<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/venturecrowd-property-projects">VentureCrowd</a> is down to the final Canopy Villa release at Cumulus Grand Villas in Carrara, as construction continues on the 59-residence gated community positioned above 100 hectares of natural savanna on the Gold Coast.

The remaining Canopy Villa forms part of one of four collections within the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bda-architecture">BDA Architecture</a>-designed community and has attracted interest from buyers seeking larger-format homes that combine privacy, security and low-maintenance living. Positioned within a private cul-de-sac and facing a protected black she oak forest, the four-bedroom villa includes a large private outdoor area suited to pet owners and families wanting more flexible space.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/cumulus-grand-villas-carrara-17-baltimore-court-carrara-qld-4211">Cumulus Grand Villas</a>, located at 17 Baltimore Court, comprises a mix of three and four-bedroom villas across the Skyline, Canopy, Savanna and Broadview collections. Prices currently range from $1.455 million to $1.895 million, with the final Canopy Villa priced from $1.825 million.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135663 project_image_fid=360477]

The Canopy Collection villas offer four bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and approximately 245 sqm of internal space, alongside double garages and landscaped private areas. Expansive glazing, open-plan living spaces and private balconies have been designed to maximise natural light and outlooks toward the surrounding savanna landscape.

Construction is now underway across the fully funded development, which VentureCrowd says has become an increasingly important consideration for buyers assessing off-the-plan opportunities on the Gold Coast. The project is being delivered by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/devcon">Devcon Property Group</a>, which has operated in South East Queensland since 1993 and delivered more than 1,000 homes across the region.

VentureCrowd Director of Property David Whitting previously said the project responds to changing buyer priorities in the prestige Gold Coast market.

“Flexible floorplans have proven particularly relevant for purchasers aged between 40 and 65, including next home buyers, downsizers and investors,” Whitting said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135663 project_image_fid=360505]

The buyer profile at Cumulus has reflected that shift toward owner-occupier-driven demand. Stuart Towns and Tracey Loynes recently purchased a Canopy Villa, drawn to both the lifestyle offering and the flexibility the home provided for their next stage of living together.

The couple, who met three years ago, sold their Robina home earlier this year after identifying what they saw as strong long-term investment potential at Cumulus while remaining within the same Gold Coast market. The villa’s private backyard was a major drawcard for their dog Luna, while proximity to golf courses including Emerald Lakes also aligned with their lifestyle interests.

Beyond the residences themselves, the community has been planned around shared lifestyle and recreation amenities. The Infinity Terrace will include a 20-metre heated pool, barbecue facilities, alfresco dining spaces and elevated retreat areas overlooking the surrounding landscape. Walking trails, a private nature reserve, orchard and herb garden are also integrated into the masterplan.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135663 project_image_fid=360473]

BDA Architecture Director Darren Greenaway said the design approach was heavily influenced by the site’s outlook and secluded setting.

The practice sought to create what Greenaway described as a “little piece of paradise,” drawing inspiration from the elevated views, surrounding greenery and quiet location.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/carrara-qld-4211">Carrara</a> continues to attract buyers seeking larger homes within proximity to the coast but without direct beachfront pricing. Cumulus sits within easy reach of Broadbeach, Pacific Fair, Robina Town Centre and the M1, providing connections north to Brisbane and south toward the Gold Coast Airport and northern New South Wales.

The first stage of Cumulus Grand Villas is targeting completion in 2026.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135663]

Joel Robinson

VentureCrowd nears sell-out of Canopy Collection at Cumulus Grand Villas in Carrara

Waverley Council has made a call that many councils have been reluctant to make publicly. Growth is coming, regardless of who controls it.

The release of the Bondi Junction Vision and Master Plan is less about whether the Eastern Suburbs’ primary centre will change, and more about how that change is shaped, funded, and ultimately experienced on the ground. Waverley Council has released a 100-page plan which is effectively the first comprehensive blueprint for Bondi Junction in over two decades, and in doing so, signals a clear shift in how councils are positioning themselves in the current planning environment.

For the past 18 months, the conversation across New South Wales has been dominated by the State Government’s Low and Mid-Rise Housing reforms and the emergence of the Housing Delivery Authority pathway. Both have created faster, more centralised avenues for development approvals, particularly in well-located, infrastructure-rich areas like Bondi Junction.

Waverley Council’s response has been to move early, and decisively.

Rather than react to individual proposals as they come through the HDA or broader State-led reforms, Council has sought to establish a clear, place-based framework that sets the terms for how Bondi Junction evolves. The underlying position is relatively straightforward: if densification is inevitable, it should be tied to infrastructure, public domain improvements, and a cohesive vision for the centre, not delivered piecemeal through ad hoc applications.

<img alt="bondi junction" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7f1f729c-ed99-4c6c-bf87-ffbce6991941" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-19%20at%209.58.16%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=ULX4OlXKjeJ5BvNCNGL86evgXCjCfMih" />

At its core, the document is attempting to reposition Bondi Junction from what it largely functions as today, a transport interchange anchored by a major retail centre, into something far more layered. The ambition is to transform it into what the plan describes as the “civic and cultural heart of Sydney’s East,” a place that is active beyond commuting hours and capable of supporting a broader mix of uses, experiences and communities.

That repositioning is built around four key ambitions.

The first is to create a true destination. Bondi Junction already attracts significant foot traffic, with more than 86,000 daily transport users and millions of annual retail visits, but much of that activity is transient. People pass through, rather than stay.

The Master Plan seeks to change that dynamic. It leans heavily into the idea of an “18-hour economy,” extending activity well beyond traditional retail hours through dining, cultural programming, events, and a more active night-time offering. This is not just about adding more hospitality venues, but about fundamentally shifting how the centre operates, from a daytime shopping destination to a place that functions across the full span of the day and into the evening.

Oxford Street Mall sits at the centre of that shift.

