<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>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.</p>

<p>Wooloongabba has been popular for apartment developers, particularly since the announcement of the 2032 Summer Olympics games in Brisbane.</p>

<p>While there have been a lot of development applications, it has failed to materialize into real supply.&nbsp;</p>

<p>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>.</p>


Joel Robinson

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

<p><strong>IN BRIEF</strong></p>

<ul>
	<li>
	<p>Just three double-storey Sky Homes sit at the top of The Waterline, each with its own private marina berth and rooftop terrace.</p>
	</li>
	<li>
	<p>Construction on The Waterline is complete, with the first residents expected to move in from mid-October.</p>
	</li>
	<li>
	<p>Sky Homes range from 282 sqm to 367 sqm and are priced from $3.65 million.</p>
	</li>
</ul>

<hr />
<p>Lewis Land has opened the first completed sky home for inspection at Harbour Shores, giving buyers their first opportunity to step inside one of just three double-storey residences crowning The Waterline.</p>

<p>Each sky home comes with its own private marina berth, rooftop terrace and Broadwater views, combining the scale of a larger home with direct access to the boating lifestyle that underpins the wider <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/harbour-shores-biggera-waters-564-oxley-drive-biggera-waters-qld-4216">Harbour Shores</a> masterplan.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=113271 project_image_fid=366708]</p>

<p>Lewis Land Head of Development Michael Long said the inclusion of a berth with every Sky Home had become increasingly valuable as marina access across the Gold Coast tightened.</p>

<p>“Marina berths are becoming increasingly difficult to secure across the Gold Coast, so including one with every Sky Home makes this a genuinely rare offering,” Long said.</p>

<p>“The private 70-berth marina will accommodate boats up to 12 metres in length and is positioned just 2.5 kilometres from the Broadwater, placing the open ocean only 15 minutes away.</p>

<p>“Being able to step out of your home onto your boat is a rare luxury, and it’s something residents here can look forward to when it opens later this year.”</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=113271 project_image_fid=366709]</p>

<p>The display opening comes as construction completes on The Waterline, with the first residents expected to move in from mid-October.</p>

<p>The three Sky Homes range from 282 sqm to 367 sqm and each feature three bedrooms, three bathrooms, multiple living zones, expansive kitchens with butler's pantries and large balconies taking in the Broadwater outlook.</p>

<p>Each residence also has three secure basement car spaces and additional storage.</p>

<p>“This is the first opportunity the Gold Coast has had to step into Harbour Shores and see, touch and feel what we’re bringing to life here,” Long said.</p>

<p>“There are only three Sky Homes within The Waterline, ranging in size from 282sqm to 367sqm, with each residence featuring three large bedrooms, three bathrooms, multiple living zones, expansive custom-built kitchens with butler’s pantry, and large balconies capturing Broadwater views.”</p>

<p><img alt="Harbour Shores" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bab65e10-4fab-45e1-92d8-fc56e2ab98ff" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-25%20at%202.00.16%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=XT8q76LsPkw3cYTsvN3JfFDaPLud90PN" /></p>

<p>Residents of The Waterline will have access to a private pool, along with Harbour Shores' wider collection of amenity including a lagoon pool, social clubhouse, tennis court, gym, yoga facilities and sauna.</p>

<p>Lewis Land partnered with Studio Collective to furnish the completed display, with the interiors designed to demonstrate how the residences could function as permanent homes rather than simply as show apartments.</p>

<p>Studio Collective Director Melissa Park said the surrounding waterways informed the interiors, but in a more restrained way than a traditional coastal scheme.</p>

<p>“We drew inspiration from the canals and coastal surrounds, but our approach was to interpret that subtly through layered materials and a grounded palette of earthy tones, rather than literal coastal references,” Park said.</p>

<p>“We introduced hero moments of green and teal to reference the surrounding waterways, while mirrored elements help reflect natural light.</p>

<p>“The result is a residence that feels elevated yet comfortable, somewhere buyers can genuinely imagine themselves living, entertaining and unwinding.”</p>

<p>Sky Homes are priced from $3.65 million.</p>

<p>Lewis Land is also offering private marina berths with The Residences, its limited collection of three and four-bedroom villas positioned directly along the Harbour Shores waterfront boardwalk.</p>

<p>Three-bedroom villas are priced from $2.99 million, while four-bedroom residences start from $3.19 million.</p>

<p>Harbour Shores is being marketed by Colliers International.</p>

<p data-end="555" data-start="341">[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=113271]</p>


Lewis Land opens sky home display as The Waterline completes at Harbour Shores

<p data-end="387" data-start="97">St Vincent de Paul Society Housing Australia has filed plans for a major mixed-use housing precinct on the southern edge of the North Sydney CBD, adding another significant proposal to a pocket around North Sydn​ey Station that is quickly becoming one of the LGA's busiest development zones.</p>

<p data-end="697" data-start="389">The State Significant Development Application covers a 5,990 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/1-19-mackenzie-street-lavender-bay-nsw-2060">1-19 MacKenzie Street and 211 Blues Point Road in Lavender Bay</a>, immediately south of Nor​th Sydney Station and between the commercial core and the lower-rise Lavender Bay Heritage Conservation Area.</p>

<p data-end="925" data-start="699">Designed by Wardle, the proposal would deliver a new residential tower comprising 88 build-to-sell apartments and 19 affordable apartments, alongside a separate co-living building with 57 rooms and a building manager's studio.</p>

<p data-end="1217" data-start="927">It would also see the significant restoration and upgrade of St Francis Xavier Catholic Church, the adaptive reuse of the former school building, new parish facilities, retail, a new public square and around 1,000 sqm of publicly accessible open space.</p>

<p data-end="1217" data-start="927"><img alt="Vinnies North Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d5dd7f87-a617-463e-b577-17541e01f0e9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.10.13%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4R8TsFN3P_LrrXO2HswTOIrx2blil8lh" /></p>

<p data-end="1538" data-start="1219">The project is seeking a concurrent rezoning of the site to R4 High Density Residential and an increase in the maximum building height to allow a tower reaching RL120, or up to 20 storeys. The proposal was progressed through the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority pathway.</p>

<p data-end="1723" data-start="1540">The build-to-sell component will be weighted toward larger apartments, with just six one-bedroom apartments compared with 31 two-beds, 43 three-beds and eight four-bedroom residences.</p>

<p data-end="2063" data-start="1725">The 19 affordable apartments will comprise two studios, 15 one-bedroom apartments and two two-bedroom apartments, taking the total apartment component to 107 residences before the 58 co-living rooms are included.</p>

