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An Elizabeth Vale three bedroom house has been sold by mortgagees for $200,000.
There had been a price guide of $205,000.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-sa-elizabeth+vale-127253130" target="_blank">The South Australian</a> home, with freestanding sleepout, was sold by agent Ken Loft from Harcourts.
It had last sold at $175,500 in 2015.
The 28 John Rice Avenue house came with three bedrooms, a carport and separate W.C. and laundry. 
According to CoreLogic, the suburb's median house price is $240,000. It is 27 kilometres north of the Adelaide CBD.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Elizabeth Vale, SA home sold by mortgagee

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GUEST OBSERVER
Urban experts gathered at the ninth World Urban Forum in Kuala Lumpur over the past week to discuss progress on a global commitment to sustainable urban development. UN member states adopted the New Urban Agenda 15 months ago to guide the implementation in cities of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. And health is central to the New Urban Agenda – health is its “pulse”, as the World Health Organisation puts it.
Health must be at the heart of decisions about how to equitably house, feed, mobilise and economically support growing urban populations. Health is not just a desirable outcome but a fundamental driver of sustainable development.
Sustainable development and health are linked
Many sustainable development actions also have health benefits. The New Urban Agenda recognises that decent housing and access to health care, water and sanitation are the basic building blocks of health.
To add to the challenges of achieving these goals, the world’s cities are expected to gain 2.5 billion inhabitants by 2050. This reinforces the urgent need to provide equitable access to infrastructure and to upgrade informal settlements worldwide.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/205632/original/file-20180209-180836-o0co5e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
 There is an urgent need to reduce inequities in access to decent housing, health care, water and sanitation worldwide. Hesam Kamalipour. Author provided.
The agenda has a focus on social inclusion and civic engagement in city planning. Such participation can improve mental well-being and empower communities to overcome urban health inequities. This is important for all urban residents, but particularly for disadvantaged communities.
The agenda proposes compact urban development which prioritises walking and cycling over private car use. Multiple health benefits flow from more physical activity and less air pollution.
Walking and cycling can also help mitigate climate change, which is predicted to contribute to an extra 250,000 deaths between 2030 and 2050 alone. Cycling, for example, can reduce an individual’s transportation carbon footprint by 58% compared to driving a car.
The natural environment is a vital health determinant, as it underpins all human life. The agenda promotes reducing cities’ environmental impact, building resilience to natural disasters, and preserving nature within cities.
Again, this has many implications for health. Greenery can reduce urban heat islands to protect against heat stress. Contact with nature improves mental health. Attractive green spaces encourage recreational physical activity.
The agenda emphasises the need to provide decent and productive work, end poverty and reduce income inequalities. This could minimise the social gradient in health – people with less income have poorer health.
Uncontrolled growth is unhealthy
Attaining these sustainability and health benefits will depend on how the New Urban Agenda is implemented. The World Urban Forum showcased many sustainable development achievements by governments and civil society. But we still have a long way to go to realise the NUA vision.
As the world urbanises and cities promote development and innovation, we must take care to balance economic growth with environmental preservation. Only then will we achieve truly sustainable health improvements.
Most countries have a bad track record of pursuing social and economic development at the expense of the natural environment. While the New Urban Agenda does recognise the need to balance environmental and health goals with economic development, it does not acknowledge the ecological limits to growth.
Currently, the top-ranked nations on the Sustainable Development Goal Index and the Human Development Index, such as Sweden and Denmark, have high ecological footprints per person. If everyone in the world lived like them, we would need more than three planets. This is clearly unsustainable.
As research by Wilkinson and Pickett shows, after a certain point, continued natural resource depletion for economic growth is not necessary to achieve good population health.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/206114/original/file-20180213-44654-g0k0sd.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
After a certain point, higher emissions do not increase life expectancy, as Wilkinson and Pickett demonstrated. The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better, R. Wilkinson and K. Pickett
Agenda relies on inclusive, integrated planning
While the New Urban Agenda encourages consideration of health in urban policies, it does not detail the specific actions required.
Urban planning interventions must be consistent with the evidence on how to create healthy and less resource-intensive cities. A recent Australian study found that many urban policies are not evidence-based and are often not fully implemented.
Countries across the globe are looking at indicators to help monitor policy implementation. This includes spatial indicators that highlight inequities in access to infrastructure and amenities within and between cities.
It is widely recognised that implementing the New Urban Agenda will require the involvement of many sectors, including housing, transport, urban design, energy, employment and open space. National governments adopted the agenda, but city planning is often a responsibility of sub-national governments. The private sector and communities also have important contributions to make. 
In all cities, there is a need to clarify responsibilities and balance national government leadership with local government and community action. Integration between policy areas requires supportive legislative frameworks, political commitment, leadership, strong governance arrangements and personnel trained in collaboration.
Low- and middle-income countries are further behind on urban health, so have much to gain from implementing the agenda. Nevertheless, all countries, including Australia, have room for improvement. Australian cities continue to face issues with car dependence and inequities in access to public transport, jobs, services and amenities.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/91009/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">All urban actors have a role to play in pursuing the New Urban Agenda’s vision of a sustainable and healthy urban future. As we hurtle towards doubling our population with rapid city growth, now is the time for action.
Melanie Lowe, Lecturer in Public Health, Australian Catholic University 
Alexei Trundle, PhD Candidate, Australian-German Climate &amp; Energy College, University of Melbourne 
André Stephan, Lecturer in Architectural Engineering, University of Melbourne 
Billie Giles-Corti, Director, Urban Futures Enabling Capability Platform and Director, Healthy Liveable Cities Group, RMIT University 
Hayley Henderson, PhD Candidate in Urban Planning, University of Melbourne 
Hesam Kamalipour, Research Fellow at Monash Art, Design and Architecture, Monash University
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/this-is-why-health-has-to-be-at-the-heart-of-the-new-urban-agenda-91009" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Why health has to be at the heart of the New Urban Agenda

