<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sunland-group">Sunland Group</a> has officially lodged plans for its first Gold Coast apartment project since the departure of the Abedian family from the company three years ago, unveiling a new high-rise proposal for a prominent Broadbeach corner site on Old Burleigh Road.

The application was submitted by an entity directed by Tom Jamieson, stepson of longtime Sunland leader Soheil Abedian, and Riaz Rezvanipour, brother-in-law of Sahba Abedian, Soheil’s son.

Sunland acquired the 1,283 sqm site on the corner of Old Burleigh Road and Armrick Avenue for $9.5 million late last year and is now seeking approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/99-101-old-burleigh-road-broadbeach-qld-4218">42-storey tower with 81 apartments</a>.

<img alt="First look: Sunland Group returns to Broadbeach with new Old Burleigh Road tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fea2946d-90ee-4cfc-babe-2a8ad5db2cb6" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/pers.png?VersionId=BV0fihJw31nDIQ8ozY_h3GbS8mxDyhnm" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/contreras-earl-architecture">Contreras Earl Architecture</a>, the proposed tower at 99-101 Old Burleigh Road would deliver a predominantly larger-format apartment mix aimed at the owner-occupier market. Plans include 17 two-bedroom apartments, 55 three-bedroom apartments, and nine four-bedroom residences across 35 residential levels.

The development also incorporates three basement levels, four podium parking levels, two levels of communal recreation facilities, and rooftop plant and equipment. A total of 189 car spaces are proposed, significantly exceeding the 90 spaces required under the planning scheme.

The architecture adopts a sculpted, curvilinear form, with deep wraparound balconies and integrated landscaping intended to soften the tower’s vertical expression. The planning report states the building’s “slender footprint/form provides a complimentary yet varied built form within the local streetscape” and contributes to “a varied, yet ordered skyline.”

Contreras Earl noted in its Architectural Statement that from the early stages, the project addressed a fundamental challenge: how to accommodate the required residential yield while avoiding the conventional model of a tower sitting on a rigid, fully resolved parking podium.

“The most direct response would have been to consolidate parking into a singular, flat podium and extrude a repetitive tower above,” the statement said. “While efficient, this approach would result in a consolidated built form with limited engagement with the surrounding landscape and public realm.”

Instead, the conventional podium model was “deliberately rejected”. The architects described the base of the building as “a landscaped architectural condition where structure, planting and circulation are integrated”.

“Rather than presenting a continuous built mass, the base of the building is articulated through a series of concrete planter elements that organise the podium into a fragmented system,” the statement said. “This approach reduces the perceived bulk of the lower levels while establishing a more permeable interface with the streetscape and adjacent open space.”

<img alt="Sunland" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="923fad8d-c960-4527-8fbe-975cf1ddf88d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-25%20at%2010.32.03%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=pngwb0hYOIUpq9vDw6F2EsOiVuHF3DiX" />

&nbsp;

The site sits within the High Density Residential Zone and inside the City of Gold Coast’s unrestricted “HX” building height area, where the planning framework anticipates intensified residential development tied to the expanding light rail corridor. The planning report notes the area is undergoing “transition toward more intense development forms” given its proximity to Broadbeach, Surfers Paradise, and high-frequency public transport infrastructure.

Positioned directly opposite Broadbeach Park and within walking distance of Florida Gardens light rail station, the development would sit among a rapidly evolving stretch of Old Burleigh Road that has become one of the Gold Coast’s most active apartment development corridors.

The application joins a growing pipeline of luxury residential projects reshaping Broadbeach, including nearby developments by 5Point Projects, Polycell, and Graya.

The planning report argues the project contributes toward the Gold Coast’s long-term housing targets under the South East Queensland Regional Plan, which forecasts the need for more than 100,000 additional high-rise dwellings across the city by 2046.

