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

Joel Robinson

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

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Castle Hill, the longtime hub of the Hills District, has been one of the major beneficiaries of Sydney's Metro expansion, with improved connectivity helping drive continued population growth, development and buyer demand across the Hills District.

But despite that growth, the suburb has seen relatively few major new apartment projects brought to market over the past 18 months.

Hills District developer Reve Group is looking to fill that gap with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nova-r-ve-castle-hill-2-garthowen-crescent-castle-hill-nsw-2154">Nova Rêve</a>, a major new mixed-use precinct on the corner of Garthowen Crescent and Old Castle Hill Road, a short walk from Castle Hill Metro Station and Castle Towers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377679]

The project will comprise three residential towers alongside a hotel, restaurants, cafes and a skybar, more than 1,600 sqm of ground-floor retail and almost an acre of landscaped gardens.

It represents the largest project undertaken by Reve Group, the development arm of the Kassis family, which has been building across the Hills District for more than 30 years through Kassis Homes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377675]

Nova Rêve also represents a significant step up from the family's first apartment development, Grand Rêve, which was delivered nearby on Garthowen Crescent.

Grand Rêve introduced larger, house-like apartment layouts and premium inclusions including Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances to the Castle Hill market.

Nova Rêve takes that approach to a precinct scale, combining the residential component with hospitality, retail and substantial public and resident landscaping.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377685]

Reve Group Managing Director Sam Kassis said the project reflected the family's three decades of building in the Hills, which has evolved from trophy homes on quarter-acre blocks to larger-scale apartment development.

"Grand Rêve was our first apartment project here and it showed us what this pocket of Castle Hill could be. Nova Rêve is the refinement of that idea: not just apartments, but a place the whole suburb can use," Kassis said.

A key part of that approach is the hotel, which has been designed to operate as an amenity for the wider Castle Hill community rather than solely hotel guests.

It will include restaurants, cafes, skybars and all-day dining, alongside conference and event facilities catering to business functions, community groups and private events.

At ground level, more than 1,600 sqm of shops and cafes will open onto the surrounding streets and landscaped areas.

Almost an acre of gardens designed by Land and Form Studios will run through the precinct, incorporating pathways, seating, barbecue areas and children's play spaces.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377680]

Reve Group's Romio Georges said creating an active ground plane had been central to the planning of Nova Rêve.

"There are gardens with pathways, barbecues, seating and play areas, shops and cafes opening onto the street, and a hotel with restaurants and a skybar that anyone in Castle Hill can walk into," Georges said.

The project's elevated position on one of Sydney's highest ridgelines will also provide apartments with outlooks toward the Sydney skyline, surrounding parkland and the Blue Mountains.

More than 80 per cent of the apartments will occupy corner positions, with Turner responsible for both the architecture and interiors.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152737]

<h3 data-end="3697" data-section-id="q3n5ak" data-start="3672">&nbsp;</h3>
</main>

Nova Rêve arrives as Reve Group bets on Castle Hill's next growth phase

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

Maréa Residences brings parkside apartments to Coolangatta

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

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

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

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

building

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Landcom and Mirvac Group have neared completion of OVO at Green Square, which more than 600 residents set to call the landmark building home. 
It was designed by Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp (FJMT) design director, Richard Francis-Jones.
It is the second Landcom and Mirvac building to be completed at Green Square, following the completion of Ebsworth in early 2017 in the transformed former industrial area.
Designed by FJMT in partnership with Mirvac Design, OVO features a distinctive ellipsoid-shaped tower taking advantage of the prime views of the city.
The façade of the building has one of the most complex colour, detail and manufacturing systems Mirvac has delivered, including 1,800 panels in 134 different shapes and 17 different colours.
Mirvac’s CEO Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz said OVO was the gateway to the heart of the Green Square Town Centre, on the corner of Bourke Street and Ebsworth Street.
Green Square’s high street along Ebsworth Street now features a 2,000 square metre Woolworths supermarket and The Social Corner - a community space and cafe.  
Later this year, the City of Sydney will open the civic plaza and library, with more amenities, such as parks and an aquatic centre, set to open in the coming years. 
This has followed the completion of a $32 million community and cultural precinct, complete with a three-storey creative centre, which opened in May 2018.
It as in April 2015 when Mirvac sold 221 apartments on the opening weekend. 
Pricing on the apartments in the 28-storey tower was equivalent to the last two towers the developer had sold in the same burgeoning new precinct.
Rates on level 12 were around $13,000 per square metre, with lower floors cheaper and higher floors dearer. 
Studios were priced from $650,000, with first home buyers paying more than $700,000 for a one bedroom apartment without parking, and two bedroom apartments with one bathroom in the $900,000 range and going up in Ovo, which occupies a prominent gateway location at 956-960 Bourke Street.
Designed by architect Richard Francis-Jones in an elliptical shape, the curving, 28-storey tower features a larger mix of three-bedroom apartments with layouts designed to appeal to households with children.
Some apartments have a bathroom for every bedroom. 
When fully completed around 2030, Green Square’s total population could reach 53,000, according to planning estimates.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

