<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/broadbeach-qld-4218">Broadbeach</a> offers plenty of reasons to live vertically, but moving from a substantial family home into an apartment can expose the compromises of high-density living. Privacy, room for guests and usable living space tend to matter more when an apartment is intended as a permanent home rather than an occasional coastal base.

A typical residential floor at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-eveleigh-broadbeach-7-9-surf-parade-broadbeach-qld-4218">The Eveleigh</a>, on Surf Parade,&nbsp;contains just four apartments. The 94-residence development by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hirsch-faigen">Hirsch &amp; Faigen</a> is predominantly made up of expansive three-bedroom homes, with a limited collection of half-floor penthouses above.

Across the apartment floors, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> has used the relatively limited number of residences to give each home greater access to natural light and outlook. Living spaces extend towards full-height glazing, while a series of bay windows frame selected views across the Pacific Ocean, city and hinterland rather than treating the building edge as a continuous wall of glass.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360965]

“The apartment floors deliver a collection of homes that embrace controlled outlook via a series of bay windows deliberately framing moments of view,” Rothelowman Director Kim Lowman said.

From outside, those projecting forms contribute to the tower’s faceted profile. Strong horizontal and vertical elements establish its proportions, while the changing position of the sun alters the light, shadow and reflection across the façade throughout the day.

The same attention moves inside the apartments, where the material palette combines warm timber, natural stone, metallic detailing and softer curved forms. Kitchens sit within the main living zone, with stone island benches, integrated joinery and European appliances, before the living areas extend towards the glazing and the outlook.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360981]

Three genuine bedrooms provide room to accommodate family and guests, while two secure car spaces and storage address some of the practical considerations that can become more noticeable when moving from a larger home. Feedback from the display suite has centred on the warmth and restraint of the interiors, with buyers commenting that the residences feel like homes rather than conventional coastal apartments.

A limited collection of half-floor penthouses occupies the upper levels, increasing the scale of the living spaces and adding private balconies and elevated finishes. From this position, the outlook extends between the ocean and hinterland.

Outside the private residences, The Eveleigh separates its shared spaces between the podium and rooftop. The podium is centred on wellness, with subtropical landscaping surrounding a swimming pool and pool terrace, yoga garden, private gymnasium, sauna and hot and cold plunge facilities. Landscaped retreats and pavilions provide additional places to sit away from the main recreation areas.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360966]

Higher in the building, a rooftop pavilion and private dining suite sit alongside resident lounge, barbecue and outdoor dining areas, opening towards panoramic views across the ocean, city and hinterland.

“Buyers are no longer just looking for an apartment, but a lifestyle where they can relax, reset, and enjoy a balanced way of living,” Hirsch &amp; Faigen Director of Sales Matt George said.

Interest to date has come from established owner-occupiers and interstate lifestyle purchasers, including buyers planning a future move to the Gold Coast. Many are coming from larger homes and want to reduce ongoing maintenance without giving up space for family and guests, privacy, two car spaces or the ability to entertain at home.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360969]

Much of that daily life can also take place beyond the building without requiring a drive. Kurrawa Beach and Pratten Park are an easy walk from Surf Parade, while Pacific Fair, Oracle Boulevard, The Oasis, restaurants, cafés, entertainment and public transport are also within walking distance.

The Eveleigh is Hirsch &amp; Faigen's fourth Gold Coast development since entering the market in 2021, following The Hemingway at Palm Beach, The Emerson at Kirra and Yves at Mermaid Beach. Each of the preceding projects sold out before completion.

“Broadbeach had been on our radar throughout our time operating on the Gold Coast,” the developer said. “Following our projects in Palm Beach, Kirra and Mermaid Beach, Broadbeach represented the natural next step for the business.”

The Surf Parade site brought together proximity to the beach, protected coastal outlooks and walkability to dining, shopping and recreation. Hirsch &amp; Faigen also identified the street as an emerging premium residential address, with enough separation from Broadbeach's busier destinations to retain a quieter environment at home.

The Eveleigh is now under construction by Maxcon, with completion forecast for mid-2028. Three-bedroom residences are currently available from $2.87 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=149670]

Joel Robinson

The Eveleigh brings house-like apartments to Broadbeach

A long-stalled Campbelltown development site is back in play, with new plans for 139 apartments set to supersede a mixed-use scheme approved almost a decade ago but never built.

The new proposal for 28 Cordeaux Street would deliver 116 market and 23 affordable apartments in a part 14-storey building, bringing a substantial new project into a Campbelltown market where new apartment supply remains limited.

Plans have been filed over the 3,092 sqm corner site at Moore-Oxley Street, around 600 metres from Campbelltown Railway Station and the city-centre retail core.

The site already carries a mixed-use residential approval dating to 2016. Doroch Architects has now been engaged on a larger replacement scheme, which is progressing as a State Significant Development Application following a Housing Delivery Authority determination in August 2025.

