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

Joel Robinson

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

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

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

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

Bottega House secures landmark riverfront site in St Lucia 

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

SIERA kicks off construction at Northcliffe tower Exhale

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

Eastern Suburbs buyers snap up ESTE Little Bay apartments

Brisbane

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Chinese buyers are pushing up property prices in Brisbane's suburbs that have a significant Chinese presence, according to new research by real estate firm PRDnationwide.
Brisbane suburbs with a large number of Chinese are experiencing higher property price growths relative to the average growth of the Brisbane South and Greater Brisbane areas, the data shows.
“In the past 5 years Robertson’s property price growth was over double the Greater Brisbane average,” said PRDnationwide national research manager Dr Diaswati Mardiasmo.
“A likely cause is the well documented tendency of the Chinese community to gather together,” said Dr Mardiasmo.
“The increasing number of Chinese buyers, including local, interstate, and overseas buyers has meant that there is a high level of demand for houses in these areas, pushing prices up.”
In 2014, the Financial Investments Review Board reported $12.4 billion in approvals for real estate from Chinese investors.
Seven suburbs, all located within Brisbane’s Southern area,  with an average Chinese population of 18.7 percent were found to have an average house price growth of 11.5 percent over the past 12 months, well above the average house price growth in Brisbane South and Greater Brisbane, at 5.9 percent and 4.4 percent respectively.
Mardiasmo said a large Chinese population could be taken as an indicator that a suburb would see high levels of price growth. 
The average house price growth in the suburbs surveyed over the past 5 years is 30.8 percent compared to Brisbane’s Southern area and Greater Brisbane, which sat at 22.8 percent and 18.5 percent respectively. 
“This trend seems to be relatively sustainable, as we have noted significant differences over both the short and median terms.”  
Growth also seems to be proportional to the Chinese population in an area.
Robertson, which has the highest percentage of Chinese residents at 25.3 percent, also experienced the highest property price growth, rising 38.6 percent in the last five years and 19.3 percent in the last year alone.
Eight Mile Plains had the lowest Chinese population surveyed at 11.8%. Its property price growth was 27.6% and 9.4% in the past five years and 12 months respectively.
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prateek24-ezbwHMbNAk

Brisbane's suburbs with major Chinese presence show higher home price growth: PRDnationwide

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Property fund manager ISPT’s Green Square South Tower in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley is on the market and is expected to sell for around $200 million.
The 18,000 sqm A Grade tower is located at 505 St Pauls Terrace and is fully leased to the Brisbane City Council until 2027. 
The tower is expected to attract interest from both domestic and offshore investors.
ISPT bought into the development in 2005 and forward funded, as part of a four-property deal with Leighton Properties, which included the neighbouring building Green Square North Tower and two buildings at Civic in Canberra.
The listing agents are Colliers International's Tom Barr, Don Mackenzie and John Marasco.
Barr said the move to sell Green Square South Tower, which is part of ISPT’s Core Fund managed by Mark Bassett, at this point makes sense.  
“At the time they acquired this asset ISPT were underweight in Brisbane, with only one asset at 100 Creek Street, and were locked out of the market due to lack of suitable stock being traded," he said.
According to Barr, ISPT has received unsolicited interest in the asset over the past six months.
Tony McCormack, head of Capital Transactions at ISPT, said, “Fundamentally, Green Square South Tower is being sold to recycle the capital.”
 
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

ISPT’s Brisbane tower on the market, could fetch around $200 million

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A childcare centre in Brisbane with a new 15-year lease will go under the hammer at a Burgess Rawson auction in Melbourne on May 18.
The purpose-built facility at <a href="https://www.burgessrawson.com.au/3P1290#.VzGK_WPwyb9" target="_blank">3 Camelia Avenue, Everton Hills</a> has a land area of 2,190 sqm and is licensed for 91 LDC places.
Its 15-year lease expires in 2031 with options for two 10-year extensions.
The centre earns a net income of $191,067 pa with a minimum 3 percent annual rent increases.
According to Burgess Rawson, it is a well regarded and successful child care provider with an additional centre in Bald Hills and more than 15 years experience.
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Childcare centre in Brisbane up for sale at Burgess Rawson auction

