Around 400 additional homes could be built at Southwark Grounds on Port Road, lifting total site capacity from 1300 to around 1700 dwellings.

A recently approved code amendment would allow apartment towers of up to 14 storeys in some areas of Renewal SA’s redevelopment of the former West End Brewery.

Renewal SA Acting Chief Executive Shane Wingard said he welcomed the code amendment, with the increase in heights and homes making a positive impact on the supply of high-quality, well-connected housing close to the city.

“By going higher across some parts of Southwark Grounds, we are adding a substantial number of very well-located homes with little impact on project delivery time or planned open space,” Mr Wingard said.

Since the project officially launched in 2025, Mr Wingard said more than 12,000 enquiries had been received about living at Southwark Grounds.

“The very strong early interest we’ve seen since homes were first released in the precinct reinforces our plans to create more housing opportunities,” he said.

The Southwark Grounds code amendment was launched in December last year, with community engagement undertaken over five weeks from January.

It proposed increasing maximum building heights from eight to 14 storeys on the eastern section of Southwark Grounds, and to 12 storeys across the remainder of the site, with minimum building heights ranging from two to four storeys.

The code amendment was implemented through an Early Commencement policy in late January, allowing developers to quickly explore the viability of increased height and housing yield while other planning processes continue.

One of the first developers delivering apartment sites have already finalised redesigns to increase the number of apartments following the code amendment.

Samaras’ development adjacent to the future Colonel Light Park is now planning to deliver 125 apartments across 11 storeys, significantly greater than original plans of around 50 apartments across four storeys.

The developer is also exploring the potential for additional affordable housing outcomes.

Most of the apartments at Southwark Grounds will be delivered within a master-planned precinct on a large parcel of land on the eastern portion of the site, covering around two-thirds of its 8.4 hectares.

Wingard said detailed precinct planning over the coming months may identify further opportunities to increase yield further that could see total apartment numbers at Southwark Grounds, exceed this number.

Affordable homes at Southwark Grounds will also see a net increase, with Renewal SA maintaining its commitment to a minimum of 20 per cent affordable housing across the development.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Civil works have begun across the site, with construction under way on the first new roads surrounding a townhouse precinct in the south‑west corner of Southwark Grounds. This includes Renewal SA’s 17 Founder’s Row homes, which are on track for completion by Christmas.

“We expect to have people living at Southwark Grounds by the end of the year, so delivering roads and public spaces for those residents is among our highest priorities.”

Construction of 40 townhouses off Anderson Street, known as West Village and being delivered by Contour, is forecast to begin in mid‑2026. Kolabb’s Anderson Lane development will follow shortly after, delivering a further 26 townhouses.

Southwark Grounds is a state government‑led urban renewal project now set to deliver around 1,700 homes over the next decade.

Homes will be supported by a supermarket, a range of retail and hospitality offerings anchored by a revitalised Walkerville Brew Tower, a childcare centre, car parking and well‑connected public spaces.

Joel Robinson

400 new homes planned for Adelaide's former West End Brewery site

Brisbane developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/cavcorp">Cavcorp</a> has lodged plans for a new mixed-use residential development at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/55-wyandra-street-teneriffe-qld-4005">55 Wyandra Street</a>, Teneriffe, anchored by an 85-metre public laneway designed to reconnect the suburb’s riverfront with the Gasworks precinct.

The buildings, known as Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane, would replace the existing Queensland Cotton head office site with a 15-storey residential tower transitioning to eight storeys toward Helen Street. The project has been designed by Plazibat Architects and lodged as a code assessable development application for 93 apartments across a 3,401 sqm mixed-use site within the Newstead and Teneriffe Waterfront neighbourhood plan.

Central to the scheme is the transformation of an existing service easement into a publicly accessible cross-block connection linking Wyandra and Helen Streets. Cavcorp says the new laneway will act as both a pedestrian shortcut and a landscaped civic space between the Teneriffe Riverwalk, ferry terminal, and Gasworks precinct.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="26e7f058-b065-4de8-b13d-a2b8cb64dfcc" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/bldg.png?VersionId=sELS0ZKYi361oYipUa1BIKfe_.DLZoFV" />

“The revised proposal delivers a legacy public-realm cross-block link, permanently secured for community use, transforming an existing private easement into a safe, high-quality pedestrian connection between the Teneriffe heritage riverwalk and the Gasworks–Long Island precinct,” the planning report states.

The laneway will sit beneath a large subtropical loggia integrated into the podium levels of the development. The design incorporates deep landscaping, water gardens, lobby spaces, business lounges, and ground-floor apartments to create what Cavcorp describes as a climate-responsive “urban verandah.”

The tower itself has been designed as a slender form with recessed floorplates and curved translucent corners inspired by contemporary Japanese architecture. The building height aligns with the Commercial Road precinct controls, which permit towers up to 15 storeys within proximity to Longland Street.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a8a17d40-43b6-4718-b3fd-67676fcbb485" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/pers%202_1.png?VersionId=i3VwDtp5AmL_8InW7w4qRbDFEpb744Jt" />

The project will comprise a mix of larger-format apartments aimed at owner-occupiers, downsizers, and families. The proposed apartment mix includes 11 loggia apartments across the lower levels, 50 four-bedroom Sky-Terrace apartments from levels three to seven, and 32 Sky-Pool Homes occupying the upper tower levels. The Sky-Pool Homes will feature private thermal plunge pools integrated into oversized balconies.

