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

Joel Robinson

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

First look: Winx billionaire’s beachfront Surfers Paradise apartment development greenlit

Sydney’s property market is known for high prices, competitive bidding, and mounting pressure on first home buyers. But change is on the horizon.

From late 2025, eligible first home buyers in New South Wales will have access to a new federal government initiative aimed at addressing affordability: the Help to Buy Scheme.&nbsp;

<h2>What is the Help to Buy Scheme?</h2>

The program introduces a shared equity model intended to reduce the upfront cost of entering the property market, particularly in high-demand urban areas such as Sydney.

The scheme operates under a shared ownership structure in which the federal government takes an equity stake of up to 40 per cent for new homes, or 30 per cent for existing dwellings. This arrangement allows eligible buyers to significantly reduce their loan size and avoid the added cost of Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI).

Under this model, purchasers can enter the property market with as little as a two per cent deposit, well below the traditional 10 to 20 per cent usually required. The government’s contribution is not a loan but a co-ownership stake in the property. As such, there is no interest or rent charged on its portion.

Because the government’s equity combined with the buyer’s deposit typically meets or exceeds the 20 per cent threshold, LMI does not apply. The remaining balance, generally between 60 and 70 per cent of the property’s value, is financed through a standard home loan with a participating lender.

The government's equity in the property remains in place until the buyer chooses to repay it voluntarily or until the property is sold. Buyers can buy back the government’s share over time, in increments of at least five per cent, depending on their financial situation.

There is no fixed repayment timeline, but the amount to be repaid will be based on the property's market value at the time of repayment, not the original purchase price.

<h2>How do you qualify for the&nbsp;Help to Buy Scheme?</h2>

To qualify for the Help to Buy Scheme, applicants must meet the following conditions:

<ul>
	<li>Be an Australian citizen at least 18 years of age.</li>
	<li>Be a first-home buyer who does not currently own property.</li>
	<li>Intend to live in the property as their primary residence.</li>
	<li>Earn less than $100,000 per year for individuals, or $160,000 for couples.</li>
	<li>Purchase a property within the regional price caps, currently $950,000 in Sydney, though this is expected to rise to approximately $1.3 million ahead of the program’s launch.</li>
</ul>

While the Help to Buy Scheme does not solve affordability challenges across the board, it does offer a more accessible pathway for a defined segment of the market, particularly younger buyers with moderate incomes who have been priced out of traditional lending routes.

The scheme is expected to commence in NSW in late 2025, as part of a national rollout.

Under the new model, purchasers can enter the property market with as little as a two per cent deposit, well below the traditional 10 to 20 per cent usually required

Help to Buy Scheme: What first home buyers in NSW need to know

The First Home Owners Grant (FHOG) is a government initiative designed to help eligible first-time home buyers by offering financial assistance towards the purchase or construction of a new home.

While the FHOG is a nationwide program, it is administered separately by each state and territory, meaning the eligibility criteria, grant amounts, and property requirements can vary depending on your location. This means that the amount available and the conditions attached to the grant will differ, so it is important to check the specific guidelines for your state or territory.

It’s important to note that the FHOG is just one of several incentives available to first home buyers. In most states and territories, the grant is not linked to stamp duty exemptions or concessions, with the exception of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The FHOG is typically a one-off payment, reducing the overall cost of purchasing or building a new home before any stamp duty concessions are applied.

Below, we provide a breakdown of the First Home Owner Grants available across Australia, outlining the specific details for each state and territory.

<h2>New South Wales First Home Owner Grant</h2>

First Home Owner Grant: Offers a $10,000 grant for new homes valued up to $600,000. For land purchases and owner-builders, the threshold extends to $750,000.

Stamp Duty Benefits: Provides full stamp duty exemption for homes valued up to $800,000, with concessions available for properties up to $1 million.

<h2>Victoria South Wales First Home Owner Grant</h2>

First Home Owner Grant: Provides a $10,000 grant for first-home buyers purchasing or building new homes valued up to $750,000.

Stamp Duty Benefits: Offers full stamp duty exemption for properties up to $600,000, with concessions available up to $750,000.

<h2>Queensland First Home Owner Grant</h2>

First Home Owner Grant: Offers $30,000 for contracts signed between 20 November 2023 and 30 June 2025. The FHOG applies to new homes valued up to $750,000.

Stamp Duty Concessions: Provides additional concessions for properties valued up to $800,000.

<h2>Western Australia First Home Owner Grant</h2>

&nbsp;

First Home Owner Grant: Offers a $10,000 grant for new homes valued up to $750,000 in the southern regions and up to $1 million in the northern regions.

Stamp Duty Concessions: Available for homes valued up to $600,000 for transactions entered into on or after 9 May 2024.

<h2>Australian Capital Territory First Home Owner Grant</h2>

First Home Owner Grant: Replaced by the Home Buyer Concession Scheme, offering full stamp duty concessions for eligible buyers.

<h2>South Australia First Home Owner Grant</h2>

First Home Owner Grant: Provides up to $15,000 for new homes, including houses, apartments, and townhouses. As of 6 June 2024, there is no property value cap for eligibility.

Stamp Duty Relief: Available for new homes and vacant land purchases.

<h2>Tasmania First Home Owner Grant</h2>

First Home Owner Grant: Offers a $10,000 grant for new homes and off the plan purchases.

Stamp Duty Exemption: Between 18 February 2024 and 30 June 2026, first home buyers of established homes valued up to $750,000 receive a full exemption on property transfer duty.

<h2>Northern Territory First Home Owner Grant</h2>

First Home Owner Grant: The Northern Territory provides a $10,000 grant for new homes only. Additional government grants and concessions are available for first home buyers.

Stamp Duty Exemption: The only stamp duty exemption available to property buyers is the House and Land Package Exemption (HLPE).

Eligibility criteria and application processes differ across states. Prospective buyers should refer to their respective state revenue offices for full details on grant availability, conditions, and additional concessions.