<p data-end="2063" data-start="1725"><img alt="Vnnies" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7d568ca5-cb90-4e18-96c6-d9795dba0c56" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.10.05%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=GY2R5M9VtQh0EKy1vajaea19PSLOPuRD" /></p>

<p data-end="2205" data-start="2065">Wardle's design for the Vinnies site has sought to negotiate that emerging high-rise context while retaining the lower-scale character of MacKenzie Street and the adjoining heritage conservation area.</p>

<p data-end="4244" data-start="4087">The main building adopts a three-storey podium and tower arrangement, with the podium aligned to the ridgeline and front setback of St Francis Xavier Church.&nbsp;Wardle has designed the podium with colonnades, seating, recessed entries and active ground-floor frontages, with sandstone-toned precast concrete and face brick referencing the materiality of the existing church.</p>

<p data-end="4598" data-start="4246">The tower then steps back eight metres to the south and six metres to the north before rising in a sculpted form comprising four interlocking quadrants. Wardle has also introduced rounded forms and chamfered corners to reduce the tower's perceived bulk and improve view sharing with neighbouring development sites.</p>

<p data-end="4798" data-start="4600">Resident facilities and outdoor areas are planned at the separation between the podium and tower at Level 3, oriented toward Sydney Harbour and the CBD skyline.</p>

<p data-end="4798" data-start="4600">The tower itself will feature a glass reinforced concrete facade, with recessed balconies and deep reveals used both to provide shading and privacy and frame views toward the harbour and city. The lower levels take a different architectural approach, using brick and sandstone-toned finishes intended to establish a stronger relationship with St Francis Xavier Church. The Church itself will be conserved and upgraded for its continued use, while the former school building will be adaptively reused as part of the co-living component.</p>

<p data-end="5032" data-start="4800"><img alt="Lavendar Bay" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2d4418ad-90aa-4d49-af93-c80b140aea80" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.09.47%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=Kv4gzbsACaGvZSRuaqcfGC54jEJRXIDJ" /></p>

<p data-end="5486" data-start="5211">&nbsp;</p>

<p data-end="2205" data-start="2065">The proposal adds to an increasingly concentrated pipeline of residential development around Blue Street, MacKenzie Street and Lavender Bay.</p>

<p data-end="2375" data-start="2207">Just west of the site, Central Element lodged plans earlier this year for one of the most significant residential developments proposed in Lavender Bay in recent years.</p>

<p data-end="2712" data-start="2377">Central Element's SJB-designed scheme at 64-66 Lavender Street and 3-7 Middlemiss Street would deliver 163 apartments across two towers rising 23 and 32 storeys, replacing five existing apartment buildings containing 32 homes. The project also forms part of the Housing Delivery Authority pathway.</p>

<p data-end="2751" data-start="2714"><em><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-central-element-reveals-lavender-bay-apartment-plans?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">First look: Central Element reveals Lavender Bay apartment plans</a></em></p>

<p data-end="2865" data-start="2753">Immediately around North Sy​dney Station, another two significant proposals have emerged at 5 and 15 Blue Street.</p>

<p data-end="3067" data-start="2867">Zurich Australian Insurance Properties is seeking to adaptively reuse its longstanding commercial building at 5 Blue Street, directly above North Sydney Station, rather than demolishing the structure.</p>

<p data-end="3379" data-start="3069">Its SSDA proposes converting the building into a 14-storey mixed-use development with 62 apartments and 86 co-living rooms, together with ground-floor retail and a major refurbishment of Blue Street Plaza. The application is currently at the Response to Submissions stage.</p>

<p data-end="3379" data-start="3069"><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-zurich-targets-north-sydney-office-conversion-with-148-unit-proposal-above-metro-station"><em>First look: Zurich targets North Sydney office conversion with 148-unit proposal above Metro station</em></a></p>

<p data-end="3883" data-start="3659">&nbsp;</p>


First look: Vinnies files for 20-storey Lavender Bay apartment tower as North Sydney housing pocket heats up

<p data-end="540" data-start="324">When the opportunity arose for South Australian developer Palumbo to return to Kent Town, where it had previously delivered East Park Apartments and the East<br />
Rundle Apartments, it wasn't one the longstanding developer-builder was going to pass up.</p>

<p data-end="680" data-start="542">The decision was quickly vindicated, with more than 30 apartments sold within the first month of launching <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/royal-apartments-kent-town-2-8-north-terrace-kent-town-sa-5067">Royal Apartments</a> to the market.</p>

<p data-end="909" data-start="682">The 206-apartment development, which will bring significant new supply to Adelaide's tightly held eastern city fringe, also gives <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/palumbo">Palumbo</a> the opportunity to bring new life to one of Kent Town's most recognisable watering holes.</p>

<p data-end="909" data-start="682">[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376073]</p>

<p data-end="1076" data-start="911">Royal Apartments incorporates the historic Royal Hotel, a venue Palumbo Managing Director Daniel Palumbo said has a longstanding connection with the local community.</p>

<p data-end="1166" data-start="1078">"Everyone in the area has history with the Royal Hotel," Palumbo told Apartments.com.au.</p>

<p data-end="1257" data-start="1168">"It was quite an active pub and social gathering place for locals. We want to bring it back to its former glory."</p>

<p data-end="1257" data-start="1168">[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376072]</p>

<p data-end="1406" data-start="1259">The wider development will comprise two residential towers alongside the restored hotel, sitting on North Terrace opposite the Adelaide Park Lands.</p>

<p data-end="1475" data-start="1408">For Palumbo, the project also marks a return to familiar territory.</p>

<p data-end="1671" data-start="1477">The developer completed East Park Apartments next door more than a decade ago and jumped at the opportunity to develop in Kent Town again when the Royal Hotel site became available.</p>

<p data-end="1726" data-start="1673">"The opportunity emerged, and we moved to secure the site," Palumbo said.</p>

<p data-end="1874" data-start="1728">"We were approached by the previous landowner, who said they had extensive commitments in Sydney and weren't in a position to deliver the project.</p>

<p data-end="2025" data-start="1876">"We took over the site and within six months recut the design scheme to be more in keeping with the type of development we want to bring to Adelaide.</p>

<p data-end="2111" data-start="2027">"Now we're on the market and those changes have really resonated with local buyers."</p>

<p data-end="2225" data-start="2113">That has translated into a strong start to sales, with 33 apartments transacting in the project's first 35 days.</p>

