National diversified developer Fortis has officially launched Crest &amp; Walker, its latest Brisbane apartment development, with construction now underway on the 20-storey Newstead project.

Award-winning builder BINAH has commenced construction on the Bureau^Proberts-designed building, which will deliver a limited collection of 65 two and three-bedroom apartments on Kyabra Street.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373556]

The project marks Fortis' fourth active residential development in Brisbane, following River House, which is nearing completion, alongside projects in New Farm and Hamilton as the national developer continues to expand its South East Queensland pipeline.

Fortis General Manager – Development Queensland Dan Boman said Crest &amp; Walker reflects the developer's long-term commitment to delivering design-led residential projects in Brisbane's established inner-city suburbs.

"We're proud to be strengthening our presence in Brisbane with Crest &amp; Walker, particularly in such a sought-after lifestyle destination as Newstead," Boman said.

"Every Fortis project is shaped by its context, and we approach each one with the respect and care it deserves.

"Our focus is always on creating places that feel connected to their neighbourhood and elevate the everyday experience for residents. Newstead continues to evolve as one of Brisbane's most sought-after urban communities, and Crest &amp; Walker reflects our ambition to contribute meaningfully to that story."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373559]

Positioned between Gasworks Plaza and James Street, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/crest-walker-newstead-12-kyabra-street-newstead-qld-4006">Crest &amp; Walker</a> has been designed as a boutique residential address offering privacy and generous living spaces within one of Brisbane's most established lifestyle precincts.

The building features a contemporary brick podium softened by integrated landscaping, while the upper levels are characterised by restrained architecture and enduring materiality. Interiors have been designed to maximise natural light, acoustic performance and long-term liveability.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373583]

Residences comprise spacious two and three-bedroom floorplans, with two-bedroom apartments priced from $1.55 million and three-bedroom, half-floor residences from $3.95 million.

Residents will have access to a wellness-focused rooftop featuring a swimming pool, sauna, steam room, landscaped dining spaces and outdoor lounge areas overlooking Newstead and the Brisbane CBD.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=145922 project_image_fid=373571]

Sales are being managed by Slaite Projects, with Fortis expecting strong demand from owner-occupiers seeking a high-quality, design-focused apartment in one of Brisbane's most tightly held inner-city suburbs.

Completion of Crest &amp; Walker is slated for late 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=145922]

Joel Robinson

Fortis expands Brisbane pipeline with launch of Crest & Walker in Newstead

The enormity of delivering a true skyscraper in Australia's new development market is often overlooked.

It has taken the best part of a decade since plans for Chevron One were first unveiled, but the 52-storey tower is now complete, with residents collecting their keys and moving into what has become one of the Gold Coast's most recognisable new landmarks.

Rising 127 metres above Chevron Island, Chevron One stands almost twice as high as any other building on the island. Its scale places it alongside the trio of towers at Jewel, arguably the last truly significant addition to the central Gold Coast skyline when they were completed around six years ago.

While there are several developments underway around a similar height to Chevron One, they are more concentrated within clusters of the highest towers in the city. The fact Chevron One sits within a developing precinct, looking back at the other high-rise developments in Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach, makes it a different proposition altogether. It will certainly become a reference point on the Gold Coast skyline.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68833]

Developer Bensons Property Group is behind the 52-storey tower, which has just shy of 250 apartments, along with an exhaustive list of resident amenity spread across what is the largest development site ever assembled on Chevron Island.

The tower has been the talk of the town for years, says Ray White Projects Gold Coast agent Caitlin Rosenboom, who is selling the remaining apartments.

"People have been watching Chevron One go up for years," Rosenboom says, adding that many prospective buyers have been surprised by the scale of the views once they step inside.

"It's only when they walk through a completed apartment that they truly understand the position of the building," Rosenboom says.

"The views are jaw-dropping. Whether you're looking east over the ocean, across Surfers Paradise, along the river systems or out to the hinterland, every level offers something different but equally impressive."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=360215]

One of Chevron One's defining advantages is its location on the eastern side of Chevron Island on Stanhill Drive, a position which protects the views forever.

"There's only one row of houses between Chevron One and the water, and the height restrictions along the river means views from Chevron One can never be built out,"&nbsp;Rosenboom says.

While new apartment developments continue to emerge across the Gold Coast, Rosenboom says opportunities to secure a completed apartment with this level of outlook are becoming increasingly rare.

"The size of the site is something that would be incredibly difficult to replicate today," she says.

"That's allowed Chevron One to deliver the sort of amenity, open space and resident facilities that very few projects can offer. There are not many completed apartment buildings on the Gold Coast right now that can compete with the combination of scale, quality and amenity."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6515 project_image_fid=68839]

There's around 2,000 sqm of amenity solely for the use of residents of Chevron One. Club One features a uniquely shaped swimming pool that mirrors the footprint of the building itself, set within a extensively landscaped gardens. There's also an indoor pool and spa, a fully equipped gym with a Pilates room, a yoga garden, a bookable private dining area and lounge that can host up to 30 people, and a 24-hour concierge service.

As for the buyers, Rosenboom is fielding enquiry from everywhere: Sydneysiders and Melburnians looking at the new and off-the-plan market following the changes in the Federal Budget, as well as those looking to relocate, through to South East Queenslanders seeking either a permanent home or a weekender bolthole.

"The Gold Coast lifestyle continues to resonate with people relocating from the southern states, and when they see the views and the quality of what's been delivered at Chevron One, it becomes very easy for them to understand the appeal," Rosenboom says.

A diverse mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments remain available, with each offering "something a little different", be it the orientation and views, configuration, or level, to suit a wide variety of buyers.

The remaining apartments are ready to inspect in person, by appointment.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=6515]

A decade in the making: Residents to move into Chevron One as construction wraps up

A general rule of thumb in new apartment developments is that the penthouses get the rooftop.

It's a formula that's become commonplace across Australia's apartment market. Residents might have access to a pool, gym or barbecue facilities on a dedicated lower level, but the most desirable outdoor spaces are typically reserved for the highest-priced homes at the top of the building.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sherpa-property-group">Sherpa Property Group</a> has taken the opposite approach.

Rather than dedicating the rooftop to a handful of buyers, the Gold Coast developer has made it the centrepiece of its Flourish collection, creating expansive shared spaces from the best vantage point in the building.

The philosophy has reached its most ambitious expression at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/flourish-soleira-palm-beach-1150-1160-gold-coast-highway-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Soleira</a> in Palm Beach, where two rooftop precincts connected by a skybridge will deliver one of the most extensive lifestyle offerings seen in a residential apartment project on the Gold Coast.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374053]

"We're seeing a clear move toward developments that offer more than just an apartment," Sherpa Group founder Christie Leet said.

"People want spaces that support how they actually live, whether that's working from home, staying active, or spending time with family and friends.

"That's where amenity becomes critical. It's not just about what's included, but how those spaces are designed to be used every day."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374052]

The breadth of amenity has already attracted buyers across multiple demographics. Younger first home buyers have been drawn to Soleira's one-bedroom apartments, a product rarely delivered in Palm Beach, while families have responded to practical inclusions such as the shallow children's pool adjoining the main lap pool and the extensive communal recreation areas.