The apartment mix comprises 39 one-bedroom, 72 two-bedroom and 28 three-bedroom residences. Two-bedroom apartments make up just over half of the project, while three-bedroom homes account for 20 per cent.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="136dd5b9-3791-4da6-9e31-76f533f5b4de" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da2.png?VersionId=LgOSy9nwf5u.MGswBBwaGGxuX8QpHSl_" />

Of the 139 apartments, 23 will be delivered as affordable housing under the in-fill affordable housing provisions of the Housing SEPP. The affordable component represents 15 per cent of the residential gross floor area and will be managed by a registered Community Housing Provider.

Doroch has sought to break the scale of the building into two distinct elements, with a masonry podium of around four storeys establishing the street edge before the residential tower steps back above.

The corner position has shaped that approach. Cordeaux Street faces toward the commercial and civic centre, while Moore-Oxley Street leads into the lower-scale residential neighbourhood to the south, and the design verification report describes the site as "bridging the commercial core to the north and established residential areas to the south."

The podium will be expressed predominantly in face brick, while the upper levels shift to brushed and grooved concrete cladding with darker metal detailing. Recessed sections, deep balcony edges and landscaping break down the upper form, with an approximately 11.8-metre setback to the northern boundary addressing the adjoining St Peters Anglican School.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c8b3d2d3-c561-4bfc-a5d9-a68c0c10dac1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da1.png?VersionId=AeAEyJU02Gk2k5noUj2StziCvdQ7fW4B" />

Campbelltown has been starved of new residential developments in the last decade.

The only other notable development set to come to market this year is ALAND's Queen Square, a mixed-use precinct on over two hectares that will comprise apartments above a vibrant ground-level retail and hospitality dining precinct.

First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site

First Look: Sherlock Construction pitches apartments for low-rise Deception Bay

Queensland builder-developer MAYD has revealed the first look at its major North Kirra beachfront development, lodging amended plans that reduce the number of apartments and increase the proportion of larger residences.

The project is planned across a substantial 4,742 sqm amalgamated site spanning seven lots at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/2-6-pacific-parade-bilinga-qld-4225">2-6 Pacific Parade</a> and 27-33 Golden Four Drive in Bilin​ga, directly opposite Nor​th Kirra Beach.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mayd-group">MAYD</a> secured the site for $32.5 million in 2025, in what was one of the Gold Coast's largest property transactions of the year.

The development will be delivered across two stages, with the first stage carrying an estimated gross realisation value of around $360 million.

The latest amendments seek to reduce the overall apartment count and shift the project further toward the owner-occupier market, with larger residences designed for buyers wanting considerably more space than traditionally offered in a beachfront apartment.

The residential mix will include townhomes, oversized two-bedroom apartments, substantial three-bedroom residences and four-bedroom homes.

MAYD has appointed Cera Stribley to lead the architecture and interiors, with the Melbourne-based design practice drawing on the beachfront setting through a series of ocean-facing terraces and heavily landscaped balconies.

Strong horizontal forms and curved balconies will define the exterior, with subtropical landscaping integrated throughout the building to soften the built form and increase the connection between the residences and the beachfront.

The project will also include an extensive collection of resident wellness and lifestyle facilities, continuing the broader shift across the Gold Coast's luxury apartment market toward larger homes supported by resort-style amenity.

<img alt="MAYD" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d1bcbb05-e659-4b47-8bd4-1e595315e2ad" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%202.05.03%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=jj0XEud1X1DuLt7_KyElhjMdZGOXmLHP" />

MAYD Founder Todd Mould said North Kirra was increasingly appealing to buyers attracted to the more established, lower-density character of the southern Gold Coast.

"North Kirra presents one of the most compelling luxury residential opportunities currently emerging in Australia, combining absolute beachfront with the character and authenticity that buyers are increasingly seeking, and the same sense of tight-knit community that defined Burleigh and Currumbin perhaps 10 or 15 years ago," Mould said.

"With Gold Coast Airport on its doorstep, it also offers a level of accessibility that broadens its appeal across almost every market demographic."

The project comes as the southern Gold Coast continues to attract an increasing share of high-end apartment development and buyer activity.

Kirra in particular has emerged as one of the region's more tightly held beachfront markets, with its relatively low-density character, established surf and hospitality scene and proximity to Gold Coast Airport differentiating it from the higher-density markets further north.

Mould said those characteristics had informed the approach MAYD and Cera Stribley had taken to the project.

"We've worked closely with Cera Stribley to create a vision that is deeply connected to its surroundings," he said.

"Inspired by the coastline itself, the architecture has been shaped around space, privacy and resort-style living, creating a collection of homes that reflects the next generation of luxury on the southern Gold Coast."

MOTIV Managing Director Carly Cottam, who has been appointed to market the project, said buyer attention had continued to move south along the Gold Coast.

"Purchasers who may once have defaulted to Broadbeach, Main Beach or Surfers Paradise are increasingly recognising the value of a genuine beachfront location that offers lower density, strong amenity and a more established sense of community," Cottam said.