All set for the tallest building at Green Square as OVO celebrates completion

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Guest Observer
Building an extra 50,000 homes a year for a decade could leave Australian house prices 5 to 20 per cent lower than they would be otherwise, and stem rising public anxiety about housing affordability.
Within living memory, Australia was a place where housing costs were manageable, and people of all ages and incomes had a reasonable chance to own a home with good access to jobs. But home ownership rates are falling among all Australians younger than 65, especially those with lower incomes. Owning a home increasingly depends on who your parents are, a big change from 35 years ago when home ownership rates were high for all levels of income. Those on low incomes – increasingly renters – are spending more of their income on housing.
It’s been a perfect storm of rising incomes and falling interest rates, rapid migration, tax and welfare settings feeding demand, and planning rules restricting supply. As a result, house prices have more than doubled in real terms over the past 20 years. The strains are most acute in Sydney and Melbourne. Since 2012, house prices have risen 50 per cent in Melbourne, and 70 per cent in Sydney.
Development in middle suburbs has increased in recent years, especially in Sydney. But today’s record level of housing construction is the bare minimum needed to meet record levels of population growth driven by migration. Meanwhile a decade of accumulated shortages are forcing younger people to set up their own homes later in life.
To build more homes, State governments should fix planning rules to allow more homes to be built in inner and middle-ring suburbs of our largest cities. More small-scale urban infill projects should be allowed without council planning approval.
State governments should also allow denser development ‘as of right’ along key transport corridors. They should swap stamp duties for general property taxes. And state land taxes on investment property should be flat rate with no tax-free threshold, to encourage more institutional investors likely to provide longer-term tenancies.
The Commonwealth government can improve housing affordability somewhat – and immediately – by reducing demand. It should reduce the capital gains tax discount to 25 per cent; abolish negative gearing; and include owner-occupied housing in the Age Pension assets test. And unless the states are prepared to reform their planning systems, the Commonwealth should consider tapping the brakes on Australia’s migrant intake.
It took neglectful governments two decades to create the current housing affordability mess. They preferred the easy choices that merely appear to address the problem. The politics of reform are fraught because most voters own a home or an investment property, and mistrust any change that might dent the price of their assets. But if governments keep pretending there are easy answers, housing affordability will just get worse. Older people will not be able to downsize in the suburb where they live, and our children won’t be able to buy their own home.
<a href="https://grattan.edu.au/podcast/housing-affordability-re-imagining-the-australian-dream/" target="_blank">Listen to a podcast with John Daley and Brendan Coates discussing the report</a>
John Daley has been the Chief Executive of the Grattan Institute since it was founded nine years ago.
He can be <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/people/bio/john-daley/" target="_blank">contacted here.</a>
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50,000 new homes a year for a decade could leave house prices 20 percent lower: Grattan Institute