Instead of a single rooftop, Soleira delivers two distinct lifestyle zones.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=372547]

The southern rooftop has been dedicated to wellness, featuring a gym, yoga and Pilates studio, work-from-home facilities, a wellness centre, spa, and hot and cold plunge pools.

The northern rooftop focuses on recreation and entertaining, incorporating a heated resort-style pool, private dining rooms, pizza ovens, barbecues, a golf simulator, children's recreation areas, and what is expected to be the Gold Coast's first rooftop basketball court, which will also double as a squash court.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=374054]

Beyond the rooftops, Soleira will introduce 1,500 sqm of curated retail beneath the towers, creating one of Palm Beach's first genuinely mixed-use lifestyle precincts where cafés, restaurants and convenience retail become part of residents' everyday lives.

Sherpa has also retained management rights across the development, allowing it to oversee the long-term operation of the building through a 24-hour concierge model. The developer is also exploring additional revenue streams within the precinct aimed at helping offset ongoing body corporate costs for residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150017 project_image_fid=370962]

While Soleira is the largest project Sherpa has delivered, the rooftop-first philosophy has been evolving for several years.

It began with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/amargo-6-12-sixth-avenue-palm-beach-qld-4221">Flourish Amargo</a>, the first project released under the Flourish brand. Rather than competing at the ultra-luxury end of the market with oversized half-floor and full-floor residences, Sherpa focused on creating lifestyle-driven apartments supported by resort-style shared spaces.

Amargo introduced more than 800 sqm of rooftop amenity, combining wellness facilities, heated pools, entertaining areas, cabanas, pizza ovens and private dining spaces into what was designed as an extension of residents' homes rather than a facility used only occasionally.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=146527 project_image_fid=366550]

That approach continued with Flourish Oasis, where the same amenity-led philosophy was refined into a more boutique development. Strong demand from Sherpa's growing VIP database saw much of the project sold before it reached the broader market, reinforcing buyer appetite for apartment communities centred around shared lifestyle experiences.

Flourish Amargo is slated for completion mid-way-through next year, with Oasis to be delivered by late 2027. Flourish Soleira is expected to complete in 2030.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150017]

Sherpa takes amenity to the sky as Flourish Soleira captures booming Palm Beach demand

As apartment living continues to evolve across Sydney's growth corridors, the quality and distribution of shared spaces is increasingly shaping how residents experience home. Rather than functioning as add-ons, amenities are being embedded into the daily rhythm of a building, supporting everything from quiet retreat to social interaction, often within a single vertical community.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/aeris-melrose-park-nursery-street-melrose-park-nsw-2114">Aeris</a> in Melrose Park, this approach is resolved through a layered amenity offering that unfolds from ground level through to its upper podium. Developed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/sekisui-house-australia">Sekisui House Australia</a> in partnership with Hankyu Hanshin Properties, the project introduces 468 apartments across two towers and a mid-rise building, positioned at the highest point of the broader masterplan.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=359199]

The amenity experience begins at street level, where two courtyards sit within a landscaped setting that connects residents to the wider network of parks and green spaces. These green spaces are not isolated pockets but part of a wider pedestrian network that links Aeris to the surrounding <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/melrose-park-nsw-2114">Melrose Park</a> precinct, including Central Park, future schools, and the Town Centre opening in July 2026. The result is a transition that moves from public to private without abrupt boundaries, allowing residents to pass through shaded, tree-lined environments before reaching the building itself.

Moving upward, the focus shifts to the level five podium, where the primary communal facilities are concentrated. This space brings together a 16-metre swimming pool, outdoor seating areas, and a communal BBQ zone arranged to take advantage of elevated outlooks. Seating is positioned beneath pergolas, creating pockets of shade that extend the usability of the space throughout the day. The pool edge aligns with views toward the wider district, reinforcing the sense of elevation that defines the project’s positioning.

In the adjacent building, this is complemented by quieter, more contemplative spaces, including an outdoor cinema set within the same level. Positioned to operate primarily in the evening, it introduces a different tempo to the shared environment, shifting from daytime activity to after-hours use without requiring separate zones.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360299]

The podium also accommodates an intimate private resident gym. Located on the lower levels, it gives residents convenient access to fitness facilities without leaving the building.

Above, the elevated podium sky deck extends the amenity offering, providing additional open-air spaces with elevated outlooks across the surrounding landscape. While more restrained in program, this upper level reinforces the project’s vertical progression, from ground-level greenery to elevated outlook, allowing residents to move between distinct spatial conditions within a single address.

This distribution of amenities reflects a deliberate response to how residents use space across the day. Sekisui House Australia Sales and Marketing Director Peter Kalaf points to the role these shared areas play in shaping buyer demand. Aeris has been conceived as more than a collection of apartments, with the podium pool, gym and outdoor cinema forming part of a broader lifestyle offering that extends the home beyond each individual residence.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=426 project_image_fid=360300]

What distinguishes Aeris is not the inclusion of these elements individually, but how they are arranged in relation to one another. Active, social, and passive spaces are layered vertically rather than separated, allowing residents to choose between them without leaving the building or moving far from their apartment. This proximity supports both routine use, such as a morning swim or evening workout, and more occasional gatherings, whether around the BBQ area or within the cinema setting.

The amenity design also sits within a broader framework of connectivity across Melrose Park. The Melrose Park Town Centre, anchored by Coles and Dan Murphys, features a mix of retail, dining, health and lifestyle offerings, bringing everyday convenience closer to residents. By the end of the year, more than five hectares of parks and open space, equivalent to around seven football fields of green space on residents' doorstep, will further enhance the precinct, allowing the internal facilities at Aeris to operate as an extension of the wider neighbourhood rather than a substitute for it.

Construction at Aeris continues to gather momentum, with ground floor slabs expected to be completed in late 2026 before the first sections of the buildings begin to rise above ground.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=426]

Elevated amenity anchors daily life at Aeris, Melrose Park

Repeat buyers are one of the strongest measures of confidence in any apartment development.

At <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/era-newcastle-west-124-126-bull-street-newcastle-west-nsw-2302">ERA</a> in Newcastle West, some purchasers are returning to <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/gwh">GWH</a> after living at the developer's One Apartments. Their decision to purchase again was driven by the quality of life they found after moving into their first GWH home.

Keith Wilton had spent years living in a house in East Maitland before deciding it was time for a change. Apartment living had always been on his radar, but he was selective about what he wanted.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FH_1EzB-1vs?si=XScVlP1ERsTDJoME" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

"I had some boxes I wanted to tick," he says.

Keith points to the open-plan design, generous outdoor areas and considered inclusions as key reasons One Apartments worked for him.

“One of those things was a nice indoor open plan area, but also I wanted a nice outdoor open area that I could entertain on in summer or Christmases or birthdays,” he says.

He also found value in the smaller details, from integrated appliances to shared resident spaces including the pool, cinema and rooftop areas.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356818]

After comparing several developments, he chose One Apartments because of GWH's longstanding local reputation and his own experience working with the developer on a commercial project more than a decade earlier.

