A long-stalled Campbelltown development site is back in play, with new plans for 139 apartments set to supersede a mixed-use scheme approved almost a decade ago but never built.

The new proposal for 28 Cordeaux Street would deliver 116 market and 23 affordable apartments in a part 14-storey building, bringing a substantial new project into a Campbelltown market where new apartment supply remains limited.

Plans have been filed over the 3,092 sqm corner site at Moore-Oxley Street, around 600 metres from Campbelltown Railway Station and the city-centre retail core.

The site already carries a mixed-use residential approval dating to 2016. Doroch Architects has now been engaged on a larger replacement scheme, which is progressing as a State Significant Development Application following a Housing Delivery Authority determination in August 2025.

The apartment mix comprises 39 one-bedroom, 72 two-bedroom and 28 three-bedroom residences. Two-bedroom apartments make up just over half of the project, while three-bedroom homes account for 20 per cent.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="136dd5b9-3791-4da6-9e31-76f533f5b4de" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da2.png?VersionId=LgOSy9nwf5u.MGswBBwaGGxuX8QpHSl_" />

Of the 139 apartments, 23 will be delivered as affordable housing under the in-fill affordable housing provisions of the Housing SEPP. The affordable component represents 15 per cent of the residential gross floor area and will be managed by a registered Community Housing Provider.

Doroch has sought to break the scale of the building into two distinct elements, with a masonry podium of around four storeys establishing the street edge before the residential tower steps back above.

The corner position has shaped that approach. Cordeaux Street faces toward the commercial and civic centre, while Moore-Oxley Street leads into the lower-scale residential neighbourhood to the south, and the design verification report describes the site as "bridging the commercial core to the north and established residential areas to the south."

The podium will be expressed predominantly in face brick, while the upper levels shift to brushed and grooved concrete cladding with darker metal detailing. Recessed sections, deep balcony edges and landscaping break down the upper form, with an approximately 11.8-metre setback to the northern boundary addressing the adjoining St Peters Anglican School.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c8b3d2d3-c561-4bfc-a5d9-a68c0c10dac1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da1.png?VersionId=AeAEyJU02Gk2k5noUj2StziCvdQ7fW4B" />

Rather than concentrating landscaping in a single resident area, the plans integrate planting across the building. Mature trees at the Cordeaux Street corner will be retained, with communal landscaped open space proposed at ground and upper levels alongside deep-soil planting and increased tree canopy coverage.

The building will have two residential entries, one from each street frontage, feeding into a central core with three lifts. Vehicle access is consolidated separately, with the basement entry positioned at the lower part of the site.

Doroch's design report shows 101 of the 139 apartments, or 72.6 per cent, receiving more than two hours of solar access, while 84 apartments achieve natural cross-ventilation. Twenty-eight apartments will incorporate Liveable Housing Australia Silver-level provisions, and every habitable room is designed with a window in an external wall.

The 2016 approval it will replace has never been built, leaving the corner of Cordeaux and Moore-Oxley streets as one of the more prominent unrealised sites in a city centre now being pushed toward higher-density renewal.

Joel Robinson

First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site

First Look: Sherlock Construction pitches apartments for low-rise Deception Bay

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

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

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

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

Maréa Residences brings parkside apartments to Coolangatta

Property market

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Western Australia contains Australia’s two best performed property markets and four in the top ten. Since the year 2000, the property markets of the local government authority of East Pilbara (Newman) and Port Hedland have performed better than any other market in Australia, while Capel and Kwinana ranked ninth and tenth.
Propertyology conducted a study to compare the historical property market performance of each of Australia’s 550 local government authorities between 2000 and 2014. Given that some property markets have higher rates of growth and others have higher rental yields, Propertyology calculated the ‘total return’ (average annual growth rate plus rental yield) and we then ranked the LGA’s from 1 to 550 based on this performance.
132 of the total 550 Australian LGA’s are in Western Australia. Eleven capital city LGA’s and 19 regional LGA’s were ranked in Australia’s Top 100. The regional LGA’s include Derby (17th), Roebourne / Karratha (18th), Collie (23rd), Wyndham (30th), Carnarvon (43rd), Murray (64th), and York (92nd). Geraldton (135th), Broome (123rd), and Mandurah (117th) also ranked amongst Australia’s best 25%.
Whilst there will always be a segment of Australia’s population who frown upon investing in mining communities the indisputable facts are that a large proportion of Australia’s best performed property markets over the last 15 years have a mining flavour within their economy. WA’s iron ore and gas sectors were the prominent growth drivers, especially during the period 2004 to 2012.
In spite of 16.6% and 13.9% declines in median house values in Newman and Port Hedland, respectively, during 2014 they are still streets ahead of the rest of the country. Double digit price growth occurred in nine of the last fifteen years. Over the nine year period to December 2012, median house values increased by 9.1 and 5.5 times, respectively. And, even though there has been a spike in vacancy rates of late, rental yields remain well above average.
Kwinana is the highest ranked capital city LGA in Australia for total return over the period 2000 to 2014. The affluent Peppermint Grove ranked 184th.
Perth was the second best performing capital city over the 15-year period (behind Darwin). The median house value for Greater-Perth has increased from $248,583 as at the start of 2000 to $898,844 by December 2014. Over the 6 year period to December 2007, Greater-Perth’s median house value increased 2.89 times. 
You can view an infographic for the entire Western Australian Scorecard here.
<a href="/images/2015/08/13/StateScorecard_WA.1.JPG" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/08/13/StateScorecard_WA.1.JPG" alt="" width="559" height="551">
 