According to the application, the apartments are intended to reinterpret the scale and character of Teneriffe’s woolstore conversions and Queensland homes within a vertical residential format.

“The sky-pool homes build on Cavcorp’s previous projects and introduce a distinct apartment typology to Teneriffe, informed by both local and international precedent and responding to an identified market demand for enhanced safety, space and amenity,” the planning submission notes.

A major focus of the proposal is its five-level wellness and lifestyle offering, extending from the basement through to the rooftop.

Amenities proposed include a rooftop Swim &amp; Racquet Club with a 25-metre Olympic lap pool and tennis court, coworking spaces and libraries, golf simulators, wine storage, concierge facilities, business lounges, pet wash areas, and rooftop longevity-focused wellness spaces with spas, outdoor fitness zones, and landscaped terraces.

<img alt="First Look: Cavcorp unveils Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane plans for landmark wellness tower in Teneriffe" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="944b352c-49b9-4247-a4c6-5967b4b69fda" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/amenity.png?VersionId=Ed_qKjAtMwFT.5gfl3jiA9QwdWxSMsaX" />

All parking will be concealed within basement levels accessed from Wyandra and Helen Streets. Cavcorp says the deep-basement engineering approach allows the entire ground plane to prioritise landscaping, pedestrian movement, and active frontage rather than vehicle infrastructure.

The development continues Cavcorp’s concentration in Newstead and Teneriffe, where the Brisbane developer has delivered a number of apartment projects including Lucent, Le Bain, and Luminare, as well as the Long Island Wellness Precinct nearby. Several of those projects have received national design and architecture awards, including recognition under Brisbane’s “Buildings that Breathe” program.

Cavcorp unveils wellness-focused Teneriffe House and Teneriffe Lane apartment buildings

Focus Group Investments has lodged plans for a new apartment development at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/64-70-hanover-street-fitzroy-vic-3065">64–70 Hanover Street</a> in Fitzroy, seeking to utilise the Victorian Government’s recently introduced Great Design Fast Track pathway to accelerate approvals for the project.

The proposal is among the latest developments to emerge through the state-led initiative, which was established to fast-track well-designed residential projects in activity centres and transport-connected inner-city locations. The pathway allows qualifying developments that meet elevated design and housing benchmarks to bypass traditional council planning timeframes and instead be assessed directly by the Department of Transport and Planning.

Designed by SJB, the development will comprise a mix of apartments above activated lower levels, with a strong focus on architectural articulation, landscaping, and communal amenity. The design response seeks to balance the industrial character of Richmond’s former warehouse precincts with a more contemporary residential form.

<img alt="First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Richmond apartments" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="abea51cc-d85b-479e-9aef-a589f3b37ca7" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/ground.png?VersionId=e1Kf8EyPWwyiVumtqQ4rM5S4GpOR3CCz" />

Proposed are 63 new dwellings, a wide ranging mix of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, and townhouses and duplexes. They will be spread across a part-three, part-eight storey building.

The Planning and Urban Context Report by Tract says the development is of an "exemplary architectural standard" and has been carefully crafted by SJB Architects.

"Dwellings&nbsp;will benefit from excellent access to natural light, cross-ventilation opportunities and extensive communal space," the report noted.

The architectural material highlights the project’s integration of landscaped elements and communal spaces throughout the building. The proposal also incorporates sustainability initiatives aligned with the Victorian Government’s push for higher-performing apartment developments under the fast-track program.

The Great Design Fast Track was unveiled by the Victorian Government in 2024 as part of a broader housing supply strategy aimed at accelerating the delivery of new homes. Projects assessed through the pathway must demonstrate high-quality architecture, sustainability outcomes, and housing diversity while being located close to public transport and existing infrastructure.

<img alt="First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Richmond apartments" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="afdbe834-8dc4-4a77-a943-ba07bc927348" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/site_11.png?VersionId=0J657j.TaChAZfp93wqJYBTqSsnREJx2" />

Focus Group, founder and led by Paul De Lutiis, is increasingly active across Melbourne’s inner suburbs, targeting well-connected urban renewal locations suited to medium and higher-density residential development. The Fitzroy proposal continues that strategy, leveraging the area’s strong transport links, established retail amenity, and proximity to the CBD.

Fitzroy has been one of the most popular spots for developers and buyers in recent years. The likes of PACE Development Group, SMA Projects, Crema Group and Chapter Group, currently selling projects in the suburb.

First look: Focus Group Investments taps Victoria’s Great Design Fast Track for Fitzroy apartments

The Gold Coast Planning Committee has supported the preliminary approval for the Benowa Gardens Urban Village project following an extensive community consultation and assessment process.

The proposal will now proceed to a full council vote on June 2.