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/57114/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
Neighbourhoods as “battlefields”, “sardine city”, traditional suburbs as “threatened species” and urban hubs as the domain of “latte-sipping yuppies”. These are examples of the dramatic and negative imagery Queensland newspapers use to describe urban consolidation in Brisbane.
Our research identifies depictions of urban consolidation in Brisbane by five newspapers: The Courier Mail and Sunday Mail, Brisbane Times, Northside Chronicle and South-East Advertiser. Our examination of 456 articles from 2007 to 2014 reveals a glut of negative imagery.
Urban consolidation is predominantly depicted as dangerous and uncontrollable. Dire warnings abound of a city bursting at the seams and sustained assaults on the Australian suburban dream.
Newspapers remain powerful forces despite their declining fortunes in recent times. Their capacity to shape public opinion remains strong. So how do Queensland newspapers heighten the drama of consolidated urban development? And what imagery do they use to sustain the narrative?
<h2>Planning responses to growth</h2>
Cities are rapidly changing all over the world as urban populations grow. Urban consolidation has become a common planning response. It focuses on concentrating growth in existing urban areas. This involves the delivery of higher-density housing and mixed-use developments.
Urban consolidation is often advocated as a neat solution to increasing populations, decreasing housing affordability and unsustainable urban sprawl. It is now a key planning policy in many Australian cities, including all of the capitals.
Of the 156,000 additional dwellings forecast to be developed in Brisbane between 2006 and 2031, The South East Queensland Regional Plan has set the goal of delivering 88 percent in areas targeted for consolidation. The over-arching priority is to accommodate an ever-increasing urban population within existing boundaries.
Evidence of implementation in Brisbane can be seen all over the inner city and throughout inner and middle-ring suburbs. Apartment and unit development projects are proceeding at pace. This is leading to a huge upswing in approvals and new stock coming to market.
<h2>The drama of consolidated development</h2>
Media reports predominantly capture the drama of consolidated development with references to warfare or natural disasters. Articles commonly refer to floods of development or a city under siege.
Local politicians opposed to consolidation are characterised as saviours of the people. These white knights stand strong, benignly offering their constituents protection from the destruction of over-development.
Dramatic physiological language is used in articles discussing high-density apartment buildings. Such places are characterised as choking the city or ripping the heart out of its suburbs. Increasing urban densities are presented as threatening the overall health of the city.
Apartments are depicted as “shoeboxes”, “rabbit hutches” and “charmless chunks of brick”. The people who choose to live in them are routinely portrayed as outsiders. They are the unwelcome intruders who are taking over the city and corrupting traditional suburban values.
By contrast, articles featuring direct quotes from developers and planners tend to use more moderate imagery. Consolidation is portrayed more commonly as a means to create quality places to “live, work and play”. Associated images are usually consumption-based and focus on the benefits of access to inner-city employment and amenities.
While some imagery depicting cosmopolitan lifestyles finds traction, it is regularly offset by images of the declining suburban dream.
Usually this involves images of the “real Australians” whose happy suburban lives are threatened by over-development. These rarefied beings live on a median wage and host friendly barbecues in a suburb near you. Their depiction is far removed from that of their inner-city counterparts sipping lattes and swirling expensive wine.
<h2>(Mis)representing urban realities</h2>
Our research suggests Queensland newspapers create a sense of danger around urban consolidation in Brisbane. They perpetuate mostly negative imagery, referencing war, death and disease. Increased urban density becomes associated with towering buildings, faceless residents and unhealthy places.
Yet this isn’t necessarily the reality. Urban consolidation in Brisbane occurs as a result of managed planning processes. It is designed to meet the city’s current and future development needs. Developments generally occur in accordance with zoning regulations and development plans.
Newspapers have a tradition of sensationalising and simplifying news stories. And depictions of urban consolidation in Brisbane do tend towards sensationalism. The drama of consolidated development appears to work well to fill column inches and sell papers.
We argue that the use of negative imagery in Queensland newspapers relies more on subjective judgements than facts. Visions of unplanned, laissez-faire urban consolidation subsuming Brisbane are generally at odds with reality. Is the adage of not letting facts get in the way of a good story ringing true once more?
 
Katrina Raynor is PhD candidate in Urban Studies, Queensland University of Technology and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katrina-raynor-255374" target="_blank">here</a>. Tony Matthews is lecturer in Urban &amp; Environmental Planning, Griffith University and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tony-matthews-234160" target="_blank">here</a>. Both are authors for The Conversation.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Media picture of urban consolidation focuses more on a good scare story than the facts