Every First Home Owner Grant for new property by state

In the ever-evolving landscape of sustainable architecture and environmentally conscious design, systems and ratings in place can help determine the energy efficiency of residential buildings in Australia.

Australia has multiple building rating systems that evaluate energy efficiency and sustainability in existing and new building designs.

Some systems assess individual building components, while others provide an overall rating for the entire structure.

A rating system ensures that homes are comfortable and energy-efficient, whether you are buying, renovating, or building.

NatHERS (Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme) is a common way for new homes to meet energy efficiency requirements.

As new developments continue to shape the urban environment, understanding NatHERS ratings becomes essential for developers and homeowners. This article delves into the concept of NatHERS ratings, their significance, and how they contribute to creating energy-efficient homes.

<h2>What is NatHERS?</h2>

NatHERS is a national initiative implemented by the Australian government to promote energy efficiency in residential buildings. The scheme aims to provide a standardised method for assessing the thermal performance of homes, considering factors such as insulation, orientation, ventilation, and building materials.&nbsp;

NatHERS ratings are the most common way new homes meet the National Construction Code's (NCC's) minimum energy efficiency requirements.&nbsp;

NatHERS assessments provide thermal and whole-home ratings for new homes, townhouses, and apartments.

The rating helps evaluate the energy performance of buildings, guides homeowners and developers to make informed decisions about the energy efficiency of their properties, and encourages the construction of more sustainable, comfortable, and cost-effective homes.

<h2>How NatHERS Ratings Work</h2>

NatHERS ratings are determined through four accredited software tools (AccuRate, BERS Pro, FirstRate5, HERO) using a calculation engine CSIRO developed to predict building temperature based on various factors.

The tools can model complex effects of building mass, insulation, window size, and other elements.

The outcome is a star rating that reflects the building's overall thermal efficiency, indicating how well it can maintain a comfortable indoor temperature without excessive reliance on heating or cooling systems.

The star rating scale ranges from 0 to 10, with a 6-star rating being the minimum requirement for compliance with the National Construction Code (NCC).&nbsp;

Achieving a higher star rating demonstrates a commitment to energy efficiency and sustainability, as the building is better equipped to minimise its environmental impact and reduce long-term energy costs.

Anyone can use NatHERS tools, but accredited assessors can provide certified ratings and professional advice.

<h2>Benefits of Higher NatHERS Ratings</h2>

Energy Efficiency: Buildings with higher NatHERS ratings are more energy-efficient, requiring less heating and cooling energy. This reduces the structure's carbon footprint and lowers occupants' energy bills.

Cost Savings: Homes with higher NatHERS ratings are generally more energy-efficient, resulting in reduced energy consumption for heating and cooling. This translates to lower energy bills for homeowners, making sustainable living environmentally friendly and economically viable in the long run.

Environmental Impact: Lower energy consumption directly translates to a reduced environmental impact. Buildings with higher NatHERS ratings contribute to the overall goal of mitigating climate change by lowering greenhouse gas emissions associated with heating and cooling systems.

Improved Comfort: Buildings with high NatHERS ratings offer better thermal comfort to occupants. Proper insulation, well-designed ventilation, and optimal orientation maintain a consistent and comfortable indoor temperature, providing occupants with a more enjoyable and healthier space.

Market Value and Desirability: Higher NatHERS ratings can enhance the market value of a property. As energy efficiency becomes a more significant consideration for homebuyers, a well-rated building may attract a premium price and stand out in the real estate market.

Compliance with Building Codes: NatHERS ratings are a vital component of the National Construction Code (NCC), and compliance with these ratings is often a mandatory requirement for new developments. Local councils and planning authorities may set minimum energy efficiency standards that must be met to obtain development approval.

The Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) is a crucial initiative shaping the future of energy-efficient, resilient, and cost-effective homes. With its recent upgrades, NatHERS has evolved into a world-leading tool for the building sector, supporting the global commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

Staff Writer

What is a NatHERS rating in new off the plan apartment developments?

Mixed-use developments have gained significant popularity across Australia in recent years due to their unique blend of residential, commercial, and recreational spaces.

Unlike traditional single-purpose developments, mixed-use projects offer a harmonious integration of various functions within a single locale.

Residential units seamlessly coexist with commercial establishments, retail outlets, dining venues, entertainment hubs, and recreational facilities, with the combination not only enhances convenience but also fosters a vibrant lifestyle and a sense of community.

<h3>Convenience and accessibility</h3>

Mixed-use developments are designed with convenience in mind. They often integrate residential units with commercial spaces, retail outlets, restaurants, and recreational facilities, creating a self-contained community.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=114215 project_image_fid=204874]

The proximity allows residents to enjoy the convenience of having essential amenities and services within walking distance. Whether it's grabbing a cup of coffee, going grocery shopping, or accessing healthcare services, everything is conveniently located, saving residents time and effort.

<h3>Vibrant lifestyle and community</h3>

One of the major advantages of mixed-use developments is the vibrant lifestyle they offer. With a diverse range of amenities and communal spaces, residents have ample opportunities to interact, socialise, and build a sense of community.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=107714 project_image_fid=214122]

The presence of parks, community centres, and shared spaces fosters a lively atmosphere, encouraging residents to engage in various activities and events. The vibrant lifestyle within these developments creates a unique sense of belonging and camaraderie among the residents.

<h3>Potential for higher rental yields and property value appreciation</h3>

Mixed-use developments tend to attract a broad range of tenants and buyers due to their versatile nature. This high demand can result in higher rental yields for investors and potentially lead to property value appreciation over time.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=139989 project_image_fid=212887]

The integration of commercial and retail spaces attracts businesses, which can provide a stable rental income stream. Additionally, the popularity of mixed-use developments often drives up property values, making them a potentially lucrative investment in the long term.

