The residential transformation of St Kilda Road is set to continue into with more new apartment plans for the sought-after boulevard.

Wing Tai Asia has lodged plans for a major residential tower at 464-466 St Kilda Road, replacing the former VACC House with an 18-storey mixed-use development designed around a retained heritage podium and a sculpted contemporary tower.

The proposal, prepared under Victoria’s Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway, would deliver 325 apartments and ground-floor retail across the prominent 4,653 sqm boulevard site in Melbourne’s St Kilda Road North Precinct.

The project centres on the adaptive reuse of the site’s heritage-listed VACC Building, an eight-storey office designed by Bernard Evans that has occupied the address for decades. Planning documents state the development would involve “carefully dismantling and conserving off-site the original metal fabric of the podium visible from St Kilda Road,” before reinstating it as the defining frontage of the new scheme.

Above the restored podium, Wing Tai is proposing a curvilinear residential tower. The scheme includes 172 one-bedroom apartments, 63 two-bedroom apartments, 66 three-bedroom apartments, and 24 four-bedroom apartments, alongside two ground-floor food and beverage tenancies fronting St Kilda Road.

The tower has been designed with substantial articulation and variable setbacks to minimise perceived bulk and maintain view corridors along the boulevard. Urbis, which prepared the planning report, said the design “has been significantly articulated through a curvilinear design” with “an interplay with materials, façade expression and depth” to create visual separation and visual interest.

The proposal also includes 254 basement car spaces, landscaped pedestrian links connecting St Kilda Road and Queens Lane, and a biophilic landscape strategy featuring canopy trees, raised planters, cascading greenery and a glass oculus pool overlooking the eastern frontage.

Planning documents confirm the $270.1 million development will contribute 3 per cent of project costs to the Social Housing Growth Fund as part of the application process.

Wing Tai acquired the St Kilda Road property in 2018 alongside Abacus Property Group for $95.38 million, before later consolidating ownership of the site. The property previously served as the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce headquarters for around 60 years.

The transformation of the St Kilda Rd boulevard is already beginning to materialise, with a number of high-profile projects recently completed, launched, or approaching launch as developers continue to back the long-term appeal of the precinct.

Among the most notable recent completions is Louise by Samuel Property Group, just off the strip on Queens Lane, the same pocket Hirsch &amp; Faigen recently launched The Queensbury. Mirvac is too on the same street with The Albertine, which is approaching completion.

Dexus recently secured approval for its slice of St Kilda Road, while Gurner also has approved plans for the precinct.

Joel Robinson

Wing Tai unveils 325-apartment St Kilda Road tower on former VACC House site

Malaysian developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/s-p-setia">SP Setia</a> is the latest to jump into St Leonards booming Transport Oriented Development precinct.

The developer, which has previously delivered Sapphire by the Gardens apartment development in Melbourne, identified the Atchison Street site in 2023. It filed a Scoping Report around 12 months ago, and now has revealed the designs for the new&nbsp;40-storey mixed-use tower.

The State Significant Development Application covers <a href="https://next-portal.urban.com.au/projects/14650/summary">20-22 Atchison Street</a>, a 1,374 sqm site positioned between St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, the project would deliver 181 apartments, above a four-storey commercial podium, five basement levels, and new public domain works along Mitchell Street. The apartment mix comprises 35 one-bedroom apartments, 39 one-bedroom-plus-study apartments, 85 two-bedroom apartments, and 22 three-bedroom residences.

The proposal has been lodged as a shop-top housing development under the NSW Government’s TOD planning pathway, which allows increased density around key transport infrastructure. The site sits within the recently rezoned Crows Nest Accelerated TOD Precinct.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b799673d-48e2-46b0-801a-0e33a9330100" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20site.png?VersionId=dPh0UfwfaHpbFL1R7H1cbZNbIW0CHbCC" />

SP Setia acquired the Atchison Street site as part of its continued expansion into the Australian apartment market. In comments made to City &amp; Country (The Edge Malaysia) in 2023, SP Setia President and CEO Datuk Choong Kai Wai described the acquisition as “a strategic move” aligned with the group’s post-pandemic market recovery strategy.

“Our target for this exceptional development is local and overseas buyers, including first-home buyers, downsizers and investors,” Choong said.

The tower has been designed as a slender vertical form rising from a mixed-use podium, with COX Architecture positioning the development as a response to the evolving St Leonards and Crows Nest skyline.

“The purpose of the project is to facilitate the delivery of high-quality housing at a strategically located site and deliver a built tower outcome that is consistent with the desired future character of St Leonards and aligns with the TOD controls,” the design report stated.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1a85eee-76f7-436c-a6da-73ba827b9b13" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20entry.png?VersionId=dA9jHGPMcm.dDbwk4QfxqWiY5bfh3UVt" />

The podium would incorporate retail uses fronting Atchison Street, commercial tenancies, landscaped communal areas, and pedestrian improvements along Mitchell Street. Vehicle access and loading would be consolidated via Atchison Lane.

Residents would have access to more than 665 sqm of communal indoor and outdoor spaces, while the development proposes 96 parking spaces across five basement levels.

The proposal also includes a commitment for 10 per cent of residential floor space to be allocated toward affordable housing through a monetary contribution.

COX said the tower form responds directly to the emerging high-density character of the precinct while seeking to maximise solar access, cross ventilation, and outlook from apartments.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2163f85c-f63b-4be3-aafa-f8763976cec5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29_5.png?VersionId=WiAmtIKJ6.ZQ41EtYEQ1fol7AeorKBlL" />

“The building is orientated towards north,” the Apartment Design Guide compliance report noted, adding that the tower’s slim form was driven by the constrained inner-urban site dimensions.