"Kirra has a powerful combination of growing demand and genuine scarcity. Beachfront supply is inherently constrained, the area remains relatively low density, and buyers are increasingly placing a premium on locations that feel established, uncrowded and authentic rather than heavily developed."

Cottam said the proximity to Gold Coast Airport was also proving increasingly important for interstate and second-home buyers.

"Being minutes from Gold Coast Airport makes it particularly compelling for interstate buyers, frequent travellers and second-home purchasers who can access an authentic coastal lifestyle almost immediately after stepping off a flight."

The acquisition takes MAYD's active development portfolio to more than $500 million, with the North Kirra project representing one of its largest undertakings to date.

MAYD is targeting an early 2027 launch.

First look at MAYD's North Kirra mixed-use precinct

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Castle Hill, the longtime hub of the Hills District, has been one of the major beneficiaries of Sydney's Metro expansion, with improved connectivity helping drive continued population growth, development and buyer demand across the Hills District.

But despite that growth, the suburb has seen relatively few major new apartment projects brought to market over the past 18 months.

Hills District developer Reve Group is looking to fill that gap with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nova-r-ve-castle-hill-2-garthowen-crescent-castle-hill-nsw-2154">Nova Rêve</a>, a major new mixed-use precinct on the corner of Garthowen Crescent and Old Castle Hill Road, a short walk from Castle Hill Metro Station and Castle Towers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377679]

The project will comprise three residential towers alongside a hotel, restaurants, cafes and a skybar, more than 1,600 sqm of ground-floor retail and almost an acre of landscaped gardens.

It represents the largest project undertaken by Reve Group, the development arm of the Kassis family, which has been building across the Hills District for more than 30 years through Kassis Homes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377675]

Nova Rêve also represents a significant step up from the family's first apartment development, Grand Rêve, which was delivered nearby on Garthowen Crescent.

Grand Rêve introduced larger, house-like apartment layouts and premium inclusions including Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances to the Castle Hill market.

Nova Rêve takes that approach to a precinct scale, combining the residential component with hospitality, retail and substantial public and resident landscaping.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377685]

Reve Group Managing Director Sam Kassis said the project reflected the family's three decades of building in the Hills, which has evolved from trophy homes on quarter-acre blocks to larger-scale apartment development.

"Grand Rêve was our first apartment project here and it showed us what this pocket of Castle Hill could be. Nova Rêve is the refinement of that idea: not just apartments, but a place the whole suburb can use," Kassis said.

A key part of that approach is the hotel, which has been designed to operate as an amenity for the wider Castle Hill community rather than solely hotel guests.

It will include restaurants, cafes, skybars and all-day dining, alongside conference and event facilities catering to business functions, community groups and private events.

At ground level, more than 1,600 sqm of shops and cafes will open onto the surrounding streets and landscaped areas.

Almost an acre of gardens designed by Land and Form Studios will run through the precinct, incorporating pathways, seating, barbecue areas and children's play spaces.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377680]

Reve Group's Romio Georges said creating an active ground plane had been central to the planning of Nova Rêve.

"There are gardens with pathways, barbecues, seating and play areas, shops and cafes opening onto the street, and a hotel with restaurants and a skybar that anyone in Castle Hill can walk into," Georges said.

The project's elevated position on one of Sydney's highest ridgelines will also provide apartments with outlooks toward the Sydney skyline, surrounding parkland and the Blue Mountains.

More than 80 per cent of the apartments will occupy corner positions, with Turner responsible for both the architecture and interiors.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152737]

<h3 data-end="3697" data-section-id="q3n5ak" data-start="3672">&nbsp;</h3>
</main>

Nova Rêve arrives as Reve Group bets on Castle Hill's next growth phase

Australia Post is one of the country’s most trusted institutions, powering one of the largest delivery networks in Australia. As online shopping continues to scale, Australians spent a record $82.6 billion online in 2025, with nearly one in four retail dollars now spent online.

That scale of eCommerce activity has fundamentally changed expectations around how and when parcels arrive, and what happens when someone isn't home.

<h3>Problem solved with Parcel Lockers</h3>

The traditional alternatives to home delivery are far from ideal. Buildings can rely on reception teams to manage deliveries, which introduces ongoing staffing costs and liability concerns. Parcels can be left in common areas, which creates security and aesthetic issues. Or residents are redirected to nearby Post Offices for collection, which shifts the inconvenience rather than solving it.

<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/dVG5ChLHf7E?si=D9hQRGCBuzlSQBqK" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

The data behind that frustration is significant. Nationally, around 9 per cent of deliveries are carded, meaning the recipient was not home and must collect the parcel from a Post Office. That figure reflects the national average reported between November 2025 and January 2026. In Melbourne, that figure rises to 20 per cent. In high-density living, it climbs again to 28 per cent. In other words, more than one in four deliveries in Melbourne apartment buildings results in a failed first attempt.

<h3>How Parcel Lockers work</h3>

The mechanics are simple. When a parcel arrives, the resident receives a notification either through the Australia Post app or via SMS. They scan a QR code, use their one-time PIN and the compartment opens. The parcel is secure, accessible and removed from the lobby floor.