<section data-scroll-anchor="false" data-testid="conversation-turn-4" data-turn="assistant" data-turn-id="request-WEB:84a2af5e-d7cf-4ddf-922a-f4d44d6c6caa-1" data-turn-id-container="request-WEB:84a2af5e-d7cf-4ddf-922a-f4d44d6c6caa-1" dir="auto">
The Abedian family departed Sunland Group in late 2023, ending a four-decade association with the company, and subsequently established the private development firm Abedian &amp; Co. The group is currently delivering <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/greenmount-residences-cnr-hill-street-and-marine-parade-coolangatta-qld-4225">Greenmount Residences</a> at Rainbow Bay and recently launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/18-mary-avenue-14-18-mary-avenue-broadbeach-qld-4218">18 Mary Avenue</a> in Broadbeach.
</section>

Joel Robinson

First look: Sunland Group returns to Broadbeach new apartment market with new Old Burleigh Road tower plans

The Minns Labor Government has established the new Bays West Delivery Authority to lead the development&nbsp;of the Bays West Precinct and Blackwattle Bay Precinct.&nbsp;

The Authority is charged with creating Sydney’s newest precinct, a thriving, connected, sustainable hub with White Bay Power Station as its cultural heart. Its vision is to build on the area’s natural, cultural and industrial history to shape a vibrant new neighbourhood.

The precinct will deliver up to 8,500 well-located homes, including a minimum of 10 per cent affordable and essential worker homes. Combine new housing with public open space, opening public access to the waterfront for the first time in more than 100 years, while retaining important deep-water facilities to support Sydney’s working harbour.

Located just minutes from the Sydney CBD and connected to a world-class metro, ferry, walking and cycling links, the Bays West precinct will rebalance housing growth towards well-serviced inner-city locations and help tackle the state’s housing crisis.

The Bays West Delivery Authority,&nbsp;an agency of the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, will report to the NSW Minister for Lands and Property who already has oversight of major precinct renewal projects including at Blackwattle Bay and Barangaroo.

As part of the broader Bays West transformation, the Minns Government recently announced that a proposal from Lendlease to redevelop part of the Bays West Precinct has progressed to Stage 2 of the NSW Government’s unsolicited proposals process.

<img alt="Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2ed71eb9-d8e8-4fa7-b9d1-de4531dcf2f3" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-25%20at%209.42.31%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=IDryFIbped9SNDg72LEN_EecvhUsOPvp" />

The Minns Labor Government has also confirmed the Bays West precinct will have a new suburb name. This will be the first major suburb built in close proximity to Sydney’s CBD in decades and will encompass the area currently being referred to as Bays West, including Glebe Island and the White Bay Power Station. Served by a new Metro station just five minutes from the CBD, it will become one of the most populous suburbs in the Inner West and one of Sydney’s premier cultural destinations.

An early works program is taking shape, which&nbsp;includes the first stages of an international design competition.&nbsp;

The aim of the Bays West&nbsp;International&nbsp;Design Competition is to&nbsp;ensure design excellence is embedded in the project from the start. The competition will deliver an&nbsp;urban framework that defines the character, ambition and long-term identity of&nbsp;this&nbsp;former industrial precinct as it transitions to a vibrant, inclusive and sustainable residential&nbsp;neighbourhood.

The competition will be led by the Bays West Delivery Authority in partnership with Government Architect NSW.&nbsp;

It will launch with an invitation for a global Expressions of Interest, before moving to an invitation-only stage that will be assessed by a panel that&nbsp;will provide advice to Cabinet who will select a winner.

Premier of NSW, Chris Minns said the establishment of the new Authority is the first step in transforming the Bays West precinct into a vibrant, livable suburb minutes from the Sydney CBD and two stops from Hunter St Station on the Metro West line.

“The Authority will deliver well-located homes close to the heart of the city and integrate the new precinct with Blackwattle Bay and the new Sydney Fish Market.

“This is a generational opportunity to build a new suburb on the city’s edge and open the harbour foreshore to the public for the first time in a century.”&nbsp;

Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said the new Bays West Delivery Authority established by the Minns Government will turbocharge the development of Sydney’s newest suburb.

