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.

Joel Robinson

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

A collection of just 25 large-format apartments and penthouses overlooking Goodwin Park is entering the Coolangatta market, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/marea-residences-coolangatta-27-27a-dixon-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Maréa Residences</a> combining a low-density, residential-only approach with uninterrupted park and Pacific Ocean outlooks.

Located at 27 Dixon Street, Maréa comprises three and four-bedroom residences alongside a limited number of dual-level penthouses, with the project positioned between Goodwin Park and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/coolangatta-qld-4225">Coolangatta</a>’s coastal precinct.

Construction has commenced, with completion currently estimated for late 2027. Three-bedroom residences are priced from $1.8 million.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150999 project_image_fid=374005]

The project has been designed around its northern outlook across the park, with the building’s architecture, landscaping and material palette intended to establish a connection with the neighbouring green space. The residences have been configured to maximise natural light and views across Goodwin Park towards the ocean.

Inside, the material palette incorporates timber, stone and brushed brass, complemented by curved detailing and ambient lighting. Kitchens and bathrooms carry the same natural material approach, while residences also include basement parking, storage and lift access.

Maréa’s penthouses are arranged over two levels and include private pools, adding another layer to the project’s focus on larger-format apartment living. Across the development, residences are configured with three or four bedrooms rather than the broader mix of smaller apartment types commonly found in larger projects.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150999 project_image_fid=374010]

Resident amenity is concentrated at rooftop level, where landscaped entertaining terraces and pools take advantage of elevated views across Coolangatta and the Pacific Ocean.

The project has so far been particularly well received by local owner-occupiers and downsizers, according to Urban Activation Property Sales and Marketing Director Matt George, with the residential-only format, construction quality and northern park outlook among the features resonating with purchasers.

“The uninterrupted northern aspect overlooking Goodwin Park has been a key point of difference, with buyers attracted to the sense of serenity and open space the park provides, while still enjoying easy access to the ocean and being within walking distance of the lifestyle and amenities Coolangatta has to offer,” George said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150999 project_image_fid=374002]

“The combination of high-quality construction, a residential-only building, park outlook and proximity to the beach has resonated strongly with the local downsizer market.”

The Dixon Street address is within walking distance of Coolangatta Beach and the broader southern Gold Coast coastline, including the surf breaks at Snapper Rocks and Kirra. Coolangatta’s cafés, restaurants and retail are nearby, while Gold Coast Airport is also within close proximity.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150999]

Maréa Residences brings parkside apartments to Coolangatta

Melbourne developer PDG has secured Victorian Government approval for its $1.5 billion Southbank development <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-one-1-queens-bridge-street-southbank-vic-3006">The One</a>, clearing the way for the long-dormant riverfront site opposite Crown to finally be developed.

The Minister for Planning has approved the project at 1-29 Queens Bridge Street, with the Department of Transport and Planning issuing the planning permit following its assessment.

The approval will allow PDG to develop the prominent 5,059 sqm site with a major mixed-use tower comprising premium apartments, including branded residences, a luxury hotel and boutique office space.

PDG acquired the site in late 2024, with its position directly opposite Crown's main entrance and near Melbourne's Arts Precinct making it one of Southbank's most significant remaining development opportunities.

<img alt="PDG" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3933013e-6332-4386-b9be-089df05caf17" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%209.29.22%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=sITIgBqDL0N3VNSMwWEmF5UA.uvcsRyu" />

Designed by COX in collaboration with ODO and PDG, the tower's architecture draws on the movement of the Yarra River, with six vertical pleats running the height of the sculpted facade.

The project will also see the heritage-listed Queens Bridge Hotel restored and incorporated into the development&nbsp;with new hospitality and public uses, including a rooftop venue.

A significant component of The One will be its residential amenity.

More than 5,000 sqm of resident facilities will be delivered across a single level, making it one of the largest consolidated residential amenity offerings proposed in an Australian apartment development.

The planning approval also incorporates a major upgrade of Queensbridge Square, which PDG will deliver in partnership with the City of Melbourne.

