Malaysian developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/s-p-setia">SP Setia</a> is the latest to jump into St Leonards booming Transport Oriented Development precinct.

The developer, which has previously delivered Sapphire by the Gardens apartment development in Melbourne, identified the Atchison Street site in 2023. It filed a Scoping Report around 12 months ago, and now has revealed the designs for the new&nbsp;40-storey mixed-use tower.

The State Significant Development Application covers <a href="https://next-portal.urban.com.au/projects/14650/summary">20-22 Atchison Street</a>, a 1,374 sqm site positioned between St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, the project would deliver 181 apartments, above a four-storey commercial podium, five basement levels, and new public domain works along Mitchell Street. The apartment mix comprises 35 one-bedroom apartments, 39 one-bedroom-plus-study apartments, 85 two-bedroom apartments, and 22 three-bedroom residences.

The proposal has been lodged as a shop-top housing development under the NSW Government’s TOD planning pathway, which allows increased density around key transport infrastructure. The site sits within the recently rezoned Crows Nest Accelerated TOD Precinct.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b799673d-48e2-46b0-801a-0e33a9330100" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20site.png?VersionId=dPh0UfwfaHpbFL1R7H1cbZNbIW0CHbCC" />

SP Setia acquired the Atchison Street site as part of its continued expansion into the Australian apartment market. In comments made to City &amp; Country (The Edge Malaysia) in 2023, SP Setia President and CEO Datuk Choong Kai Wai described the acquisition as “a strategic move” aligned with the group’s post-pandemic market recovery strategy.

“Our target for this exceptional development is local and overseas buyers, including first-home buyers, downsizers and investors,” Choong said.

The tower has been designed as a slender vertical form rising from a mixed-use podium, with COX Architecture positioning the development as a response to the evolving St Leonards and Crows Nest skyline.

“The purpose of the project is to facilitate the delivery of high-quality housing at a strategically located site and deliver a built tower outcome that is consistent with the desired future character of St Leonards and aligns with the TOD controls,” the design report stated.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1a85eee-76f7-436c-a6da-73ba827b9b13" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20entry.png?VersionId=dA9jHGPMcm.dDbwk4QfxqWiY5bfh3UVt" />

The podium would incorporate retail uses fronting Atchison Street, commercial tenancies, landscaped communal areas, and pedestrian improvements along Mitchell Street. Vehicle access and loading would be consolidated via Atchison Lane.

Residents would have access to more than 665 sqm of communal indoor and outdoor spaces, while the development proposes 96 parking spaces across five basement levels.

The proposal also includes a commitment for 10 per cent of residential floor space to be allocated toward affordable housing through a monetary contribution.

COX said the tower form responds directly to the emerging high-density character of the precinct while seeking to maximise solar access, cross ventilation, and outlook from apartments.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2163f85c-f63b-4be3-aafa-f8763976cec5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29_5.png?VersionId=WiAmtIKJ6.ZQ41EtYEQ1fol7AeorKBlL" />

“The building is orientated towards north,” the Apartment Design Guide compliance report noted, adding that the tower’s slim form was driven by the constrained inner-urban site dimensions.

The design also incorporates landscaped setbacks and communal open space at podium level, intended to soften the interface with surrounding streets and improve pedestrian amenity.

The project adds to a growing wave of redevelopment proposals reshaping St Leonards and Crows Nest following the opening of the Sydney Metro City line and the NSW Government’s push for higher-density housing around major transport nodes.

Last week Stockland filed plans just down the road. They want to build a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/601-pacific-highway-st-leonards-nsw-2065">52-storey tower on Pacific Highway</a>.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">First look: Stockland plans 52-storey, 538-apartment St Leonards tower&nbsp;</a>

Joel Robinson

First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> has revealed plans for a new mixed-use tower at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham, advancing a proposal that would reshape the southern gateway to Newcastle’s city centre with one of the city’s tallest residential buildings.

The State Significant Development proposal, now on exhibition, seeks approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bowline-10-dangar-street-wickham-nsw-2293">43-storey tower</a> immediately adjacent to the Newcastle Interchange. The project would deliver around 200 apartments, including 42 affordable housing dwellings, alongside 99 co-living units, a 171-room hotel, retail space, and new public domain integrated through the site.