“The Authority is working at a record pace to deliver an international design competition, planning pathways and a financial model so that this development benefits Sydney with well-designed homes in a central location, close to public transport, jobs, entertainment and essential services.

“If we want Sydney to stay liveable and affordable, we need to be bold about using underutilised government-owned land to deliver homes for the future while making sure essential working harbour functions can be accommodated.”

Bays West Delivery Authority established to "turbocharge" Sydney’s newest suburb

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.

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

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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The Small Maldives Island Company has appointed Luke Mangan as the chef of their new resorts, responsible for food and beverages at Amilla, which opens in November, and Finolhu, due to launch in mid-2015.
There will be eight restaurants across the two islands with Lonu, the main restaurant on Amilla. Lonu is Maldivian for salt.
The new venture adds to his existing glass brasserie at the Hilton Sydney; plus Salt grills and/or bars in Surfers Paradise, Jakarta, Singapore, Bali and Tokyo.
The Maldives group is headed by hotelier, Tom McLoughlin, who created the world’s first underwater spa at Huvafen Fushi and the first underwater nightclub at Niyama. The group has also hired Australian hospitality executive Michael Flynn.
Amilla Fushi is an island resort located in Baa Atoll located in the pristine UNESCO biosphere reserve. 
Trained by renowned chefs Michel and Albert Roux, Luke Mangan opened his first Salt restaurant in Darlinghurst, Sydney, in 1999. glass brasserie, situated in the Hilton Hotel in Sydney, opened in 2005.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Celebrity chef Luke Mangan takes Salt to Maldives resorts

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Chapel Street's next big redevelopment appears set for the Chapel Plaza.
An application for demolition of the existing building and construction of a twelve storey apartment building, has been lodged with Stonnington Council.
There will be 188 apartments, retail floor space, and commercial office space over a three storey basement accommodating car parking.
It sits between Toorak and Malvern Roads.
Plans for the $63 million have been lodged by SJB for the 402 to 416 Chapel Street holding. The property comes with Simmons Court and Bray Street frontage that totals around 3,700 square metres.
<a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-retail-vic-south+yarra-5956326" target="_blank">The property</a> last traded in 1983 at $1.51 million when bought by Ruben Fried, who died in 2009.
Spotlight, the Melbourne-based chain of 100 fabrics and homewards stores, was founded by brothers, Ruben Fried and Morry Fraid, having grown from one store in 1973. The company reported annual sales of $600 million at one point when employing about 6,000 staff. 
The BRW Rich List noted in the late 1980s that the brothers Ruben Fried and Morry Fraid had different surnames because of a "teacher's mistake during their school years".
They have never bothered to correct it.
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Chapel Plaza set for 12 storey replacement development

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Property and facilities management teams need to work collaboratively with information technology and human resources departments to create the most effective workplaces, according to a supplier of workplace technology.
Each department played a role in understanding how employees who work in a building use the space, in changing the environment to improve utilisation and in measuring responses to modifications, POMT director of strategy and development Jeremy Pollak said.
“It’s about finding what the right solution is for the different place-types in the organisation,” Pollak said.
He said there was no one-size-fits-all solution for every organisation as people with different jobs required different features in their workplace.
People who work as software engineers, for example, spend a lot of time at a desk, while business managers might spend most of their time in meetings.
Software development company Atlassian has been working with POMT on its designing and managing its offices.
Atlassian global head of real estate Brent Harman said the company had been reviewing its workplace design, taking cues from the way it develops software through iterative, regular, small updates.
“We are getting comfortable in our workplace and experience team that we are not going to be able to design an end state [for the offices]. We have to be comfortable in an environment of constant change,” Harman said.
Support from information technology departments was needed to ensure systems were implemented correctly, while human resources teams had to be involved in helping staff members adapt to change, Pollak said.
“In all projects we are trying to get people to feel comfortable with the technology. That starts with it being integrated within the design. It needs to be easy to use,” he said.
Demand is growing for room booking and management systems and space utilisation data as companies become increasingly interested in pursuing efficiency and reducing property costs.
Devices such as sensors that indicate when a desk is occupied are being installed in some corporate offices to monitor space usage.
Some companies were requiring staff to swipe a security card when they used a meeting room to indicate how many people attended meetings that had been booked into particular rooms.
These technologies supported new work methods such as activity based working and agile work practices, although they could also be used in more traditional work environments, Pollak said. 
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zfielding-GvX3Uq9KTa