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GUEST OBSERVER
As Cape Town counts down to “day zero” and the prospect of its taps being turned off, there have inevitably been questions about whether the same fate might befall a major Australian city. The most striking parallels have been drawn with Perth – unsurprisingly, given its drying climate, rising evaporation rates (which increase consumption and reduce water yields) and growing population.
So is Perth really running out of water? The answer depends on what type of water is being considered, and what constitutes “running out”.
When faced with this question most people think of drinking water, which is of course essential for household use.
It often ignores non-potable groundwater that is heavily relied upon in Perth to irrigate gardens, lawns, ovals, golf courses and market gardens. This water is also used by light and heavy industry, as well as being crucial to the health of wetlands and vegetation across the coastal plain.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/206115/original/file-20180213-44654-66n9ff.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Lake Jualbup in Perth’s western suburbs showing periods of low and high water level. Photos by Geoffrey Dean. saveourjewel.org, Author provided
Perth’s drinking water supplies are largely safe, thanks to early investment in the use of groundwater and in technologies such as desalination. But somewhat ironically, as this recent book chapter explains, the future supply of lower-quality water for irrigation and to support ecosystems looks far less assured.
A drying climate
Perth’s annual rainfall has been declining by about 3mm per year on average, while the number of months receiving at least 200mm of rain has halved. Meanwhile, the annual mean temperature anomaly has increased by 1℃ in southwest Western Australia in the past 40 years and possibly by more in Perth, given the urban heat island effect.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/206135/original/file-20180213-44654-q46rcz.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Perth’s rainfall trend, as measured at Perth Airport’s rain gauge. Bureau of Meteorology
The overall effect is that soils and vegetation are often dry, meaning that rainfall will be lost to evapotranspiration rather than running off into rivers and dams, or recharging underground aquifers.
At the same time, Perth has made major changes to its drinking water supply. The city now relies chiefly on groundwater and desalination rather than dams. For a variety of reasons, drinking water use per person has declined, most notably since the early 2000s when sprinkler restrictions were introduced. Some have switched to self-supply sources such as backyard bores, so for them total water use may even have increased.
<img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/206138/original/file-20180213-44633-7ug4r4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="">
Perth’s trends in runoff, population, and water supply. Water Corporation
The reduction in per capita use of drinking water is just as well, because inflows into Perth dams have fallen from 300 billion litres a year to less than 50 billion. This disproportionate drop in stream flows, even against the backdrop of declining rainfall, means that evaporation from reservoirs can exceed inflows in very dry years.
Since the late 1970s, Perth has increasingly used groundwater rather than dam water. Seawater desalination has also grown to almost half of total supply. Even more recently Perth began trialling a groundwater replenishment scheme to recharge aquifers with treated wastewater.
With the declines in rainfall and streamflow predicted to continue, water security will continue to be an important policy issue over the next few decades. Although both are much more expensive than dam water, desalination and groundwater replenishment look set to secure Perth’s drinking supply, because seawater is virtually unlimited, and wastewater availability increases in line with the city’s growth.
Why are non-drinking water supplies less secure?
Boosting drinking water supplies with desalination or groundwater replenishment is unlikely to resolve the pressures on non-potable supplies. To understand why, it is necessary to understand Perth’s unusual hydrology.
Most of Perth is built on permeable sand dunes, which can soak up even the heaviest rainfall. This allows runoff from roofs and roads to be directed into nearby soak wells and absorption basins.
As well as cheap disposal of stormwater, the sands provide Perth with a place to store excess water from winter rains, which is then relied upon for summer irrigation. As a result, local governments have been able to provide many irrigated parks and sports ovals, and more than a quarter of Perth households use a private bore to water their gardens.
This arrangement isn’t as sustainable as it once was. Groundwater levels are falling under many parts of Perth, forcing the state government to reduce allocations and to introduce a range of water-saving measures such as winter sprinkler bans.
Unlike dam inflows, we don’t yet know the full scale of the reduction in natural groundwater recharge rates. But the question still remains: what can we do to halt the decline of this important water store, particularly as Perth’s population is expected to grow to 3.5 million by 2050?
About 70% of local road runoff and half of roof runoff already recharges the shallow unconfined aquifer, because it is the cheapest way to dispose of excess water in areas with sandy soils. As well as reducing discharge costs, this practice helps to ensure that bores do not run dry in summer.
Perth also has large main drains that are designed to lower groundwater levels in swampy areas and prevent inundation. Some of these waters could be redirected into the aquifer where there is a suitable site.
Don’t waste wastewater
About 140 billion litres of treated wastewater are discharged into the ocean every year in the Perth-Peel region. A further 7 billion litres are infiltrated into the sands as a means of disposal where there isn’t an option for ocean outfall. Recent investigations of these land disposal sites have shown them to be effective in protecting wetlands from drying and providing water for public and private irrigation.
Investigations have also shown that the quality of treated wastewater can be greatly improved when infiltrated through the yellow sands into the limestone aquifer in the western part of Perth. It is suitable for irrigation after a few weeks’ residence within the aquifer.
Without these kinds of measures, local governments will struggle to water parks and sports ovals, to protect Perth’s remaining wetlands, and to safeguard the trees that help keep us cool.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/90857/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">So while drinking water supplies for an affluent city like Perth are reasonably secure, our vital non-drinking water supplies need to be augmented using some of the water we currently discharge into the ocean. As Perth gets even hotter and drier, and green spaces and wetlands are needed to provide much-needed cooling, we can no longer afford to let any water go to waste.
Don McFarlane, Adjunct professor, University of Western Australia
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-perth-really-running-out-of-water-well-yes-and-no-90857" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Is Perth really running out of water? Well, yes and no: Don McFarlane

