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

Joel Robinson

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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I've been working with our builder on a new range of duplex plans.
We wanted to offer something different to each of our clients, so their duplex would have a point of difference in the market.
Firstly, to clarify, a duplex is two attached villas/units. A duplex can be single or double story. Property Bloom duplexes are predominately single story, three bedrooms, two bathrooms with single garages. We also build a lot of dual occupancy projects with two freestanding dwellings but today we are just talking about duplexes.
Our goal was to make each side of the duplex, each villa, appear separate from the street.  We don't want the 'mirror image' look that many standard duplexes have.
We started by looking at the exteriors of our duplexes. We use a mix of materials rather than just brickwork. We may render or paint the bricks in sections and add some weatherboard or other cladding. Changing the exterior materials adds texture and interest.
We look at the roof design and try to steer away from a standard hip roof if possible. Adding a few gables will add interest to the roof. However, we did have an issue with one council as we couldn't allow any of the roof surface of one villa to drain to the other's side. This was to do with the subdivision drainage requirements, so always check this before getting too fancy with your roof design.
We may use roof tiles or colourbond roofing depending on the look we are wanting to achieve. Colourbond roofing offers a wider range of colour choices, roof tiles give a more traditional feel to the duplex and can be cheaper.
I like to try and make the front facades a little different too. Even though the villas will be attached, it's nice to give the main entrances privacy and by changing the size and shape of the front porches we can achieve a different look.
Another idea is to splint the garages, moving them, to the external sides of the duplex rather than attaching them at the garages. This then offers a double driveway which will be more expensive but gives the impression the villas are more separate than they actually are.
You can also look at locating one garage in the middle of the duplex, and the other to the side. Often service locations like gutter drains may determine the location of your laybacks and hence driveways.
Finally we use the soft landscaping to individualise the dwellings. It is amazing what a good landscape plan can do to enhance street appeal and style.
We take all the design elements into consideration when working on a new duplex project for our clients as well as the location and surrounding homes to ensure we are building the right dwelling for the area. Our aim is to also appeal to and attract the right tenants when it comes time renting them out. A good design can maximise the rent by making your project stand out from the rest.
<a href="https://propertybloom.com.au">www.propertybloom.com.au</a>
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jochivers-wq5Bp59R5a

How to make attached dwellings look separate: Jo Chivers

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The buyers' agent Richard Wakelin has suggested the potential policy levers could be pulled that could be used to temper the Sydney property boom.
1) The NSW government could hike stamp duty.
2) The NSW government could reduce first-home buyer grants to dampen demand.
3) The supply of new property could be improved through reducing infrastructure charges levied on developers.
4) Government could heavily tax land-bankers, adopting a solution used in recent times by the Chinese government.
5) Councils could reduce the red tape around planning and redeployment of vacant sites.
6) Macro prudential policy could also be tailored such that banks have to observe tighter lending rules in Sydney than elsewhere in the country.
"Of course, many of these actions would be unpopular in certain quarters and others would have undesirable consequences," Richard Wakelin told The Australian Financial Review.
"For instance, a lax planning regime would likely exacerbate an acute issue.
"Moreover, to work, these policy prescriptions would require an as-yet unseen degree of coordination between the various levels of Australian governments.
"That is clearly unlikely, particularly in the lead-up to a NSW state election.
"But this more holistic approach is perhaps something for the future," he suggested.
{mijopolls 94}
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Six solutions to cool the Sydney property market boom