The design also incorporates landscaped setbacks and communal open space at podium level, intended to soften the interface with surrounding streets and improve pedestrian amenity.

The project adds to a growing wave of redevelopment proposals reshaping St Leonards and Crows Nest following the opening of the Sydney Metro City line and the NSW Government’s push for higher-density housing around major transport nodes.

Last week Stockland filed plans just down the road. They want to build a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/601-pacific-highway-st-leonards-nsw-2065">52-storey tower on Pacific Highway</a>.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">First look: Stockland plans 52-storey, 538-apartment St Leonards tower&nbsp;</a>

First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> has revealed plans for a new mixed-use tower at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham, advancing a proposal that would reshape the southern gateway to Newcastle’s city centre with one of the city’s tallest residential buildings.

The State Significant Development proposal, now on exhibition, seeks approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bowline-10-dangar-street-wickham-nsw-2293">43-storey tower</a> immediately adjacent to the Newcastle Interchange. The project would deliver around 200 apartments, including 42 affordable housing dwellings, alongside 99 co-living units, a 171-room hotel, retail space, and new public domain integrated through the site.

The scheme marks a significant escalation of plans previously approved for the site. Urban Property Group took over the prominent 2,904 sqm parcel, where excavation and demolition had already commenced under an earlier consent for a 14-storey mixed-use development.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="58a96dd9-407f-4d20-86b4-94e4bfeef74b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20podium.png?VersionId=LGlf08pdFGAZDzvx_CXC4XakHNZRuEE0" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, the tower has been conceived as a landmark transit-oriented development anchored to the Newcastle Interchange precinct. The proposal includes 245 build-to-sell apartments across a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom residences, as well as two penthouses. Fifteen apartments and one operational unit are earmarked for NDIS housing. The co-living component would add a further 99 units, while the podium would accommodate retail uses and hotel facilities.

SJB said the site presents “a valuable opportunity to anchor the precinct by setting the standard for design, active ground planes and character at the key southern gateway.”

The architecture responds directly to the site’s position beside major transport infrastructure and within one of Newcastle’s fastest-evolving urban renewal precincts. The tower form sits above a sculpted podium designed to frame new public spaces, including a through-site pedestrian link connecting Station Street to Hannell Street, landscaped plazas, and activated retail edges.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a7bd6ff0-f7db-4ce8-a6dc-ea56e72c6149" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20lanne.png?VersionId=xzf39VADyhj7zBQY2I9fx9vI62u2tuSb" />

The design report describes the project as part of the broader transition of Wickham into “a vibrant, high-quality mixed-use urban precinct” that leverages proximity to the station, open space, and regional connectivity.

A detailed public art strategy has also been prepared for the development. The strategy positions the project as “a transit-oriented development of state significance at the gateway to Newcastle’s city centre” and outlines a series of integrated artworks responding to Newcastle’s industrial and transport heritage.

Creative Road’s curatorial framework for the project, titled Unveil, draws on “stratified surfaces, carved volumes, and light-filled apertures” while referencing Newcastle’s transformation from an industrial city into a contemporary education and technology hub.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="77a882bb-14b1-4d28-99ff-9438e39508c0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20site.png?VersionId=cevgo_vN0eKPK78P8YcEu3mKPLkpFqE7" />

The proposal is being advanced through the NSW Housing Delivery Authority pathway after being declared State Significant Development in June 2025. The accompanying scoping report states the development aims to “maximise the site’s proximity to the Newcastle Interchange by delivering transit-oriented development” while increasing housing supply and affordable housing provision within the Newcastle LGA.

Urban Property Group’s plans align with the long-term strategic vision established under the Wickham Master Plan, which identified the interchange precinct as suitable for substantial uplift in height and density. The current proposal would significantly intensify that vision, positioning the tower among the tallest developments proposed for Newcastle.

The site sits immediately north of the Newcastle Interchange, bounded by Dangar Street, Hannell Street, and Charles Street. It is surrounded by a rapidly growing cluster of residential towers and mixed-use projects that have emerged following the completion of the light rail and transport interchange.

First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s latest tower at Wickham interchange

Bottega House has completed settlement of a landmark riverfront site in Macquarie Street, St Lucia, representing its first major Brisbane development.&nbsp;

Positioned on the banks of the Brisbane River, the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/180-macquarie-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">premium site at 180 Macquarie Street</a> features uninterrupted river frontage in one of Brisbane’s most tightly held residential precincts.&nbsp;

The proposed development, currently under assessment with Brisbane City Council, has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/mim-design">Mim Design</a> and will deliver a boutique collection of premium residences positioned specifically for owner occupiers and downsizers.&nbsp;

The residences are set to redefine luxury apartment living in the area, with a focus on architectural quality, refined finishes, landscape integration and elevated amenities including curated wellness facilities, resort-style pools and recreation spaces rarely seen in the local market.&nbsp;

Exclusive sales for the project will be led by Keenan &amp; Byrne, ahead of an anticipated launch later this year.&nbsp;

Bottega House Managing Director Nick Malloch said the project reflects the group’s ambition to deliver a highly curated residential offering within one of Brisbane’s most tightly held precincts.&nbsp;

“This is an incredibly rare riverfront opportunity and one we have approached with a long-term perspective,” Malloch said.&nbsp;

“Our vision from the outset was to create a boutique collection of residences that feel more like private homes than traditional apartments, with generous proportions, refined finishes and exceptional amenity throughout."