<h3>Enhanced security and maintenance</h3>

Mixed-use developments typically have comprehensive security measures in place. With controlled access points, CCTV surveillance, and professional security staff, residents can enjoy enhanced safety and peace of mind.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108019 project_image_fid=212658]

Additionally, these developments often have dedicated maintenance teams responsible for the upkeep of common areas, landscaping, and infrastructure. This ensures that the overall appearance and functionality of the development are well-maintained, creating a pleasant living environment for residents.

<h3>Live-work-play balance</h3>

One of the key attractions of mixed-use developments is the ability to achieve a desirable live-work-play balance. The integration of residential and commercial spaces allows residents to live closer to their workplaces, reducing commuting time and improving work-life balance.

The proximity to various amenities and recreational facilities encourages an active and healthy lifestyle. Residents can easily access fitness centres, parks, restaurants, and entertainment options, all within the same development, leading to a more fulfilling and convenient way of life.

alisonwarters@gmail.com

The top five reasons to buy in a mixed-use development

When buying a property, everyone needs to be aware of the additional costs that come as part of the buying process.

Often the largest outlay, after the deposit which goes to the bank, is stamp duty.

<h2 style="line-height: 1.38;">What is Stamp Duty?</h2>

Stamp duty is an extra tax to pay the government when you buy land, a property, and other certain assets.

It happens when the legal ownership is transferred. It can also be known as property transfer duty or transfer duty.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="415" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/C32BWkB5--c" title="YouTube video player" width="660"></iframe>

<h2>Who pays Stamp Duty?</h2>

In some circumstances, you may get an exemption. For some states, you won’t have to pay for stamp duty if you are a first home buyer or a pensioner for houses under a particular price. There are also stamp duty concessions, where you may be entitled to a discount.

<h2>How much does Stamp Duty cost?</h2>

Each state has different rules which affect how much you need to pay. These rules can affect the rate you pay, and the timeframe you will need to pay in. Before you buy land or a property, make sure you check the up-to-date information for your state’s stamp duty.

You can use a free stamp duty calculator online to see approximately how much you’ll need to pay. Find out if you’re eligible for an exemption by enquiring on a project via Urban!

Overall, the stamp duty you need to pay will depend on:

<ul>
	<li aria-level="1">How much your land/property is worth</li>
	<li aria-level="1">Where your land/property is located</li>
	<li aria-level="1">What type of land/property it is</li>
</ul>

Want to find out more? <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@UrbanAustralia?utm_source=YouTube&amp;utm_medium=Video&amp;utm_campaign=Subscribe&amp;utm_id=Subscribe">Subscribe to our YouTube channel</a> for more property videos.

Ellen Walker

Off-the-plan property explained: What is stamp duty?

Roberts Co has entered a new phase of growth following its acquisition by Arada, one of the world’s fastest-growing property developers in Australia.

The acquisition is supported by a $50 million capital injection into Roberts Co’s Australian balance sheet, consisting of the previously announced $25 million recapitalisation and an additional $25 million in new funding from Arada.

This investment strengthens Roberts Co’s financial position, stabilises operations, and provides the foundation for strategic expansion beyond its New South Wales base, with a focus on new opportunities in Queensland, including the Brisbane and Gold Coast regions.

With Arada’s international resources and financial backing, Roberts Co will broaden its portfolio across residential, commercial, and infrastructure sectors, reinforcing its strong market position in New South Wales and setting itself to capture growth in one of Australia’s most dynamic construction markets.

Ahmed Alkhoshaibi, Group CEO of Arada, said Roberts Co has a proud Australian heritage, an outstanding delivery record, and a strong reputation for collaboration with clients and partners.

"By combining this expertise with Arada’s global scale and financial capacity, we are creating a platform for sustained growth in the Australian market,"&nbsp;Alkhoshaibi said.

“Our $50 million capital injection, including new funds from Arada, underlines our commitment to both stabilise and expand Roberts Co’s operations, particularly into the fast-growing Queensland market. We see significant potential in South-East Queensland’s pipeline and are confident Roberts Co is well placed to deliver lasting value for clients and communities.”

George Kostas, CEO of Roberts Co, said Queensland, and particularly South-East Queensland, is one of the most active and opportunity-rich regions in Australia right now.

"The lead-up to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games will bring unprecedented investment across housing, transport, and infrastructure. Roberts Co is eager to play a major role in that transformation and secure a meaningful share of this fast-growing market.”

Arada pours more funds into Roberts Co, flags expansion into South East Queensland construction market

<html><body>
Mirvac's 46-townhouse development Laureate in Albert Park, set in gardens designed by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.e-ga.com.au/">Eckersley Garden Architecture</a>, has won the HIA's 2012 townhouse/villa development of the year. 
<img src="/images/stories/laureate1.jpg">
The $90 million project was completed in early 2011 on its 8,144-square-metre site opposite the <place><placename>Gasworks</placename><placename>Arts</placename><placetype>Park</placetype></place>. 
They were marketed as a modern twist on the Victorian terrace. 
Set among textured and patterned plants, vines and trees, the site is bordered by Pickles, Graham, Foot and Dank Streets. 
<img src="/images/stories/laureate2.jpg">
Spanning three and four levels, the townhouses ranged in size from 164 square metres internal space to 320 square metres plus. 
Some 85% of the townhouses were sold off the plan. 
Mirvac is currently advertising its last townhouse priced at $1,799,000. 
There are other on sale listings including one at $1,899,000 for a four-bedroom townhouse through RT Edgar.
 