The scheme marks a significant escalation of plans previously approved for the site. Urban Property Group took over the prominent 2,904 sqm parcel, where excavation and demolition had already commenced under an earlier consent for a 14-storey mixed-use development.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="58a96dd9-407f-4d20-86b4-94e4bfeef74b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20podium.png?VersionId=LGlf08pdFGAZDzvx_CXC4XakHNZRuEE0" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, the tower has been conceived as a landmark transit-oriented development anchored to the Newcastle Interchange precinct. The proposal includes 245 build-to-sell apartments across a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom residences, as well as two penthouses. Fifteen apartments and one operational unit are earmarked for NDIS housing. The co-living component would add a further 99 units, while the podium would accommodate retail uses and hotel facilities.

SJB said the site presents “a valuable opportunity to anchor the precinct by setting the standard for design, active ground planes and character at the key southern gateway.”

The architecture responds directly to the site’s position beside major transport infrastructure and within one of Newcastle’s fastest-evolving urban renewal precincts. The tower form sits above a sculpted podium designed to frame new public spaces, including a through-site pedestrian link connecting Station Street to Hannell Street, landscaped plazas, and activated retail edges.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a7bd6ff0-f7db-4ce8-a6dc-ea56e72c6149" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20lanne.png?VersionId=xzf39VADyhj7zBQY2I9fx9vI62u2tuSb" />

The design report describes the project as part of the broader transition of Wickham into “a vibrant, high-quality mixed-use urban precinct” that leverages proximity to the station, open space, and regional connectivity.

A detailed public art strategy has also been prepared for the development. The strategy positions the project as “a transit-oriented development of state significance at the gateway to Newcastle’s city centre” and outlines a series of integrated artworks responding to Newcastle’s industrial and transport heritage.

Creative Road’s curatorial framework for the project, titled Unveil, draws on “stratified surfaces, carved volumes, and light-filled apertures” while referencing Newcastle’s transformation from an industrial city into a contemporary education and technology hub.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="77a882bb-14b1-4d28-99ff-9438e39508c0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20site.png?VersionId=cevgo_vN0eKPK78P8YcEu3mKPLkpFqE7" />

The proposal is being advanced through the NSW Housing Delivery Authority pathway after being declared State Significant Development in June 2025. The accompanying scoping report states the development aims to “maximise the site’s proximity to the Newcastle Interchange by delivering transit-oriented development” while increasing housing supply and affordable housing provision within the Newcastle LGA.

Urban Property Group’s plans align with the long-term strategic vision established under the Wickham Master Plan, which identified the interchange precinct as suitable for substantial uplift in height and density. The current proposal would significantly intensify that vision, positioning the tower among the tallest developments proposed for Newcastle.

The site sits immediately north of the Newcastle Interchange, bounded by Dangar Street, Hannell Street, and Charles Street. It is surrounded by a rapidly growing cluster of residential towers and mixed-use projects that have emerged following the completion of the light rail and transport interchange.

First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s latest tower at Wickham interchange

Bottega House has completed settlement of a landmark riverfront site in Macquarie Street, St Lucia, representing its first major Brisbane development.&nbsp;

Positioned on the banks of the Brisbane River, the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/180-macquarie-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">premium site at 180 Macquarie Street</a> features uninterrupted river frontage in one of Brisbane’s most tightly held residential precincts.&nbsp;

The proposed development, currently under assessment with Brisbane City Council, has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/mim-design">Mim Design</a> and will deliver a boutique collection of premium residences positioned specifically for owner occupiers and downsizers.&nbsp;

The residences are set to redefine luxury apartment living in the area, with a focus on architectural quality, refined finishes, landscape integration and elevated amenities including curated wellness facilities, resort-style pools and recreation spaces rarely seen in the local market.&nbsp;

Exclusive sales for the project will be led by Keenan &amp; Byrne, ahead of an anticipated launch later this year.&nbsp;

Bottega House Managing Director Nick Malloch said the project reflects the group’s ambition to deliver a highly curated residential offering within one of Brisbane’s most tightly held precincts.&nbsp;

“This is an incredibly rare riverfront opportunity and one we have approached with a long-term perspective,” Malloch said.&nbsp;

“Our vision from the outset was to create a boutique collection of residences that feel more like private homes than traditional apartments, with generous proportions, refined finishes and exceptional amenity throughout."