Long seen as underperforming relative to its potential, the Mall is identified as one of the key catalyst projects in the plan. It is to be reimagined as a day-to-night spine, combining retail, dining, wellness and cultural uses in a way that creates a continuous flow of activity. Outdoor dining, rooftop venues, laneway activation and a curated events program are all part of the strategy, alongside significant public domain upgrades that aim to improve comfort, safety and usability.

&nbsp;

The second ambition is to transform Bondi Junction into a world-class interchange.

Despite being one of the most heavily used transport nodes in Sydney, the current experience is fragmented. Connections between the station, Westfield, Oxford Street Mall and surrounding streets are often unclear, and major roads create physical barriers that disrupt pedestrian movement.

The Master Plan proposes a more seamless, people-focused network. That includes clearer pedestrian links, improved wayfinding, better integration between transport modes, and a rethinking of how arrival into the centre is experienced. The aim is to shift the perception of Bondi Junction from a place people move through, to a place they arrive in.

The third ambition focuses on greening and open space.

One of the more consistent pieces of community feedback throughout the Vision phase was the need for more greenery, better public spaces, and a more comfortable urban environment. Despite being surrounded by major parks, Bondi Junction itself has relatively limited accessible open space, with much of the public realm dominated by hard surfaces and traffic infrastructure.

The plan responds with a network of new and upgraded public spaces, increased tree canopy, and what it terms the “Parkline,” a green link connecting Waverley Park through to Centennial Park. This is not just about aesthetics. It is about addressing heat, improving liveability, and ensuring that increased density is matched by access to high-quality outdoor space.

The fourth ambition is perhaps the most important from a development perspective: growth that gives back.

Bondi Junction is already the primary location for new housing supply in the Waverley LGA, and that is expected to continue. The area carries a target of 2,400 new dwellings by 2029, with further growth projected beyond that as demand for well-located housing continues to rise. The Master Plan does not seek to limit that growth. Instead, it attempts to shape it.

New housing is to be concentrated around transport, with stepped building heights designed to protect the character of surrounding neighbourhoods. At the same time, the plan introduces a more explicit link between development uplift and public benefit. This is where value capture becomes central.

The document outlines a framework where increased development potential is tied to contributions that fund public domain improvements, community infrastructure, open space, and affordable housing. It is an approach that recognises that much of the transformation of Bondi Junction will be delivered by the private sector, but seeks to ensure that the benefits of that growth are shared more broadly. The Civic Precinct is a key part of that equation.

Leveraging Council-owned land, the plan proposes a consolidated civic and cultural hub centred around Ebley Street. This would include new community facilities, cultural spaces, and potentially a new Council Chambers, creating a focal point for civic life that currently does not exist in Bondi Junction at scale.

It is one of several catalyst projects identified in the Master Plan, alongside the Oxford Street Mall transformation. These projects are intended to anchor change, acting as early interventions that unlock broader investment across the precinct.

Importantly, the Master Plan is not just a design document. It includes a delivery framework that sets out how these ambitions are intended to be realised.

Council is explicit in acknowledging that it cannot deliver the transformation alone. Implementation will require coordination between State agencies, private developers, landowners and the community, with a mix of planning agreements, infrastructure contributions and direct delivery mechanisms used to fund and stage improvements over time.

The plan outlines a mix of short-term, medium-term and long-term actions, from immediate public domain upgrades and planning controls, through to larger-scale projects that will unfold over the next decade or more. In practical terms, the next 12 to 24 months will be the most important.

This is when the Master Plan will move through exhibition, refinement and eventual adoption. It is also the period in which Council will seek to embed the framework into its planning controls, giving it weight in the assessment of future development applications.

Council officers have indicated that once the Master Plan is in place, it could be used as a benchmark when assessing Housing Delivery Authority proposals, and potentially reduce the need for further HDA declarations within Bondi Junction. In effect, it is an attempt to bring planning control back to the local level, while still aligning with State housing targets.

That tension between State-led reform and local planning control is not unique to Waverley. It is playing out across Sydney.

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If delivered as intended, Bondi Junction will become denser, more active, and more complex. It will support more residents, more workers, and a wider range of uses, extending beyond its current retail core into a more layered urban environment.

“The civic and cultural heart of Sydney’s East”: Bondi Junction masterplan revealed

Toorak's dress circle St Georges Road, home to some of the city's priciest homes, is set for a rare new apartment development.

Blood Diamond Group, an entity tied to Tina Brandi, wife of David Brandi who has been a prolific bidder on The Block over the years, has filed plans for an ultra-exclusive development across an amalgamated 3,662 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/104-106-st-georges-road-toorak-vic-3142">104 and 106 St Georges Road</a>.

The proposal would replace two existing homes on the riverfront site with a five-level apartment building cascading down the steeply sloping land toward the Yarra River. Designed by Charles Wright Architects, the development has been carefully shaped around the site’s topography and river environs, with the upper levels stepping back to reduce visual bulk from both St Georges Road and the Yarra corridor.

Planning documents describe the proposal as “a site layout and building typology that is consistent with the emerging character of the area and which provides exceptional amenity for future residents without compromising that of neighbouring properties.”&nbsp;

<img alt="First look: Blood Diamond Group unveils riverfront apartment plans for Toorak Pavilion" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ea19a17e-7528-4fa8-b727-05f2f7c025e5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Toorak%20pavilion%20a_0.png?VersionId=rZ2IjdoUL_UrRl1sZ4wZHnQXbYUaEmUQ" />

The scheme comprises 12 apartments, including 10 three-bedroom residences, one one-bedroom apartment, and a substantial split-level five-bedroom penthouse. A 624 sqm communal rooftop terrace will crown the building, while three undercroft levels embedded into the hillside will accommodate apartments and basement parking.