SIMON PRESSLEY is managing director of <a href="https://www.propertyology.com.au/" target="_blank">Propertyology</a>, a full-time property market analyst, accredited property investment adviser, and Australia’s (REIA) Buyer’s Agent of the Year (2012+2013+2014).
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Western Australia’s property market scorecard 2000-2014: Simon Pressley

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Ipswich houses are now in a rising market timeframe, according to the HTW August 2015 property clock.
And Mackay houses are now deemed by the valuers as in decline.  
 
<a href="/images/2015/08/10/Clock20-20August20201520Data-01.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/08/10/Clock20-20August20201520Data-01.png" alt="">
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Ipswich houses rising while Mackay is in decline: HTW August 2015 property clock

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While some of Adelaide’s fundamentals are solid, a big question mark hangs over an important industry sector. A distinct lack of economic drive continues to underwhelm. All things being equal, Adelaide’s property market is likely to follow a steady-as-she-goes path.
Greater-Adelaide’s average annual growth in median property values of 8.1% (houses) and 8.3% (apartments) for the last fifteen (15) years compares to Australia’s capital city average of 8.4% and 7.6%, respectively. The best performing Adelaide local government authorities over the last fifteen years were Port Adelaide Enfield (9.2%), Salisbury (9.0%), Campbelltown (8.8%), Marion (8.8%), Onkaparinga and Playford (both 8.5%).
With median house and apartment values of $533,000 and $333,000 respectively accommodation in Adelaide is the second most affordable of all Australian capital cities (after Hobart). This low entry price and the controlled rates of new housing supply meet two important investment fundamentals.
As strange as this may sound, the opening of the redeveloped Adelaide Oval in early 2014 played a significant role in creating an ‘energy’ which has improved Adelaide’s general sentiment.
Fundamentals like these plus a low interest rate environment has been the catalyst for growth in 2014 median property values of 6.1% (houses) and 4.0% (apartments). 
Adelaide’s 1.22 million people represents 72% of the entire state’s population. There are approximately 530,000 dwellings in Greater-Adelaide.
The future for Adelaide’s property market rests in the fate of its economy. South Australia’s key industries are manufacturing, agriculture, mining, and tourism. It also has a significant representation of defence force personnel.
Significant concerns beckon for manufacturing in the state. According to a report produced by University of Adelaide, 24,000 jobs will be lost in South Australia as a result of closures of car manufacturing plants by Ford (2016), Holden and Toyota (both 2017). A cloud also hangs over the careers of thousands of employees at Defence Material Organisation (DMO) and Australian Submarine Corporation (ASC) which play a major role in the manufacturing and maintenance of Australia’s military fleet.
A federal government white paper on Australia’s defence force published in 2011 flagged unprecedented levels of investment in military fleet expansion plus an increase in personnel; Adelaide was to be the primary beneficiary. Subsequent federal budget pressures and Australia’s obvious inability to compete on price with international manufacturers of equipment such as submarines means that neither of these bold targets would come close to being realised.
A significant economic boost is needed to increase demand for goods and services in South Australia. While there is an abundance of opportunities to leverage its agriculture and tourism industries off the Asian Century there is nothing tangible at present to suggest that prosperity is just around the corner.
South Australia’s unemployment figures have consistently been trending above the national average for some time. The job creation data for Greater-Adelaide contrasts the impressive 246,121 jobs created in 2011 to a net jobs loss of 71,813 in 2014. The north and west of Adelaide have the highest unemployment rates. 
Adelaide’s largest infrastructure project is the $2.1 billion Royal Adelaide Hospital. Once completed in 2016, an estimated 14,000 people will occupy the new medical precinct and adjoining university in the north-west corner of the CBD.