</body></html>

jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Mirvac’s Albert Park townhouse development Laureate wins laurels at HIA awards

<html><body>
It would be easy to outline the physical and emotional effects skyscrapers and the surrounding density of concrete tend to inspire. To start with, when you fly into a city, a wide array of high-rise accommodation and office buildings is immediately indicative of wealth and prestige. Like the axel of a wheel, the concrete jungle is where the power is concentrated – the heartbeat of the city. As many regional areas will attest, capital cities are top on the priority list when it comes to providing amenities, transport facilities, medical centres and so forth.  All too often, those living in the center of it all tend to forget a life exists outside the city boundaries at all.
The crunch always comes down to “sustainably” managing population growth and the quandary of squashing ever-increasing numbers into our growing metropolises. Urban developers seem obsessed with the notion of building high-rise concrete jungles or at the very least, limiting development to apartment living or high-density housing. It may seem like an obvious solution – it certainly does if you’re sitting behind a desk with a calculator in hand, because it’s argued that building high is more economically viable than creating new infrastructure in the outer suburban peripheries. “Happiness economics: clearly doesn’t feature high on the priority list.
I recently read a <a href="https://bit.ly/K263vD">report</a> on the value buyers place on having a garden. In the study, it’s claimed that some families would spend up to an extra $75,000 to get a private bit of “green” around their properties.  My reading of the findings followed a question I’d be asked by a reporter researching the notion of gardens and their place on a buyer’s priority list. As with all equations, the crunch ends up in the dollars you spend. With land values increasing in inner-urban zones, outdoor spaces are decreasing and the modern preference – even in outer-suburban new estates – is to go low maintenance and build to the boundaries. After all, Australian’s still beat the world record for desiring homes with the largest floor space per capita. For many, a bigger block of land is only used as a key to a bigger and better house.
Yet, probably one of the best Australian “inventions” was the old suburban home, primarily made familiar to those of us who emigrated to the country because of programs such as Home and Away and Kath and Kim. A house in the burbs with an ample backyard for the kids is the foundation of what was once called the great Australian Dream. In fact, the quarter-acre block – which eventually became the  eighth of an acre block – was a great ecologically friendly model, and it all came down to the backyard.  The backyard was used for growing food, disposing of waste, socialising with neighbours, playing and enjoying a good dose of vitamin D from the glorious Aussie sunshine. Considering our modern push to look after the environment, it’s surprising a decent-sized backyard does not feature higher on the priority list with planning authorities, who tend to allow housing in new suburban estates to take up larger footprints leaving no more than a walkway of paved private outdoor space.
It was an early report from the Grattan iInstitute that coined the phrase <a href="https://bit.ly/K26Z32">“The virtues of suburbia may yet turn out to be the saving of our cities”</a>.  In the report, it points out how the foundations of living sustainably from private land surrounding the home have eventually broken down to a form of inner-city dependency on outlets such as Coles and Woollies.  It’s not just the idea that a garden enables families to produce food, collect water from a rain tank, or dispose of rubbish in the compost heap. It’s the fact that backyards promote health benefits that are hard to emulate in a public park (if you’re lucky enough to live near one) and with our busy urban lifestyles, even the local park doesn’t often feature unless you own a dog or have children who make use of the facility.
I shouldn’t need to point out the benefits of a garden.  From a personal perspective, I feel as if I grew up in a garden – I spent more time outdoors than indoors during summer months. Flowers are just about the most beautiful phenomenon nature produces – internationally symbolic of love, sympathy, beauty, celebration and commiseration. The land is where we get our food, but the concrete jungle is where we “grow” children who have no idea if a potato comes from underground or off a tree. Living in a city is dynamic, convenient, exciting and yet without a balance – the pace of inner-city life is exhausting, polluting, frustrating and draining. The health benefits that can be obtained from a private garden –social, physical and mental – would be too numerous to list.
It’s been argued on many an occasion that buyers prefer apartment living.  Apparently the ageing population want to downsize, there are increasing numbers of single-person households, and the persistent desire to live in the inner-urban localities all equates to a ‘new Australian dream’ no longer founded in a detached dwelling. However, aside from the additional costs selling and buying can impose, there’s good reason why many older baby boomers choose to hold on stubbornly to their detached family homes.  According to a report <a href="https://www.grattan.edu.au/publications/091_cities_report_focus_group.pdf">‘Project New Home’ </a>commissioned by the Grattan Institute mid-last year researching Australian’s “housing preferences.” Even taking into account changing lifestyles, detached homes are the preferred option of our buying market, whether old or young. The report outlines:
“Associations with small spaces are still predominantly negative – with ‘the average’ apartment representing the most challenging end of the spectrum.  Although there is a realisation that available land is shrinking and we, as a community, need to be ‘smart’ about housing options of the future – there are strong rational and emotional drivers that still fuel the preference for detached housing…
“Owning a fully detached home is expected (particularly for families), it is part of building a life, something that is earnt and relished and the best property option 
- Outside of the pull to detached houses are the push factors away from attached homes of which ‘neighbours’ is the major barrier.”
In short – an apartment may be where we start, but it’s not where most want to end up.  Aside from the convenience of being close to an inner-urban locality, concerns with neighbours, owner’s corporations, privacy, lack of outdoor space and so forth, put a large majority of maturing buyers off the idea all together. The apartment market is viewed as a place where most people rent or stay for a temporary period of time – generally not considered suitable for family life.  It’s probably for this reason, along with pressures of affordability, that the major part of <place><state>Victoria</state></place>’s growth has been evidenced in fringe localities such as Wyndham, Melton and Whittlesea. However even in these areas, such is the price of land, when it comes to building, buyers push to the extremes of development. If you can squash a four-bedroom house on a block rather than comfortably fitting a three-bedroom home, it seems a better investment idea to do so (it certainly does to developers who can charge more for the former).  The bigger the house, the more the on-sale value – land is only valuable in many investor’s eyes if you can build on it.
 