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Andrew Formica, the fund manager and co-CEO of Janus Henderson Investors, has dropped $10 million in Queenscliff.
He's bought a <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-queenscliff-126483978" target="_blank">Crown Road home</a> with direct access to Freshwater beach.
Formica snapped the home up in 15 days after it was marketed by Donovan Estate Agents Mosman agent Vince Donovan.
He described it as "without a doubt one of Sydney's best beach front properties."
<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/2018/2/16/queen2.jpg" alt="">
The 940 sqm property has four bedrooms, three bathrooms and a number of outdoor entertaining terraces, one which features a swimming pool and spa. 
It last traded for $2.66 million in 2001.
Formica is the chief of the $330 billion Janus Henderson.
 
 
 
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Queenscliff home with direct Freshwater Beach access fetches suburb record

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<div>
The listed real estate agency McGrath requested and secured a trading halt on Thursday morning pending an "announcement regarding recent media speculation in relation to Mr McGrath."
Its chief executive Cameron Judson said "it was a precautionary measure."
"The event that will end the trading halt is the company issuing an announcement by Mr McGrath," the company statement said.
"The company has become privy to further information, which I can't comment on, re this matter and is seeking urgent clarification from John McGrath," chief executive Cameron Judson said during the 11am investor call.
"The board has considered this trading halt a significant development and let me assure you they have not taken this step lightly." Judson is leaving the company on Friday said the board was doing everything in its power to update the market as soon as it could.
</div>
<div class="_1ysFk">
<div class="_1665V undefined">
"An update is though contingent upon John McGrath providing further information," he said.
Judson declined to advised on the unspecified further information.
Mr McGrath has been in the news recently over alleged debts and its funding.
"This matter will be dealt with in due course once all the facts are settled," Judson advised.
The comments came at the beginning of the briefing which was delayed two hours.
Last week John McGrath said he has never used his McGrath shares as security for any loan.
This morning McGrath reported a small loss, while some agents have been given an $850,000 allocation to keep them from departing the public listed company.
 