Malloch says there is a&nbsp;lack of premium owner-occupier stock of this quality in the market, particularly for downsizers wanting space, privacy and a true lifestyle offering without compromise.&nbsp;

"Demand is expected to be strong given the scarcity of premium riverfront opportunities of this nature within Brisbane’s inner-west."&nbsp;

Bottega House secures landmark riverfront site in St Lucia 

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The arrival of the first piling rig officially marks the commencement of construction at SIERA’s new beachside apartment development, Exhale, in Northcliffe.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/exhale-surfers-paradise-8-enderley-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Exhale</a>, a glass-encased tower featuring 54 large-scale apartments at 8 Enderley Avenue, is SIERA’s third Gold Coast development. It follows the recently completed PIPIS Bilinga beachfront project, which achieved suburb-record prices, and the soon-to-be-completed Chevron Island development, Tapestry.

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<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/siera">SIERA</a> Founder and Managing Director Brent Thompson said the arrival of the piling rig represented a significant milestone for the development, which is scheduled for completion in late 2028.

Over the next month, around 260 piles are expected to be installed as work progresses on the basement structure. The building is anticipated to rise above ground level early next year, before unveiling its sculptural glass curtain wall, developed in collaboration with specialist façade engineers.

“The façade was designed to maximise panoramic coastal views while creating a distinctive architectural identity,” Thompson said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=355935]

Designed by BDA Architecture, Exhale will comprise just 54 two- and three-bedroom residences across 26 levels, a level of low-density living rarely delivered in this beachside pocket between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.

The project has been conceived as a resident-only building, with no short-stay accommodation permitted. SIERA says the model is intended to appeal to long-term owner-occupiers rather than transient holiday demand.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=361052]

Residences have been designed with large-format layouts and expansive glazing, with most apartments featuring more than 30 metres of glass frontage to maximise natural light and ocean views.

The amenity offering spans two levels and centres on wellness and lifestyle, including a heated magnesium pool, sauna, yoga and Pilates studio, gymnasium, private dining facilities, cinema lounge, and dedicated surfcraft storage.

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More than half of the apartments have already sold. SIERA has also opened a sales gallery for Exhale at its Chevron Island commercial premises, near its Tapestry tower and the site of its second Chevron Island apartment development, which is slated to launch in early 2027.
</section>
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SIERA kicks off construction at Northcliffe tower Exhale

Surfers Paradise

Multi-billion-dollar developer GURNER™ has secured a deal which is believed to be one of the largest institutional-grade capital investments into a residential developer in Australia.&nbsp;

&nbsp;The $1.75 billion fund for its Build-to-Sell (BTS) business, comes off the back of an unprecedented institutional placement of capital totalling $400 million from a global institutional investor to develop BTS across Australia.

The deal will allow the business to add an additional $1.75 billion in projects to its $10 billion pipeline of current and future projects across its BTS interests.

The institutional capital raise is a significant step forward in GURNER™ CEO Tim Gurner’s 10-year strategy to transform the company from a private Australian property business into an institutional grade developer, fund manager and multi-platformed lifestyle brand.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108339 project_image_fid=206593]

“This capital raise represents a huge milestone for our business as we continue to drive towards our goal of transforming GURNER™ Group into a fully diversified capital light developer, fund manager and lifestyle brand,” said Gurner.

“This gives us huge dry powder now in the Build to Sell sector to focus on opportunities that arise out of the market dislocation that will occur in the next 12 months, specifically in Sydney as we grow our brand there while also supporting our Melbourne and Queensland endeavours.

“We believe the timing is ideal as the cost of capital and interest rates continue to rise, alongside substantial cost hikes in the construction sector, which we expect will create a lot of opportunities for us.

With a large gap developing between the listed and private residential developers due to the large requirement for capital, GURNER™has filled that void picking up a number of large mixed use sites off market.

“We believe the next six to 18 months will be critical as many developers may struggle to hold onto sites due to rising construction and holding costs, which will create serious opportunities for those who have the capital to act quickly.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108339 project_image_fid=206589]

“With a lot of dry powder we will continue to actively but carefully pursue new sites across the eastern seaboard of Australia. We are considering a vast range of opportunities that fall anywhere within the $30 million to $200 million land bracket,” Gurner said.

The funding announcement comes off the back of the developer’s $1.2 billion Build to Rent (BTR) fund secured in 2021, in partnership with alternative real estate investment manager Qualitas for the Groups’ GQ BTR platform.

The GQ BTR platform has already secured four seed sites totalling over 1350 apartments and commenced construction on two major Build-to-Rent projects in Melbourne, with another Melbourne and Sydney site to commence construction in early 2023.

Over the past 10 years GURNER™ has evolved from an entrepreneurial brand to an institutional grade corporate business and brand with five unique business units across multiple divisions including both Build-to-Sell and Build-to-Rent property development, hospitality, wellness and operations.

The brands now operate under the umbrella of the Gurner Group parent company, which is serviced by a team of more than 90 across three offices in Melbourne, Sydney and now Brisbane, with former Southern Cross Austereo CFO Nick McKechnie recently appointed as the Gurner Group CFO.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=108339]

alisonwarters@gmail.com

GURNER™ raises $1.75 plus billion build to sell development fund

Prominent luxury property developer Luxcon Group are set to break into two new markets.

The Sydney-based developer, who has a string of high-end projects across Sydney's eastern suburbs and Melbourne, is set to launch two new high-end projects in Surfers Paradise and Byron Bay.