The $1.5 billion Adelaide Riverbank project is likely to commence in 2016. This major urban renewal project will further position the inner-north as a world class entertainment precinct with an expanded Festival Centre, an upgrade of Adelaide’s casino, new hotel, restaurants, and parking.
Construction on the new $900 million 3-lane super highway along South Road will commence this year. The project will reduce congestion along the southern corridor once completed late-2018.
The only other large project is the $1 billion expansion of the Adelaide Airport. In January 2015, the federal government signed off on funding for the project which includes increased terminal capacity, a 250-room hotel, and office complexes. 8,500 people already work in the airport precinct (the state’s largest employer); the expansion is expected to increase this to 17,500 by 2020.
Aside from these major infrastructure projects, the only thing currently on the horizon to stimulate Adelaide’s economy is the possible expansion of the Olympic Dam mine. Only time will tell whether BHP, the world’s biggest mining company, will finally bite the bullet after 30 years of planning and give the green light to the Olympic Dam mining expansion to create the World’s biggest mine. If this ever did occur there is potential for more than 10,000 new jobs to be based in Adelaide, directly working for BHP and indirectly providing support services.
The long term subdued nature of Adelaide’s economy is directly reflected in South Australia’s modest population growth figures – an average of 1.0 % per annum over the last decade compared to a 1.7% national average. 
When Propertyology zoomed the microscope in for a closer look at population figures of the eighteen (18) individual LGA’s which make up Greater-Adelaide, it became apparent that the highest growth is in the LGA of Adelaide City (3.8%). 
Building approval data also shows that the extra demand for accommodation in Adelaide City is being adequately supplied by a big spike in apartments (1,306 apartments approved during the eight months from July 2014 to February 2015). Hindmarsh and Woodville are two other locations with a notable increase in apartment approvals.
The next biggest increases in population growth have been further out in Playford LGA (2.2%), Port Adelaide (1.7%), Gawler (1.7%), and Salisbury (1.6%). 
Population growth is one thing however, employment opportunities is the biggest piece of the property investment puzzle. 9,000 of the job losses from the car manufacturing sector will be to residents of the northern Adelaide LGAs of Salisbury, Playford, Tee Tree Gully, and Port Adelaide Enfield. Residents of the Onkaparinga LGA in the south of Adelaide are also expected to lose 3,000 jobs from the demise of the car manufacturing industry. The DMO and ASC defence force factories are located in the suburb of Osborne. 
While Adelaide’s uninspiring economy is likely to continue to limit housing demand, building approval data shows that housing supply has been kept in check. There are approximately 530,000 existing dwellings in Greater-Adelaide. Generally speaking, between 6,000 and 8,000 new dwellings are approved each year. The highest volume of new housing stock are in Paradise, Gawler South, Craigmore, Davoren, Angle Vale, Enfield, Northgate, Windsor Gardens, Parafield Gardens, Salisbury North, Aldinga, and Seaford.
With housing affordability as the pillar of Adelaide’s property market, and provided housing supply remains in check, Propertyology expects the Adelaide market to produce steady growth again in 2015. 
Unfortunately, the Adelaide market beyond 2016 looks somewhat gloomy. The pending challenges with Adelaide’s manufacturing sector are significant; government intervention is required. Propertyology’s current expectations is that employment opportunities are likely to significantly diminish and pressure on property values will go with it. 
<a href="/images/2015/08/10/Adelaide_CarManufacturing_LGAs.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/08/10/Adelaide_CarManufacturing_LGAs.jpg" alt="">
 
Simon Pressley is Managing Director of <a href="https://www.propertyology.com.au" target="_blank">Propertyology</a>, a REIA Hall Of fame Inductee, property market analyst, accredited property investment adviser and Buyer’s Agent.
 