"I knew that they were local, that the quality of the build was going to be up there. I'd looked at other apartment complexes around and close by, and I just knew that here was a better decision location wise."

Today, Keith says the move has completely changed how he experiences Newcastle.

"I enjoy living in this location because it's more of a lifestyle change. That Newcastle city living where you can walk to restaurants and bars and even beaches and parks and even shopping across the road."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356828]

Beyond the location, he says it's the sense of community that has surprised him most.

"Everyone loves living here because they chose to live here, but everyone looks out for each other. It's a real great community feel here."

For Aimee and Lyle Goodman, the journey started almost by chance.

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tsioMLcnjas?si=zq-ys3JuWpfa5hFv" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

The couple happened to be having coffee in Newcastle when they noticed the site where One Apartments was about to begin construction.

"We were aware GWH was planning a development," Aimee says. "We made one phone call and things moved pretty quickly after that."

As busy business owners, they initially thought apartment living would simply reduce the maintenance that came with larger homes. Instead, it fundamentally changed how they spent time together.

"We actually catch up more as a family now," Aimee says.

"We've had homes with big yards and lots of space, but everyone ended up in different rooms. Here we'll have dinner together, the kids can play, and we spend far more quality time together."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356829]

Lyle says their confidence came from GWH's reputation within Newcastle's building industry.

"I know people who've worked across different apartment projects, and whenever GWH came up the feedback was always the same. They're rock solid. They're quality."

That confidence only grew throughout the buying process.

"One of the things that really impressed us with GWH was the whole process, was the communication," Lyle says. "It was consistent, it was regular, there was no problem if we had some weird questions, there was no problems in getting answers."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=351104]

Aimee says one moment stood out.

"The project actually finished on time. We realised we needed to hurry up and sell our house because everything was happening exactly when they said it would."

The positive experience at One Apartments ultimately gave all three buyers the confidence to purchase again with GWH, this time at ERA.

Their confidence reflects what many buyers are seeking in today's apartment market. Location remains important, but so too does certainty around delivery, quality and long-term liveability.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356822]

ERA builds on those foundations with 280 one, two and three-bedroom apartments across two landmark towers in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/newcastle-west-nsw-2302">Newcastle West</a>.&nbsp;

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fk-australia">Fender Katsalidis</a>, the project will include more than 2,000 square metres of resident amenities, including a resort-style pool, gym, sauna, private cinema and rooftop entertaining spaces overlooking the harbour and coastline.&nbsp;

The development is also within walking distance of the Newcastle Interchange, Honeysuckle, Darby Street, the harbour foreshore, restaurants, retail and the city’s beaches, continuing the walkable lifestyle that existing GWH buyers say has transformed how they live.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=356826]

For Keith, the appeal remains straightforward.

"You feel at home even before you've moved into your home."

For Aimee, the change is measured in time.

“I just felt like I had more time,” she says.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135096 project_image_fid=351102]

Construction at ERA is now underway, with more than half of the residences already sold and limited two and three-bedroom apartments remaining in the East Tower release. Priced from $980,000 for two-bedroom residences and $1.46 million for three-bedroom residences, buyers can secure an apartment with a 10 per cent deposit, with premium homes offering ocean views from Level 8 and harbour views from Level 10.

ERA is also backed by Resilience Insurance's 10-year Latent Defects Insurance policy, providing protection against structural or waterproofing defects for 10 years after completion. The project is anticipated to be completed in early 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135096]

From ONE to ERA: Why buyers are choosing GWH again in Newcastle West

Sydney

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EXPERT OBSERVATION
A growing number of proposed new housing projects across Sydney are running into go-slow planning approaches from councils and state government.
Over recent weeks we have seen a number of worthwhile housing projects across metropolitan Sydney held up or cancelled.
The biggest project to be in danger of collapsing is the St Leonards South site for 2,400 new apartments as proposed by Lane Cove Council. The NSW Government’s Independent Planning Commission (IPC) has written a report to the Planning Minister, Rob Stokes, that effectively stops the project on spurious grounds.
After 5 years of community involvement, approvals by Lane Cove Council and the state government through the Gateway approach the IPC report says there is not enough open space yet the proposed 3,800 square metre park is above the NSW government’s Open Space for Recreation Guide minimum size for a local park of 3,000 square metres. The IPC report seems very biased in its criticism of council’s plan.
At Hornsby, last week, the RSL withdrew plans for a project which included 110 apartments, 237 unit retirement home and a 108 room hotel, citing frustrations with the planning system.
In Double Bay the recent closure of the iconic Cosmopolitan Cafe hit the news with concerns that up to 400 new apartments were caught up in the planning system leaving the much needed critical mass of people desperately needed to make the retail viable in the village centre. It seems that the local council is going slow on processing the plans for a number of worthwhile projects.
Across the harbour at Chatswood a major mixed-use project with 130 apartments providing 1,664 new jobs has been battling the planning system for 5 years with a confusing and inconsistent set of messages from Willoughby Council.
At Macquarie Park a major developer looks like cancelling a 1,000 apartment project that would have contributed $150 million back to council in contributions to spend on local community facilities. After 5 years of on off decision making with Ryde Council and the state government the developers have got nowhere.
These projects are typical of dozens that members of the Urban Taskforce are battling to get through the Sydney planning system. 
The general impression from these developers is that the planning system is getting worse in NSW and that the culture of planners in state government and councils is to be more concerned about maintaining local character than supporting new projects that could boost the economy.
Another example is the recent report from the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment that recommended against the Ritz Carlton hotel tower in Pyrmont partly on the basis that it did not fit into the existing local character.
The result of these projects not getting approvals or being caught up in a planning limbo land is that housing approvals are dropping fast. In the City of Sydney Council housing approvals are down by 59 percent over the last 2 years and at Ryde Council approvals are down by 74 percent over the last 3 years.
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The culture of planning in New South Wales comes from the top through the ‘Premiers Priorities’ for the planning portfolio. 
In the last term of government the Premier required the delivery of 61,000 housing completions a year with 90 percent of housing approvals determined within 90 days. But in her new term as Premier the priorities about housing supply have been replaced with the need to increase Green Public Spaces by 10 ercent and to increase the tree canopy across Greater Sydney.
The focus has clearly moved away from having an efficient planning system towards green landscape agendas.
CHRIS JOHNSON is the Urban Taskforce CEO
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Planning go-slow stopping new housing in Sydney: Chris Johnson

