<p><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sekisui-house-australia">Sekisui House Australia</a> recently welcomed residents into Uno and Duo, marking the completion of the penultimate stage of its $1.2 billion West Village precinct in Brisbane's West End.</p>

<p>There are only two opportunities remaining in the two-tower stage known as The Allere Collection. Duo is fully sold out, but two penthouses have just been released in the sister tower Uno.</p>

<p>The sprawling penthouses, measuring upward of nearly 350 sqm, have been designed by renowned architecture firm Rothelowman to focus on multi-generational living. One penthouse has four bedrooms, the other five, as well as several living areas. A second entry to the apartments make them ideal for those with several generations living under one roof, allowing for greater independence and flexibility within the same home, an increasingly sought-after feature among extended families looking to remain connected without compromising privacy.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=114215 project_image_fid=5703]</p>

<p>Built by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/hutchinson-builders">Hutchinson Builders</a>, one of the best in the construction game, Duo forms part of a connected, pet-friendly vertical community that brings together two architecturally aligned towers with shared rooftop amenity.</p>

<p>Rothelowman Principal Jeff Brown previously described the design philosophy as centred on connection.</p>

<p>“When thinking of ways to nourish a soul one needs connection to self, to nature and to community,” Brown said.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=114215 project_image_fid=204874]</p>

<p>That ethos is expressed through Duo’s rooftop offering, which includes a pool and heated spa framed by mature planting, a private dining room and residents’ lounge, and BBQ facilities. On the lower levels, residents have access to&nbsp;work-from-home spaces, a workshop, and a pet parlour.</p>

<p>The rooftop captures views across the Brisbane River and back toward the city skyline, positioning it as both a retreat and a social anchor for residents.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=114215 project_image_fid=364091]</p>

<p>Owners in Duo also have access to Uno’s rooftop amenities, effectively doubling the shared facilities within the community. At Uno, residents can use a second rooftop pool, additional private dining and entertaining areas, a teppanyaki grill, and the Paw Pavilion, an off-leash space designed for residents’ dogs. The reciprocal access reinforces the project’s “vertical neighbourhood” model, where common areas are intended to extend the footprint of each apartment.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=114215 project_image_fid=5710]</p>

<p>The Allere Collection sits within West Village, a 2.6-hectare mixed-use precinct just 800 metres from the Brisbane CBD. Delivered progressively since 2016 on the former Peters Ice Cream factory site, the masterplan now integrates heritage buildings, retail and dining, health and wellness providers, and open green space into an established inner-west address.</p>

<p>Sekisui has released the final stage of the development, Callista on Park, set to be completed in Q2 next year. With the first release now 95 per cent sold out, limited large-scale three- and four-bedroom residences remain, priced from $2.6 million.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=114215]</p>


Joel Robinson

Allere Collection residents move in as multi-award winning West Village enters its final chapter

<p>Construction is underway at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/yarraville-green-42-stephen-street-yarraville-vic-3013">Yarraville Green</a>, the boutique residential development by <a>Excelon Projects</a> on Stephen Street in Yarraville, following the appointment of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/balmain-co">Balmain &amp; Co</a> as builder.</p>

<p>The milestone marks a significant step forward for the 53-residence project, designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/six-degrees-architects">Six Degrees Architects</a> with landscape architecture by Simone Bliss Landscape Architects, conceived around a strong focus on community, craftsmanship and connection to nature.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/excelon-projects">Excelon Projects</a>’ vision brings together 41 one, two and three-bedroom apartments and 12 townhomes arranged around a central landscaped garden, prioritising liveability in a low-rise, low-density format.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297728]</p>

<p>Open-air corridors, a light-filled lobby and generous setbacks are intended to enhance day-to-day comfort while reinforcing the development’s community-oriented design approach.</p>

<p>Car parking has been located underground to prioritise shared green space and pedestrian movement through the site, allowing the landscaped garden to form the central organising element of the development.</p>

<p>Interiors incorporate custom pieces by Melbourne makers including leadlight pendants by Adadaz, hand-turned timber door handles by Auburn Woodturning, and blown-glass lighting by Ruth Allen, embedding a layer of local craftsmanship throughout the homes.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297736]</p>

<p>Sustainability has also informed the design approach, with Yarraville Green targeting an average 7-star NatHERS energy rating. Passive design measures such as cross-ventilation and thermal mass aim to reduce reliance on mechanical heating and cooling, while rooftop solar panels will supply power to common areas and harvested rainwater will be reused for landscape irrigation.</p>