Located in thoughtfully chosen, easily accessible areas, including external building interfaces, mixed-use precincts or shared communal zones, Parcel Lockers enhance convenience without requiring internal building access or additional operational oversight.

<h3>The scale of the network</h3>

This expansion represents Australia Post's largest investment in parcel infrastructure to date, building on momentum that began in 2011 when the first 24 Parcel Locker sites were introduced.

Today the Australia Post Parcel Locker network spans over 1,400 locations and more than 105,000 individual compartments, with major investment already underway to significantly expand the network further.

<h3>What it means for developers and building operators</h3>

A Parcel Locker bank is free to install and free for residents to use. That removes one of the primary barriers to adoption and shifts the conversation from cost to integration.

Australia Post's preference is to engage with developers during the design phase. That allows Parcel Lockers to be located in a considered, publicly accessible space that works for residents and the broader community. Retrofit is possible, and existing buildings can be assessed, but the strongest results occur when Parcel Lockers are treated as part of the core services plan rather than a bolt-on solution.

While the iconic Australia Post red is widely recognised, Parcel Lockers can also be delivered in more muted palettes such as beige or green to align with architectural intent.

For developers, they offer a tech-forward amenity that meets modern expectations, a reduction in courier congestion and building-management load supporting lower emissions and better ESG outcomes, and a meaningful marketability advantage in high-density, eCommerce-active areas, all at no cost for installation and maintenance, with Australia Post funding the program aside from power access.

<h3>Who's using them</h3>

Generational shopping behaviours show strong, sustained growth across all cohorts. Millennials (27–43) led online spend in 2024, contributing nearly $25 billion. Baby Boomers (60–78) increased their online spend by 17.6 per cent, becoming the fastest-growing adopters. Gen Z (13–26) and Gen X (44–59) continue to lean on delivery services as part of their everyday shopping habits.

Internationally, uptake is even more pronounced. Overseas markets are seeing rapid adoption by both developers and consumers, positioning Parcel Lockers as standard infrastructure in many new residential projects. For Melbourne's development community, this signals a shift in baseline expectations. Just as secure bike storage and dedicated parcel rooms have become more common, integrated Parcel Locker networks may soon be viewed as part of the essential service mix.

<h3>The bigger picture</h3>

Parcel Lockers aren't just a logistics fix. Developers invest heavily in lobby design, materials, lighting and landscaping to shape first impressions. Yet a stack of unattended parcels can undo that effort in an instant. Embedding parcel infrastructure early allows projects to respond to how people actually live today, supporting resident satisfaction, reducing operational strain and aligning with broader community and ESG outcomes.

As Belinda Quinn, Senior Transaction Manager – Retail &amp; Out of Home at Australia Post, puts it, residents increasingly expect delivery solutions that align with real life, are flexible, secure and available whenever they need them.

How Australia Post is solving the parcel problem for apartment living

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The determination by the NSW Land and Environment Court about minimum apartment sizes has created industry confusion, says the Urban Taskforce.
“The Land and Environment court has determined that a table of nine apartment types takes precedence over a ‘rule of thumb’ in the Residential Flat Design Code,” says Urban Taskforce CEO, Chris Johnson.
 “But the NSW Government issued a draft Apartment Design Guide in September 2014 that defined minimum apartment sizes in accordance with the earlier ‘rules of thumb’.”
“While the court may well be deciding on a technical interpretation in the current Residential Flat Design Code it is clear that the Government supports the ‘rule of thumb’ in the proposed replacement document.”
The Taskforce wants the new Minister for Planning, Rob Stokes to clarify the matter saying NSW now has planning legislation being redefined by "court decisions to the detriment of those looking to buy a new dwelling.”
“Some councils have argued for larger apartment sizes than the Government’s minimums and included these in their Development Control Plans. 
"All this does is increase the cost of apartments by up to $200,000 in some areas. 
"Sydney is already one of the most expensive cities in the world for housing and the NSW Government must do all it can to minimise costs. 
"One way to do this is to ensure that all councils conform to the same minimum apartment sizes.”
“The state’s planning system was going to be reformed four years ago but it became too difficult to achieve this."
“The Urban Taskforce believes the new Minister for Planning has an opportunity to begin sorting out the states complex planning system by clarifying the legal interpretation of minimum apartment sizes before Sydney’s 41 separate councils start setting their own standards now that the rules seem to have been changed by the court.”
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Botany apartment size court decision needs ministerial intervention: Urban Taskforce