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Adelaide property market just steady as she goes: Simon Pressley

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Following from my earlier post I want to look further at the important role of creative place making as a vigorous part of the project development and marketing mix. To do so let’s examine three core areas that are commonly used to help define ‘place making’ and see how they combine to help structure the sort of places (communities and neighbourhoods) where people want to live.
After all, that’s the fundamental aim of every project we take to the market and help to develop.
Social Offering
The social offering of a development, either a medium or high density project or a new housing estate is tied to the identity of the area and a good social offering, as part of place making, does doubtless establish a valuable and tangible competitive advantage.
When looking for a positive social offering we will rely upon two main areas, infrastructure (nothing surprising there) and how people then relate to and use an area. It’s that vibe you feel in an area, the feeling of a genuine community that’s come about because of a grassroots organic process.
Infrastructure is so important because this impacts the things people are able to do in an area, and how they live and use the area as part of their daily activity and lives. Visitors will have a different affinity, but still infrastructure will determine the quality of everyone’s engagement with an area, and in-turn the individual developments.
However when referring to infrastructure we need to look beyond the hard areas like key services (schools, shops and transport for example) and consider the wide social offering of an area including the arts.
Social infrastructure will vary between an inner-city brownfield location and a new greenfield location, but both will offer opportunity for community engagement and the arts can be used to seed that for new projects and residents. Mixed-use developments do have an advantage in that they will often be of a scale that includes new social, at times culturally and arts focused projects.
Openness
This is a significant area, it’s a big subject, that results in an area making people feel welcome and comfortable, a simple idea I agree, but as the density of our cities increases, this is a key to creating well-rounded communities.
Openness as part of place making is very much tied up in the demographics of an area, and as demographics shift there can be challenges involved. It’s not so much an area that a developer can directly create or deliver, but comes about more as a result of planning, although the product mix of a building does play a role.
When we think about demographics, a mixed profile is most often seen as the best outcome, a mix of ages and family types is good so that the neighbourhood is not narrowly fixed on one demographic. We want the area to say ‘please come and live here or visit, you’re welcome.’
Putting this another way, we want people to feel comfortable and welcome in an area, in a new project and this is a point that can be kept in mind in the planning and design of projects. Also as the demographics of a suburb change we already see openness linked to the areas such as ageing in place and affordability, both have a part to play, and they’re big topics in themselves.
Appearances
The appearance of a project is the most positive and visible and important expression of ‘place making’ because it’s here we address the aesthetics of the built environment, the public and accessible parts of a project. It’s also an area where developers can take the lead.
With a small project this could be limited to the main residents foyer, connecting the building to the street, while for larger projects there’s often the ability to create a big impact via open plaza areas, parks, shops, cafes and community facilities, the bigger the project the bigger the potential impact.
This same area would also include the common areas of any development, and while these areas are not usually open to full public access, common areas do set the tone and character of a project and are an essential part of a building’s appeal. Common areas are even more important to buyers, as apartments are tending to get smaller.
These areas are often the glamour stars of marketing material and I think with any size project, buyers always pay a lot of attention to the quality and presentation of common areas, creating a sense of arrival and status.
Looking for a suitable way to sum up the importance of appearance, as a key to creative place making is not easy. It’s an important area, essential really and usually involves a major investment, not only by a project developer, but also frequently by the local councils and government. For the City of Sydney this is a big focus.
Aesthetics, design and appearance can create a valuable reputation for a building and an entire area, and no matter the scale I think if the residents and visitors feel proud of an area then that’s a tick for all involved.
Creative place making then involves a wide range of interesting topics from the arts to demographics, and in the constant rush of high demand and rising prices this topic still deserves our attention. The feeling of place after all will survive varied market conditions and mark the quality and appeal of where we spend our daily lives.
Read the first part of Peter's post here.
Peter Chittenden is managing director for residential of Colliers International. He can be contacted <a href="https://www.projectagenda.com.au/" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Creative place making Part Two: Peter Chittenden

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A crackdown on speculative investor lending can only be good for the property market.
The pressure placed on banks by Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), to curb lending to investors, will ultimately create a more stable market and lessen any risk poised by speculative buyers.
It is hoped that the changes will also take some heat out of section of the Sydney and Melbourne property prices. 
We are not expecting it will create a big difference as population growth and an undersupply of homes should keep buyer demand in both markets strong.
Property remains a much more stable and secure investment than other assets.
And because of this investors have come to residential real estate significantly in the past couple of years, probably to the detriment of the equities market. 
Many are sophisticated and more in tune with the market than in the past because they are now able to undertake research or reengage real estate agents who are now` better informed on valuation and yields.
As long as they stay wary of speculative markets and stick with more stable markets where they can buy with a degree of confidence.
While nothing is without risks, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide are unlikely to see a dramatic increase in rental vacancies.
The reality is that people have to live somewhere and there remains a fundamental shortage in the major markets of properties versus population growth.
Investing in property offers a lower risk in comparison to other asset classes.
In the background, however, banks are beginning to lower their valuations to avoid excessive speculation with demand for property being strong. 
Investors are typically unemotional when buying assets; while owner-occupiers are buying a lifestyle.
You have to be very careful when creating a property portfolio that you are in line with the value of the asset as determined by market and the banks.
Typically investors will retract if there is talk around prices coming back or valuations being different to the market. They are rationale investors focused on yields and capital growth. 
The good news is most are well covered.
Even significant movement wouldn’t be enough to cause the sudden flow of distressed properties coming into the market.
Most property are not excessively geared and as long as they have income, investors will ride out any lows. 
 