<p>Positioned along the quiet, tree-lined Stephen Street, Yarraville Green sits between Yarraville and Seddon villages, placing residents within walking distance of cafés, dining, boutique retail and the Sun Theatre.</p>

<p>Seddon Station is also a short walk away, ideal for residents seeking an inner-west address with strong amenity and transport connections.</p>

<p>Completion of Yarraville Green is anticipated in 2027.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=144913]</p>


Balmain & Co appointed builder as construction begins at Excelon Projects’ Yarraville Green

<p>A long-stalled Mermaid Beach development site opposite Pacific Fair, previously earmarked for a twin-tower project, is set for a fresh development push with plans for a major mixed-use residential tower.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Billionaire garbo Ian Malouf's development company, REMI Residences, is proposing Project Elegance, a 44-storey tower with over 270 residential apartments and 88 short-term accomodation units at&nbsp;2065 Gold Coast Highway, Mermaid Beach, on the corner of Mermaid Avenue.</p>

<p>Malouf paid $23.76 million for the 3,783 sqm site in 2022, six years after it traded for $34.1 million when it was bought by Hubei United Investment Group.</p>

<p><br />
<span aria-label="First Look: REMI Developments plans major mixed-use tower with 360 apartments at stalled Mermaid Beach site image widget" contenteditable="false" role="region" tabindex="-1"><img alt="First Look: REMI Developments plans major mixed-use tower with 360 apartments at stalled Mermaid Beach site" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" data-widget="image" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Mermaid%20Beach%20da%20podium.png?VersionId=yRYSSPItvCA5ZeQ49LlwkQYVn7OhEqIC" /><span style="background: url(&quot;https://d9.urban.com.au/core/assets/vendor/ckeditor/plugins/widget/images/handle.png&quot;) rgba(220, 220, 220, 0.5); top: -15px; left: 0px;"><img alt="" data-entity-type="" data-entity-uuid="" draggable="true" height="15" role="presentation" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw==" title="Click and drag to move" width="15" /></span></span></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The design statement by DKO says Project Elegance "represents a holistic response to its coastal and urban context. It draws upon site, climate, and landscape to create a composed architectural outcome that prioritises occupant experience, public interface, and long-term viability via vibrant and active uses."</p>

<p>They say the subject site&nbsp;occupies a distinctive island parcel with three street frontages and prominent visual exposure to passing visitors.</p>

<p>"This unique position allows the development to form a panoramic dialogue with water and city, setting the foundation for a climate-responsive, site-specific architectural expression.&nbsp;The podium base, inspired by the region’s sandstone headlands and coastal setting, and adopts a sculpted and grounded character that provides a stable counterpoint to the slender tower above."</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="First Look: REMI Developments plans major mixed-use tower with 360 apartments at stalled Mermaid Beach site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4f088e10-6493-49d4-83cd-10fc039318ac" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Mermaid%20Beach%20da%20tower.png?VersionId=Sbglj0tNBqyvY5V_DlVH.bvjXi8kBbfl" /></p>

<p>Residents and guests would have access to multiple communal recreation levels. Plans include a shared recreation deck on level six, with a pool and three padel courts. There will be a residential-only pool on level seven, and an upper-level communal space only accessible by those buyers towards the top of the tower.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ground-floor commercial spaces are proposed to operate between 5am and midnight, contributing to an activated street frontage along the busy Gold Coast Highway corridor.</p>

<p>The site sits within the High Density Residential zone and a Light Rail Urban Renewal Area, where planning policy encourages higher-density development close to transport infrastructure and services. The planning report states the project aims to “ensure the efficient reuse of this centrally located property” and support the transformation of inner-city areas into “more vibrant, compact, interesting, connected and active” precincts.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The proposal marks the latest attempt to unlock the high-profile parcel, which previously carried approval for the “Elegance” twin-tower development, a project that included more than 500 apartments but ultimately stalled after sales activity ceased in 2019.</p>

<p>REMI Developments has been increasingly active in the Gold Coast property market, with the Malouf-led group positioning itself around premium residential and lifestyle-focused projects as the region continues to attract both interstate buyers and international interest.</p>

<p>Malouf is one of Australia's most impressive entrepreneurs, having sold his waste business fore more than $500 million, having started only with a small truck at 18 years old.</p>


