One of North Sydney's best-known commercial buildings could become hundreds of new homes, with insurance giant Zurich Australia lodging a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) to transform 5 Blue Street into a mixed-use residential development above North Sydney Station.

Rather than demolishing the existing building and starting again, Zurich is proposing an adaptive reuse project that would convert the landmark office building into a 15-level residential development delivering 62 apartments, 86 affordable co-living dwellings, activated retail and significant upgrades to the Blue Street Plaza.

The proposal reflects a growing trend of commercial property owners repositioning ageing office assets into residential housing as Sydney grapples with housing supply shortages and changing workplace demand.

<img alt="Zurich" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0bba7d12-06dc-4375-aad7-238c94b21ac5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%2010.42.05%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=NJl5oLAEBDGuPmY3RnyliKODjMc8lvRh" />

Located directly above North Sydney Metro and train station, the 3,051 sqm site occupies one of the most strategically positioned parcels of land on Sydney's Lower North Shore.

Designed by fjcstudio, the proposal seeks to retain and adapt much of the existing structure while creating a contemporary residential address that better connects with the public domain surrounding North Sydney Station.

The application proposes two basement levels, ground floor retail, affordable co-living accommodation across the podium levels, and apartments above, while preserving and enhancing the publicly accessible Blue Street Plaza.

Rather than pursuing maximum apartment numbers, Zurich has opted for a housing mix heavily weighted towards larger owner-occupier residences.

The proposal includes 62 build-to-sell apartments comprising 12 one-bedroom, 19 two-bedroom, 29 three-bedroom apartments and two premium penthouses. It also incorporates 86 affordable co-living dwellings, which would be managed in perpetuity by a Community Housing Provider.

That balance between traditional apartments and affordable housing reflects the NSW Government's push to increase housing diversity around major transport infrastructure.

The proposal has been lodged concurrently with a rezoning application, with Zurich arguing the site is ideally positioned to support additional housing given its immediate proximity to public transport, employment and services.

"The proposal aims to respond to the housing challenges facing Sydney through the delivery of diverse housing types in a highly accessible location," the design report by fjcstudio states. It also seeks to improve pedestrian amenity through upgrades to Blue Street Plaza while creating a high-performing residential building that responds to the surrounding context.

<img alt="Zurich" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="36082e15-c636-4481-bb68-5a5f6443fe39" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%2010.41.36%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=5P6VD.fvmqjQfIG3TWWMRXxQWiQBjeFB" />

Rather than replacing the commercial building, fjcstudio has developed a design that works with the existing structural framework above the rail corridor, an approach that significantly reduces demolition while allowing the site to be repositioned as a mixed-use residential precinct.

The existing structural constraints have informed much of the building's design, including its relationship with Blue Street and surrounding public spaces.

The building has been designed as a slender tower rising above a clearly defined podium, with vertically expressed façades intended to reduce the perceived bulk while reinforcing North Sydney's emerging skyline.

According to fjcstudio, the architectural language responds directly to the surrounding commercial towers while maintaining a finer grain expression more closely aligned with the neighbouring Lavender Bay streetscape.

The tower incorporates articulated façade elements, landscaped podium edges and recessed upper levels to soften its appearance and improve pedestrian amenity below.

A significant component of the proposal is the revitalisation of Blue Street Plaza.

The existing public space has long served as one of the primary pedestrian connections between North Sydney Station, Greenwood Plaza and Blue Street, yet its role is expected to become even more important following the opening of Sydney Metro.

Zurich's proposal seeks to strengthen that role by improving landscaping, introducing new retail frontages, enhancing pedestrian permeability and creating more active edges throughout the day and evening.

Ground floor retail would wrap the plaza, while separate residential and co-living entries have been designed to improve wayfinding without reducing street activation.

Landscape design has been integrated throughout the podium and public realm, softening what is currently one of the most heavily urbanised parts of North Sydney.

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fjcstudio has carefully oriented apartments towards Sydney Harbour and the CBD while using privacy blades and articulated façades to minimise overlooking between neighbouring buildings.

Large framed openings along the western elevation maximise harbour outlooks, while the eastern apartments have been angled towards the south-east to improve privacy from neighbouring development.

The project forms part of the continuing transformation of North Sydney from a predominantly commercial CBD into a genuine mixed-use city centre.

Since the completion of Victoria Cross Metro Station, developers have increasingly shifted their attention towards residential projects capable of leveraging the area's unparalleled transport connectivity.

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FiveX recently lodged plans for a 61-storey, 490-apartment tower that would become one of the tallest residential buildings in North Sydney if approved.

Aqualand continues to expand its Lower North Shore presence following the completion of AURA on Walker Street and its recent St Leonards and Roseville proposals.

Developers are also progressing projects throughout Walker Street, Miller Street and the Victoria Cross precinct as demand for well-located owner-occupier apartments continues to strengthen.

Joel Robinson

First look: Zurich targets North Sydney office conversion with 148-unit proposal above Metro station

Busy developer Aqualand Prestige has formally taken the next step in its expansion across Sydney's Lower North Shore, lodging a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for its long-held Archer Street site in Chatswood.

The application covers <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/51-55-archer-street-chatswood-nsw-2067">51-55 Archer Street</a>, a 1,767 sqm amalgamated site on the eastern edge of the Chatswood CBD, where the developer is seeking approval for a 45-level mixed-use tower delivering 114 apartments, including a significant affordable housing component, alongside retail, commercial space and six basement levels of parking.

The SSDA marks the latest milestone for a project Aqualand has been quietly progressing over the past two years. The developer first secured the site for its Aqualand Prestige platform before undertaking an alternative design excellence process with PTW Architects, ultimately avoiding a formal design competition through the Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

The proposal has evolved considerably from Aqualand's original concept. The revised scheme has been designed around larger owner-occupier product, with an unusually high proportion of three and four-bedroom apartments, targeting the more affluent buyer profile, and downsizer, emerging across the North Shore.

<img alt="Archer St" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0171204c-5811-41b5-9b09-2335d1b7c3d0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-22%20at%208.52.48%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=6YTuxfq.puZo7k2wbfgemcO5K3QfXYGQ" />

The 114-apartment mix comprises six studios, 27 one-bedroom apartments, 18 two-bedroom apartments, 50 three-bedroom residences and 13 four-bedroom homes. A quarter of the building will be dedicated to affordable housing, well above the mandated 15 per cent&nbsp;

PTW has structured the building vertically, with affordable housing across levels one to six, premium apartments through levels seven to 31, duplex skyhomes on klevels 32 to 43, a penthouse on level 44, and a rooftop plant level above. Six basement levels will provide resident parking and servicing.

The tower is proposed to reach approximately 154 metres, placing it among a growing collection of residential high-rises transforming Chatswood's skyline.