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The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) released data earlier on residential property exposures by Australian Authorised Deposit-taking Institutions (ADIs). The data was published up to the end of December 2014. The information provides additional insight into the nature of mortgage lending by Australian banks, building societies and credit unions.
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4309" src="https://blog.corelogic.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Chart-11.jpg" alt="Chart 1" width="500" height="178">
According to APRA’s data, at the end of 2014, there were $1.278 trillion in residential term loans with $839.8 billion in owner occupied loans (65.7%) and $438.9 billion in investor loans (34.3%). Over the 12 months to December 2014, the value of residential term loans to owner occupiers increased by 7.4% compared to a 12.2% rise in loans to investors. Note that in December, APRA raised concerns about annual growth in investor loan books above 10%. Based on this data, many ADIs would be growing that segment of their book above that benchmark.
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4310" src="https://blog.corelogic.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Chart-21.jpg" alt="Chart 2" width="500" height="180">
Focusing on the characteristics of these loans shows a growing appetite for loans with an offset facility and interest-only loans. Meanwhile, the prominence of low documentation loans and other non-standard loans is reducing. 
Based on the value of lending, loans with an offset facility increased by 18.4% year-on-year to December 2014, interest-only loans were 15.1% higher, reverse mortgages had increased 1.9% while low documentation loans and other non-standard loans had reduced by -18.6% and -20.2% respectively. 
At the end of 2014, a record high 37.5% of outstanding loans had an offset facility and a record high 36.9% were interest-only. Just 0.2% of loans were reverse mortgages, a record low 2.5% were low documentation and just 0.1% were other non-standard loans.
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4312" src="https://blog.corelogic.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Chart-31.jpg" alt="Chart 3" width="500" height="183">
At the end of December 2014, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) estimated that there were 9,448,300 households, while APRA reported that there were 5,213,000 mortgages to Australian ADIs. This indicates that 55.2% of Australia’s housing stock was mortgaged to Australian ADIs. The 55.2% figure is the highest on record, noting that records have only been calculated from the September quarter of 2011. 
The ABS also reports the value of residential housing stock at $5.4 trillion and given the $1.258 trillion in outstanding mortgages to Australian ADIs, 23.3% of the value of all housing stock is mortgaged.
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4313" src="https://blog.corelogic.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Chart-41.jpg" alt="Chart 4" width="500" height="179">
The average value of the outstanding mortgages, according to APRA’s data, was $241,400 at the end of 2014, with the average loan size having increased by 3.4% over the past year.  Loans with offset facilities ($285,900) and interest-only mortgages ($311,300) had much higher average loan sizes which have increased by 2.1% and 2.8% over the past year. 
Reverse mortgages had an average size of $93,100, having increased by 3.8% over the year. Low documentation loans had an average outstanding amount of $204,800 and other non-standard loans had an average of $211,900, outstanding loan sizes have fallen over the year -2.9% and -7.1% respectively.
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-4314" src="https://blog.corelogic.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Chart-51.jpg" alt="Chart 5" width="500" height="179">
Over the December 2014 quarter, there were 93,231 new loans written by Australian ADIs. 
Of these loans, 23,183 (24.9%) had a loan-to-value ratio (LVR) of less than 60%, 38,964 (41.8%) had an LVR of between 60% and 80%, 20,464 (21.9%) had an LVR of 80% to 90% and the remaining 10,620 (11.4%) had an LVR of more than 90%. 
Year-on-year, the number of loans with an LVR of more than 90% have fallen by 6.9%.  Over the same period, loans with an LVR of less than 60% have increased by 10.8%, loans with an LVR of 60% to 80% have increased by 13.1% and loans with an LVR between 80% and 90% have increased by 17.7%.
Given APRA had concerns of the rate of growth in the investment segment of the market, this latest data is likely cause APRA some discomfort.
Not only is this data showing the investment segment growing at a rate much higher than 10% annually, but also interest-only lending which tends to be reflective of investment lending is also increasing substantially. 
On a more positive note, although investment lending is increasing it is encouraging to see the drop in higher LVR lending above 90%, which suggests that ADIs are being somewhat more cautious around higher risk lending especially considering the overall number of loans being written has continued to grow.
We can expect the regulator will be monitoring lending standards with more focus after the release of this data, particularly from the perspective of investment lending and interest only mortages.
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Increasing investor interest-only borrowing likely causing APRA discomfort: Kusher

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In the wake of yesterday's federal government announcement, industry figures are jumping in to give their thoughts on the proposed new laws.
Veronica Morgan of the Real Estate Buyers’ Association of Australia said her organisation supported better enforcement and widening of penalties for foreigners who failed to comply with local laws.
“It’s a hot market for loads of reasons but you can’t blame the Chinese,” Morgan told The New Daily.
There were concerns about foreign developers buying Australian land, building apartment blocks and then marketing those properties to overseas buyers with little oversight by local authorities, she acknowledged.
But she said it would be foolish to conclude the Chinese buyers were responsible for soaring pricess across the residential property market.
“It’s a hot market for loads of reasons but you can’t blame the Chinese,” Morgan said.
“It does appear that this debate appeals to some latent racism that exists in Australia.
“At the bottom of it all is fear and the reporting of it in the media needs to improve.”
The buyer's agent and managing director of Propertyology Simon Pressley said a tax of sorts on foreign property buyers had long been on the cards.
"There is absolutely no doubt that increased foreign buyer activity in Sydney and Melbourne have contributed to price growth", said Simon Pressley. "Developers already fork out rebates in the order of $40,000 for third parties to spruik properties worth $500,000.
"Absorbing a $5,000 fee to a foreign buyer on an $800,000 apartment or a $10,000 fee on a property worth $1 million plus isn't a drop in the ocean to them." "The principle of the fee proposal is sound and has likely come about with some influence from the RBA.
"But if legislators are seriously trying to cool Sydney's market they'd need to add another zero to the fee," Pressley said.
Ray White Real Estate chairman Brian White told Fairfax Media the proposed fees had the potential to "shock the market".
"And no market appreciates or responds well to shocks. It has connotations back to the aborted vendors tax proposed by the NSW Treasurer Michael Egan that needed to be abandoned due to market response," he recalled.
CBRE residential projects chairman Justin Brown told Fairfax Media the new taxes were counterproductive and ill-thought through.
"There is significant global evidence from recent times including Canada, Singapore and Hong Kong where these types of taxes on foreign investment have been totally counterproductive, caused significant corrections within the markets and harmed the construction industry," Brown said.
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Don't blame the Chinese for soaring house prices: Buyer's agent Veronica Morgan