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
 
One of the benefits of increased density (it’s argued) has been the notion that it reduces pollution from people commuting across town to access jobs and other facilities.  However there’s little evidence to support this, although living closer to the city may encourage increased use of public transport, our car dependent life styles and inefficient public transport systems, ensure traffic congestion and urban pollution continue to rise.  Not only this, but any notion that apartment buildings are environmentally friendly has been put to bed by many organizations such as “<a href="https://www.population.org.au/">Sustainable Population Australia”</a> who have reported;
“Studies have shown that high-rise housing increases per-capita greenhouse gas emissions by up to 30% due to a total reliance on power, switches and being unable to enjoy the natural cooling of shady trees and living sustainability. Department of Planning and EnergyAustralia study (NSW) and the ACF Consumption Atlas show high-rise buildings emit more greenhouse gases per dwelling and per person than smaller blocks of flats, townhouses or detached homes”
Of course,<a href="https://bit.ly/K27OJh"> Harry Triguboff</a> managing director of property group Meriton, states that:  
“Councils think that people care whether there are tall buildings or lower buildings. People who buy the apartments prefer taller buildings because they allow more light and afford views and are cheaper to run than lower ones – which require more lofts, more stairwells, and more security, all adding to the upkeep.”
This is predictable, but quite astonishing.  The costs of running high-rise buildings alone are tremendous when you take into account features such as lifts,  electric security gates, lighting, heating of common areas and so forth – not to mention the footprint incurred from so many individual apartments each running a separate fridge, air-conditioner and plasma TV. I’ve not been through one yet that boasts a solar panel to reduce electricity costs. To have the luxury of light and a view adds to the expense and yet there is rarely a guarantee the view won’t be built out.  
All of this is evidenced the stark difference in the yearly owners' corporation fees of high-rise verses low-rise, which can add up to thousands.  Furthermore, to keep development costs down, a balcony is becoming somewhat of a dying luxury.  The above quote of $75,000 extra for a garden is a little over what the average buyer would shell out for the luxury of a medium-sized balcony on one of these inner-city apartments.  A wide expanse of heat-producing concrete increases the environmental footprint.  However all this aside, as the original design of the "garden city" proves you can have high-density housing on a smaller footprint of land and still retain lawn space around the buildings, thereby maintaining the streetscape and environmental benefits.  However, it does require double-storey living.
We’re lucky in Australia because early planners had the foresight to provide abundant park land in each inner-suburban locality.  It’s still possible to look out over our cities and take in an abundance of "green".  However, for how long is debatable – London, which has an estimated population of around 8 million (a number that metro Melbourne is prospected to achieve around 2050) used to hold the reputation of “of being one of the world's greenest cities because of its extensive public parks and gardens. However a recent report by the <a href="https://bit.ly/K288HW">London Wildlife Trust</a> has shown Londoners are paving over gardens to avoid maintenance costs associated with gardening in some cases using the area as an extra parking lot at – according to the study – an "alarming" pace.  According to the report “an area of vegetated garden equivalent to 21 times the size of Hyde park was lost between 1998 and 2006” simply through the demise of the private backyard.
This kind of transition is not limited to London – it’s a worldwide phenomenon.  Modern lifestyles don’t leave time to tend a garden or grow food – after all, it’s argued that Australia has the world's hardest workers – tending a garden is therefore a luxury reserved for those who are retired. In his excellent publication “<a href="https://bit.ly/K28bne">The Death of the Australian Back Yard</a>” Tony Hall argues that the change from backyard culture has “has not been subtle or gradual in either space of time”.  It’s an excellent paper and well worth a read.  In it he demonstrates, through time-lapsed aerial shots, how our living preferences have altered.  Even though there’s still evidence of healthy interest from much of the population in gardening, it’s the renovation shows that dominate the media and keep the focus on the interior.  A low maintenance garden is a selling point in a modern home; a big back yard is simply an area holding development potential.
The loss or demise of the domestic backyard has an effect far beyond that of the individual household.  Issues such as the loss of biodiversity in plant species, the loss of areas of land in which to soak up rainfall, not to mention the role gardens play in micro climate control and combating carbon dioxide and various other pollutants permeating the air.
Whilet there is no doubt the push towards urban consolidation is an inevitable consequence of our population growth and changing cultural shift, we’re certainly not healthier for it – and many would argue that neither are we happier for it. First home buyers have increasingly limited choices when it comes to housing options, and for those that do settle in inner urban areas - as a recent report from the Grattan Institute entitled <a href="https://bit.ly/K28dvm">‘social cities’</a> highlights – there’s a  worrying increase in social isolation and loneliness due to residential seclusion. It’s impossible to improve the situation without active communication with local residents.  Therefore, power needs to be placed in community hands to decide what’s needed in each locality – whether it be a communal garden, ‘pocket park’, games room, or some other form of meeting place. High density planning should have a requirement to make room for some form of freely accessible social interaction.
While gardens may be looked upon as high maintenance and a private area of green space may not be in vogue or high on developer’s priority list, it is down to our urban planners to ensure we don’t lose the joy of an area of green lawn and maturing trees all together.  Australia has an abundance of land for everyone to spread out and enjoy the joys of nature if only more effort and expense was dedicated to the development of industry, transport arterials, and growth in the smaller "satellite" cities and regional centers.  As it stands at present, we’re losing a part of Australian culture that cultivated an ingrown appreciate of "the land".
Catherine Cashmore is a market analyst with extensive experience in all aspects relating to property acquisition. She is Channel Ten’s property expert on The <a href="https://ten.com.au/the-circle.htm">Circle</a> and a senior consultant for <a href="https://www.nationalpropertybuyers.com.au/">National Property Buyers</a> servicing the needs of property owners Australia wide.
</body></html>