The two projects, Escape in Surfers Paradise on Garfield Terrace and Bohemian in Byron Bay on Jonson Street, located on the popular tourist spots most sought-after streets, will be part of Luxcon's new Coastal Collection.

Escape, Luxcon's first project in Queensland, will comprise 28 full floor and dual level penthouse-style residences, each with four bedrooms. There will be two floors of amenities including a pool, gym, sauna and spa.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=113448 project_image_fid=206730]

Sydney architecture firm PBD Architects suggested in their design statement submitted as part of the development application process back in July that Escape&nbsp;will be an iconic tower overlooking the ocean from the coast of Surfers Paradise, towering out amongst the Gold Coast cityscape as a new destination for those looking for resort-style luxury living.

"Its uniqueness is comparably contemporary and "edgy" amongst a sea of beachfront architecture incorporating coastal curvature and sleek ripple effects in their designs. It also creates a highly sophisticated urban design," PBD noted.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=113448 project_image_fid=206732]

"Inspired by the natural transition or movement from the coast to the air by the cooling coastal breeze, Japanese art of paper folding, origami, a simple rectangular paper begins to articulately transform into a sculptural object."

PBD were also in charge of the designs for&nbsp;Bohemian at 96 Jonson Street Byron Bay. That will home 44 two and three-bedroom apartments, at the heart of Byron Bay’s main strip and just moments to the beach.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108275 project_image_fid=206721]

The Byron Bay project will sit above a 1,750sqm retail shopping and international food plaza and will also include a rooftop terrace with infinity edge pool, gym and spa.

Both developments will feature VZUG Swiss appliances and interiors by Coco Republic.

The Bohemian and Escape developments will see prices start from $2.2 million.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108275 project_image_fid=206722]

Highland Project Marketing CEO David Highland, who secured quick-fire sales at the Sydney-based Sammut's Coast development down the road, said&nbsp;it is a pleasure working alongside such a highly credentialed developer to bring the exclusive range of apartments to market.

“It is incredibly rewarding to be collaborating with Luxcon to deliver these projects and doing the unveiling at Margaret was phenomenal,” Mr. Highland said.

“We never expected anything less from Neil Perry, but with Margaret he raised the stakes and having him there on the night was just wonderful.”

Luxcon Director Ilya Melnikoff said the team are excited to have launched the projects to market and look forward to what is to come.

“We have worked closely with PBD Architects to evolve a design that is both sophisticated and functional, capturing the essence of true coastal luxury living,” Melnikoff said.

Luxcon Director Ilya Melnikoff said the team are excited to have launched the projects to market and look forward to what is to come

Luxcon launch new Coastal Collection apartments in Surfers Paradise and Byron Bay

One of the Gold Coast's most anticipated projects is set to launch in the coming months.

Tim Gurner's GURNERTM,&nbsp;in a joint venture with investment house Wingate, are soon to unveil the first tower in La Pelago, their $1.7 billion, four-tower masterplan at Budds Beach in Surfers Paradise.

Launching to the market later this year, the “Resort Residences” will be the first stage available in the project, located in the first 28 storeys of the project’s first tower, ‘Aquia’, which will soar 65 levels and have a total end value of $1 billion.

The Resort Residences will have a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments ranging from $525,000 up to $1.8 million, ranging in size from 60 sqm to 200 sqm.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108339 project_image_fid=206594]

Aquia boasts an exclusive private wellness club, the three level resort-style podium deck with its ‘private island’ Archipelago of pools, lagoons and relaxation areas, and direct access to a signature restaurant, bars and cafes located throughout the tower and on ground level.

The Aquia tower also will house the yet-to-be-announced global hotel brand which is rumoured to be around 185 rooms across levels 29 - 42.

Tim Gurner said he's&nbsp;never been so excited to launch a project.

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"This concept is something truly different and iconic for Australia that we believe will really take the residential market by surprise.

“We have made the brave call to launch the project amid the current global uncertainty due to huge interest and demand from our sophisticated investor database and past clients who can see through the next few years and are very excited by the fundamentals of the Australian property market and especially the Gold Coast," Gurner said.

“With now almost no supply in the pipeline for Gold Coast due to construction pricing, but with demand still incredibly strong, our sophisticated investors know that in 2-3 years we will be in a rental crisis that will push rents and therefore pricing to a level not seen before.

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“We have been monitoring construction pricing to determine when it settles which we now believe it has; and with little to no larger projects on the horizon, we think trades will look at the next 12 – 24 months and realise most of the jobs they had planned to work on are now not progressing and they will need to price on new work at a competitive rate again."

La Pelago, inspired by some of the world’s most exclusive private Archipelago resorts, has been imagined as a series of island precincts among a vast expanse of lagoon pools, with private bookable lounges and private dining areas, cabanas, sundecks, swim-up bars, restaurants and soaring mature palm trees over a three-level resort podium.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108339 project_image_fid=206591]

Architecturally designed by international architect firm, Warren &amp; Mahoney, with interiors imagined by GURNERTM’s own in-house interior design team led by Italian designer Simon Brugaletta. The globally renowned&nbsp;SWA – the landscape designers behind the Beverly Hills Hotel and Los Vantanas in Mexico, two of Tim Gurner’s favourite hotels – are designing the lush tropical landscapes that will bring the 12,000 sqm site to life.