<img alt="PDG" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="73167fcd-1031-4b6f-a408-a064cfe45ed1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%209.29.17%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=Pf1AEWxw6SNmBqR0zQW5lyEze.MtxgFp" />

The existing square will be revitalised as a new civic and pedestrian space along the Yarra River, strengthening the connection between the project, Southbank and the riverfront.

PDG Founder and Managing Director Vince Giuliano said the approval represented a major milestone for a site which has remained largely underutilised for more than 15 years.

“This is the most significant Planning Permit approval Melbourne has seen in recent years,” Giuliano said.

“For more than 15 years, this site has remained underutilised. This approval enables us to deliver a project that will contribute meaningfully to the revitalisation of Southbank, restore and reactivate an important heritage building, and create a new civic and hospitality destination for Melbourne.”

The latest approval follows an earlier planning permit issued by the City of Melbourne covering demolition works across part of the site at 9-29 Queens Bridge Street. Those demolition and early works are already underway.

PDG has also started generating early interest in the residential component from owner-occupiers ahead of a planned public launch in early 2027.

PDG secures approval for $1.5bn Southbank apartment development, The One

Local developer Harridan is seeking to turn its Woolloongabba apartment project into the first stage of a broader transformation of Burke Street, using a new 16-storey mixed-use building to establish a greener pedestrian connection toward the rapidly evolving Boggo Road transport and knowledge precinct.

The South East Queensland developer has filed plans for 154 apartments on the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/4-burke-street-woolloongabba-qld-4102">southern side of Burke Street</a>, where its proposal has been designed alongside a wider vision by LatStudios for the street.

That vision positions the southern side of Burke Street for buildings of 15 storeys and above, while envisaging lower-rise development of up to five storeys on the northern side to transition into Woolloongabba's existing character housing. It also proposes wider pedestrian verges, deep planting, new street trees and upgrades to the pedestrian approach to Boggo Road Station.

The Harridan development itself has been designed by Brisbane-based Arqus Design and will comprise 154 apartments across 16 storeys. The mix is weighted heavily toward two-bedroom apartments, with 121 proposed alongside 10 one-bedroom and 23 three-bedroom residences. There will typically be around 14 units per floor.

A lower-ground car park and three podium levels will accommodate 156 resident parking spaces, along with visitor and commercial parking. There will also be 154 resident bicycle spaces and 40 visitor bicycle parks.

&nbsp;

Harridan is a family-owned developer and part of the Holmwood Highgate Group, with more than three decades of development activity across South East Queensland. Its portfolio spans residential, commercial and industrial property, with current residential projects including Riverbank on Byron in Bulimba, Esperance Residences in Carina and The Precinct at Kinross Road in Thornlands.

Wooloongabba has been popular for apartment developers, particularly since the announcement of the 2032 Summer Olympics games in Brisbane.

While there have been a lot of development applications, it has failed to materialize into real supply.&nbsp;

Sarazin has been the major player in the area. They are under construction at Murcia Residences, on the fringe of East Brisbane and Woolloongabba. They have just launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-stanley-residences-woolloongabba-8-trafalgar-street-woolloongabba-qld-4102">The Stanley Residences</a>, in Woolloongabba on Trafalagar Street. They also have Nuage coming soon on the nearby <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nuage-woolloongabba-14-wellington-road-woolloongabba-qld-4102">Wellington Road</a>.

First look: Harridan plans Burke Street transformation beside Boggo Road transport hub

