy away from some industries (such as manufacturing) and toward those that offer more part-time and casual work (retail, food, accommodation services and the like). But it is also the result of decades of concerted industrial relations reform, along with sweeping changes in individual work preferences.
There is no widely accepted definition of precarious employment. After all, every job is precarious to some extent. Nevertheless there are some common proxies for this slippery concept.
The rise of casual employment was <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10301763.1998.10669175" target="_blank">an early favourite</a> and is still very relevant. More <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1467-8462.12085" target="_blank">recent research</a> has broadened the scope to include job tenure and involuntary job-loss rates. <a href="https://theconversation.com/workers-are-actually-feeling-less-insecure-in-their-jobs-81836" target="_blank">Others</a> emphasise workers’ own perceptions of job security. There has also been interest in the rate of <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1475-4932.12337" target="_blank">self-employment</a>, the number of <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://ideas.repec.org/a/fli/journl/35019" target="_blank">multiple job holders</a> and the share of workers handled by <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/research/supporting/labour-hire" target="_blank">labour hire firms</a>.
Four of these measures cut to the heart of precarity:
<ol>
<li>
casual employment is a measure of precarious contracts
</li>
<li>
job churn reveals the extent to which employers are hiring and firing with impunity
</li>
<li>
self-employment captures all of the gig economy workers who are supposedly flooding the labour market
</li>
<li>
multiple job holders could be so precariously attached to the labour market that they’re unable to make ends meet with a single job.
</li>
</ol>
On their own, each of these measures is a good but imperfect proxy for precarity. Taken together, however, they largely speak with one compelling voice.
Casualisation
The logic of the casual job is to give employers the flexibility to dial their staffing levels up and down as demand fluctuates. Casual workers don’t get annual and sick leave, and generally aren’t protected against dismissal.
Basically, a casual contract lets an employer hire and fire with impunity.
That sounds pretty precarious. You would expect that a labour market of increasing precarity would exhibit a strong trend toward casualisation. In fact, what we have had is strong growth in casual employment during the last two decades of the 20th century and then nothing.
<iframe src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/UEcUf/1/" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
Now there is no doubt that casual work is usually lower-quality work. On the whole, casual workers <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0018726716686666" target="_blank">get paid less, chase more hours</a> and are a little <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp1718/CasualEmployeesAustralia" target="_blank">less satisfied</a> than their permanently employed peers.
But that is not evidence that casual employment is becoming ubiquitous.
Churn
If employers really were hiring and firing with abandon we should see more people staying in jobs for briefer periods. But we’re not.
In fact, as we can see in the chart below, there has not been a huge spike in workers forced out of their jobs involuntarily. And the proportion that have been in their jobs for 12 months is also staying on trend.
<iframe src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/QysPX/1/" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<iframe src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/Bni1x/1/" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
Self-employment
This category should be the smoking gun of a more precarious workforce. It captures anyone who works for themselves, whether in a formally constituted company or not. I have deliberately excluded in this measure those who employ others, so we’re really looking at the cohort of people who work for themselves and by themselves on commercial contract terms.
Self-employment captures all non-employees, such as Uber drivers and Foodora riders, as well as those who were “pushed out” of employment and onto contract.
And yet, as you can see in the following chart, these people are getting harder to find:
<iframe src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/yt2iA/2/" frameborder="0" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
The downward trend may seem surprising given one supposed key driver of precarity is the digitalised “gig economy”. <a href="https://http-download.intuit.com/http.intuit/CMO/intuit/futureofsmallbusiness/intuit_2020_report.pdf" target="_blank">One projection</a> was that 40% of the US workforce would be freelancers, contractors or temporary workers by 2020.
But the reality is that, for all their visibility and controversy, gig economy platforms are not yet commanding a significant share of the labour market.
Multiple job holders
That a higher share of workers are holding down multiple jobs fits with the notion that the economy is becoming “gigified”, with workers increasingly forced to move from job to job to make ends meet.
Yet the data provide little evidence that this is a material shift in the structure of the labour market.
In 1997, the <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/6216.0Aug%201997?OpenDocument" target="_blank">ABS found</a> the proportion of employed persons holding multiple jobs increased from 3.7% in August 1987 to 5.2% a decade later. While the ABS has not published a long-term series since this report, it provided me a custom dataset that shows the current rate is not much higher, at about 5.5%.
The <a href="http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/6150.0.55.001July%202017?OpenDocument" target="_blank">ABS introduced</a> a similar but not identical measure last year – the proportion of jobs in the economy that are “secondary jobs”. This remained stable between 2010-11 and 2015-16, at around 5.6%.
The takeaway
When I started researching the rise of the gig economy and the future of work I was sure that Australia’s labour market was taking a precarious turn. After all, Uber drivers, Deliveroo riders and Airtaskers seem to be everywhere.
But the weight of evidence clearly suggests that, while the last two decades of the 20th century produced a significant rise in non-standard work, the first two decades of the 21st have seen remarkably little change.
There is much to dislike about the quality and quantity of jobs the economy is delivering. But to make this a conversation about precarity is to chase a red herring.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/99739/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">This fruitless pursuit is simply distracting researchers and policymakers from far more pressing questions – like how to create a globally competitive workforce fit for the 21st century.
Robert Sobyra is a PhD Candidate at The University of Queensland
This article was originally published on The Conversation.
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Australian jobs aren't becoming less secure: Robert Sobyra

