Queensland builder-developer MAYD has revealed the first look at its major North Kirra beachfront development, lodging amended plans that reduce the number of apartments and increase the proportion of larger residences.

The project is planned across a substantial 4,742 sqm amalgamated site spanning seven lots at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/2-6-pacific-parade-bilinga-qld-4225">2-6 Pacific Parade</a> and 27-33 Golden Four Drive in Bilin​ga, directly opposite Nor​th Kirra Beach.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mayd-group">MAYD</a> secured the site for $32.5 million in 2025, in what was one of the Gold Coast's largest property transactions of the year.

The development will be delivered across two stages, with the first stage carrying an estimated gross realisation value of around $360 million.

The latest amendments seek to reduce the overall apartment count and shift the project further toward the owner-occupier market, with larger residences designed for buyers wanting considerably more space than traditionally offered in a beachfront apartment.

The residential mix will include townhomes, oversized two-bedroom apartments, substantial three-bedroom residences and four-bedroom homes.

MAYD has appointed Cera Stribley to lead the architecture and interiors, with the Melbourne-based design practice drawing on the beachfront setting through a series of ocean-facing terraces and heavily landscaped balconies.

Strong horizontal forms and curved balconies will define the exterior, with subtropical landscaping integrated throughout the building to soften the built form and increase the connection between the residences and the beachfront.

The project will also include an extensive collection of resident wellness and lifestyle facilities, continuing the broader shift across the Gold Coast's luxury apartment market toward larger homes supported by resort-style amenity.

<img alt="MAYD" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d1bcbb05-e659-4b47-8bd4-1e595315e2ad" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%202.05.03%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=jj0XEud1X1DuLt7_KyElhjMdZGOXmLHP" />

MAYD Founder Todd Mould said North Kirra was increasingly appealing to buyers attracted to the more established, lower-density character of the southern Gold Coast.

"North Kirra presents one of the most compelling luxury residential opportunities currently emerging in Australia, combining absolute beachfront with the character and authenticity that buyers are increasingly seeking, and the same sense of tight-knit community that defined Burleigh and Currumbin perhaps 10 or 15 years ago," Mould said.

"With Gold Coast Airport on its doorstep, it also offers a level of accessibility that broadens its appeal across almost every market demographic."

The project comes as the southern Gold Coast continues to attract an increasing share of high-end apartment development and buyer activity.

Kirra in particular has emerged as one of the region's more tightly held beachfront markets, with its relatively low-density character, established surf and hospitality scene and proximity to Gold Coast Airport differentiating it from the higher-density markets further north.

Mould said those characteristics had informed the approach MAYD and Cera Stribley had taken to the project.

"We've worked closely with Cera Stribley to create a vision that is deeply connected to its surroundings," he said.

"Inspired by the coastline itself, the architecture has been shaped around space, privacy and resort-style living, creating a collection of homes that reflects the next generation of luxury on the southern Gold Coast."

MOTIV Managing Director Carly Cottam, who has been appointed to market the project, said buyer attention had continued to move south along the Gold Coast.

"Purchasers who may once have defaulted to Broadbeach, Main Beach or Surfers Paradise are increasingly recognising the value of a genuine beachfront location that offers lower density, strong amenity and a more established sense of community," Cottam said.

"Kirra has a powerful combination of growing demand and genuine scarcity. Beachfront supply is inherently constrained, the area remains relatively low density, and buyers are increasingly placing a premium on locations that feel established, uncrowded and authentic rather than heavily developed."

Cottam said the proximity to Gold Coast Airport was also proving increasingly important for interstate and second-home buyers.

"Being minutes from Gold Coast Airport makes it particularly compelling for interstate buyers, frequent travellers and second-home purchasers who can access an authentic coastal lifestyle almost immediately after stepping off a flight."

The acquisition takes MAYD's active development portfolio to more than $500 million, with the North Kirra project representing one of its largest undertakings to date.

MAYD is targeting an early 2027 launch.

Joel Robinson

First look at MAYD's North Kirra mixed-use precinct

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Castle Hill, the longtime hub of the Hills District, has been one of the major beneficiaries of Sydney's Metro expansion, with improved connectivity helping drive continued population growth, development and buyer demand across the Hills District.

But despite that growth, the suburb has seen relatively few major new apartment projects brought to market over the past 18 months.

Hills District developer Reve Group is looking to fill that gap with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nova-r-ve-castle-hill-2-garthowen-crescent-castle-hill-nsw-2154">Nova Rêve</a>, a major new mixed-use precinct on the corner of Garthowen Crescent and Old Castle Hill Road, a short walk from Castle Hill Metro Station and Castle Towers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377679]

The project will comprise three residential towers alongside a hotel, restaurants, cafes and a skybar, more than 1,600 sqm of ground-floor retail and almost an acre of landscaped gardens.

It represents the largest project undertaken by Reve Group, the development arm of the Kassis family, which has been building across the Hills District for more than 30 years through Kassis Homes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377675]

Nova Rêve also represents a significant step up from the family's first apartment development, Grand Rêve, which was delivered nearby on Garthowen Crescent.

Grand Rêve introduced larger, house-like apartment layouts and premium inclusions including Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances to the Castle Hill market.

Nova Rêve takes that approach to a precinct scale, combining the residential component with hospitality, retail and substantial public and resident landscaping.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377685]

Reve Group Managing Director Sam Kassis said the project reflected the family's three decades of building in the Hills, which has evolved from trophy homes on quarter-acre blocks to larger-scale apartment development.

"Grand Rêve was our first apartment project here and it showed us what this pocket of Castle Hill could be. Nova Rêve is the refinement of that idea: not just apartments, but a place the whole suburb can use," Kassis said.

A key part of that approach is the hotel, which has been designed to operate as an amenity for the wider Castle Hill community rather than solely hotel guests.

It will include restaurants, cafes, skybars and all-day dining, alongside conference and event facilities catering to business functions, community groups and private events.

At ground level, more than 1,600 sqm of shops and cafes will open onto the surrounding streets and landscaped areas.

Almost an acre of gardens designed by Land and Form Studios will run through the precinct, incorporating pathways, seating, barbecue areas and children's play spaces.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377680]

Reve Group's Romio Georges said creating an active ground plane had been central to the planning of Nova Rêve.

"There are gardens with pathways, barbecues, seating and play areas, shops and cafes opening onto the street, and a hotel with restaurants and a skybar that anyone in Castle Hill can walk into," Georges said.

The project's elevated position on one of Sydney's highest ridgelines will also provide apartments with outlooks toward the Sydney skyline, surrounding parkland and the Blue Mountains.

More than 80 per cent of the apartments will occupy corner positions, with Turner responsible for both the architecture and interiors.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152737]

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Nova Rêve arrives as Reve Group bets on Castle Hill's next growth phase

A collection of just 25 large-format apartments and penthouses overlooking Goodwin Park is entering the Coolangatta market, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/marea-residences-coolangatta-27-27a-dixon-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Maréa Residences</a> combining a low-density, residential-only approach with uninterrupted park and Pacific Ocean outlooks.