The design leverages the site’s dramatic northern outlook across the Yarra River, with living areas and balconies oriented toward the water. A central atrium running the full height of the building is intended to draw natural light deep into the residences and improve internal amenity.

Landscape architecture by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/jack-merlo">Jack Merlo Design &amp; Landscape</a> will play a major role in softening the built form, particularly along the river edge where significant setbacks have been introduced. The proposal includes a minimum 30-metre setback from the Yarra River boundary, preserving a substantial landscaped buffer between the development and the waterway.

While a mature English Oak near the front of the site is proposed for removal, the plans retain a large English Elm closer to the riverfront, alongside other established vegetation in the lower section of the property.

<img alt="First look: Blood Diamond Group unveils riverfront apartment plans for Toorak Pavilion" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ed3bf19b-5bc7-482f-bde7-41f709a13c3a" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Toorak%20pavilion%20b.png?VersionId=SG_kBGu4rOaSPY8FtVcmPJfSCrstuOfg" />

Architecturally, the building adopts strong horizontal forms with expansive glazing and curved balcony edges facing the river. Planning documents note the upper levels “adopt a receding form” to ensure the building responds appropriately to the Yarra River environs overlay controls.&nbsp;

The surrounding streetscape is characterised by large contemporary homes embedded into the hillside, many presenting as modest one or two-storey forms to the street before expanding toward the river frontage below. The planning report notes this established pattern heavily influenced the massing strategy for Toorak Pavilion.&nbsp;

Until the recent sale of the landmark Clendon Road mansion Coonac for around $130 million, St Georges Road held the state's most expensive home, the $80,000,088 derelict "Ghost House" mansion that was bought by crypto king Ed Craven.&nbsp;

Blair House, also on St Georges Road, sold for $74.5 million in 2022.

First look: Toorak Pavilions slated for dress circle St Georges Road

Six months after a development site on Kangaroo Point’s Shafston Avenue sold for $6.55 million, plans have been lodged for a 23-storey apartment tower.

A company named JMT Mega Capital, understood to be interstate investors when the 1,222 sqm double block traded late last year through Patona Property, is proposing an 84-apartment development in place of the existing low-rise buildings.

The slender tower at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/212-220-shafston-avenue-east-brisbane-qld-4169">212–220 Shafston Avenue</a>, overlooking the Brisbane River, has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/aplus-design-group">Aplus Design Group</a>. It will comprise a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments above six basement levels, topped by rooftop resident amenities.

<img alt="First look: 23-storey Kangaroo Point tower planned for Shafston Avenue riverfront precinct" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7e17ba9e-553e-42ef-92b6-22081671521a" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/podium_3.png?VersionId=hlVUf99vrOjUs.vhQs0qV0DhOncUy9T8" />

The development has been designed as a vertically articulated tower with recessed balconies, curved façades and planted edges intended to soften its scale within the evolving Shafston Avenue skyline. In the submitted Urban Design Report, Aplus Design Group said the tower had been “shaped with a slender vertical expression, articulated façades, recessed balcony zones, integrated planting and a clearly defined podium relationship, helping to reduce perceived bulk and create a more elegant contribution to the Shafston Avenue streetscape and broader Kangaroo Point skyline.”

The scheme comprises 84 apartments, including 25 one-bedroom units, 34 two-bedroom apartments and 25 three-bedroom residences. A total of 104 car spaces are proposed across six basement levels, including resident, visitor and accessible parking.

Residents will have access to rooftop communal open space and shared amenities, while the development also incorporates deep planting zones and subtropical landscaping throughout the podium and tower levels. The project includes 35 per cent communal space coverage across the site and a 17.5 per cent deep soil zone allocation to support urban greening outcomes.

The application exceeds the mapped building height under the Kangaroo Point Peninsula Neighbourhood Plan and is being assessed under Brisbane City Council’s impact assessment pathway. The design team argues the additional height is supported by the site’s strategic inner-city location, existing high-density zoning, and proximity to transport and employment hubs.

“The design has been developed to make better use of a well-serviced urban site within an established high-density residential setting, while improving the street presentation and overall quality of the public realm interface,” the report states.

<img alt="First look: 23-storey Kangaroo Point tower planned for Shafston Avenue riverfront precinct" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1ab44b1e-ff45-4bf3-8da8-8aa0cd79db33" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/site_10.png?VersionId=tSxeGekZOqj1e9g3PEn_yFoC3taKDp3U" />

The proposal adds to a growing pipeline of apartment developments reshaping Kangaroo Point ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games, with demand continuing to strengthen for new housing supply in well-connected inner-city precincts.

Mosaic has nearly sold out its under-construction <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-bedford-by-mosaic-16-30-prospect-street-kangaroo-point-qld-4169">The Bedford by Mosaic</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-carter-by-mosaic-77-linton-street-kangaroo-point-qld-4169">The Carter</a>,&nbsp;while Pikos recently completed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/skye-residences-by-pikos-kangaroo-point-8-river-terrace-kangaroo-point-qld-4169">Skye Residences</a> nearby. Pikos is also delivering <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/gaia-kangaroo-point-108-lambert-street-kangaroo-point-qld-4169">Gaia</a>, over 230 three- and four-bedroom apartments on Lambert Street.

First look: 23-storey Kangaroo Point apartment tower planned for Shafston Avenue riverfront precinct

A new 25-storey apartment tower proposed for Mercer Street would push Geelong’s western gateway skyline higher, with Morphy Birrell Property Group lodging plans for a project directly beside one of the city’s most significant heritage streetscapes.

The <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fk-australia">FK</a>-designed development at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/65-67-mercer-street-geelong-vic-3220">65-67 Mercer Street</a> has now been referred to Victoria’s Planning Minister. The site sits opposite the Geelong rail corridor and immediately south of the heritage-listed St Peter and Paul’s Catholic Church and Ashby Hall precinct.