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The property and telecommunications industries are at odds over infrastructure rules that will set the stage for the 5G wireless network.
While building owners accuse mobile carriers of paying lower rents and an “increasingly aggressive interpretation" of the laws related to the way buildings are used for telecommunications equipment, mobile carriers say the allegation of widespread problems is questionable.
The Property Council of Australia says that with the Telecommunications Act 1997 and its code of practice under reviewed by the Commonwealth government, the powers and immunities given to providers of mobile network infrastructure must also be reformed.
Building owners are complaining that they are forced to give over space at below-market rents, put up with cables inappropriately and are left to manage redundant kit at the end of a lease when a carrier walks away, reported The Australian Financial Review.
"Telecommunications carriers, with legislative protection, are too often a law unto themselves, show little regard for building owners or other tenants, and pay next to no rent," Property Council chief executive Ken Morrison was cited as saying by the AFR.
"The days of offering $1 rent to use a building must end," he said.
The council says in its submission to the review that the 20-year-old act has no provision for low-cost dispute-resolution mechanism so building owners are forced to put up with problems as the courts as the only recourse.
The 5G  mobile telecommunication network, due to be in operation by 2020, will be more complex and denser than its predecessors, meaning more mobile infrastructure in buildings. 
Mobile networks top body, the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association, said regulatory processes need to be simplified to roll out the network that will underpin technology such as ultra high-definition video and the machine-to-machine communication of driverless vehicles.
"One of the fundamental characteristics of the regulatory environment needed is it must keep up with technology and reflect the deployment environment that industry has to work in," said AMTA chief executive Chris Althaus.
"Part of that will be working more closely with building owners, property owners, but equally part of it must be efficient regulation."
The federal Communications Department’s review is expected to be handed over to the government by the year end.  
It has already proposed amendments that would save telcos up to $100 million a year through measures such as raising the size thresholds of equipment that needs planning approvals and making it easier to install replacement towers.
Althaus said property owners and telcos should work together, but questioned the allegation of widespread problems.
"On balance, given the high volume of deployment that has taken place in this country over the last three decades, the number of concerns, complaints and troubled circumstances is relatively low," he said.
The Communications Department said there was strong demand by consumers and businesses for better communications services and that carrier powers and immunities were designed to strike the right balance between quick and effective deployment of infrastructure and community and property safeguards.
 
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Building owners, telcos spar over network infrastructure rules