Located at 27 Dixon Street, Maréa comprises three and four-bedroom residences alongside a limited number of dual-level penthouses, with the project positioned between Goodwin Park and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/coolangatta-qld-4225">Coolangatta</a>’s coastal precinct.

Construction has commenced, with completion currently estimated for late 2027. Three-bedroom residences are priced from $1.8 million.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150999 project_image_fid=374005]

The project has been designed around its northern outlook across the park, with the building’s architecture, landscaping and material palette intended to establish a connection with the neighbouring green space. The residences have been configured to maximise natural light and views across Goodwin Park towards the ocean.

Inside, the material palette incorporates timber, stone and brushed brass, complemented by curved detailing and ambient lighting. Kitchens and bathrooms carry the same natural material approach, while residences also include basement parking, storage and lift access.

Maréa’s penthouses are arranged over two levels and include private pools, adding another layer to the project’s focus on larger-format apartment living. Across the development, residences are configured with three or four bedrooms rather than the broader mix of smaller apartment types commonly found in larger projects.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150999 project_image_fid=374010]

Resident amenity is concentrated at rooftop level, where landscaped entertaining terraces and pools take advantage of elevated views across Coolangatta and the Pacific Ocean.

The project has so far been particularly well received by local owner-occupiers and downsizers, according to Urban Activation Property Sales and Marketing Director Matt George, with the residential-only format, construction quality and northern park outlook among the features resonating with purchasers.

“The uninterrupted northern aspect overlooking Goodwin Park has been a key point of difference, with buyers attracted to the sense of serenity and open space the park provides, while still enjoying easy access to the ocean and being within walking distance of the lifestyle and amenities Coolangatta has to offer,” George said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150999 project_image_fid=374002]

“The combination of high-quality construction, a residential-only building, park outlook and proximity to the beach has resonated strongly with the local downsizer market.”

The Dixon Street address is within walking distance of Coolangatta Beach and the broader southern Gold Coast coastline, including the surf breaks at Snapper Rocks and Kirra. Coolangatta’s cafés, restaurants and retail are nearby, while Gold Coast Airport is also within close proximity.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150999]

Maréa Residences brings parkside apartments to Coolangatta

Melbourne developer PDG has secured Victorian Government approval for its $1.5 billion Southbank development <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-one-1-queens-bridge-street-southbank-vic-3006">The One</a>, clearing the way for the long-dormant riverfront site opposite Crown to finally be developed.

The Minister for Planning has approved the project at 1-29 Queens Bridge Street, with the Department of Transport and Planning issuing the planning permit following its assessment.

The approval will allow PDG to develop the prominent 5,059 sqm site with a major mixed-use tower comprising premium apartments, including branded residences, a luxury hotel and boutique office space.

PDG acquired the site in late 2024, with its position directly opposite Crown's main entrance and near Melbourne's Arts Precinct making it one of Southbank's most significant remaining development opportunities.

<img alt="PDG" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3933013e-6332-4386-b9be-089df05caf17" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%209.29.22%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=sITIgBqDL0N3VNSMwWEmF5UA.uvcsRyu" />

Designed by COX in collaboration with ODO and PDG, the tower's architecture draws on the movement of the Yarra River, with six vertical pleats running the height of the sculpted facade.

The project will also see the heritage-listed Queens Bridge Hotel restored and incorporated into the development&nbsp;with new hospitality and public uses, including a rooftop venue.

A significant component of The One will be its residential amenity.

More than 5,000 sqm of resident facilities will be delivered across a single level, making it one of the largest consolidated residential amenity offerings proposed in an Australian apartment development.

The planning approval also incorporates a major upgrade of Queensbridge Square, which PDG will deliver in partnership with the City of Melbourne.

<img alt="PDG" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="73167fcd-1031-4b6f-a408-a064cfe45ed1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%209.29.17%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=Pf1AEWxw6SNmBqR0zQW5lyEze.MtxgFp" />

The existing square will be revitalised as a new civic and pedestrian space along the Yarra River, strengthening the connection between the project, Southbank and the riverfront.

PDG Founder and Managing Director Vince Giuliano said the approval represented a major milestone for a site which has remained largely underutilised for more than 15 years.

“This is the most significant Planning Permit approval Melbourne has seen in recent years,” Giuliano said.

“For more than 15 years, this site has remained underutilised. This approval enables us to deliver a project that will contribute meaningfully to the revitalisation of Southbank, restore and reactivate an important heritage building, and create a new civic and hospitality destination for Melbourne.”

The latest approval follows an earlier planning permit issued by the City of Melbourne covering demolition works across part of the site at 9-29 Queens Bridge Street. Those demolition and early works are already underway.

PDG has also started generating early interest in the residential component from owner-occupiers ahead of a planned public launch in early 2027.

PDG secures approval for $1.5bn Southbank apartment development, The One

Local developer Harridan is seeking to turn its Woolloongabba apartment project into the first stage of a broader transformation of Burke Street, using a new 16-storey mixed-use building to establish a greener pedestrian connection toward the rapidly evolving Boggo Road transport and knowledge precinct.

The South East Queensland developer has filed plans for 154 apartments on the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/4-burke-street-woolloongabba-qld-4102">southern side of Burke Street</a>, where its proposal has been designed alongside a wider vision by LatStudios for the street.

That vision positions the southern side of Burke Street for buildings of 15 storeys and above, while envisaging lower-rise development of up to five storeys on the northern side to transition into Woolloongabba's existing character housing. It also proposes wider pedestrian verges, deep planting, new street trees and upgrades to the pedestrian approach to Boggo Road Station.

The Harridan development itself has been designed by Brisbane-based Arqus Design and will comprise 154 apartments across 16 storeys. The mix is weighted heavily toward two-bedroom apartments, with 121 proposed alongside 10 one-bedroom and 23 three-bedroom residences. There will typically be around 14 units per floor.

A lower-ground car park and three podium levels will accommodate 156 resident parking spaces, along with visitor and commercial parking. There will also be 154 resident bicycle spaces and 40 visitor bicycle parks.

&nbsp;

Harridan is a family-owned developer and part of the Holmwood Highgate Group, with more than three decades of development activity across South East Queensland. Its portfolio spans residential, commercial and industrial property, with current residential projects including Riverbank on Byron in Bulimba, Esperance Residences in Carina and The Precinct at Kinross Road in Thornlands.

Wooloongabba has been popular for apartment developers, particularly since the announcement of the 2032 Summer Olympics games in Brisbane.

While there have been a lot of development applications, it has failed to materialize into real supply.&nbsp;

Sarazin has been the major player in the area. They are under construction at Murcia Residences, on the fringe of East Brisbane and Woolloongabba. They have just launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-stanley-residences-woolloongabba-8-trafalgar-street-woolloongabba-qld-4102">The Stanley Residences</a>, in Woolloongabba on Trafalagar Street. They also have Nuage coming soon on the nearby <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nuage-woolloongabba-14-wellington-road-woolloongabba-qld-4102">Wellington Road</a>.