Malloch says there is a&nbsp;lack of premium owner-occupier stock of this quality in the market, particularly for downsizers wanting space, privacy and a true lifestyle offering without compromise.&nbsp;

"Demand is expected to be strong given the scarcity of premium riverfront opportunities of this nature within Brisbane’s inner-west."&nbsp;

Bottega House secures landmark riverfront site in St Lucia 

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The arrival of the first piling rig officially marks the commencement of construction at SIERA’s new beachside apartment development, Exhale, in Northcliffe.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/exhale-surfers-paradise-8-enderley-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Exhale</a>, a glass-encased tower featuring 54 large-scale apartments at 8 Enderley Avenue, is SIERA’s third Gold Coast development. It follows the recently completed PIPIS Bilinga beachfront project, which achieved suburb-record prices, and the soon-to-be-completed Chevron Island development, Tapestry.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359603]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/siera">SIERA</a> Founder and Managing Director Brent Thompson said the arrival of the piling rig represented a significant milestone for the development, which is scheduled for completion in late 2028.

Over the next month, around 260 piles are expected to be installed as work progresses on the basement structure. The building is anticipated to rise above ground level early next year, before unveiling its sculptural glass curtain wall, developed in collaboration with specialist façade engineers.

“The façade was designed to maximise panoramic coastal views while creating a distinctive architectural identity,” Thompson said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=355935]

Designed by BDA Architecture, Exhale will comprise just 54 two- and three-bedroom residences across 26 levels, a level of low-density living rarely delivered in this beachside pocket between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.

The project has been conceived as a resident-only building, with no short-stay accommodation permitted. SIERA says the model is intended to appeal to long-term owner-occupiers rather than transient holiday demand.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=361052]

Residences have been designed with large-format layouts and expansive glazing, with most apartments featuring more than 30 metres of glass frontage to maximise natural light and ocean views.

The amenity offering spans two levels and centres on wellness and lifestyle, including a heated magnesium pool, sauna, yoga and Pilates studio, gymnasium, private dining facilities, cinema lounge, and dedicated surfcraft storage.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359607]

More than half of the apartments have already sold. SIERA has also opened a sales gallery for Exhale at its Chevron Island commercial premises, near its Tapestry tower and the site of its second Chevron Island apartment development, which is slated to launch in early 2027.
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[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112661]

SIERA kicks off construction at Northcliffe tower Exhale

Local Little Bay residents, along with buyers from premium postcodes across Sydney’s affluent Eastern Suburbs, have dominated purchases in developer-builder Urban Property Group’s first Eastern Suburbs apartment development, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/este-little-bay-jennifer-street-little-bay-nsw-2036">ESTE Little Bay</a>.

The $250 million coastal project, one of the first new developments in the area in several years, has proven particularly popular with downsizers, especially those from Coogee and Bondi. One Double Bay downsizer paid $4.7 million for a four-bedroom penthouse, setting a new local apartment price record in the process.

Buyers have been attracted to the combination of coastal tranquillity, premium design and amenity-rich neighbourhood living. The walkable village setting, along with proximity to three of Sydney’s leading golf courses, New South Wales Golf Club, St Michael’s Golf Club and The Coast Golf Club, has also been a key drawcard.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112343 project_image_fid=352689]

Built across two low-rise buildings designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hill-thalis-architecture-urban-projects-pty-ltd">Hill Thalis</a> and set along a lush, landscaped green spine, designed by leading landscape architect <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/arcadia-landscape-architecture">Arcadia</a>, ESTE Little Bay offers a collection of one, two, three and four-bedroom residences with interiors by Richards Stanisich.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> Sales Director, Tom McIvor said the response to ESTE has been "nothing short of extraordinary."