Rather than compete with the neighbouring ecclesiastical buildings, the proposal adopts a sculpted podium intended to reference the materiality and scale of the heritage context. Planning documents note the design draws cues from the “dark stone brick” church and surrounding masonry buildings, while the tower above transitions into a softer, curved form oriented toward Corio Bay and the Geelong waterfront.

<img alt="First look: Morphy Birrell Property Group targets 25-storey Geelong tower beside landmark church precinct" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b797d10c-d4a6-47af-b8df-1aeaa3b382be" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/public%20square.png?VersionId=QGIpcz1x1hKB6lQLl2iobyHqb6PS2Ztc" />

The development forms “Stage 5” of Morphy Birrell Property Group’s broader Mercer Street precinct strategy, following the completion of the 21-storey Miramar tower on Cavendish Street and several additional approved redevelopment stages nearby. Planning consultants Ratio said the proposal “represents an exemplary development outcome” aligned with the strategic ambitions for Central Geelong’s continued urban renewal.

The mixed-use project would replace an existing low-rise commercial building and surface parking area on the 3,320 sqm corner site. FK’s urban context report describes the proposal as a residential development comprising apartments, resident amenities, commercial space, and integrated landscaping positioned to maximise bay views and northern sunlight access.

Renders show a deeply articulated tower with curved balconies stepping above a lower masonry podium that frames a landscaped forecourt facing Mercer Street. The design intentionally preserves sightlines toward the adjacent church buildings, with the podium scaled to reinforce the heritage edge before the tower recedes upward.

<img alt="First look: Morphy Birrell Property Group targets 25-storey Geelong tower beside landmark church precinct" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2bdca91e-66f7-4ac7-8baa-2f93bd5b564e" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/geelong%20site.png?VersionId=QOhbino4ZgzKYw5dW3QE14E.2yq.Sv87" />

The planning report highlights the site’s strategic location within 400 metres of key Geelong destinations including Cunningham Pier, the Geelong Station precinct, Deakin University, and the convention centre. Bus services run directly along Mercer Street, while the Corio Bay foreshore sits around 100 metres north of the site.

The proposal arrives amid accelerating redevelopment across central Geelong, where planning policy continues to encourage higher-density housing close to transport infrastructure and the waterfront. Mercer Street in particular has emerged as a focal point for taller apartment development due to its proximity to Geelong Station, the bay, and major civic infrastructure.

Morphy Birrell Property Group targets 25-storey Geelong tower beside landmark church precinct

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

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

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There’s been a lot of discussion about a resurgence in Sydney prices, but I’m not believing it.
The talk is based primarily on one month’s figures from one source, which suggested a significant rise in Sydney house prices in May.
People are so willing to blindly accept the figures pumped out by research companies. One international ratings agency rushed out a new assessment of the Australian residential market, complete with dire warnings, based on that one figure – apparently oblivious to the frequent statistical aberrations in price data for short time periods. 
Those figures for May presented a large number of very strange results. For example, are we seriously expected to believe that Hobart apartment values rose 8.4% in a single month? Or that Darwin apartment values declined 10 percent in May? Or that, in sharp contrast, Darwin house prices surged 3.5 percent in May? Or that unit prices dropped 6% in a month in both Canberra and Perth? Or that house values in Sydney suddenly turned around and jumped 3.6 percent in May?
The absurd nature on some of these numbers shows how rubbery real estate figures can be, especially when you’re dealing with month-to-month changes, which are notoriously erratic and essentially meaningless.
The Sydney figure was particularly strange because there has been a major drop-off in sales activity this year. Sales volumes have been trending steadily downwards since the end of 2014 in fact, but it’s been particularly pronounced in 2016 – and exacerbated recently by the calling of a federal election, which always causes consumers to stop dead with their decision-making and action-taking.
The thing is: all other price data, including the March Quarter figures from the ABS, has been recording a contraction of Sydney price growth, which is exactly what I would expect. It’s extremely rare in housing markets for prices to keep rising when there’s a significant decline in sales activity.
Hotspotting research for The Price Predictor Index finds not a single growth market in the Sydney metropolitan area, which contains over 700 suburbs. Many suburbs are in steady decline.
An example is Auburn (median house price $835,000, down 1.7 percent in the three months to April, according to Australian Property Monitors), where there were over 200 sales per quarter in late 2013, dropping to 170 in late 2014, 100 late in 2015 and now 75 per quarter.
Likewise, Bankstown ($840,000, down 2.7 percent percent in three months) was recording over 200 sales per quarter late in 2013, but numbers have fallen steadily to 95 per quarter late in 2015 and 80 per quarter in 2016.
Sales in Breakfast Point (median unit price $1.06 million, down 4.9 percent in three months) have fallen from 110 to 88 to 70 to 43 to 33 to 26 in consecutive quarters. 
In Cammeray (median house price $1.7 million, down 10.6 percent in three months), sales have dropped from 58 to 54 to 46 to 37 to 30 to 26 since late 2014. In Fairfield ($720,000, down 2 percent in three months) sales in the past four quarters have been 107, 77, 56 and 35. In Pymble ($2.05 million, down 3.3 percent in three months) sales levels have dropped from 112 to 99 to 71 to 64 to 39 in the past five quarters.
Unit sales in CBD fringe suburb of Haymarket (median unit price $895,000, down 1.8 percent in three months) have dropped from 77 to 57 to 39 to 24 to 9.
In Parramatta ($565,000, down 1 percent) unit sales have declined from 172 to 165 to 107 to 95 in the past four quarters, while in Potts Point ($710,000, down 4.3 percent), unit sales have dropped from 110 to 66 to 47 in consecutive quarters.
There are myriad other examples, all charting the same pattern of decline in sales volumes, with prices starting to follow.
Terry Ryder is the founder of <a href="https://www.hotspotting.com.au/" target="_blank">hotspotting.com.au</a>. You can <a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au" target="_blank">email him</a> or follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/hotspotting" target="_blank">Twitter.</a>
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terryryder-YECXbqmri2