Rather than competing purely on height, PTW says the design has been driven by creating a slimmer tower capable of delivering significantly larger apartments.

"The primary objective of this project was to create a distinctive building that stands out from the recently approved or built structures in the Chatswood area," the design report states, noting the structural efficiency allows greater investment into apartment quality and resident amenity.

Residents would have access to more than 450 sqm of communal open space including landscaped gardens, swimming pool, rooftop entertaining areas, fitness spaces, community gardens, children's play areas and barbecue facilities.

A major focus of the design has been the public domain.

The ground plane has been opened up through landscaped terraces inspired by Willoughby's sandstone ridges, with native planting, public seating, artwork, retail activation and a series of gathering spaces intended to soften what has traditionally been a hard commercial streetscape.

The landscape strategy references Blue Gum forests once common throughout the area, while incorporating Indigenous storytelling, public art and lighting installations to strengthen the connection to Country.

Chatswood has been one of Sydney's busiest apartment markets over the past 12 months, with a steady pipeline of both new project launches and fresh development applications.

Hyecorp recently launched Celine, a 122-apartment development just along Archer Street, while Changfa and Huirong Group are progressing The Anderson, an 84-apartment project on Anderson Street.

Develotek recently secured approval for a 101-apartment tower on Pacific Highway, while Tian An LFD received the green light for Hammond Greens, its apartment development on the edge of the Chatswood Bowling Club.

Commercial property developer FiveX is also making its move into the residential market. Last month it lodged plans for a 61-storey tower with 490 apartments, which, if approved, would become one of the tallest residential buildings in Chatswood.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-fivex-targets-chatswood-skyline-with-61-storey-tower-after-north-sydney-plans">First look: FiveX targets Chatswood skyline with 61-storey tower after North Sydney plans</a>

Aqualand is also expanding its development pipeline following the launch of its luxury residential brand, Aqualand Prestige. The developer has delivered a string of high-end apartment projects across Sydney's affluent suburbs over the past decade, most recently AURA by Aqualand on Walker Street in North Sydney.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=30959 project_image_fid=292863]

It has since quietly assembled its next wave of projects.

Earlier this year Aqualand launched Boronia in Roseville, a boutique 111-apartment development on Larkin Street. The project is one of the first significant apartment developments to launch in the suburb ahead of what is expected to become one of Sydney's most active new housing precincts under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing reforms, which allow greater density around train stations.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152095 project_image_fid=373685]

The developer has also lodged plans for a two-tower, 413-apartment development on Herbert Street in nearby St Leonards, further strengthening its presence across the Lower North Shore.

Beyond that, Aqualand remains behind the final stage of Barangaroo, where plans will deliver a five-hectare mixed-use precinct comprising new homes, retail, hospitality and community facilities, alongside a new Metro entrance and more than two hectares of public open space, completing the Barangaroo precinct.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/central-barangaroo-development-takes-big-step-with-concept-proposal-approval">Central Barangaroo development takes big step with concept proposal approval</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-aqualand-joins-st-leonards-apartment-party">First look: Aqualand joins St Leonards apartment party</a> 
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First look: Aqualand pushes ahead with Chatswood apartment tower as SSDA lodged for Archer Street

Mass timber is becoming an increasingly popular construction material in apartment developments, but Adelaide developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/otello">Otello</a> is taking the approach a step further.

At its new <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flowe-bowden-18-gibson-street-bowden-sa-5007">Flowe Bowden</a> development, the exposed cross-laminated timber (CLT) structure isn't just about reducing the building's environmental footprint. It also forms the foundation of a broader wellness strategy, influencing everything from indoor air quality and natural materials to the way residents move through and experience the building.

The 115-apartment mixed-use development, designed by Melbourne-based architecture practice Fieldwork, will occupy a prominent island site opposite Bowden Village Reserve, combining one, two and three-bedroom apartments with retail and a dedicated wellness destination.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375528]

Wellness isn't confined to a gym or shared resident facility at Flowe. Instead, Fieldwork embedded the concept into the building itself.

The development has been split into two residential wings connected by a naturally ventilated central breezeway, replacing traditional enclosed corridors with open-air walkways that improve natural light, encourage cross ventilation and create more opportunities for neighbourly interaction.

"Rather than treating wellness as something that only happens on the ground floor, our response integrates it throughout the building, which led us to ask what it really means to design a healthy building," Fieldwork Director Quino Holland said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375531]

The building's architecture also reflects Bowden's industrial heritage. The lower podium references the area's historic brick and sandstone buildings, while the upper levels transition to exposed CLT, allowing the timber structure to become a defining feature throughout the apartments and shared spaces.

The use of mass timber sits alongside a range of sustainability initiatives, including a fully electric, gas-free design, rooftop solar and a targeted 5 Star Green Star rating.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375524]

Inside the residences, the focus remains on natural, durable materials. Blackbutt engineered timber flooring, exposed CLT ceilings, porcelain surfaces and warm timber joinery create a calming interior palette, while low-VOC finishes and responsibly sourced materials have been selected to improve indoor air quality.

Kitchens have been designed as the centrepiece of each apartment, featuring porcelain island benchtops, timber-look cabinetry and brushed steel tapware, with layouts that maximise natural light and ventilation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152022 project_image_fid=375530]

The more traditional interpretation of wellness comes in the form of Level Eleven, a two-storey wellness club spanning the ground floor, mezzanine and first floor.

The facility will include a gym, yoga and reformer Pilates studios, Finnish and infrared saunas, magnesium hot and cold plunge pools, and dedicated recovery spaces. Unlike many residential wellness facilities, Level Eleven will also operate commercially, allowing the broader Bowden community to access the venue while giving residents exclusive membership benefits.

The ground floor has also been designed around everyday living. A café overlooking Bowden Village Reserve will activate the street frontage, while a bike workshop with tool storage, co-working space and dog wash has been incorporated to support daily routines and encourage interaction between residents.

"Flowe brings together my two biggest passions, creating places and creating healthier lives," Otello founder Daniel Harris said.

"We wanted to create something Adelaide hasn't seen before, a genuinely healthy building, where the way you live is lifted without even trying."

Flowe is positioned directly opposite Bowden Village Reserve and within walking distance of Bowden Railway Station and the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, placing future residents just minutes from the Adelaide CBD while remaining connected to one of the city's most established urban renewal precincts.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152022]

Otello launches wellness-focused Flowe Bowden with Adelaide-first mass timber apartment design

Not all apartment amenities are immediately visible.

Swimming pools, gyms, rooftop terraces and residents' lounges have long featured on buyers' wishlists, but as the way Australians live has changed, so too have the features that make apartment living more convenient.

Increasingly, buyers are placing value on the practical aspects of day-to-day life. Fast internet, EV charging, secure bike storage, flexible workspaces and parcel management are becoming just as relevant as lifestyle amenities, reflecting changing habits and expectations.