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EXPERT OBSERVER
The latest report by the Centre for International Economics demonstrates that Sydney has the worst planning system in Australia with 50 percent of the cost of a new house going to taxes and red tape.
The report was commissioned by the Housing Industry Association to compare housing costs in capital cities and Sydney has the largest extra cost of all Australian cities.
The report demonstrated that tax and red tape was 50 percent of the average new dwelling in Sydney compared to 37 percent in Melbourne, 33 percent in Perth, 32 percent in Brisbane and 29 percent in Adelaide. The total extra cost for Sydney was $840,874 compared to an extra cost in Adelaide of $436,165.
The report found that a large number of reports are now required for the planning application for a new home with reports required for soil tests, native vegetation protection, contamination, heritage assessment and traffic management. An earlier research project by the Urban Taskforce found that some Sydney councils require up to 27 reports for a development application for a simple house.
We also found that there were 81 separate reports required for residential DA's across all of the Sydney councils. Clearly some of these reports are necessary to assess a development application but the number of expensive specialist reports has grown dramatically, adding even more to the cost of building homes.'
The Urban Taskforce is most concerned that more taxes and levies are coming in New South Wales due to the removal of the cap on local infrastructure levies from July 1, 2020. The cap had been $30,000 for greenfield homes and $20,000 for infil homes but these caps are being incrementally increased until no cap applies from next year.
We believe some councils will add $100,000 for a greenfield home which will simply be passed on to home purchasers which is $70,000 more than the previous cap. Sydney will then have a tax and red tape cost of closer to 60 percent of the cost of a new home.
While the Centre for International Economics report focussed on house and land packages a similar disproportionate extra cost is added to apartments. Apartments in many cases must also contribute costs to council affordable housing schemes and in Parramatta contribute $20,000 to the light rail project.
While we do not in any way condone poor construction standards it is likely that the excessive planning delays for most projects combined with the massive extra costs from levies and red tape are putting pressure back on the cost of building and this needs to be considered by the NSW Building Commissioner.
The Urban Taskforce is very concerned at the downturn in housing approvals in Sydney and the evidence of such excessive extra costs for each home is making the situation worse.
The NSW Government must urgently review the excessive costs and excessive red tape to bring Sydney more on a par with other Australian cities. The federal Minister for Housing, Michael Sukkar, was reported as saying the states, particularly New South Wales, must reform their planning systems and the Urban Taskforce agrees with his assessment of the fundamental problem with housing supply in New South Wales and particularly in Sydney.
Leadership is required from the NSW Minister for Planning, Rob Stokes, and his Department of Planning, Industry and Environment to get a better and faster planning system that delivers more affordable housing.
CHRIS JOHNSON is the Urban Taskforce CEO 
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Half the cost of a new Sydney home is taxes, levies and red tape: Chris Johnson

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Sydney’s median apartment price has dropped 3.2% since last year, according to key market indicators from JLL Research, the ABS, REIA, and CoreLogic.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/7/30/JLL%20Sydney%201.JPG" alt=""> 
The downturn has led to a parallel decline in the number of new developments being approved (with a fall of 30.6%), as well as a reduction in the overall number of apartments sold (with a fall of 21.5%).
While the median cost of renting has also dropped (by 0.5% for one bedroom units, and 0.7% for two bedroom units), it has not fallen at the same rate as outright apartment values. Gross rental yields have increased by a tenth of a percent.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/7/30/JLL%20Sydney%202.JPG" alt="">
Throughout the rest of the country, the Gold Coast and Adelaide both experienced decelerating positive growth in the year’s second quarter, while Canberra, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane all saw decelerating negative growth in the same time period. No city in the study kept up with long term average growth.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/7/30/JLL%20Sydney%203.JPG" alt="">
The significant drop in the number of apartments either completed, or under construction, in 2019 (compared to last year) is exaggerated by the unprecedented number built during 2018, and does not appear to be indicative of a long term falling trend.
This year there are more apartments completed, or under construction, than were built in 2017 or 2016.
Furthermore, the development plans already submitted, approved, or under construction over the next four years indicate a stable supply of new apartments.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2019/7/30/JLL%20Sydney%204.JPG" alt="">
When geographically extrapolated, the research demonstrates that the city’s inner south has the most new apartments planned, approved, under construction, or completed between 2019 and 2023 (at 8,297), followed closely by the inner west (7,789).
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Sydney apartment approvals down 30% in one year: JLL

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The Normcore Coffee premises on York Street in the heart of the Sydney CBD is set for an auction at the end of August.  
Located at Lot 1, 37 York Street, the ground floor coffee shop is the outlet of a Sydney based coffee roasting company.
The store represents one of the three shops they own and operate.
Market sources believe the 14 sqm offering may sell for around $1.5 million to $2 million.
According to Nick Lower, Director, Metropolitan &amp; Regional Sales, NSW at Savills Australia, the Australian coffee market and Sydney has the presence of several single store independent coffee shops, who tend to differentiate themselves based on the quality of their coffee ordered.
Located on the door step of Wynyard Station, the listed property will be auctioned later this month by Nick Lower and Selin Ince of Savills Australia.
Normcore Coffee have just signed a new five year lease.
The site is exposed to 200,000 pedestrians daily.
Mr Lower said offshore interest in the property has been "off the charts."
He has seen strong interest from Vietnamese, Indonesian, Korean, Singaporean and Malaysian buyers who are looking for "a safe haven investment with a strong return."
He said, “with only a small number of offerings being made available in the core of the Sydney CBD, the undersupply of opportunity has led to an increase in demand from investors – looking for ‘blue chip, safe holdings."
“No matter what happens in the economy, or even in life, everyone who drinks it, needs their daily coffee fix to jump start their morning, and the hundreds of people walking past 37 York Street certainly enjoy what Normcore has to offer."
According to recent data, 75 percent of Australians have at least one coffee per day, and of those, 28 percent have more than three cups per day.
His team has experienced record numbers of enquiries with a 27 percent increase in numbers over the first week.
Lot 1, 37 York Street Sydney will be offered by onsite auction outside Normcore Coffee on the 30th of August 2019.
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14 sqm York Street, Sydney Normcore Coffee premises set for auction

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The Normcore Coffee premises on York Street in the heart of the Sydney CBD has sold for $1.57 million.
There were four bidders for the 14 sqm ground floor coffee shop at 37 York Street which came with no seating.
The successful purchaser was a Sydney local who was making his first foray in to the commercial property market.
It's the first time the premises has traded hands in over three decades.
The store was one of three shops owned and operated by Normcore Coffee, who had just signed a new five year lease on the property.
Market sources had predicted the 14 sqm offering would sell for between $1.5 million to $2 million. 
The premises on the door step of Wynyard Station is exposed to 200,000 pedestrians daily.
According to Savills Australia's Nick Lower, the Australian coffee market and Sydney has the presence of several single store independent coffee shops, who tend to differentiate themselves based on the quality of their coffee ordered.
During the marketing campaign Lower said offshore interest in the property had been "off the charts," with interest from Vietnamese, Indonesian, Korean, Singaporean and Malaysian buyers who are looking for "a safe haven investment with a strong return."
"With only a small number of offerings being made available in the core of the Sydney CBD, the undersupply of opportunity has led to an increase in demand from investors – looking for ‘blue chip, safe holdings."
“No matter what happens in the economy, or even in life, everyone who drinks it, needs their daily coffee fix to jump start their morning, and the hundreds of people walking past 37 York Street certainly enjoy what Normcore has to offer."
According to recent data, 75 percent of Australians have at least one coffee per day, and of those, 28 percent have more than three cups per day.
 