“Buyers have been quick to recognise ESTE as a rare opportunity to invest in a coastal sanctuary that offers both seclusion and connectivity to the heart of Sydney,” McIvor said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112343 project_image_fid=352687]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/srm-residential">SRM Residential</a> Senior Director, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/srm-residential">Clayton Ross</a> said the local market has responded incredibly well, driven by ESTE’s exceptional location and the rarity it offers.

“We’ve seen strong interest from a variety of buyer groups, all of whom are drawn to the exclusivity and quality of the build and construction by the 4.5-star iCIRT-rated builder / developer, Urban Property Group. There’s truly nothing else like it along Sydney’s coastline.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112343 project_image_fid=352690]

The project also includes robust buyer protections, including Resilience Insurance’s Latent Defects Insurance, providing 10 years of structural cover, and an independent iCIRT-rating of the developer.

“The iCIRT-rating adds another layer of confidence,” Ross added. “Buyers see it as a safeguard for their investment and their lifestyle.” A highlight of ESTE’s offering is its exclusive wellness amenities, including a heated rooftop infinity pool and outdoor heated spa, a state-of-the-art Technogym fitness centre, and a sauna.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/este-little-bay-jennifer-street-little-bay-nsw-2036">ESTE Little Bay</a> is topped out and is on track to complete towards the end of 2026, with residents moving in before Christmas.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112343]

Eastern Suburbs buyers snap up ESTE Little Bay 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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A vacant office building at Noosa Head on the Sunshine Coast has sold for $1.8 million. The 1980s-constructed building, which is on a site of about 1,012 square metres, is located at 24 Lanyana Way, and was purchased by a local investor.
It is understood the purchaser plans to refurbish the building and lease it as individual tenancies up to 850 square metres. It previously had a long standing tenant. John Petralia and David Brinkley of Ray White Commercial Noosa handled the sale on behalf of an interstate investor.
“The property had become run down and a lot of the old internal fit out was left behind by the previous tenant,” said Petralia. “We contacted local charity groups who took away a lot of the items and sold them off and this helped our vendor as the property was now much cleaner.”
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Vacant Sunshine Coast office building sells for $1.8 million

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An Australian communications company has snared a fully leased office building in the heart of the Varsity Lakes Business Centre on the Gold Coast, outlaying $5.125 million.
The 23 Main Street property attracted 25 enquiries from local, interstate and offshore buyers, before selling to Vaya Pty Ltd.
Mr Greg Watson and Tony Stone of Ray White Commercial negotiated the sale on behalf of Northpoint Holdings No. 3.
"Gross rental yield per annum when fully leased for this building is approximately $549,892, while estimated outgoings are low at approximately $107,278, so the purchase price represents a yield of approximately 8.2%" said Mr Stone. He described the sale as "game changer for the Gold Coast office market" as it had buyers seeking yields of around 10%. Vaya is considering renaming the building with the company name and logo.
The building has about 1,867 square of net lettable area and among the tenants is nursing agency Blue Care.
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Fully leased Gold Coast building snapped up

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A private investor has acquired at auction a boutique office building in Melbourne’s Cheltenham for $4.65 million.
The two-level building, at 47a Wangara Road, comprises 1,620 square metres of net lettable area and 70 on-site car spaces.
The sale price reflected a yield of 7.6%. Two tenants occupy the building on three year and five year term leases.
CBRE’s Justin Clarkson, Jamus Campbell and Josh Rutman were the selling agents.
“The campaign experienced some 60 enquiries and competitive bidding from multiple bidders, eventuating in a strong result for this well leased property,” Mr Clarkson said.
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Boutique Cheltenham office building sells under the hammer

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A single-fronted shop in Melbourne's Brighton has set a record price for the suburb, fetching $1.750 million at auction. Four parties competed strongly for the 357 Bay Street shop but eventually a local Brighton family won out.
The sale reflected a tight yield of 3.7%.
Fitzroys senior associate Mark Talbot handled the auction campaign, which saw the property offered for the first time in 60 years.
The property comprises a double-storey retail building of about 150 square metres, on a land area of about 174 square metres. It features retail on the ground floor and a two-bedroom refurbished apartment on the first floor.
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Single-fronted Brighton shop fetches suburb record