<p data-end="2383" data-start="2227">Palumbo said the early purchaser profile had been consistent with the group's traditional focus on owner-occupiers rather than investor-led apartment stock.</p>

<p data-end="2446" data-start="2385">"Local owner-occupiers have always been our market," he said.</p>

<p data-end="2602" data-start="2448">"There are always some investors, but we've never developed what would be called traditional development stock. Owner-occupiers are very much our market."</p>

<p data-end="2602" data-start="2448">[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376068]</p>

<p data-end="2742" data-start="2604">The buyer mix has been diverse so far, with downsizers and younger professionals both accounting for a significant portion of early sales.</p>

<p data-end="3013" data-start="2744">South Australia's current stamp duty settings, which allow&nbsp;eligible homeowners in South Australia aged 60 savings of up to $103,830 on stamp duty when they downsize to a new property valued at up to $2 million,&nbsp;have helped encourage downsizer activity, while younger buyers in their late 20s and early 30s have been attracted to the opportunity to live immediately outside the CBD while still being able to walk into the city.</p>

<p data-end="3013" data-start="2744"></p>

<p data-end="3065" data-start="3015">Location has been a major part of the proposition for both buyer cohorts.</p>

<p data-end="3065" data-start="3015">[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376075]</p>

<p data-end="3250" data-start="3067">Royal Apartments sits on North Terrace directly opposite the Adelaide Park Lands, with residents able to walk through the parklands toward the East End, Rundle Street and Rundle Mall.</p>

<p data-end="3376" data-start="3252">Apartments have been positioned to capture views across the parklands, Adelaide skyline, Botanic Gardens and Adelaide Hills.</p>

<p data-end="3516" data-start="3378">Palumbo believes the scarcity of developable land along this section of the Park Lands makes the site particularly difficult to replicate.</p>

<p data-end="3592" data-start="3518">"There's very few allotments on that side that can be developed," he said.</p>

<p data-end="3714" data-start="3594">"If this location was in New York and you were sitting on Central Park, you'd be talking about a $60 million apartments."</p>

<p data-end="3861" data-start="3716">Royal Apartments will offer a broad mix of residences, ranging from one-bedroom apartments through to four-bedroom sub-penthouses and penthouses.</p>

<p data-end="4004" data-start="3863">Current listings include one-bedroom apartments from $680,000, while larger three and four-bedroom residences are priced around $2.5 million.</p>

<p data-end="4145" data-start="4006">Residents will have access to a swimming pool, gym, barbecue and recreation areas, residents' lounge and dining space, and a communal deck.</p>

<p data-end="4145" data-start="4006">[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376067]</p>

<p data-end="4273" data-start="4147">The apartments will feature generous balconies, while secure parking, bicycle storage and storage cages will also be provided.</p>

<p data-end="4480" data-start="4275">A porte-cochère-style arrival and drop-off area has also resonated with buyers, particularly those attracted to being able to walk into the CBD during the day while retaining secure vehicle access at home.</p>

<p data-end="4650" data-start="4482">Palumbo is acting as developer, architect and builder on Royal Apartments, continuing the vertically integrated model it has used across its South Australian portfolio.</p>

<p data-end="4785" data-start="4652">The group was also behind the $150 million Sofitel Adelaide, the 251-room five-star hotel and residential tower which opened in 2021.</p>

<p data-end="4889" data-start="4787">Palumbo said Royal's launch had come at an interesting time for the broader Adelaide apartment market.</p>

<p data-end="5144" data-start="4891">Buyer confidence had initially been impacted by uncertainty surrounding the Federal Budget and broader economic conditions, but Palumbo believes sentiment is beginning to improve against a backdrop of significant investment flowing into South Australia.</p>

<p data-end="5305" data-start="5146">He pointed to increased activity across defence and resources, including Olympic Dam, as potential long-term drivers of the state's economy and housing market.</p>

<p data-end="5378" data-start="5307">"Money is starting to flow into Adeliade, significant amounts as Adelaide bucks the trend of the rest of the country.," Palumbo said.</p>

<p data-end="5495" data-start="5380">"There's a lot of activity in the economy over the next decade. I think more investment will come into this market."</p>

<p data-end="5650" data-start="5497">Early works on Royal Apartments are expected to commence this year, with major construction activity and cranes anticipated on site from early next year.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=6109]</p>

Palumbo's return to Kent Town strikes early chord with buyers

<p>Go-to builder-developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/graya">GRAYA</a> is continuing to bulk out its already impressive and diverse apartment portfolio across South East Queensland. Their latest milestone is securing development approval for Silk, its boutique riverfront apartment development in St Lucia.</p>

<p>The approval clears&nbsp;the way for the team to begin construction planning for the 22-residence project.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/silk-st-lucia-16-18-sandford-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">Silk</a> will rise 15 levels from an 810 sqm site at 16-18 Sandford Street, occupying a prominent bend of the Brisbane River with a prized northern aspect across Orleigh Park toward the Brisbane CBD.</p>

<p>The approved scheme will comprise 16 split-floor and six full-floor residences, continuing GRAYA's move into larger-format apartment developments targeting Brisbane's prestige owner-occupier market.</p>

<p>The project has been designed around the site's broad river frontage and dual-direction views, with GRAYA prioritising larger residences, privacy and outlook over apartment yield.</p>

<p><img alt="Silk St Lucia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="aa5c2349-f96c-4914-a812-1f2cd6827af8" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%208.25.44%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=WY0vEU_7vYjeRJKQHiCwFdMxu8PvFh52" /></p>

<p>GRAYA Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Rob Gray said the project had been shaped around local homeowners wanting to remain in St Lucia without maintaining a traditional family home.</p>

<p>"St Lucia is one of those suburbs people do not want to leave," Gray said.</p>

<p>"They know the river, the trees, UQ, the golf course, Toowong and Indooroopilly, and that familiarity is hard to replace.</p>

<p>"True riverfront opportunities here are exceptionally scarce. What we have designed at Silk is a way to stay in the suburb people love, with the scale and privacy of a private home and far less to maintain.</p>

<p>"This is not typical apartment product. It is a proper home on the river, and that is exactly what this market has been missing."</p>

<p>The approval comes as new apartment development continues to increase across the St Lucia and neighbouring Toowong corridor, although direct riverfront sites remain considerably more tightly held.</p>

<p>GRAYA Co-founder and Managing Director Andrew Gray said securing the approval had removed a significant element of development risk from Silk.</p>

<p>"Genuine riverfront sites of this quality in St Lucia are not something that comes up regularly," Gray said.</p>