 
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14 sqm York Street, Sydney Normcore Coffee premises sold for $112,143 per sqm at auction

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Sydney’s second biggest CBD, <a href="/new-apartments/parramatta-nsw">Parramatta</a>, is seeing an influx of development in the heart of its major business and commercial centre. Growing in population above 27,000 people, residential high rise projects are being focused to the city centre, resulting in a new wave of urban density.

The culturally diverse suburb is the oldest inland English settlement which is now home to a myriad of Heritage buildings, the 10th largest shopping centre in Australia, Westfield Parramatta, the renewed Western Sydney Stadium along the Parramatta River, a vibrant Church Street with boutiques, cafes, bars and Indian and Chinese cuisine options and Western Sydney University. 

With NAB relocating 3000 employees from <a href="/developments/sydney-nsw">Sydney CBD</a> to Parramatta CBD, revamped works of major roads, squares and the main service station, Parramatta is experiencing a major boom.

Here are a few exciting projects igniting the city centre. 
 

<a href="/new-apartments/8-phillip-street-2-10-phillip-street-parramatta">8 PHILLIPS STREET - RESIDENTIAL + HOTEL</a>

<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/woods_bagot_8_phillip_street.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Render by Woods Bagot"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="1043" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/woods_bagot_8_phillip_street.jpg?itok=w3r_iSHh" title="Render by Woods Bagot" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Render by Woods Bagot</figcaption></figure>Woods Bagot’s 8 Phillips Street is a 55 story rhomboid-shaped glass tower will feature Sydney’s tallest rooftop bar, ‘Studio 54’ with sweeping views over the city. 
The tower will comprise of 314 luxury one, two and three bedroom apartment configurations including studio and penthouse options and the QT Boutique Hotel with over 200 deluxe rooms and 50 executive suites.

<a href="/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a> boldly incorporates the existing heritage building, the 1926 St. Andrew’s Hall, by integrating it into the entrance with the new development floating above, making for a stunningly impressive residents lobby and streetscape. The five story trapeze garden at the entrance to the tower is just a hint of what’s to come with balcony overhanging plants and a rooftop garden featuring contemporary native Australian species, planted to create a secret garden oasis with intimate communal spaces. 
 

<a href="/buildings/the-lennox-12-phillip-street-parramatta">THE LENNOX - RESIDENTIAL</a>

<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/the_lennox_source_jpw.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Render by JPW Architects"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="722" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/the_lennox_source_jpw.png?itok=wkRIFLHV" title="Render by JPW Architects" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Render by JPW Architects</figcaption></figure><a href="/architects/jpw-architects">Johnson Pilton Walker Architects</a>’ The Lennox tower is one of many high rise residential developments springing up throughout Parramatta. Rising 152 metres above the Parramatta River, the uninterrupted views are one of the many 5 star amenities such as a private lounge room with entertainment deck, a pool, outdoor terrace and zen wellness and fitness centre.

The Lennox will be part of the gateway that is set to dominate the CBD’s skyline, being the first one many high rise towers visitors will see as they cross the bridge. The first three floors of the podium will include retail tenancies, a council owned discovery centre, a conference centre and a cafe with an upgrade riverfront for public use.

Many <a href="/developments/parramatta-nsw">Parramatta developments</a> aren’t just privatised residential components, but like The Lennox, have much to offer the public domain whether that be revitalising waterfronts, providing civic spaces or enlivening heritage structures. 
 

<a href="/buildings/west-village-88-church-street-parramatta">WEST VILLAGE - RESIDENTIAL</a>

<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/woods_bagot_west_village.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Rendering by Woods Bagot"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="735" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/woods_bagot_west_village.jpg?itok=A-Lfi2-l" title="Rendering by Woods Bagot" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Rendering by Woods Bagot</figcaption></figure>The sophisticated residential tower provides 397 world class apartments across 40 floors and rising 150 metres above the Parramatta skyline. Woods Bagot has designed this high quality tower which aims to give the city centre that new edge and connect to the streetscape with ground floor retail and cafes.

Developers <a href="/developers/ecoworld-international">EcoWorld</a> have enlisted landscape architect Myles Baldwin to conceptualise the podium garden above level 7 with sweeping views of the Sydney CBD with fully equipped chef’s kitchen, alfresco dining options, leafy terraces and a barbeque area.

Rumours are that Malaysian favourite ‘Chinta Ria’ and gourmet Italian providore ‘Salt Meats Cheese’ are to open tenancy on the ground floor strip, proving that collaboration between developers, architects and suppliers have made for a very important and vibrant project.

As this development takes shape, by the time it completes in late 2019, it will have cemented itself into the Parramatta community fabric and truly embodies the city centre moving towards a progressive future. 
UPDATE: <a href="/news/parramatta-s-west-village-tops-out-at-40-levels">West Village tops out at 40 storeys</a> as of late November 2019 with a 95% sales rate success. Designed by <a href="/architects/woods-bagot">Woods Bagot</a>, the tower features 398 luxury one, two and three bedroom apartments which rise from the vibrant ground floor retail precinct. 

 

<h2><a href="/developments/parramatta-nsw-2150">PARRAMATTA SQUARE - OFFICE, MIXED USE</a></h2>

<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/parramatta_square_source_jpw_architects.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Render by JPW Architects"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="363" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/parramatta_square_source_jpw_architects.jpg?itok=4qxvXTX3" title="Render by JPW Architects" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Render by JPW Architects</figcaption></figure>Masterplanned by <a href="/architects/jpw-architects">Johnson Pilton Walker Architects</a> as a response to the growing city, Parramatta Square comprises of 6 stand alone buildings with their own importance to the urban renewal precinct. The towers, a commercial tower to which is the new campus for 10,000 Western Sydney University students, a mixed use residential tower, proposed to be the tallest for Parramatta, a 5 Star Green office tower including a civic building, community centre and library, a 5 Star Green commercial and retail building central to the square and dual 5 Star Green energy office towers.

The 6000 square metres of open space is dedicated and centred around the rich heritage sandstone of St. John’s Cathedral and the Parramatta Town Hall and is pedestrianised with green space and public plazas to connect and integrate the new commercial, residential and community buildings.

Connected either side of the precinct by a future light rail extension and Parramatta Station, visitors and locals will be able to flow through the community heart with ease. 

Parramatta Square is about providing a higher quality of life for residents and workers with a world class premium health and fitness club, an A-grade child care facility and bespoke Business and Events centre with meeting rooms and auditoriums making the work/life integration effortless.

 

<h2>ARTHUR PHILLIP HIGH SCHOOL - EDUCATION</h2>

<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/arthur_phillip_-_grimshaw_and_bvn.png" rel="gallery-all" title="Arthur Phillip vertical school by Grimshaw Architects and BVN Architecture."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="365" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/arthur_phillip_-_grimshaw_and_bvn.png?itok=PeIvPKpF" title="Arthur Phillip vertical school by Grimshaw Architects and BVN Architecture." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Arthur Phillip vertical school by Grimshaw Architects and BVN Architecture.</figcaption></figure>Arthur Phillip High School is Australia’s first vertical high school accommodating 2000 students across 16 floors of educational indoor and outdoor facilities. 
With flexible teaching spaces, adaptable room configurations and technology rich rooms that expand small to large for certain class sizes, the design aspect will mean that students and teachers will benefit from their environment with better opportunities for collaboration and personalised learning.