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GUEST OBSERVER
Asbestos is the generic term for a number of fibrous silicate minerals. Products made from asbestos cement - a bonded asbestos material - include fibro sheeting (flat and profiled) guttering and downpipes, as well as other pipes for water, drainage or flues, corrugated roofing sheets, roofing shingles and guttering.  WHY WAS ASBESTOS USED IN HOMES?
Asbestos materials were cheap and durable and after World War II until 1954 it was used extensively in the building industry. In New South Wales it's estimated 52 percent of all houses, (approx. 70,000 houses), were built using it. Up till the 1960s, 25 percent of all new housing was clad in asbestos cement in Australia and around 20 percent of all domestic roofs of that period contained asbestos. In Victoria, the percentage was higher and approx. 98 percent of homes constructed before 1976 contained asbestos products.  IS ASBESTOS STILL USED?
The good news is NO. Asbestos has not been used in domestic building materials since the 1980s, however, it was not until 31 December, 2003, that the use of asbestos and all products containing asbestos was banned throughout Australia. It is now illegal to import, store, supply, sell, install, use or re-use asbestos products. Please note: the ban does not apply to asbestos installed prior to this date and if your home contains asbestos you are not required to remove it, but if you do then you must follow safety guidelines and you cannot dump any type of asbestos material in a general waste disposal area. HEALTH RISKS
The health risks associated with working in the asbestos industry and being exposed to asbestos products through occupational, environmental and secondhand factors are now well known and documented and include Cancer; Mesothelioma, Asbestosis and other related serious conditions. It is strongly recommended before starting to undertake any type of renovation on a house built before the late 1980's that absolute caution be observed as it can potentially have asbestos containing materials like fibro, and exposure to broken asbestos by breathing in asbestos fibers which are toxic can be serious especially for anyone who smokes and young children.
RENOVATING - WHERE WOULD I FIND ASBESTOS IN A HOUSE?
It is very hard to identify asbestos products in a house just by looking at them. Below is a list of potential locations where asbestos was used in houses built or renovated before the late 1980's ... • Chimney flues • Flat, patterned or corrugated wall and roof sheeting • Lining under eaves • Lagging on hot water pipes • Vinyl floor tiles and backing to cushion tile and vinyl flooring • Internal and external walls • Imitation brick or weatherboard cladding • Insulation in wood heaters • Asbestos cement sheeting beneath heater hearths • Electrical meter boards • Garages &amp; carports • Garden sheds • Dog kennels
 If you suspect there could be asbestos materials - the only way to be certain is to have a sample of the material analysed by a laboratory - DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REMOVE IT OR BREAK IT UP call in an expert first and contact NATA – The National Association of Testing Authorities for an analytical laboratory in your area that is accredited to identify asbestos, visit NATA website: <a href="https://www.nata.asn.au/" target="_blank">www.nata.asn.au</a>
Confirmation should be carried out before any general maintenance, renovation or demolition activities proceed. Following the severe thunderstorms and tornado that lashed Kurnell, NSW last December, 2015 there was a trail of debris and fears of airborne asbestos. 
Home owners found themselves in a devastated condition with experts assessing the area to identify hazardous materials, such as asbestos products, because of the age of the houses many built before 1987. Authorities warned residents of the risks and advised them not to disturb the debris and to wear a P2 mask and protective clothing as a precaution before entering the ruins of their homes. This was very sad for the whole community and underscored the high danger of asbestos materials when they are disturbed and broken.  As a Conveyancer I always alert my client who is considering purchasing a home built prior to the late 1980's of the potential that the house may contain asbestos materials and I ensure the client understands the importance of checking for asbestos issues through a building report before going ahead.  A good suggestion I make to the client is to meet with P&amp;B Inspectors while they are conducting their inspections for questions about asbestos, extensions without Council approval or other matter of material concern before signing a contract and tendering a Deposit. 
Garth Brown is an accountant and certified conveyancer with Brown and Brown Conveyancing and can be contacted <a href="https://www.conveyancers.net.au" target="_blank">here</a>.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Property 101: Asbestos and what you need to know

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News Ltd have acquired a 25% stake in hipages, Australia’s most popular website for finding and hiring tradespeople. 
<a href="https://www.homeimprovementpages.com.au/" target="_blank">hipages</a> is the leading on-demand marketplace for hiring tradies in Australia, including plumbers, electricians, painters and builders.
Since its launch in 2004, the company has experienced significant growth year on year. David Vitek is co-founder and CEO of Hipages and Roby Sharon-Zipser, is the COO and co-founder of hipages.
It directly employs 200 people and helps over 65,000 verified tradespeople find work and get access to $1.35 billion worth of jobs generated annually.
"Our funding, comprising a combination of cash and advertising contra will help the business to further accelerate its growth and create greater brand awareness while providing our trades and services advertisers with a new platform with which to promote their businesses," News Corp Australia chief Peter Tonagh said in a statement on Monday. 
"For us this is an exciting investment and a key plank in our wider plan to expand and grow our property and home services business in Australia.
"More broadly, the investment follows our strategy of leveraging our large, highly engaged consumer audiences, and our deep relationships with advertisers, to expand our business into high growth."
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News Corp Australia invest in tradies home improvement website

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Daniel Wayne Auld, an unregistered builder, was fined $4,500 in the Sunshine Magistrates’ Court, following an action by Consumer Affairs Victoria relating to his work at a property in Spotswood.
Mr Auld, 31, of Sunshine West, trading as Timbertec Carpentry &amp; Constructions, pleaded guilty to various breaches of the Domestic Building Contracts Act 1995, the Building Act 1993 and the Australian Consumer Law (Victoria).  
As well as not being a registered builder at any relevant time, Mr Auld also:
<ul>
<li>took an initial deposit of 40% of the contract price. By law, the maximum deposit a builder can ask for is 10% (for works of less than $20,000) or 5% (for works of $20,000 or more)</li>
<li>failed to provide his client with a contract that included all the information legally required  </li>
<li>failed to complete the work within the time period specified or a within a reasonable time</li>
<li>carried out work while unregistered.</li>
</ul>
 The work Mr Auld was hired to complete included:
<ul>
<li>demolishing existing bathrooms, plumbing, plastering, tiling and installation of bathroom cabinetry and fittings</li>
<li>installing kitchen splashbacks and stair rails</li>
<li>laying floorboards</li>
<li>painting the house’s interior.</li>
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As well as the fine, Mr Auld was also ordered to pay $250 in court costs.
All fines must be paid to the Domestic Builders Fund. 
 
