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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GUEST OBSERVATION
It’s no secret that when I invest I am looking for a bargain.
In fact, I am looking for the property owner who needs to liquidate and exit from their property (either home or investment) fast and take a significant loss in the process.
But with interest rates at historic lows, this task can become a lot tougher and probably more difficult, as we look like having another interest rate drop or two.
That said, it may surprise you that even in an awesome property market, like what Sydney is experiencing right now, that 2.7% of all property sales were sold for less than what they were paid for.
And if we were to include entry and exit costs like:
<ul>
<li>Stamp Duty</li>
<li>Legals to purchase</li>
<li>Loan application fees</li>
<li>Transfer registration fees</li>
<li>Mortgage registration fees</li>
<li>Building reports</li>
<li>Pest inspection reports</li>
<li>Depreciation Schedules</li>
<li>Ongoing council rates</li>
<li>Ongoing water rates</li>
<li>Legals to sell</li>
<li>Real estate sales commissions; then this percentage would probably be more like 15%.</li>
</ul>
Now, ‘time in market’ could, and can, play in whether you make a profit on a property or not. But that said, 3.2% of those sellers who owned their properties for between 10-15 years sold for a loss. Work that one out.
I know who would be happy, those Sydney purchasers who made it into the 2.7%.
But I thought property prices never went down? Ha, try and tell that to these old owners.
Now the vast majority of property sale losses occurred for owners who only owned their property for three to five years (18.2%) and five to seven years (15.6%).
Basically from the global financial crisis (GFC), but not limited to.
Now not to pick on Sydney, but they got off the lightest. Their percentage of losses in sales were low, but the number of property transactions are high.
Nationally the numbers are scarier, with 9% of all sales making a loss for the June 2014 quarter. That’s 6,332 property owners across Australia who sold their property for a loss within that three month time frame. Units in Cairns, Queensland and Widebay, South Australia were the worst performers though, with close to 50% of sales losing money.
And backing what I have been yabbering on about for many years now, are the oversupply of units in Melbourne, with 18.3% losing money. That’s almost one in five properties sold for a loss. It’s an interesting figure given the buoyant property market there currently.
So, what’s the point in all this?
In trying to locate a deal on a property purchase, they are still there, but you need to be more diligent on your research to find these awesome deals. They are still around in ‘hot’ markets like Sydney and Melbourne but are much more prevalent in cooler markets like Adelaide or ACT.
For our recent investors though, in locations like the Gold Coast (15%), Bunbury (15%), Wyong (7.8%) Mandurah (18.9%) Armadale (6.4%) and Townsville (27%), you can be happy knowing that we have located deals for you in these small percentiles of owners who made a loss.
TODD HUNTER is buyer’s agent, director and location researcher for Sydney-based <a href="https://www.wheregroup.com.au/" target="_blank">wHeregroup</a>.
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thunter-umjjMzoT8b

Sometimes, someone else's loss can be your gain: Todd Hunter

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The Melbourne-based boutique, property fund manager, Quintessential Equity, has sold its Parramatta commercial property located at 87 Marsden Street.
The property secured $33.15 million when purchased by a private European investor represented by VennCap Real Estate.
Market sources suggested the Hilti Group bought the building on a yield in the low 8% range.
Established in mid-2010, Quintessential Equity Pty Ltd is a fully-managed property syndicate catering to wholesale investors and they acquired the property in 2011 for $20.5 million from GE Capital.
After a subsequent upgrade, it awarded the prestigious Energy Efficiency Council award for best commercial building project for 2013.
The building achieved 100% tenant occupancy with long-term leases to major government and commercial organisations including the NSW state government, the Australian Institute of Fitness, Shine Lawyers and Marsh Insurance.
The building has a net lettable area of 6,659 square metres and comprises seven levels of commercial office and two levels of secure basement parking with 79 individual car spaces.
Russell Bullen, head of property for Quintessential Equity, said the sale was managed by Colliers International and Knight Frank. 
Colliers' Gavin Bishop, John McCann and Tim Russell and Knight Frank's James Parry and Wally Scales brokered the deal.
It has been one of the most traded office blocks in Parramatta, selling seven times since 1989.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Quintessential Equity sells award winning Parramatta commercial property 