<p>"The approval removes a substantial layer of execution risk, and the location underwrites demand in a way very few inner-city sites can.</p>

<p>"The fundamentals here are as strong as anything we have assessed in Brisbane."</p>

<p><img alt="Silk St Lucia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d0f3d734-65e1-48e8-8ed3-2e0715ffcdd9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%208.25.56%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=sOLSs_jdHkXLWbBKzRyayf5BfTb2vPsD" /></p>

<p>Silk will see GRAYA return to a stretch of the Brisbane River where it already has recent construction experience. The vertically integrated group recently completed ARC in neighbouring Toowong as builder for developer Spyre, delivering the riverfront project on a constrained site.</p>

<p>GRAYA will take a different role at Silk, controlling the project from design and development through construction and aftercare under its vertically integrated model.</p>

<p>The development will include a gym and resident leisure areas at ground level, integrated with the river's edge.</p>

<p>Silk joins a growing pipeline for GRAYA across Brisbane and the Gold Coast, which includes Enclave, The Gallery, Coral and Ripple.</p>

<p>The developer-builder has also recently lodged plans for its largest project to date, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-silo-19-chester-street-newstead-qld-4006">The Silo</a>, a proposed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/graya-buys-frasers-newstead-site-plans-the-silo-between-james-street-and-gasworks-precincts">$700 million mixed-use development</a> in Brisbane's James Street precinct.</p>

<p>Silk is expected to predominantly target local owner-occupiers and prestige buyers seeking a permanent riverfront home in Brisbane's inner west.</p>

<p>Registrations of interest are now open, with further details on the project and construction program to be released as it progresses.</p>

<hr />
<h2>SILK PROJECT FACTS</h2>

<p>Developer-builder: GRAYA</p>

<p>Project: Silk</p>

<p>Location: 16-18 Sandford Street, St Lucia</p>

<p>Apartments: 22</p>

<p>Built form: 15 levels</p>

<p>Site: 810 sqm riverfront holding</p>

<p>Mix: 16 split-floor and six full-floor residences</p>

<p>Status: Development approved</p>

<p>Next step: Construction planning underway</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152168]</p>


GRAYA greenlit for riverfront St Lucia apartment development, Silk

Infrastructure

<html><body>
<div>Australia has created an extraordinary ~325,000 jobs over the past year, including a boom over the past six months the like of which arguably hasn't been seen in decades. </div>
<div> </div>
<div class="separator">Click to enlarge</div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/09/25/A4.jpg" alt=""></div>
<p><br><span>The question is how? And where?</span></p>
<div><span>Greater Sydney (+83k), Melbourne (+59k), and now Brisbane (+46k) have each seen a drive in employment growth over the past year. </span></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div><span>Greater Sydney now has a monthly unemployment rate of only 4.46 per cent, and the annual average unemployment rate across the harbour city continues to decline, as it has for 3½ years now. </span></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div><span>That's been partly driven by apartment construction and the associated multiplier effect, and a swathe of infrastructure projects. </span></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/09/25/A1.jpg" target="_blank"><span>Click to enlarge</span></a></div>
<div> </div>
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<div class="separator"> </div>
<div>Increasingly Hobart is firing up, adding +6k jobs over the year to August 2017, with the median duration of job search continuing to decline. </div>
<p><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/09/25/A2.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<div class="separator"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/09/25/A2.jpg" alt=""></div>
<p><br><span>Where else?</span></p>
<div>Gold Coast (+21k) and Sunshine Coast (+12k) have been other contributors to Queensland jobs growth over the past year, presumably driven by tourism, while Toowoomba added a cheeky +5k of new jobs on a net basis. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Emerging from the resources doldrums, meanwhile, Mackay (+10k) and Townsville (+17k) have clearly turned a corner of sorts lately. </div>
<p><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/09/25/A3.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<div class="separator"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/09/25/A3.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Construction still raging</span></strong></div>
<div> </div>
<div>Over the past quarter the greatest employment gains were to be found in construction (+64,600), healthcare &amp; social assistance (+48,000), and education &amp; training (+25,700).  </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Between them these three industries have created net new employment of +263,000 since August 2016, which really is a huge number. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Alongside tourism, a boom in international students and education has been a shining light of the economy in recent times - at least in terms of quantity, if not quality.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Offsetting this, some professional services and administrative employment has been scaled back. </div>
<p><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/09/25/A6.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<div class="separator"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/09/25/A6.jpg" alt=""></div>
<div> </div>
<div>The construction employment surge needs to be viewed in the context of the preceding resources construction boom, which took construction employment to already unprecedented levels. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>And now total construction employment has elevated further - thanks to a combination of residential and infrastructure projects - to 1,168,000. </div>
<p><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/09/25/A5.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<div class="separator"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/09/25/A5.jpg" alt=""></div>
<p> </p>
<div><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span>The wrap</span></span></strong></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div><span>Sydney's economy is clearly relishing its stamp-duty-funded infrastructure boom.</span></div>
<div><span> </span></div>
<div><span>At the industry level, healthcare &amp; social assistance may well continue its structural uptrend, perhaps eventually accounting for ~15 per cent or more of the entire workforce. </span></div>
<div> </div>
<div>Construction now directly accounts for ~9.5 per cent of Australian employment. This is much more surprising, and it's never been higher.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>This is why, in my opinion, it may pay to be sceptical about all the casual chatter about rate hikes.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Residential jobs account for about three quarters of total construction industry employment.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>So once the residential building sector inevitably slows over the next year or two, total employment growth could be winching itself down to earth with a big, clumsy thump. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of <a href="https://allenwargent.com/" target="_blank"><span class="s2">AllenWargent</span></a> property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span class="s2">blogger</span></a>.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s3"><em>His latest book is </em><a href="https://www.bigskypublishing.com.au/Books/General-Interest/Four-Green-Houses--and-a-Red-Hotel/1015/productview.aspx" target="_blank"><span class="s2"><em>Four Green Houses and a Red Hotel</em></span></a><em>.</em></span></p>
</div>
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Sydney relishing stamp-duty-funded infrastructure boom