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The four properties in The Block Triple Threat will be going under the hammer on Tuesday 28 April, with each team listing their renovations.
The open for inspection has been set for the weekend of 11 April, and as <a href="/expert-insights/the-block-on-show-at-this-weekends-open-for-inspection">in previous seasons</a> fans and spectators will be able to tour through the South Yarra townhouses.
<a href="/expert-insights/building/david-wood-of-hockingstuart-to-auction-charlotte-and-joshs-the-block-triple-threat-apartment">Josh and Charlotte</a> have chosen hockingstuart's Mark Konishi and Georgia Whitford to market their unit at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-townhouse-vic-south+yarra-119439203" target="_blank">1/27 Darling Street</a> (pictured below). David Wood of Hockingstuart Albert Park will auction their renovation. Wood has appeared on previous seasons, notably securing <a href="/expert-insights/buying/steve-and-chantelles-auctioneer-david-wood-on-the-blocks-record-breaking-win">the winning result for Steve and Chantelle</a> in The Block Fans v Faves.
<img src="/images/2015/04/02/south%20yarra%20ap%20one.jpg" width="800" height="600">
<a href="https://www.domain.com.au/for-sale/27-darling-street-south-yarra-vic-3141-2011881553" target="_blank">Apartment Two</a> (pictured below), renovated by Tim and Anastasia, has been listed with Biggin &amp; Scott agent Russell Cambridge. Last season, Cambridge worked with Deanne and Darren for the campaign of their Glasshouse apartment.
<img src="/images/2015/04/02/south%20yarra%20ap%20two.jpg" alt="">
Ayden and Jess, who have renovated <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-townhouse-vic-south+yarra-119448343" target="_blank">3/27 Darling Street</a> (pictured below), are going with Joel Ser and Adam Joske of Gary Peer &amp; Associates.
<img src="/images/2015/04/02/south%20yarra%20ap%20three.jpg" alt="">
The unit of returning renovators Deanne and Darren at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-townhouse-vic-south+yarra-119444079" target="_blank">4/27 Darling Street</a> (pictured below) <a href="/expert-insights/building/dea-and-darren-decide-on-damien-cooley-for-the-block-triple-threat">will be auctioned by Damien Cooley</a>, while their apartment is marketed by Jellis Craig's Andrew McCann. McCann and Cooley teamed up last season to secure a win for brothers Simon and Shannon.
<img src="/images/2015/04/02/south%20yarra%20ap%20four.jpg" alt="">
Deanne and Darren and Ayden and Jess's listings are the only ones so far that make a mention of their reality television heritage.
The three storey townhouses each have three bedrooms and two bathrooms, with two parking spaces.
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jrichardson-uRX5hFdKfN

The Block Triple Threat units listed and auction date revealed

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City of Sydney Council has refused requests for large tracts of industrial land in the city’s inner south to be rezoned for residential development.
The Council’s Central Sydney Planning Committee voted last Thursday (26 March) to preserve most of the area, called the South Sydney Employment Lands, for mainly business uses.
A report put on public exhibition mid-last year discussing proposed changes to the area’s zoning received 59 submissions. Many argued that residential development should be allowed more broadly than proposed on the 265 hectare area, which lies mainly in the suburbs of Rosebery and Alexandria in Sydney’s inner south.
“Most of these submissions come from landowners in the investigation areas … however, there are also some submissions from landowners in the proposed B6 Enterprise Corridor zone who also see a role for residential on their land,” the report that considered the submissions noted.
The latest report’s review and analysis determined that, in general, residential development should be banned on those sites.
There will be a limited number of exceptions in the so-called investigation areas around Botany Road south of Beaconsfield and between McEvoy Street and Bowden Street near Green Square station.
Council accepted the report’s recommendations to allow affordable housing and consider private residential developments on a site-by-site basis in those areas. One condition on any private residential development would be that developers would have to share half of any monetary benefit they received when rezoning increased the value of their land with Council to provide services such as infrastructure and affordable housing.
Residential development will be banned elsewhere in the South Sydney employment lands.
<img src="/images/2015/03/31/zoe-mar-31-one.jpg" alt="">
Source: City of Sydney
Noise and other environmental factors made residential uses incompatible with existing industrial operations in the area, the report said.
It argued that residential developments were more profitable for land owners, which would discourage them from keeping their land for business uses if the zoning changed.
“Where sites are being developed for residential uses there can be significant resistance to providing even a small amount of commercial or retail space in a development. This is because of markedly higher returns that developers receive from developing a residential product as opposed to a commercial product,” the report said.
“Importantly, once this land is developed for residential purposes and subdivided it can almost never be converted for commercial uses in the future. This puts the burden on government to be cautious about allowing residential uses on those lands that may be needed for productive purposes in the future.”
Many former industrial sites around the country are being redeveloped as apartments and private housing, <a href="/expert-insights/building/rezoning-from-industrial-yielding-fresh-residential-infill-housing">where local government policies are encouraging urban renewal</a>.
In neighbouring Green Square, another previously industrial area which has been rezoned to allow residential development, few sites are now wholly dedicated to business.
“In the southern employment lands, permitting residential uses would almost certainly have a similar impact that it has had in the Green Square urban renewal area … Restricting residential development is essential to ensuring employment uses can continue to locate in the area,” the report said.
It noted that the City of Sydney was ahead of its targets for housing development so there was “no clear or urgent argument for why strategically important employment lands should be immediately released in favour of residential development”.
In the greater Sydney area, 8597 new housing lots were released for development in 2014, up from 6690 in 2013, the<a href="https://www.udia.com.au/reports-and-submissions/reports-submissions-2015" target="_blank"> latest UDIA State of the Land report</a> showed.
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zfielding-GvX3Uq9KTa