catherinecashmore-6LXia3pPQj

The disappearing Aussie backyard and its emotional, physical and mental toll

<html><body>
A Victorian pavilion-style house – mostly hand-built from raw materials including recycled spotted gum and blackbutt posts – has won the 2012 HIA-CSR Australian Home of the Year in the HIA-CSR Australian housing awards.
<img src="/images/stories/hiahomeofyear1.jpg">
The winner – located at Red Hill South on the Mornington Peninsula – was selected from a list of state-based finalists.
F &amp; J Sanders Builders Pty Ltd took out the top award, winning the 2012 HIA Australian Home of the Year.
It also won the award for the Australian Custom-Built Home of the Year in the $1 million-plus category.
The judges were impressed with the pavilion-style house, noting its mix of energy efficiency and luxury.
Spread over three levels, the home has expansive open plan living, with polished concrete flooring throughout.
<img src="/images/stories/hiahomeofyear21.jpg">
There are four bedrooms with balconies, study, rumpus room, four bathrooms plus a separate powder room, plant/service room, three-car garage and outbuilding.
There is a large undercover barbecue pavilion with in-ground pool.
The judges concluded the design of the home allowed it to feel light and airy, especially as open windows maximised the views.
Its energy and environmental features included state-of-the-art sustainable technologies allowing it to be virtually self-sufficient.
It came with geothermal technology along with LED lighting, a sewage treatment plant, three 86,000-litre concrete water tanks, solar hot water, and 4.7kw solar panels.
</body></html>

Mostly hand-built Mornington Peninsula home takes out top gong at HIA-CSR awards

<html><body>
An Australian draftsperson and building product developer has teamed up with an eco-architect to produce an iPhone app to gauge the green credentials of properties.
<a target="_blank" href="https://ecoeasy.com/">Eco Easy Home</a> was quietly released in early March with a feature set to rival a full assessment by a sustainability consultant.
The app uses a variety of assessing factors to allow users to work out how green a house is.
One feature developer John Civijovski is particularly proud of is the alignment tool. The feature lets users work out just how north-facing a property is as it tracks out the future movements of the sun. The information gleaned from this tool lets users calculate the solar gain of a particular property.
“Being able to locate homes with a northern orientation is totally new. A tool like that just doesn’t exist,” Civijovski says.
“You can move the sliding guides and pinpoint homes quite neatly.”
The rating system of the app asks the user a series of questions to let the app assign a value score to a house.
Civijovski says he initially wanted to help people find the thermal strengths and weaknesses of a house, particularly for those don’t know where to start.
“You don’t have to know anything about energy efficiency.”
“It’s a complex area, but we have broken it down into a simple interface that anyone can use. If you use it regularly, you will become familiar with jargon like orientation, insulation and thermal mass, and eventually become an energy-efficiency expert.”
The app intersperses information on energy efficiency with an aim to educate users as they use the tool.
“If you’re looking at buying a home and you’ve narrowed it down to two or three you can make comparisons using Eco Easy Home about which has better opportunities. One might be better in winter while that’s better in summer.”
Civijovski worked with architect Gareth Cole, an architect and public speaker on sustainable design. He has worked as an architect for 30 years and runs The Ecologie Group Architects, which specialises in passive solar design, solar systems, energy efficiency and sustainability.
For more <a target="_blank" href="/news">on online tools for property investors, sign up for our free webinar this Thursday, May 17 at 12.30pm.</a>
 
 
</body></html>

awalsh-7Ub9EypybQ

How green is my home? Eco Easy Home app has the answer 

<html><body>
Gone are the washing lines, and unsightly water tanks are banished behind architecturally designed screens. Rooftop gardens are almost de rigour in new apartment blocks.
Property developers are creating park-like green spaces on their residential buildings to attract buyers with the promise of an exclusive community.
<img src="/images/stories/roofbravo.jpg">
Carlton’s $65 million Bravo residential project will turn its roof (pictured above) into a stylish space with outdoor lounges, entertaining areas, flower gardens and a vegetable patch with knockout views of Melbourne. It’s costing the developer a cool $500,000.
“Carlton has a strong identity and community spirit; therefore it was important to reflect this by democratising the views with communal rooftop gardens. Using the area simply for rainwater collection would have been a waste,” says Bravo developer Matt Vaughan.
Given that <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/developments/carlton-parkside-project-bravo-sells-24-apartments-in-first-three-weeks/2012042054370">24 apartments in Bravo sold off the plan in the first few weeks of marketing</a>, a nice rooftop might be a big drawcard.
<img src="/images/stories/roofsouthyarra.jpg">
In South Yarra Icon Properties’ $35 million See Apartments, the $300,000 rooftop garden (pictured above and three below) is such a hit that residents must reserve a portion for private parties.
<img src="/images/stories/roofsouthyarra2.jpg">
The garden has great views, covered and open-air entertaining areas, a built-in barbecue with food preparation benches and a sink. There is even a gas-log fire. It instantly became so busy that the owner’s corporation created a reservation system so a section can be divided off for private events.
<img src="/images/stories/roofsouthyarra3.jpg">
“We wanted to move away from the typical gym and provide an extended outdoor living and entertaining space that residents will actually use,” says ICON director Ashley Murdoch.
<img src="/images/stories/roofsouthyarra4.jpg">
In Sydney the trend to rooftop gardens is long established, with the Hayson Group creating a huge 2,800-square-metre garden in its M Central complex in Pyrmont back in 2005. Internationally acclaimed Sydney-based landscape architect Daniel Baffsky planted native grasses, succulents, mature trees, vine arbours and installed boardwalks, water features and art pieces. Residents even walk their dogs there.
A green rooftop not only has cultural cachet, it has green credibility, with grass extracting pollution particles from the air. They can be largely watered from harvested rainwater.
In a competitive market it’s wise to stand out from the pack, with Frasers Property and Sekisui House Australia’s $2 billion <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/time-running-out-for-stamp-duty-free-purchases-at-sydneys-central-park/2012030653714">Central Park project in Sydney’s Chippendale</a> integrating large green spaces on the 5.8-hectare site and capping the second phase – Park Lane – with a lavish gardens.
The developer secured the skills of Danish landscape architect Jeppe Aagaard Andersen to design communal rooftop gardens with themed rooms with unique uses. There will also be outdoor spas, barbecue facilities, tables and seating. Residents – there will eventually be 2,500 of them – will be able to collect and even plant their own herbs.
<img src="/images/stories/roofrozelle.jpg">
The controversial multi-tower $300 million Rozelle Village proposal in Sydney is going all out with its $2.3 million residents’ rooftop (architect's impressions above and below).
Design director Frank Stanisic of Stanisic Associates Architects aims to create a 5,000-square-metre leisure garden with a full-sized tennis court hidden behind a six-metre high, planted green screen. A tall green wall of vegetation will also surround the indoor-outdoor pool. There will gardens, green space plus decking, seating and barbecue areas.
<img src="/images/stories/roofrozelle2.jpg">
Managing director of the project Ian Wright says the user will absorb the running costs.
“The residential strata body will have a sinking fund that will reflect the amenities, however, the demographic of the people expected to buy there will accept that as a lifestyle choice.
“You can’t live so close to the city and have all of these suburban-style facilities without having to pay for it,” says Wright.
 