</div>
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Urgent clarification being sought by McGrath board from its founder

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<div>
<div>Bondi and Bronte are hot markets for houses, from colonial to contemporary. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>James Kennard, from the Kennards Self Storage family, has snappily sold his <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-nsw-bronte-127338042" target="_blank">Yanko Ave, Bronte</a>, beach house (above) which cost $5,325,000 in 2015.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>BresicWhitney agent Nic Krasnostein said only that it set a street record, which would mean $6.3 million-plus. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Kennard recently spent $4.15 million near Byron Bay.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>IT consultant Bill Shires, the former Tamarama SLSC president, and his wife Judy have listed their colonial 1880s Bondi home, Barroda (below). It has a $3.8 million price guide through McGrath. </div>
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>There is a $3.8 million price guide through Simon Exelton at McGrath.</div>
He describes it as a grand colonial estate occupying an elevated 626sqm corner block with views over Bondi.
<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/2018/2/16/ocean1.jpg" alt="">
"This rare offering has been in only two families over the past 100 years," he said.
The Shires bought its from the Norburn family in 2008 for $2,065,000.
"There is a full bar in the basement cellar where many a friend of the Norburn would bump their head on the low beam whilst wine tasting. 
The zoning allows for child care or respite day care centres.
This article was first published in the Sunday Telegraph.
 
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house/nsw/eastern-suburbs/bondi/367155" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en-GB&amp;q=https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house/nsw/eastern-suburbs/bondi/367155&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1517689820071000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFhtB4zIrCEVXbVCn8sEa2rcXRECQ"> </a>
 
 
 
 
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Kennards sell in Bronte as former Tamarama SLSC president lists in Bondi

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A Baynton four bedroom house has been sold by mortgagees for $590,000.
The<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-wa-baynton-126048282" target="_blank"> Western Australia</a> home was sold by agent Coral Howe from Ray White. 
It had last sold at $205,000 in 2009 before its 2012 construction.
The modern Brushtail Street house came with four bedrooms, open living area and a games room. 
Baynton West Primary School, parks and the Pam Buchanan centre are within walking distance. 
According to CoreLogic, the suburb's median house price sits on $405,000. 
 
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Baynton, WA house sold by mortgagees

<html><body><div class="cq-article-content-paras section">
Luxury brand Hermes is set to take the lease at Sydney's Trust Building.
The building at 155-159 King Street is on the corner of Castlereagh Street.
Dior's flagship store sits across the road, as do the Chanel and Bulgari stores.
<div class="cq-article-content-paras section">
The Australian Financial Review writes Hermes has pipped another luxury brand, Valentino, for the multiple-floor space
</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-paras section">
The potential deal would see Hermes expand its retail footprint beyond its current single-floor space a block away at the corner of Castlereagh and Pitt streets.
</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">Another diagonal corner is occupied by the MLC Centre escalators which are set to be replaced with retail space.</div>
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Hermes eyes Trust Building move

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A main street Kempton, Tasmania, property has been listed for sale with $595,000 plus hopes.
Built in 1833, the four bedroom <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-tas-kempton-127317886" target="_blank">121 Main Street house</a> is located in the heart of the historic former coach town, around 50 minute drive from the Hobart CBD.
It spans three levels. The ground level of the residence features a preserved lounge room, country style kitchen/dining, second living room, rumpus and laundry.
The first level comprises two large bedrooms with BIR, the master with ensuite and the family bathroom.
Two Dormer style bedrooms with BIR are located on the upper level of the home.
The 1491 square metre block includes a cottage garden. 
Kempton Primary School is within walking distance. 
It had last sold for $455,000 in 2015.
Built from convict bricks, the classic Georgian style home was perhaps the longest running shop in Kempton and for many years provided competition to W.H.Ellis’ Green Ponds Store.
It was sold shortly after it was built to Elizabeth Mayhew, a widow who operated the shop as a general store until her death in 1881.
It also traded as a service station.
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Historic Kempton trophy home listed