Not a single growth market in the Sydney metropolitan area: Terry Ryder

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Gladstone on Queensland’s Central Coast is set for a rise in investor and owner-occupier activity on the back of a three-fold expansion in its fledgling tourism sector, burgeoning port activities and real estate affordability, according to Raine &amp; Horne.
“Property values in Gladstone are presenting investors and owner occupiers with an opportune time to enter the market in a ‘destination location’ with outstanding potential,” said Mark Patton, principal of Raine &amp; Horne Gladstone.
“Gladstone is on the edge of the Southern Great Barrier Reef and more cruise ships are bringing additional tourism dollars and jobs to the port,” said Patton.
“The extra jobs will benefit the real estate sales market, and we expect to see the current median price of $375,000 to start to head north. There will be some rental pricing pressures too, which savvy investors have noted,” said Patton.
Tourism is a major growth sector in Gladstone with 17 cruise ships booked to dock in its deep water harbour in the next 18 months, according to Gladstone Area Promotion and Development Limited.
“The target is set to increase to around 50 per year in the next five years, with other cruise lines showing amazing interest in visiting our port,” said Darryl Branthwaite, chief executive officer, Gladstone Area Promotion and Development Limited.
“We have a deep-water port where people can walk straight off the boat without needing to tender in on smaller vessels as they do in destinations such as Airlie Beach, Hamilton Island and Cairns.
“There is massive opportunity for the tourism SMEs to evolve and expand with every ship bringing between 2,000 and 6,000 passengers to Gladstone along with between 700 and 2,000 crew.”
“We are at the tip of Southern Great Barrier Reef and being further south in the cooler waters, we have avoided the El Niño warmer currents, which have affected Far North Queensland and the northern reef.
“Scientists have now stated that the northern reef is recovering, the coral is spectacular, the beaches are white, the water is warm and crystal clear, and the fishing is awesome.”
The Gladstone region, which has a growing population of around 73,000, has been regularly written off as a one-trick economic pony by many experts who claim the town is too dependent on mining, according to Patton.
“This is just not true. It is Queensland’s largest multi-commodity port, which handles the export of more than 36 different commodities including coking and thermal coal, aluminum, bauxite, wood chip, cement, calcite, machinery, fuel, and even grain from the Banana Shire, to the Central Highlands,” he said.
“Additionally, Gladstone is home to a number of major industrial giants such as mining explosives specialist, Orica, and two of the world’s largest alumina plants, Queensland Alumina and Yarwun.”
Gladstone is the major Central Queensland fuel bunkering hub, and this service is set to expand, according to Branthwaite.
“There is interest from an oil refinery to be constructed in Gladstone, along with a bio fuels plant and a steel facility,” he said.
“The three LNG plants on Curtis Island, which cost more than $25 billion each to build, could expand especially with Arrow Energy buying up the British Gas (BG) share of QCLNG.
“Moreover, the shipping and tugboat work required with each of the LNG ships is very frequent and will provide hundreds of additional jobs,” said Branthwaite.
“The maintenance programs for each of these LNG plants also will start to have an effect on the Gladstone economy within the next two years.”
Branthwaite is predicting supply chain activities supporting the LNG plants will take up some of the commercial property vacancies left over from the heady days of the construction surge.
“Alternatively, suppliers to the LNG sector may even construct their own commercial premises,” he said.
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Gladstone real estate set to cruise on the back of tourism sector: Raine & Horne

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 It's been suggested that trends in migration from Australia towards Australia might bode ill for our economy, a kind of pseudo-recession indicator if you will.
Certainly, there had been a significant increase in those migrating permanently of for the long term across the Tasman - many of whom were originally Kiwis returning home.
<div id="post-body-6341683202076112219" class="post-body entry-content">
<div class="separator"><a href="/images/2016/06/28/NZ1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div class="separator"><img src="/images/2016/06/28/NZ1.jpg" alt=""></div>
 <div>It's not too hard to see why these trends developed.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>New Zealand had been running a much higher unemployment rate than Australia while we were still enjoying the spoils of a heady resources construction boom.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>But then as the mining construction boom passed its peak in Australia, opportunities for employment here declined, and the unemployment rate ticked higher - just as NZ was being anointed with its "rock star economy" status.</div>
 <a href="/images/2016/06/28/NZ2.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
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<img src="/images/2016/06/28/NZ2.jpg" alt=""> <div> </div>
<div>Unfortunately New Zealand's one-time rock star economy rather seems to have rocked itself out. In fact, NZ now has a higher unemployment rate than Australia, after an odd-looking blip last in the quarter before last.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Now there isn't all that much to pick between either economy. Both have indicators of under-employment, under-utilisation and weakened commodity prices (here it's mainly bulk commodities, over there, dairy). And both countries are looking to tourism and international student migration to paper over the cracks.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>It looks as though the trend in net migration having tilted sharply in favour of New Zealand has now reached something approaching equilibrium. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>In fact in April there was a small seasonally adjusted net flow back in favour Australia. </div>
 <div class="separator"><a href="/images/2016/06/28/NZ2-1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div class="separator"><img src="/images/2016/06/28/NZ2-1.jpg" alt=""></div>
 <div>In truth, whether 100 or so people decide to head this way or that will have little bearing on the health or otherwise of Australia's economy going forward.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>About 60 per cent of permanent migrants to Australia now hail from Asia.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>And with our international student visa rules to be relaxed significantly from 1 July this trend will be reinforced, with a high share of the new applicants expected to be from China and India.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>
PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of <a href="https://allenwargent.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">AllenWargent</a> property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">blogger</a>. 
His latest book is <a href="https://www.bigskypublishing.com.au/Books/General-Interest/Four-Green-Houses--and-a-Red-Hotel/1015/productview.aspx" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Four Green Houses and a Red Hotel</a>.
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pwargent-M4siyDbqQY