Property and facilities management require collaboration for workplace efficiency

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One question often asked by inexperienced investors is whether or not you can manage your own commercial property.
And clearly, the short answer is: Yes, if you know what you doing.
However, owning a commercial property means that you do have certain legal responsibilities and among them are your property's compliance with the various essential services requirements under current building regulations.
Obviously, the rules and regulations will vary from state to state. But nonetheless, it's something you need to be fully informed about.
For example: The objectives of the Victoria Act (from July 1994) include:
<div>
<ul>
<li>To establish, maintain and improve standards for the construction and maintenance of buildings;</li>
<li>To facilitate the adoption and efficient application of national uniform building standards and the accreditation of building products;</li>
<li>To enhance the amenity of buildings and protect the safety and health of people who use buildings;</li>
<li>To facilitate and promote the cost-effective construction of buildings; and</li>
<li>To provide an efficient and effective system for issuing building and occupancy permits.</li>
</ul>
</div>
You will find the Act sets out the legal framework for regulating construction of buildings, building standards and maintenance of certain building safety features.
<h3>Your Obligations</h3>
As a landlord, the regulations require you:
<ol>
<li>Identify and inspect all essential services to specific standards and frequencies.</li>
<li>Keep hard-copy records of inspections on site.</li>
<li>Complete and display the annual essential services report and the occupancy permit in the building.</li>
</ol>
Buildings constructed before July 1994 are not required to have an annual essential services report. Nonetheless, all the safety systems must be properly operating and maintained.
This would include things like exit signs and paths of exit; and therefore, it would be prudent for you to keep records of all your maintenance checks.
However, if you were to undertake significant upgrade works to an older building you would then be required to fully comply with current day regulations.
Bottom line: While compliance may seem somewhat confusing and onerous, this is something your managing agent will be able to co-ordinate on your behalf to ensure you meet all your legal obligations.
And therefore, the long answer is that it would be in your best interests to appoint a competent managing agent — rather than try to muddle through on your own.
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The commercial property regulations and obligations investors need to know

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Agent: Lisa Dunne<img src="/images/2014/05/21/RWSPG_Agents%202%20of%2020.jpg" width="150" style="float: right;">
Position: M1 North team leader and sales and leasing consultant​
Company: Ray White Industrial
Office location: Yatala, Queensland
How long have you been in the industry?
Seven years​
What’s happening in the area you specialise in?
​Yatala Enterprise Area​ on the northern Gold Coast
Describe the most interesting property you have sold or leased
​I think it would have to be 24 Octal Street, Yatala. I took to market with Super Butcher as the tenant, then the receivers came in and I got to market again. The staff there knew me so well by the time it settled.  ​
What are the ingredients to being successful in your job?
​Communication, integrity and fun​.
What aspects of your role do you enjoy the most?
​Talking to clients (customer service), but nothing beats getting a result that both the vendor/landlord and buyer/tenant is happy with.​
Where would invest a spare $750,000?
With the ​great interest rates at the moment, it is hard to pass up commercial investment stock with great returns.
Which football team do you support?
​My house is normally full of basketball paraphernalia and not football - We follow the NBA (Chicago Bulls).
What’s your favourite app or techno gadget?
​My IPad and iPhone - can't leave the house without them.​ 
How do you use social media?
​Facebook is what I use the most and I like to keep everyone up to date with all activity in the area.  Whether it is property related or not. ​
Connect with Lisa on <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://au.linkedin.com/pub/lisa-dunne/58/b20/710" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a>.
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In profile: Ray White Industrial's M1 North team leader and sales and leasing consultant​, Lisa Dunne

