Melbourne developer Spacious Group has completed Voyage Altona, one of the closest new apartment developments to Altona Beach.

Off the plan purchasers have started moving into the 49-apartment project on Pier Street, with the remaining move-in-ready one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments starting from just over $500,000.

Display apartments have now been fitted out, allowing prospective buyers to inspect the completed residences by appointment.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112195 project_image_fid=372638]

The completed apartments feature open-plan living and dining areas which extend onto private balconies and terraces, while full-height glazing maximises natural light throughout the interiors.&nbsp;

Hybrid timber-look flooring, stone benchtops, Miele appliances, porcelain-tiled bathrooms and generous storage feature throughout the building which also features landscaped communal areas, expansive shared terraces, lift access and secure on-grade parking.

Drawing inspiration from its bayside setting, Voyage adopts a restrained palette of warm neutral tones and textured finishes. Many of the apartments take advantage of views across Port Phillip Bay, while the indoor-outdoor living spaces have been designed to make the most of the coastal outlook.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112195 project_image_fid=3286]

Voyage was developed to address what Spacious Group identified as an undersupply of higher-quality apartment product in Altona, with a focus on owner-occupiers looking to remain within the bayside community.

"Voyage responds to very strong local buyer demand for quality, owner-occupier-focused product," says Barry Plant Projects Director Jarrod Farey, who has handled sales since the project's launch.

"The project delivers an elevated lifestyle proposition, with its design and quality of finish far exceeding anything previously produced in the area, as well as its proximity to Pier Street Village and the beach."

The majority of purchasers have been local downsizers and owner-occupiers looking to stay within the Altona community but who previously had limited opportunities to buy a brand-new apartment.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112195]

Joel Robinson

Spacious Group completes Voyage Altona in Altona's beachside precinct

Homecorp has secured approval for a $360 million apartment development at Budds Beach, paving the way for one of the Gold Coast's most amenity-rich residential projects to launch later this year.

Gold Coast City Council has approved Lýon Residences, a 32-level tower that will deliver 178 two and three-bedroom apartments across a prominent corner site at 8-10 Acacia Avenue and 25-27 Oak Avenue.

The approval comes as developers continue to invest in premium lifestyle-driven apartment projects on the Gold Coast, where owner occupiers are increasingly prioritising amenity as much as apartment size and location.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/l-on-residences-25-27-oak-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Lýon Residences</a> has been designed around a resort-style wellness offering, headlined by a Moroccan-inspired spa precinct featuring treatment rooms, a Nordic sauna and steam room, hot and cold plunge pools, a soaking pool and a residents-only juice bar.

The rooftop will include a heated infinity pool and spa, residents' lounge with private kitchen and bar, gymnasium, yoga and Pilates studio, outdoor entertaining areas and barbecue facilities overlooking the Surfers Paradise skyline.

<img alt="Lyon" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2d3e29af-8793-486e-a684-52cef862241f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-07-15%20at%204.32.26%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=ayG2zpLf3SS6Zy8XmKDcQods4kVWb0gm" />

Homecorp Founder and CEO Ron Bakir said Budds Beach provided the ideal location for the company's latest luxury apartment project.

"Budds Beach represents one of the most unique and sought-after pockets of the Gold Coast, and Lýon Residences has been designed to reflect that sense of rarity and refinement," Bakir said.

The project arrives as wellness continues to become a defining feature of new residential developments both in Australia and internationally.

The latest Global Wellness Institute figures show wellness real estate remains the fastest-growing segment of the global wellness economy and is forecast to exceed $1.8 trillion by 2030. Australia continues to rank among the world's 15 largest wellness real estate markets, with developers increasingly integrating health, recreation and community facilities into apartment projects.

Queensland is also experiencing strong population growth, with the Gold Coast continuing to outperform many other Australian cities as demand for new housing remains elevated ahead of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Bakir said the project had been designed to respond to that shift in buyer expectations.

"Strong population growth and sustained demand across the Gold Coast continue to highlight the need for well-designed new housing supply. Lýon Residences responds directly to this demand while setting a new benchmark for residential living," he said.

Each apartment has been designed to maximise views across the coastline, the Nerang River and the Gold Coast hinterland.

Located just minutes from Surfers Paradise beach and the Broadwater, the development also offers easy access to the light rail network, Broadbeach and Burleigh Heads.

Early site works are underway, with construction expected to commence later this year.

Homecorp approved for Budds Beach apartment tower, Lýon Residences

New apartment developments with uninterrupted, north-facing views over Perth's Swan River are exceptionally rare.