The application sought approval for a masterplanned urban village on the existing Benowa Gardens Shopping Centre site, combining new housing, retail, dining, health and lifestyle amenities within a walkable, integrated precinct.&nbsp;

The proposed redevelopment includes around 413 apartments integrated above a revitalised mixed-use centre featuring a full-line supermarket of 4,000 sqm, 6,000 sqm of specialty retail and dining space across around 30 retailers, a 7,000 sqm health and wellness precinct, and roughly 9,630 sqm of office and medical suites.&nbsp;

<img alt="$1b Benowa Gardens Urban Village moves to Full Council following Planning Committee support" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fb36ae47-80bc-45f0-9914-31b0c7b6007d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/PR26576%20Ashmore%20Road%20C4%201121%20FI.jpg?VersionId=6mRKk2uU4r67TmTt39DKGUlvFRbTVqWa" />

The broader masterplan also includes very significant traffic and transport improvements, wide pedestrian walkways, upgraded pedestrian and cycle connections, and enhanced public areas designed to create a more connected and walkable community environment.&nbsp;

Centre owner Patrick Lu said the milestone reflected months of detailed planning, technical assessment and ongoing communication with local residents, businesses, schools and stakeholders.

“We appreciate the time, consideration and care Council officers and the Planning Committee have given this proposal throughout the assessment process,” Lu said.

“We also sincerely thank the local community for engaging with us, sharing feedback and participating in the consultation process over many months.

<img alt="$1b Benowa Gardens Urban Village moves to Full Council following Planning Committee support" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="32fd1fc3-d0e6-485f-ac57-9916c9bcb818" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/PR26576%20Ashmore%20Road%20C5%201121%20FI_2.jpg?VersionId=fz8qQKDBLQ7MyFRc856Zccfbh9nFwLOe" />

“We understand projects of this scale bring questions and concerns, which is why we have worked hard to listen carefully, provide information transparently and continue refining elements of the proposal where possible.

“Our vision has always been to create a well-designed, community-focused urban village that responds to the changing needs of the Gold Coast, while delivering improved amenity, housing diversity, healthcare access and local lifestyle benefits.

“This proposal is about creating a genuine live-work-play environment where residents can access everyday services, schools, healthcare, dining, shopping and green space within walking distance, while also supporting local jobs and economic activity.”

<img alt="$1b Benowa Gardens Urban Village moves to Full Council following Planning Committee support" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="50dfbd04-590e-4fc6-983b-766880947867" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Dining%20Day%20Time%20-%20High%20Resolution.jpg?VersionId=BP7ZoKJ0DdL_8iRkkC8VVx99moICV6kg" />

Lu said the proposal had evolved significantly through consultation and technical review, particularly around traffic, pedestrian and student safety and neighbourhood connectivity.&nbsp;

Melissa Griffin, Director at Urbis, said the recommendation recognised the strategic importance of delivering more housing and services within established urban areas already supported by infrastructure.

“This proposal represents the type of thoughtful, integrated growth that planning frameworks across South-East Queensland are encouraging,” Ms Griffin said.

“The project seeks to place housing, retail, healthcare and employment opportunities together in a highly accessible location close to schools, transport and existing services.

“Importantly, the process has involved significant technical assessment and community engagement to ensure local issues and feedback were properly considered throughout the planning pathway.”

$1 billion Benowa Gardens Urban Village heads to council vote following Planning Committee support

Surfers Paradise is officially set for its first new residential development with a 45-storey skybridge connecting the two towers.

John Camilleri’s Celestino Developments has been given the green light by the Gold Coast City Council to develop its major beachfront precinct across its huge 4,000 sqm oceanfront site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/63-79-garfield-terrace-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">63–79 Garfield Terrace</a>, just five months after its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/first-look-exclusive-billionaire-winx-breeder-s-bold-two-tower-surfers-paradise-play-with-45th-storey-skybridge">submission in late 2025</a>.

The approved scheme will deliver two towers rising 55 and 48 storeys, connected by a skybridge positioned on level 45 that will house a range of resident-only wellness and entertainment spaces.

In its notice of approval, the Gold Coast City Council said the&nbsp;proposed overall built form has been designed to complement the scale, intensity and protect the adjacent amenity and surrounding streets through the use of varied setbacks, site cover and architectural elements.

<img alt="First look exclusive: Billionaire Winx breeder’s bold two-tower Surfers Paradise play with 45th-storey skybridge" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/f_auto,c_limit,w_1440,q_75/https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/field/image/Screenshot%202025-12-30%20at%209.53.48%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=ADyPJ_TFbJvSU9wZFOiCBnlPtgF7VWqW" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/dbi">DBI</a>, the development will comprise 275 apartments across the two towers, including a mix of two-, three-, and four-bedroom residences, as well as several penthouses. The apartments will sit above a landscaped podium featuring more than 90 metres of beachfront pool frontage, private resident lawns, lounges, and wellness spaces.

DBI said the design draws heavily from the movement and form of the coastal environment, with curving balcony lines and sculpted façades intended to soften the scale of the towers while maximising ocean outlooks and passive shading outcomes.