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We all love a hilarious headline and this week we were served up a cracker - “Australian house prices fall 1.9% in May”.
What part of this embarrassing statistic is relevant to real estate? For such data to be extrapolated thousands and thousands of suburbs’ data would need to be fed in, all of which means next to nothing given it significantly fails the relevance test. Households are simply concerned with just the one thing, namely the data pertaining to the suburb in which they own property. For those slightly interested, Sydney posted a 1.1% decline which based on approximately 670 suburbs which would then average out at a 0.00164% decline per suburb.
When it comes to house prices what consistently fails to be mentioned is that the suburbs within that crucial 15 kilometre radius of the CBD continue to outperform simply because they are not cursed by diabolical infrastructure inadequacies. With Australia moving closer and closer to a population of 24 million and a resources industry in significant decline, there will be more pressures placed on the major cities as families relocate to gain employment.
It is anyone’s guess how Sydney (which is facing an 8 million population) and Melbourne (9 million) are simply going to cope given Australia’s current population growth rate is 1.8% and growing. The reality of the argument is that there is simply not enough housing to meet the projected demand nor for that matter even a plan projecting how these major cities will cope. Given it is quite obvious now that the residents of Sydney and Melbourne prefer to live as close to their respective cities, than the onus falls majorly on the governments to develop infrastructure that can meet with this demand which just so happens to be growing at the fastest rate ever recorded before.
To get a better perspective one only has to look at this week’s gross domestic product (GDP) which for the March quarter of 2014 grew 1.1% seasonally adjusted, although it would be fair to say that the June GDP figures won’t be anything to write home about. What the GDP figures did reveal is that it does not look good for Western Australia and Queensland given both are fast-tracked into spiral declines with reduced construction and commodity price declines. Historically, what usually happen next are major unemployment headlines as businesses start scaling down operations.
It should be noted that NSW posted a 9.3% increase in private investment for the quarter together with the best home approval figures in over ten years.
<a href="https://www.rwm.com.au/files/2014/06/2-06-2014-9-56-48-AM.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-11333" src="https://www.rwm.com.au/files/2014/06/2-06-2014-9-56-48-AM.jpg" alt="2-06-2014 9-56-48 AM" width="429" height="420"></a>
The onus is now definitely on the states and territories to start getting their respective infrastructure spends into overdrive, hence the massive asset sales. The only foreseeable problem with these asset sales is what they do when there is nothing left to sell? It’s no secret that no Australian state or territory is basking in a budget surplus, rather all are in significant deficit or on the borderline.
It should not have come as any great surprise that when the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released data this week it revealed that 46.4% of state and local government taxation revenue from the 2012/13 financial year came from property related taxes. The total amount collected, a record, came in at $35.931 billion leaving consumers rightly furious that infrastructure and transport have never been worse.
<a href="https://www.rwm.com.au/files/2014/06/2-06-2014-9-59-05-AM.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-11335" src="https://www.rwm.com.au/files/2014/06/2-06-2014-9-59-05-AM.jpg" alt="2-06-2014 9-59-05 AM" width="633" height="286"></a>
With strong public debate about the GST being raised it should be noted that when the GST was introduced by the Howard government back in July 2000 – this was done so on the basis that the states and territories would reduce/remove these taxes. It should be noted that council rates did not come under the GST removal mandate.
So the question that keeps popping up is once the assets have been sold (and this is fast approaching) then how are the state and territory governments going to survive given all they can tax is properties and businesses (remember pay roll tax was supposed to go also)? You can’t increase the GST only to see these respective governments run amok again as they can no longer balance the books.
Therefore there is a very sound argument to look at a model in Australia where state and territory governments cease to exist and local councils are merged into super councils. It would certainly be good for employment. Work, maintenance and construction would be consistently rolled out across the nation.
Quite simply, it may never come to fruition even though the USA does not have middle-tier government and it works fine there. It would be fascinating to see what this model would look like and how it could possibly work – which should not be that hard. It would certainly remove the politician pension gravy train which is a total waste of tax payer monies. Many would argue successfully that in itself is enough reason to remove this tier of government once and for all.
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Onus on governments to build infrastructure for major cities' projected population explosion