Online shopping has been one of the biggest drivers of that shift.

Australians spent a record $82.6 billion shopping online in 2025, with almost one in every four retail dollars now spent digitally, making parcel deliveries a routine part of everyday life rather than an occasional convenience.

For apartment residents, however, receiving those deliveries isn't always straightforward.

Without someone home to accept a parcel, deliveries can be redirected to a nearby Post Office, left in building foyers or common areas, or require building management to temporarily store packages. As apartment living continues to grow across Australia's cities, parcel management has become an increasingly important consideration for both residents and developers.

Australia Post's Parcel Locker network is one response to that shift.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KPZ9j5FRdsQ?si=Qztc1dNP3ZvEIUhb" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

Rather than relying on home delivery, eligible parcels can be directed to a nominated Parcel Locker, where they're securely stored until collected. Once a parcel arrives, residents receive a notification through the AusPost app or SMS and can retrieve it using a one-time code or QR code at a time that suits them.

The network has expanded to more than 1,500 locations nationwide, with Parcel Lockers positioned at Post Offices, shopping centres, supermarkets, transport hubs and, increasingly, within or alongside residential developments.

That growing presence reflects a broader change in how apartment buildings are being planned.

Developers are increasingly considering the operational side of apartment living alongside traditional lifestyle amenities. Just as secure mailrooms, bicycle storage and EV charging have become more common inclusions, parcel management is emerging as another feature that supports everyday convenience.

It also helps preserve the arrival experience within a building. Carefully designed lobbies and communal spaces can quickly become cluttered when deliveries accumulate, while secure parcel solutions reduce the likelihood of missed deliveries or parcels being left unattended.

For buyers comparing apartments, these everyday details are becoming part of the decision-making process.

Location, floorplans and finishes remain fundamental, but the features that simplify daily life are carrying greater weight than they once did. As online shopping continues to shape consumer behaviour, secure parcel delivery is increasingly becoming another amenity worth looking for.

Parcel delivery is joining the apartment amenity checklist

Inca Property Group has lodged a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for Dawn, a 53-apartment oceanfront development overlooking Mona Vale Beach.

The proposal, at 35-39 Darley Street East, would replace an existing 18-apartment strata building with a new owner-occupier-focused development comprising 53 two and three-bedroom apartments, including nine affordable built-to-rent residences delivered under the State's infill affordable housing scheme.

Positioned on a 2,679 sqm elevated site around 280 metres from Mona Vale Beach, the development has been designed to maximise panoramic ocean views while responding to the site's sloping topography.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/inca-property-group">Inca Property Group</a> Managing Director Josh Thompson said the State Significant pathway provided greater certainty for projects of this scale.

"This State Significant pathway gives the team real certainty to progress <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/dawn-35-39-darley-street-east-mona-vale-nsw-2103">Dawn</a> through to completion," Thompson said.

"It allows us to acquire a one-off site, design it carefully and deliver the right offering for the suburb, assessed by the NSW Government's planning department."

The project is one of the first developments in the area to be assessed under the NSW Government's Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy, with the site sitting on the edge of the policy's designated inner area.

The proposal includes three basement levels providing 124 car spaces, alongside a range of resident amenities including a swimming pool, gym, sauna, wellness facilities and private plunge pools for selected ground-floor and penthouse apartments.

<img alt="Dawn" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fc1a1daf-0ce4-4f12-9076-b1fa553c7a91" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-21%20at%208.42.11%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4GZ9h.gpNkTljbxyAET8Jfhv51XUamDm" />

Thompson said Dawn had been designed specifically for owner-occupiers and downsizers, a buyer profile that has driven demand across Inca's recent Upper North Shore developments.

"The majority of buyers in our recent North Shore projects have been downsizers, and we are learning exactly what this market is looking for. Beyond the location itself, we have included resort-style amenities to deliver a genuine lifestyle offering," Thompson said.

Located within walking distance of Mona Vale Beach, the town centre, Mona Vale Golf Club and the Royal Motor Yacht Club, Dawn represents Inca's first Northern Beaches project following the sell-out of Tara on Park in Waitara and Ellis Residences, currently under construction in St Ives.

Construction will be undertaken by Inca's in-house construction arm, GOP Constructions.

Dawn is the latest major apartment proposal for Mona Vale, with the suburb emerging as one of the key beneficiaries of the NSW Government's new Low and Mid-Rise Housing policy.

New developer One Living, led by industry veteran Joseph Scuderi, recently secured a site on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, where it is planning around 140 apartments.

IPM is also planning its third project in Mona Vale, significantly increasing the scale of its previous developments with an 82-apartment proposal at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/159-167-darley-street-west-mona-vale-nsw-2103">159-167 Darley Street West</a>, opposite Bayview Golf Course and less than 800 metres from Mona Vale town centre.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/one-living-enters-sydneys-new-apartment-market-with-northern-beaches-site-acquisition">One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-ipm-plans-third-mona-vale-project">First look: IPM plans third Mona Vale project</a>

First look: Inca eyes Mona Vale with State Significant DA for Dawn apartments

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>

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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?

Prominent New Zealand apartment and hotel operator, <a href="/developers/safari-group">Safari Group</a>, is offering up a prime investment opportunity for Australians to purchase off the plan in one of the world’s most popular ski destinations.

They recently took to market Mountain Oak Queenstown Apartments, in the growing precinct of Remarkables Park in Frankton, near the airport and at the foot of The Remarkables - the mountain range the locals like to call “The Remarks”.&nbsp;

Sydney investors have shown interest in the one, two and three-bedroom apartments that secure high-season occupancy six months over the year, primarily over summer and winter months.

They average 90 per cent occupancy across their portfolio over January, February, March, August, November and December, while shoulder season months of April, July, September and October are still occupied 70 per cent of the time, with the growing appeal of Queenstown becoming not just a hotspot for the snow, but a lifestyle destination.

Even in the low seasons of May and June, occupancy levels reach around 40 per cent.

<img alt="Safari Group’s Mountain Oak Apartments brings new investment potential to Queenstown" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_auto/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Ext_Cam15_Sunny.jpg?VersionId=SJAROUM_1s.Tr5ciMk4EEj5oAt_Vewmv" />

Safari’s Safari Hotels arm can also manage the holiday letting for an investor, from the listing on holiday accommodation websites such as Airbnb and Booking.com to the cleaning and maintenance of the investment. They’ve been in the short stay management business for 15 years and offer 24/7 support for investors, an important convenience benefit for any overseas investor

Another major drawcard for Australians is that New Zealand doesn’t have a stamp duty policy - so the entry price of NZ$639,000 (AU$586,000), is all that is payable on completion.