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Consumer Affairs Victoria has received reports of a possible hacking scam targeting the email accounts of estate agents.
The scam sees home buyers deposit money into wrong bank accounts. 
The new hacking scam targeting Victorian home buyers and real estate agents has seen reported losses in excess of $200,000.
In most cases, the home buyer was sent an email from the selling agent with the contract of sale and trust account details for payment of the deposit. Shortly afterwards, they received a second email from the same email address, advising them of an 'error’ in the first email, and to deposit their money into a different account. 
While it looks legitimate, the second email is possibly a hack - and money paid goes to an account not related to the selling agent.
If you have purchased a home and receive an email from the estate agent with trust account details to make payment, call the agent or visit them in person to verify that the email is legitimate. Be very suspicious if you receive a second email telling you to make payment into another account, even if it is from the same email address. 
CAV strongly encourage estate agents, and all businesses, to regularly review and secure their online systems. Follow these tips to help keep email accounts safe: 
<ul>
<li>consider setting up a two-step verification process with your email accounts. This requires a user to provide more than one type of proof that they are authorised before they can access an account</li>
<li>change your passwords and other verification details regularly</li>
<li>delete spam messages without opening them</li>
<li>do not share your email address online unless you need to. Consider setting up a separate email just for online transactions, and another for communicating privately with clients and customers.</li>
</ul>
If you are an estate agent sending account details for customers to make payment via email, the department encourage you to advise them to: 
<ul>
<li>be very wary if they receive a second email telling them to pay into another account, even if the email comes from the same address</li>
<li>call your office to check the email’s legitimacy.  </li>
</ul>
Any business or individual who believes they have been tricked into paying money into an incorrect account, should contact their bank immediately.
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Victorian home sellers warned of deposit hacking scam

ALAND has taken the next major step in delivering its vision for Leppington Town Centre, lodging State Significant Development plans for a $549 million residential precinct that would bring more than 1,200 new homes within walking distance of Leppington Station.

The proposal, now on public exhibition, forms the Residential Core Precinct of the broader Leppington Town Centre masterplan and would transform a 4.3-hectare site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/156-166-rickard-road-leppington-nsw-2179">156-166 Rickard Road</a> into a high-density mixed-use neighbourhood comprising nine residential buildings rising between six and 25 storeys.

<img alt="ALAND" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fc20982d-a0a9-4989-8fb3-680ca9fdcd10" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-22%20at%209.12.44%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=l5EEyS6Dkf_SLDQkwDeyAU2nXkSZP2RW" />

The development has been designed by Rothelowman and is being pursued through a State Significant Development Application alongside a concurrent rezoning request under the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

If approved, the project would deliver 1,206 dwellings, including 784 build-to-sell apartments, 208 build-to-rent apartments, 189 affordable housing units and a nine-storey serviced apartment building containing 112 rooms. The proposal also includes around 7,400 sqm of non-residential floor space, new public open space, communal recreation areas and a new internal street network.

<img alt="ALAND" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c4f80d3b-cb05-4068-8a87-808317807a99" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-22%20at%209.12.36%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=KfPqh1JBuxc53IWntEzGHAeBaCLmRmum" />

<h2 data-end="1990" data-section-id="s6350" data-start="1941">A key piece of Leppington's future town centre</h2>

The site sits around 250 metres from Leppington Station, which opened in 2015 as the terminus of the South West Rail Link and has long been earmarked as the catalyst for the suburb's transformation from a rural fringe location into a major strategic centre for Western Sydney.

Leppington has become increasingly important following the announcement of the Western Sydney International Airport and the emergence of Bradfield City Centre, with government planning identifying the precinct as a significant location for future housing and employment growth.

<img alt="ALAND" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8ca0f098-affc-48c0-80d3-468ea090a20c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-22%20at%209.12.26%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=o3mwgBFT6H9YUllI0JR.JfLsUYQy1CTa" />

According to Rothelowman, the proposal responds directly to Leppington's unique position between its agricultural past and its urban future.

"The site offers an opportunity to weave together multiple layers of history, from its ancient connections to Country along the ridgeline between two waterways and its origins as part of the Cumberland woodland, to its more recent agricultural uses, and its future as a new residential community," the architects said in the design report.

The architects said the project aims to establish a high-density residential typology that combines apartment living with extensive landscaping and public open space.

"The design responds by establishing a high-density typology that combines the convenience and amenity of contemporary apartment living with a renewed native landscape."

<h2 data-end="3541" data-section-id="1ko88s2" data-start="3485">Nine buildings arranged around parks and public space</h2>

The proposal has been designed around a landscape-led framework rather than a traditional podium-and-tower approach.

Across the site, approximately 7,500 sqm of public open space would be delivered through a network of north-south and east-west linear parks, connecting into the wider Leppington Town Centre open space network. A further 8,000 sqm of communal open space would be provided for residents.

<img alt="ALAND" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f5113abf-5440-4610-9cdc-60a0d41a407e" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-22%20at%209.12.55%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=k8zLMj4yZS4hStmGzZJfosjj5iArwIek" />

Rothelowman said the design seeks to maximise landscaping at ground level by concentrating development into compact tower footprints.