First look: Harridan plans Burke Street transformation beside Boggo Road transport hub

apartment

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A 1970s Lakemba apartment was Sydney’s cheapest auction sale at $355,000.
It was a mortgagee sale.
The Yerrick Road unit features two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a small balcony.
There is 69 square metres of internal floorspace, plus a secure car space.
It last traded in 2005 when sold for $170,000, but had traded slightly higher in the 2003 boom at $184,000.
Danny Hassen, from The Agency Inner West, sold the property.
The second mortgagee was Magnolia Capital, who are substantial shareholders in The Agency.
Lakemba’s median unit price is $375,000, according to realestate.com.au, with 92 sales over the past year.
Some recent years have seen as many as 300 units sold annually within the suburb.
Based on the last five years of sales, Lakemba has seen a compound price growth rate of 2.1% for units.
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Lakemba mortgagee sale was Sydney's cheapest

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A stylish West Footscray unit sold for $216,000 was Melbourne's cheapest auction, after being listed with a $190,000 to $209,000 price guide.
The ground-floor apartment, at 29/132 Rupert Street, features one bedroom and bathroom, plus off-street parking. 
Located just 10km from the CBD, the 1970s-built home last traded in 2005 for $112,000.
West Footscray's median unit price is $455,000.
Deon Dardha, from Hockingstuart Yarraville, sold the property. 
 
 
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West Footscray apartment is Melbourne's cheapest

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Queensland’s housing market has fared better than that in most other states, although it is still not immune to the nationwide downturn, according to the latest data from Moody's Analytics.
The Queensland property market consists of three distinct groups.
The first region constitutes the bulk of Brisbane, which has experienced healthy growth up to 2018 because of the improved services sector — but now is experiencing a moderate correction, though prices are expected to recover next year, especially for apartments. 
The contrast between apartment and house values is most evident in Brisbane-North, where house prices are expected to grow 0.4% in 2020, while apartment prices are set to rise by 6.2%; there is a similar spread for other regions in Brisbane and Greater Brisbane.
Consequently, apartment prices are expected to perform better than house prices for Brisbane (and Greater Brisbane) in the medium term.
Moody’s Analytics forecasts house values to underperform throughout the forecast period, while apartment prices are expected to grow faster after a trough in late 2019 to early 2020.
This is reversal of trend between the two asset classes from the past few years
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/10/28/QLD%20Moodys.JPG" alt="">
Katrina Ell, Economist, Moody’s Analytics said: "The effects of a higher supply of houses in the pipeline as well as muted income and employment growth mean that house and apartment values in Brisbane-South will contract by 3.5% and 2.6%, respectively, in 2019, though the area’s prospects for apartment prices in 2020 are better.
"In Greater Brisbane areas such as Ipswich, dwelling prices are suffering after heavy falls in apartment values in 2018, following a period of oversupply.
"The second housing area comprised of ‘lifestyle areas’ including the Sunshine Coast, Wide Bay and Cairns, are generally expected to perform better over the forecast period.
"The third housing market region in Queensland comprises commodity or agriculture-producing areas. These include Central Queensland, Mackay-Isaac-Whitsunday, and Darling Downs-Maranoa.
"Housing markets here have seen significant value declines over the past few years partly as a result of the end of the mining boom.
"This year’s uptick in commodity prices and tourism has seen recoveries in areas such as Mackay. However, areas that are more agriculturally geared are forecast to suffer continued declines on the back of drought conditions."
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Brisbane apartments look to flip the script and outperform houses: Moody's Analytics

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EcoWorld International’s 40-level apartment tower ​West Village, ​located in Sydney’s growth corridor, reaches 95 per cent in sales as construction nears topping out.
Said to be one of the tallest residential buildings in Parramatta, West Village will feature 398 apartments.
A majority of the apartments will boast panoramic views towards the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Blue Mountains and the CBD.
Designed by world-class design firm Woods Bagot and featuring landscaping by Myles Balwin, West Village has secured a 95 per cent success rate.
It has close proximity to Westfield Parramatta and the train station, as well as a wide selection of trendy restaurants, bars and boutiques cafes.
EcoWorld International Australia’s CEO Yap Foo Leong ​said the location was a key driver for many buyers combined with the unique development of West Village.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/10/11/WestVillageParamatta_S130_EXT_HeroLookUp%20-%20Final%202000.jpg" alt="">
"Parramatta truly suits our hallmark for rolling out quality developments in prime locations that can cater to the local needs of the residents and the success West Village has experienced confirms the prediction that Parramatta is set to become the new CBD.”
The development features sustainable, innovative initiatives with lush planting and vegetated areas, as well as rainwater collection and reuse tanks.
West Village offers luxury light-filled apartments with grand balconies with residential amenities including a rooftop viewing platform overlooking the Harbour Bridge complete with BBQ facilities, a virtual golf room, a piano room and a sky garden.
On the ground floor across three street frontages, West Village will feature ground-floor retail and alfresco dining precinct with restaurants and cafes.
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Only 25 apartments remain including a selection of three-bedders priced from $1.26m, two-bedders priced from $820,000 and one-bedders priced from $630,000.
West Village is EcoWorld International’s first Sydney project, with Melbourne project Yarra One also under construction
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West Village, Parramatta secured 95% in OTP sales topping out nears