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Australia's second largest dry dock along with 14 hectares of prime Brisbane river front land at Morningside will be sold off by shipbuilder Forgacs.
It will become new apartment and commercial office developments.
It has been owned by Forgacs Engineering since 2000.
Industry sources told the Australian Financial Review the Cairnscross Quays property, at <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-industrial+warehouse-qld-morningside-501849666" target="_blank">405 Thynne Road</a>, could yield a total project realisation in the order of $1 billion, which would put a land value of about $100 million.  
The property comprises the Cairnscross dry dock left from World War II, situated 4.5 kilometres from the Brisbane CBD.
There is 700 metres of Brisbane River frontage. 
JLL's national director Seb Turnbull said the property was a "generational opportunity."
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Cairnscross dry dock for sale in Brisbane

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The suburban fringe of Brisbane sits around 15 to 20 kilometres from the CBD – that’s a reasonable Sunday run for some ultra-marathon participants.
This means while our most affordable property is still on the edge of established suburbs, it’s a commutable distance, according to valuation firm Herron Todd White's April 2016 residential property clock. 
Brisbane also sits as a rising market for houses while starting to decline for units in HTW's property clock.
Our grand disadvantage as a city is we cover a wide area, and hence the primary public transport system servicing the majority of fringe residents is the bus network. That said, there are still plenty of these outer dwellers able to take advantage of car-accessible train stations, and if you must drive, our systems of tunnels and bypasses are certainly helping relieve congestion, say HTW.
<a href="/images/2016/04/15/Screen%20Shot%202016-04-15%20at%201.34.54%20PM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
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When thinking of our most ‘active’ fringe suburbs, you can look at most compass points. In the west, it’s the multi-stage, mega community of Springfield Lakes. Go north and you’re starting to hit the urban edge around North Lakes, Mango Hill and Griffin although development is dotted beyond this as well. To the south we are building up to the point that it’s hard to tell where Brisbane finishes and the Gold Coast begins, but it’d be safe to say through Logan, Springwood and down to Beenleigh we’re looking at the very outer edges.
Pricewise, the western corridor demonstrates what buyers are looking at when it comes to a baseline buy-in figure. You can still find yourself a house in the very well serviced Springfield Lakes development at around $400,000, and you could even save $50,000 by heading a few kilometres up the road to Redbank Plains. There’s a ready tenant base and you can expect a gross yield of around 4.5% to 5%. According to our valuers, buyers and tenants are still looking to outer areas that are well serviced by facilities. Springfield Lakes has trains and shopping centres, both of which hold appeal for people who have to work in Brisbane’s CBD.
There are similar price points on offer in the North Lakes region. Investors require a touch over $350,000 to get a foot in the door. Once again, there are plenty of tenants available and gross returns of 4.5 percent to 5.5 percent help with the holding costs. North Lakes also appeals with it’s comprehensive retail facilities as well as ready access to the M1 (Bruce Highway) and Gateway Motorway. There’s also a public transport boost on the way as the new rail extension becomes established for those commuters.
While inner Brisbane does have relative affordability compared to a city like Sydney, those budget buyers with a long-term view can still expect a cheap purchase in the fringe to perform admirably. Springfield Lakes is potentially a good buy long term given it’s serviced by trains and shops, and other facilities coming on line including a hospital.
 
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North Lakes and surrounds will probably take a little more time to pick up in their capital growth. There are plenty of infill subdivision sites close by, so supply is assured for some time yet.
As far as areas to avoid, there is still the flood overhang in some parts of the fringe. Make sure you check this carefully. Other attributes that create ‘secondary property’ such as main road frontages, high tension power lines or nearby industrial uses should also be treated with caution. Properties affected by these things can stagnate when the overall market slows down.
Over the medium and long term however, fringe markets are generally steady, so we expect the market to be relatively static for the foreseeable future. 
Property Observer found a few recent sold examples of properties that reflect the fringe markets:
 
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1. A four-bedroom house at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-qld-springfield+lakes-121755050" target="_blank">9 Talisker Street Springfield Lakes Qld 4300</a> (above) fetched $402,000
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2. A three-bedroom townhouse at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-townhouse-qld-mango+hill-121596838" target="_blank">45/42-51 Wattlebird Street Mango Hill Qld 4509</a> sold for $340,000
 
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Brisbane's fringe markets expected to remain steady: HTW