“The project occupies a rare, uninterrupted oceanfront site and has been shaped by a design philosophy that merges architectural elegance with environmental responsiveness and a carefully curated lifestyle experience,” DBI said in planning documents submitted to the Gold Coast City Council.

The most distinctive element of the approved project is the skybridge linking the two towers at level 45. The elevated communal space is planned to include executive lounges, formal dining areas, wellness facilities, and panoramic ocean-facing outlooks.

“The skybridge enhances the identity of the development, promotes social interaction, and delivers a lifestyle experience not found elsewhere on the Gold Coast,” DBI said.

At podium level, residents will have access to a suite of resort-style amenities, including resident lounges, private dining rooms, a yoga lawn, gymnasium, plunge pools, and treatment spaces. The beachfront pool has been designed with separate lap, lounge, and children’s areas extending across the width of the site.

The project will also introduce new food and beverage offerings along the Enderley Avenue and Oceanway frontages, contributing additional activation to the beachfront precinct.

First look: Winx billionaire’s beachfront Surfers Paradise apartment development greenlit

Construction

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The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released building approvals data for July 2014 last week. 
The data shows that there continues to be a strong pipeline of residential development in place.
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3677" src="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Chart-1.jpg" alt="Chart 1" width="500" height="179">
Focussing on dwelling approvals nationally, there were 9,585 house approvals and 6,733 unit approvals over the month.  The number of dwelling approvals increased by 2.5% over the month with house approvals up 1.5% and unit approvals up 4.0%.  Although dwelling approvals have increased over the month they were -7.8% lower in July than the most recent peak in January 2014 when there were 17,698 dwelling approvals.  Although dwelling approvals increased over the month, they have fallen for eight of the past 12 months.
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3678" src="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Chart-2.jpg" alt="Chart 2" width="500" height="178">
Monthly dwelling approvals data tends to be volatile so I also like to look at annualised data to see a trend.  Over the 12 months to July 2014 there were 195,227 dwelling approvals.  This was an all-time high number of annual approvals.  Unit approvals were also at an historic high level over the year while house approvals were well below their record high of 140,832 recorded over the 12 months to April 1989.  Over the 12 months to July 2014, unit approvals accounted for 43.6% of all dwelling approvals, up from 42.1% a year earlier.
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3679" src="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Chart-3.jpg" alt="Chart 3" width="500" height="178">
Across the combined capital cities, there were a record high of 145,065 dwellings approved for construction over the 12 months to July 2014.  The number of capital city dwelling approvals has increased by 21.9% over the past year.  Over the year there were, 71,085 approvals for houses and 73,980 unit approvals with house approvals up 20.8% and unit approvals 22.9% higher.
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3680" src="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Chart-4.jpg" alt="Chart 4" width="500" height="183">
Across the individual capital cities, Brisbane has recorded the greatest increase in dwelling approvals over the year (44.5%) followed by: Sydney (29.0%), Perth (26.6%) and Adelaide (25.1%).  Dwelling approvals are lower over the year in Darwin (-14.5%) and Canberra (-7.6%) while Melbourne (10.9%) and Hobart (11.7%) have recorded only moderate rises in dwelling approvals. 
Despite certain cities recording significant rises in dwelling approvals, Sydney and Melbourne have accounted for more than 57% of all capital city dwelling approvals over the past year.
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3681" src="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Chart-5.jpg" alt="Chart 5" width="500" height="179">
A key driver of the overall increase in dwelling approvals has been the rising prominence of the unit market. 
Over the past year, the increase in unit approvals has been greater than the increase in house approvals in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.  Although unit approvals have recorded greater increases in these cities, there has been a substantial decline in unit approvals across Hobart and falls in both Darwin and Canberra.
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3682" src="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Chart-6.jpg" alt="Chart 6" width="500" height="180">
With more than half of all capital city dwelling approvals for units as opposed to houses, all individual capital cities except for Adelaide (31.1%), Perth (25.0%) and Hobart (9.0%) are seeing a majority of approvals for units.  In Sydney, 68.3% of dwelling approvals were for units over the past year, elsewhere 52.1% were for units in Melbourne, 56.0% in Brisbane, 62.0% in Darwin and 57.6% in Canberra. 
Sydney has consistently approved more units than houses since 1993 and Darwin has consistently approved more units than houses since 2003, while across the other cities it is a relatively new phenomenon.   Melbourne has only been approving more units than houses since mid-2012, in Brisbane it has occurred since mid-2013 and in Canberra since mid-2010.
Of course there is increasing levels of demand for units but particularly in Melbourne and Brisbane the number of units in the pipeline is largely untested.  Unless the introduction of supply is closely managed there is a potential risk of unit oversupply.
With dwelling approvals at historic high levels, dwelling construction will continue to help bolster GDP as engineering construction.  The challenge will be whether dwelling construction is enough to offset the fall in engineering construction and it seems that it probably won’t be. 
Construction work done data for the June quarter showed that residential construction accounted for 25.8% of total work done compared to 57.2% attributable to engineering.  At its absolute peak residential construction accounted for just over half of the value (50.2%) of all work done.  It is likely that residential dwelling construction alone will not be able to offset the fall in mining investment.
Furthermore, it is unlikely that all of these approvals will come to fruition in the short-term. Unless there is ongoing demand a proportion of these new approvals won’t commence as they won’t get the necessary pre-sales to receive construction finance.  In light of this, interest rates are likely to remain low to try and encourage further housing demand.  
As a result, unless the RBA and APRA introduce macro prudential tools it seems unlikely home value appreciation will cease until such time as mortgage rates increase.
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ckusher-ujnxiKuFQs