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A family-owned strip of retail shops in Box Hill has been listed for sale for the first time in more than four decades.
CBRE has been appointed to market the properties, located at <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-land+development-vic-box+hill-502905594" target="_blank">941 – 947 Whitehorse Road</a> (pictured above), comprised of three retail tenancies, home to Yao’s Chinese Therapy Centre, ShaanXi Style Restaurant and Hao’s Oriental Grill Bar.
Occupying a 917 square metre site, CBRE expects it to generate investment interest of more than $8 million.
The site is being offered via an expressions of interest campaign.
CBRE’s Chao Zhang said Box Hill’s attractive mix of transport, education, retail and lifestyle amenities would be of interest to investors. 
“Box Hill continues to be a desirable investment and development location, with interest from both local and offshore Asian buyers and many of these prospective buyers have identified its growth potential given the limited supply of high density land in the area,” Zhang said. 
The listing follows the recent sale of <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-land+development-vic-box+hill-502771766" target="_blank">25-29 Ellington Parade</a> (pictured below) in Box Hill, selling for just under $11 million to a Chinese developer.
<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/2018/8/6/Box%20Hill%202.jpg" alt="">
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Box Hill retail strip listed for first time in more than four decades

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Australia's changing consumer spending patterns, over both time and across age groups, are changing the face of the country's retail sector, says new research. 
BIS Oxford Economics’ Retail Property Market report shows that Australians are buying fewer ‘things’ and, increasingly, consumers are not buying them from traditional shops.
These trends present a formidable challenge to retailers and shopping centre owners and developers, it says. 
Together with the cyclically weak retail environment and it threatens retailer survival and shopping centre income returns, says report author, Senior Project Manager Maria Lee.
“There's another key threat to retail property returns, and that that’s the risk of softening investment yields,” she says.
“The share of household expenditure on clothing and footwear has more than halved since 1984, from 6.5% to 3.1%.
“Not only that, but the dollar amount spent actually fell between the 2009–10 ABS Household Expenditure Survey and the 2015–16 survey.”
The report also points to the inexorable rise of online shopping. The online market share is currently around 8%, growing at over 15% per annum.
Lee points out that more mature online markets, such as the US and some European countries, are still seeing growth rates of around 15% even with much higher market shares than in Australia.
“It’s a real possibility that a growth rate of 15% per annum could be sustained for some time,” says Lee.
“If so, this would result in an online market share of 22% within 10 years.”
BIS Oxford Economics forecasts that shopping centre incomes will see muted growth over coming years in light of the above challenges.
A return to stronger economic conditions should bring with it a pick-up in consumer spending early next decade, but the company expects only modest retail turnover growth on average over the next 10 years.
As a result, shopping centre net income growth is forecast to stay only just ahead of inflation.
“And there are probably more downside than upside risks to that forecast,” cautions Lee.
BIS Oxford Economics expects increases in bond rates over the next few years to pose a key risk to shopping centre yields.
“We’re not forecasting a great degree of softening in investment yields but, even so, we forecast five year IRRs for regional centres of just 5.5%," says Lee.
“That suggests that they are currently overvalued relative to hurdle rates of return.”
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Changing customer behaviour a formidable challenge to retailers: BIS Oxford Economics