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<p><em>Note: This is the second part of Peter Chittenden's 2015 outlook. </em></p>
<p><em>To read Part 1, <a href="/expert-insights/buying/the-residential-property-outlook-for-the-year-ahead">click here</a>.</em></p>
<p>Looking further into prospects for 2015: currently, the collapse of commodity prices is making hard work of local economic policy settings.</p>
<p>An interest rate cut looks to be more firmly on the agenda and employment prospects look shaky. Consumers are hesitant, but there is good news at the petrol bowser.</p>
<p>Beyond these leading factors, the residential market and in particular the demand for new apartment projects may slow at the margins in 2015, while remaining strong in key areas.</p>
<p>While the health of the wider economy will have an impact, there are a number of specific policy areas that will more directly influence demand. These include a review of taxation policy, the delivery of major infrastructure projects and planning policy. The falling dollar may, however, act as an incentive for off-shore buyers. This time last year, the AUS$ to US$ exchange rate was $0.89. Today it’s $0.81. Although this is a four and a half year low, the Reserve Bank has suggested the possibility of a greater fall, with the dollar valued closer to US$0.75.</p>
<p>Looking towards 2015, it appears that everything financial will have an impact on the residential property market.</p>
<p>The influence of lower rates for anyone with a home loan or looking to finance will be positive. However, with more caution now apparent in the market, lower rates are not likely to push up demand and hence prices.</p>
<p>What lower rates will do is make it easier to service loans, and as history shows, people tend to use lower rates to boost their mortgage repayments. Cheaper home loans may help to boost spending in other areas, and so benefit the wider economy. Currently, bad residential mortgage loans are at historic lows, which further reinforces how cautious and conservative this market is.</p>
<p><strong>Henry &amp; Murray</strong></p>
<p>In 2010 we had the Henry Review of the Taxation System. Now we have had the Murray Review of the banking system, and it appears that 2015 will at last be a time to act. The Murray Review was wide ranging, but areas impacting superannuation, competition and the taxation system may hold particular focus for the residential market.</p>
<p>While an increase to the GST does not look to be an immediate prospect, the reality is that an increase in the GST would lead to almost irresistible pressure to reduce other taxes, such as stamp duty, which for NSW has delivered a wind-fall in revenue this year.</p>
<p>Already the Federal Government has signaled such a structural change is not possible, given the state of the Federal budget.</p>
<p>However, the Murray report does create pressure for tax reform, that may well involve changes to negative gearing and how superannuation is taxed. Changes here would impact the residential market. Buyers would, of course, welcome a reduction of stamp duty, but any changes to negative gearing could cause investors some pain.</p>
<p>The growth in self managed super funds, and the flow of funds into property, in part highlight the sensitivity of this sector. There are some concerns that over-regulation could have the long-term affect of reducing the pool of savings people can access in their old age.</p>
<p>I think there is a natural tendency for many people to be anxious to manage the fate of their own investments, and so property will remain a popular choice with this group of retirees.</p>
<p>While the banking and tax systems have been under the spotlight, I wonder if there is room in the housing and development market for even more creative forms of finance?</p>
<p>Peer to Peer lending is a new financial tool that is only starting to emerge with some areas of personal finance. Could such ideas spread to the housing market? Could we one day see a Bitcoin revolution in housing finance?</p>
<p>Outside of these policy areas, supply will remain a key issue, supply in some markets is still to catch up with demand, and so this will keep pressure on prices, but this is not a universal trend. Investors are also less geographically focused on their own backyard, and so capital will flow to the stronger markets.</p>
<p>For developers, another emerging reality is that development sites have increased in value and demand remains very strong and competitive. Eventually, high site costs have to be absorbed into the final cost of apartments delivered to the market.</p>
<p><em>This article continues on the next page. Click below.</em></p>
<hr class="system-pagebreak">
<p><strong>Infrastructure &amp; Planning</strong></p>
<p>In 2015, there needs to be an acceleration of infrastructure delivery, moving from what can at times appear to be endless planning.</p>
<p>Major projects are now more visible across Sydney, for example, and urgency might accelerate as both the State Government and Federal Governments look to election in March 2015 and early 2017 respectively.</p>
<p>In any election setting, activity on the ground is what counts. Activity means jobs, and delivery of infrastructure is an important goal as construction investment in the mining industry continues to fall.</p>
<p>However, beyond any political will to accelerate the delivery of infrastructure, the other reality is that values and demand are also impacted as areas associated with these works become more attractive to buyers.</p>
<p>Across Sydney there’s now a growing list of major projects underway including the South West and North West Rail links, the light rail to the Inner West already in operation, and the CBD and East light rail, plus the West Connex. Areas near these projects will see further growth in the demand for project sites.</p>
<p>The NSW state Government has also now released its vision for Sydney in an expansive document,<em> <a href="https://www.strategy.planning.nsw.gov.au/sydney/" target="_blank">A Plan For Sydney</a></em>. The plan includes an important step as it applies to the 41 local government areas and sets up a new body to deliver the vision. Planning issues are always central to the delivery of new homes and apartments, and so it is to be hoped that the policies outlined in the document become a reality.</p>
<p><strong>Quality To Improve</strong></p>
<p>Finance, taxation, infrastructure and government policy are all factors that impact the residential market, but in a more immediate way, there is also a continued trend towards an ongoing improvement in the design and quality of projects.</p>
<p>As buyers approach the apartment market more as a long-term home, and investors also look for quality, we are seeing some inspirational new projects emerge.</p>
<p>This quest for quality and innovation will continue throughout 2015, as will demand for projects with access to established local services and facilities, including transport.</p>
<p>The market in 2015 looks complex than it did this time last year. The current bull run has been with us since mid 2013, so there is a need to remain alert, as possible changes to interest rate settings and taxation policy may yet hold surprises. The resilience of the local economy will be key.</p>
<p><em>To read Part 1 of Peter Chittenden's 2015 outlook, <a href="/expert-insights/buying/the-residential-property-outlook-for-the-year-ahead">click here</a>.</em></p>
<p> </p>
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My residential outlook for the year ahead: Part 2