Rise of the unit market behind record dwelling approvals

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The Australian Bureau of Statistic (ABS) Construction Work Done figures for the June quarter show that building work done rose 2.0% in the three months to June, with residential building work increasing 3.6% to a trend estimate value of $13.379 billion.
Construction work in Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania has now risen in three consecutive quarters, while Queensland, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and South Australia all recorded declines in construction work for the quarter.
Work done in Queensland has fallen for two consecutive quarters. In South Australia, the Northern Territory and Western Australia, construction work has been decreasing for three quarters.
In the Australian Capital Territory, construction work done increased this quarter, after two years of declines in construction work.
With private new residential building work up 3.2% in the quarter, particularly driven by detached house construction, Housing Institute of Australia (HIA) economist Diwa Hopkins noted that major renovations work wasn't faring so well.
“A closer look at these preliminary results shows that the detached house segment was the key driver of growth in residential building during the June 2014 quarter, compared with the March quarter when multi-unit building led the charge," said Hopkins. Building work for new houses contributed 1.6 percentage points to the 2.2% increase in total residential building work done, according to HIA.
“These developments are largely in line with what we have been expecting of the current new home building cycle; that larger improvements in detached house building activity would follow in the wake of the previously strong growth experienced by the multi-unit segment of the market," explained Hopkins.  
“Unfortunately, conditions in the major-renovations segment of the market remained subdued, with the value of this work done declining by 2.4% during the June 2014 quarter.
“National accounts figures will reveal the full story on the renovations market, showing the value of both major and smaller jobs. Data from the March 2014 quarter was displaying tentative signs of improvement and obviously we’d be hoping for this to continue in the June quarter, notwithstanding the less than auspicious results from today’s data release,” she concluded.
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jrichardson-uRX5hFdKfN

Residential building work up, but major renovations sluggish

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Construction work value fell for a third straight quarter in June as strengthening residential work failed to offset slumping engineering work.
Westpac economist Andrew Hanlan noted construction activity, which represents around 16% of the economy, softened in the June quarter, as he expected.
 Construction work declined by 1.2% in the quarter, and over the past year, work declined by 0.6%.
"The construction sector is feeling the impacts of cross currents," he said.
"Private building work is trending higher, boosted by record low interest rates, while private infrastructure activity is retreating from record highs as the mining investment boom deflates.
"Public works are in a soft spot ahead of a ramp-up on major transport projects."
Private infrastructure work declined modestly in the quarter, down 2.1%, with larger falls in prospects.
Private new residential building work advanced by a further 3.2% in the quarter, to be 11.7% higher than a year earlier and up 20% from the low of mid-2012.
Private non-residential building activity increased by 2.8% in the quarter and expanded by 6.6% over the year to be 20% above the low of early 2011. The work pipeline is now 9% above the peak of mid-2008.
Renovation work of private residential buildings provided a surprise, recording a 2.2% fall in the quarter, reversing a 2.0% rise in Q1, Westpac noted.
Across the nation, construction work in the June quarter declined in NSW, Victoria, WA and Qld, while a partial rebound in Tasmania continued and SA stabilised following recent sharp falls. 
In NSW, construction declined by 1.2% in the quarter, to be 1.2% lower than a year earlier. An upturn in building work is broadly offsetting a downturn in infrastructure construction. 
Work in Victoria was little changed in the quarter, down 0.3% in the quarter. However, over the past year, work is up 3.2%, centred on a near 6% rise in building work. 
WA recorded a modest fall in work in the quarter, -1.1%, and over the year, -1.4%. Total infrastructure work is now down 13% from the peak of early 2012. 
In Queensland, work edged 1.2% higher over the year, despite a 1.8% fall in Q2. Infrastructure work over the year was little changed, down 0.8%. 
South Australia is the only state to experience a pronounced fall in work over the year, down almost 8%, from record highs. 
Tasmania's construction sector turned the corner over the past year, with work recovering by 9.3%, led by infrastructure activity. 
Construction fell 1.2% to $51.9 billion from the March quarter in ABS figures showed.
The decline was greater than the 0.4% fall in March, but less than the December quarter’s 2% fall.
Building work grew 1.5% overall, boosted by a 2.2% rise in residential construction, but this was insufficient to compensate for a 3.1% quarterly decline in engineering work.
Engineering, the largest single component of construction, fell in value to $27.9 billion from $30.7 billion. In a reflection of the reduction of resources-based investment taking place, the sector’s value has fallen almost 9% from its September quarter level of $32.6 billion.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Construction work falls in June quarter: ABS