The collaborated architectural and landscape design by <a href="/architects/grimshaw-architects">Grimshaw Architects</a> and <a href="/architects/bvn-architecture">BVN Architecture</a> helps to deliver a truly remarkable community engaged structure aimed to meet the growth of secondary students in and around the Parramatta catchment area.

Opening in 2020, the high school will join the 1000 student facility Parramatta Public School on the existing school sites with combined tennis and basketball courts, a football field and rooftop gardens for both structures as social and environmental consciousness is encouraged.

With this development, Parramatta is set to become an even more exciting, vibrant and inclusive hub for innovation, technology, retail and commercial business. 
A fly through <a href="/news/council-offers-a-glimpse-of-what-parramatta-will-look-like-in-the-near-future">unveiling the future of the CBD</a> has been released via The City of Parramatta Council encompassing 30 different projects that won design excellence competitions over the past four years with the council stating they have a combined development value of $5.5 billion.

<h2> </h2>

 
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Nick Dante

Parramatta: Suburb Guide. Highlighting new developments in Sydney's second CBD

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Australia has come a long way in terms of planning and development, but times are changing fast. 
With <a href="/architects">architects</a> recognising the impact on climate change and urban sprawl more so than our government, we are seeing projects that challenge the status quo and influence social change through thoughtful design. 
Design can be used to address social equity and diversity in urban environments by providing affordable housing, green space, sustainable living, appropriate density and a green lean towards public transport and cycling facilities. 

Collaborating with other architects and the community to leverage projects that deliver a deep and sustained social benefit is at the forefront of this movement.  
This allows architects to call out social and environmental inequality by simply providing alternative living and civic spaces with the idea of working with communities instead of working for them. 
With erosion threatening beachfront properties along the coast of Western Australia, Queensland and New South Wales, and the threat of rising sea levels impacting where almost 40% of all Australians livelihood, smart design and planning is most important to influencing and adapting the way we live to retain our lifestyles. 

There are a few projects that unknowingly push the boundaries in opening up discussions between communities on sustainable living and the impact of urban sprawl such as <a href="/architects/breathe-architecture">Breathe Architecture’s </a>Nightingale proposal for Ballarat.

<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/11325664-3x2-940x627_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Rendering of the Nightingale Ballarat project by Breathe Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/11325664-3x2-940x627_0.jpg?itok=_BUzUGSu" title="Rendering of the Nightingale Ballarat project by Breathe Architecture" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Rendering of the Nightingale Ballarat project by <a href="/architects/breathe-architecture">Breathe Architecture</a></figcaption></figure> 
The architectural form of the project is driven to respond to its surrounding heritage brick industrial buildings along Davey Street and the city centre of Ballarat.  
Breathe’s design strategy is to provide more with less, with untreated, tactile and durable materials recycled where possible.

The landscaped courtyard and gardens offer the ability for deep root planting, which encourages residents to grow and sustain vegetables and plants. The facade is also immersed in native plants giving a deep sense of community pride. Through careful material usage and recycled content where possible, Nightingale Ballarat is to be a carbon zero emissions building. Recycled water, renewable energy sources and high quality waste management attribute to the future residents low cost living.

“Nightingale Ballarat has been designed to make sustainable living simple. Common elements like the roof garden and deck, laundry and clotheslines, bicycle parking and shared building services offer a collectively better outcome. By providing meaningful social and utility-based spaces, we look to encourage interaction and activity with friends and neighbours.” - <a href="/developers/nightingale-housing">Nightingale Ballarat </a>Resident Package.

Open walkways with vertical greenery connect the apartment levels, creating spaces for residents to stop and converse. All apartments have an east or west facing living areas with a private balcony providing planter boxes to allow greenery to grow along the facade as well as natural ventilation and daylight adding additional amenity for the residents.

The development has opened up a major discussion for Ballarat residents about the negative impact of urban sprawl, with the population set to grow by 40,000 people in the next two decades. Nightingale offers the first socially beneficial solution that the residents of Ballarat recognise more as a typical Melbourne development and thus are not yet accustomed to within their own city. 
Victoria’s satellite cities are growing at a fast rate as well as Melbourne’s outer suburbs and in Ballarat alone, there are undeveloped, empty lots within the existing city structure that could be developed respectfully to accommodate for this population growth. 
 

<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/86a357642d9acbbb786ca1cd7569f38c_1.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Rendering of the Ivanhoe Housing Estate in Macquarie Park, Sydney"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="387" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/86a357642d9acbbb786ca1cd7569f38c_1.jpg?itok=M1YFNhcX" title="Rendering of the Ivanhoe Housing Estate in Macquarie Park, Sydney" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Rendering of the Ivanhoe Housing Estate in Macquarie Park, Sydney</figcaption></figure> 
A project unfolding in the Sydney suburb of <a href="/new-apartments/macquarie-park-nsw-2113">Macquarie Park</a> is the Ivanhoe public-private housing estate. 
The development is an integrated social housing precinct that offers community facilities, a school, retail, green space and ‘tenure blindness’ for residential properties. 
This is a social leap into disbanding the stigma between private, social housing and rental properties as tenure blindness offers a connectivity of all diversities and demographics.

The existing <a href="https://ivanhoeestate.com.au/">Ivanhoe Housing Estate</a> is set to be demolished to provide an updated private-public mixed community precinct to which benefits social and environmental strains. 
The architecture practices involved with the project are <a href="/architects/bates-smart">Bates Smart</a>, which produced the masterplan, <a href="/architects/candalepas-associates">Candalepas Associates</a>, <a href="/architects/turner-studio">Turner</a>, <a href="/architects/cox-architecture">Cox Architecture</a> delivering residential and community facilities and <a href="/architects/hassell-studio">Hassell</a> whom are responsible for the project’s urban design and landscape architecture. 

The development will include 3000 apartment units replacing the 259 current social housing units on site with a private vertical high school for 1000 students, a 120-bed residential aged care, two childcare centres, a supermarket, cafe’s, specialty retail shops, a multi-functional centre with a hall, gymnasium, pool and outdoor play areas and exercise stations. 
Local infrastructure will be improved for easy accessibility and connectivity and sustainable measures such as solar panels, green roofs, water capture and reuse as well as incorporating car-share facilities and a bicycle space for each dwelling keeps the precinct at a six Star Energy Rating.

The Ivanhoe Housing Estate opens Australian’s eyes to how we perceive each other and help to break down social barriers of classism and elitism that we may hold against each other. 
As communities integrate and Australia becomes one of the most multicultural countries globally, we must progress in our thinking and feelings towards each other to which density can provide that close kinship. 
The proposal has been massively influenced by community engagement and have opened up to existing residents and locals to participate in the discussion. Having social or privately owned apartments not perceivable by the public domain encourages social equality and a deconstruction of stigmatic and biased views once shared between community.