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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There were just 239 sales of vacant residential land and house-and-land packages on the Gold Coast over the September quarter, according to the latest Prodap report.
Of these 239 sales, 56 were house-and-land packages, with vacant lot sales totalling 183.
Report author Bill Morris says the Gold Coast residential land market continues to under-perform, though there are some exceptions, with developer Sunland finding a niche market for its architect-designed homes.
“The real standout was Sunland Group’s four projects at The Glades (Robina), Gardene at Pacific Pines, The Concourse at Royal Pines (Benowa), and The Address at Sanctuary Cove had all but sold out its available stock, with more to be released with strong pre-sales,” says Morris.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/10/glades.jpg">
“Sunland Group is operating in the mid-price range of $700,000 to $1.1 million for quality three- and four-bedroom products, mainly on golf course frontages."
The other developer to manage reasonable sales was Stockland, which recorded 75 sales on its three land estates at Ormeau Ridge (35), Highland Reserve Upper Coomera (25), and Riverstone Crossing Upper Coomera (15).
Mirvac managed 15 land sales at its Gainsborough Greens development in Pimpama, with prices ranging from $215,000 to $400,000.
Gilston Developments sold 12 townhouses at auction at its Grand Manor estate at the Grand Golf Course, with prices ranging from $595,000 to $1,625,000.
Click to enlarge
<a title="Click to enlarge" rel="shadowbox" href="/images/stories/2012/10/prodap.jpg"><img src="/images/stories/2012/10/prodapthumb.jpg"></a>
“Vacant land sales continue to hover under 200 per quarter with no sign of improvement,” notes the report, which is based on a survey of every active and passive developer of residential land, house-and-land packages, townhouses and villas on the Gold Coast.
This brings total sales to 1,001 lots and house-and-land packages sold over the past 12 months to September – the lowest volume of annualised sales for records going back to 1985.
Click to enlarge
<a title="Click to enlarge" rel="shadowbox" href="/images/stories/2012/10/prodap2.jpg"><img src="/images/stories/2012/10/prodap2thumb.jpg"></a>
Despite the record low land sales, the number of lots and house-and-land packages available for purchase remain at historical low levels, with few new projects being launched.
There are currently just 818 lots and 388 new houses up for sale representing one year’s supply at current take-up rates.
While stock is not rising, Morris says residential rents are increasing at 6% per annum south of Broadbeach for four-bedroom houses, with the market "virtually unserviced for new stock", except for Stockland’s Observatory land project at Reedy Creek in West Burleigh.
The report notes there is a pipeline of planned projects comprising 2,848 lots, but Morris says this is “unrealistically positive”, running at three times the current annual sales rate.
Morris says low demand rather than over-supply is the main problem – the result of restrictive bank lending policies.
Other problems facing the Gold Coast new housing market are record low population growth prohibitive local council infrastructure and charges, which are only new being “re-formulated”.
The Gold Coast City Council resolved to impose on a 12-month moratorium on infrastructure charges, which will save developers $28,000 per detached house and $20,000 per one- or two-bedroom apartment.
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Sunland boutique projects find niche market but Gold Coast house-and-land sales slump to 27-year low

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The second episode of the latest Grand Designs Australia airs tonight with a Californian bungalow being replaced by a sculptural, Japanese style all-timber house.
Hosted by Peter Maddison, <a href="https://www.lifestyle.com.au/granddesigns/series-3/episode-2-hampton-timber.aspx" target="_blank">Grand Designs Australia l</a>ooks at the residential project in the Melbourne suburb of <a href="/news">Hampton</a>.
The elaborate design project is undertaken by self-builders Jenny and Brett. The four-bedroom home gets a wrap-around lap pool with decking that hugs the back of house.
Its master bedroom is located on the second floor.
The origami-influenced structure is clad in spotted gum. 
Their dedication ensures the challenging rebuild triumphs despite the challenges.
In last week's episode showed a couple in Victoria’s <a href="/news">Mansfield</a> turn their vision of an indoor/outdoor lifestyle into a home.
Grand Designs Australia airs on the Lifestyle channel at 8:30pm.
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Hampton Californian bungalow feeling Japanese on tonight's Grand Designs