Recognising just how limited those opportunities are, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/edge-visionary-living">Edge Visionary Living</a>, one of Perth's most respected builder-developers, targeted <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/applecross-wa-6153">Applecross</a>, assembling an unrepeatable 6,342 sqm riverfront site on the corner of Moreau Mews and Canning Beach Road to create one of Perth's only new north-facing apartment developments directly overlooking the Swan River.

Today, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/riviere-residences-applecross-59-canning-beach-road-applecross-wa-6153">Rivière Residences</a> offers buyers a unique opportunity to choose between completed residences ready to move into now and off-the-plan homes in the final stage, Rivière West.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=28384 project_image_fid=3823]

Across the completed East and Central buildings, residents are already enjoying the development's luxury amenity, while two of the precinct's hospitality venues are now open.

The completed component of the development gives buyers the advantage of experiencing the finished product firsthand, including its uninterrupted river views, while still having the opportunity to secure a residence in the final stage.

"People are wowed by the view and the quality of the apartments,"&nbsp;Edge Visionary Living Sales Executive, Holly McSweeney, says.

"They're looking for the convenience of lock-and-leave living, but they're not looking to downsize on quality."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=28384 project_image_fid=3826]

The rarity of the development hasn't been lost on prospective buyers, McSweeney says.

For McSweeney, it all comes back to a location that is becoming increasingly difficult to replicate.

"Location, location, location," she says. "We are nestled right on the front of the Swan River. You can never get built out, so wherever you are in Rivière Residences, you've got views of the river forever."

The unique waterfront position has resonated particularly strongly with local downsizers. McSweeney says many buyers are long-time Applecross residents looking to transition from large family homes into a luxury apartment without sacrificing space, quality or the lifestyle they've enjoyed for decades.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N_FowNW0wu8?si=vb25XFq1wZ-iufAW" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

A major focus for Edge in recent years has been resident amenity. Across its apartment portfolio, from beachfront developments in Scarborough to luxury towers in South Perth, the developer has increasingly invested in the spaces beyond the apartment itself.

The strategy has largely been shaped by downsizer demand. Many buyers are moving from large family homes with swimming pools and established gardens. While they're looking to leave the maintenance behind, they don't want to compromise on lifestyle.

At Rivière, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hillam-architects">Hillam Architects</a> designed the resident facilities as an extension of each apartment. A 25-metre heated swimming pool takes advantage of the north-facing river outlook, complemented by a large gym, sauna and steam rooms, private dining spaces, residents' lounges, a cinema, games room, and dedicated wine and whisky rooms.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=28384 project_image_fid=372542]

The waterfront location has also proved to be a major drawcard. Residents are within walking distance of the Raffles Hotel, South of Perth Yacht Club, the Heathcote Cultural Precinct and the cafés, restaurants and boutiques along Ardross Street.

Beyond the location and amenity, McSweeney says many buyers take confidence from Edge's fully integrated development model.

Having delivered apartments across Perth for decades, Edge now designs, develops and constructs its projects in-house, giving the company greater control over quality, delivery and the finished product.

"What I love is when people walk through their apartment for the first time and say, 'This is better than what we imagined,'" McSweeney says. "We hear that all the time."

Completed apartments in the East and Central buildings are now available to inspect by appointment, while Rivière West, the final stage of the precinct, is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=28384]

North-facing Swan River views drive demand at Rivière Residences in Applecross

Nearly 60 per cent of apartments at McNab Group's $220 million The Tannery development in Brisbane's West End have sold ahead of the project's public launch, including a suburb-record $2.57 million sale for a two-bedroom apartment.

The early sales campaign has secured buyers for 50 of the project's 87 apartments, highlighting continued demand for larger owner-occupier apartments that combine generous floorplans with premium lifestyle amenities in one of Brisbane's most tightly held inner-city suburbs.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=143337 project_image_fid=374768]

McNab Group Executive Chairman Michael McNab said selling more than half the project before launch reflected changing buyer expectations.

"Selling more than half the project before public sales open tells us buyers are actively seeking apartments that offer something genuinely different," McNab said.

"Today's buyers are looking beyond four walls. They want homes that genuinely enhance the way they live, with spaces that support health, connection and everyday wellbeing."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=143337 project_image_fid=374767]

A key point of difference for the project is the adaptive reuse of the heritage-listed Dixon's Tannery building, which will become The Retreat, a residents-only wellness precinct rather than being redeveloped into additional apartments.

The Retreat will feature a sauna and steam room, hot and cold plunge pools, a commercial-grade gym, Pilates studio, cinema, library, co-working spaces and private dining room. Rooftop amenities will include a swimming pool, landscaped gardens, outdoor entertaining areas and dog-friendly spaces.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=143337 project_image_fid=374760]

Designed by Cottee Parker Architects with interiors by Tom Mark Henry and landscape architecture by Aspect Studios, The Tannery comprises 87 two, three and four-bedroom apartments across 11 levels overlooking the Brisbane River.