 
 
 
</body></html>

andreadixon-oif3j7eKne

Rooftop gardens bringing communal park life to inner-city developments

<html><body>
A former 89-hectare turf farm in Burbank, Queensland is being converted into eight separate six-hectare blocks of land aimed at prestige buyers called Araluen Estates.
<img src="/images/stories/araluen1.jpg">
The lots will be $2.5 million each, and they are set to go on sale before next Friday. There has already been significant pre-registration interest from buyers seeking absolute privacy, peace and quiet.
<img src="/images/stories/araluen2.jpg">
“The quality of life here is exceptional,” says owner Robert Greasley, who has lived on and managed the turf farm for the past 24 years.
“You are a million miles from mediocrity and just 20 kilometres from Brisbane CBD. The furthest house lot, within the estate, is over a kilometre from Ford Road. That makes for a private and very quiet environment with an abundance of wildlife.”
<img src="/images/stories/araluen3.jpg">
The turf farm produced the specialist Wintergreen Couch grass, which is used for golf courses, for 30 years, and Araluen Estates has the gently rolling topography of quality golf courses.
<img src="/images/stories/araluen4.jpg">
The majority of Araluen Estates will comprise natural environment, with multiple lakes, parklands and bush. It is in the Priest Gully wildlife corridor.
<img src="/images/stories/araluen5.jpg">
“The quality lifestyle within the development is magnificent. The lakes are within the body corporate and contain Australian bass and silver perch. There are also bush trails around the lakes, Priest Gully and through the nature reserves,” says Greasley.
<img src="/images/stories/araluen6.jpg">
The building envelopes for each estate are 5,000 square metres, and there are no building covenants.
<img src="/images/stories/araluen7.jpg">
Despite the seclusion, Araluen Estates is three kilometres from the outer-Brisbane suburb of Rochedale, which is growing rapidly and has amenities such as shops, schools and medical centres.
</body></html>

cknowlton-QnEa6ntUYP

Brisbane fringe turf farm transforming into prestige housing community

<html><body>
With a display village that includes the Kimberley Zero home, designed to have zero carbon emissions, Mirvac’s Harcrest project in the outer-Melbourne suburb of Wantirna South has proven attractive to buyers. 
<img src="/images/stories/harcrest1.jpg">
Some 175 plus lots have been sold since the master-planned community launched in late February. There are currently 23 lots available in the first two sections, Village Square and Garden Grove.
The 56.2-hectare Austral Brickworks site is being converted into a master-planned community with a focus on sustainability, and the 840 lots will eventually be home to more than 2,000 residents.
<img src="/images/stories/harcrest2.jpg">
Lots range in size from 392 square metres to 477 square metres and in price from $380,000 to $499,000. Mirvac house-and-land packages are also available, with prices starting from $505,000. There are currently 13 turn-key homes available.
The median house prices in <a target="_blank" href="/news">Wantirna South</a> is $545,000, according to RP Data, and median house prices fell 2.3% last year.
Mirvac communities CEO Matthew Wallace says the project sought “efficient use of land, maximising solar penetration, privacy, backyard and internal living spaces”.
<img src="/images/stories/harcrest3.jpg">
The Mirvac homes available (pictured above and below) have six-star green environmental ratings, and the community will make use of water reclaiming and reuse.
<img src="/images/stories/harcrest4.jpg">
The development is set to feature 6.8 hectares of open space, including wetlands.
Wallace says the sustainable technology featuring in Kimberley Zero home can be incorporated into new Mirvac homes.
“The net zero carbon home sets a new benchmark for sustainable community living,” Wallace says.
The retail precinct within Harcrest includes an IGA supermarket and specialty shops, and the development is close to Knox City Shopping Centre, bus and tram routes and the Burwood Highway. It is about 35 kilometres east of Melbourne.
 
 
</body></html>

Near 90% of lots sold in first release of Wantirna South project Harcrest

<html><body>
The location of the long-running television series A Country Practice is being subdivided for house-and-land packages.
And one buyer in JPG Property’s Pitt Town land release on the north-west outskirts of Sydney will win a lot for free once all 31 lots in the latest Fernville release are sold.
It’s a one-in-31 chance of winning back the outlay spent on a block valued somewhere between $358,000 and $501,000 in a marketing stunt by JPG founder Keith Johnson, who said he was trying to stimulate the market.
“People say they will buy, but there is no urgency,” he says, adding that the block prices had already been cut by $100,000 to $200,000.
“We are trying to create some urgency. And we need cashflow,” he told the Australian Financial Review.
<img src="/images/stories/vermont.jpg">
The project, called Vermont Living, will consists of about 1,000 lots, including its Riverland and Bona Vista releases, set on the Hawkesbury River about 58 kilometres from the Sydney central business district.
Johnson says the project is pitched at second-home buyers from the nearby Hills District.
Lots range in size from 550?square metres to 1,543 square metres, which Johnson says are being sold “without much margin”.
<img src="/images/stories/vermont2.jpg">
Johnson estimates each block had already accrued $15,400 in land tax, another $25,700 in infrastructure charges by the local Hawkesbury City Council and $50,000 in charges by NSW government instrumentalities.
Already 130 homes have been built in the project, which took?about 15 years to gain rezoning.
“There is a lack of confidence in the federal government and in the state government,” Johnson says.
 