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Melbourne house and-land-developers should focus on offering land at its true value surrounded by the right mix of community amenities and drop their rebates and incentives, says Australand’s head of residential developments in Victoria.
The developer has set up a new website – <a target="_blank" href="https://www.righttimetobuy.com.au">www.righttimetobuy.com.au</a> – to inform prospective buyers that rebates and incentives do not add any real value and while they appear to lower the price, buyers need to “understand that banks and financial institutions factor all of this into their valuation which could ultimately jeopardise your loan application”.
Rob Pradolin, Australand general manager for residential in Victoria, says everyone who buys land that comes with an incentive is paying an inflated face price, meaning they are paying too much in stamp duty.
“As an example someone buying a block of land for $200,000 plus receives a free car worth approximately $30,000 should be paying stamp duty on only $170,000,” he says.
In addition, the unsuspecting buyer might go to the bank, having bought land for $200,000 to seek financing and run into difficulties.
“The bank will see that the buyer has a received a free gift or offer, and the buyer may need to find money to make up the difference between the valuation and the list price,” he says.
Pradolin says people should buy "on value".
He says developers need to acknowledge that the “market price of land has changed”.
“There has been a re-adjustment in Melbourne land prices. Even if there is a spike in demand there will be no dramatic increase in pricing.
“Let’s make it simple for the consumer and start selling value again not who has the biggest discount.
“The legitimate use of the rebate from a business perspective has been lost,” he says.
Pradolin says all developers have used rebates in the past, but when the market was operating normally and with a different purpose in mind such as “when you need to achieve a certain volume target that’s over and above what a normal market would deliver".
“We have use rebates to provide an incentive to a buyer to buy earlier than they would normally. Rebates allow you to adjust the net price and not affect underlying value of the property,” he says.
But he says now he says <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/land/flashy-developer-incentives-push-up-cost-%E2%80%93-and-attendant-stamp-duty-%E2%80%93-of-melbourne-land-packages-australand/2012101657196" target="_blank">“everyone” is offering rebates</a>, and “all the time” as a marketing tool, to attract buyers based on “how much incentive you can offer”.
“You lose what should be the real fundamental reason for buying – location, location, location – and the amenity and surroundings you offer in the development."
Pradolin says Australand has found that people have a degree of confidence when land is priced under $200,000.
A recent Colliers International report found the median Melbourne land prices fell by 9% from $215,000 to $205,000 over the first six months of 2012. Sales of land on Melbourne’s fringes have been in decline since the second half of 2009, falling from 16,000 sales in 2010 to just 6,000 for the first six months of 2012. Colliers International forecasts only modest growth ahead for the Melbourne residential land market.
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Price Melbourne land at its true value and buyers will come: Australand

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The banks have come under attack for their unwillingness to finance the development of new residential projects in Sydney and are potentially holding back the recovery of the new housing market, says BIS Shrapnel managing director Robert Mellor.
Speaking at the recent QBE LMI Housing Outlook breakfast, Mellor said developers had been telling BIS Shrapnel that a more favourable planning attitude had been adopted by the O’Farrell state government, ahead of changes to the planning regime next year.
“We are hearing from developers that the state government has changed its attitude significantly.
“The sorts of comments I am hearing is that the government is far more accommodative even without the new regime in place and that’s a favourable thing for new construction,” said Mellor.
But he said the most important thing needed to stimulate a recovery was “the banks freeing up their attitude to lending practices”.
“My personal view is that banks are being very tough on developers and very tough on individual borrowers.
“There is this perception [among the banks] that housing could still fall through the floor like it has done in other parts of the world
“They need to realise that everything has been thrown at this sector over the last three to four years – it will be nine years since the boom ended coming up this Christmas.
“You can’t talk about prices being massively overvalued when we have seen significant correction in prices, and in real terms they have declined around 12%.”
Mellor says while it is more still relatively more expensive to build in Sydney, there will be a recovery in construction on Sydney fringes.
However, he says the substantial recovery will need to come in medium density and high density construction because the old days of relying on owner occupiers building new houses are over
“You need investors.
“We have a favourable regime, but the problem is if banks take a negative attitude on that, then it will be held back
“If that’s the case there is the risk of asset price inflation – you need more supply.
“The banks have a part to play in that, whether it's funding fringe development or supporting high-rise development.
“People need to realise there is no oversupply risk and no collapse about to come.”
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Banks refusing to play ball on residential projects holding back Sydney new home construction: BIS Shrapnel