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A combination of rising CBD prices, more capital and better stock levels are expected to draw more buyers to Sydney's North Shore commercial property market and stronger sales activity.
CBRE director of capital markets and institutional investments, Simon Kasprowicz expects 2014 to be "a robust year in terms of transactions, with the area recording strong levels of buyer enquiries as investors look for attractive opportunities in suburban markets.”
The current shortage of stock at all levels and increased buyer interest has also led to yield compression across the market.
“The continuation of strong but scarce sales towards the end of 2013, coupled with higher levels of interest from buyers both established and new, is providing owners the opportunity to exit the market and capitalise on yield compressions", he said.
Mr Kasprowicz said buyers were active across all price ranges, . However, he added that the three distinct buyer groups were those looking for A-Grade assets with long Weighted Average Lease Expiries (WALEs) and strong covenants, value-add opportunities with some leasing risks and/or repositioning opportunities, and residential development or redevelopment opportunities.
He also noted that there was strong overseas interest in the residential and redevelopment market, with those groups looking to convert commercial property to residential – "further adding to the increased demand for office assets through the reduction of available fringe office space.” 
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Buyers drawn towards North Sydney commercial property market

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The competition among Australia's "big gun" shopping centres is on. Two of the nation's biggest shopping centres - Melbourne's Chadstone and Westfield Bondi Junction in Sydney - broke past the $1 billion turnover barrier this year, while around $3 billion worth of development work is underway across nine of the major centres in Australia.
The findings were in the latest 2014 Shopping Centre News Big Guns report, which revealed that Chadstone, owned by Colonial First State Property Trust and the Gandel Group, has the highest turnover of any centre in the country with a massive $1.4 billion. Not far behind was Westfield Bondi Junction, which recorded a 4.7% lift in sales turnover to $1 billion plus.
Shopping Centre News (SCN) ranks The Big Guns - Australia’s largest shopping centres - in terms of annual turnover, turnover per square meter and specialty shop turnover per square meter.
One of the most significant findings in the report was the jump in redevelopment projects. Shopping Centre News publisher, Michael Lloyd, said that this year nine Big Gun Centres – those with a leasable area of over 50,000 square metres - were under redevelopment compared to only one in 2013.
“The development pipelines are well underway” and "they account for around $3 billion in development costs", he said. The game had changed dramatically in the last five years, he pointed out with the huge global funds like the Canadian Pension Fund CPPI, the Abu Dhabi sovereign fund, the New York based Blackstone Private Equity Fund and the South Korean Pension Fund all taking stakes in some of the country's best centres and providing the funds for redevelopment.
The benefits of that redevelopment work was demonstrated by third and sixth placegetters on the Moving Annual Turnover ladder, said Mr Lloyd "Westfield Carindale (Qld) and Westfield Fountain Gate (Vic), both recently redeveloped, showed increases in annual turnover of 19.2% and 24% respectively - $908.5 million and $872.3 million,” he noted. Excluding the nine centres under redevelopment, the remaining 82 Big Guns shopping centres accounted for retail sales of $40.26 billion in 2013, up 2.7% on 2012.
While noting that since the GFC growth has been at a slower rate, SCN believes that the growth rate has bottomed and it forecasting an increase in turnover of around 5% in 2014.
The best performing centre - based on turnover per square metre of leaseable area which is considered the best measure of performance - was Mirvac’s Broadway shopping centre in Sydney. Its turnover per square metre was $11,506, a 10.7% increase over last year.
Specialty turnover - which only includes retailers with areas of less than 400 square metres - was the highest at Westfield Sydney at $16,482.
“This year we list 91 centres; more than half of them have specialty shop turnovers in excess of $9,000 per square meter, at that level it means a 100 square metre shop turns over an average of around $17,500 a week,” said Mr Lloyd.
A poignant point raised by Mr Lloyd in the report was the lack of response by retailers to the current demands by shoppers.
"Australia has the most sophisticated shopping centre development and management industry in the world”, he said.
“Our regional centres – the Big Guns - are more advanced than anywhere, but many of our retailers are dragging the chain". He believes that the majority of Australian retailers were yet to "rise to the standards of the top international ‘high street’ retailers; service levels are low, fit-out standards, lighting, merchandising and stock variety are lacking".
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Competition between 'big gun' shopping centres is on