About 60 percent of permanent migrants to Australia now hail from Asia: Pete Wargent

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The Beach House Lane retail strip on Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach has understood to have been sold.
It was listed last month with expectations of more than $30 million by the Melbourne-based investor GLG.
GLG, which manages $200 million in assets, appointed Stonebridge Property Group to sell <a href="https://www.commercialrealestate.com.au/property/178-campbell-parade-bondi-beach-nsw-2026-2012772074" target="_blank">the property at 178 Campbell Parade</a>.
The centre is 100 per cent leased to 14 retailers, including premium fashion and restaurant operators.
No sale details have been revealed but it is understood that terms have been agreed at $32 million.
Its annual income was given as $1.836 million.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Bondi's $32 million laneway strata shop sale

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Enter housing price growth into the topic although make sure if you want to be right that you always select the plural.
For example, those in the real estate industry always focus on suburban or post code housing price growth. What we are reading now are housing price growth predictions of significant drops for Sydney and Melbourne which just so happen to be Australia’s largest and most active markets.
Allow me to put this into perspective given most have failed miserably in educating readers as to what exactly this means. Let’s say for the sake of this argument you own a house in Mosman – in six months’ time the value of your home will in all probability have gone up due to record low stock levels. However, if you had recently acquired an investment off – the – plan apartment, in six months’ time that would have definitely dropped well below the purchase price.
Recently we learnt that the Australian banks are no longer lending to foreign buyers and many areas across Sydney have now been black listed from obtaining any loans due to a significant oversupply of property. We need to bear in mind that whenever we see major price adjustments to real estate this can only happen when you have an acute oversupply.
The final nail in the housing investment market was delivered this week in the NSW budget when stamp duty payable by foreign buyers would be hit with a new four (4) per cent surcharge. On top of that they will also be hit with an additional 0.75 per cent land tax surcharge on residential real estate. If ever these tens of thousands of foreign buyers needed a reason to walk away from their deposits they certainly have one now.
To add further confusion to this potential housing catastrophe nobody can answer does this surcharge apply to those investors who have already paid their deposit and are yet to pay stamp duty? If history is anything to go by then you would say confidently that it does. The major lenders would be hoping that it does as they would be hoping that many of their new lending clients walk away from their deposits as that significantly reduces their exposure. Although this can be a double whammy if they are also funding the developer – so this is the double – edged property sword.
We should also clean up some incorrect speculation from commentators that this new surcharge will have a significant effect on home prices too. Well it won’t because these foreign buyers can only buy off – the – plan so it won’t play any part in the established housing markets.
One would have to say that the new surcharges will be a total failure although it is disappointing that the NSW government did absolutely no due diligence with what the long term effect would be on the housing markets other than to drive the investment real estate markets values down. The tax that should have been brought down was a tax against those investors who land bank because they would make plenty from that given a large percentage of foreign buyers leave these properties vacant.
The NSW government would be very concerned that stamp duty received from the established property markets is in significant decline although there is no mention of that as all the revenue has arrived thanks to a robust investment market, hence the new surcharge. Should the new surcharge tax turn out to be a dismal failure which I believe it will then the NSW government will be forced into hopefully a complete review of property taxes.
Everyone in the real estate industry knows full well that the reason for record low stock levels is entirely due to home owners baulking at paying exhorbitant stamp duty, so instead they are renovating. One day the NSW government will explore a broad based land tax paid annually by home owners as a logical replacement to stamp duty with Australian residents receiving a discounted rate.
One would think by now that policies on the run are usually always met with disaster where the last example was the failed and now abolished mining tax.
MOSMAN – 2088
Number of houses on the market this time last year – 55
Number of houses on the market last week – 51
Number of houses on the market this week – 48
Number of apartments on the market this time last year – 66
Number of apartments on the market last week – 41
Number of apartments on the market this week – 41
CREMORNE – 2090 
Number of houses on the market this time last year – 13
Number of houses on the market last week – 10
Number of houses on the market this week – 13
Number of apartments on the market this time last year – 11
Number of apartments on the market last week – 18
Number of apartments on the market this week – 18
NEUTRAL BAY – 2089 
Number of houses on the market this time last year – 3
Number of houses on the market last week – 8
Number of houses on the market this week – 7
Number of apartments on the market this time last year – 29
Number of apartments on the market last week – 19
Number of apartments on the market this week – 19
ROBERT SIMEON is a director of <a href="https://www.rwm.com.au/" target="_blank" title="RWM" rel="nofollow">Richardson Wrench Mosman and Neutral Bay</a> and has been selling residential real estate in Sydney since 1985.  He has also been writing real estate blog <a href="https://www.rwm.com.au/news/" target="_blank" title="Virtual Realty News" rel="nofollow">Virtual Realty News</a> since 2000.
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robertsimeon-hRNTwJyXkQ

Home truths needed on housing debate: Robert Simeon

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Demand for quality Docklands Office stock has remained solid with a number of recent leasing deals at Waterfront City, 425 Docklands Drive.
During an eight-month period from September 2015 through to March 2016, 12 out of 14 leases in 425 Docklands Drive were negotiated by JLL’s Office leasing executive, Alexandra Harper on 1-5 year lease terms.
“Docklands has become an attractive value proposition for tenants that may have been displaced or priced out of the Melbourne CBD or fringe office markets."
The view was shared by local Melbourne investor JAK Investment Group who contracted to buy the 14 office suites in late 2015.  The fully leased Waterfront City building was developed by ING in 2005 and offers modern facilities, balconies and access to the Harbour Town Shopping precinct.
Recent deals in the building include:
<img src="/images/2016/06/22/Screen%20Shot%202016-06-23%20at%207.09.21%20PM.png" alt="">
The Docklands has become a sought-after business address, traditionally attracting large corporates to set up their national and regional headquarters, added Harper.  
 