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Two current auction listings in Sydney’s inner east are amongst the smallest for their suburbs.
Agents are selling a 45-square-metre house in Paddington and a Darlinghurst house on about 40 square metres.
The smallest Sydney house that Property Observer is aware of is in Rozelle.
A tiny six-metre-wide terrace in Paddington has been listed for sale at more than half a million dollars.
The 45-square-metre property at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-paddington-111902647">4 Mary Place</a> (pictured below) maximises space with a charming rustic rooftop entertaining terrace.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/10/mary.jpg">
It has been listed through BresicWhitney agents William Phillips and Maclay Longhurst with $525,000-plus hopes for its November 17 auction.
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/2012/10/mary2.jpg">
Potential buyers enter the property through its Mary Place entry into the open-plan living and dining room. One door leads into the galley-style kitchen while the other leads into a 3.2-metre by 2.4-metre bedroom and an ensuite. A hatch leads onto the rooftop storage and entertaining area.
Marketing for the property describes it as a “sundrenched” look with weathered timber floors.
Property Observer understands the house belongs to Full Square architect Dodie McMenamin.
McMenamin bought the property in 2006 for $410,000 after it was listed for two months at $435,000. Prior to that it sold for $390,000 in 2005.
The property is close to Glenmore Road and Oxford Street.
Also listed by BresicWhitney is a cosy house on about 40 square metres in Darlinghurst.
The property at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bresicwhitney.com.au/real-estate/id/property/10066/darlinghurst/3-sims-street/#top">3 Sims Street, Darlinghurst</a> (pictured below) is listed by agents Dominic Kuneman and Brigitte Blackman for $675,000.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/10/sims.jpg">
It has a total interior area of around 60 square metres.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/10/sims2.jpg">The two-storey home comes with a tiny courtyard decorated with a wall garden of dangling plants.
It comes with a mix of polished timber floors and tiles throughout and a gas fireplace in the loungeroom.
Potential buyers enter into the living room via Sims Street. A door at the back leads onto the dining room and kitchen, which opens out to the small courtyard at the back. A staircase in the living room leads up to the two bedrooms and one bathroom on the upper floor.
According to RP Data, it last sold in 1996 for $225,000.
Sydney’s smallest home is believed to be at <a target="_blank" href="https://goo.gl/maps/Bi4Z3">180A Evans Street, Rozelle</a> (pictured below), on 27 square metres built in a former alleyway.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/10/small.jpg">It’s pictured on Google Streetview with what looks like a Red Aston Martin with a parking ticket on it.
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Pocket-sized Paddington and Darlinghurst property listings among Sydney's smallest houses

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The Sunshine Coast is the most expensive regional market to buy residential land, according to the latest HIA-RP Data Residential Land Report.
The median lot price on the Sunshine Coast is just under $250,000, around $25,000 more expensive than buying it on the Gold Coast.
Overall, sales of residential land picked over the June Quarter.
“The June 2012 quarter saw residential land sales rise by 23.3% to be up by 29.7% when compared to the same period in 2011,” said HIA chief economist, Harley Dale.
“Growth is from a low base and the result is exaggerated by a policy-induced pull-forward in land sales in New South Wales and Victoria. Nevertheless, land sales did rise in all six state capitals and in a majority of regional areas and that is an encouraging result.”
<img src="/images/stories/2012/10/exxyland.gif">
 
 
 
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Sunshine Coast most expensive regional market to buy land: HIA-RP Data

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This week I went to an eye specialist. I’ve decided it was time to consider laser surgery as I’m short-sighted and need glasses for driving and now I also need glasses to read (yes, I know, a sign of ageing!).  I spent about an hour peering into various machines while my eyes were scanned, measured and flashed at.  At one point I thought I was in a disco with strobe lighting, but unfortunately no John Travolta materialised.

Afterwards the specialist reviewed the enlarged computer images taken of my eyes; I asked him if the measurements were showing the contours of my eyes. He looked at me and said yes and was a little curious to know how I knew this, apparently not many people ask.  I told him I was a property developer and it reminded me of the contour survey that we need before we start developing our sites (pardon the pun... get it sight / site?!).