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Eddie McGuire, the Collingwood Football Club president, MMM breakfast radio broadcaster and founder of media company, McGuire Media, has spent around $12,575,000, beating off Chinese investors to secure a Toorak Road, Toorak retail/office complex.
The three-level professional corporate office, located between Williams Road and Grange Road, was sold through CB Richard Ellis on April 11 by See Bay Pty Ltd.
Property Observer concludes it could be occupied by McGuire as an owner-occupier.
The retail space has recently been <a href="https://www.commercialview.com.au/414-toorak-road-toorak/commercial-lease-details-7081357" target="_blank">advertised by CBRE</a> as an excellent opportunity for food operator "as the building has secured a new media company with 100 employees commencing early next year".
Sub-divided into six titles, the sale yield reflected 1.68%, and when fully leased would reflect a yield of 4.8%.
The 414 Toorak Road building, with basement parking and gym, has Allechante nail bar and Lavish dermatology clinic are among the current occupants of the leasing space. Kondo has been holding an end of lease clearance sale.
Browne &amp; Co Solicitors lodged paperwork pursuant to the purchase on behalf of Jax Capital Pty Ltd, which Fairfax Media says is directed by McGuire and his wife Carla.
The property traded at $3.39 million in 2003.
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Eddie McGuire spends $12.5 million on blue-chip Toorak retail/office complex

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The global fast-fashion giant Zara’s local offshoot is highly profitable. But the financial results for the Australian stores suggest the initial queue forming, love affair was moderating, according to the Australian Financial Review.
Spain’s retail juggernaut has nine Australian outlets.
Documents lodged with ASIC show Zara’s revenue rose 32% to $141 million for the 12 months to 31 January, down on the 56% revenue growth recorded in 2013.
The documents reveal the first earnings dip since its 2011 arrival with the 2014 profit down $1.52 million, some 8.5%, to $16.46 million.
Costs escalated as its store roll-out triggered administration costs up 146%.
The cost of goods sold are increasing ahead of sales.
Macquarie Private Wealth obtained Zara’s financial results noting average sales per Zara store had continued to fall since it first entered the market, down from $42.8 million in 2012, to $25.8 million in 2013, and most recently to $18.2 million in 2014.
‘’It also appears that the initial stores have been more productive than the later stores, potentially highlighting store maturation, increased competition from other new entrants including Topshop,’’ Macquarie suggested.
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Zara nine store roll out triggering lower profits in Australia