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Contractors who engage in phoenix activity in the construction industry are expected to face charges soon as a result of a joint investigation by Australia’s corporate regulator and the Australian Tax Office.
The Australian Securities and Investments Commission is working with the ATO and the Fair Work Building and Construction inspectorate to investigate eight of the nation’s largest big construction projects to take action against contractors believed to be operating <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/legal/33614-company-directors-targeted-by-asic-in-phoenix-crackdown-which-industries-are-in-the-line-of-fire" target="_blank">phoenix scams</a>.
As part of the investigation, a number of large construction firms have agreed to provide the ATO with financial information and documents about their contractors in order to help identify sub-contractors engaging in phoenix activity.
<a href="https://www.afr.com/p/national/big_projects_could_be_hiding_phoenix_KjiNwbQ8AO9p4d5XhSvG3K" target="_blank">Fairfax reports</a> the ATO is compiling evidence for the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, which will make the final call on whether company directors will be charged.
Tax Office assistant deputy commissioner Bruce Collins said this morning the ATO has “a number of significant ongoing investigations underway at the moment” and “expect[s] further charges to be laid in relation to illegal phoenix activities in the near future”.
Collins says phoenix activity describes a situation where a company is deliberately liquidated to “avoid financial obligations such as PAYG withholding, income tax, GST and super liabilities, without risking the operator’s assets, and with the intention of resuming business through a new entity”.
He says this kind of fraudulent phoenix activity “is widespread among labour intensive industries, especially in the property and construction industry”.
“We are currently liaising with head contractors from the property and construction industry to help deal with the risks associated with phoenix operators,” says Collins.
“This includes engaging with them on how phoenix activities could be occurring within their sub-contractor supply chain.”
A spokesperson for ASIC also said this morning the corporate watchdog is currently undertaking a “surveillance campaign focusing on directors who have a history of being involved in alleged illegal phoenix activity to try to prevent any illegal future behaviour”.
The spokesperson says ASIC has examined 208 possible cases of phoenix companies since July 2013, and of those cases, “six or seven are being investigated further”.
The spokesperson says ASIC is particularly concerned about “the use of false statutory declaration by subcontractors as a means of being paid (by the head contractor) for services undertaken during the construction of major building projects”.
“A disproportionately high number of corporate failures where illegal phoenix activity is alleged, occur in the industries of construction, labour hire, transport security and cleaning,” says the spokesperson.
“To combat this, ASIC has implemented a new and innovative strategy specifically focused on the building and construction industry.”
Both ASIC and the ATO have not identified which companies are providing information about their contractors, but Fairfax suggest the eight companies are likely to include construction giants Lend Lease and Leighton.
A spokesperson for Lend Lease told Fairfax the company is “aware that the ATO and ASIC are investigating the issue of phoenix companies” and Lend Lease will “work with the regulators as required”.
This article first appeared on <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/" target="_blank">SmartCompany</a>.
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ASIC and ATO cracking down on phoenix companies in construction industry

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BIS Shrapnel has forecast inner Sydney ­new apartment completions are set to peak in 2017.
Its report, Inner Sydney Apartments 2014 to 2021, showed around 5,800 apartments were under construction around inner Sydney and 11,500 apartments would be finished over the next three years.
The anticipated peak of 4,500 apartment completions by 2016/17 is expected to be on par with the previous 1999/2000 peak, the BIS Shrapnel report author, Angie Zigomanis said.
<img src="/images/2014/08/25/bis-aug-25-one.jpg" alt="">
Source: BIS Shrapnel
Total price growth of around 21%, or just under three percent per annum, is forecast through to 2021.
The report warns landlords of newly completed apartments will have to be more competitive to attract tenants over existing stock, while owners of older apartments may have to discount to attract tenants from neighbouring suburbs,
Zigomanis said declining rental yields will be ­sustainable while interest rates remain low, and the gap between rental income and mortgage repayments is relatively narrow. 
But weak purchaser demand and prices will emerge once interest rates lift, with BIS Shrapnel expecting a rate rise by the end of 2015, and further rises in 2016 and into 2017.
But in the man time short-term demand for inner Sydney apartments is expected to remain buoyant and BIS Shrapnel expects median price growth about 6% per annually over 2014-15 and 2015-16.
The downturn is expected in 2016-17.
Zigomanis said Sydney was still catching up after years of ­under-development and weak demand for new apartments.
He pinpointed three demographics that will assist rental demand including overseas student enrolments increasing for the first time since peaking over 2009–2010; growth in long term overseas visitor arrivals, and professional employment growth in inner Sydney expected to be relatively robust. 
"With most inner Sydney apartments purchased by investors, these groups will contribute to rising tenant demand and help to fill up the new apartment stock," Zigomanis said.
"Owner occupier demand is also likely to grow, with rising inner and middle ring Sydney house prices encouraging some tenants to instead upgrade to a larger apartment in inner Sydney as an owner occupier, while also encouraging empty nesters and retirees to more easily trade down from their existing house to an apartment."
Nevertheless, says Zigomanis, this strengthening in occupier demand is not anticipated to be sufficient to keep pace with the record level of new apartments expected to be completed over the next three years, with vacancy rates forecast to rise in the coming years.
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BIS Shrapnel forecasts 6% annual inner Sydney apartment price growth over next two years