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GUEST OBSERVATION
Most new apartments were not designed with families in mind and parents of young children can struggle to make social connections. 
Newer high-rise developments in Australia’s inner-city areas are increasingly home to parents raising young children. In the <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/2071.0%7E2016%7EMain%20Features%7EApartment%20Living%7E20" target="_blank">2016 Census</a>, family households represented nearly half of apartment residents. Close to one in ten children aged 0-4 live in apartments in Australia.
<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1353829218311572?dgcid=author" target="_blank">Our research</a>, recently published in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1353829218311572?dgcid=author" target="_blank">Health and Place</a>, explored parents’ experiences of raising preschool-aged children in newer, private high-rise apartments. The parents experienced a range of barriers to making social connections both within their developments and with the surrounding community.
This reflects the fact that most newer high-rise dwellings in Australia have been developed for residents without children. Several studies indicate that this leads to <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08111146.2012.663729" target="_blank">potential issues</a> for families raising children in high-rise settings, including <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0308518X16645104" target="_blank">social connectedness</a> among older schoolchildren.
Apartment living through parents’ eyes
Our study used <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9158980" target="_blank">Photovoice</a> to explore parents’ experiences of raising children in apartments in the City of Yarra, Melbourne. Apartments represent <a href="https://quickstats.censusdata.abs.gov.au/census_services/getproduct/census/2016/quickstat/LGA27350" target="_blank">46% of available housing</a>) in this inner-city municipality. Parents took ten photographs of the positive and challenging aspects of apartment living.
We then used these images to guide both individual and group interviews. Parents recognised that the shared experiences of raising a young child in the City of Yarra fostered social connections, particularly at mothers’ groups and local parks. One parent explained: 
"So this is my mothers’ group … It’s such a great community to have. I mean we’re kind of a close group now and we’ve just spent the last year growing our kids together … there was people from all different walks of life … and the only thing connecting us is just that we had a child in Yarra at the same time …"
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285922/original/file-20190728-43149-ts7h0p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285922/original/file-20190728-43149-ts7h0p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
The mothers’ group: ‘we’ve just spent the last year growing our kids together’.
But parents felt that space constraints in high-rise developments limited opportunities for play dates between children. The connections parents developed were also lost when other families planned to leave the community, or had already left, in search of larger homes and outdoor space.
The design of developments did not encourage incidental social interaction with neighbours either. One parent captured this in a photograph titled “Hallway of death”.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285923/original/file-20190728-43130-1nyypcn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285923/original/file-20190728-43130-1nyypcn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Hallway of death: ‘you cannot stand and have a conversation there’.
"It’s a nothing space, right? … You cannot stand and have a conversation there, you feel weird … cos you’re in the vortex of death … and if it was a nice space we might go out and he could crawl and that might make people stop and maybe we’d get to know the other people living on the floor …"
The closeness of apartments was also problematic. On one hand, parents wanted to connect with their neighbours. On the other hand, they were concerned about overstepping others’ boundaries, particularly when neighbours were often short-term renters without children. One parent’s photograph, “Close proximity but anonymous”, captured this.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285924/original/file-20190728-43153-392znk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/285924/original/file-20190728-43153-392znk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Close but anonymous: ‘it’s anonymous and there’s a lot of turnover’.
"… despite being so close to each other there is a huge level of anonymity … It would be nice to not feel that we might be being disruptive or people are forming judgments about us based on what they see … And because it’s anonymous and there’s a lot of turnover you never really form relationships with people to know what they’re really thinking, so you second-guess it …
"Everyone wants some privacy and maybe when you’re right on top of each other you feel like you’ve got to guard your privacy, but my preference would be for it to be a little more connected than it is."
Families need social support
Parents of preschool-aged children often experience <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1040260812000512?via%3Dihub" target="_blank">changes in their social networks</a> at the same as they feel an <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08111146.2014.969399" target="_blank">increased need for social support</a>. Connections also need to be <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1068/a41377" target="_blank">closer to home</a>, due to the “place-anchoring” nature of young children and use of local services.
Not having strong social connections with other parents, whether within their own high-rise development and/or the local community, is therefore a problem. It could lead to feelings of loneliness and isolation. These could, in turn, contribute to <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/HCS-11-2013-0021/full/html" target="_blank">psychosocial and health issues for parents</a> and <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1468-2397.2006.00575.x" target="_blank">poorer health, well-being and education outcomes for children</a>.
What could help?
Recent <a href="/news">Victorian apartment design guidelines</a> briefly acknowledge the importance of ensuring accessibility for families with young children. However, much more can be done to support families in inner-city high-rise developments. This includes fostering social connections.
Local governments can provide further social events in their communities, create infrastructure in parks and playgrounds to encourage families to gather for longer, and require developers to <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23748834.2018.1483711" target="_blank">adopt more family-friendly design guidelines</a> than currently apply.
Developers could also provide more favourable communal spaces inside dwellings for interaction to occur. Body corporate organisations could encourage longer-term leases that allow for the extended tenure needed for residents to form stronger connections.
Guidelines, including in regards to noise, could also be made more flexible to accommodate the increasing number of families with young children taking up residence.
The study was carried out with <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/fiona-andrews-525649">Dr Fiona Andrews</a> from the School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/120983/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
Elyse Warner, Lecturer in Health and Social Sciences, Deakin University
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/apartment-life-for-families-means-living-at-close-quarters-but-often-feeling-isolated-too-120983" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Apartment life for families means living at close quarters, but often feeling isolated too: Elyse Warner

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Based on Urban data, these are the top 5 suburbs in the country with the most development listings available on our site per state and are amongst some of the most viewed by users. 
As activity centres expands and housing affordability fluctuates, these Australian suburbs have one major thing in common, they are booming.

 

<h2><a href="/developments/footscray-vic-3011">FOOTSCRAY, VICTORIA</a></h2>

The inner West suburb of Footscray in Melbourne, Victoria, is seeing unprecedented growth as a major activity centre and cultural hub. Footscray’s population of 20,000 people is set to almost double in the next decade and comprises of Vietnamese, Italian, Chinese, Sudanese, Ethiopian and Sri Lankan migrants with Victoria’s fourth highest proportion of residents born in South-East Asia.  
The developing suburb is a hub of creativity, culture, music and international cuisine and has been chosen as a major activity centre for the Western suburbs of Melbourne. Median housing prices are at $845,000 with median rent costs at $470 per week.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/victoria_one_footscray.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Rendering of Victoria Square, Footscray by Kavellaris Urban Design and Developer Growland."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/victoria_one_footscray.jpg" title="Rendering of Victoria Square, Footscray by Kavellaris Urban Design and Developer Growland." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Rendering of Victoria Square, Footscray by Kavellaris Urban Design and Developer Growland.</figcaption></figure><a href="/buildings/victoria-square-8-hopkins-street-footscray">Victoria Square</a> is among many of the developments springing up in Footscray and is led by Developers <a href="/developers/growland-group">Growland</a> with 939 dwellings across six buildings. 
Blending into the community fabric of Footscray, Victoria Square will become a new destination for laneway dining with 3000sqm dedicated to cafes and restaurants to be enjoyed by the public. 
The complex features world class amenities such as Australia’s first above ground 400m arterial running track, a resident’s cinema, games rooms, gymnasium, lap pool, private lounge and dining rooms and a sky garden connecting the towers, creating an engaging community amongst the residents.

Prices: 
1 bed, 1 bath, 0 car - $385,000

2 bed, 1 bath, 1 car - $540,000

3 bed, 2 bath, 1 car - $599,000

 

<h2><a href="/new-apartments/liverpool-nsw-2170">LIVERPOOL, NEW SOUTH WALES</a></h2>

Set to become one of Sydney’s third biggest CBD’s, Liverpool is developing strong economic and residential opportunities within the heritage structure of the city centre. 
With a population of over 28,000, the Western city is one of the oldest settlements in Australia with strong community engagement. 
Less than 30% of Liverpool’s population were born in Australia, creating a multicultural environment to which thrives by the Georges River. 
The median housing price in Liverpool is $729,000 with a weekly advertised median rent at $450 with over half of Liverpool residents living in apartments and units.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/the_foundry_liverpool.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Rendering of The Foundry by SJB Architects."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="390" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/the_foundry_liverpool.jpg" title="Rendering of The Foundry by SJB Architects." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Rendering of The Foundry by <a href="/architects/sjb-architects">SJB Architects</a>.</figcaption></figure><a href="/buildings/the-foundry-32-34-shepherd-street-liverpool">The Foundry</a> is one of the many developments setting a precedent for inner city centre expansion and with rezoning change to mixed use in 2018, Liverpool is inviting improvements to underutilised and undeveloped sites across the city. With 198 dwellings across 17 floors, the building also features a double height lobby, a landscaped central atrium, private rooftop garden and pool with city and rivers edge views. 
The building is incorporated into the Paper Mill development which is comprised of multiple buildings along the Georges River in the city centre surrounding the 150 year old heritage listed Paper Mill building which will become the new cafe and dining quarter.