"Buildings are carefully lifted and distributed to minimise disturbance to the natural terrain, allowing the ground plane to remain open, permeable, and led by landscape," the design report states.

Rather than creating a continuous podium edge, the design team has focused on allowing landscaping to extend beneath and around the buildings.

"The ground plane is conceived as an extension of the surrounding environment, allowing landscape to flow up to and beneath the built forms."

The architectural language also draws on the area's natural landscape, with Rothelowman describing a material palette influenced by local gum trees, bark textures, creek systems and sandstone tones.

<h2 data-end="4971" data-section-id="s69utu" data-start="4922">Affordable housing and build-to-rent component</h2>

One of the more significant aspects of the proposal is the diversity of housing typologies.

In addition to traditional apartments for sale, the scheme includes a dedicated 25-storey build-to-rent building with 208 apartments and a 22-storey affordable housing building containing 189 homes.

The affordable housing component represents almost 16 per cent of the total dwellings proposed within the Residential Core Precinct.

<img alt="ALAND" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f87e6808-e462-44c6-bfa8-a3de1816f2e3" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-22%20at%209.33.36%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=WTsRKiUAyWw18S5S98yQB5oVuDcnJTxB" />

Community consultation undertaken ahead of the lodgement found support for additional housing in the area, particularly given ongoing affordability challenges across South West Sydney. Survey work conducted with local residents found housing affordability was one of the poorest-rated aspects of living in Leppington, while a majority of respondents were open to additional housing within the local government area.

The site's proximity to Leppington Station was identified as the most positively viewed aspect of the proposal, while public open space and affordable housing provisions also received majority support.

<h2 data-end="6184" data-section-id="1ngkie4" data-start="6140">Part of Leppington's broader expansion</h2>

ALAND will be a significant contributor to the broader vision for Leppington Town Centre, which is expected to accommodate more than 25,000 residents as the precinct evolves over the coming decades.

Located within Sydney's South West Growth Area, the 440-hectare Leppington Town Centre has been identified by the NSW Government as a strategic centre spanning both the Liverpool and Camden local government areas.

In 2023, Liverpool City Council and Camden Council, supported by the NSW Department of Planning and Environment, prepared a draft planning proposal to rezone land and amend development controls across a number of sites within the town centre.

The proposal outlines a new vision for Leppington Town Centre, reducing the amount of land allocated for business park uses while increasing land zoned for commercial development, housing and open space. The changes are designed to optimise land use across the precinct and support the delivery of a more walkable, transit-oriented centre anchored by Leppington Station.

&nbsp;

Joel Robinson

ALAND plots 1,200-home Leppington masterplan

Brisbane-based developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/trk-property-group">TRK Property Group</a>&nbsp;has enlisted renowned architecture firm Koichi Takada Architects to design its latest new apartment development.

The new 34-storey tower at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/57-berwick-street-fortitude-valley-qld-4006">57 Berwick Street, Fortitude Valley</a>,&nbsp;will have 189 apartments, complete with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/byculprit">byCULPRIT</a>. The upper levels&nbsp;capturing views across the Story Bridge, city skyline, ranges, bay and river.

Residents will have access to a rooftop amenity floor with facilities including a pool, spa, sauna, hot and cold treatment, meditation garden, gym, yoga studio, private dining, BBQ, games lounge, wine display wall, work library, meeting rooms and outdoor work areas.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/trk-property-group">TRK</a> Founder and Managing Director, Arpan Kohli, said it will be a project "Brisbane hasn't seen before."

&nbsp;

"To deliver a project of this calibre, you need the right people involved," Kohli said.

"Koichi Takada Architects and byCULPRIT set the benchmarks for design excellence, and this project reflects that - a building of genuine architectural significance in one of Brisbane's most coveted locations, sitting between Howard Smith Wharves and the James Street precinct."

TRK recently launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/laya-residences-taigum-203-beams-road-taigum-qld-4018">LAYA Residences in Taigum</a>, 88 three-bedroom townhouses starting from $1,495,000. They have another apartment site in Indooroopilly, at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/140-central-avenue-indooroopilly-qld-4068">140 Central Avenue</a>. That will have 131 apartments.&nbsp;

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TRK proposes Koichi Takada-designed apartment development in Fortitude Valley

Perth development giant Finbar Group has completed its acquisition of the prominent 236 Railway Parade site in West Leederville, a year after first flagging plans for the transit-oriented development that will become its next major apartment project in Perth's inner west.

The ASX-listed apartment developer has secured the 4,997 sqm mixed use-zoned landholding opposite West Leederville Train Station for around $15 million, paving the way for the proposed Rosslyn Quarter development. The project is expected to deliver <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/236-railway-parade-west-leederville-wa-6007">around 240 apartments across two towers</a>, alongside ground-floor commercial space.