So eyes and land both need surveying before any work can be done. It makes sense, really.  The surgeon needs detail such as the height of my cornea, and the builder needs to know the fall of the land.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=27783]

This made me reflect on how important it is to understand the contours of land. I find that many of our clients do not understand what a contour survey is and why it’s necessary, so I thought I’d focus on this today.

In the property world, a contour is an outline of a mass of land. A contour or detailed survey is done by a surveyor and required before you can start on the design of your buildings. Contour lines will be marked on the survey.  Below are some tips* that can help explain the marking you’ll see:

<ul>
<li>All points on a contour line are of the same elevation.</li>
	<li>No two contour lines can meet or cross each other except in the rare case of an overhanging vertical cliff or wall</li>
	<li>Closely spaced contour lines indicate steep slope</li>
	<li>Widely spaced contour lines indicate gentle slope</li>
	<li>Equally spaced contour lines indicate uniform slope</li>
	<li>Closed contour lines with higher elevation towards the centre indicate hills</li>
	<li>Closed contour lines with reducing levels towards the centre indicate pond or other depression.</li>
	<li>All contour lines must close either within the map boundary or outside.</li>
</ul>
*Reference: engineeringcivil.com and Ramasesh Iyer 

Once the architect or draftsperson has a contour survey then they can begin work on the plans, and the survey will indicate how much site works may be required.  For example, a sloping site will need to be levelled if you are using a slab construction and therefore the approximate height of retaining walls and volume of spoil to be removed need to be calculated.  These costs need to be allowed for by the builder and he depends on the measurements on the contour survey for this data.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7633]

<hr class="system-pagebreak">
 

Click to enlarge

<a href="/images/stories/2012/10/survey.gif" rel="shadowbox" title="Click to enlarge"><img src="/images/stories/2012/10/surveythumb.gif"></a>

On this survey above, if you look at the first number on the top right-hand side of the survey it reads 1.06.0 then the next number down reads 105.5, this tells us there is a half metre fall from the rear boundary to this contour line. The surveyor has used 500mm intervals to the next contour line.  The last measurement at the front boundary reads 99.0.  So this tells me the site has about a seven-metre fall, so it’s a steep site. The interesting thing showing on this survey is the area in the middle of the survey where there is a break in contour lines. The surveyor has marked the survey with broken lines to indicate a change in grade. Why would this be?

I can tell you why. There was an old house built right in the middle but it had been demolished, so this part of the land had been levelled. This site, while steep, was purchased for a pier, bearers and joist style project, and the view from the top of the site is spectacular out over the valley. So it’s certainly not an ideal development site, but we made it work nicely as a dual-occupancy project.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=8082]

Accuracy of a survey is extremely important. On one site we found the surveyor (not mine, as this was a development application-approved site purchased) had taken a measurement from one metre in from the rear boundary instead of right on the rear boundary. This was not picked up until after site preparations started and the site was cut. As the site sloped from rear to front, the retaining required on this rear boundary was much more than the builder had allowed for based on the plans. So it is important if you are buying DA-approved sites, to have your own surveyor double-check the plans and proposed levels that are based on the original contour survey.

I’ll keep you updated on whether I have my sight fixed but in the meantime, set your sights on the contour survey before you start developing property.

Jo Chivers is director of <a href="https://www.propertybloom.com.au/">Property Bloom</a>, which manages property development.
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What you need to know about contours on a property development site

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The Mallee region in northern Victoria is the cheapest place in Australia to buy a block of residential land, according to the latest HIA-RP Data Residential Land Report
The median lot price in Mallee was $73,500 over the June quarter.
The Mallee municipality incorporates the rural towns of <a target="_blank" href="/news">Mildura </a>and <a target="_blank" href="/news">Swan Hill</a> as well as the Shire of Gannawarra and the Shire of Buloke.
Nationally, in the June 2012 quarter the weighted median residential land value in Australia eased by 0.3% to $192,828.
Sales were up 23.3% to 15,255, the highest number of sales recorded since the June quarter of 2010.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/10/hiaoct18.gif">
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Victoria’s Mallee tops list of 10 cheapest municipalities to buy land: HIA-RP Data