Prices:

1 bed, 1 bath - $497,000 to $601,000

2 bed, 2 bath - $580,000 to $704,000

 

<h2><a href="/new-apartments/brisbane-qld">SOUTH BRISBANE, QUEENSLAND</a></h2>

South Brisbane is one of the busiest riverfront suburbs of Brisbane home to the Queensland Museum, Streets Beach, a giant ferris wheel and offers culture, galleries, science exhibits, a vast promenade nightlife and weekend markets. Home to over 8,000 residents and tens of thousands of daily and nightly visitors, the suburb is an important destination connected by the Victoria Bridge to Brisbane CBD.

With a median age population of 30 years old, South Brisbane retains its heritage charm and vibrancy with a large amount of big name developments jumping across the river for the waterfront lifestyle and tropical cultural charm. 
Median unit and housing rents are at $510 per week with a median housing price of $994,000. 
Most residents live in apartment dwellings which have a median price of $447,000.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/the_standard_south_brisbane_woods_bagot.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Rendering of The Standard by Woods Bagot"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/the_standard_south_brisbane_woods_bagot.jpg" title="Rendering of The Standard by Woods Bagot" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Rendering of The Standard by Woods Bagot</figcaption></figure><a href="/architects/woods-bagot">Wood Bagot</a>’s architecturally designed apartment tower, <a href="/buildings/the-standard-13-17-manning-street-south-brisbane">The Standard</a> is South Brisbane’s latest development standing 105 metres above ground level and comprising of 261 new one, two and three bedroom dwellings. 
The cylindrical tower includes such amenities as a rooftop pool, private dining rooms, theatre, a 240sqm fitness centre, rooftop wine bar, coffee lounge, a spa and wellness centre with sauna and three complementary Tesla vehicles for exclusive resident use.

Prices start at $500,000 for a one bedroom and can range up to $1,200,000 for a penthouse.

 

<h2><a href="/developments/belconnen-act-2617">BELCONNEN, ACT</a></h2>

Belconnen is the inner city suburb of Canberra with a metropolitan population of over 96,000 people. 
With Canberra City Centre’s restricted height and development laws, Belconnen is a designated sub-city which in recent years has developed into a mixed used activity precinct with 40% of residents born outside Australia, the sixth highest for any Canberra suburb.

Surrounding the Ginninderra Lake, Belconnen is home to the John Knight Memorial Park, a 300 store Westfield and the University of Canberra. 
Belconnen remains one of the most affordable districts in Canberra with a median house price of $431,000 and a median weekly rent amount of $410.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/high_society_belconnen_geocon.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Rendering of High Society Apartment towers designed by Fender Katsalidis"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="326" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/high_society_belconnen_geocon.jpg" title="Rendering of High Society Apartment towers designed by Fender Katsalidis" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Rendering of High Society Apartment towers designed by <a href="/architects/fk-australia">Fender Katsalidis</a></figcaption></figure>The <a href="/buildings/high-society-1-grazier-lane-belconnen">High Society Apartments</a> are one of Belconnen’s recent development that showcases the large amount of growth happening in the suburb.  
Designed by Fender Katsalidis, the two 27 storey towers rise with sweeping uninterrupted views of Lake Ginninderra and Greater Canberra and comprise of 541 apartment dwellings ranging between one, two and three bedrooms. Residents will be able to enjoy a rooftop park, barbeque area, wine cellar and cinema. The development also features a 135 room hotel on site which will establish Belconnen City Centre as the major destination it is becoming.

Prices: 
1 bed, 1 bath - $345,900

2 bed, 1 bath - $439,400

3 bed, 2 bath - $692,400

 

<h2><a href="/developments/adelaide-sa">PORT ADELAIDE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA</a></h2>

Approximately 14 kilometres from the Adelaide CBD sits Port Adelaide, a suburb that once was Adelaide’s most important and main supply link for the city and is now becoming a site for urban renewal. 
Traditionally a working class suburb, much is maintained in terms of the heritage and long standing public pubs and bars that line St.Vincent and Lipson Street. 
As one of the oldest settlements in Adelaide, the cultural significance of Port Melbourne is shown through its characteristic taverns and buildings, built in the late 1800’s as well as the vast amount of museums. 
Museums include the National Railway Museum, South Australian Maritime Museum, Aviation Museum, Austbuilt Maritime Museum and the Australian Museum of Childhood. 
Port Adelaide’s median housing prices range in the $570,000 range with a weekly median rent of $388.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/dock_one_port_adelaide.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Rendering of Dock One Townhomes by Starfish Developments"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="343" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/dock_one_port_adelaide.jpg" title="Rendering of Dock One Townhomes by Starfish Developments" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Rendering of Dock One Townhomes by <a href="/developers/starfish-developments"">Starfish Developments</a></figcaption></figure><a href="/developments/port-adelaide-sa-5015">Dock One</a> is just one of the many developments happening in the Port Adelaide area, and it is quite a large one with 750 planned townhomes and apartments all ranging two and three bedrooms across one to five levels. 
The architecture, designed by <a href="/architects/enzo-caroscio-architecture">Enzo Caroscio</a> embraces the city’s heritage character and is very much inspired by local history, culture and art. With waterfront or park facing views, residents will be able to enjoy the best of both worlds and its close proximity to the bustling working class heritage centre of Port Adelaide.

As well as a vast landscape for residents to connect and socialise, the development will also refurbish waterfront heritage buildings that need repair.

Prices can range between $400,000 to $650,000.

 

<h2><a href="/developments/perth-wa">PERTH CBD, WESTERN AUSTRALIA</a></h2>

Perth has a vast array of developing suburbs but one that will see the most change will be its very own central district. The Perth CBD the city’s largest economic and cultural hub with facilities such as the Art Gallery of Western Australia, the State Library of Western Australia, the State Theatre Centre, The Perth Concert Hall and many more.

Perth CBD is home to just over 10,000 residents which is set to triple in the next decade as infill apartment development by the waterfront has encouraged an influx of movement and growth. 
To accommodate this growth, Perth has turned to revitalising the waterfront with Elizabeth Quay, creating Perth Link, a development on the edge of the city that features the new Perth Arena and strengthening its retail and commercial hub.

<figure><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/the_towers_at_eliz_quay_fart_east_consortium.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Rendering of the almost completed Towers at Elizabeth Quay by Far East Consortium."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="290" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/the_towers_at_eliz_quay_fart_east_consortium.jpg" title="Rendering of the almost completed Towers at Elizabeth Quay by Far East Consortium." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Rendering of the almost completed Towers at Elizabeth Quay by Far East Consortium.</figcaption></figure><a href="/buildings/the-towers-at-elizabeth-quay-11-barrack-square-perth">The Towers at Elizabeth Quay</a> are part of the grand urban renewal project set to attract over 12 million visitors annually. The development includes two residential towers, the first Ritz Carlton for Perth and a vibrant waterfront with water park, green space and new connecting bridges.