First Look: Billionaire Ian Malouf plans Mermaid Beach tower

<p data-end="346" data-start="96">A State Significant Development proposal from Ecove Group could see two high-rise residential towers developed above an ALDI-anchored retail podium in Gordon.</p>

<p data-end="596" data-start="353">The 28-storey towers, dubbed Eight 10, would become the tallest in the sleepy Upper North Shore suburb, which has been stirred by changes to the Low to Mid-Rise Housing Policy aimed at triggering greater density around transport hubs.</p>

<p data-end="811" data-start="603">Ecove Group’s plans for 810 Pacific Highway, a 2,357 sqm site around 400 metres from Gordon railway station, include 180 apartments, 39 of which would be dedicated as affordable housing.</p>

<p data-end="811" data-start="603">Architecture firm PBD said in its Design Report the site "presents an exciting opportunity to positively contributes to the surrounding context, enhances the overall urban experience."</p>

<p><img alt="First Look: Ecove lodges State Significant Development plans for dual-tower “Eight 10” project at 810 Pacific Highway, Gordon" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e50141fa-fb0b-44b3-bf9b-c6d87b993c3b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Eight%2010%20podium.png?VersionId=YTgQPBxNnmQwr6x2AJSpVZ1COqa.9oLQ" /></p>

<p>The site previously received approval for a development comprising 56 apartments above retail in 2018.</p>

<p>PBD noted in its report that the planning&nbsp;context for the site has "evolved significantly since the original consent was issued."</p>

<p>In April 2024, the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) identified the site as being located within a Transport Oriented Development (TOD) precinct. In parallel, Ku-ring-gai Council progressed a preferred planning framework for Gordon Town Centre, including proposed amendments to the Ku-ring-gai Local Environmental Plan 2015 (KLEP 2015).</p>

<p><img alt="First Look: Ecove lodges State Significant Development plans for dual-tower “Eight 10” project at 810 Pacific Highway, Gordon" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="cf65fb26-a163-41ea-a4d3-8ddbeabd67e4" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Eight%2010%20MAP.png?VersionId=vrQJzXSg3xRH.APBmtth5mA2adPmUPjc" /></p>

<p>PBD said the proposed development "responds to the amended KLEP 2015 and, in addition, seeks to utilise the floor space ratio and height incentives available under Chapter 2, Part 2, Division 1 of the State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021."</p>

<p>Late last year the first project in Gordon through the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority was approved. That was for 106 apartments across two connected seven to eight-storey buildings.</p>


Ecove plans 28-storey apartment towers in Gordon

<p><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/graya">Graya</a> has set its sights on one of Brisbane’s scarce remaining riverfront development opportunities.</p>

<p>They have spent $17 million on an 810 sqm site across 16-18 Sandford Street, where it is planning SILK, a 15-storey apartment tower with just 22 apartments.</p>

<p>Planning documents outline a single tower designed to take advantage of the site’s northerly outlook toward the river and Brisbane CBD.</p>

<p>There will be eight two-bedrooms and 14 three-bedroom apartments on offer, each either half- or full-floor.</p>

<p><img alt="Graya" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="059e1aa4-695c-4556-bafa-e8b5970c06f5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-03-12%20at%203.07.50%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=tEqwv_m8HYhrXSCStOMFHvGZZ5WgKfEx" /></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to the Town Planning Assessment, the proposal "showcases a high quality architectural and landscape design outcome that is enhanced by the amenity of the Brisbane River… and provides a subtropical design response that celebrates Brisbane’s climate and lifestyle.”</p>

<p>Ground level includes landscaped communal areas facing the river alongside a gym and outdoor garden space, while the rooftop terrace will feature multiple leisure amenities like swimming pools,&nbsp;dining and barbecue facilities, as well as outdoor relaxation and yoga spaces.</p>

<p><img alt="Graya" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="93982dbb-9f27-409b-a319-bd6f458f9ea7" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-03-12%20at%203.09.05%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=gCaaW82pEBxMvXkVkEm4TC_o7_UXA82p" /></p>

<p>Architecturally, the tower form draws inspiration from the movement of water along the river edge. Design documentation describes the building as “a form sculpted by flow, shaped by shifting water,” with curved forms, varied materiality, and sculptural elements used to soften the building’s visual bulk. Sandstone, an iconic material throughout St Lucia, is reinterpreted through a mix of refined and split-face textures across the façade.</p>