Inspired by nature’s organic forms and everchanging sand dunes, Aquia is defined by its sweeping curves and natural symmetry. Its façade of shimmering glass reflects the hues of the Gold Coast sun, creating a form that appears to shift and morph as you approach from different angles.

The resort-style experience will start in the lobby, with cascading water features and a porte cochere entrance leading to a private concierge where residents can choose to have their car valet parked and shopping taken directly into their rooms.

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“Everything about La Pelago represents a relentless pursuit of perfection and point of difference," Gurner added.

"We have scoured the globe to uncover the world’s very best examples of private resort living, bringing everything together into one private sanctuary.

“We want our clients to own something that has never been done before in the world and cannot be done again. A truly irreplaceable investment and home.

Gurner said the&nbsp;Gold Coast is experiencing one of the most exciting periods in its history.

"Over 40,000 people moved here each year in 2020 and 2021, and with 70 kilometres of pristine sandy beaches and 300 days of sunshine per year, it’s not hard to see why.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108339 project_image_fid=206592]

“The vision for La Pelago really came together in 2020 when I was in lockdown at home with my family in Melbourne, thinking there has to be a way to bring an unparalleled resort lifestyle into a residential setting in Australia that’s only 2 hours from Sydney and Melbourne as opposed to 6 hours to Bali or Fiji.

“While we are still finessing the details of the amenities and service that will be on offer, we have spent over 18 months ensuring that there is nothing else like it, not only on the Gold Coast but anywhere else in Australia.

“We want La Pelago to be the defining destination of the Gold Coast, not just known for its architecture and amenity, but the experience from the moment the valet first opens your car door, through to the designer retail precincts and sky-high restaurants that will be the name on everyone’s lips when they launch to the public,” he said.

"It’s a collection of my most out-there ideas and “what ifs” brought to life.”

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Tim Gurner said he's never been so excited to launch a project

Gurner to launch Aquia, the first tower in $1.7 billion La Pelago, Surfers Paradise precinct

In off the plan property, both reputation and a solid track record are everything.

Ultimately it was the two combined which saw investors Phil and Linette Crowhurst buy two apartments in Tapestry, the arts-inspired Chevron Island apartment development by Siera.

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“We were looking specifically on Chevron Island and there were only a small number of projects going up at the time,” Phil said.&nbsp;

“Siera seemed like it had a great reputation and we understand that they’re maintaining the management rights for the building so that gives us comfort that the building will be looked after on an ongoing basis.

“It's their asset and our asset, and we’re very happy with that."

Siera recently branched out into the multi-residential Gold Coast apartment market, having previously created high-end townhouses in and around Brisbane.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108641 project_image_fid=205167]

Their founder and managing director Brent Thompson, who sits on the board at the UDIA, spent six to 12 months splitting his time between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, understanding everything about the local market, what people were buying, and what was being developed.

Phil and Linette had too been watching the local market for quite some time, and had noticed the continued demand for quality apartments on the Gold Coast.&nbsp;

“From an investment point of view, there's been a huge influx of people coming up to Queensland and particularly the Gold Coast in the last couple of years for obvious reasons and the research we've done seems to state that that's just going to continue and demand for good quality apartments ideally will just continue to grow,” Phil added.&nbsp;

Phil said the reason they chose to buy off the plan was to essentially benefit from the launch pricing.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108641 project_image_fid=192972]

“We bought off the plan to benefit from the launch pricing, which is generally cheaper as the prices escalate as demand increases and Tapestry has already gone up at least five per cent,” he said.&nbsp;

Located on Darrambal Street, Tapestry benefits from its enviable location, attracting keen owner-occupiers, the demographic which Phil and Linette are hoping to lease to.&nbsp;

“If you're prepared to live in your investment, then your tenants will be too, and that's really key – and we would definitely live here,” Phil noted.

“We were specifically looking for non holiday let investments more so to lease to families or singles,” Phil said.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108641 project_image_fid=205167]

Nearby to not only the redeveloped HOTA precinct, Tapestry also benefits from sitting close to a number of restaurants, retail, and recreational offerings as well as being just a bridge away from Surfers Paradise.&nbsp;

“Tapestry is certainly in a great location. It's not right on the beach and it's not in the hinterland but it still has a green aspect to it. It's got a lot of great infrastructure, a nice main street with Thomas street offering plenty of great restaurants, along with access to HOTA across the bridge and plenty of parklands and areas for kids to play. It just seems to be really well located."

Within Tapestry residents will be at home to a suite of resort-inspired amenities, including a private dining space, which can be closed off to the rest of the rooftop, an infinity pool with views across Surfers Paradise, a gym, and outdoor lounge areas.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108641 project_image_fid=192964]

Linette said she loved the&nbsp;rooftop amenities and everything that it has to offer.

“The resort style pool, the alfresco barbecue area and the most important for me, being a gym junkie, is the sky gym,” she said.&nbsp;

Tapestry will deliver 113 residences upon completion in late 2024.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=108641]

Phil and Linette had been watching the local market for quite some time, and had noticed the continued demand for quality apartments on the Gold Coast.

Why an investor bought two apartments in Chevron Island's Tapestry

After just a month since its launch, AALTO,&nbsp;the new Surfers Paradise beachfront apartment development on the dress circle Garfield Terrace, has secured over $30 million worth of sales.

The most impressive was the $15 million penthouse, which was snapped up by a local buyer who had been looking for a high-end beachfront apartment for a number of months.

The massive 1,830 sqm spread atop the 38-level&nbsp;Conrad Gargett-designed tower, will be one of the biggest penthouses in Queensland. It will feature&nbsp;five bedrooms, its own cinema room, a gym, an indoor and outdoor kitchen, and a 15 metre swimming pool.