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Australian retail rents are beginning to rise across the board after a prolonged lag to retail trade, with CBRE’s Q4 Australia Retail MarketView report highlighting 3.7% CBD growth in national rents in 2014, underpinned by a significant 10.7% rental hike in NSW.
Rental growth is also emerging in the regional, sub regional, neighbourhood and large format sectors according to CBRE’s head of research, Australia, Stephen McNabb, with regional face rents tipped to grow by 2.6% this year, followed by 2.8% growth in 2016.
“Expectations for rent growth are  improving across most parts of the retail sector reflecting the improved trading conditions and sales growth seen in 2014,” McNabb said.
“Retailer profit margins have fallen in the past two quarters due to rising competition and the weakening AUD but are still relatively high after a period of consolidation and cost cutting.  Retailer business confidence, whilst modest, is improved on the weak levels of 2013. Fundamentals are now more supportive of rental growth and this has driven stronger investor interest in the retail sector.”
A key driver of CBD rental growth has been the continued entrance of foreign retailers, which has led to increased demand for prime CBD space.
This was highlighted by the Q4 opening of French luxury cosmetics retailer Sephora and Uniqlo, both in Sydney’s Pitt Street, and Swedish mid-range fashion retailer COS opening its doors in Elizabeth Street Melbourne.
Click to open in new window:
<a href="/images/2015/01/21/retail-jan-21-one.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="/images/2015/01/21/retail-jan-21-one.jpg" alt=""></a>
Source: CBRE, Q4 2014.
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Retail rents finally on the rise: CBRE Research

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An undisclosed Melbourne antique dealer has purchased a 338 square metres showroom at 135 Burwood Road in Hawthorn for $1,619,000.
The deal was negotiated by Gray Johnson agent Rory White right on Christmas Eve.
The building a clear span showroom with a concrete floor has an eight metre frontage to Burwood Road and was previously occupied by bedding retailer Regal Mattress. 
The vacant possession building had been leased as a showroom at an annual rate of $76,000 plus GST and building outgoings.
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Antique dealer buys Hawthorn retail space on Christmas Eve

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The recovery in office leasing markets gathers momentum, according to JLL's latest national office stats.
The research noted CBD office markets recorded a second quarter of positive net absorption, the first time since 4Q11.
"However, a dichotomy in leasing activity between the service-orientated markets of Sydney and Melbourne and the resource-dependent markets of Perth and Brisbane exists," JLL Research advised.
The figures recorded positive net absorption of 16,200 square metres over the quarter – the first time positive net absorption has been recorded in two consecutive quarters since 4Q 2011. 
Nevertheless, the national CBD office market vacancy rate was unchanged at 12.5%, JLL’s National Director of Research, Andrew Ballantyne said.
The recovery in leasing enquiry and activity is concentrated in Sydney and Melbourne. Sydney recorded 27,700 square metres of net absorption over 4Q14 – the highest figure since 2Q10 – taking the full year net absorption figure to an above-trend 70,000 square metres. 
JLL’s Head of Office Leasing, NSW &amp; Australia, Tim O’Connor said net absorption surprised on the upside in Sydney over 2014. 
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Office leasing recovery dichotomy: JLL Research

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Hudson Investment Group Limited has appointment Alan Beasley as its managing director.
Beasley is a former vice president of Bankers Trust Australia for 13 years and more recently served Goldman Sachs Australia, Massachusetts Investment Advisors, and BNP Paribas as country head and managing director of the Asset Management businesses.
Hudson Investment Group Limited (HGL) is engaged in investment, management and development of commercial properties in Australia.
HGL manages and develops properties in Australia, including a factory and office complex at Warnervale and a Sydney car park owned by Hudson Property Trust (HGL’s 100% subsidiary).
The Warnervale 44.5 hectare site on the NSW Central Coast is partially leased to Bunnings Group Limited.
The company’s commercial car park located at Hudson House, 131 Macquarie Street in Sydney’s CBD is a prime asset catering for nearby hotels, including the Intercontinental Hotel, Sofitel Wentworth and Sir Stamford), Conservatorium of Music and Medical and Dental centres. 
The car park is managed by Secure Parking Pty Ltd. 
It also processes and distributes attapulgite based products and also manufactures specality absorbent products for waste water application, explores coal tenements and involved in resource projects through Hudson Resources.
Juliana Tan has advised the company of her resignation as a director, but will provide advisory services to the company.
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Juliana Tan previously worked for PriceWaterhouse Coopers as a Chartered Accountant. She has been with the company since 2003. 
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Last September Hudson Investment Group reported net loss of $11 million for the half-year ended 30 June 2014.
Revenue from ordinary activities were $6.83 million, up 1.44% annually. 
Late last year Hudson Investment Group advised that it will implement a share purchase plan offering eligible shareholders the opportunity to purchase shares in HGL without brokerage or other related charges. The offer price is 4 cents per share, rounded up to the nearest one tenth of one cent.
It was in the early 2000s when John Farey became executive chairman of Hudson Investment Group.
Bruce McLeod was another past managing director.
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Hudson Investment appoint Alan Beasley as managing director