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An offshore private investor has purchased the Kallangur Fair Shopping Centre from the Charter Hall Retail REIT for $21.38 million, representing a near 15% premium to book value.
Savills' Peter Tyson and Jon Tyson negotiated the sale of the Woolworths anchored neighbourhood centre following a competitive expressions of interest campaign.
Peter Tyson said continued deep investor demand for retail assets generated strong interest from the market and the result was not surprising.
“The sale process generated multiple offers from local and off shore buyer groups, including private investors, syndicators and fund managers,” Tyson said. 
Situated 24 kilometres north of Brisbane, Kallangur Fair comprises an enclosed mall featuring a 3,247 square metre Woolworths supermarket, a 420 square metre discount variety mini-major and 10 specialties with a total GLA of 4,703 square metre. 
The centre is located on Kallangur's main thoroughfare, Anzac Avenue on a 15,800 square metre site and features parking for 270 cars.
“Kallangur Fair was extensively refurbished in 2017 and provided a strong WALE of eight years,” Tyson said. 
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Woolworths-anchored Kallangur Fair shopping centre sold

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A Double Bay retail property has just been leased to Kristin Fisher, self acclaimed as the 'leading eyebrow expert in Sydney'.
It is positioned in the heart of Double Bay’s new business and entertainment precinct, 
It was listed by Allan Levy and Zorick Toltsan from Metro Commercial. 
Located at 16-18 Bay Street, the 227 square metre property offered 12 metres of frontage, one car space and storage.
Other features include designer finishes, marble floors and fit out. 
It is within walking distance to the public transport including Double Bay Ferry Wharf and Edgecliff Train Station. 
The business joins the likes of Carla Zampatti, Matteo, Domain Auction House, F45, Mrs Sippy and the soon to be revamped Royal Oak Hotel.
<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/2018/8/8/double%20bay%202.jpg" alt=""> 
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Kristin Fisher leases in Double Bay's new retail precinct

An entity directed by HSN's Rafi Assouline and Rebel Property's Allen Linz has filed plans for an impressive new precinct in Woolloomooloo.

The major mixed-use development would transform a prominent William Street site into a new residential village anchored by affordable housing and a large public park.

The proposal, submitted as a State Significant Development Application, covers 164-172 and 174-194 William Street, a 6,398 sqm site between Forbes Street and Dowling Street on the southern edge of Woolloomooloo.

Designed by fjcstudio in collaboration with Bangawarra, Studio Bright and Tribe Studio Architects, the scheme would deliver 227 apartments across four residential buildings ranging in height up to 18 storeys, alongside retail space, public domain improvements and a new publicly accessible park.

<img alt="Rebel" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0eb59b7c-914a-4a5c-b849-3a56749f5e93" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-12%20at%2011.18.51%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=mxM6EEqeoLjrCiTlCzTKTvzpKuh6kSkH" />

It's another design scheme for Rebel, who took <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-rebel-property-group-takes-woolloomooloo-precinct-to-nsw-government">concept plans to the NSW Gov late last year</a>.

The latest plans will be a mix of 167 build-to-sell apartments and 60 affordable apartments, with the affordable housing component representing 15 per cent of the project's gross floor area. The apartment mix includes 12 one-bedroom, 53 two-bedroom, 89 three-bedroom apartments and 13 penthouses, while the affordable housing component would comprise 42 one-bedroom and 18 two-bedroom apartments.

<img alt="Rebel" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3b3d4553-8a8c-4af5-aa8c-519ffb1e28c6" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-12%20at%2011.20.12%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=_Yb6ibN7eDnOtQjCNDK2eviORa4qzgv." />

Rebel Property is seeking to take advantage of the NSW Government's infill affordable housing bonus provisions under the Housing SEPP, which provide additional floor space and height in exchange for the delivery of affordable housing for a minimum of 15 years. The planning pathway allows a 30 per cent increase in floor space ratio and building height where 15 per cent of the development is dedicated to affordable housing.

&nbsp;

At the centre of the development is a 1,356 sqm sunlit public park designed to become a new community gathering space at the gateway to Woolloomooloo. The park would be complemented by a network of pedestrian laneways connecting William Street with the surrounding streets, improving permeability through what is currently a largely impermeable block.