<p>The Sandford Street frontage is intended to present an articulated façade featuring vertical landscaping and sculptural architectural elements, helping the tower integrate with the evolving high-density character of the riverfront strip while maintaining visual interest from both the street and river corridor.</p>

<p>Graya has continued to expands its footprint across South East Queensland, with projects under construction across both Brisbane and the Gold Coast.</p>


GRAYA unveils plans for SILK in St Lucia

Statistics

<html><body>
<div><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Statistics fatigue</span></strong></div>
<div> </div>
<div>I've been suffering from quite heavily from a case of DSF recently - Demographic Statistics Fatigue.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>After putting the data series on hold for months, the statistics bureau has been releasing monthly data in rapid-fire succession in recent weeks. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>A bit like London buses, you wait seemingly ages for one to come along, and then...</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Anyway, we're nearly up to speed now with the May 2015 <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/Lookup/3401.0Main+Features1May%202015?OpenDocument" target="_blank">Overseas Arrivals and Departures</a> figures having been released.</div>
<div>
<br>Rather than re-cap on old ground too much, I'll just make four short observations here, starting with...</div>
<div> </div>
<div><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">1 - Migration slowing</span></strong></div>
<div>
<br>Firstly, net overseas migration on a rolling annual basis has continued to slow through 2015. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>With the economy moving through something of a sticky patch, population growth in Australia slowed from a massive 396,200 in calendar year 2013 to a somewhat more sedate 330,200 in 2014.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The latest figures suggest that net overseas migration into Australia will be slower again in 2015.</div>
<p><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P2laFJ2BRIQ/VbCdbx7Jo9I/AAAAAAAAXHc/vimFTm3OtTQ/s1600/A1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<div class="separator"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P2laFJ2BRIQ/VbCdbx7Jo9I/AAAAAAAAXHc/vimFTm3OtTQ/s1600/A1.jpg"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P2laFJ2BRIQ/VbCdbx7Jo9I/AAAAAAAAXHc/vimFTm3OtTQ/s640/A1.jpg" width="640" height="286"></a></div>
<p> </p>
<div>While property observers in particular seem to love to see rampant headcount growth at any cost, the reduced population growth rate of 1.4 per cent that we have seen through 2014 has had one major benefit in particular.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>And that benefit is that over past year the economy has been stacking on new jobs faster - much faster - than the rate of population growth - with an employment growth rate of 1.9 per cent, or just shy of 225,000 new jobs.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Indeed, since October alone the economy has added more than 205,000 new jobs, which in turn has seen the rate of total employment growth over recent months romping along at nearly <strong><em>twice </em></strong>the rate of the growth in population.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Perhaps unsurprisingly, therefore, the unemployment rate has fallen from 6.3% at the beginning of the year to 6.0 per cent.<br><br>
</div>
<div>The latest Reserve Bank Board Meeting Minutes suggested that we may even see the unemployment rate falling further from this point, thereby contradicting earlier forecasts which had expected unemployment to run up to a peak of 6.5% in this cycle.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>And long may this particular dynamic continue.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>You can read more about employment growth and where it is (and isn't) taking place in Australia here. </div>
<p><br><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">2 - Rebalancing underway</span></strong></p>
<div> </div>
<div>The Australian dollar has now declined from a mining-boom-inspired peak of around 110 US cents to below 74 cents.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>It seems likely that the Aussie dollar will need to fall further too, in order to help the rebalancing of the economy.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>This depreciation of the currency will have a major impact on demographic trends.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>In short, fewer and fewer Aussies will be inclined to travel and holiday overseas, while more and more folk from foreign fields will see Australia as an attractive destination for a visit.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Indeed, this enormous benefit to the tourism services industry is already well underway.</div>
<div>
<br>While it may sound like jargon, the ratio of short term departures to short term arrivals has declined to its lowest level in years. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>In plain English, more tourists are now coming to Oz, and fewer Aussies are taking overseas trips.</div>
<p><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-amAhvKUtOUs/VbChJ_9a81I/AAAAAAAAXIE/iIONagTCWqc/s1600/a6.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<div class="separator"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-amAhvKUtOUs/VbChJ_9a81I/AAAAAAAAXIE/iIONagTCWqc/s1600/a6.jpg"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-amAhvKUtOUs/VbChJ_9a81I/AAAAAAAAXIE/iIONagTCWqc/s640/a6.jpg" width="640" height="278"></a></div>
<p> </p>
<div>Looked at another way, the number of short term arrivals into Australia has blazed well past 7 million for the first time on record.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>And while the tide has only turned slowly to date, fewer Aussies are now electing to take overseas trips. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>The two lines representing these trends on the chart will meet again, possibly sooner than we think, and in time Australia will once again see a net inflow of short term demographic movements.</div>