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Industrial land prices along Brisbane's Trade Coast have recorded their second quarterly increase according to the Brisbane industrial briefing for April from Savills.
Savills recorded around $1.133 billion worth of industrial property transactions under $2 million in the 12 months to March 2016, an increase from the $1.019 billion recorded in the previous year, and up on the five year average of $779 million.
According to the report private investors are also starting to emerge within the sub $2 million price range  - a sure a sign that confidence is beginning to return to the market. 
"Buyers within the $2 million to ten million dollar price range remain the most active with 75 percent of industrial sales for the year ending March 2016," Savills reported.
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"Englobo land sales continue to dwindle within the Brisbane metropolitan area due to a lack of availability within the key industrial precincts. A number of industrial properties sold over the year however had subsidiary land available for further development, such as the sale of 1-5 Bishop Dr, Fisherman Island which reportedly included an additional three hectares of land suitable for further industrial accommodation.
"The highlight of the year remains the $1.073 billion purchase of the GIC portfolio by Singapore based Ascendas. The portfolio included assets from Victoria, New South Wales and Brisbane. There were seven Brisbane properties included in the deal amounting to $317.2 million."
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Sub $10 million price bracket driving Brisbane industrial market

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Which is the better asset class to invest: shares or property?
Off-the-plan marketer Place Advisory pit the share market against Brisbane’s property market, an annual exercise, using the benchmark All Ords Index and sales data for apartments in Inner Brisbane.
Traditionally, shares and property have been strongly correlated and several overall trends have been established: Both asset classes seem to move in cycles together with property responding slightly slower than the All Ords Index to any changes in the wider market. This is likely due to information reporting and the illiquidity of apartments in comparison to shares.
The share market is generally more volatile than the property market – experiencing higher highs and lower lows. The 30-year period has seen the property market outperform the share market – just.
Inner Brisbane apartments have recognised annual median price growth of 6.3% per annum, compared to the All Ords annual return of 5.6%.
Place Advisory used All Ords for the report as it is the best indicator of the health of the share market in the longer term. This is primarily due to the fact that it is the oldest index, and tracks the performance of the 500 largest companies by market capitalisation.
The ASX 500 registered its first annual decrease in 2015 since 2011. As of December 31, the index stood at 5,345 points – down 0.8% on the recorded value 12 months earlier.
The Brisbane property market did not fare much better in terms of price growth. The median apartment price for the six months to December 2015 was $440,000, just $1,000 higher than the corresponding period of 2014.
The share market is generally more volatile than the property market, reacting with a greater level of severity to market fluctuations. In 2008 for example, the values of both asset classes took a hit. However, Brisbane’s median apartment price contracted by 1.5% over that year, whereas the index value of the ASX 500 tumbled by 44%. The trend reversed the following year. Median apartment values in Brisbane rose by 6%, but the ASX 500 value increase by 36%.
"If you’re looking for stability and long term growth, you should consider property as an investment vehicle. There is less volatility in the property market, which means that your hard earned money will generally be more secure in property," says Lachlan Walker, director of Place Advisory and Place Projects in Brisbane. 
"As an investor seeking capital growth, timing is critical- neither shares nor property are completely fool proof."
And as for any investment, research is imperative. 
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Brisbane property outperformed shares in 2015, but only just: Place Advisory

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Brisbane CBD’s latest purpose-built student accommodation, Iglu Brisbane City, has opened its doors after a three-month delay for occupancy approval clearances, with more than 250 students moving in.
Located at 65 Mary Street, Iglu Brisbane City includes 414 beds in air-conditioned studio and multi-share configurations. It has communal areas including a gym, games areas, cinema room, and an outdoor entertainment area.
The Queensland government had initially denied occupancy approval while it investigated the building’s external aluminium panels. 
The Queensland Fire and Emergency Service had raised concerns the cladding presented a fire risk and would put the building's occupants in danger, said an article in brisbanetimes.com.au.
During this time, Iglu paid for alternative accommodation for the students, a media release said.
Following the government confirmation, Iglu director Jonathan Gliksten said he was excited to welcome residents to the building.
“Iglu Brisbane City boosts Brisbane’s appeal as an ideal student living destination for local, regional and international students,” he said. "Our accommodation is close to universities, transport and shopping, and is staffed around the clock." 
“We have always known that our building complied with National Construction Code and are absolutely confident in the quality and safety standard of the building materials used,” Gliksten said.
“We understand that the Queensland government needs to ensure the safety of buildings, but we were disappointed with the length of time the process took."
The project is the fourth student accommodation facility under the Iglu brand with another in Kelvin Grove, and two in Sydney. Two additional properties are currently under development in Redfern (Sydney) and Melbourne CBD.
Iglu Brisbane City's accommodation options include share apartments, studios or one bedroom apartments, with early bird rates still available for Semester 2, 2016.
 
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Iglu's Brisbane student tower opens after 3-month delay for safety checks

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Brisbane held a preliminary clearance rate of 56.6 percent for the week ending April 10 according to CoreLogic RP Data. 
Across Brisbane 161 auctions held. The Gold Coast had 26 auctions  with 10 were selling.
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