<img alt="Rebel" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="257af931-a393-4007-8c6d-7219796df58d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-12%20at%2011.20.51%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=KAHy94GrhaReFsWTGDKfy39EDJ8gEEv4" />

The design team says the public domain has been heavily influenced by the site's topography and Aboriginal cultural heritage, drawing on the escarpments, gullies and landscape characteristics that historically defined the area before urbanisation. The landscape design has been developed in partnership with First Nations consultancy Bangawarra.

The project would be delivered across four separate buildings. The William Street East and William Street West buildings, designed by fjcstudio, would contain the majority of the apartments. Melbourne-based Studio Bright has designed the Forbes Street building, while Tribe Studio Architects is responsible for the Dowling Street building.

Rebel had secured approval for the concept plans late last year.

Joel Robinson

First look: HSN, Rebel, advances Woolloomooloo precinct plans

A locally heritage-listed furniture showroom on Water Street is set to become the centrepiece of a new mixed-use residential development as local developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/keylin-group">Keylin</a> seeks approval for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/lotus-on-water-street-290-water-street-fortitude-valley-qld-4006">Lotus on Water Street</a>, a 15-storey project on the Fortitude Valley side of Spring Hill.

The proposal spans 290 Water Street and 137-141 Warry Street, combining several properties into a 2,869 sqm site that sits between Fortitude Valley, Spring Hill and the rapidly evolving Victoria Park precinct. Keylin's plans would deliver 132 apartments alongside new retail, hospitality and commercial space, while retaining and repurposing the historic Brunswick Home Furnishers Showroom that fronts Water Street.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/jackson-teece">Jackson Teece</a>, Lotus on Water Street comprises a 12-storey residential tower rising above a three-storey podium and communal rooftop terrace. The development includes 76 apartments classified as multiple dwellings and a further 56 units proposed as short-term accommodation, designed to be flexibly used as either accommodation or permanent residences. The apartment mix comprises six one-bedroom, 54 two-bedroom and 16 three-bedroom homes.

<img alt="First look: Keylin unveils heritage-led Lotus on Water Street tower in Fortitude Valley" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9822bb79-6c49-49c9-95ba-319e8c8d81c3" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/fortitude%20valley%20front.png?VersionId=ioW8zbN4UVebbLetTFuv92t.HkdgfR5e" />

Residents would have access to an extensive rooftop recreation level spanning more than 1,200 sqm of communal open space. Plans include a pool, gym, sauna, infrared sauna, yoga area, library, private dining room, barbecue facilities and landscaped entertainment spaces, making the rooftop the project's largest shared amenity offering.

At street level, the proposal focuses on the adaptive reuse of the heritage buildings along Water Street, where 518 sqm of retail and commercial space is planned across shop, office and food and drink outlet uses. A permeable residential lobby would be positioned between the retained heritage buildings, creating a pedestrian connection between the historic streetscape and the new tower behind.

<img alt="First look: Keylin unveils heritage-led Lotus on Water Street tower in Fortitude Valley" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="269cf3e0-7d13-48bf-a318-05a00deb5c10" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/fortitude%20valley%20podium.png?VersionId=DLXmTCLsp6GOcLpQ0h.0z7wKCw59EhN_" />

The heritage retention strategy is central to the scheme. The development application notes that the Brunswick Home Furnishers Showroom and adjoining heritage buildings will remain, with only non-significant structures on the site earmarked for removal under a previously issued Heritage Exemption Certificate. Levels one and two of the new podium are recessed behind the heritage façades to maintain their prominence within the streetscape.

Jackson Teece has drawn inspiration from the site's manufacturing history when designing the podium. The planning documents state that the façade incorporates perforated metal screening that references the woven and rattan furniture historically produced on the site. Cascading and climbing plants are integrated throughout the podium to soften the building's presentation and screen parking levels behind. The landscape strategy also informs the project's name, Lotus on Water Street, drawing on the historic Spring Hollow waterholes that once ran through Spring Hill and the blue water lilies associated with Meeanjin, Brisbane's traditional name.

The proposal also incorporates the neighbouring property at 141 Warry Street, currently occupied by a healthcare service. The existing building would remain, with nine dedicated parking spaces allocated within the new development to support its ongoing operation. In total, Lotus on Water Street proposes 117 car spaces, including 110 resident spaces and seven visitor bays, alongside 100 bicycle spaces.