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Melbourne builder caught taking 40% deposit of contract price

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Sekisui House has released a second tranche of 12 Shawood homes at The Hermitage master planned community in Gledswood Hills.
The latest properties are comprised of single and double storey homes from 421sqm to 549sqm, priced from $734,000 to $765,000.
Sekisui House chief executive officer Toru Abe said the first release of the Shawood range last year at The Hermitage sold out in one weekend.
For more information, click <a href="https://www.thehermitagesydney.com.au/home.aspx" target="_blank">here</a>.
 
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Second tranche of Shawood homes at The Hermitage released

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<div class="column">GUEST OBSERVER</div>
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<div class="column">Construction work done in the June quarter rose by 1.6%, driven by a 5.6% rebound in engineering work. </div>
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<div class="column">Residential work surprisingly fell by 3.0% in the June quarter with commercial building down by 1.8%.</div>
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<div class="column">Annual inflation in the building sector (residential and commercial building) eased from a 6-year high of 3.3% to 3.0%.</div>
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 The construction slump in Queensland continues. Queensland construction work has fallen 37% in almost two years.
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 The data on construction work is important for builders, building material companies and developers.
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<div class="column">What does it all mean?</div>
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 Overall it is the softest of landings in the construction sector. After soaring by 34% in a three-year period to peak levels in late 2012, construction has since eased by just 8%.
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 The ‘baton pass’ from engineering to residential building is proceeding but had a hiccup in the June quarter – engineering building actually soared, not fell, while home building eased. But the outlook is for more home building ahead and less spending on roads, bridges, railways and dams.
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 The other good news is that inflationary pressures have not worsened in the high-flying home building sector. Still, residential building costs are up 3.5 per cent on a year ago and need to be watched.
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 Trends in construction activity in Queensland remain a concern. In just under two years, construction work has slumped by 37% in Queensland – the most of any state or territory. By contrast construction work in the Northern Territory is up 84%. The lack of construction work in Queensland needs to be addressed by the State Government as it is robbing momentum from the economy. 
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What do the figures show? 
Construction Work
Construction work done rose by 1.6% in real (inflation-adjusted) terms in the June quarter after falling in the previous four quarters. Work done is down by 3.3 % on a year ago.
Public sector construction work fell by 8.4% in the quarter while private sector activity rose by 3.6%.
Construction work fell in six of the states and territories in the June quarter.
Leading the falls was ACT (down 14.6%), followed by Queensland (down 11.0%), South Australia (down 8.9%), Victoria (down 2.8%), Tasmania (down 1.4%) and NSW (down 0.1%). Construction rose in Western Australia (up 25.5%), and the Northern Territory (up 2.4 %).
Engineering work rose by 5.6% in the June quarter, after falling almost 25% in the previous six quarters. Engineering construction is down by 8.8% on a year ago.
Commercial (non-residential) building fell by 1.8% in the June quarter (private sector up 0.3%) to be down 1.8% over the year.
Residential building fell by 3.0% in the June quarter (private sector down 3.1%) but was still up by 7.4% over the year. Alterations &amp; additions rose 0.2% in the June quarter while new residential work fell by 3.5%. In trend terms, residential building rose by 2.5% – the eighth quarter of gains.
The measure of inflation in the construction sector (deflator) fell by 0.1% in the June quarter after rising by 0.3% in the September, December and March quarters. The annual rate of construction inflation fell from 1.5% to a 5-year low of 0.7%. Engineering prices fell by 0.7% in the quarter (down 1.3% over the year) while building prices rose by 0.6% in the quarter. Annual building inflation eased from a 6-year high of 3.3% to 3.0%. Annual inflation in home building remained at a 6-year high of 3.5%.
What is the importance of the economic data?
The Bureau of Statistics releases quarterly estimates of Construction work done. The estimates are based on a survey and cover around 85 per cent of the construction work done in the period. Revised estimates will be released in coming months. The data is useful largely for historical purposes but the work yet to be done estimates provide an early warning signal of future activity. The residential work figures give a good early guide to the strength of residential investment in the national accounts.
What are the implications for interest rates and investors?
There is plenty of work in the construction sector. But activity is patchy – soaring in some states and sectors and slumping in others. Builders, tradespeople and construction firms need to be mobile in the current environment.
The Reserve Bank will be pleased about current trends in construction. Overall activity has not fallen of a cliff, and while there is a sniff of inflation in home building, overall construction inflation is at 5-year lows. The RBA will continue to stay on the interest rate sidelines over coming months.
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CRAIG JAMES is the chief economist at <a href="https://www.comsec.com.au/default.aspx" target="_blank">CommSec</a>.
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Soft landing for construction work: Craig James