<div> </div>
<div><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZLJHtYv4c5A/VbCdb5AdEcI/AAAAAAAAXHw/CXxv0GdI6RA/s1600/a2.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<div> </div>
<div class="separator"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZLJHtYv4c5A/VbCdb5AdEcI/AAAAAAAAXHw/CXxv0GdI6RA/s1600/a2.jpg"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZLJHtYv4c5A/VbCdb5AdEcI/AAAAAAAAXHw/CXxv0GdI6RA/s640/a2.jpg" width="640" height="284"></a></div>
<p><br><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">3 - Chinese...and Kiwi visitors!</span></strong></p>
<div>The most notable of all demographic trends has been the incredible explosion in Chinese visitors to Australia, an obvious precursor to what lies ahead in terms of permanent migration.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Over the last year there have been 1.25 million visitors from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, and the latest data suggests that these extraordinary figures are set to accelerate plenty higher still in due course.</div>
<p><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pgaRYzF4V4o/VbCdbz-kJqI/AAAAAAAAXHY/QczN1Dsy7Rk/s1600/a3.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<div class="separator"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pgaRYzF4V4o/VbCdbz-kJqI/AAAAAAAAXHY/QczN1Dsy7Rk/s1600/a3.jpg"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pgaRYzF4V4o/VbCdbz-kJqI/AAAAAAAAXHY/QczN1Dsy7Rk/s640/a3.jpg" width="640" height="280"></a></div>
<p> </p>
<div>Chinese migrants are settling in Australia too, with 18,550 settlers in the year to May - essentially as high a figure as we have seen to date - while there were also a record 19,930 settlers hailing from India over the same 12 month period.</div>
<div>
<br>Watch this space, as these numbers are growing apace.</div>
<p><span>Indeed, the number of settlers hailing from Asia is now overwhelming compared to the numbers from all other continents - outnumbering European migrants by a ratio of five to one, for example.</span></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">Much has been made of the rapidly diminishing numbers of settlers from Oceania (essentially New Zealand), with permanent migrants effectively having halved since 2012. </span></p>
<div>There are also ever fewer Britons emigrating to Australia at present as the UK economy has become an "incredible job-creating machine" over the past few years.<br><br>
</div>
<div>For all that, it's worth noting that there were well over 1.25 million short-term arrivals from New Zealand over the past year - a record high - so it's hardly all one way traffic, bro.<br><br>
</div>
<div><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j2_ZEM-cr5A/VbCddFNBaPI/AAAAAAAAXHs/qZZIxA2adOA/s1600/a5.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></div>
<p><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j2_ZEM-cr5A/VbCddFNBaPI/AAAAAAAAXHs/qZZIxA2adOA/s1600/a5.jpg"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-j2_ZEM-cr5A/VbCddFNBaPI/AAAAAAAAXHs/qZZIxA2adOA/s640/a5.jpg" width="640" height="280"></a><br><br></p>
<div>At the same time there were also a record 567,100 American visitors enjoying the turnaround in exchange rate in Australia over the past year...the delayed Oprah effect.</div>
<p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">4 - Record foreign students</span></strong></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">Recent data from Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) liaison projects a huge ramp up in the number of foreign students in Australia over the years ahead, one of Australia's fast-growing "export" industries.</span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;"> </span></p>
<div>In fact, this is already happening, with Chinese students playing a major role here too. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>The first quarter of 2015 witnessed record enrolments of foreign students in Australia.</div>
<p><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_yQJnV4-_2c/VbCdcgG3JfI/AAAAAAAAXHk/HTPWS2Z482s/s1600/a4.jpg" target="_blank"> Click to enlarge</a></p>
<div class="separator"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_yQJnV4-_2c/VbCdcgG3JfI/AAAAAAAAXHk/HTPWS2Z482s/s1600/a4.jpg"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_yQJnV4-_2c/VbCdcgG3JfI/AAAAAAAAXHk/HTPWS2Z482s/s640/a4.jpg" width="640" height="280"></a></div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator">The RBA data also confirmed that most foreign students are overwhelmingly bound for Sydney and Melbourne.</div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The wrap</span></strong></div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator">The main themes here are that we can expect population growth in 2015 again to be slower than it has been in recent years.</div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator">This slowdon has clearly had a positive effect on the unemployment rate to date, and it is hoped that if the economy continues to add jobs at the pace it has been since October the unemployment rate may fall into a range with a "5 handle".</div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator">The other obvious theme here which stands out is the sheer dominance of migration from Asia, a story which is only set to grow in Australia over the decades ahead.</div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator">The role of Chinese investment in Australia in particular is set to be very material over the next five years.</div>
<div class="separator">
<p><span><em>PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of <a href="https://allenwargent.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">AllenWargent</a> property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">blogger</a>.</em><br></span></p>
<p><em>His latest book is <a href="https://www.bigskypublishing.com.au/Books/General-Interest/Four-Green-Houses--and-a-Red-Hotel/1015/productview.aspx" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Four Green Houses and a Red Hotel</a>.</em></p>
</div>
</body></html>