Located at the head of the precinct, the towers stand as the gateway jewel to the CBD. 
With 379 residential dwellings across two <a href="/architects/cottee-parker-architects">Cottee Parker</a> designed towers, residents will be able to take advantage of full panoramic views of the city and water. Amenities include a pool, gym, cycle cafe, restaurants at ground level, roof gardens and amphitheatre which will host much of the public events around the quay.

Prices: 
1 bed, 1 bath - $793,000

2 bed, 1 bath - $1,283,000

3 bed, 2 bath - $2,541,000

 

 

 

 
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Nick Dante

Booming Australian Suburbs according to Urban

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As the City of Melbourne declares a climate emergency, we are seeing a rise in environmentally conscious and human-centric developments as residents yearn for a sustainable future. 
Here are five new developments across Australia implementing water, energy and waste efficiency into their buildings and providing residents with facilities to alleviate our car dependency.

<h2><a href="/buildings/west-end-185-rosslyn-street-west-melbourne">WEST END, WEST MELBOURNE</a></h2>

<figure><a href="/buildings/west-end-185-rosslyn-street-west-melbourne"><img alt="" class="image-article_full_width_580px" height="280" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image_39.jpg?itok=kumCn2h9" title="Rendering of West Melbourne's West End by cht architects" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Rendering of West Melbourne's West End by cht architects</figcaption></figure>Located in one of Melbourne’s emerging urban renewal precincts, West End in West Melbourne combines five apartment buildings and one hotel into a community structure separated by vibrant laneways and tree lined pathways. 
The urban sanctuary comprises of 377 apartment dwellings, laneways with restaurants, bars, cafes and a supermarket with fresh produce store, day spa, medical centre, 24/7 pharmacy, gym, pools, private cinema, wine storage, public art galleries and public parks.

West End is a leading example of new sustainable projects in Melbourne with each building within the precinct designed specifically with affordability, comfort, community or downsizing in mind. <a href="/architects/carr-design">Carr Design Group</a>, Hecker Guthrie, <a href="/news/urban-com-au-profiles-10-of-melbourne-s-top-luxury-apartments">Mim Design</a> and <a href="/architects/six-degrees-architects">Six Degrees</a> all collaborate with <a href="/architects/cht-architects">CHT Architects</a> to create West End with people and the environment in mind. 

[smartcode_project:default project_id=1983]

The open park and laneways lined and landscaped with native trees and shrubs encourage residents to walk and engage with active lifestyles. With 200 bicycle spaces and integrated community spaces, West End demands to reach a 5 star Energy Rating as well as providing residents with the tools to continue their connectivity beyond the complex.

More than 83 per cent of <a href="/news/melbourne-s-largest-inner-city-apartment-west-end-commences-construction">City of Melbourne</a>’s residents live in apartments. Each year apartment living contributes to:

<ul>
<li>22 per cent of the city’s water usage</li>
	<li>Nine per cent of Greenhouse Gas emissions</li>
	<li>More than 20,500 tonnes of waste</li>
</ul>
<h2><a href="/developments/sydney-nsw-2000">QUAY QUARTER TOWER, SYDNEY CBD</a></h2>

<figure><a href="/developments/sydney-nsw-2000"><img alt="" class="image-article_full_width_580px" height="387" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/quay_1.jpg?itok=UHa17KJv" title="Quay Quarter's rooftop garden, rendering by 3XN" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Quay Quarter's rooftop garden, rendering by 3XN</figcaption></figure><a href="/architects/3xn">3XN</a> along with local partner <a href="/architects/bvn-architecture">BVN</a> and Arup bring Quay Quarter Tower to Sydney’s CBD, a mixed use vertical village that rises 200 metres above the iconic Harbour. 
The large open space atriums within the tower connecting all stacks to each other provide a sense of community with visual transparency offering social interaction amongst people.  
The design of the tower incorporates ⅔ of the existing structure on site. The existing AMP centre was in much need for a revamp so the team at 3XN, BVN and Arup found a solution to incorporate its shell and core into the new tower.

Retaining the old core and recycling the facade and remainder of the floor plates to create 45,000sqm of new floor space will save 10,000 Sydney to Melbourne flights worth of carbon. 
As the new building rises, it rotates in five stacks enhancing views and maximising light for all workers and residents within the building and on street level. Rotating the tower has also been beneficial to providing exterior terraces and communal park spaces for visitors, immediately enhancing the quality of interaction city dwellers have with their environment by providing much needed green space.

The tower is targeting 6 Star Energy rating as the facade’s sun shading hoods eliminate the need for blinds and the electricity to run lights during the day time. With residents and workers becoming more environmentally conscious, the tower becomes a highly desired place to work and live. 
“We’ve found this green correlation is very popular with the market, leading to higher demand for green buildings, low vacancy rates and better returns,” - Chris Nunn, head of sustainability, AMP Capital Investors.

<h2><a href="/buildings/east-brunswick-village-3-bluestone-way-brunswick-east">EAST BRUNSWICK VILLAGE, MELBOURNE</a></h2>

<figure><a href="/buildings/east-brunswick-village-3-bluestone-way-brunswick-east"><img alt="" class="image-article_full_width_580px" height="294" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/1419_gabrielsaunders-bancogroup-villageavenue-ext-similar_1.jpg?itok=vpbq5fMD" title="Rendering of EBV East Brunswick Village" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Rendering of EBV East Brunswick Village</figcaption></figure>EBV, East Brunswick is a development that has been designed with sustainability, quality of life and environmental consciousness at the forefront. During the first construction phase alone, 15,000 trucks worth of material have been recycled from the site that has helped create rock products, road bases with recycled concrete and recycled bluestone for pavements. 
An average of 7.5 Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme NatHERS will be achieved with smart metering, LED lighting and appliances installed with automatic controls, occupancy detectors, daylight sensors and programmable timers. Double glazing and rooftop Solar panels lessens the need for energy usage throughout winter.

Drought tolerant and native plants have been used for landscaping of the project to minimise water usage as there will also be rainwater tanks for flushing, a highly efficient gas centralised hot water system and smart metering so that residents can accurately monitor energy and water consumption. Recycling facilities within the precinct provide healthy waste management and with good access to public transport, residents are encouraged to use the large amount of bike racks, flexi car pods, charging stations for electric vehicles to promote walkable, green neighbourhoods.

As well as rooftop gardens and children's playground, residents will enjoy the apiary, maintained by a qualified bee keeper, providing free local honey. 