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Australia's largest diversified property group Stockland has swooped up a 19.9% stake in Australand, in what is seen as a prelude to a full takeover bid.
Stockland unveiled the "strategic stake" this morning, announcing it had obtained 115,166,597 securities in Australand at an average price of $3.78. This comprises a 15.7% direct holding and 4.2% indirect interest, it said.
The announcement came as Singapore's CapitaLand also revealed it had sold its remaining 39.1% interest in Australand for about $842 million (S$970 million).
Stockland chief executive Mark Steinert said Australand had a diverse and complementary portfolio of assets, including a quality industrial portfolio and medium density residential projects "that are well aligned with our strategy".
“Over time this holding will enable us to explore strategic opportunities with Australand.”
CapitaLand group chief executive Lim Ming Yan said the decision to divest its remaining stake in Australand was to the "favourable" market conditions and Australand’s share price had performed strongly in the past few months.
“This divestment would allow us to reallocate capital to our core businesses in Singapore and China,” he said.
Stockland's stake is being funded through cash and debt facilities and the transaction is expected to be broadly EPS neutral.
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Stockland swoops on Australand stake in possible takeover precursor

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Offshore interest in Australia's office market has spilled into the metro market, with total sales hitting a six-year high last year.
Total metro office sales came in a $3.69 billion in 2013 - the highest level since 2007 when it reached $5.14 billion, according to the latest Colliers International first half Metropolitan Office Research &amp; Forecast report. Overseas buyer accounted for a lion's share of that transaction activity, at $1.22 billion.
While the figure was inflated by the $413.19 million sale of 177 Pacific Highway to Singapore's Suntec REIT, the report noted that the influx of offshore capital "does indicate that offshore investors are willing to look beyond the CBD markets for more strategic opportunities".
Sydney metro continued to be at the epicentre of sales activity in 2013, with nearly $2 billion of office stock changing hands, while a 10 % spike in transaction volume saw Melbourne Metro experience a record year at just under $1 billion. With the exception of Adelaide, all markets improved on sales volumes from 2012.
Sales were up 3% in Brisbane and 365% in Perth, albeit from a low base. Highlighted in the report was the yield compression in the Sydney and Melbourne metro markets.
Average A grade yields in Melbourne compressed by 14 basis points to 8.93% in the six months to March, with the Outer East market narrowing by 25 basis points. Sydney yields tightened by 14 basis points to 8.20%.
Yields in Brisbane and West Perth we're flat at 8.50% and 9.2%, respectively.
Colliers associate director of research, Anneke Thompson expect overseas buyers to again feature prominently in the metro market this year, "as players in the hotly contested CBD markets search for more generous yields further afield".
But Colliers managing director of capital markets and investment services, John Marasco, cautioned that not all metropolitan markets would be able to "absorb this demand however, as many have a distinct lack of institutional-grade stock".
“In Sydney, the North Sydney market has already proven itself a drawcard for both local institutional and offshore demand, while in Brisbane the Urban Renewal precinct is and will remain the preferred metro location for institutional investors,” Mr Marasco said.
“In Melbourne, St Kilda Road is one of the few metro markets with stock of sufficient scale and quality to attract CBD-type capital.”
Unlisted retail funds were expected to be one of the first groups with mandates to acquire property in that precinct, he added.
Colliers research also found that private buyers made up the bulk of the buyers across all markets and that institutional investors were only net buyers in Brisbane and Adelaide.
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Metro office sales hit six-year high, offshore interest credited