pwargent-M4siyDbqQY

Foreign student numbers and other demographic property investor trends: Pete Wargent

<html><body>
<p>As far back as 2015, there was a discernible shift in buyer sentiment throughout Melbourne's apartment market.</p>

<p>Articles over the course of 2015 <a href="/news/is-melbournes-apartment-boom-concentrated-in-the-inner-city">here</a>, <a href="/news/buyer-sentiment-what-the-market-is-telling-us">here</a> and <a href="/news/bellers-andrew-fawell-on-the-spring-property-market-and-prevailing-trends">here</a> from a variety of industry voices, combined with Apartments.com.au's accumulation of Project Database information confirmed that an increasing number of Melbourne apartment buyers favoured middle ring suburbs over the traditional CBD, Docklands and Southbank trio.</p>

<p>Industry consultancy Urbis <a href="/news/urbis-quantifies-the-apartment-shift-to-melbournes-middle-and-outer-suburbs">underlined this trend during 2017</a>, quantifying the increased push of apartments into Melbourne's middle and outer ring suburbs. This went hand in hand with investor grade apartment stock ceding to owner-occupied projects.</p>

<p>Now Urbis’ latest Apartment Essentials report for the December quarter 2017 once again confirms the continuing trend, albeit in a softer apartment market. Urbis assert that although new apartment project launches have further stagnated, the new sales rate has increased.</p>

<p>Urbis formulated its findings based upon 47 off the plan projects sampled in the December 2017 quarter, amounting to 9,692 apartments, in addition to keeping tabs on the status of 177 actively selling projects around Melbourne.</p>

<figure><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/image96_3.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Kokoda Property Group's The Mowbray is representative of in demand apartment living"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="363" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image96_3.jpg?itok=wvfp0bC8" title="Kokoda Property Group's The Mowbray is representative of in demand apartment living" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Kokoda Property Group's The Mowbray is representative of in demand apartment living</figcaption></figure><p>Urbis research shows that an expected slowdown in the third quarter of 2017 - due to stamp duty changes - did eventuate, although sales activity increased in the fourth quarter to near equivalent levels in the corresponding 2016 period.</p>

<p>Of the 47 surveyed projects selected from inner and middle Melbourne, 70% of projects managed to sell 70% or more of their available stock. </p>

<p>Existing stock was moved relatively easily due to the restricted release of new apartment projects across Melbourne. Urbis note that four new projects amounting to 1,828 apartments launched in inner Melbourne during the December quarter, which in terms of total apartment numbers comfortably outpaced the previous quarter.</p>

<h2>Bedroom breakdown</h2>

<p>Unsurprisingly two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments were the most popular product type in the December 2017 according to Urbis, accounting for 47% of sales. Single bedroom apartments with a car park were next in line, accumulating 23% of sales in the quarter.</p>

<blockquote>
<p> Both of these product types increased from the previous quarter, with fewer two-bedroom, one-bathroom and one-bedroom, zero car park apartments transacting compared to the previous quarter.</p>

<p>Two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments were the most popular product type in the Inner East, Inner South, Inner West and middle-ring precincts. However, the Inner North precinct recorded a majority of one-bedroom apartments with a car park and the Central precinct recorded the majority of sales of one-bedroom apartments without a car park.</p>
</blockquote>