City of Sydney refuses inner south residential rezoning requests

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Then unremitting diet of big-budget "reality" programs might be good for the economics of our three cash-strapped, revenue-challenged main TV networks, but it is not impressing viewers, who have deserted free-to-air TV prime-time viewing at a rate of one in 10 since the official ratings race started in February.
And there is likely more bad news ahead for the free-to-air networks, which have doubled down on reality shows for the year, with the coming of streaming services like Netflix.
According to analysis of Oztam ratings data for the ratings year so far by Fusion Strategy in Sydney, peak live main channel audiences are down 11.51% so far in 2015. And Fusion’s Steve Allen blames the three networks, which he says are “hammering away at each other with reality ... [and that] will diminish audiences further”.
And he will be proven right when Seven’s House Rules starts after Easter, and Nine starts its knock-off, Reno Rumble. It’s an expensive spoiler from Nine, which shows that the network has run out of ideas for new programs.
Oztam data shows that while both Seven and Nine have lost ground for their current headline reality shows (My Kitchen Rules and The Block), Ten’s audience is up dramatically -- but that is more to do with the fact that a year ago Ten started the year with its weakest audience figures in a decade or more. So far this season, MKR has lost 12.6% of its audience this year compared to 2014, with a 14.4% drop in the 16-to-54 demographics. The Block's audience has fallen 33% compared to 2014 and more than 38% in 16-to-54 viewers.
In a note to clients on Friday, Allen wrote:
“A large proportion, but not all the viewers, are happy with Reality TV … we estimate it is about 65%. The rest do not like or enjoy this genre ... [It’s] pretty clearly a reasonable number of viewers are tiring of Reality … yet this is the pattern the Networks have chosen and committed to for pretty much the whole year. Thus we think the outlook for audiences … just as SVOD [subscription video on demand] launches, as another competitive attack … is a little bleak and problematic."
Over the past couple of years the networks have used reality shows to cut programming costs in a very simple way -- by extending the nightly episodes from an hour or 75 minutes to 90 minutes. That means audiences are held longer to a winning format (in Nine’s case though it has amplified the fall in viewer numbers of The Block), enabling the networks to reap more revenue from charging high ad rates for the extra half hour -- more than they could for a new program. That in turn allows the network to cut half an hour of programming costs four or five nights a week, or one sitcom or two hour-long dramas -- and save upwards of $300,000 to $1 million in production and scheduling costs. The cost of the extra half hour for the reality program is marginal -- the vision would have been shot anyway (the shooting ratio for these programs is quite high).
The danger for the networks is that as the year goes on viewers will stop watching the new programs because they are bored, or have seen them before. And as we saw with Australia’s Got Talent on Seven a couple of years ago, and then on Nine, and Big Brother on Ten and Nine, once viewers get bored with a format, they stay away, costing the network huge amounts of wasted production costs and lost ad revenues.
The driver for this approach is the absence of any growth in TV ad revenues in the past five years -- in 2014 ad revenue for the three networks was less than it was in 2009, despite the rise in costs for big-ticket productions and the huge new broadcasting contracts for the AFL (Seven and Foxtel) and the NRL (Nine and Foxtel). Nine and Seven are now gearing up for the new AFL contract, so they will need to save every dollar of costs they can. Ten will talk the talk on how it wants a part of a new broadcasting contract, but unless the tooth fairy appears to drop a couple of hundred million dollars down its balance sheet, it won’t be a player. It has to convince TV advertisers and viewers it will return in 2016.
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Viewers switch off The Block as networks face harsh reality

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All 50 lots at Breen Property’s Shearwater Landing have now sold in the stage one offerings.
The 44 hillside lots, ranging in size from 560 square metre to 1,109 square metre, were sold for between $950,000 to $1.55 million.
All 50 available lots at Shearwater Landing, have now sold in stage one following on from the success earlier this month when six auction lots sold ranging in prices from <a href="/expert-insights/building/beach-building-blocks-at-2-2-million-plus-sellout-at-shearwater-landing-greenhills-beach-auction">$2.2 million to $2.65 million</a> through Nigel Napoli at Savills Residential Projects .
Nigel Napoli noted "not even the NSW State Election kept buyers away."
“Throughout the entire day there was a flow of couples and families, all eager to sign on the dotted line.” 
Napoli added Savills had been working with clients since the initial pre-registration campaign in 2013
The next release of Shearwater Landing will be the auction of 12 ocean view lots in mid-May, followed by 14 hillside lots which will be sold via an expressions of interest campaign. 
Shearwater Landing, Sydney’s newest beachside suburb, is a master-planned development with a total of 160 torrens title lots within a master-planned, landscaped residential precinct overlooking the Pacific at Greenhills Beach, some 30 to 40 minutes south of the Sydney CBD.
 