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GUEST OBSERVATION
The GFC impacted employment growth in all capital city markets — at the metropolitan level, the rate of employment growth slowed sharply, whilst in all CBD markets with the exception of Melbourne, employment actually fell.
The chart below shows the comparative growth in stand alone office employment amongst Australia’s major capital city markets up to and since the GFC. It highlights the sustained growth in employment that has occurred across Perth over the past 20 years and, most notably, the extraordinary boost to employment in stand alone office workforce — that is, people that work in freestanding office buildings — that occurred across the metropolitan region from mid 2011 to December 2012 associated with the mining investment boom. But, as highlighted in the chart, office employment in Perth has stalled over the last year.
Chart: Metropolitan stand-alone office workforce by city, index 2008=100
<img src="/images/2014/03/19/taylor%20march%2019%20one.jpg" width="460">
The recovery in employment across Australia’s major capital cities since the GFC has varied markedly, with growth to December 2013 ranging from just under 4% in Adelaide to almost 33% in Perth. The next closest rival, Melbourne, has seen growth of close to 17% over the same period, although the past two years have been weak. Brisbane and Sydney have achieved just 7.4% and 8% growth respectively — indeed, we’ve been waiting some time for the long-expected recovery in employment within Sydney.
Over a longer term horizon, after Perth, the strongest growth in stand alone office employment has occurred in Brisbane and Melbourne. Like Perth, Brisbane has benefitted from major phases of mining investment, as well as having a broad-based state economy, underpinned by rapid population growth and expansion in the financial services and government sectors. Whilst employment growth stalled with the advent of the GFC, it was quick to recover—rising by 9% to June 2012. Since then employment has been impacted sharply by a combination of efficiency drives amongst both government and private sectors and the setback to mining investment.
Following the early 1990s setback to employment caused by recession in that State, Melbourne has witnessed sustained growth off the back of a number of ‘structural positives’ that saw the state economy often benefit disproportionately. Rapid population growth and the ready availability of reasonably priced residential land underpinned strong dwelling investment. Indeed the overall construction sector experienced strong, consistent growth. Office and white collar employment were underpinned by competitive office rents and a strong finance and business services sector. Most importantly, Melbourne sustained an office rental cost advantage relative to most other capital city markets through most of the post-2004 period when it was undergoing strong expansion of its office stock — due largely to the availability of low cost sites in Docklands.
By contrast, Sydney’s stand alone office workforce experienced its fastest period of growth during the 1990s and since then growth has lagged most other capital cities. Since the GFC employment accelerated during 2010, with an expectation that it would be sustained ,but stalled again during 2011 as global economic weakness, low levels of business investment and poor business confidence conspired to hold back employment growth. Most impacted was the key finance and insurance sector.
What will happen going forward? Over the next five years, we expect the eastern seaboard cities will witness the strongest growth in stand alone office employment, with Sydney set to lead the way, underpinned by growing momentum in the construction sector, stronger public sector investment and a steady improvement in the state economy.
Beverley Taylor is director of property with <a href="https://www.bis.com.au/" target="_blank">BIS Shrapnel</a>.
 
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All capital cities have seen post-GFC employment recovery

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NAME: Cameron Taudevin<img src="/images/2014/03/19/taudevin-profile.jpg" alt="" style="float: right;">
POSITION: Senior negotiator of retail leasing
COMPANY: JLL
OFFICE LOCATION: Queensland
How long have you been in the industry?
Six years in April
What’s happening in the area you specialise in?
There has been a lot of activity from international brands seeking to enter the Brisbane market, which is something I expect to continue. The emergence of Edward Street as the high-end fashion destination within Brisbane will continue which is exciting for Brisbane locals and visitors. Over the longer term, the impact of the Queens Wharf precinct on the retail market within Brisbane will be interesting.
Describe the most interesting property you have sold?
Supporting French luxury retailer Cartier enter the Brisbane market through the lease of their largest Australian store at 170 Edward Street, Brisbane.
What are the ingredients to being successful in your job?
Being honest, approachable and enthusiastic. Never become complacent.
What aspects of your role do you enjoy the most?
Working within a dedicated and passionate team, and engaging with clients and tenants to help deliver good outcomes for them.
Where would you invest a spare $750,000?
I think that the Brisbane near-city residential market is a great place to invest at the moment. With the housing affordability gap between Brisbane and Melbourne/Sydney beginning to increase, I think that we will begin to see strong interstate population migration over the medium term leading to good house price growth.
Which football team do you support?
The Queensland Reds.
What’s your favourite app or techno gadget?
Instagram.
How do you use social media?
To stay in touch with people overseas.
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