 
The architecture and urban planning industry can progress forward and benefit from a sense of personal accountability and understanding on the issues that face us in Australia. 
The outcome of these projects can no longer be just a building, but a living entity that impacts social life, so instead of thinking about providing shelter, we need to think about providing a higher quality of life.

 

 

 

 
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Architecture as a tool for social change

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Located in the of Sydney, Liverpool has just cemented itself as Sydney’s third CBD with the approval of the city’s tallest commercial office tower designed by <a href="/architects/fk-australia">Fender Katsalidis</a>. 
Developed by Macky Corp, the tower stands as a new gateway to Liverpool with 23 levels of grade A office space, 1,500sqm of co-working space and 640sqm of ground retail space. 
Additionally, the refurbishment of the New Commercial Hotel alongside with a two level development known as ‘The Stables’ which reflects the current heritage landscape and will be the podium to the curved glass tower above. The design draws upon the aesthetic of Liverpool’s brick buildings, green corridors and riverbank. The elegantly curved design of the tower is shaped to allow sunlight to enter the heritage precinct below. 
The alley with boutique retail, eateries, cafes and bars stretching from Bigge Street to Scott Street will provide <a href="/new-apartments/liverpool-nsw-2170">Liverpool</a> residents with a destination that the area truly deserves and has been long awaited. 
 

<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/fk_liverpool_aerial_day_20_lg_07_low_res.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Render of the Liverpool Quarter precinct with incorporated civic space and heritage buildings."><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="829" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/fk_liverpool_aerial_day_20_lg_07_low_res.jpg?itok=PjFdIjZd" title="Render of the Liverpool Quarter precinct with incorporated civic space and heritage buildings." width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Render of the Liverpool Quarter precinct with incorporated civic space and heritage buildings.</figcaption></figure> “Liverpool Quarter is a landmark project that will transform the area and enhance its surrounds,” says <a href="/architects/fk-australia">Fender Katsalidis</a> director Mark Curzon. “The building will act as a regional marker welcoming ones arrival into the city whilst creating an exciting new civic precinct celebrating its heritage.”

The Liverpool Quarter development is a response to the growing commercial interest in the area with the approval of nearby Western Sydney Airport and intimate connectivity to the Sydney CBD via public transport services. The development is welcomed by the Liverpool City Council as a perfect example for the type of developmental growth the new CBD needs.

“What drew us to Liverpool was the unprecedented infrastructure investment. We were attracted to this site given it was opposite the train station but also because of the three-storey heritage pub that was once the gateway to the city from the river and the east. Liverpool Quarter will stand proud as the gateway to the city and the refurbished pub alongside The Stables will create a destinational food and beverage precinct” says <a href="/news/mackycorp-lines-up-a-major-liverpool-office-development">Macky Corp</a> director Michael Hercus. 
 

<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/fk_liverpool_plazaviewin_146_lg_07.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Liverpool Quarter's plaza and community space"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="290" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/fk_liverpool_plazaviewin_146_lg_07.jpg?itok=X1NhqUlj" title="Liverpool Quarter's plaza and community space" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Liverpool Quarter's plaza and community space</figcaption></figure> 
Katsalidis design gives plenty of “breathing space” between the existing New Commercial Hotel and the new tower, providing the area with a high level of community engaged, civic space.

“The people of Liverpool and the south-west deserve better. They are tired of travelling great distances to work and to experience quality food, beer and wine in a clean and safe environment. Liverpool Quarter will be a place for the people of Liverpool and the south-west to be proud of and call their own” says Hercus.

<a href="/new-apartments?bedrooms%5Bvalue%5D=0&amp;bedrooms%5Bvalue2%5D=5&amp;bedroom-prices%5Bvalue%5D=0&amp;bedroom-prices%5Bvalue2%5D=8&amp;field_local_government_area_name=Sydney%20%28City%29">Sydney CBD</a> and <a href="/new-apartments/parramatta-nsw">Parramatta</a> have been leading the commercial office market with low vacancy levels at 0.8% in some areas for A grade office buildings. Located opposite Liverpool Station, the $210 million dollar development will be amongst local destinations such as Macquarie Street, Biggie Park, Georges River, Liverpool Hospital and Westfield Liverpool and changes the shape and evolution of Australia’s fourth oldest town.

Liverpool’s current population of 210,000 is expected to explode to over 331,000 by 2036, thus being dubbed Sydney’s third CBD to which residents will be able to find pride and engage in their community.

<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/fk_liverpool_streetplazaend_62_lg_07_low_res.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="The incorporated New Commercial Hotel and Stables entrance"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="290" src="/s3/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/fk_liverpool_streetplazaend_62_lg_07_low_res.jpg?itok=o2EVIOXt" title="The incorporated New Commercial Hotel and Stables entrance" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>The incorporated New Commercial Hotel and Stables entrance</figcaption></figure>Construction of the tower commences in late 2019 with an expected completion in late 2021. 
All images by Fender Katsalidis
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Fender Katsalidis' Liverpool Quarter Tower receives the green light

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Kyko Group managing director Mary Wong-Jenkings has listed her Macquarie Street, Sydney apartment with $4.6 million hopes.
She paid $3.75 million for the three-bedroom 198 square metre unit in the Renzo Piano-designed complex overlooking the Botanic Garden in 2016.
Sydney Sotheby’s agents Harriet France and Tony Barron have the listing.
It continues Wong-Jenkings’ recent disposal of assets.
Last year she sold The Drawing Rooms of Berry in Woodhill for $3.8 million and before that her apartment in the Pomeroy, Potts Point, which fetched $4 million.
This article was first published in the Saturday Daily Telegraph. 
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firstname1-iYD4UYzvBa