The buyer, who works in the property industry, was put onto the project due to the rarity of what developer Weiya Holdings is offering with AALTO, sales and marketing director Patrick Pancur says.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108209 project_image_fid=205935]

&nbsp;

"They were impressed by the sheer size of the penthouse compared to others on the market, and the beach frontage that only AALTO offers,"&nbsp;Pancur says, referring to the massive 24 metre beach frontage over two levels, AALTO will give its residents, considerably wider than any other beachfront project.

Pancur says the lack of high-end stock in the area will continue to drive sales.

"At the start of the pandemic the high-end stock was all snapped up, particularly by southern buyers, leaving little to no luxury product on the market. Now, those projects are under construction and are all pretty much sold out, there's not much left for the still high levels of demand for this calibre of apartment."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108209 project_image_fid=206389]

Among the $30 million worth of sales was an amalgamation of two apartments on level eight, which created a 420 sqm apartment. That was again secured by a local buyer. Pancur says locals have made up the vast majority of buyer interest so far. However, he expects the interest to come from the southern states over the Christmas period where traditionally those from Sydney and Melbourne head up for holidays.

There's a diverse mix of apartment configurations at AALTO, starting from the two-bedroom plus multipurpose room, which start at $2.32 million. The three-beds start at $3.2 million and the four-bed apartments from $4 million. They span a huge 270 sqm plus. Some of the premium four-bedroom apartments span a whole floor and will have nearly 360 sqm of living space. They start from $4.7 million.

Much like the apartments, the residential amenity has also been designed to take in the sweeping beach views, with an ocean view gym with sauna and rain showers, an ocean view yoga area, and an infinity pool almost hovering over the sand, one of two pools in the tower.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108209 project_image_fid=204976]

The Club AALTO lounge will have an owners bar and private function facilities, as well as a business centre with conference room and meeting rooms, a must have for the fly-in, fly-out business elite. Of course there's a concierge who can handle anything from booking space in Club AALTO, airport transfers, catering services and hair and make-up stylists, to laundry services and housekeeping.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=108209]

The buyer, who works in the property industry, was put onto the project due to the rarity of what developer Weiya Holdings is offering with AALTO

AALTO secures quickfire $30 million in sales including $15 million penthouse sale

It will be the most sought-after tower on Chevron Island for years to come.

The under construction Chevron One, the only high-rise tower on the exclusive island currently under construction by Melbourne developer Bensons, will offer its future residents exclusive benefits to Chevron Island's Home of The Arts (HOTA), the striking gallery space which put Chevron Island on the map when it was completed in early 2021.

It was a partnership that grew organically, Bensons General Manager of Sales and Marketing Andrew Crichton says.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68838]

"The chairman of Bensons Property Group, Elias Jreissati AM and his wife Colleen have a long history of being avid supporters of Australian art and artists," Crichton says, adding that Bensons has&nbsp;incorporated art in its developments throughout its history of developing and delivering residences of distinction spanning nearly three decades.

What the HOTA partnership means for future residents of Chevron One is that they will receive a complimentary annual VIP membership to HOTA once they moved into their apartment, which is on track to be completed by the end of 2024.&nbsp;

"The membership offers priority access to exhibitions, VIP previews, and money-can't-buy experiences," Crichton said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=167320]

The 41-level Chevron One has appealed to a mix of locals and interstate buyers looking at investing in the tower or relocating due. There's been a number of drivers which has lured buyers from across the country, one being the striking design by Marchese Partners. One of the primary objectives was to maximise the rare views that the skyscraper can offer compared to any other building on Chevron Island.

Each apartment features floor to ceiling windows to take advantage of the views which cover the Nerang River and surrounding islands below, the Surfers Paradise skyline, and the Gold Coast hinterland.&nbsp;The east facing tower and its location on Stanhill Drive means views can't be built out, even from the lower levels.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68833]

Another big differentiator between Chevron One and other surrounding projects is the extensive residential amenity, some 2,000 sqm of it. Residents will have access to not one, but two swimming pools, a library, a sculpture garden, and a Club One residents' lounge.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68839]

Investors have been keen on the tower due to the tight rental market across the whole of the Gold Coast.

Chevron One will be the tallest tower on Chevron Island, with Bensons locking in the design with the Gold Coast City Council before planning laws on Chevron Island were tightened, only now allowing for a 33 metre tower, or up to 12 levels. Chevron One will rise 127 metres, with 228 apartments spread across the 41 levels.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=6515]

What the HOTA partnership means for future residents of Chevron One is that they will receive a complimentary annual VIP membership to HOTA once they moved into their apartment

Chevron One residents to benefit as principal partners of Chevron Island's HOTA

MRCB International has received the green light for its first Queensland project, a $300 million apartment tower located on Vista Street in Surfers Paradise.

Reaching 51-levels high at 26 Vista Street, the tower will be home to 280 apartments and six three-storey townhouses that front the Northcliffe Light Rail Station.

Designed by local architecture firm DBI Design, the slender tower covers just 30 per cent of the 3,100sqm site and is orientated to the east to take advantage of its proximity to the ocean and access to sunlight and ocean breezes, while maximising views towards the river and hinterland.