<figure><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/meilleur_malvern.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Millieur Malvern's apartment formats target owner occupiers"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="266" src="/sites/urban.melbourne/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/meilleur_malvern.jpg?itok=z6zjKB_d" title="Millieur Malvern's apartment formats target owner occupiers" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Millieur Malvern's apartment formats target owner occupiers</figcaption></figure><h2>Apartments.com.au analysis</h2>

<p>There are currently 306 apartment projects noted as being at registrations or sales within the Apartments.com.au Project Database.</p>

<p>The trend in recent years has seen a greater number of developers gravitate to Stonnington and Boroondara above all other municipalities, where demand for quality owner-occupier stock as at its greatest. Suburbs such as Hawthorn, Kew, Malvern, Glen Iris and Toorak are all sporting a relatively high number of apartment projects available for purchase.</p>

<p>The overall Stonnington and Boroondara number of projects which are at sales but yet to reach construction stands at 55.</p>

<p>Comparatively Yarra, Moreland and Port Phillip and Moonee Valley combined have 59 apartment projects at sales.</p>

<h2>Urbis Melbourne Apartment Essentials Q4 2017 snapshot</h2>

<ul>
<li>Urbis assessed sales from 47 off the plan projects comprising a total dwelling stock of 9,692 apartments</li>
	<li>In 159 monitored selling projects in Inner Melbourne, over 16,000 apartments are in Presales (48%) and a further 35% have commenced construction.</li>
	<li>Urbis recorded 344 off the plan sales in the December 2017 quarter. Of these, 54% were in the Inner Melbourne area, while 46% were recorded in Melbourne’s middle ring.</li>
	<li>Within Inner Melbourne, 48% of sales were recorded in the Inner North Precinct, followed by the Central Precinct (21% sales), Inner East (18% of sales), Inner West (11% sales) and Inner South (2% sales).</li>
	<li>The weighted average sales price for the December 2017 quarter was $692,592 for the Inner Melbourne precincts and $588,114 for the middle ring.</li>
	<li>Two-bedroom, two-bathroom product accounted for 47% of total sales across Inner and Middle Melbourne, and 40% of total sales in Inner Melbourne (compared to 27% in the previous quarter). One-bedroom apartments across Inner and Middle Melbourne accounted for 35% of total sales, though this quarter a larger majority contained a car park.</li>
	<li>Four new projects amounting to 1,828 apartments launched in Inner Melbourne this quarter, compared to five new projects amounting to 1,119 units in the previous quarter.</li>
</ul>
</body></html>

silvermb

Urbis affirms Melbourne's affinity with the middle ring

<html><body>
<p>The correct answer to that question is: it's complicated.</p>

<p>On one hand if you look solely at the number of dwellings in developments, they are very much concentrated in the City of Melbourne + Fishermans Bend Renewal Area and the traditional high-density areas of inner Melbourne: Cities of Yarra, Stonnington and Port Phillip.</p>

<p>On the other hand if you are looking at the number of individual projects, regardless of the number of dwellings contained with in them, then the balance shifts. The centre of the city plus the traditional high-density areas of inner Melbourne make up 53% of all development projects within the Apartments.com.au project database, with the balance spread throughout what we deem to be the 'emerging' high-density areas of Melbourne and all other outer Local Government Areas.</p>

<p>Let's explain.</p>

<p>At the time of writing there are 805 projects listed in the project database and they can be broken into predominant use:</p>

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width: 100%;">
<thead><tr>
<th class="rtecenter" scope="col">Use</th>
			<th class="rtecenter" scope="col">Number of Projects</th>
		</tr></thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="rtecenter">Residential</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">724</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td class="rtecenter">Mixed Use*</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">49</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td class="rtecenter">Commercial</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">28</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td class="rtecenter">Hotel</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">4</td>
		</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>* Mixed use buildings are where there is substantial other uses, for instance a residential tower with hotel suites or service apartments. Residential regularly feature retail or food outlet space but the primary tower levels are of a single use and therefore recorded as Residential.</p>

<p>If we exclude the commercial an hotel-only buildings we're left with 773 buildings which feature, or will feature, dwellings for sale depending on how far the project progresses through the development cycle.</p>

<h2>The traditional high-density areas</h2>

<p>Next we have dwelling count data for the majority of residential / mixed-use projects and that totals 91,568 for the entire metropolitan area. This is for projects that are either at Planning Assessment, Approved, at Sales or Under Construction. We can break the City of Melbourne plus the three LGAs which are traditionally high-density areas of Melbourne down geographically as follows:</p>