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Construction in Brisbane is on the increase, with the Rider Levett Bucknall crane index reporting 48 cranes on sites around the city.
Meanwhile, Teneriffe, <a href="/news">Newstead</a> and <a href="/news">Fortitude Valley</a> had more than a dozen cranes within four square kilometres.
Master Builders’ executive director Grant Galvin pointed to building approvals as a sign of the growing confidence.
“The industry’s confidence is reflected in total building approvals which had also risen around 25% over the past 12 months to June,” Galvin said.
“It’s interesting to note that 42.5% of approvals in the last 12 months are for multi-unit dwellings, mainly in Brisbane and the Gold Coast,” he said.
The 40,000 dwelling commencements forecast for 2014/2015 is expected to be exceeded, with current 2013/2014 financial year approvals at 37,000.
Premier Campbell Newman said that the construction sector’s strength is good for Queensland’s overall economy.
“Around 223,000 Queenslanders are employed in the construction industry, many more than two years ago and if these trends continue, we’re confident that we’ll see many more jobs created,” he said.
He pointed to the reforming of the planning and development approval systems, and the $15,000 Great Start Grant incentive, as other drivers behind the construction sector.
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Brisbane construction increases, 42.5% of approvals for multi-unit dwellings

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The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) released building approvals data for June 2014 last week.
National dwelling approvals fell by 5.0% over the month with house approvals falling by -2.6% and unit approvals down -8.4%.  Despite the fall in approvals over the month, a significant number of dwelling approvals remain in the pipeline.  Note that dwelling approvals have now fallen over four of the past five months.
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3549" src="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Chart-14.jpg" alt="Chart 1" width="500" height="182">
Year on year, dwelling approvals are 16.0% higher in June 2014 than in June 2013. 
House approvals have increased by 12.2% year-on-year while unit approvals have surged by a greater 22.0%. The greater rise in unit approvals compared with house approvals reflects changing lifestyle patterns and greater acceptance of higher density living.  However, a recent analysis we have undertaken indicates units are less likely to be ultimately completed than houses. 
Although the pipeline is strong, it is reasonable to expect that not all of these units will ultimately be constructed.
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3550" src="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Chart-24.jpg" alt="Chart 2" width="500" height="179">
The month to month dwelling approvals data is quite volatile, given this it is worthwhile looking at the annual number of approvals. 
Over the 12 months to June 2014 there were 108,598 house approvals and 85,067 unit approvals.  With a total of 193,667 dwelling approvals over the year there has been a 20.7% increase in approvals year on year. 
Total annual dwelling approvals are now at their highest level since October 1994.
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3551" src="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Chart-35.jpg" alt="Chart 3" width="500" height="180">
Focussing on dwelling approvals, across the combined capital city housing markets there were 144,278 approvals over the 2013/14 financial year.  This was an increase of 25.5% over the year and the highest number of annual approvals on record. 
Both Sydney and Perth have also recorded their highest ever number of dwelling approvals over the past year. Over the year there were 69,973 houses approved for construction (+21.3% over the year) and 74,305 unit approvals (+29.8%).
Most individual capital cities have recorded an increase in dwelling approvals over the year with the largest increases recorded in Brisbane (47.1%), Sydney (30.6%), Adelaide (30.4%) and Perth (27.6%).  Darwin was the only city where approvals were lower over the year, down -3.7%. 
Comparatively the annual increase in dwelling approvals has been much lower in Hobart (12.9%), Melbourne (13.9%) and Canberra (22.6%).  Sydney and Melbourne alone have accounted for almost 58% of all capital city dwelling approvals over the year.
<img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3552" src="https://blog.rpdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Chart-43.jpg" alt="Chart 4" width="500" height="180">
As noted earlier, there have been more unit approvals across the combined capital cities than house approvals. 
Over recent years around 98% of house approvals have ended up as completions compared to only 86% of unit approvals.  While units are increasing in popularity there is much less certainty about their ultimate construction than there is for houses. 
Across the cities Sydney had 68.8% of approvals for units and in the remaining cities the figures were: Melbourne (52.9%), Brisbane (56.0%), Adelaide (32.3%), Perth (23.8%), Hobart (11.2%), Darwin (58.7%) and Canberra (61.9%).
Despite the monthly fall, the pipeline of dwellings approved for construction is significant.  It is important to note that over the past five months, dwelling approvals have fallen on four occasions.  This may indicate that the sector has moved through the peak levels of dwelling approvals. 
The strong pipeline of unit approvals, particularly in capital cities, also carries a risk as units are less likely to be ultimately constructed than houses.
Nevertheless, the Reserve Bank stated that with low interest rates they didn’t just want to see higher house prices but also a construction response.  This certainly seems to be how the current conditions are playing out and with population growth recently starting to slow we may start to see an improvement in the alignment between home construction and population growth.
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Unit approvals surge, but uncertainty remains over their construction