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Latest Shearwater Landing land sellout at Greenhills Beach

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Auctioneer David Wood of hockingstuart Albert Park is set to return to The Block this season to sell Charlotte and Josh's apartment.
Mark Konishi of hockingstuart South Yarra is the listing agent.
Wood's greatest success on The Block so far came when he auctioned off Steve and Chantelle's winning apartment on The Block Fans v Faves. The Albert Park apartment in the former Dux Theatre sold for $2.47 million, a record price for the show.
Steve and Chantelle, dubbed the season's "renovation rookies", pocketed the $636,000 above-reserve "profit", along with a $100,000 prize.
At the time, Wood told Property Observer that he would be "delighted" to return to the show.
However, he didn't make an appearance last season, on The Block Glasshouse, where two teams only sold their apartments for a disappointing $10,000 above reserve.
Previously, he appeared on <a href="/news/agents-back-at-the-block-hockingstuart-set-to-sell-in-the-block-albert-park">The Block Sky High</a>, auctioning Trixie and Johnno's penthouse apartment at 142 Park Street, which sold for $1,605,000.
Charlotte and Josh, a chippy and food stylist from Manly in New South Wales, won the show's most recent room reveal with their en suite. The black and white tiled room featured a timber vanity, double black and white sinks, and white plantation shutters.
According to <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.therealestateconversation.com.au/2015/03/24/the-blocks-first-apartment-auction/1427198400" target="_blank">The Real Estate Conversation</a>, Josh and Charlotte's apartment will be listed with a price guide of $1.4 million on 30 March. The property will be open for inspection on April 11 and 12.
Meanwhile, it appears returning couple Darren and Deanne are considering careers in property development. The <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/aap/article-3007202/The-Block-double-Ds-eye-renovation-career" target="_blank">Daily Mail</a> reports that Darren Jolly is hoping to become a registered builder, while Deanne has been "inundated with requests" for her redecorating services from both commercial and individual clients. She also told AAP that she has been considering future television appearances.
 
 
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David Wood of hockingstuart to auction Charlotte and Josh's The Block Triple Threat apartment

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Last night’s Buyers’ Jury on The Block Triple Threat had contestants and viewers on the edge of their seats as potential buyers came in to inspect their handiwork.
The area attracts a high-end clientele so The Block bought in a diverse mix of people, at different stages of their lives and all with different intentions for the property.
Frank Valentic presented two serious property investors looking to rent out the apartments. Nicole Jacobs presented the properties to a retiring couple looking into the area for its attractive atmosphere, prime for people in later stages of their lives.
My buyers were two very different couples. Mature couple Jenny and Murray were looking to add to their property portfolio. Contrastingly, Sophia and Damien were a young professional couple looking to upgrade to the premium lifestyle the South Yarra area has to offer.
The lesson here was to demonstrate there is no point in designing a space with a specific buyer in mind as this only serves to limit your potential market. Blockheads learnt through first hand experience, the buyers market is a vastly varied one, and this should always be kept in the back of their minds when designing and renovating.
When taking a look at the contestants’ ensuites, not only did the buyers appreciate aesthetics, they also highly valued functionality. To their credit, all Block contestants had very strong ensuite designs to their advantage with the buyers.
In keeping with the South Yarra property market, the spaces all had a luxury feel - important to all the potential buyers. All contestants hit the mark with this, cleverly manipulating the functionality of each space.
Ayden and Jess stood out to the buyers as they provided a door around the toilet, considering the need for privacy in a shared space. Charlotte and Josh could have further improved their room (pictured above) by providing more storage. Both Tim and Anastasia and Daz and Dea could have carried more favour by considering the needs of their potential tenants in closer detail, such as providing towel racks that were closer to the shower.
What the buyers thought:
<ul>
<li>Charlotte and Josh – 24.5</li>
<li>Tim and Anastasia – 26.5</li>
<li>Ayden and Jess – 25</li>
<li>Dea and Daz – 26.5</li>
</ul>
GREVILLE PABST is CEO and director of <a href="https://www.wbpproperty.com/" target="_blank">WBP Property Group</a> and a judge on The Block Triple Threat.
Feature photo courtesy of Elizabeth Allnutt Photograph/Channel 9.
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Buyers know best: The Block's Greville Pabst