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The national commercial and industrial security fencing contractor Fencewright Pty Ltd have taken up a tenancy in a refurbished industrial facility at Geebung in Brisbane’s north.
The company’s new Queensland headquarters will be at 21 Kingtel Place, Geebung.
Fencewright has taken out a three plus three year lease at a gross rental at $130,000 per annum.
The lease was negotiated by Paul Anderson and Dan Costello of Ray White Industrial Milton.
FenceWright was established in Perth four years ago.
FenceWright moved on the lease listing within 48 hours of Ray White Industrial Milton listing it for lease.
The 2,000 square metre holding comes with a refurbished building area of 1,150 square metres, including a 1,000 square metre warehouse and a 150 square metre office/showroom space.
FenceWright managing director Matthew Sivewright said they had been searching for several months.
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Industrial lease in Geebung for Fencewright

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AMP Capital has announced the retirement of its longest serving fund manager, Louise Joslin.
The fund manager of the AMP Capital Diversified Property Fund (ADPF) will retire mid-2015 after a 34-year career in the property industry including 20 years at AMP Capital. 
It is anticipated Joslin will work with her successor to effect a seamless transition.
Joining in 1995, Joslin’s time with AMP Capital includes nine years as fund manager of the flagship Australian Core Property Portfolio and in late 2014 she was integral to the acquisition of $4 billion of assets by ADPF and a successful capital raising by the Fund. 
She is a former director and NSW president of the Property Council of Australia. She was in the late 1980s a Raine and Horne Commercial associate director. 
One of the largest, unlisted property funds in the country, ADPF has total assets of $4 billion with 18 assets aross the Australian office, retail and industrial property sectors, as well as units in the AMP Capital Shopping Centre Fund and AMP Capital Wholesale Office Fund. 
This includes the newly-developed Macquarie Centre in Sydney, Pacific Fair on Queensland’s Gold Coast, which is currently undergoing significant re-development, and potential developments at Garden City Booragoon in Western Australia and Quay Quarter Sydney.
Last year AMP Capital announced the retirement of another one of the longest-serving members of its leadership team: the director and chief investment officer, property, Andrew Bird.
Andrew Bird will retire this year after a 37-year career in the property industry in the UK and Asia Pacific. He has been responsible for AMP Capital’s property investment and management business since 2004. Mr Bird will be replaced by Adam Tindall, who has been promoted from his current role of Chief Operating Officer, Property.
 
 
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Fund manager Louise Joslin retiring from AMP Capital

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Business outlook on profitability has hit a 23-year low for the December quarter, but Small Business Minister Bruce Billson says there are plenty of positive “green shoots” to give the small business community confidence in 2015.
The latest Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Survey of Investor Confidence shows businesses had a <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/growth/economy/44757-aussies-tipped-to-spend-30-billion-in-december-but-it-s-not-all-holiday-cheer-the-three-biggest-problems-facing-retailers-this-christmas" target="_blank">tough Christmas period</a> and have a gloomy outlook for the year ahead.
The survey’s 641 respondents, mainly from the construction and manufacturing industries, said conditions in their own businesses had fallen further into negative territory, from 49.5 to 48.6 over the December quarter. Sales and profits indicators also dipped for the quarter.
Outlook on profitability hit its lowest level in 23 years, drastically falling from 44.4 to 41.7 in the December quarter.  The profitability index has remained in negative territory since the global financial crisis, but has tumbled steeply over the last two quarters.
Businesses’ expectations for their own prospects are also on a downward slide, with respondents saying they are pessimistic about the prospects for broader economic growth and the general investment climate.
ACCI chief executive Kate Carnell used the results to call on the federal government to act.
"We need the government, and the Parliament to act to restore business confidence by fixing the budget and undertaking productivity-enhancing structural reforms,” Carnell said in a statement.
Billson said this morning Carnell’s comments point to the need for Parliament to be more constructive and collaborative around budget repair.
“I think you’ll find the political climate quite unsettled for the business community,” says Billson.
And Billson blames Labor’s “negativity” for the downturn in confidence.
“Labor has returned to type as a party of protest. Bill Shorten has proved he is a purveyor of pessimism. They are creating uncertainty and undermining the surefootedness that the business community needs,” Billson says.
“This [survey] is a wake-up call to the Labor opposition. There is too much at stake to be playing short-term populism.”
Billson urges the small business community to look at several economic “green shoots”, including rising job numbers, <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/growth/economy/45291-australia-japan-fta-comes-into-effect-today-what-it-will-mean-for-your-business" target="_blank">recent trade agreements</a> and retail trade figures for Christmas.
“The survey also highlights that many businesses are faring better than anticipated,” says Billson.
“Focusing exclusively on the negative suffocates news that, I certainly feel, adds to optimism about the new year,” he says.
This article first appeared on <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/" target="_blank">SmartCompany</a>.
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Business confidence lowest in 23 years