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Leasing gains momentum in Victoria’s popular Docklands precinct

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Australia’s popularity among international students is here to stay, with enrolments in higher education courses with student visas growing by 9 .7 percent from 2014 to 2015, according to the 2016 Australian Student Accommodation Market Report from Savills international.
The undersupply of Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) in many capital cities, high occupancy levels for stabilised operational properties, robust revenue growth and attractive yield pricing in comparison to the globally established student accommodation markets, all contribute to student accommodation being an attractive investment, says the report.
There are currently 67,695 beds of PBSA in the eight Australian capital cities. All cities have an existing supply of less than 12 percent per full-time student with the exception of Canberra (27.8 percent), but compared to the existing supply and proposed pipeline in several UK cities, all of the Australian cities supply are at low levels.
Melbourne and Brisbane have the largest development pipelines of 9,651 beds (4 percent FT students) and 8,930 beds (6 percent FT students) respectively, but Sydney has a limited pipeline in place over the next four years with a total pipeline of 3,665 beds (2 percent FT students).
Also evident is the extent of pipeline supply across the UK cities, including substantial pipelines in Durham and Liverpool where the existing supply equates to over 40 percent of full-time students.
Savills research indicates that more than $2 billion has been invested into development projects across Australia since the start of 2015. The following chart provides a summary of the existing supply of PBSA and the proposed development pipeline in each of Australia’s capital cities and a selection of UK cities, with the cities sorted by the total provision of accommodation including pipeline.
<a href="/images/2016/06/22/Screen%20Shot%202016-06-23%20at%201.10.54%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/06/22/Screen%20Shot%202016-06-23%20at%201.10.54%20PM.png" alt="">
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Australian pipeline for student housing development: Savills

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Generalisations about property markets are a major source of misleading information for investors.
The worst examples usually emanate from economists who speak about “the Australian property market” as a single homogenous entity. 
A statement such as “Australian house prices rose 7 percent last year” implies there was 7 percent growth across the nation, when it reality there were a few locations with double-digit growth, some with minor movement, many where prices hardly moved at all and others where prices went backwards, in some cases a lot.
We’ve had three years of empty rhetoric about property prices “soaring” and bubbles emerging, all based on a long-overdue revival of the Sydney market and action in some parts of Melbourne.
Even speaking about what happened or will happen to prices in a single major city is too much generalization to be of any use to buyers and sellers.
The entity described as “the Sydney property market” is a place with over 700 suburbs, with markets ranging from $370,000 units in Liverpool to $900,000 houses in Rouse Hill to top-end locations like Mosman where the median house price is $3 million.
Distilling all of that and more into a statement such as “Sydney property prices rose 3.6 percent in May” is the hallmark of lazy, incompetent analysts whose primary interest is publicity rather than being useful to consumers.
A study of the latest Market Monitor from the Real Estate Institute of Queensland provides plenty of evidence that generalised single-figure numbers to describe a large city are both pointless and misleading.
The report finds that the median house price in the Brisbane City LGA rose 6.1 percent in the past year. That’s the figure that 99% of media would report, indicating that Brisbane has a solid market but one that isn’t booming the way Sydney did until recently.
But Market Monitor delves deeper and provides figures for individual suburbs, revealing there are plenty of places which did a lot better than the generalised figure and a few where median prices were in reverse.
Middle ring areas in the Brisbane Southside precinct did well in the past year, including Coorparoo (up 11 percent), Holland Park West (up 12 percent), Macgregor (up 17 percent), Sunnybank Hills (up 12 percent), Eight Mile Plains (up 10 percent), Mansfield (up 11 percent), Wishart (up 15 percent) and Robertson (up almost 20 percent).
Similar areas on Brisbane City’s Northside have also out-performed, including Banyo (up 17 percent), Grange (up 16 percent), Hendra (up 13 percent), Wooloowin (up 16 percent), Sandgate (up 17%) and Mitchelton (up 11 percent).
In contrast, there is evidence of falling values in upmarket areas like Hamilton, Ascot, St Lucia, Teneriffe and Hawthorne, all suburbs with median house prices above $1 million. But the median price for New Farm (median house price $1.5 million) is up 15 percent.
The report also shows the impact of over-building of inner-city apartments, with the median unit price down 1.4 percent in the CBD, down 4.5 percent in Fortitude Valley and down 1.7 percent in West End. Median weekly rents have fallen in the past year in several of the inner-city unit markets, according to the REIQ data.
Heading south to the Logan City part of Greater Brisbane, the generalised figure indicates the median house price has risen only 4 percent in 12 months. But suburbs with annual growth above 8 percent include Browns Plains, Heritage Park, Loganlea, Waterford and Waterford West. Logan Central, Forestdale and Woodridge all had annual growth in the 13-15% range.
Logan City’s opposite number in Brisbane’s far north is the Moreton Bay Region, which has emerged recently as the No.1 rising market in the metropolitan area. Most suburbs in this LGA have median house prices in the $300,000s and $400,000s – and affordability is a major driver here. 
The generalised figure says house prices have risen 5% in 12 months, but many suburbs have done better, including Albany Creek, Banksia Beach, Bongaree, Burpengary East, Caboolture, Clontarf, Ferny Hills, Narangba, Toorbul, Warner and Woody Point - all of which recorded annual growth between 8 percent and 12 percent. Upmarket Newport on the Redcliffe Peninsula also grew 12 percent.
On the Gold Coast, house prices rose 5.8 percent on average, but there are 20 residential suburbs with growth between 10 percent and 20 percent.
By contrast, the apartment market is under-performing, with the median unit price in Surfers Paradise largely unchanged, while the medians for Broadbeach, Labrador and Mermaid Beach all dropped 5 percent in the past 12 months.
Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach and Mermaid Beach all have median unit prices considerably lower than five years ago, while Labrador and Southport are unchanged.
Terry Ryder is the founder of <a href="https://www.hotspotting.com.au/" target="_blank">hotspotting.com.au</a>. You can <a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au" target="_blank">email him</a> or follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/hotspotting" target="_blank">Twitter.</a>
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Three years of empty rhetoric about property prices “soaring": Terry Ryder