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A house in the Trillium Estate will be auctioned off for this year's Royal Children's Hospital Good Friday Appeal.
The Sahara Belle Q1 house by Henley Properties will be sold with all proceeds going <a href="https://www.gfacharityhouse.com.au/#charity-auction" target="_blank">towards the appeal</a>.
No reserve will be set at the auction of the four bedroom, three bathroom house. The home, set on a 448 square metre plot in Villawood Property's <a href="https://trillium.villawoodproperties.com.au/" target="_blank">Trillium development at Mickleham</a>, in Melbourne's north.
The double storey house has five living areas and opens through timber stacking doors to an outdoor entertaining space with merbau decking.
The kitchen includes a walk-in butler's pantry and a 900mm cooktop, twin wall ovens and a built in coffee machine, as well as a dishwasher. It also includes Caesarstone benchtops, as do the bathrooms and en suite.
There is timber flooring throughout some living areas, with carpeted bedrooms.
The house also includes ducted refrigerated air-conditioning and 5 star zoned heating.
It will be auctioned on Good Friday, 3 April at 2pm at 16 Melody Way, Mickleham. The home is being marketed by Alex Kundevski and Troy Apostolopoulos of Oliver Hume. It will be open for inspection from 5pm til 6pm on Wednesday 25 April.
The auction event will include appearances from Channel 7 personalities and a sausage sizzle hosted by the CFA. A range of suppliers, including Austral Bricks, Hisense, Deckable Decking, All Green Nursery all donated their services or materials towards the home.
The <a href="https://www.henley.com.au/new-home-collections/clendonvale/sahara-series/belle-q1" target="_blank">Sahara Belle Q1</a> house usually costs $297,900 (not including land). The Trillium development is located 32 kilometres north of the Melbourne CBD, just north of Craigieburn. Last year, <a href="/news/henley-and-villawood-team-up-again-for-good-friday-appeal-children-s-charity-house-auction-offering">Henley and Villawood raised $717,000</a> for the Good Friday Appeal when they auctioned off a house in the Aspire community in Plumpton. 
This Easter marks the Good Friday Appeal's 85th year of contribution to the Royal Children's Hospital.
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Mickelham house and land package to be auctioned for 2015 Royal Children's Hospital Good Friday Appeal

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New home buyers are paying more for less with lot sizes falling and median prices rising around the country, a report from the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) has revealed.
The median size for a new lot nationally fell by 3.6% over 2014 while the average price for a new lot in Australia’s five largest capitals rose by 4.2%, according to the latest UDIA State of the Land Report.
The seventh annual edition of the report noted an ongoing trend of falling lot sizes over recent years. It put the declines down to limited land supply, the high cost of land and affordability constraints felt by new home buyers.
At 474 square metres, the median size of a new lot is now 11.4% smaller than in 2009.
Prices for land in the five biggest cities are up by 22.5% since 2009 with the median price for a new lot now at $246,300.
Nationally, new home buyers paid an average of $527 per square metre in 2014, up 9.5% from the previous year, and up 40% since 2009.
The research, conducted in partnership with Charter Keck Cramer and Research4 using data from the National Land Survey Program, also showed a marked increase in the number of new lots released in 2014 compared with the previous year.
Melbourne saw a 60% increase in lot releases, the largest rise of the capital cities, with 4791 more new lots offered in 2014 than in 2013.
The number of new lots released in South East Queensland rose by 55% compared with 2013.
The strong lift in supply in both Melbourne and South East Queensland constrained price rises in the areas, despite strong buyer demand, the report showed.
In Sydney, prices continued to rise despite a 29% increase in the number of new lots released. The UDIA noted that new supply had consistently been unable to keep up with in demand in the city.
As demand outstripped supply, lot prices in Sydney rose by 5% in 2014. Prices have risen by 15% since 2012.
Lot sizes in Sydney have also shrunk the most. The average lot in Sydney was 450 square metres in 2014, down by 11.6% compared with the year before when the average lot was 509 square metres.
In line with rising prices and falling lot sizes, land prices per square metre in Sydney increased by the largest margin of the capital cities. Price per square metre rose by 18.7% from $636 to $755.
New lot prices in Perth rose by 9.4% spurred by demand. The report noted population growth in Perth continued to be the strongest of the states despite having slowed as mining investment recedes.
Prices were flat in Adelaide where the market remains depressed. 
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New home buyers paying more for less: UDIA

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Developers Victoria Investments &amp; Properties (VIP) and Mirvac adopted a ballot system to sell off the first stage of their housing estate in Melbourne's western growth corridor this weekend.
VIP and Mirvac enlisted television personality Livinia Nixon to host the event on Saturday, where registered buyers had the opportunity to select one of 70 plots at <a href="https://woodlea.com.au/" target="_blank">Woodlea</a>. Each registrant had placed a $1,000 deposit to enter the draw.
There were 185 buyers registered on the day for a chance to select a lot, which were priced from $183,500 for 500 square metres. All 70 lots have now sold.
Upon completion, the $2 billion masterplanned community located 29 kilometres from the Melbourne CBD will span 711 hectares. Saturday's event at Galli Windery was the first stage of the development's land releases.
In total, the community is expected to hold 7,100 residential lots when completed, with two pre-schools, two primary schools and a secondary school.
There are also plans for childcare facilities, a public library and a town centre. The development, located in the City of Melton, is expected to house 20,000 residents. The planned development is located between Melton to the west and Caroline Springs to the east, and will make use of the Rockbank railway station, the Western Highway, the Deerpark Bypass and the Melton Freeway.
VIP's chairman, K.T. Lim, acquired the Woodlea site 15 years ago. Prior to Woodlea, VIP has largely worked on industrial and office projects, including various commercial redevelopments in the Melbourne CBD.
Photo: Supplied.
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