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<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Transport infrastructure is an important factor for property investors to consider. But what type of projects typically influence property prices?</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Infrastructure developments typically generate demand for housing and can cause price rises in adjacent suburbs. Sometimes the benefit to an area is obvious, other times only the truly astute investors will realise the flow-on effects. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">The value of a locality is based on many things: its proximity to employment centres and amenities is an important factor, as is the beauty and safety of the area. If new transport infrastructure is set to improve upon these factors, it is possible the area will receive a boost in value.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">New infrastructure can include public transport as well as major connecting roads. By interconnecting suburbs people’s perception of distance changes. For instance, if a new road cuts travel time to the city, this might make the suburb much more attractive for commuters.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">The infrastructure projects with the biggest impact are typically projects involving the rail network, new major roads, or significant improvements to existing roads. All these projects have the potential to impact on property values. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">If an existing rail line is extended, this can certainly improve the value of outlying suburbs that then no longer have to solely rely on buses and roads.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">While new roads can make an area more accessible, the widening of roads can impact areas by reducing congestion and reducing travel times. Reconfiguring of roads and new bridges can also make a significant change.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">For property investors, it is key to research and keep track of upcoming projects, because the best time to buy in an area is right before they receive the full benefit of the projects, when prices haven’t had a chance to move upwards yet.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Luckily, the Government plans most of these projects well in advance and the planning documents are typically available to the public. But investors should also keep an ear out for new announcements particularly around election time. <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">For more insights into how to research the market, grab your FREE copy of our latest ebook: <a href="https://wvw.momentumwealth.com.au/ResearchEbook?utm_source=Property+Observer&amp;utm_medium=Ebook&amp;utm_campaign=Ebooks" target="_blank"><span class="s2">How to find investment-grade properties using professional research principles.</span></a></span></p>
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

The importance of infrastructure projects for capital growth

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<p>EXPERT OBSERVATION</p>
<p>The impact of the credit squeeze that caused the rapid deterioration in building conditions over the past 18 months is evident in today’s construction data.</p>
<p>This is the right time in the economic cycle for governments to be investing in infrastructure critical to residential development.</p>
<p>Preliminary figures released by the ABS today provide data on the value of construction work done in Australia.</p>
<p>Nationally, residential construction work has fallen by 10.9 per cent compared to last year. The contraction in homebuilding in today’s figures was anticipated given the decline in other data such as building approvals and housing finance.</p>
<p>More recent data suggests that the decline in residential construction will not continue, with leading indicators showing improvement.</p>
<p>A boost in spending on infrastructure by state and federal governments as announced in this year’s budgets was expected to offset the decline in the home building sector and absorb the excess labour from the building industry. This hasn’t happened with engineering construction work declining by 9.6 per cent on same quarter last year.</p>
<p>For the past five years home building pulled the economy forward. The home building industry is now dependent upon a strong national economy to pull it forward. Infrastructure spending can help drive this growth.</p>
<p>Today’s data - which shows a significant decline in engineering and construction work - tells us that the announced investment in infrastructure has not yet commenced. “</p>
<p>This begs the question where and when is the infrastructure spending going to occur?.</p>
<p>All the states declined for the September 2019 quarter compared to previous quarter.</p>
<p>The notable exception to this decline in residential and engineering work is in Victoria, where new residential work done increased by 1.8 per cent for the quarter to be up by 4.0 per cent annually.</p>
<p>New South Wales declined by 7.8 per cent, Queensland by 4.7 per cent, South Australia by 0.7 per cent and Western Australia by 4.9 per cent.</p>
<p>Tasmania and the ACT which have previously managed to buck the national trend have also declined by 20.5 per cent and 10.9 per cent respectively compared to the June 2019 quarter.</p>
<p><em>ANGELA LILLICRAP is an Economist for HIA</em></p>
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When and where is Australian infrastructure spending coming online: HIA's Angela Lillicrap

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<p><a href="http://petewargent.blogspot.com/2018/10/highway-jobbery">E</a>XPERT OBSERVER</p>
<div>A year ago annual infrastructure project activity was forecast to peak at about $16 billion in 2019.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>But the government has anticipated the slowdown in apartment building and will use borrowed funds to plug the gap. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>Now the peak for infrastructure build is forecast to hit 3 years later and some 40 per cent higher at more than $22 billion across a raft of billion-dollar projects. </div>
<div> </div>
<div><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gUfoi6QR7pY/W7m2cmgjQFI/AAAAAAAAsP8/cEKF4XF9oA0t8XZ6D-DMS82o1EX_L8OdACLcBGAs/s640/IA.jpg" width="640" height="416" data-original-height="759" data-original-width="1166"></div>
<div> </div>
<div>High-rise apartment construction, then, is set to be replaced by roads, rails, tunnels...and the odd level crossing removal.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The obligatory cost overruns will also help spur the economy, of course.<br><br>The Coalition love is free, and the freeway's long!</div>
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Infrastructure extended by government spending: Pete Wargent

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<p>EXPERT OBSERVER</p>
<p><span>Federal and state political leaders intend to generate an infrastructure-led economic recovery in Australia. And this will turbocharge a residential property boom which is already building across the nation.</span> </p>
<div>Infrastructure spending is always a key driver of growth in residential property markets and government plans to fast-track shovel-ready projects will enhance the established trend of rising markets in many parts of Australia.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>That’s why we created a new report titled “Australia’s Infrastructure-led Property Boom: National Top 10 Hotspots”.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The research conducted daily by the Hotspotting team places considerable emphasis on infrastructure.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The best places to invest have impact from infrastructure in two key ways: excellent existing infrastructure (public transport, schools, medical services, retail outlets, etc) and spending on new infrastructure.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>New infrastructure is particularly influential on generating growth in residential property markets. Our belief is that no other factor impacts property markets as strongly as major new infrastructure spending.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Infrastructure such as new motorways, rail links, hospitals and universities improve the amenity and desirability of the locations directly impacted.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>These projects generate major economic activity and employment – and from that flows demand for real estate.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>From 2013 to 2017 both Sydney and Melbourne had significant real estate booms, but this was not replicated in other parts of Australia. During that period, the markets in Perth and Darwin were in reverse, and those in Brisbane, Adelaide and Canberra were largely stagnating.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The fundamental difference was the infrastructure spend. Both Sydney and Melbourne were spending tens of billions of dollars on new infrastructure. As a consequence, the economies of the two biggest cities were strong, as a time when the other cities were weak or in decline.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>We have seen major infrastructure spending transform local economies and their property markets in many significant regional cities across Australia. Projects totalling more than $20 billion have transformed the Sunshine Coast from a tourist town to an international city and it currently has one of the strongest property markets anywhere in Australia.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Newcastle, Geelong and Wollongong are all regional cities which have transitioned by older-style economies based on manufacturing to prosperous modern economies through spending on new infrastructure and the generation of new employment sectors. Growth property markets have emerged from the transition in these places.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The recent Federal Budget provided evidence that the Australian Government intends the past-pandemic economic recovery to be largely inspired by spending on major projects across the nation. It’s also clear that State Governments are ramping up their spending on roads, rail links and other projects to generate jobs.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>In the new National Top 10 report we highlight ten locations which are poised for growth as a result of big spending on new infrastructure. They include some locations which might now normally blip on the radar screens of property investors, like Toowoomba in Queensland.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>More potential hotspots will emerge as governments firm up their plans and announce start dates for major developments.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<strong>Terry Ryder</strong><em><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>is the founder of<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://hotspotting.com.au/">hotspotting.com.au</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br><a href="https://mailto:ryder@hotspotting.com.au">ryder@hotspotting.com.au</a></em>
</div>
<p><em><a href="http://twitter.com/hotspotting">twitter.com/hotspotting</a></em></p>
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Infrastructure boom setting up a property boom: HotSpotting's Terry Ryder