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GUEST OBSERVATION
With all the chatter about beautiful office design, it would be easy to assume workplaces have come a long way from the days of the cubicle farm. But recent research has shown this may not actually be the case.
In spite of increasing <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/the-deal-magazine/gpt-nab-and-macquarie-make-hot-desking-cool-again/story-e6frgabx-1227125767954" target="_blank">images</a> of attractive workplaces from many large Australian companies, many of today’s workplaces are <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/4112857.htm?site=%28none%29&amp;topic=%28none%29&amp;listaction=unsubscribe">not well designed</a>. Poor workplace design leads to increased conflict and stress, which reduces performance and leads to employees resigning.
Workspace is the second largest overhead for most organisations and can <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/096132199369615#.VHa_pleUcdI">influence productivity</a> by up to 20%. This is why organisations are increasingly exploring ways of using the environment to support performance and innovation.
To accommodate changes in work and the changing needs of workers, the corporate world has seen a significant shift to activity based working or “free addressing”.
Activity based working allows organisations to save on their accommodation costs, fitting in <a href="https://www.afr.com/f/free/national/professional_services/kpmg_to_trial_activity_based_working_Bd5StvXbxlGX0DFCCMhkuO">up to 20% more people</a> in the building by designing workplaces where employees have no fixed desk. The concept arose in part in response to the increased desire by organisations for collaboration and networking among employees, and secondly to the increasingly mobile and virtual nature of work.
Initial research however, has indicated growing concern. A 2013 <a href="https://www.gensler.com/uploads/documents/2013_US_Workplace_Survey_07_15_2013.pdf">global study</a> by Gensler found that as few as one in four workers report working in an optimal workplace environment, and more than half report being disturbed by others when trying to focus.
Employees report being constantly interrupted, distracted by noise, and not having enough space. Cortisol tests conducted on employees have shown stress levels in quiet private spaces at around half those in noisy open areas.  
Difficult to focus
<a href="https://www.gensler.com/uploads/documents/2013_US_Workplace_Survey_07_15_2013.pdf" target="_blank">Research</a> on knowledge workers has shown an increase in the time needed for focused individual work, with the time required for collaborative work decreasing. The concept of the activity-based workplace may be actually producing counter-productive results.
When people can’t focus, the <a href="https://www.gensler.com/uploads/documents/2013_US_Workplace_Survey_07_15_2013.pdf" target="_blank">research</a> indicates, they are less effective at learning, building relationships and at collaborating.
In many new offices based around the concept of activity based working, employees are using boxes and posters and plants, pretty much anything they can find, to try and create a space where they can actually get work done.
A recent <a href="https://www.cbre.com/o/international/AssetLibrary/Genesis%20Report_Exec%20Summary_1029.pdf" target="_blank">study of 5,500 office workers</a> globally by commercial real estate company CBRE showing that the ability to think and concentrate was important for workers of all ages; millennials and baby boomers want the same thing.
Innovation remains a top priority for organisations, and yet changes in workplace design may be negatively affecting innovation potential.
The clean desk policy required by activity based working, means that workers need to remove all of their work and belongings at the end of each day. <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidburkus/2014/05/23/when-to-say-yes-to-the-messy-desk/" target="_blank">Studies</a> have shown that messy desks can increase creative thinking and serendipitous discoveries.
What <a href="https://www.griffith.edu.au/business-government/griffith-business-school/departments/department-employment-relations-human-resources/hdr-students/elizabeth-sander" target="_blank">research to date</a> does demonstrate is that the design of a workplace needs to accommodate not only the type of work that needs to get done there, but also the individual needs of the people who are completing that work.
There is an increasing focus on objective measurement within the workplace, examining issues such as stress and productivity using physiological and neuroscience tests.
Results have shown employees can be significantly stressed with detrimental effects on both well-being and performance, though they may not report feeling stressed in self-report research.
More work to do
The importance of a well-designed workplace to support connection is as important as ever. A recent Harvard Business Review <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://hbr.org/2014/10/workspaces-that-move-people/ar/1" target="_blank">article</a> reported research that showed digital communication does not replace face-to-face interaction and that remote teams do not perform as well as those co-located.
It is somewhat surprising to realise we actually haven’t worked out how to design offices that make a positive difference to performance for all types of individuals and types of work.
We do know that subtle cues in our environment can cause us to be different versions of ourselves, more innovative, more outgoing, more <a href="https://www.jll.com.au/australia/en-au/Documents/jll-au-activity-based-working-2012.pdf" target="_blank">collaborative</a> for example, but we haven’t understood exactly how the workplace needs to be designed to achieve this.
Emerging theories of <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/14725960510630489" target="_blank">integrative workplace design</a> should help us understand how to design workplaces that not only allow employees to perform better and make them feel better, but that could fundamentally change the experience of what it means to be at work.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/33677/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">Libby Sander is a PhD candidate, Founder Future of Work Project, Speaker, Author at Griffith University.
This article was originally published on <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>.
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