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Grand Designs Australia will return tonight for a third season on Foxtel’s The LifeStyle Channel.
Architect Peter Maddison will be looking at the Mansfield home of farmer couple Pamela and Stuart.
The couple hope to incorporate an “indoor-outdoor lifestyle” to their new home, which leaves Maddison worried they are trying to bring Melbourne to Mansfield.
The couple formerly lived in a one-bedroom home requiring visitors to sleep under the stars, a tradition they wish to continue in some fashion.
In <a href="https://www.lifestyle.com.au/granddesigns/" target="_blank">another upcoming episode</a> the spotlight will be on the construction of another couple’s Balnarring home on a rural block.
The couple plan to build a grand home complete with a swimming pool and a wine cellar but run into difficulty with poor ground conditions.
Maddison notes the packing sand has effectively turned into quicksand, as foundation works set the project behind two months.
Shot over the past 12 months with 160 shooting days for Maddison, the Australian program charts the projects undertaken by self-builders – from the initial blueprints to the long and predictably arduous building of the property and the final moving in.
“Grand Designs Australia season three sees some incredible designs built with exotic materials, proving there is no one answer when it comes to selection or style,” says Maddison.
“All the brave home owners are searching for the right answer, and I've enjoyed trying to find the truth in each.”
The fourth episode looks at a couple in Warburton who bought a former water reservoir. They had planned on building a house cantilevered over the water until their feng shui expert advised against it. They have the site blessed by a Buddhist monk.
Over the course of the episode the couple start to doubt the veracity of the feng shui consultant's level of expertise.
Most of the episodes focus on rural constructions with other episodes in Byron Bay, Barossa Valley and Ocean View. There is one episode in Hampton and one episode in Annandale.
The show is based on the successful British series hosted by Kevin McCloud. His show is currently screening its 12th season.
<a target="_blank" href="http://propertyobserver.com.au/ebooks/free-ebook-lessons-from-the-block-and-other-property-reality-television-shows">For lessons property investors can learn from property reality TV shows, download our free eBook.</a>
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Grand Designs Australia returns for a third season

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Sydney Open offers the opportunity to go behind the scenes of some of Sydney’s best-loved buildings during the first weekend of November.
Organised by the Historic Houses Trust of New South Wales as part of the Sydney Architecture Festival, Sydney Open has three feature events: Sydney Open Night, Focus Tours and City Pass.
Sydney Open night is a free event held on Friday November 2 at 6pm with inspections of five sites, including the Chief Secretary’s building designed by architect James Barnet, Hyde Park Barracks Museum designed by Francis Greenway, On Seven at David Jones, Parliament house and St James’ Church.
Focus Tours will be led by the buildings' architects and owners and will run all day Saturday, November 3, with prices starting from $30.
Some of the buildings that can be viewed include two Sydney offices BVN Studio and Challenger workplace.
Challenger won the 2012 RAIA NSW interior architecture award and made it onto the 2009 World Architecture interiors short list.
Other buildings in the Focus Tours include the newly completed Cranbrook Junior School at Rose Bay, The Jack House at Wahroonga, the Kharkov House at Bellevue Hill  – and even tour of platforms and tunnels at Central Station, but that's been already sold out.
 The last opportunity to participate in Sydney Open is the City Pass on Sunday November 4.
City passes for the general public start from $40 and $30 for concession and members.
Participants are provided with a map and a City Pass wristband that gives them access to 50 of Sydney’s CBD buildings.
One of the 50 buildings is the $667 million development 1 Bligh Street, Sydney’s first six-star green star office tower.
Other buildings that can be viewed include Government House, Deutsche Bank Place, Challenger Workplace and the Central Local court.
A full list of the buildings available for viewing for Focus Tours and City Pass can be viewed on the <a target="_blank" href="https://sydneyopen.hht.net.au">Sydney Open website</a>. 
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