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The profile of private rental tenants in Australia has changed dramatically over the past 30 years, with an increasing number of families with children and older people renting for the long-term, an academic study has found.
The research by the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) at Swinburne University of Technology is being used to inform government policy, but private landlords may find it useful when deciding what type of property to buy or how to renovate.
The absolute number of households in the private rental market doubled to 1.8 million over the past 30 years with the biggest growth in Queensland and the ACT, according to a bulletin based on the research released in February.
Families with children represented more than 40% of renting households in 2011, a much higher proportion than in earlier decades, the bulletin noted.
The number of group households has also risen, with more than one in 10 private properties being rented by unrelated housemates in 2011, up from just over one in 25 in 1981.
Traditionally, single tenants and young families made up the largest proportion of renters. But rentals to lone person households fell to one quarter in 2011 from just over 40% in 1981.
Renting households are also getting older. More than half of renters were over 35 years of age in 2011 compared with around 40% in 1981, the bulletin reported.
“While the age profile of households in private rental housing remains young relative to all households, the median age of household heads is growing more rapidly than for households in general. This is likely to lead to the private rental sector being home to larger proportions of elderly households in the future,” the bulletin noted.
For investors, the findings suggest properties that would suit families with children, or appeal to older people will be the ones most in demand, perhaps increasingly so in future.
But be careful not to limit the range of potential tenants that a rental property will appeal to.
A location near to shops, schools and transport, as well as cafes and restaurants will be attractive to a broad range of tenants.
Features such as a second bathroom, parking or a lock-up garage, an internal laundry and a good-quality, functional kitchen will also have wide appeal.
Apartments v houses
High density housing and apartments are popular investment choice for many landlords as they tend to be cost less and offer higher yield, and maintenance is often managed by a strata company, which makes them less work for owners.
However, the AHURI research shows the proportion of private renters in apartments and high density dwellings fell to 44.8% in 2011 from 48.9% in 1981. That is in spite of a 400% increase in the number of private rentals that were apartments and a 79% increase in rental properties that were in high density housing.
By number, 80% of all growth in private rental housing has been in detached and semi-detached properties mostly in the suburbs, the research bulletin noted.
The advantages for investors in buying a house rather than a unit are that the additional land offers an opportunity for capital growth, while there’s a better chance of attracting some tenant types, such as families to rent a freestanding home with extra space for children.
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Average tenant becoming more likely to be older and have families

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The Prime Minister’s clampdown on foreign investors in Australian real estate has been revealed as little more than a revenue raising exercise.
After all the posturing, this is what it comes down to: a cash grab. Politicians doing to real estate what they always do to real estate: using it as a cash cow.
Overseas buyers will be charged hefty fees for the privilege of buying Australian real estate and Australian developers will be charged the same hefty fees for the right to sell to them.
Otherwise nothing will change in the national property landscape. Not a single sale price will be reduced or not one first home buyer will be better off.
As well as a cash grab, the Tony Abbott move on foreign investment is also a push for popularity by appearing to be doing something for the ordinary bloke. But the thinking is so fuzzy and the policy delivery so confused that it won’t achieve even that shallow objective.
I listened to Abbott announcing and justifying the proposed policy and it was clear he had not sorted out his thinking. The arguments simply didn’t stack up.
He was still trying to infer that somehow this will help battlers achieve the 'Great Australian Dream' but couldn’t explain how this policy will achieve that.
He maintained that foreign investment was important to Australia and that foreign buying increased supply and therefore made dwellings more affordable for the ordinary bloke, but couldn’t explain how these new punitive measures would help to achieve that, when they appear set up to discourage and curtail foreign investment.
It’s all rather bizarre.
There are measures to clampdown on developers who focus their marketing overseas without trying to sell their high-rise apartments locally. But foreign investors are the sole reason most of these highrise buildings are being planned. This is particularly true in over-supplied markets like inner city Melbourne and downtown Brisbane.
They’re not designed for local consumption. Without most, if not all, of the units being sold offshore, these projects will not be built.
That will reduce supply, which theoretically places upward pressure on prices. And it will reduce construction activity, which is deemed the economic savior of the nation at a time when resources investment is declining.
The bottom line is that restraining foreign investment won’t make Australian dwellings more affordable. It will do nothing to change the situation for first time buyers.
Foreign investors are a very small component of the Australian buying market. Their activity is primarily focused on Top End properties in the prestige suburbs of Sydney and Melbourne, and on highrise apartments in the inner city areas of our major cities.
They are not competing with local first time buyers. Restricting foreign buyers won’t change the price on a single house anywhere in Australia. It won’t stop people of Asian appearance (dubbed foreign buyers by disgruntled under-bidders) from winning bidding wars at Sydney and Melbourne auctions of prestige property.
It’s a Yes Minister scenario, designed by Sir Humphrey Appleby and delivered by a befuddled Jim Hacker, who somehow got the pages of the script mixed up - again.
TERRY RYDER is the founder of <a href="https://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://www.twitter.com/hotspotting" target="_blank">Twitter</a>.
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Abbott's foreign investor cash grab built on bizarre logic: Terry Ryder