<img alt="The new tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8860598b-e484-49ed-acda-705c3809a88b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/VistaStreet_Hero.jpg?VersionId=ubTKChGC74hh9lVLH7UHrApOEuTo6iPH" />

Residents will have access to a wellbeing precinct on Level 4 including a gym with outdoor yoga space, outdoor pool and spa, sauna, steam room and resident’s lounge space. There will also be verdant rooftop gardens and another resident’s lounge on Level 51, offering stunning 360 views. There is also EV charging provisions as a means of future-proofing the project.

Boasting frontages to Vista Street and Thornton Street, the site stretches across seven continuous lots and has remained vacant since 2014; MRCB International purchased it in 2022 for $17 million.

MRCB International CEO, Ravi Krishnan said the group is thrilled to achieve development approval.

“We look forward to delivering a project that will not only enhance the city skyline but will play a pivotal role in catering to the booming migration to the Sunshine State,” Krishnan said.

“Recent council population data forecasts that by 2041, the Surfers Paradise population will have nearly doubled and it is estimated that of that, close to 85,900 people will live in high-rise towers.

“Our vision for this project is to create a beautiful slender tower that will bring coastal elegance to Gold Coast while providing a rare opportunity for purchasers to buy a home that prioritises lifestyle, design and location.”

According to a report by Urbis, nearly 2,500 units sold across Gold Coast property last year, well above the previous average of about&nbsp;1,100 sales annually, and the previous record of 1,00 transactions in 2015.

MRCB International is planning to commence construction in the third quarter of next year with the project scheduled for completion in 2026.

Reaching 51-levels high, the tower will be home to 280 apartments and six three-storey townhouses that front the Northcliffe Light Rail Station.

MRCB get green light for $300m Surfers Paradise apartment development

Northcliffe Beach has welcomed one of its finest apartment developments to date, with the official launch of the hotly anticipated luxury tower, Aalto.

Aalto, which received the greenlight from the Gold Coast City Council in July, is being developed by the Sydney developer Weiya Holdings, who secured the prime 1500 sqm Garfield Terrace site for $30 million mid-last year.

Since then Weiya has been in full planning mode with architecture firm Conrad Gargett, who also designed their most recent local project DE-LUXE, the transformation of the iconic Old Burleigh Theatre on the dress circle Goodwin Terrace.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108209 project_image_fid=204973]

What they’ve produced is one of the best projects the Surfers beachfront has seen, sales and marketing director Patrick Pancur, who is the exclusive agent on the project, says.

Pancur says the 38-level tower, which will home 66 high-end apartments including some half floor, full floor, and double-storey penthouses, is a cut above the rest on the beach.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108209 project_image_fid=204975]

“What we’re offering is quite different to what’s come before us, and will come after us,” Pancur says, referencing the site’s unique beach frontage.

The Garfield Terrace site is one of the widest on the exclusive street, resulting in more panoramic views than any other beachfront project in development. Garfield Terrace has recently started its extensive redevelopment. In the next five years the beachfront will home some of the Glitter Strip’s most expensive real estate in striking, architecturally-designed towers, replacing the 1960s-built blocks that have come before.

The striking design of Aalto came from an unusual design process. Conrad Gargett ran their own in-house design competition, with three teams testing a number of ideas to create the luxury building, which was named Aalto after the Finnish architect Alvar Aalto, whose work with organic forms inspired the design. The word Aalto translate to ‘wave’ in Finnish.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108209 project_image_fid=204976]

Lawrence Toaldo, Managing Director of Conrad Gargett, said the team considered what makes Surfers Paradise and the wider Gold Cost so uniquely beautiful.

“We want to continue to celebrate the Gold Coast’s urban heritage and character, telling stories of its past, conjuring memories of place and creating a much deeper overlay to the city,” Toaldo said.

Pancur expects Aalto to appeal to both the interstate holiday maker or local downsizers.

“It’s one of the best projects I’ve marketed on one of the best sites on the Gold Coast,” Pancur says.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108209 project_image_fid=204977]

There's a diverse mix of apartment configurations, starting from the two-bedroom plus multipurpose room through to the massive five-bedroom plus multipurpose room penthouse.

Prices start from $2 million for the two-bedroom apartments, $3.2 million for the three-bedrooms, and $4 million for the sprawling four-bedders, which span a huge 270 sqm plus. Some of the premium four-bedroom apartments span a whole floor and will have nearly 360 sqm of living space. They start from $4.7 million.

Much like the apartments, the residential amenity has also been designed to take in the sweeping beach views, with an ocean view gym with sauna and rain showers, an ocean view yoga area, and an infinity pool almost hovering over the sand, one of two pools in the tower.

The Club AALTO lounge will have an owners bar and private function facilities, as well as a business centre with conference room and meeting rooms, a must have for the fly-in, fly-out business elite. Of course there's a concierge who can handle anything from booking space in Club AALTO, airport transfers , catering services and hair and make-up stylists, to laundry services and housekeeping.

There's even a further nod to the beachfront location. EACH apartment has its own beach room which is designed for surfboard storage.

Residents will have exclusive access to two swimming pools, one literally hovering over the beach, the other connecting to the cabana lounge area.

Construction completion for Aalto is slated for mid-2025.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=108209]

There's a diverse mix of apartment configurations, starting from the two-bedroom plus multipurpose room through to the massive five-bedroom plus multipurpose room penthous

Aalto, Surfers Paradise beachfront apartments launch

Construction industry boss Mick Power and wife Denise are set to develop an impressive two tower apartment project in the heart of Surfers Paradise.