The acquisition effectively concludes a process that began in mid-2025 when Finbar announced it had entered into a contract to purchase the site, subject to development approval and the finalisation of planning settings under the West Leederville Precinct Structure Plan. At that time, the company outlined plans for a pair of 18-storey towers with an estimated end value of around $200 million.

The site sits within the emerging Rosslyn Quarter precinct, approximately two kilometres from the Perth CBD and directly opposite the West Leederville Train Station. The location also places future residents within walking distance of the West Leederville Shopping Centre, Leederville's hospitality strip, and the neighbouring Subiaco activity centre.

Finbar CEO Ronald Chan said the acquisition builds on the developer's previous experience in the suburb, where it delivered the Motive Apartments project in 2017.

"We have previously enjoyed great success in developing in the West Leederville area given its excellent existing amenity and close proximity to the CBD, Leederville, Subiaco, and the West Leederville train station," Chan said.

He said the scale of the site would allow Finbar to deliver a well-located apartment project while strengthening its long-term development pipeline.

"The substantial scale of this site, with proposed potential for two eighteen-storey towers, will allow the Company to obtain scale benefits which will underpin the delivery of a medium-cost, well-located project," Chan said. "Importantly, this acquisition diversifies and strengthens our long-term development pipeline across metropolitan Perth, enabling us to time our product delivery strategically in line with market conditions."

According to Sterling Property, which brokered the transaction, the site was one of the most significant development opportunities to come to market in Perth's western suburbs in recent years.

Sterling Property Managing Director Brian Neo said opportunities of this scale in established inner-city locations remain tightly held.

"Sites of this scale and calibre, directly opposite a train station and within two kilometres of the CBD, are rarely offered to the market. When they are, they attract serious capital," Neo said.

The acquisition comes as Perth's apartment market continues to contend with limited development-ready sites in established suburbs, particularly those benefiting from both existing transport infrastructure and supportive planning frameworks.

With the West Leederville Precinct Structure Plan now adopted, Finbar can move forward with design development and the development approval process for what is expected to become one of the largest new apartment projects proposed in the suburb.

Finbar completes West Leederville site acquisition for Rosslyn Quarter project

The Gold Coast economy has grown by 25 per cent since 2020/21 to surpass $55 billion, but perhaps the more significant story is what sits behind the headline number.

For decades, the Gold Coast has been viewed through the lens of tourism, lifestyle and population growth. The latest State of the City Report suggests that perception is increasingly out of step with reality.

Released by Invest Gold Coast, the report ranks the Gold Coast as Australia's largest non-capital city economy and, perhaps more notably, second nationally behind Sydney for Economic Complexity, a measure that assesses the diversity and sophistication of an economy.

It's a result that places the Gold Coast ahead of Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, highlighting the extent to which the city's economic base has broadened beyond its traditional industries.

Today, the Gold Coast supports more than 350,000 jobs, is home to over 83,000 businesses and generates $19 billion in annual exports. Manufacturing now accounts for 62 per cent of international export growth, while sectors including health, education, advanced manufacturing, technology and professional services are becoming increasingly important contributors to the local economy.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=372547]

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate said the report confirmed the city's evolution into one of Australia's most significant economies.

"The Gold Coast economy continues to grow at an incredible pace. This is no surprise to those of us who have watched the evolution up close," Mayor Tate said.

"As one of the most entrepreneurial, investment driven and opportunity focused economies in the country our ambition has been realised and possibilities are endless.

"The Gold Coast has built a reputation as the city that says yes. We say yes to investment, yes to opportunity and yes to people who want to build something.

"It's this mindset helping us drive major growth across health, advanced manufacturing, screen production, marine, technology and the knowledge economy."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360975]

While population growth has been one of the defining stories of the past decade, the report points to a broader economic transformation taking place.

The city's knowledge economy now contributes $7.9 billion annually and supports around 31,000 jobs, while the health and wellbeing sector contributes $5.2 billion and employs more than 42,000 people. Together, the six priority sectors identified in the report account for almost $24 billion in economic output and more than 145,000 jobs.

One of the strongest examples is the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct at Southport. The 200-hectare precinct now contains more than $5 billion worth of health, education, research and innovation infrastructure and supports over 16,000 jobs.

The report also highlights the growing role of advanced manufacturing, particularly in aerospace, defence and modular construction.