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When we receive a client’s Development Application (DA) Consent it’s always an exciting time.
Receiving council approval is one of the major milestones of a property development and it should be celebrated. But the champagne and toasts can wait because there is one thing you must do immediately.
Should you send it to your builder?  Yes, but it will also need to go to other consultants
Should you file it safely? Yes, it’s a legal document so keep it safe.
But before you do this, the first thing you need to do is check the conditions of the DA.
You’ll see in the Consent a number of conditions. The one I’m reviewing right now; a consent for two attached dwellings and Torrens title subdivision, has 58.
58 Conditions that we need to make sure we’ve allowed for in the building costs, plans and our development processes.
There are usually three main areas that the Conditions relate to and must be satisfied by:
<ul>
<li>Prior to the issue of a Construction Certificate (CC)</li>
<li>Prior to the commencement of work and during the construction phase</li>
<li>Prior to the issue of an Occupation Certificate (OC) or a Subdivision Certificate</li>
</ul>
The very first condition that my eyes scan for is the one relating to the Section 94 Contribution.
This is a council charge that goes towards the provision of public amenities and services within the locality. In our area, it’s only charged for a dual occupancy or larger projects, not for a single house build.  
I call it a ‘cost of doing business’ and it’s usually several thousand dollars, this one I’m reading now is for $12,822.53. but we knew it would be about this much and had allowed $12,900 in this client’s feasibility, and so we are covered. This fee will be different not only by council, but by suburbs. Some suburbs (under the same council) need more infrastructure spending and the Section 94 can cost up to $30,000. For obvious reasons, we do not develop in those locations. That is a lot of money to be giving to council for the privilege of building new dwellings. There is no intrinsic value in a Section 94 contribution cost. So the lower the better. Don’t be surprised by this cost, you can find out before you buy a development site what council are likely to charge you, so do your research.
Once I’ve checked this major cost against our allowance, my eye scans the rest of the conditions that must be met prior to the CC being issued, as we don’t want to hold up this process now we have our consent. Property Bloom always uses a private certifier to issue the CC as we know it is much faster than using council.
There are a few relating to the stormwater management and we will have our engineer confirm our stormwater plan is meeting these. The rest of the conditions in this section are standard. We must send this DA Consent to our private certifier as he will be the one making sure they are all covered off on the CC plans.
Next I scan the rest of the conditions. The ones relating to the construction phase are all standard and relate to things the builder needs to cover off like vehicle access crossings to the site and how it should be constructed, signage, waste management on site, work hours etc.
The next section shows the conditions that need to be met before an OC will be issued. This is very important as we don’t want to be holding up tenants moving in on completion. Most of these conditions again are standard but be careful as sometimes there will be particular reports required such as a Works As Executed report which needs to be done by an engineer or surveyor after the drainage system is in place and completed. It takes our surveyor just a few days but if forgotten can hold up your valuable rental income.
The other important condition is to check when you can apply for the subdivision certificate. In this case, it’s at Lock Up stage, which is great and means we can usually have the Torrens title subdivision completed as we finish construction. Very important if you are refinancing as the bank will value the two separate registered titles higher than both dwellings on one title.
There may also be a section where a number of conditions fall under refered to as “Advisory Matters”. These conditions usually relate to state planning policies and work place practice.
Make sure you check your Consent carefully, then send it to all the relevant consultants and get everyone started on the next phase of your development journey, obtaining the Construction Certificate consent.  Then sit back for a few minutes and celebrate passing this exciting milestone.
Jo Chivers is chief executive officer of property development project managers <a href="https://www.propertybloom.com.au/about" target="_blank">Property Bloom</a>.
 
 
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jochivers-wq5Bp59R5a

The one thing you need to do when the DA consent is issued: Jo Chivers

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Developer Mirvac Group [ASX:MGR] and joint owner AMP Capital have unveiled their landmark Sydney office building, 200 George Street.
The 37-storey ‘smart’ building will have EY as the anchor tenant and also be Mirvac’s new Sydney headquarters. It is to be known as ‘EY Centre’.
New South Wales Premier, Mike Baird, officially opened the building. The launch event was attended by Mirvac’s CEO and managing director, Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz and Carmel Hourigan, AMP Capital global head of property representing the joint owner of the site, AMP Capital Wholesale Office Fund. 
<img src="/images/2016/06/22/Screen%20Shot%202016-06-23%20at%206.28.07%20PM.png" alt="" width="716" height="477">
The tower has a net lettable area of nearly 39,200 square metres of premium grade office space, with a world first high-performing closed cavity façade with timber blinds. It is set to be one of Australia’s most environmentally advanced and sustainable developments with a 6 Star ratings being targeted.
It is one of the first ‘smart’ office buildings in Australia, adjusting the internal environment according to the needs of the employees, said media release.
Mirvac’s headquarters will become one of Australia’s first WELL certified offices.
There are plans to fill the ground floor plane and surrounding laneways with food and beverage outlets, public art and leisure spaces.
<img src="/images/2016/06/22/Screen%20Shot%202016-06-23%20at%206.26.11%20PM.png" alt="" width="722" height="483">
Lloyd-Hurwitz said Mirvac’s vision was to create a cutting edge workplace for leading organisations.  
“Showcasing adaptable workspaces, green credentials, state-of-the-art technology and iconic design from architects, Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp, the building is testament to the hard work and collaboration between Mirvac and our many partners who have been involved in this pioneering project,” said Lloyd-Hurwitz.
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