The couple, who last year sold their prime Garfield Terrace site to Weiya Holdings for $30 million, will be developing two towers just a few hundred metres away at 1921 Gold Coast Highway, a sprawling 3154 sqm site the Power’s tried to sell late last year.&nbsp;

Part of the site is the popular D’Arcy Arms tavern, which will make way for the towers, dubbed Aubrey and Frederick after each of their locations on the corners of Frederick and Aubrey Streets.

<img alt="The Aubrey and Frederick towers" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9c1649be-8991-4ac5-a572-d49d3ec60a7e" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-31%20at%2010.47.58%20am.png?VersionId=4GiYnUGdH9gn7sk_sT6aSObp61czAIu9" /> 
How the two towers will sit in the Northcliffe precinct. Image credit: Buchan Group

It will be the 33-level Frederick Street building which will rise from The D’Arcy. That’s set to have 25 serviced apartments on levels four to eight, set above three hospitality spaces and below 72 one, two and three-bedroom apartments.&nbsp;

There will be 12 one-beds, 34 two-bed apartments, and 26 three-bedders. There will be a pool on level three as well as lounge spaces, and the level nine recreation deck, dividing the serviced apartments and the rest of the tower, will have a further two rooms, a sunset room and a sunrise room.

<img alt="The entry to Frederick" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e88d663c-b008-4272-b99c-bcfa506e113f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-31%20at%2011.21.51%20am.png?VersionId=YcQCHkK.rts3zJy.x26nt3Gk465mNQ6C" /> 
The activated ground plane at Frederick. Image credit: Buchan Group 
 
Aubrey will rise 29 levels next door, with a similar density, but without the serviced apartments.&nbsp;

That will have 84 units, 10 one-bed, 54 two-bed, and 20 three-bed apartments, as well as a pool, landscaped spaces on the podium level, and its own sunset and sunrise rooms on level 23. The ground plane of the tower will also be activated, with four commercial spaces planned.

Architecture firm Buchan Group, who designed both towers, suggested in their design statement Aubrey and Frederick is pitched at “the missing middle”, likely in reference to its expected affordability compared to some of the towers that have popped up in recent years in the area.

<img alt="The Aubrey development" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="50591fd2-425b-4d97-9a0e-2f8e9a094ea2" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-31%20at%2011.26.41%20am.png?VersionId=jBG_rYcaqABXFxweAB9YOWs3RJNrUvBq" /> 
The upper levels of Aubrey. Image credit: Buchan Group

They said Aubrey and Frederick will become the guardians to the entry points of the Northcliffe precinct, referencing the history of Northcliffe and the lifesavers at the Northcliffe Surf Life Saving Club which is documented in the book, Guardian of the Beach.

"As the southern marker of this junction, the towers guard Northcliffe from the south and represent the connection to Broadbeach and its union with Surfers Paradise," Buchan Group advised. They said together the adjacent developments stand as protectors of the Northcliffe precinct.

They note that the 'Guardians' capture the Gold Coast through vista and form, with 360 degree views of the coastline to the east and the hinterland to the west, Surfers Paradise to the north and south of Broadbeach.

<img alt="Aubrey view" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="59a6dac4-f62b-4bdc-8f62-4a6fe31eb020" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screen%20Shot%202022-08-31%20at%2011.04.46%20am_0.png?VersionId=lMvvk3rcLBpWrZhgIUkf2qk4iPpX52YZ" /> 
The view from Aubrey. Image credit: Buchan Group

"Quintessential of the Gold Coast lifestyle, the architectural composition not only captures the history of the gateway site, it captures the lifestyle our city is best known for."

Mick Power is well known in the Gold Coast development industry. He's spent the last four decades as Group Board Chairman and Managing Director of BMD,&nbsp;a national group of companies engaged in engineering design, construction and land development.

Part of the site is the popular D’Arcy Arms tavern, which will make way for the towers, dubbed Aubrey and Frederick after each of their locations on the corners of Frederick and Aubrey Streets.

First look: Mick Power set for two-tower Surfers Paradise apartment development

The national property developer Gallery Group has submitted plans for an apartment tower next door to their currently in market project, Chalk.

A few months ago Gallery Group, led by Adam Barclay, amended their plans for Chalk, reducing their massive tower from 35 levels down to 20, and changing the mix to be weighted to two-bedrooms, a stark contrast from the 250 sqm apartments offered in the original plans.

They&#39;ve not made the same mistake twice, filing plans for a tower next door also dominated by two beds.

<img alt="" height="904" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/screen_shot_2022-08-02_at_8.48.27_pm.png" width="1540" />

There will be 93 apartments, with over two thirds of the product mix two-beds. There will be 26 three-bed apartments and two four-bedroom skyhomes, as well as a ground level business centre, a gym on level 11, and a pool on level 12.

The project has been dubbed Surf Parade North by architects MAS in their planning documentation, due to its proximity to Chalk.

MAS took cues from Chalk, with the aim to create a &quot;distinctly recognisable form that integrates into the established character of the area, whilst complementing its southern neighbour.

&quot;Apartments have been designed with coastal living at the forefront of mind, with expansive living zones transitioning out to articulated balconies, offering privacy and comfort and encouraging the notion of sub-tropical Queensland living,&quot; MAS noted in their submission to the Gold Coast Council.

<img alt="" height="906" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/screen_shot_2022-08-02_at_8.48.18_pm.png" width="1698" />

&quot;The flowing façade of the north references the movement of water, whilst the articulation of the south responds directly to the buildings solar orientation and relationship with &lsquo;Surf Parade South.&rsquo;&quot;

Currently on the site is three single-storey dwellings.

There will be 93 apartments, with over two thirds of the product mix two-beds

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