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<p>Property investors and owner-occupiers seeking growth may well cast their eye over a new university campus based within the Westmead Health and Innovation District in Parramatta.</p>

<p>The framework agreement between the NSW Government and the University of Sydney will see the campus built adjacent to the Westmead hospitals and is likely to draw 25,000 students and 2,500 staff by 2055.<br><br>
Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said having a university campus at the core of the Westmead Health and Innovation District will drive innovation and catalyse future growth.</p>

<p>“Having the University at the core of the Westmead Health and Innovation District will help transform the district into a powerhouse of invention, creativity, and commercialisation, and home to world-leading enterprises, start-ups, researchers and students,” Mr Ayres said.</p>

<p>NSW Government’s vision for the District is expected to create more than 20,000 new jobs and contribute an additional $2.8 billion of economic output per year to the NSW economy.</p>

<h2>Developments Nearby</h2>

<h2>Georgette Schofields</h2>

<p><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/kew_georgetta.jpg" rel="gallery-all"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="340" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/kew_georgetta.jpg?itok=hpMOY12m" width="580"></a></p>

<p>Within a commutable distance to the new precinct is the low-rise residential development Kew Schofields, in one of Sydney's newest and fastest growing suburbs.</p>

<p>A short 30-minute drive from the Westmead Health and Innovation District, Kew Schofields Stage 2, Georgette, has prices starting at $428,000 with its completion set for late 2021.</p>

<p>There are 137 residences across the five level building.</p>

<p>Buyers can save up to $60,000 buying in to the development with current NSW Government stimulus packages for new build property.</p>

<p>The whole of the masterplan Kew Schofields, slated to be completed by 2022, will have 2,700 sqm of retail space, parks and recreation facilities.</p>

<h2>180 George Street Parramatta</h2>

<p>Harry Triguboff's Meriton have a high-rise under construction in the heart of Parramatta, heralded as Parramatta's tallest residential tower.</p>

<p>Prices start from $502,000 for apartments in 180 George, designed by architecture firm Woods Bagot. It will home 761 apartments and is expected to be finished by December 2021.</p>

<p><img alt="" height="1015" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/180_george_2.jpg" width="2000"></p>
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The new university campus in Parramatta will likely attract investors and owner-occupiers to its nearby suburbs

Property investors and owner occupiers interested in areas around new University campus in Parramatta

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<p>Mirvac and Victoria Investments and Properties’ master-planned community, Woodlea, has delivered the final phase of its $50 million Taylors Road project.</p>

<p>The final phase of the 2.6 kilometre stretch of road was developed as part of a ‘Works in Kind’ development contribution agreement with Melton Council in order to give back to the rapidly growing community. The infrastructure is expected to support the economic, social and environmental needs of Melbourne’s expanding fringe suburbs.</p>

<p>Connecting suburbs such as Caroline Springs, Taylors Hill and Plumpton, the project offers five-minute direct access to adjoining suburbs, as opposed to a 30-minute round trip. Upon completion, Taylors Road is expected to carry approximately 30,000 vehicles per day.</p>

<p>Located in Melbourne’s Western growth corridor, Woodlea is a fully-integrated master-planned community, set to home over 20,000 residents upon completion. Currently, 7,000 residents live in the new community. </p>

<h2><strong>Other new developments in Melbourne’s west</strong></h2>

<p>Melton has become one of Australia’s fastest-growing regions with first home buyers entering the affordable market in droves.</p>

<p>The new Taylors Road project is likely to further encourage a migration west with increased employment opportunities and new infrastructure and services thanks to Mirvac’s Woodlea. Here are two developments in suburbs surrounding Melbourne’s growing west:</p>

<p><strong>1. Aspect, Keilor Downs</strong></p>

<p><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/aspect-7b-copernicus-way-keilor-downs-777b36168e6fd96969b797f0453b7d99.jpg" rel="gallery-all"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="435" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/aspect-7b-copernicus-way-keilor-downs-777b36168e6fd96969b797f0453b7d99.jpg?itok=7VchP_CO" width="580"></a></p>

<p>Located in Keilor Downs, Aspect offers 99 two, three and four-bedroom townhouses, delivering a luxurious, low-maintenance lifestyle. Aspect includes custom joinery, composite stone benchtops and stainless steel Smeg appliances.</p>

<p>The homes, priced from $565,000 for a two-bedroom, two-bathroom residence, offer private landscaped gardens, a secure single garage and architecturally-designed facades by Rothelowman.</p>

<p><strong>2. St. A, St Albans</strong></p>

<p><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/st.a_v02_intersection_street-padley-st.jpg" rel="gallery-all"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="232" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/st.a_v02_intersection_street-padley-st.jpg?itok=QdojVJA6" width="580"></a></p>

<p><a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/sta-10-mckechnie-street-st-albans-9d1abe1b454fe77398ed1c690a5cfdf6.jpg" rel="gallery-all"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/sta-10-mckechnie-street-st-albans-9d1abe1b454fe77398ed1c690a5cfdf6.jpg?itok=RTBsbdAb" width="580"></a></p>

<p>Designed by DKO Architecture, Cedar Woods offers luxurious living in their most recent project, St A. A collection of 254 two, three and four-bedroom townhomes, the project includes modern kitchens, six-star energy rating and double glazed windows.</p>

<p>Just 16-kilometres from Melbourne CBD, St A is situated within walking distance to St Albans station and nearby the Ginifer train station.</p>
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The new Taylors Road project is likely to further encourage migration into Melbourne's west with increased employment opportunities and new infrastructure

max.kwok_55688

Woodlea fast track $50 million Taylors Road infrastructure project

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<p>Plans to slash travel times for drivers and public transport commuters in Sydney’s north have taken a major step forward with the Beaches Link Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) released today. </p>

<p>Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the mega-project will include twin tunnels under Middle Harbour with three lanes in each direction, allowing commuters to avoid peak hour congestion on the Spit Bridge, Military Road and the Roseville Bridge. </p>