Cottee Parker principal Dee Passenger said preserving the original tannery building had been central to the project's design.

"The easy option would have been to maximise the site's development potential with additional apartments. Instead, McNab has chosen to preserve the original tannery as a shared wellness retreat, ensuring this important piece of Brisbane's history remains at the heart of the community."

Passenger said sustainability also played a key role in the design, with materials from the original industrial site salvaged and repurposed throughout the development.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=143337 project_image_fid=374761]

Motiv CEO Carly Cottam said buyers had responded strongly to the combination of larger apartments, wellness facilities and the West End lifestyle.

"We are seeing more buyers looking for homes in the sky that provide the space and functionality of a traditional home, while benefiting from the convenience and lifestyle that apartment living brings," Cottam said.

She said purchasers included both owner occupiers and investors, with demand coming from local buyers as well as interstate purchasers.

Coinciding with the public launch, McNab also announced a partnership with Queensland Ballet, whose neighbouring Thomas Dixon Centre shares historical ties with the original Dixon family.

Located on a 4,465 sqm site at 439 Montague Road, The Tannery overlooks the Brisbane River and is around 10 minutes from the CBD.

Construction is underway, with completion expected in the second half of 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=143337]

More than half of residences sold before public sales as McNab announces significant partnership with Queensland Ballet

McNab's The Tannery nears 60 per cent sold before public release, sets two-bedroom West End record

Iwan Sunito's vision for a landmark mixed-use precinct in Sydney's Inner West has taken a major step forward, with approval granted for the $1.9 billion Five Dock development first unveiled earlier this year.

The approved scheme by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/one-global-capital">One Global Capital</a> will deliver an 80,500 sqm mixed-use precinct comprising 840 apartments, integrated hotel accommodation, commercial and retail space, alongside publicly accessible open space designed to create a new destination for the growing suburb.

"This is a significant milestone for One Global Capital and for the future of housing delivery in Sydney," Sunito said.

"The Housing Delivery Authority was established to identify major housing projects capable of delivering meaningful supply more efficiently, and we are delighted that Spencer Street has been recognised as one of those projects.”

He said the declaration reflected the rapid progress achieved since acquiring control of the site.

"In less than seven months we have progressed from taking control of the site to securing entry into one of the NSW Government's most important planning pathways. It reflects the experience of our team, the strength of our consultant group led by Urbis, and our long-term commitment to delivering transformational projects that contribute to Sydney's future."

When the project was revealed earlier this year, Sunito described the opportunity as one of the strongest development sites he had worked on.

"I probably hadn't appreciated the uniqueness of the site until more recently when putting together the concept plans," Sunito said.

"The proximity to the water, and the golf course opposite, is unlike any other part of Parramatta Road. We have a unique position and view corridors over the water that makes this one of the best sites I've worked on."

The development has evolved since its initial announcement, with the approved plans increasing the residential component from the originally proposed 750 apartments to 840 homes while retaining the project's focus on creating an integrated neighbourhood rather than a standalone residential development.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/a-city-within-a-city-iwan-sunito-flags-1-5-billion-mixed-use-precinct-in-five-dock">"A city within a city": Iwan Sunito flags $1.5 billion mixed-use precinct in Five Dock</a>

The precinct will combine apartments with hotel accommodation, commercial workplaces, retail offerings and public spaces, creating a mixed-use environment intended to serve both residents and the broader Five Dock community. The proposal also continues the collaboration between One Global Capital and internationally recognised architect <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/koichi-takada-architects">Koichi Takada</a>, whose previous work with Sunito includes Infinity, Arc and Skye North Sydney.

Takada previously said the design was driven by a philosophy of integrating nature into the built environment.

"The concept for this development is born from our design approach to naturalising architecture," Takada said.

"The public realm benefits from biophilic design that integrates generous landscaping, and the development is optimised for natural daylight, airflow and water views to foster wellbeing, sustainability and spaces that foster community interaction."

Sunito has consistently described the project as a "city within a city", with a strong emphasis on creating a destination that extends beyond housing.

"We want to create a development that's not only to be seen, but to be experienced by the whole local community," he said.

The approval comes as Five Dock continues its transformation ahead of the opening of the Sydney Metro West line, with the new Five Dock station set to significantly improve connections between the Inner West, Parramatta and the Sydney CBD.&nbsp;

The precinct will also benefit from its proximity to the Parramatta Road corridor, nearby waterfront parklands and established retail and dining offerings that have made Five Dock one of Sydney's most tightly held Inner West suburbs.

Iwan Sunito secures approval for $1.9 billion Five Dock mixed-use precinct

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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