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Currently no fees apply to foreign investment applications in Australia.
But there will be soon following the House of Representatives Economics Committee report recommending the government apply a modest administrative fee to the current screening for all foreign purchases of residential real estate, including purchases by temporary residents, to fund compliance and enforcement activities.
It will apply to residential, commercial, developer, business and rural applications.
Business, commercial real estate and agribusiness investments would be subject to <a href="https://www.treasury.gov.au/~/media/Treasury/Consultations%20and%20Reviews/Consultations/2015/Strengthening%20Australias%20foreign%20investment%20framework/Key%20Documents/PDF/Strengthening%20Australias%20foreign%20investment%20framework.ashx" target="_blank">application fees between $10,000 up to $100,000</a> depending on the size and sector.
<img src="/images/2015/02/25/firb-feb-25-one.jpg" alt="">
Source: Treasury department
The government is seeking reaction to the proposals and will make a final decision after 20 March.
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Fees for foreign acquisitions of Australian commercial property set to be introduced

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The Australian National Maritime Museum has unveiled its Warships Pavilion at the Asia-Pacific Incentives and Meetings Expo (AIME).
<a href="https://www.anmm.gov.au/about-us/warships-pavilion" target="_blank">The new venue</a> will be positioned alongside ex-Navy destroyer HMAS Vampire and submarine HMAS Onslow.
<img src="/images/2015/02/25/sydney-feb-25-on.jpg" alt="">
It will have function spaces, including an outdoor rooftop along with a cinematic experience.
It is due for completion in September 2015.
The Australian National Maritime Museum is building the state-of-the-art Warships (Royal Australian Navy) Pavilion to mark the centenary of World War I and commemorate 100 years of submarine and surface service by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
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Sydney Harbour to get warships pavilion

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"Chatswood is in need of some excitement," Topshop Australian chairman Hilton Selskin told News Ltd ahead of the pending opening.
It will be the store's seventh retail outlet in Australia.
It will be located in Scentre's $100 fashion makeover space at Chatswood.
Topshop Westfield Miranda is set to open in mid April.
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Topshop promises retail excitement for Chatswood

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Charter Hall has reported solid growth for its half year result, with both operating earnings and profit recording strong double digit growth.
The property investor and fund manager saw operating earnings rise 27.1% to $48.4 million and statutory profit up 39.5% to $39.9 million.
Some 284 leasing transactions were completed across the portfolio totalling 300,000 square metres, including a number of major leasing renewals within the office portfolio.
Occupancy increased 0.8% to 97.6%.
Its top tenants include Woolworths, Wesfarmers, Telstra, Macquarie Group, Metcash, Westpac, Wilson Parking, Aurizon and Allianz. 
At the Core Plus Office Fund’s Kogarah asset in Sydney, Westpac renewed its lease for an additional 20 year period and an additional 10 year agreement was secured with the government in PFA’s Cannington property in Perth," Charter Hall’s joint managing director, David Southon, said.
"We aim to further enhance both income yield and total returns of these portfolios with $1.6 billion of development projects underway in Charter Hall Group managed funds across the office, industrial and retail portfolios, including the 333 George Street redevelopment in Sydney.”
Charter Hall Group’s balance sheet investments increased by $75 million to $795 million.
"The Australian property yield spread to bond yields and the cost of debt remains attractive for domestic and offshore investors," the results noted.
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