<p>“Beaches Link will transform the way people move to and from the Northern Beaches, bypassing 19 sets of traffic lights through The Spit, Mosman and Neutral Bay and help save up to 56 minutes between Dee Why and Sydney airport,” Ms Berejiklian said.</p>

<p>Residents in Neutral Bay, Mosman and Cremorne are set to benefit from the new tunnels, with less congestion and noise and traffic volumes expected to reduce by around a third along Spit Road.</p>

<p><img alt="" height="1495" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/beaches_link_render_2.jpg" width="2000"></p>

<p>Ms Berejiklian says the Western Harbour Tunnel and Beaches Link program is expected to support around 15,000 full-time jobs.</p>

<p>Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance said the project will integrate with new and existing public transport connections.</p>

<p>“There will be the opportunity for new express bus services to key centres including St Leonards, Macquarie Park, North Sydney and Sydney CBD, and direct access to North Sydney to interchange with the new Sydney Metro,” Mr Constance said.</p>

<p>“We’re also planning more than five kilometres of new cycle and pedestrian pathways, including links to the Northern Beaches Hospital precinct.</p>

<p>“This is the next stage of the consultation process, giving the community another opportunity to have its say.</p>

<p><img alt="" height="1323" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/beaches_link_render_3.jpg" width="2000"></p>

<p>“Transport for NSW has adapted its community engagement in line with current health advice regarding COVID-19, and will be providing enhanced online engagement with virtual information sessions throughout January and February.</p>

<p>“We’ll also work closely with locals in Balgowlah, where we’ll be returning an area equivalent to around 90 per cent of the current open space to the community. Further consultation will be held with the community on open space in Balgowlah later in 2021.”</p>

<p>The tunnel will be up to 108 metres in depth (approximately 33 storeys) and include new connections on the Gore Hill Freeway at Artarmon, Warringah Freeway at Cammeray and direct access onto Burnt Bridge Creek Deviation at Balgowlah and Wakehurst Parkway at Seaforth.</p>

<p>The Wakehurst Parkway will be widened from one lane to two in each direction between Seaforth and Frenchs Forest.</p>

<h2><strong>Sydney properties selling now:</strong></h2>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=21618]</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=7619]</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=7758]</p>
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The mega-project will include twin tunnels under Middle Harbour with three lanes in each direction.


urban.com.au

Northern Beaches set to boom with Beaches Link announcement

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<p>Sweeping changes have been proposed to NSW's infrastructure contributions system.</p>
<p>It follows a new report from the NSW Productivity Commission to be considered by the NSW Government Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes and Treasurer Dominic Perrottet.</p>
<p>They welcomed the report which lays out a roadmap for "the biggest shake-up to the contributions regime in three decades."</p>
<p>Stokes said he commissioned the review into the system to fix uncertainty of developer contributions, unlock new housing supply, deliver infrastructure and drive investment. </p>
<p>“The development industry has been telling us for years that uncertainty surrounding infrastructure contributions was driving up house prices and slowing down progress,” Mr Stokes said.</p>
<p>“Those who complain about growth in Sydney often have the same gripe - too much housing, not enough infrastructure. This report recommends a complete shift in thinking, where land rezoning, infrastructure planning and funding is considered together at the start of the process.</p>
<p> “If the changes in this new report are implemented, these barriers will be removed and development will be coordinated with the right infrastructure.”</p>
<p>Productivity Commissioner Peter Achterstraat’s comprehensive review of the system makes 29 recommendations, including:</p>
<ul>
<li>         Changing the funding mix for more efficient infrastructure delivery;</li>
<li>         Linking council rates more closely with population growth;</li>
<li>         Developing a digital tool for calculating infrastructure contributions;</li>
<li>         Ensuring infrastructure contributions plans are in place upfront during the rezoning process;</li>
<li>         Supporting better open space provision through a system for the direct land dedication following re-zoning;</li>
<li>         Reforming state contributions so funding goes where infrastructure is required.</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>Perrottet said the long-term benefits of boosting productivity was vital for NSW and the state’s recovery from the economic impacts of COVID-19 </p>
<p>“This is ultimately about providing greater certainty for all parties, ensuring better infrastructure for the community and unlocking more than $12 billion for our economy.”</p>
<p>The Treasurer said $14.8 million was allocated in the recent 2020-21 NSW Budget for the development of a contributions calculator, which would make it easier to determine project development costs at the start of the process. </p>
<p>The Government will now review the report’s recommendations and consult with industry to develop a formal Government response and roadmap for implementation by early 2021.</p>
<p>To read the report visit <a href="https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/TbccC81V1xhDE1YNtn6Rua?domain=productivity.nsw.gov.au" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/TbccC81V1xhDE1YNtn6Rua?domain%3Dproductivity.nsw.gov.au&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1607030959064000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEH9uicyt8Hol7vQxlB1H5FQLj-qQ">http://productivity.nsw.gov.au/infrastructure-contributions-review</a></p>
<p>The Urban Taskforce identified the key recommendations and outcomes in the report as: </p>
<p>▪ removing the disincentive for councils to accept development and growth by allowing for the local government rate peg to reflect population growth</p>
<p>▪ ensuring charges can be properly factored into feasibility studies by requiring contributions plans be developed prior to rezoning</p>
<p>▪ introducing a direct land contribution obligation for landowners following rezoning to provide early and adequate funding for land</p>
<p>▪ managing costs and complexity of section 7.11 local contributions plans by using benchmark costs and focusing the role of the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal in reviewing plans</p>
<p>▪ removing barriers to construction and improving project feasibility by deferring payment of local contributions to the occupation certificate stage</p>
<p>▪ providing a simpler option for councils by increasing the maximum rate of section 7.12 fixed development consent levies to 3% in certain circumstances</p>
<p>▪ limiting the use of state and local planning agreements to direct delivery of works and supporting infrastructure for ‘out-of-sequence’ developments</p>
<p>▪ addressing insufficient and ad hoc section 7.24 special infrastructure contributions (State Government infrastructure levies) through implementation of modest and simple broad-based regional charges</p>
<p>▪ ensuring the beneficiaries of major transport investments contribute to the cost by implementing an additional state contribution for rezoned properties within station service</p>
<p>catchments</p>
<p>▪ taking pressure off household water bills by transitioning to cost reflective charges for water connections</p>
<p>▪ making the system easier to navigate and comply with by providing and maintaining clear and rationalised guidance and comprehensive digital tools</p>
<p>▪ being more transparent in reporting on how much money is collected and where it is spent.</p>
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