<img alt="First look: Keylin unveils heritage-led Lotus on Water Street tower in Fortitude Valley" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="70cf07bc-4fd8-4e70-92dd-be8b21c4e4f0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/fortitude%20valley%20site.png?VersionId=txlxrJImM0Sm_vTzHVKh5DDUkyL_CiiA" />

The site sits within the Spring Hill East Precinct of the Spring Hill Neighbourhood Plan and is positioned around 650 metres from both Fortitude Valley Station and Exhibition Station. It is also within walking distance of the King Street precinct, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, Herston Quarter and Victoria Park, which is earmarked to become a major venue precinct ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Planning documents describe the location as a key gateway between Spring Hill and Fortitude Valley and highlight the area's increasing importance as new transport infrastructure and Olympic-related investment reshape Brisbane's inner north. The development team argues the project will contribute additional housing supply while activating a section of Water Street that has historically received less investment than other parts of the Valley.

Keylin has become increasingly active across Brisbane and southeast Queensland, assembling sites in strategic inner-city locations. They are currently selling and delivering <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/oria-spring-hill-447-gregory-terrace-spring-hill-qld-4000">Oria Spring Hill</a>, just over 140 apartments due for completion in 2027.

Keylin plans heritage-led Lotus on Water Street apartment development in Fortitude Valley

Roseville is poised for a wave of new apartment development following the NSW Government's rezoning of land around Roseville Station under its Transport Oriented Development program.

The new planning controls have unlocked significant development potential within walking distance of the station, with a number of sites expected to be amalgamated and redeveloped in the coming years as developers seek to take advantage of the increased density allowances.

One of the more restrained developments in the precinct, and set among the first to be delivered having commenced well before the recent changes, is Hyecorp's Juliet. The boutique apartment project is already well under construction and remains on track to welcome residents by the end of the year, offering a markedly different proposition to many of the larger-scale developments now likely to emerge across the suburb.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7395 project_image_fid=278194]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/juliet-roseville-64-pacific-highway-roseville-nsw-2069">Juliet</a> will comprise just&nbsp;34 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments opposite Roseville Station. For Hyecorp, which has delivered projects across Sydney's Lower North Shore for more than three decades, Roseville presented a rare opportunity to address a growing gap in the market.

"<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/roseville-nsw-2069">Roseville</a> has long been one of the North Shore's most tightly held and desirable suburbs, offering a unique combination of village charm, established greenery, excellent transport connections, and proximity to some of Sydney's best schools and lifestyle amenities," Hyecorp said.

"We recognised a growing demand from local homeowners seeking to downsize without leaving the community they have built their lives around. The location presented a rare opportunity to create homes that cater specifically to that buyer profile."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7395 project_image_fid=278196]

The six-level development has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/pbd-architects">PBD Architects</a> as a collection of residences that feel more like homes than apartments. The brief centred generous floorplans, abundant natural light, quality finishes, and strong connections to outdoor space.

PBD Architects drew inspiration from Roseville's established garden suburb character, creating a building that sits comfortably within its surroundings rather than dominating them. The architecture incorporates natural materials, soft forms, layered landscaping, expansive balconies, and generous setbacks to strengthen the connection between residents and the suburb's leafy environment.

"The focus was on designing spacious, house-like residences for discerning owner-occupiers and downsizers who wanted to remain on the North Shore without compromising on comfort, privacy, or design," PBD said.&nbsp;

"Every apartment was to feel considered, timeless, and highly functional."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7395 project_image_fid=278195]

Inside, residences feature engineered timber flooring, stone kitchen benchtops and splashbacks, integrated Fisher &amp; Paykel appliances, ducted air conditioning, and large outdoor entertaining areas designed to take advantage of district and treetop views.

Residents will also have access to a rooftop barbecue and lounge area, alongside practical amenities including parcel lockers, EV charging capability, bicycle storage, a dog wash bay, and a basement car wash facility.

The majority of purchasers so far have been local owner-occupiers from Roseville, Lindfield, Chatswood, Killara, and the broader Upper North Shore, many of whom are transitioning from larger family homes.

"Buyers are looking for spacious, house-like apartments that allow them to downsize without feeling like they are sacrificing comfort or functionality," Hyecorp noted.