<img alt="Safari Group’s Mountain Oak Apartments brings new investment potential to Queenstown" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,dpr_2.0,q_auto:good/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/313_Livingv2_WEB.jpg?VersionId=nV229fM0ZeYpoxOrX372HyGjfwY_LR8c" />

Safari is starting construction of the 141 apartments in Q2 this year, with a two-year build estimated to complete in mid-to-late 2027.<img alt="" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" height="15" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXczFpFAb7WuA6f4f9TtKWcqXyNwR8qqtakWv352ERkpqNlP3KwIo8YKxw67jZNHfpjEGIZGv5MQTbnvLZwNt8iu9IVdOrswOjCvBZ4zhSoOOLrpt6etVEZTN1gkBho0r_R72zdHNA?key=yq3daOanqHSb88QFd8jGYKdb" title="Click and drag to move" width="15" />​

The apartments will feature modern amenities and contemporary designs with expansive windows capturing sweeping views of The Remarkables mountain range.&nbsp;

Interiors are equipped with modern finishes, premium appliances, and secure electronic key-locked doors, ensuring a comfortable living experience for residents and guests alike.

With its strategic location near Coronet Peak and Cardrona Alpine Resort, as well as key retail and dining precincts such as Market Street, Five Mile Shopping Centre, and Remarkables Market, Mountain Oak offers a strong proposition for investors seeking high rental yields and capital appreciation in one of New Zealand’s most sought-after locations.&nbsp;

Queenstown’s sustained demand for visitor accommodation and rental properties is underpinned by a shortage of housing options, attracting both local and international buyers.

Safari Group offers low-touch investment proposition in Queenstown’s popular ski fields district

j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

The risks and opportunities of our deepening economic ties with China: RBA's Philip Lowe

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The Paolucci Group, one of Western Australia’s large property owners, has moved to sell a prized piece of real estate in the heart of Northbridge.
Located directly opposite Perth City Link and the recently opened Yagan Square, the property at 189–199 William Street is touted as being one of the most highly anticipated development opportunities, forming an integral part of the repositioning of Perth’s urban core. 
The 3,721sqm mixed use site is slated for a transformational development, consisting of two 29-storey towers and one 14-storey tower – home to some 190 residential apartments, 127 hotel rooms, retail, food &amp; beverage amenity and public open space. 
The proposed project, designed by international architects HASSELL, holds potential to create a pedestrian thoroughfare connecting William Street, James Street, Nick’s Lane and Roe Street - becoming the new epicentre of Northbridge. 
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CBRE’s Aaron Desange and Kate Foley are marketing the project on behalf of The Paolucci Group, who has owned the site for 12 years. 
“The opportunity to acquire a privately-owned site of this scale and in this location – which is not a State Government release is truly rare and unlikely to be repeated in the near future," Desange said.
"This is an opportunity to undertake what will be a multi-generational development with long-lasting significance in Perth’s most desirable and fastest evolving urban precinct,” Mr Desange said. 
The property is currently known as Arcade 189 and comprises a two-storey arcade incorporating ground floor retail and food &amp; beverage. 
Tenants include Ezra Pound, No Mafia and Taylorweir International School of Hairdressing on the upper level, in addition to an 89-bay Wilson carpark. The fully leased property provides an annual income of over $1.5 million with a WALE of 3.5 years. 
CBRE selling agent Kate Foley said the opportunity would attract interest from a wide range of buyers, including offshore and domestic developers. 
“The site’s position opposite one of Perth’s largest redevelopment projects, Perth City Link – connecting the city to Northbridge for the first time in 100 years – is a unique opportunity that we expect will be strongly contested,” Foley said. 
“We anticipate strong interest from Asian groups given the attractive holding income, central location, landmark nature of the site and significant scale of development potential. 
"These offshore groups are highly active in the Perth market, with groups from Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong – all having secured landmark development sites already.” 
Desange said a number of these groups from Asia are solely interested in the ability to develop premium sites that are then held generationally.
“Market participation for prime sites is generating significant competition among buyers who recognise an opportune time to secure land and benefit from future growth in the Perth market.  Additionally, a number of these offshore parties have access to large amounts of pent up capital and are forming joint venture partnerships with local developers to bolster their onshore expertise.” 
 
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jrobinson-rf4aSBido9

Northbridge development site in WA at heart of suburb's revitalization

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Savills are marketing a two level office space in the centre of the Sydney CBD.
The office space spans levels 14 and 15 of the 22 level building at <a href="http://commercialpropertysearch.savills.com.au/54433174-32c7-e611-80c4-005056816dfc/Lease/Sydney/175-Pitt-Street" target="_blank">175 Pitt Street near Martin Place.</a> 
The building had a substantial upgrade which was completed in 2010.
Each level comprises 1,057 sqm, totalling 2104 sqm of floor area. 
The space is available for $715 per sqm, which equates to just over $752,000, per floor, per annum.
Savills agents Chris Rowe and Christina Malcolm are marketing the lease in the A Grade office block. 
 
 
 
 
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Two level Sydney CBD office space for lease through Savills