<h2><a href="/buildings/443-queen-street-brisbane-443-queen-street-brisbane">443 QUEEN STREET, BRISBANE</a></h2>

<figure><a href="/buildings/443-queen-street-brisbane-443-queen-street-brisbane"><img alt="" class="image-article_full_width_580px" height="364" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/queen_st_0.jpg?itok=Sx-lWZtU" title="Rendering of 443 Queen Street by Architectus" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Rendering of 443 Queen Street by Architectus</figcaption></figure>The 185 metre Architectus and <a href="/architects/woha">WOHA</a> designed tower gracing the Brisbane river waterfront offers more than just spectacular, uninterrupted views of the iconic city. 
443 Queen Street will be Australia’s first building to achieve a Generosity Index of 80 and Green Plot ratio of 197% with naturally light filled foyers, lobbies, and ventilated gardens throughout the tower. 
The tower embraces sub-tropical living with overhanging native plants over the podium balconies and a garden environment for each and every apartment. With a structure that resembles a living, breathing organism in a sub-tropical climate, it responds to its natural environment by catching the breeze and shade from the sun with a smart, calculative designed facade. 
The 264 high quality residential apartments enjoy natural green ventilation through a carefully thoughtful sealed square floor plan and will achieve a 5 star energy rating when completed in late 2020.

“443 Queen Street is about shading, sheltering, greenery and sustainability - a building that ‘breathes’ with natural ventilation and light” - Adrian Pozzo, CEO <a href="/developers/cbus-property">Cbus</a> Property.

<h2><a href="/new-apartments/lt-miller-nightingale-55-nicholson-street-brunswick-east">LT.MILLER, BRUNSWICK EAST</a></h2>

<figure><a href="/new-apartments/lt-miller-nightingale-55-nicholson-street-brunswick-east"><img alt="" class="image-article_full_width_580px" height="266" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/lt_miller_1.jpg?itok=epJDeLd_" title="Lt. Miller's rooftop garden, rendering by Gabriel Saunders for ClarkeHopkinsClarke" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Lt. Miller's rooftop garden, rendering by Gabriel Saunders for ClarkeHopkinsClarke</figcaption></figure>The set of boutique apartments located in Brunswick East, Melbourne, offer a 100% fossil fuel free environment with a 7.5 NatHERS Rating average. 
Electricity will be supplied by an embedded network which will use a variety of renewable sources to power all apartments as well as common areas. Lobbies and corridors will be naturally ventilated with plants on every level and a 20,000 litre water tank to collect rainwater to assist in irrigating the natural surrounding landscape.  
Designed by <a href="/architects/clarke-hopkins-clarke-0">Clarke Hopkins Clarke</a>, in collaboration with <a href="/architects/breathe-architecture">Breathe Architecture</a> and developed by <a href="/developers/lucent-capital">Lucent Capital</a> and <a href="/developers/nightingale-housing">Nightingale Housing</a>, the boutique apartment building has a specific environmental approach within the design, becoming yet another important socially and environmentally conscious complex within Melbourne. With amenities such as a garden rooftop, integration and social interaction between residents is encouraged which greatly impacts positively on the quality of life.  
Natural materials will be used between private and common spaces within the complex, with carefully selected recycled timber and floor materials. The 100% natural renewable carpets for residents are made from cactus fibre and is also 100% biodegradable at the end of its life cycle with natural colouring.  
These are just a few of the ways that Lt. Miller impacts the neighbourhood and sets a standard in conscious design. 

<a href="http://greenstrata.com.au/">Green Strata</a> is a not-for-profit organisation that helps apartment owners and corporations improve sustainability in their buildings.
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5 new Sustainable Apartment Developments in Australia 2019

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GUEST OBSERVATION
In the wake of <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/ABS@archive.nsf/log?openagent&amp;87520033.xls&amp;8752.0&amp;Time%20Series%20Spreadsheet&amp;4871AE45CFEBEB25CA2583D70015586F&amp;0&amp;Dec%202018&amp;10.04.2019&amp;Latest" target="_blank">slumping demand for apartment building</a>, it’s little wonder the multi-unit housing industry has been eagerly eyeing a possible new residential product: “build-to-rent”.
In fact, the <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/ABS@archive.nsf/log?openagent&amp;87520033.xls&amp;8752.0&amp;Time%20Series%20Spreadsheet&amp;4871AE45CFEBEB25CA2583D70015586F&amp;0&amp;Dec%202018&amp;10.04.2019&amp;Latest" target="_blank">latest figures</a> show that apartment-building construction starts were down 36% in 2018 from 2016. But how much will this little-known type of housing solve our housing problems?
Build-to-rent won’t be a silver bullet solution for Australia’s housing affordability stress, but it does have potential to tick the box on several important public policy objectives. These include widened housing diversity, enhanced build standards, and a better-managed, more secure form of private rental housing.
But for this to happen, Australia’s tax settings need adjustment.
What is ‘build-to-rent’?
This refers to apartment blocks built specifically to be rented, usually at market rates, and held in single ownership as long-term income-generating assets.
The enduring owner might be, for instance, an insurance company, an Australian super fund, a foreign sovereign wealth fund, a private equity firm, or the building’s developer.
Although new in Australia, build-to-rent is quite common in many other countries. Under its North American name, “multi-family housing”, the format has generated more than <a href="https://www.nmhc.org/" target="_blank">6.3 million new apartments since 1992 in the US alone</a>. And <a href="https://tinyurl.com/buildtorentlondon" target="_blank">in the UK, a build-to-rent sector</a> has led to <a href="https://www.bpf.org.uk/what-we-do/bpf-build-rent-map-uk" target="_blank">68,000</a> units built or under construction since 2012.
A scattering of build-to-rent schemes are <a href="https://cityfutures.be.unsw.edu.au/documents/551/LCOM_0000_Build_to_Rent_Report_WEB_July_2019.pdf" target="_blank">already underway</a> or completed, mainly in inner Sydney and Melbourne. And they may prove to be the forerunners of a new Australian residential property sector – but that is far from guaranteed.
In Australia, our private rental market is almost entirely owned by small-scale mum-and-dad investors, so this kind of housing would be a largely new departure from typical Australian real estate.
Potential benefits
The build-to-rent development model, involving a long-term owner commissioning an entire building, creates an incentive for higher, more enduring quality than the standard “build-to-sell” apartment development approach.
Importantly, build-to-rent is a long-run investment that caters for rental demand, which tends to grow steadily.
This means the model is largely immune to the fickle changes in housing demand resulting from typically short time horizons and primarily speculative instincts of individual buyers traditionally dominant in our market.
So at its full potential, this new housing product could introduce a valuable counter-cyclical component into the notoriously volatile residential construction industry, helping to offset damaging booms and busts. In other words, build-to-rent can create stability in the Australian property market.
How build-to-rent can incorporate affordable housing
Optimistically, some have claimed build-to-rent could also provide <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/build-to-rent-a-potential-solution-to-australia-s-housing-problem-20180904-p501of" target="_blank">an “affordable housing” fix</a> for many earners who are doing it tough in our existing private rental market.
But this could be possible only with the aid of major government funding or planning concessions.
Ideally, housing at rents affordable to low or moderate income earners would be included in predominantly market-rate build-to-rent schemes. Indeed, one major construction industry player <a href="https://www.afr.com/news/politics/national/rod-fehring-would-tackle-affordable-housing-once-and-for-all-20190430-p51io8" target="_blank">recently advocated this</a> as a standard expectation.
So how should affordable housing be provided in this case?
To find out, <a href="https://cityfutures.be.unsw.edu.au/documents/551/LCOM_0000_Build_to_Rent_Report_WEB_July_2019.pdf" target="_blank">our analysis</a> compares the cost of developing affordable housing by a for-profit company with development under a not-for-profit community housing provider.
Thanks to that non-profit format, and the tax advantages that go along with it, community housing providers can, in fact, construct affordable rental housing at significantly lower cost than their for-profit counterparts. Less subsidy is therefore needed.
Nonetheless, government help in some form will be essential to enable an affordable housing element. The most painless way for this to happen, from the government perspective, is through allocating sections of federal or state-owned redevelopment sites to community housing providers at discounted rates.
Encouragingly, this strategy was <a href="https://www.afr.com/real-estate/residential/we-want-our-pound-of-flesh-on-government-site-sales-michael-sukkar-20190606-p51v6d" target="_blank">recently advocated</a> by newly designated federal housing minister Michael Sukkar.
Such designation of government-owned sites could, for instance, be factored into large-scale urban renewal projects like Sydney’s Central-to-Eveleigh and Rozelle Bays. When complete, it could fulfil the <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/calls-for-higher-affordable-housing-targets-as-more-people-on-cusp-of-poverty-20170802-gxo11s/" target="_blank">widely voiced</a> demand that 30% of these developments should be affordable housing.
Levelling the playing field
Our modelling shows that under current conditions, even market-rate build-to-rent projects are barely viable – at least in Sydney.
The inflated price of developable land in Australia’s urban housing markets is an important contributing constraint. But <a href="https://cityfutures.be.unsw.edu.au/documents/551/LCOM_0000_Build_to_Rent_Report_WEB_July_2019.pdf" target="_blank">our research</a> also identifies a range of government tax settings that disadvantage build-to-rent, compared with both mum-and-dad-investors and traditional build to sell developers.
Removing less favourable land tax and GST treatment could markedly improve build-to-rent feasibility.
From a housing policy perspective, there’s also a case for the federal government to reconsider its recent “withholding tax” decision that treats overseas-based institutional investment in rental property less favourably than investment in commercial property.
Since such global funds would likely lead the establishment of a new Australian build-to-rent asset class, revisiting the withholding tax changes could be a significant step in making build-to-rent a reality in Australia.
In any case, build-to-rent is no simple solution for Australia’s affordable housing shortage.
But even as a market-rate product, it could fulfil several important public policy objectives. How far it might do so in practice is something that governments rightly need to weigh up when considering industry-proposed tax and regulatory reforms.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/119603/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;">
Hal Pawson, Associate Director - City Futures - Urban Policy and Strategy, City Futures Research Centre, Housing Policy and Practice, UNSW.
This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/build-to-rent-could-shake-up-real-estate-but-wont-take-off-without-major-tax-changes-119603" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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Build to rent could shake up real estate but won’t take off in Australia without major tax changes