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Whether you are building a single house, duplex or multi unit development, there is one essential building material that we always include. This item is not mandatory or compulsory in most cases, however Property Bloom has three good reasons why we include it. 
We are talking about sarking beneath a tiled roof. Sarking is a pliable membrane that sits under roof tiles, usually silver in colour. 
I've been watching as a new house is being built in my street.  As the roof was going on, I noticed they had not used sarking. The house is being built by one of the parents at my son's school who I know. So when I saw them next, I casually mentioned to them that I'd seen the roof had now been finished but there was no sarking. They said they had ummed and ahhed about it and decided not to spend the extra money on something no one is going to see. Big mistake I thought, but I didn't say that as it was too late for them to change their mind. Their bedrooms are all upstairs and the house faces west.  I know how hot it will get up there but that's not the only reason they should have considered it. 
So here's my reasons why we include sarking on our all Property Bloom developments:
1. Waterproofing. This is my number one reason. If you get a cracked roof tile, which is easy enough to occur in a big storm particularly if there are trees close by, sarking will assist in keeping out the moisture. Leaking roofs are your worst enemy. Once water seeps through the plasterboard, it can get expensive to repair and can also cause electrical damage. 
2. Insulation. This is a pretty good reason, particularly in a long, hot summer. We are seeing our temperatures rising and if you're sleeping just a few meters from your roof void, then chances are you are going to be hot or spend a lot of money on cooling this area. Sarking improves the thermal performance by up to 97%* and helps to provide a more energy efficient and comfortable home.
*CSR Bradford
3. Dust. Sarking helps keep dust out of your roof void. If you have access into the roof void for storage or maybe thinking of creating an attic room, then minimising dust is a good thing. Also, if you have down lights or sky lights in your ceiling and no sarking, you may find dust can filter down into the living area through any tiny gaps created by ceiling fittings.  
On a typical Property Bloom duplex project, our builder charges about $1,800-$2,000 more for sarking and to me this is a small price to pay to ensure you have the highest of quality roof protection for your property. The last thing we want is for our clients to experience complaints from tenants down the track that their roof is leaking. 
Sarking is compulsory in bushfire rated areas and provides compliance to BAL bush fire ember attack requirements. 
So don't scrimp on your roof, it'll be a good investment plus provide peace of mind. 
Jo Chivers is chief executive officer of property development project managers <a href="https://www.propertybloom.com.au/about" target="_blank">Property Bloom</a>.
 
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One important building material to include in your construction: Jo Chivers