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Hospitality workers, pensioners and minimum wage earners are being crippled by rental stress in metropolitan areas across Australia, according to the May Rental Affordability Index (RAI).
The RAI is a price index for housing rental markets released biannually by National Shelter, Community Sector Banking and SGS Economics &amp; Planning. It’s an indicator of rental affordability relative to household incomes.
The latest RAI found Hobart has overtaken Sydney to become the least affordable capital city in Australia, followed by Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Canberra and Perth.
Unaffordability for very low-income households is most severe in Sydney and Canberra, where median incomes are well above the national average.
“The latest Rental Affordability Index shows the rental crisis continues. Financial stress, overcrowding and insecurity are the everyday reality of working families,” Ellen Witte, Partner at SGS Economics and Planning said.
Adrian Pisarski, Executive Officer at National Shelter said that while there has been some slight improvement in some capitals, the situation has not improved at all for low income households. “For households below the median income rental affordability remains a real problem while for households on moderate and low wages and benefits we have a genuine crisis in rental affordability,” Pisarski said.
“The latest RAI shows the serious need for a national housing plan – without action, lower income earners will be forced from our cities and capitals like Sydney will lose vital workers, like those in hospitality,” said Andrew Cairns, CEO of Community Sector Banking.
Conny Lenneberg, Executive Director of the Brotherhood of St. Laurence, said the data reflected the struggles of low income renters the Brotherhood worked with in outer suburbs of major cities and regional areas.
Click here <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/5/23/TABLE%201.jpg" target="_blank">to enlarge.</a>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/5/23/TABLE%201.jpg" target="_blank"> <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/2018/5/23/TABLE%201.jpg" alt=""></a>
This is the first release of the Rental Affordability Index since the Brotherhood of St. Laurence joined SGS Economics &amp; Planning, National Shelter and Community Sector Banking as a sponsor.
“This study shows the depths of the housing crisis facing Australian renters on low incomes,” Lenneberg said. “People are facing deep challenges securing affordable housing in the private rental market, pushed further and further away from the areas from where the jobs are located.’’
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“For some vulnerable people who are unemployed, the combination of very low rates of Newstart -  as little as $38.98 a day for a single unemployed person - and rising rents for even modest accommodation, is proving unbearable. The consequence is that people are being pushed into homelessness.” 
Speaking on what could be done to address the crisis, Witte said, “there are opportunities to further streamline development planning processes, but more importantly to invest in social and affordable housing for workers. The use of instruments like the density bonus and inclusionary zoning needs to be maximised.”
Click here <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/5/23/TABLE%203.jpg" target="_blank">to enlarge.</a>
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National Shelter are also calling for change.
“The data demonstrates the need for national leadership and a national housing strategy. We need to bring the threads of tax reform, incentives to encourage greater investment by institutional finance and states, planning reforms and urban and regional development together to tackle this problem,” Pisarski said. 
Click here <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/5/23/TABLE%205.jpg" target="_blank">to enlarge.</a>
<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/2018/5/23/TABLE%205.jpg" alt="">
Tasmania 
With a RAI of 102 in the December quarter, greater Hobart is now the least affordable capital city in Australia. Rents in Hobart are now unaffordable to even average income households.
The average household in Hobart faces rents at 29% of total income, putting it on the verge of housing stress – when it becomes difficult to afford essentials, like food and healthcare.
And the problem is spreading –  areas such as Margate and Sorell are also now unaffordable to median households.
The situation is most dire for those on lower incomes. A single pensioner faces severely unaffordable rents at 44% of income, while pensioner couples faces rents at 32% of income, which is deemed unaffordable.
With a RAI of 121, the average household in regional Tasmania faces rent at around 25% of income.
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<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/2018/5/23/TABLE%204.jpg" alt="">
New South Wales
With a RAI of 113 in the December quarter of 2017, rents remain moderately unaffordable on average in Sydney. It’s performing marginally better than estimated, thanks to increased income levels from Census data.
A single pensioner household faces spending 94% of income on rent. This extreme level of housing stress is exacerbated by other pressures such as increased healthcare costs and reduced mobility.
Regional NSW remains the least affordable regional area studied in Australia, with a RAI of 112 median households face rents at 27% of income.
Click here <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/5/23/TABLE%206.jpg" target="_blank">to enlarge.</a>
<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/2018/5/23/TABLE%206.jpg" alt="">
Victoria
With a RAI of 126 in the December quarter of 2017, the median household in Greater Melbourne faces rents at around 24% of total income, which is considered acceptable.
However, unaffordable rents are spreading from the city centre. Areas in the west, north, east and south of Melbourne, such Altona, Coburg, Heidelberg, and Oakleigh, became moderately unaffordable in the last quarter. They previously had acceptable rents.
“Australia’s food capital is unaffordable for hospitality workers and minimum wage households,” Witte said. “Full-time hospitality workers may pay 34% of their income on rent, forcing them into housing stress.
With a RAI of 123, regional Victoria is the only regional area studied in Australia, alongside regional NSW, that is even less affordable than its metropolitan counterpart.
Queensland
With a RAI of 121 in the December quarter, the average household in Brisbane faces rents at 25% of total income – rents are considered acceptable for the first time since the inception of the Index in 2012.
However, rents remain unaffordable to lower income households. A single pensioner faces severely unaffordable rents at 65% of income. It’s just as dire for pensioner couples, who face rents at 41% of income, also deemed severely unaffordable.
Regional Queensland recorded a RAI of 122, with the average household facing rents at 25% of total income.
Australian Capital Territory
The ACT recorded a RAI of 128 in the December quarter of 2017, with median households facing rents at 23% of income, which is deemed acceptable.
With the level of affordability driven by relatively high incomes in the ACT, those on lower incomes face particularly unaffordable rents. A single person on benefits faces extremely unaffordable rents at 109% of income, while a single part-time worker parent on benefits faces rents at 58% of income, which is severely unaffordable.
South Australia 
With a RAI of 117 in the December quarter, there has been very little fluctuation in rental affordability in Adelaide in recent months – the score has not changed for six quarters. 
However, unaffordable rents have spread to more suburbs north of the city – Wingfield, Parafield Gardens and Para Hills declined from acceptable to moderately unaffordable.
Across the Adelaide foothills rents range from moderately unaffordable to unaffordable. 
A single person on benefits faces rents at 70% of income, which are extremely unaffordable, while a single part-time worker parent on benefits faces severely unaffordable rents at 40% of income.
Regional South Australia continues to see improving rental affordability. With a RAI of 137, regional SA is at its most affordable since at least mid-2012 when the Index began.
Western Australia
With a RAI of 145 in the December quarter, the latest report shows a continued record improving trend in rental affordability in Perth – the median household faces rents at 21% of total income, which is considered acceptable. 
Despite the continued improvement, rents remain unaffordable for lower income households. A single part-time worker parent on benefits faces rents at 46% of income, which is severely unaffordable.
Rental affordability has declined in regional Western Australia, which recorded a RAI of 153 in the December quarter of 2017.
 
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Australian city rental stress becoming too much for minimum wage earners

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Designer Collette Dinnigan is selling her first ever Sydney store.
It was 1992 when, in her mid-20s living above the shop, she moved into the William Street, Paddington premises.
She launched her lingerie collection which was soon being exported to the likes of Barneys New York and Harvey Nichols in London.
Dinnigan bought the boutique space for $625,000 in 1998, vacating it when she relocated to Queen Street, which closed in 2014 as she sought new adventures outside of the fashion world in property with her husband Bradley Cocks.
Dinnigan's shop has a $1.7 million guide for its July 7 auction through BresicWhitney agent Ivan Bresic.
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<div>"Yes it is a very emotional decision and certainly marks the end of an era," Dinnigan said.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>"William Street was good to me and gave me the exposure I needed in the Australian market to build my brand.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>“It’s such a fantastic area for local artisans and up-and-coming designers and bespoke retailers.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>"I still drive in from the Southern Highlands and make Alimentari (the continental deli) at the bottom of William Street my first stop!"</div>
<div>
 "Interiors and home is what excites me at the moment and I am having lots of fun doing projects in both Australia and Italy.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>"Although it’s taking a little longer than anticipated Bradley and I hope to launch 'Dinnigan Cocks — Bespoke Homes' later in the year."</div>
Since she departed the 33 William Street space, the store's occupants have included Bailey Nelson.
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The fashion street's most recent arrival was fashion designer Jasmine Yarborough, the fiancé of breakfast television co-host Karl Stefanovic.
Yarborough rents a space at 76 William Street for her Mara &amp; Mine collection which she launched with best friend Tamara Ingham.
The shop they rent has been a long-term investment for the owners, who have held the shop since 1992.
There have been several recent sales including an original mixed-use Victorian terrace at 70 William Street for $1.55 million. It had a $1.4 million buyers guide.
Another commercial space at 80 William Street fetched $1.9 million, up on its $1.7 million trade in 2016.
Dinnigan's main focus now is on launching Bespoke Homes, the luxury rental platform she's developing with her husband, hotel and tourism entrepreneur and  Bradley Cocks.
They've already gathered a number of properties, including a 400 year old farmhouse in Italy.
 