"They value large kitchens, generous living areas, ample storage, quality finishes, secure parking, lift access, and low-maintenance living."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7395 project_image_fid=278204]

Juliet sits directly opposite Roseville Train Station and within walking distance of Roseville Village, while Chatswood's retail and dining precinct is only minutes away. The development is also surrounded by some of Sydney's most established schools, including Roseville College, Ravenswood, Pymble Ladies' College, and Knox Grammar, as well as nearby parklands and golf courses.

Juliet is currently more than 75 per cent sold ahead of its anticipated completion in late 2026.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=7395]

Juliet to sit quietly amid Roseville apartment boom

Sherpa Property Group has unveiled the third instalment of its Flourish series, securing full approval for the two-tower, $500 million Flourish Soleira development in Palm Beach.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-soleira-1150-1154-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Soleira</a> will rise from a prominent site in the commercial heart of Palm Beach, the long-time home of Cash Converters and a range of local retailers.

The project will introduce a new retail and dining precinct at ground level, beneath 286 apartments.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=370959]

“We’re very committed to not only providing affordable residential offerings that are much needed in Palm Beach, but also delivering a vibrant new commercial heart that complements the extraordinary growth of the southern Gold Coast,” Sherpa Property Group founder Christie Leet said.

The development will sit under Sherpa's Flourish brand, which is aimed at providing a pathway into the beachside suburb for locals, first-home buyers and downsizers. In a move designed to assist first-home buyers entering the market, Sherpa has reserved all one and two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartments exclusively for eligible first-home buyers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=370964]

“Our vision through Flourish is to create a vibrant retail and lifestyle focal point within the Palm Beach centre zone, delivering thriving communities underpinned by lifestyle-rich locations,” Leet said.

“So far, Flourish has been an incredible success, and we hope to carry this momentum as we progress the next two Flourish projects in Palm Beach.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=371430]

Located across 1150-1164 Gold Coast Highway and 3 Sixth Avenue, the development will comprise two towers. The northern tower will deliver 154 apartments, while the southern tower will add a further 132 residences, helping address ongoing demand for new apartments in the tightly held coastal suburb.

Flourish Soleira will also feature the most extensive rooftop amenity offering ever delivered in Palm Beach.

The two towers will be connected by a skybridge, with residents gaining access to a rooftop recreation deck featuring a full-width swimming pool, hot and cold plunge pools, wellness spaces, a gymnasium, private dining facilities, massage treatment rooms, barbecue areas, a basketball court, golf simulator, indoor and outdoor dining spaces, sun lounges and extensive landscaping.

LPS Group is expected to start construction later this year.

Sherpa is already well advanced on construction of its debut Flourish project, Flourish Amargo, located just around the corner from Soleira. Meanwhile, Flourish Oasis, positioned opposite Amargo, recently commenced construction and has nearly sold out its collection of 47 apartments.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150017]

Sherpa unveils $500m mixed-use Palm Beach precinct, Flourish Soleira

Are mortgage holders set to get a reprieve from the RBA in 2026?

Big Four bank NAB believes so. They are now expecting the next move from the RBA to be a cut, rather than a hike, which they had pencilled in for August. They are unsure of the timing of the cut however, they note in their latest&nbsp;NAB Economics RBA Watch.

NAB Chief Economist, Dr Sally Auld, said recent data suggests the economy has lost momentum and the outlook for rates has shifted, noting that the broader economic backdrop has changed since earlier in the year.

“The next move in the cash rate is likely to be down, but the timing is uncertain," Dr Auld said.

"In February, growth was above trend, the economy was operating above capacity and there was uncertainty over the restrictiveness of rates. None of these conditions exist today,” she outlined.

Dr Auld said recent data pointed to softer momentum across the economy while acknowledging that at the same time, uncertainty remains a key feature of the outlook.

“Both Q1 GDP data and the NAB business survey suggest momentum in the economy has slowed, meaning that growth has likely peaked for the cycle. That said, we are cognisant there is still considerable uncertainty around the outlook, both with respect to activity and inflation.”

Dr Auld said inflation risks and labour market outcomes would be important to watch.

“On the prices side, we are still forecasting above target core inflation through to mid-2027. Margins will compress and weaker labour market outcomes are a risk.”

She said tighter financial conditions are expected to weigh on housing and activity.

“Tighter financial conditions will be reflected in a slowing in house price growth and housing credit growth. In summary, we have greater conviction that the next move in rates is down, but less conviction on the timing.”

Staff reporter

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