Grant Harrod is chief executive office of JL Hooker.
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Property investors will ride out any market lows: Grant Harrod

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A preliminary draft plan for a $160 million retail park in the Sydney suburb of Bankstown has been released, with the public invited to submit their ideas until October 21.
The Preliminary Draft Major Development Plan for the Bankstown Business Estate is designed to make best use of surplus aviation land around Bankstown Airport, some 41 hectares of Commonwealth-owned land.
LEDA Holdings managing director Robert Ell said the disused land is a perfect fit for such a proposal.
“The site has been earmarked for commercial use for a long time,” Mr Ell said.
“The project would also fill a commercial gap, attracting some of the world’s top retail names and providing affordable shopping opportunities for locals.
"The impact on local residents should be negligible because the site is buffered by Bankstown Airport’s runways, existing commercial operations, local golf courses and the Georges River."
$50 million of the proposed development has been slated for local infrastructure upgrades.
Potential retail development could include a discount factory outlet, bulky goods retail, warehousing, medical and fitness tenants and lifestyle and entertainment facilities such as alfresco cafes, restaurants, bowling lanes and play centres.
For more information, go to the Bankstown Business Estate website <a href="https://www.bankstownbusinessestate.com/the-site/" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Preliminary Bankstown Business Estate project draft released

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Patchdale, the Burradoo residence of veteran radio operative George Buschman and his wife Belinda has been listed for sale.
The four bedroom, four bathroom retreat sits on <a href="https://www.drewlindsay.com.au/?property=patchdale-buradoo-new" target="_blank">6200 square metres of landscaped grounds</a>.
The Boost Media executive chairman paid $2.85 million when it was bought from veteran finance commentator Bryan Frith and his wife Faye in 2008.
Drew Lindsay and Karl Zabel of Drew Lindsay Real Estate have given it an asking price of $3.5 million.
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Patchdale, Burradoo listed at $3.5 million

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Ray White Group joint chairman <a href="https://twitter.com/brwhite" target="_blank">Brian White</a> says Ray White’s $3.8 billion June result almost broke the May record of $4 billion.
"These figures in winter months?
"Winter is a time for hiatus in the property market isn’t it?," he posted in his monthly blog.
"Our tradition has been to break records in spring and summer and hold on during winter as spring marketing campaigns start to build.
"But there is an urgency in the markets today that we haven’t seen in most careers," noting the only sobering data was in the current market in Perth.
"Just a year or so ago, Perth was in full flight, but the dramatic reversal in the resources industry has clearly had an impact on confidence and jobs in that state, reflected in a market nowhere resembling its eastern state cousins."
Ray White offices such as Double Bay in Sydney are now reaching close to $100 million sales per month, with an ambition to have a $1 billion year within their sights.
Reflecting the driving inner city markets, Ray White’s new offices are in Spring Hill and North Quay in Brisbane and in Sydney new offices in Darlinghurst and Circular Quay.
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Ray White's Brian White sees buyer urgency in winter property markets

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New housing supply is expected to outpace demand mid 2018 with investors, upgraders and downsizers predicted to drive the national market during the short term.
BIS Shrapnel's Building in Australia 2015-2030 report, based on household formation per thousand of people, noted after sustained period of underbuilding, new dwelling supply is now exceeding demand and predicts the national deficiency will have been largely satisfied by 2018.
BIS Shrapnel associate director Dr Kim Hawtrey said national activity is forecast to begin trending down over the following three years (from 2014/15), with the 'high-flying apartments sector leading the way down'.
“After recording strong growth over the past few years, we estimate that total dwelling starts reached just over 210,000 in 2014/15, an all-time record high,” Dr Hawtrey said.
“Low interest rates have unlocked significant pent up demand and underpinned the current boom in activity, but as population growth slows while construction activity remains strong, new supply will begin to outpace demand.
"This will see the national deficiency of dwellings gradually eroded and some key markets will begin to display signs of oversupply.”
<a href="/images/2015/07/22/bis.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/07/22/bis.jpg" alt="" width="1248" height="769">
The report said despite a sharp decline in 2014/15 (-13%) non-residential building commencements are expected to bounce back in 2015/16 (+10%) to $33.42 billion (constant 2012/13 prices).
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