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The recent leaks of the draft apartment design standards paper that looked to impose new minimum standards on apartments in Melbourne and across Australia, prompted some warnings that affordability would be impacted.
The changes, which<a href="/expert-insights/buying/no-more-shoebox-apartments-37-square-metre-minimum-size-under-victorian-government-consideration"> included new minimum apartment sizes of 37 square metres</a>, has seen Australian Institute of Architects national president David Karotkin say that minimums will protect consumers.
Karotkin said that the argument from developers is that design standards should be dictated by market forces, however pointed out that news articles are scarily showing that sub-standard dwellings are being rented – for instance Korean students paying $160 per week to live in Sydney shipping containers.
“In reality, developers are motivated by profit not affordability,” he said.
“They seek to build as cheaply as possible and to sell for as much as possible. Fair enough.”
For this reason, explained Karotkin, regulated minimum standards are necessary to protect the interests of occupants “long after the developers have taken their profits and moved on”.
“The current high demand for dwellings skews market forces in favour of developers seeking quick profits, so controls are required now more than ever to ensure we do not end up with a poor housing legacy,” he said.
However, he did note that he the Institute had not yet seen the new draft standards, but was aware that they are based on the NSW Residential Flat Code, which they support.
It would include the requirement to used registered architects to design multi-storey apartment buildings, a design review panel, and ongoing checks that the approved design is being maintained.
“The Institute supports the implementation of design guidelines that will result in improved living standards.
“Housing affordability can be achieved through innovative design by skilled architects,” he said.
He noted that affordability includes a number of things, including ongoing energy consumption and building maintenance, which are not costs that the developer pays.
Property professionals are invited to sign up for the <a href="/news">upcoming Property Observer webinar on Off the Plan Marketing and Sales Masterclass</a>.
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Market skewed in favour of developers chasing quick profits: Australian Institute of Architects

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Residential construction activity is expected to remain strong in the coming year following a considerable rise in new housing starts in the year to March 2014.
The value of new housing starts rose by 8.7% in seasonally adjusted terms in the March quarter compared with the previous three months, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported. Compared with the March quarter of 2013, new housing starts were up by 22%, the ABS reported.
Housing Industry Association chief economist Harley Dale said the increase included a 12.8% surge in detached houses.
“The annual level of new dwelling commencements is at its highest since late 2010 and at 176,891 is approaching historical peaks, with further upward momentum to come,” Dale said.
Dwelling commencements increased in all of the states and territories, except South Australia, where housing starts fell by 7.8%.
The strongest increase was in the Australian Capital Territory (31.6%), followed by Victoria (15.4%), Western Australia (12.1%), the Northern Territory (5.9%), Tasmania (5.3%), New South Wales (2.5%) and Queensland (1.3%).
The value of residential building work done in the March quarter also rose, the ABS reported.
Residential building work done in the March quarter was up 7.6% compared with December quarter and up 8.5% compared with the previous March quarter, the ABS reported.
Forward sentiment indicators for the residential construction sector are also strong with the latest Property Council-ANZ Property Survey finding construction businesses expect strong activity in major metropolitan centres to continue over the next year.
Overall, expectations for the September quarter moderated, the Property Council-ANZ Survey found. That was in line with a decline in home building approvals data reported by the ABS.
The property sector remained optimistic about the outlook for the coming year, although construction activity expectations peaked in the June quarter, the Property Council-ANZ survey showed.
ANZ chief economist Warren Hogan said the industry’s optimism was driven by strong underlying housing market demand, a solid pipeline of building activity and expectations of further cyclical improvement in economic conditions.
The residential sector was still the strongest part of the industry with construction activity and price expectations buoyant even though price expectations had softened in line with lower auction clearances, he said.
“House prices now appear to be settling down to more sustainable growth rates. House prices are expected to rise over the next 12 months in every State except the ACT,” Hogan said.
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Residential construction activity going from strength to strength

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The housing shortage is a much-lamented problem and BIS Shrapnel’s latest Building in Australia 2014-2029 report suggests that we may continue to feel its effects for some years.
While a record-breaking recovery in housing construction was discovered to be underway and a new high of homes being constructed is expected to be reached – many of them in apartment towers – it will not close the housing shortfall until 2018 if their forecasts are correct.
BIS Shrapnel’s associate director Kim Hawtrey said that new housing starts are forecast to reach 190,000 in 2014/2015, surpassing 187,000 seen during 1994.
”In the next two years we’ll also see the recent emphasis on highrise units continue. Currently two highrise apartments are being built for every five detached houses, which is double the historical rate of one apartment for every five houses built,” said Hawtrey.
However, strong population growth has driven pent up demand, growing at 1.7% per annum.
“Home building has been punching below its weight for about a decade, and has not kept pace with population growth for some time now,” he said.
They estimate a deficiency of 100,000 dwellings at present. This is based on household formation per thousand head of population.
”We estimate that it will take the next five years to eliminate the unmet demand for housing. We therefore do not see this housing shortfall closing until 2018,” said Hawtrey.
This is even despite an expected slowdown in population growth.
”Investors and upgraders/downsizers are driving demand in this cycle,” said Hawtrey. “First home buyers are still largely on the sidelines.”
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