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width: 100%;">
<thead><tr>
<th class="rtecenter" scope="col">Local Government Area / Precinct</th>
			<th class="rtecenter" scope="col">Number of Projects</th>
			<th class="rtecenter" scope="col">Number of Dwellings</th>
		</tr></thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="rtecenter">Melbourne + Fishermans Bend Urban renewal area</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">194</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">42,585</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td class="rtecenter">Yarra</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">84</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">6,154</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td class="rtecenter">Stonnington</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">74</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">5,667</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td class="rtecenter">Port Phillip (excluding Fishermans Bend)</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">56</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">4,443</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td class="rtecenter"><strong>Total</strong></td>
			<td class="rtecenter"><strong>408 (53% of metro)</strong></td>
			<td class="rtecenter"><strong>58,849 (64% of metro)</strong></td>
		</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>There is little doubt that Central Melbourne is seeing the lion's share of medium and high density development, especially when it comes to purely looking at the number of dwellings. Those four local governments are generally located with a 5km radius of Melbourne's GPO (with the exception of Stonnington: it does stretch much further east, but as most of its development activity is concentrated in the western half within the 5km radius I've included it in the above table).</p>

<h2>The emerging high-density areas and hotspots</h2>

<p>Next we have the 'emerging' high-density areas. They're characterised with existing population densities with roughly 4,000 people square kilometre or less located beyond the inner 5km radius of the GPO.</p>

<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width: 100%;">
<thead><tr>
<th class="rtecenter" scope="col">Local Government Area</th>
			<th class="rtecenter" scope="col">Number of Projects</th>
			<th class="rtecenter" scope="col">Number of Dwellings</th>
		</tr></thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="rtecenter">Maribyrnong</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">30</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">6,006</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td class="rtecenter">Moreland</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">52</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">4,702</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td class="rtecenter">Darebin</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">41</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">3,382</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td class="rtecenter">Manningham</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">24</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">2,998</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td class="rtecenter">Whitehorse</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">32</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">2,617</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td class="rtecenter">Boroondara</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">39</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">2,305</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td class="rtecenter">Moonee Valley</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">29</td>
			<td class="rtecenter">2,111</td>
		</tr>
<tr>
<td class="rtecenter"><strong>Total</strong></td>
			<td class="rtecenter"><strong>247 (32% of metro)</strong></td>
			<td class="rtecenter"><strong>24,121 (26% of metro)</strong></td>
		</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>The main conclusion I draw from the numbers in the emerging areas is that Melbourne's north and immediate west are the biggest development hotspots outside the inner-city, away from where the majority of people currently live in metropolitan Melbourne. The arc from Maribyrnong to Darebin has just as much development in the pipeline as Yarra, Stonnington and Port Phillip (excluding Fishermans Bend) combined.</p>

<p>While Whitehorse is very much an established middle-ring suburban area, the urban-friendly infrastructure - high-frequency rail and a solid connecting bus network - puts the LGA firmly in the emerging area which might over time pip Manningham for clubhouse leader in the eastern suburbs.</p>

<h2>The remainder</h2>

<p>118 projects and 9,798 medium and high-density dwellings is nothing to sneeze at; just ask cities like Adelaide or Canberra.</p>

<p>Greater Dandenong with just under 10% of the near-on 10,000 dwellings in the development pipeline can only increase from here given it is now either entirely surrounded by suburban areas or green belts.</p>

<h2>Conclusion</h2>

<p>It's tempting to say yes, Melbourne's apartment boom is concentrated in the inner city, but as the data shows it depends on the primary metric in use when attempting to draw a conclusion and it also depends on what your definition of the inner city is.</p>

<p>A final thing to take away from the data tables listed above is that while many of the LGAs in the emerging list straddle the inner-city and middle ring of suburbs, there is an enormous pipeline of development work contained in these areas.</p>

<p>Yes, the inner-city is a beast of a thing but it would be idiotic to completely ignore what's hapenning beyond 5km from the GPO; these areas are richest when it comes to existing residential amenity, services and infrastructure, and they're the areas which have multiple structure plan reviews underway and have likewise undergone planning zone reform.</p>
</body></html>

Statistics

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News

Statistics

Editor's Picks

Receive the latest news stories to your inbox

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News