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Three bidders competed post auction for a Dandenong apartment block sold for $3.62 million.
The 16 in-one-line two-bedroom apartments were at 29 Stud Road.
The property sat on a 2,013 square metre land offering, with RGZ2 zoning with medium density development to 13.5 metres.
It was marketed and sold by Ray White Commercial Glen Waverley agents Ryan Trickey and Ben Ainsworth.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/5/14/Stud%20Road%2029%20-%20outlined%20photos%20x43.jpg" alt="" style="font-size: 12.16px;"> 
Trickey said there was mixed interest as the property, on the market for the first time in 45 years, appealed to several buyer groups.
“Investors looked at yield, developers looked at highest and best use, and groups (like the buyer) looked at value add. This ranged from the high $2 million to low-to-mid $3 million,” he said.
“There was a genuine buzz around the auction, and it took 24 bids before the property was in a position to be sold, and it went to a commercial ‘re-conditioner’ who'll renovate the units and add value to the site.
“The property provides a strong reliable income and offered financial security and at fully-leased rental, the property produces $218,140 per annum with only one vacancy on-site right now.
“Being so close to amenities like Dandenong Plaza, Dandenong Market and the train station means there’ll always be a strong tenant demand for young families and professionals alike.”
Ainsworth said Dandenong was a proven re-development precinct with existing permitted construction underway in the local area.
“Being just 30 kilometres south-east of the Melbourne CBD, the property is within walking distance to all central Dandenong infrastructure,” he said.
“It offers excellent access to the Eastern Freeway, Monash Freeway and benefits from Dandenong train line and buses."
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Post-auction offers secure 16 in-one-line apartments for $3.62 million

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The northern Gold Coast leisure-land of Hope Island has become critically undersupplied with less than 50 new apartments currently on the market, according to a new report. 
According to property consultants Urbis, The North Shore precinct which includes Hope Island, is the most undersupplied market on the Gold Coast for apartment buyers. 
“Since the beginning of 2016, only six new apartment projects have been launched to the market across the North Shore Precinct,” said Urbis senior consultant Lynda Campbell. 
“This has resulted in a low level of supply with the September 2018 quarter ending with only 49 new apartments available for sale. 
“This is the lowest level of supply across the four Gold Coast precincts which have supply levels ranging from 277 up to 1,190 apartments.”
Despite the supply shortfall, population forecasts indicate demand for new homes and apartments will continue to rise. 
The Hope Island catchment area is expected to house an extra 35,680 people over the 20 years to 2036, or an average of 1784 new residents a year. 
Gold Coast company Aniko Group, headed by George Mastrocostas (pictured below), has moved to fill the current void in the Hope Island market with plans to launch a major resort-style apartment project this year. 
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/3/22/George%20Mastrocostas.jpg" alt="">
Aniko Group will deliver 240 luxury apartments on an 8390 square metre waterfront site at 1 Grant Avenue. 
The move follows last year’s successful sell-out of Aniko’s Three72 Marine development at Labrador and builds on the company’s appetite for high growth markets in south-east Queensland. 
“Hope Island has been very much a slow burn in terms of its maturity as an apartment market, and it’s probably only in the last few years that we’ve really seen that start to fire up,” said Mastrocostas. 
“The area has so much going for it in terms of absolute waterfront lifestyle and key transport infrastructure, and the market is starting to respond to that, especially local buyers who know the area well. 
“Waterfront living is in demand across the Gold Coast and Hope Island is one of the few areas left in the city where we can deliver quality resort-style living without the big premium of coastal apartments. 
“Hope Island has been on our wish list for some time, so we’re excited to be bringing this project to fruition at this time. The early response we have received from the market has been very encouraging.” 
The Hope Island property market is benefitting from a raft of private and public investment being ploughed into the northern Gold Coast region. 
The recent opening of the new $65 million Hope Island Marketplace has become a key investment driver by bringing a range of amenities and new jobs to the heart of the suburb.
This comes on top of the completion of the nearby $450 million Westfield Coomera. 
Infrastructure work planned for the area includes major upgrades to M1 exits and the $400 million expansion of the Gold Coast Marine Precinct, which is set to boost local jobs. 
Anika Group is poised to officially launch 1 Grant Ave soon.
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