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Master Builders Australia enforced the importance of affordable housing for lower income earners in its submission to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics Inquiry into Home Ownership in Australia.
"Social housing provides a roof-over-the-head for more than 397,000 – or about 4% of - Australian households. 
"National Affordable Housing Agreement (NAHA) is a key mechanism for providing housing assistance to those in genuine housing need, and an important instrument of social policy in Australia. 
"The better approach for NAHA (and/or its successors) must be to clear the roadblocks to improved housing affordability (especially those imposed by State, Territory and Local Governments), which will help to increase the supply and reduce the cost of housing, rather than providing government subsidies and other forms of assistance to try to offset unwarranted cost pressures on the supply and the price of housing."
Master Builders Australia is pleased that the Federal Government recognizes the issue of unaffordable housing in all capital cities in Australia. According to the submission, a few points contributed to the problem.
"Shortages of available land and inefficient land release strategies; infrastructure costs being loaded onto developers and in turn passed on to home owners; excessive infrastructure specifications in subdivisions; excessive development levies, taxes and charges imposed by State and Territory governments; excessive planning and building requirements; regulatory creep pushing codes and standards higher than required; and, un-coordinated local and state government environmental regulations. 
"Master Builders estimates the national housing supply shortfall (supply falling behind demand) has risen to more than 107,000 dwellings, which in turn contributes to housing affordability pressures."
Master Builders calls on the Federal Government to commit to, and deliver upon its National Housing Affordability Agenda key elements.  
"Tangible outcomes in improving the efficiency, and the supply-side efficiency in particular, of the Australian housing market. Annual publication by the Federal Department of Industry on its website of a rigorous and transparent stocktake of approaches to developer/infrastructure charges by all local governments in Australia.
"Streamlined and simplified development approvals processes, achieved through, inter alia, greater reliance on code-based assessment, identification of best practice development approval procedures amongst State, Territory and local governments, as well as expanded use of performance monitoring and benchmarking.
"Local governments to develop and promulgate individual realisable Land Release Plans for their own jurisdictions over a ten year rolling time horizon.
"The realisation of a genuine, rigorous, enforceable and uniform building code and regulatory system to ensure the development and continuation of an efficient and competitive building industry."
Efficient Housing Market
"An efficient housing market would have a number of features, including: a supply-side which is responsive to changes in demand-side drivers; one not burdened by distortions to market prices (the principal method by which housing demand signals are transmitted to housing suppliers); regulatory, as well as subsidy and taxation interventions, which distort and reduce the efficient operation of the housing market, are minimal, transparent and based on sound economic principles. 
"Where governments and other regulators wish to achieve social and other policy objectives in the housing sector, these outcomes be pursued through directly relevant policy instruments and in a manner which has the least possible distortion impact on the housing market."
Investor-Supplied Housing 
"Investor housing plays an important role in the supply of new residential dwellings in Australia. Investor housing likely accounted for more than 30 per cent of spending on new residential construction, on average, annually between 1985 and 2012. 
"Investors in ‘negatively geared’ dwellings likely accounted for just over 1.9 million residential dwellings, accommodating some 4.8 million people. 
"Absent the housing stock provided by housing investors, it is not clear where these people would find residential dwellings to live in – public- and social- housing almost certainly could not meet such demand." 
"As can be seen in Graph 8.1, some 40%of Australian taxpayers claiming negative net income from rental properties in the 2010/11 financial year fell into the ‘middle income’ bracket of between $37,001 and $80,000 per annum, with another 23 per cent being the lower-middle income bracket of between $6,001 to $37,000 per annum. 
"By contrast, a mere 5% of taxpayers claiming negative net income from rental properties in that financial year fell into the ‘high income’ bracket – that is, persons earning more than $180,000 per annum. 
"As such, any ill-considered action to wind-back, let alone eliminate, ‘negative gearing’ would amount to an ‘assault on the frugal middle class Australian’, rather than the ‘rich’ as some may claim. 
Taxes
"The building and construction sector is one of the most intensely taxed in Australia, and bears a direct and indirect tax burden from all levels of government — Federal, State and Territory, and Local."
More taxation attracts less investments and employment opportunities reducing housing affordability.
"Master Builders’ high level tax reform priorities call for a comprehensive review of the narrow GST base.
"Any increase in the GST rate must not be undertaken without first effecting comprehensive tax reform; reducing the company tax rate to 25 per cent; reducing the differential between the higher marginal personal income tax rates and the company tax rate; simplifying tax compliance; retaining the tax exempt status of home ownership and negative gearing; providing incentives for the removal of inefficient state taxes including infrastructure taxes, charges and levies; and, introducing a reducing, stepped rate of capital gains tax."
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