</body></html>

Free Wandin Valley building block giveaway to prompt Pitt Town buying urgency

<html><body>
Buying inquiries from renters for Stockland house-and-land packages have doubled over the past two years.
“Renters are tired of renting – they want to own their home,” Stockland managing director Matthew Quinn says.
“Incomes are growing faster than house prices.
“The cost differential between renting and owning has narrowed,” he notes.
“We have moved from a housing crisis to a rental crisis,” Quinn says.
"They are literally sick of renting. These renters are paying a high price for a second-rate product,” he says.
“Buyers will take what they need, rather than buying the dream.”
He says April house-and-land package sales jumped back to 400 plus, up from the 300-plus figure in March that had prompted its recent outlook update.
But hollowing any sustained interest rate reductions, he says a big swing factor was possible in the renter-turned-first-home buyer market.
“They are very interest rate sensitive.”
Stripping out the GST and GFC, Quinn notes that new home sales are at 18-year lows, based on the HIA data.
Click to enlarge
<a href="/images/stories/stocklandmay12.gif" rel="shadowbox" title="Click to enlarge"><img src="/images/stories/stocklandmay12thumb.gif"></a>
He notes the mid-1990s downturn came from over building and rising interest rates.
“We don’t expect any government stimulus, nor do we think there should be any,” he says.
“We expect a steady recover rather than a V-shaped recovery.”
He says Stockland would see the major benefit in 2014 rather than 2013.
“We can’t be a slave to monetary policy.
“We have to take control of the situation ourselves by driving affordability, and that strategy is working well for us.”
“The mood and the market can turn quite quickly particularly when we have a high pent up demand, with house prices stable and rents going up.
The comments were part of an investor briefing where Stockland confirmed it was on track to achieve its recent guidance for the 2012 financial year.
Click to enlarge
<a href="/images/stories/stocklandmay13.gif" rel="shadowbox" title="Click to enlarge"><img src="/images/stories/stocklandmay13thumb.gif"></a>
Quinn says although the new housing market is at a cyclical low point, Stockland is on track to settle around 5,000 lots for the year.
This is about the same as in the 2011 financial year.
Having completed a review of carrying values, Stockland identified impairments on five projects totalling $48 million, or 2% of total book value.
The impairments are primarily at lifestyle projects, reflecting price pressure at the top end of the market, Quinn says.
Quinn says Stockland carries its residential inventory at the lower of cost or net realisable value.
“Overall our land bank is in very good shape,” he says.
Quinn notes signs that the residential market is nearing the bottom of the cycle, with building approvals close to a cyclical low.
“Sentiment towards home buying follows interest rates, and we expect to see an increase in demand in our residential business if interest rates come down sufficiently.
“It will take a fall of at least 50 basis points to make a real difference to buyer sentiment,” Quinn says.
“Even with no improvement in market conditions, however, we are well placed to deliver 6,500 lots in financial year 2015 based on our strong existing pipeline of affordable communities.
“And there is significant further potential upside as market conditions improve.”
</body></html>

Renters ‘tired of renting’ and increasing inquiry about house-and-land purchases: Stockland

<html><body>
Last year marked the first time in a decade that there was a synchronised weakness in new housing starts across all eight states and territories.
And its not getting better with new home sales down to their lowest level in 18 years in March 2012, the voice of Australia’s residential building industry, the Housing Industry Association, claimed today.
Its chief economist, Dr Harley Dale, says leading housing indicators are still pointing to ongoing deterioration in already very weak new home building conditions.
"That situation is in turn having a major negative impact on manufacturing and services sectors," he says.
"It is not too late to turn the situation around.”
Click to enlarge
<img src="/images/stories/hiaapril30thumb.gif">
The HIA views any interest rate cuts as providing a helpful tonic to the residential construction industry.
But they aren’t the panacea for turning around weak housing conditions.
The HIA continues to advocate the importance of structural reform to new housing supply, suggesting there are simply too many excessive and inefficient cost obstacles to providing an adequate supply of new dwellings.
"Needless to say Australia's banks need to pass all official rate cuts on in full, as their actions to date on interest rates have damaged economic confidence and activity.
The latest HIA - JELD-WEN new home sales report, based on a survey of Australia’s 100 largest builders, showed a sharp decline of 9.4% in total seasonally adjusted new home sales in March 2012.
Detached house sales dropped by 9.7% while multi-unit sales fell by 6.9%.
Queensland suffered the biggest drop in March, with the number of seasonally adjusted new detached house sales down by 15.3%, and while poorly taken up, the end of the building boost today might not assist any recovery.
Next followed a 12% drop in Western Australia and fall of 9.7% in NSW.
The number of seasonally adjusted new detached house sales fell by 4.6% in Victoria and 4.7% in South Australia.
The figures are an estimate, with the month’s sample size capturing 14% of Australia’s new home building industry.
As I’ve been saying for some time, the lengthening absence of data indicating any housing construction recovery – and accompanying growth in credit – must be weighing on Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan during his May budget preparations. This isn't a blimp due to the introduction of the gst or triggered by the alarm of the gfc.
I suspect the federal government will throw some money at the problem so that it takes effect this year rather than save any announcement until the 2013 election year. The Federal Government will need to work in lockstep with state governments if they are to make any worthwhile advances.
</body></html>

Latest Building Insights

Arada pours more funds into Roberts Co, flags expansion into South East Queensland construction market

Editor's Picks

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News

Latest Building Insights

Arada pours more funds into Roberts Co, flags expansion into South East Queensland construction market

Editor's Picks

Receive the latest news stories to your inbox

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News