Gold Coast-based Gilmour Space Technologies recently became the first Australian commercial company to attempt an orbital launch, while companies including Modscape and ModnPods are helping establish the Yatala-Stapylton corridor as one of Australia's fastest-growing advanced manufacturing hubs.

The city's entrepreneurial culture is also translating into business growth.

Since 2019/20, the number of businesses operating on the Gold Coast has increased by 22 per cent, while firms employing more than 200 people have grown by 80 per cent. The report suggests the next challenge is converting more local start-ups and medium-sized businesses into nationally significant companies.

Development activity remains another key indicator of confidence.

There are currently more than $23 billion worth of major projects underway across the Gold Coast, supported by a record 75 active cranes, a figure that now exceeds Brisbane and represents a 150 per cent increase since 2016.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112024 project_image_fid=343235]

Importantly, the report notes the next phase of investment will need to extend beyond residential development.

While 93 per cent of crane activity is currently tied to housing, Invest Gold Coast argues future investment will increasingly need to focus on cultural, civic, infrastructure and industry-enabling projects that strengthen the city's long-term economic resilience.

Invest Gold Coast Chair Will Hodgman said the city was now benefiting from years of economic diversification.

"What is happening on the Gold Coast is the result of the city's economic base broadening, fuelled by industries with long-term, high-growth potential," Mr Hodgman said.

"This is no longer a secondary Australian economy, the Gold Coast is becoming a globally connected city with deeper capability across health, knowledge and creative industries, advanced manufacturing, technology and exports."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365786]

Looking ahead, the Gold Coast's population is projected to exceed one million residents by 2046.

For a city that was once largely defined by tourism and lifestyle, the latest figures suggest the Gold Coast is becoming something more significant, one of Australia's most diverse and economically sophisticated urban economies, and increasingly one that national and international investors can no longer afford to overlook.

75 cranes, $23 billion pipeline and a $55 billion economy: Inside the Gold Coast economic boom

Ron Bakir's Homecorp has sold more than 75 per cent of the apartments in its wellness-driven Florence Residences in Surfers Paradise following its first weekend release.

The <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/florence-residences-24-monte-carlo-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">26-storey project on Monte Carlo Avenue</a>, which commenced construction earlier this year, has seen a flurry of buyers secure their slice of the Gold Coast's latest wellbeing-focused offering in one of the nation's most competitive property markets.

Since the pandemic, the Gold Coast's population has grown by more than 11 per cent, a rate approximately four times faster than Sydney's, driven largely by lifestyle changes and interstate migration. While buyer activity has moderated in some markets nationally, demand for newly built dwellings on the Gold Coast continues to gain momentum as purchasers increasingly prioritise lifestyle, amenity, wellbeing, liveability and long-term investment potential.

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[smartcode_project:default project_id=150414 project_image_fid=372743]

Homecorp CEO Ron Bakir says buyers today are looking for more than just a home.

"What we are seeing is a shift in how people define value in property," Bakir says.

"What attracts residents to new developments is a desire for more than just a residence. They are looking for a place that complements their lifestyle, supports their wellbeing and reflects the way they want to live into the future.

"Lifestyle, longevity, proactive health, wellbeing, connection and a sense of community are increasingly shaping purchasing decisions, particularly on the Gold Coast, where these factors continue to be a major drawcard."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150414 project_image_fid=372744]

Bakir says Homecorp is responding to this shift through an approach that places greater emphasis on design, amenity and experience working together to create places that feel considered, connected and enduring in value.

Inspired by Eastern European design, Florence Residences will comprise 120 apartments alongside a private residents-only wellness club featuring a resort-style rooftop pool, hot and cold plunge pools, a spa retreat, contemporary gymnasium, and a spacious yoga and Pilates studio.

The development will also feature a residents-only lounge with private dining facilities and a rooftop bar, premium outdoor entertaining areas, a hotel-style lobby lounge, generous bike parking, and pet-friendly amenities including a heated dog wash.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150414 project_image_fid=372742]

A limited number of apartments remain available, with an exclusive collection of four-bedroom sub-penthouses set to be released in the coming months.

Florence is one of the latest additions to Homecorp's expanding multi-billion-dollar property portfolio, which also includes plans for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/homecorp-lodges-plans-for-260-million-moroccan-bathhouse-inspired-tower-in-budds-beach">$260 million development in Budds Beach</a> tailored to the growing wellness market.

A development application has been lodged for a 27-storey, 156-residence tower at 8–10 Acacia Avenue and 25–27 Oak Avenue, featuring a residents-only Moroccan spa-inspired sanctuary.

Apartments at Florence Residences are priced from $1,249,000, with construction expected to be completed by late 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150414]

Staff reporter

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