 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Fashion designer Collette Dinnigan to sell flagship Paddo store

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Mercato on Byron is set to be the ultimate fusion of urban chic and coastal cool with its new and innovative approach to shopping, dining and entertainment. 
Collers International Retail Leasing team has been appointed to secure tenants in conjunction with Raine &amp; Horne Byron Bay.
Offering the latest in sustainable design and technology, Mercato on Byron will be set over <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-retail-nsw-byron+bay-502821410" target="_blank">two levels of 7,895 sqm on Jonson St</a>, with open dining spaces and room for outdoor markets, galleries and performances.
It has been designed with natural aesthetics of the surrounding environment in mind. 
The use of sunlight, vertical gardens and trees, stone, timber and recycled materials feature heavily.There are also provisions for solar electricity, and rainwater harvesting and re-use.
Mercato on Byron aims to be the first regional one-stop shopping complex aimed at achieving a Five Green Star design rating, with retail, F&amp;B and entertainment all located in one location.
It’s a community-based environment for tourists and locals alike, offering a friendly family-focused entertainment precinct, fresh food, casual dining and a place to meet for a drink or to socialise.
Mercato will be anchored by a new 3,400 sq m Woolworths store on the ground floor. The current 2,000 sq m Woolworths store welcomes 35,000 customers a week. This is expected to increase to approximately 50,000 customers once the size increases to 3,400 sq m.
Tenants have been attracted to Mercato because of the high foot-traffic and buzz that’s being created around the development. The new tenants will include a new nine-cinema Palace Cinema complex, restaurant Beach and Beef, Zaza Kebabs, Crispy Fried Chicken, Bed, Bath and Table, The Don Traditional Barber, and a handful of boutique speciality retailers.
The project is a joint venture between Wingate and Azzura and is expected to be open in time for Christmas 2018.
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Byron Bay's new shopping precinct seeking tenants

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Chadstone has achieved annual sales of more than $2 billion dollars in an Australian shopping centre first.
The milestone means Chadstone is again ranked among the top five best-performing shopping centres in the world by sales.
 The $2 billion is an increase of close to $400 million on the previous year, when sales came in at $1,671 billion. 
It is the first time Chadstone has reached $2 billion in a 12 month period.
▪  1960 Chadstone officially opened, built at a cost of £6,000,000 ▪  1983 John Gandel purchased Chadstone from Myer for $37m ▪  1984 The original mall was enclosed, Target added to the retail mix ▪  1986 Development included the addition of Chadstone’s first cinemas ▪  1989 Bi-Lo came to Chadstone as fresh food offer expanded ▪  1990 The Galleria Mall was built including Australia’s first food court and additional specialties ▪  1991 The first office spaces were opened at Chadstone ▪  1995 Chadstone Corner, K Mart introduced ▪  1998 Expansion included Myer, 20 specialties ▪  1999 David Jones opened along with another 40 specialty retailers ▪  2000 The Entertainment Precinct was opened – Hoyts expansion, Time Zone food, offer ▪  2007 Expansion of fresh food including Safeway and the development of a five-level office tower. ▪  2009 West Mall opened, including ground and lower ground levels, as well as luxury retailers ▪  2016 Stage 40 opened including LEGOLAND Discovery Centre, Hoyts, H&amp;M, Uniqlo, Zara, food central, dining terrace, more luxury and Tower One commercial office building.
Vicinity Centres CEO Grant Kelley said Chadstone continues to be the number one shopping, dining and entertainment destination in Australia.”
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Mr Kelley said the centre’s success was a credit to the visionary role of John Gandel who fashioned Chadstone into a world-class retail destination, and created the benchmark for Australia’s premiumshopping experience, which now attracts more than 23 million visitors every year.
“The $2 billion milestone is an opportunity to reflect on the rich history of Chadstone and the importantrole it has played in Melbourne’s shopping past and present,” Mr Kelley said.
Chadstone’s growth and evolution continues, following a $660 million major redevelopment in 2016, with the $130 million, 250-room Chadstone hotel expected to open late 2019. 
Stage 43 also includes a new food atrium and Australia’s first full-range Victoria’s Secret store. Other projects include the $17 million West Piazza redevelopment including visitor lounge and more luxury retailers in time for Christmas.
Mr Kelley said fashion remained a drawcard for Chadstone’s customers with 40 per cent of this year’s salesin the fashion category. Chadstone continued to attract a growing number of diners with 17 million people now eating at the centre each year and more than a fifth of the centre devoted to food.
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Chadstone is co-owned by Vicinity Centres and the Gandel Group.
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Chadstone was built at a cost of approximately £6 million by the Myer family and was the first regional shopping centre in Australia when it opened in 1960. In 1983, Mr Gandel paid $37 million to acquire Chadstone when sales were approximately $100 million a year.
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Chadstone's $2 billion sales milestone

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An unnamed 59 square metre lane in the Melbourne CBD had been sold for $600,000.
Its recent offering attracted interest from more than 100 potential buyers, the Herald Sun reported.
The<a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-land+development-vic-melbourne-502793878" target="_blank"> unnamed lane</a> runs off another laneway between Little Bourke and Lonsdale Streets.
Its future remains a mystery.
It was speculated during its selling campaign that the rare 59 square metre piece of CBD land could be transformed into a retail space, car parking, or a staple of Melbourne’s colourful lanes: a trendy, hard-to-find bar.
The property is zoned Capital City Zone 1 (CCZ1) allowing for a variety of uses including retail/hospitality, office and residential in a high foot traffic precinct.
Peter Lechte’s family had owned the laneway for 70 years until its sale through Colliers International Victoria selling agent Chris Ling.
The rare offering, that sits just off Niagara Lane, sold two weeks before its expressions of interest campaign was due to close.
The property had belonged to the Lechtes since 1948, when Alan Lechte bought it along with the nearby St Francis Hotel and several warehouses.
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Nameless Melbourne CBD lane sold with future use a mystery