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This week I was speaking with one of the land developers we source our development sites from and was interested to hear her say that they’d been told that the NSW state government were currently fast tracking land releases to meet their housing acceleration goals. Music to my ears as we are always on the lookout for good development sites in well planned areas.
One of the most important roles the Department of Planning and Environment is to work closely with other agencies, councils and communities to plan for housing supply and delivery in "greenfield" or undeveloped areas, and "infill" housing in existing areas.
The NSW government has allocated more than $300 million from the HAF in the 2013-14 NSW budget to drive housing growth.
This includes:
<ul>
<li>$141 million towards eleven water, road or electricity projects in Sydney and the Lower Hunter which can accelerate 42,900 new housing lots.</li>
<li>$70 million towards an upgrade of Old Wallgrove Rd in the <a href="https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/StrategicPlanning/Employmentlands/WesternSydneyEmploymentAreaWSEA/tabid/366/language/en-US/Default.aspx" target="_blank">Western Sydney Employment Area</a> to deliver jobs near major housing growth centres</li>
<li>$99 million towards the <a href="https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/StrategicPlanning/FundingPrograms/LocalInfrastructureGrowthScheme/tabid/653/language/en-US/Default.aspx" target="_blank">Local Infrastructure Growth Scheme</a> to assist councils fund local infrastructure needed to support growth above the developer contribution cap.</li>
</ul>
With our focus on project managing property developments in the Hunter Region of NSW, I delved a little deeper into the NSW Planning website which is a fantastic source of information. I wanted to see where the $141 million spend on infrastructure and where the new housing was planned for, although I already had a very good idea.
<a href="/news">Maitland</a>....it’s one of Property Bloom’s favourite cities to build and invest in throughout the Hunter. This city has experienced solid population growth, has a diverse economy and the planned growth of the city is no secret.  Council has identified several areas for new land release.  It’s an affordable yet established city and benefited from some recent infrastructure projects such as the Hunter Expressway opening this year, a new hospital being announced, road and bridge upgrades and an aggressive planning program to accommodate one of the state’s highest population growth projections.
Maitland’s population is projected to grow by 42% from 2011 – 2031. It’s one of the highest projected growth areas of NSW. The main drivers will be net internal migration from within the state – people moving perhaps from Sydney or other areas and interstate migration. Also from high fertility rates, apparently they make lots of babies there. Actually what that means it that it’s a nice place to raise a family with good schools and facilities. Housing is affordable and there is solid rental demand.
<a href="https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/projections" target="_blank">Check out the website</a>, it also gives you the age profiles of the community, household types and size and my favourite, projected dwellings – this shows the number of dwellings needed to provide private housing for all projected households. This is a fabulous tool and we are using it to understand the local councils and NSW Planning expectations. We can then help our clients develop their property development strategy targeting the right locations for their developments.
Property Bloom project manages villa developments; dual occupancies or larger medium density developments as well as granny flat complying developments. One of the points raised on the NSW Planning website is that in 2011, couples with children were the most common household type in the Lower Hunter. However by 2031, most households will be occupied by couples only or those living alone, together making up 56% of all households in these regions.  Also the 65-84 year age group is projected to almost double in NSW. So the low maintenance villa dwellings that we are producing will meet the demands of this emerging market.
<a href="https://www.propertybloom.com.au/" target="_blank">www.propertybloom.com.au</a>
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Planning for the emerging market - low maintenance, smaller dwellings

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The high profile investor syndicate of John Singleton, Gerry Harvey and Mark Carnegie have spent $80 million to buy the Entertainment Quarter at Moore Park.
Known as the 'three amigos', the trio see the potential for redevelopment at the Centennial Park location.
''We - John Singleton, Katie Page, Mark Carnegie and I - visited it a couple of times and realised it was hard to get 11 hectares with development opportunities and its location, anywhere else in Sydney,'' Harvey told Fairfax Media.
He signalled about 26,000 square metres within could be readily redeveloped after consultation with the local residents.
"We will look at all options, including a hotel, pubs, serviced apartments and an updated retail sector,'' Harvey suggested.
The syndicate's portfolio has centred on hotel acquisitions.
The 11.08 hectare site centres around the Bent Street retail precinct and the former Sydney Showground show-ring.
CFS Retail Property Trust listed its leasehold interest in The Entertainment Quarter through Sam McVay from McVay Real Estate who secured the offer from the consortium headed by the Carnegie Private Opportunities Fund No. 1.
The sale of the mixed use asset focused on retail, entertainment, leisure and space in the Centennial Park precinct is conditional on the approval of the ground lessor and the NSW government. 
CFS and one of its wholesale funds, CFSGAM Property Retail Partnership, jointly hold a leasehold interest in the asset. The most recent CBRE valuation as at December 2013 was $63 million, with no vacancy rate, however down on its mid-2013 valuation of $66.4 million.
Michael Gorman, the deputy CEO, said the sale was in line with its strategy of divesting non-core assets.
It was sold by the CFS almost 10 years after it was bought from Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation and the developer, Lend Lease.
Photo courtesy of J Bar/ <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/" target="_blank">Creative Commons</a>.
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