Mary Wong-Jenkings lists Macquarie Street, Sydney apartment

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Sydney house prices have risen in more than half of the city’s regions in the June quarter, new Domain data shows.
But overall Sydney house and unit price did decline by 0.4 percent.
It was the smallest quarterly fall since December 2017, according to Domain’s June House Price Report. 
<div class="in-content-ad">The median house price dropped to $1,032,338 – back to early 2016 levels while the median unit price has dropped to $688,652, back to mid-2015 levels.</div>
“It’s likely that prices have bottomed out in Sydney recently,” said Domain economist Trent Wiltshire.
 “This is the biggest downturn in property prices since the 1980s …  it looks to be at least close to an end.”
Sydney’s median house prices
<table style="width: 731px;">
<thead><tr>
<td width="87"> </td>
<td width="136">MEDIAN PRICE</td>
<td width="87">QOQ CHANGE</td>
<td width="87">YOY CHANGE</td>
</tr></thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td width="87">Blue Mountains</td>
<td width="136">$650,100</td>
<td width="87">0.29%</td>
<td width="87">-3.69%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="87">Canterbury Bankstown</td>
<td width="136">$825,000</td>
<td width="87">-1.20%</td>
<td width="87">-12.23%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="87">Central Coast</td>
<td width="136">$605,000</td>
<td width="87">-0.82%</td>
<td width="87">-6.92%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="87">City and East</td>
<td width="136">$2,125,000</td>
<td width="87">-5.87%</td>
<td width="87">-8.44%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="87">Inner West</td>
<td width="136">$1,448,750</td>
<td width="87">3.48%</td>
<td width="87">-7.72%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="87">Lower North Shore</td>
<td width="136">$2,300,000</td>
<td width="87">4.55%</td>
<td width="87">-4.96%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="87">North West</td>
<td width="136">$1,170,000</td>
<td width="87">1.74%</td>
<td width="87">-7.87%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="87">Northern Beaches</td>
<td width="136">$1,610,000</td>
<td width="87">-3.01%</td>
<td width="87">-6.40%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="87">South</td>
<td width="136">$1,050,000</td>
<td width="87">1.69%</td>
<td width="87">-11.76%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="87">South West</td>
<td width="136">$671,000</td>
<td width="87">0.15%</td>
<td width="87">-7.54%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="87">Upper North Shore</td>
<td width="136">$1,600,000</td>
<td width="87">1.59%</td>
<td width="87">-3.03%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="87">West</td>
<td width="136">$675,000</td>
<td width="87">-1.46%</td>
<td width="87">-6.90%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="4">
Source: Domain House Price Report, June Quarter 2019
 
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Wiltshire said the recovery was skewed to higher-priced areas: lower north shore house prices recorded the strongest growth of 4.55% to $2.3 million in the June quarter.
It was followed by the inner west, up 3.48% to $1,448,750.
The upper north shore median increased 1.59 per cent to $1.6 million in the quarter ending in June.
Over the quarter, Melbourne median house prices rose 0.3%.
The best performer was Canberra, who saw their median house price over the quarter jump 1.5%.
It was followed by Hobart whose house prices rose 0.7%.
Capital city median house prices
<table><tbody>
<tr>
<td width="193" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":-0.022826086956521774}'> </td>
<td width="215">Median house price</td>
<td width="136">QoQ</td>
<td width="87">YoY</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Sydney</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Sydney"}'>$1,032,338</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"$1,032,338"}'>-0.4%</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":-0.004}'>-9.1%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Melbourne"}'>Melbourne</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"$818,237"}'>$818,237</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":0.003}'>0.3%</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":-0.077}'>-7.7%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Brisbane"}'>Brisbane</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"$559,167"}'>$559,167</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":-0.014}'>-1.4%</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":-0.018}'>-1.8%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Adelaide"}'>Adelaide</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"$540,473"}'>$540,473</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":-0.001}'>-0.1%</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":0.014}'>1.4%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Perth"}'>Perth</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"$528,186"}'>$528,186</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":-0.02}'>-2.0%</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":-0.054}'>-5.4%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Hobart"}'>Hobart</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"$474,423"}'>$474,423</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":0.007}'>0.7%</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":0.039}'>3.9%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Canberra"}'>Canberra</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"$741,947"}'>$741,947</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":0.015}'>1.5%</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":-0.001}'>-0.1%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Darwin"}'>Darwin</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"$502,521"}'>$502,521</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":-0.023}'>-2.3%</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":-0.029}'>-2.9%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="4" data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Darwin"}'>
Source: Domain House Price Report, June Quarter 2019
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
Sydney’s median unit prices
Sydney's median unit prices didn't perform as well as houses over the June quarter in the same areas.
The worst performer was the Central Coast, whose 7.37% June quarter change took its year on year change to over 10%.
The worst performer year on year is the Canterbury Bankstown area which saw declines over 16.6%.
<table style="width: 826px;"><tbody>
<tr>
<td width="87"> </td>
<td width="136">Median price</td>
<td width="87">QoQ change</td>
<td width="87">YoY change</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="87">Canterbury Bankstown</td>
<td width="136">$500,000</td>
<td width="87">-3.10%</td>
<td width="87">-16.67%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="87">Central Coast</td>
<td width="136">$440,000</td>
<td width="87">-7.37%</td>
<td width="87">-10.39%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="87">City and East</td>
<td width="136">$910,000</td>
<td width="87">1.11%</td>
<td width="87">-7.61%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="87">Inner West</td>
<td width="136">$740,000</td>
<td width="87">2.07%</td>
<td width="87">-5.73%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="87">Lower North Shore</td>
<td width="136">$852,000</td>
<td width="87">-7.89%</td>
<td width="87">-9.36%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="87">North West</td>
<td width="136">$660,000</td>
<td width="87">-2.22%</td>
<td width="87">-9.47%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="87">Northern Beaches</td>
<td width="136">$780,000</td>
<td width="87">-2.50%</td>
<td width="87">-11.11%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="87">South</td>
<td width="136">$640,000</td>
<td width="87">-4.48%</td>
<td width="87">-10.65%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="87">South West</td>
<td width="136">$438,000</td>
<td width="87">-2.67%</td>
<td width="87">-10.61%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="87">Upper North Shore</td>
<td width="136">$723,000</td>
<td width="87">0.42%</td>
<td width="87">-6.10%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td width="87">West</td>
<td width="136">$520,000</td>
<td width="87">-5.45%</td>
<td width="87">-11.26%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="4" width="87">
Source: Domain House Price Report, June Quarter 2019
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
Across the capitals Melbourne was the only one with an increase in the median unit price, up 2%.
Darwin continued its damaging decline, a further 4.8% to be 10.4% down on the year.
Capital city median unit prices
<table style="width: 631px;"><tbody>
<tr>
<td width="193" data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":-0.029}'>City</td>
<td width="215">Median unit price</td>
<td width="136">QoQ</td>
<td width="87">YoY</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Sydney"}'>Sydney</td>
<td>$688,652</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"$688,652"}'>-0.40%</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":-0.072}'>-7.20%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Melbourne"}'>Melbourne</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"$501,009"}'>$501,009</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":0.02}'>2.00%</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":-0.007}'>-0.70%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Brisbane"}'>Brisbane</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"$368,382"}'>$368,382</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":-0.031}'>-3.10%</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":-0.089}'>-8.90%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Adelaide"}'>Adelaide</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"$310,642"}'>$310,642</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":-0.002}'>-0.20%</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":0.006}'>0.60%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Perth"}'>Perth</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"$342,930"}'>$342,930</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":-0.016}'>-1.60%</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":-0.077}'>-7.70%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Hobart"}'>Hobart</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"$356,751"}'>$356,751</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":-0.064}'>-6.40%</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":-0.015}'>-1.50%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Canberra"}'>Canberra</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"$448,737"}'>$448,737</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":-0.014}'>-1.40%</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":0.019}'>1.90%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Darwin"}'>Darwin</td>
<td data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"$298,438"}'>$298,438</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":-0.048}'>-4.80%</td>
<td data-sheets-numberformat='[null,3,"0.00%",1]' data-sheets-value='{"1":3,"3":-0.104}'>-10.40%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="4" data-sheets-value='{"1":2,"2":"Darwin"}'>
Source: Domain House Price Report, June Quarter 2019
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</body></html>

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