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EXPERT OBSERVATION
Both the new project space and projects moving into construction saw a strong surge in the month of April.
There were 1,827 new projects captured by CoreLogic in April, up 7% from the previous month.
The combined value of these new projects were $14.8 billion, up 14% from the previous month.
Unlike the trend towards civil engineering that has played out in the previous 12 months, the increased value of development applications was largely due to strong increases in mining and industrial real estate.
The highest value application captured over April was the $3 billion Northern Gas Pipeline expansion in Western Australia.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/5/22/1%20.jpg" target="_blank">Click here </a>to enlarge:
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Moving into construction - Australia
There was a strong rebound in the number of projects moving into construction, which has been relatively subdued over the irst quarter of 2017. There were 1,090 projects moving into construction over April, representing an 83% increase on the previous month. There was a 64% increase in the value of projects moving into construction over the month, as $7.2 billion worth of work commenced in April.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2018/5/22/3.jpg" target="_blank">Click here</a> to enlarge:
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NSW
Nationally, April saw a pivot in the nature of construction across Australia, with a higher emphasis on industrial and mining applications. Meanwhile, New South Wales, in particular Sydney, continues to see a buzz of residential and accommodation activity. Major site activity includes the following:
• A site at Sarah Street in Mascot, close to Sydney Airport and with approval for hotel, has been purchased by a private hotel developer and operator. The site approval was for a hotel up to 9 stories, and 169 rooms. It currently supports two adjoining oice/warehouse buildings.
• Chinese-backed Adelaide-based developer Greaton has snapped up a site in Sydney’s Haymarket with the likelihood of constructing an apartment tower. The site is close to Greaton’s ‘The Ribbon’ hotel development at Darling Harbour, which is due for completion in 2020.
• Desane Group Holdings has purchased a 50-apartment, masterplan-approved site in Leichhardt. The original masterplan was approved together with adjacent Chinese developer Changfa’s 139-unit Epicure Collection project.
The Premier has given the inal sign-of for the relocation of the Powerhouse Museum from Sydney to Parramatta through the state cabinet. The site was identiied on the banks of the Parramatta River at the former David Jones Car Park site.
Newcastle’s iconic The Store site in Hunter Street will be redeveloped by Doma Group. The $200 million proposal comprises construction of a 13,000 sqm oice tower and two residential towers. The oice tower will be anchored by Government Property (9,000 sqm) for multiple NSW agencies. The oice tower will be built together with a bus interchange and car park. The residential towers will have 1,000 sqm podium retail space.
ACT
The Barr government has postponed a 2016 election pledge for a new community-driven master plan for the Manuka Oval precinct until at least the start of next year. Concerns have grown about a potential major development next to the oval. In the lead up to the 2016 election, the Barr Government claimed it would establish a panel made up of community representatives to help guide development in the area, following a failed bid by GWS and Grocon. However, the government has since shelved the plans, to be revisited once its planned multimillion-dollar media centre is built, which is not expected to be complete until January 2019.
A development application has been submitted for the irst stage Art Group’s SOHO project which will replace public housing in Northbourne Avenue, Dickson. The $92 million irst stage will comprise 409 apartments across six buildings of 7-9 storeys. The site was previously home to the Dickson Towers and Karuah public housing blocks. The overall development will comprise around 1,000 apartments in ive stages.
VIC
The Victorian Government handed down the state budget on the 1st of May. Education was the centre of the budget, with $1.25 billion committed to school upgrades over the coming inancial year, on top of $2 billion proposed in the year just gone. Transport spending in the budget includes over $3 billion on road upgrades, most of which is allocated to the metropolitan.
$31.6 million was allocated in the budget for the redevelopment of Melbourne’s Australian Centre for Moving Image. The project is valued at $40 million overall, and will see the ACMI’s permanent exhibition upgraded as well as an expansion of the learning centre.
$461 million has been allocated through the budget for the redevelopment of Ballarat Base Hospital. The rebuild and refurbishment will create a new emergency department, modernized acute mental health facility, an intensive care unit, a women’s and children hub, an expanded critical care ‘hot loor’ and at least an extra 100 in-patient beds. The facility will see at least 18,000 more emergency patients and an extra 14,500 in-patients each year following the upgrade.
Also in the Central Coast area, Paul Lederer has withdrawn the development application for the multi-million Gosford Alive project. The Conybeare Morrison-designed project, comprised of 1,414 apartments and townhouses, was pulled due to planning delays. The delays were partly attributed to the merger of the former Gosford and Wyong councils into a consolidated Central Coast Council, and a State Government planning review for the Gosford CBD. However, the developer hopes to re-start the project at a later date.
Tenders have been invited for the $180 million West End lifestyle and retail precinct in West Melbourne. The proposal outlines 377 residential apartments over 4 buildings, each ranging from 7 to 14 levels. It will also include a 7 storey hotel, with 92 serviced apartments and ground loor retail spaces. Each building has had its own interior designer working with Chief Architectural irm CHT Architects. The buildings and designers for each are:
• The Adderley by Carr Design • Mail House by Mim Design, • The Foundry by Six Degrees • The Spencer by Hecker Guthrie
Pound Road West, in Dandenong South, will see major upgrades to reduce congestion and travel time for commuters. This is a part of the Suburban Roads Upgrade package that aims to improve 22 key suburban arterials. 2 km of Pound Road West and Remington Drive will be duplicated, creating two extra lanes between Abbotts Road and South Gippsland Highway. A new bridge will also be constructed over the Cranbourne Rail Line. The project will include traic lights and safety upgrades.
QLD
Development approval has been granted for the Midtown Centre, a multi-million proposal in Brisbane’s CBD. The project involves redevelopment of two former government buildings into a single 26 storey oice tower with podium levels to accommodate cafes, restaurants and bars. Ashe Morgan and DMann Corporation will transform the two buildings with expansive campus-style loorplates with opportunities for large format tenants to occupy. The centre is expected to be completed by mid-2020.
Developer R&amp;F has unveiled plans to develop an amended proposal for a multi-million dollar mixed use precinct in Brisbane’s West End, which has previous masterplan approval for seven buildings and a total of 981 apartments. The project, to be staged over six years, will transform the former industrial riverside sites into an integrated urban precinct with publicly accessible open spaces, leading down to a riverside walkway.
PDS Group has submitted a development application for a 715 unit, 13 stage development in Mango Hill, designed by Ellivo Architects. The project will comprise 13, six-storey towers with extensive open space. The development will include exercise areas, a dog friendly zone and surrounding spaces for passive recreation, formal park area and seating areas with playground and barbecue facilities.
Gold Coast City Council has granted approval for EG Fund Management’s 55 and 71 storey, twin tower Wanderlust development in Surfers Paradise. The Elenburg Fraser designed towers will contain 500 residential units, 270 serviced apartments and 400 hotel rooms. The development will be located in the heart of the nightclub and entertainment district, billed as an ‘entertainment hub for south-east Asia’. Facilities will include a 4,733 sqm pool club with two main pools, 2,727 sqm of restaurants, and recreation areas such as rock climbing facilities and an outdoor cinema.
Approval has been granted by Brisbane City Council for Morris Property Group’s A grade, 28 storey commercial tower in Spring Hill. The commercial option was submitted following a previous proposal for a 30 storey, 197-apartment tower, owing to a perceived shift in Brisbane's property market favouring commercial over residential. Designed by Nra-Co-Lab, the design incorporates LED vertical strip lighting over entire length of building facade.
NT
Acting Minister for Tourism and Culture, Eva Lawler, has now opened an Expression of Interest process for a nationally representative Reference Group. The group will help guide the delivery of the National Aboriginal Art Gallery in Alice Springs. The role of the Reference Group will be to promote and inform the project.
Local company Sitzler has been awarded the contract for the new $30 million, 24-hour Palmerston Police Station and Watch House with construction to commence next month and completion expected by mid-2019.
The Northern Territory Government has committed to improving housing in remote communities with the 10 year, $1.1 billion Remote Housing Program. This investment has a focus on local decision making, engagement and planning with communities to identify their housing needs. The project would ideally help to create sustainable, local employment and training, help develop Aboriginal businesses and encourage economic development. The investment is funded through four programs: Homebuild NT; Room to Breathe; Repairs and Maintenance; and Government Employee Housing.
SA
Work is expected to commence on the Gawler Electriication project from Adelaide to Salisbury in the third quarter of 2018. Lendlease was appointed as contractor for design and construct in January this year, and design works have commenced.
The federal government’s Naval Shipbuilding College is now set to go ahead, following the appointment of a joint venture between KBR and Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII). The joint venture, known as the Naval Shipbuilding Institute (NSI) beat a bid from Babcock. Based in Osborne, NSI will establish and manage the college, partnering with ten educational organisations including TAFE SA, with Lendlease as managing contractor. It will operate under a "hub-and-spoke" model, with the college referring potential trainees to various universities or training colleges throughout Australia.
Community consultation is underway for redevelopment of Adelaide’s old Le Cornu site at 88 O’Connell Street, which has been vacant for decades. The City of Adelaide has oicially purchased the land and invited the public onto the site earlier this month for a community block party following inal removal of the fence.
Lyon Group's Riverland Solar Storage project has gained development approval. The 330 MW solar farm will comprise solar tracking arrays of photo-voltaic panels, mounted on steel frames. 400 MW of battery storage (ie 100 MW x 4 hours) is also included in the development, comprising lithium-ion polymer batteries, housed in a secure and climate controlled building.
TAS
Biomar Australia has submitted a development application for a $56 million state-of-the-art aqua feed production facility at Wesley Vale in Tasmania’s north. The former particle board manufacturing site will be converted into an aquaculture feed mill facility to include administration/ plant oices/lab &amp; amenities, bio ilter, dosing silos, mixing/ intake building, processing building, packing area and workshop/store. The processing facility will have a capacity of 110,000 tonnes per annum of inished product.
Meanwhile in Westbury, Wiley &amp; Co has started construction on Ridley Corporation’s $50 million aqua feed mill facility. The mill will produce around 50,000 tonnes of feed per year and will utilise the input of 250 local contractors during construction and when complete will source many local agricultural products.
Early works have started on Goldwind Australia’s 144MW Cattle Hill Wind Farm, with Hazell Bros engaged to undertake the site access construction. The wind farm will comprise approximately 48 turbines and is expected to be completed by the end of 2019.
WA
Documentation is in progress with Aerodrome Management Services for the expansion of Jandakot Airport. The project will see the construction of taxi-ways, and the extension of runways through the clearing of 41 hectares of vegetation.
Selected tenders have been invited for Parallel Riverfront in Rivervale. Laudis Developments are proposing the $40 million project, with construction of a 13-storey residential development within The Springs Special Development Area. The proposal outlines 123 dwellings and four levels of basement car parking. Designed by Hillam Architects, the building will see features such as dramatic zig-zag cantilevers around each balcony, a podium base with pool deck, a tower section and a café on the ground loor. Tenders close mid may for the appointment of a builder.
A structure plan has been completed for the expansion of Armadale City Centre with approvals to follow late 2018 or early 2019. Works proposed include:
• Extending the Armadale to Byford passenger rail line as a part of the State Government’s Metronet program;
• Grade-separation of the railway line to facilitate Church Avenue;
• To move the Armadale Train Station underground; and,
• To create a City Centre plaza linking Jull Street Mall to the West of Rail Precinct.
A second stage of works to follow will include the Civic Precinct redevelopment, including high quality oice space to accommodate Government services and private business. The development will also include creation of a green and high quality public realm. Developments on the City Centre are expected to commence by 2020.
Construction has commenced on Rottnest Island for Pinky’s Eco Retreat &amp; Beach Club. Builders appointed, in joint venture, are Discovery Holiday Parks and Baileys Marine Fuels Australia. The $20 million project will consist of 83 eco-tents with ensuite pods. The tents will be connected via elevated walkways to Pinky’s Beach Club complex. The complex will be complete with a swimming pool, an alfresco bar and dining areas. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2018.
Mining
Construction has commenced on Iluka Resources’ $250 million Cataby mineral sand mine located in Cataby, Western Australia. The project will consist of 13 open pits over approximately 25 km, and will produce approximately 460 to 780 kilo-tonnes of heavy mineral concentrat per annum when completed. Production is expected to commence in the second quarter of 2019.
GR Engineering has been selected as the preferred contractor to design and construct a $90 million processing plant for Capricorn Metal’s Karlawinda gold project, to be located 65 km south-east of Newman. The scope of the contract will involve engineering, procurement and construction of a 3 million tonne-per-annum processing plant, and associated processing infrastructure at the proposed mine site.
Eliza Owen is Commerical Property Research Analyst at ‎CoreLogic.
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Nature of construction pivots across Australia: CoreLogic's Eliza Owen

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Designer and ethical pie bakery Princes Pies has secured 10 Howey Place in Melbourne’s CBD.
Fitzroys Agency agent Ervin Niyaz negotiated the five-year deal with a five-year option.
It is for the 22 square metre space at more than $2,300 per square metre.
Princes Pies is operated by Matti Fallon, former head chef at DuNord and friend Nathan Holloway.
Accompanying Matti will be a monthly rotating roster of renowned Melbourne chefs that will share a new take on the Aussie pie, including Nick Stanton of Ramblr, Daniel Dobra of St Ali, and Tom Jacobson of Changz.
The shop will showcase classic pie flavours, pasties and sausage rolls, as well as pie styles aimed at foodies that include lamb, goat’s cheese and truffle pies.
The business teamed up with an ethical farming family in Victoria’s Coldstream, the Little Creek Cattle Company, ensuring that the ingredients used as 100% natural and ethically farmed, and grown and sources from local providers.
Niyaz said Princes Pies was looking to establish its business in a classic busy Melbourne CBD laneway space.
The high level of pedestrian traffic in Howey Place is boosted further by position between Collins Street and Little Collins Street, at the rear of David Jones and 234 Collins Street Retail Centre, he said.
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