The new <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/yarraville-green-42-stephen-street-yarraville-vic-3013">Yarraville Green</a> development in Melbourne's inner west is showing that landscaping can be just as influential as architecture, with buyers responding strongly to the garden-first approach adopted from the outset by developer Excelon Projects and the project's design team.

Excelon appointed Six Degrees Architects and landscape architects SBLA to work collaboratively on the development, with a brief to create "a sustainable, design-led building with a focus on community."

That approach has resonated with buyers. According to Next Chapter Director Tom Hirini, who is leading the sales campaign, the landscaped communal garden has become one of the project's defining features, alongside its boutique scale and European-inspired cluster housing concept.

Local downsizers, right-sizers and established families already living in Yarraville and surrounding suburbs have accounted for the majority of purchasers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297740]

Yarraville Green will comprise 53 homes, including apartments and townhomes, arranged around the shared central garden to maximise connections to the landscaped open space. Parking has been moved underground, allowing the ground plane to be dedicated to greenery, pedestrian movement and communal spaces.

The landscape extends well beyond passive planting. Productive garden beds, a pergola, communal gathering spaces, garden sheds and a pet wash have all been integrated into the masterplan, creating spaces designed to encourage everyday interaction between residents.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297741]

The interiors continue Excelon's focus on craftsmanship, incorporating bespoke elements by Melbourne artisans including leadlight detailing by Adadaz, hand-turned timber hardware by Auburn Woodturning and blown-glass lighting by Ruth Allen.

Sustainability has also been embedded throughout the project, with Yarraville Green targeting an average 7-star NatHERS energy rating through passive design principles, rooftop solar servicing common areas and rainwater harvesting for landscape irrigation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144913 project_image_fid=297735]

Construction continues to progress at Yarraville Green, with structural works well underway and framing works approaching completion under builder Balmain &amp; Co. The project remains on track for completion in mid-2027.

Apartments at Yarraville Green are currently priced from $625,000, while townhomes start from $1.4 million.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=144913]

Joel Robinson

Garden-led design drives buyer demand at Yarraville Green

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]

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 41-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 41-storey tower, which has 229 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

Williamstown

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A Williamstown work studio has sold for $255,000 at its recent weekend auction.
Located at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-other-vic-williamstown-126188674" target="_blank">13/2 Techno Park Drive</a>, the business park property is suitable for a variety of work purposes.
It features three rooms all with their own built-in cupboards as well as an open plan kitchen, with adjoining meals area, and bathroom.
The property also has two car parks available on title.
Public transport, shops and CBD are all within close proximity including the beach and restaurants.
The property was offered through Williams Real Estate agents Sam Wilson and Michael Harvey.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Williamstown work studio sells for $255,000 under the hammer

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A waterfront property in Melbourne’s Williamstown with a permit for an additional townhouse permit has sold under the hammer for $1.94 million.
It sold on a sharp yield of 3.1 percent.
The <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-retail-vic-williamstown-502370562" target="_blank">227 Nelson Place</a> property comprises a two-level building with a ground floor retail space and a two-bedroom residence, and an approved permit for an additional three-level luxury townhouse at the rear.
The winning bid was well over expectations, indicating the keen interest in inner-city locations. 
The 183 sqm property was sold with leases to two longstanding tenants, returning $60,349 per annum plus GST. It is zoned Commercial 1.
The selling agents were James Lockwood and David Bourke of Fitzroys, along with James Gregson and Michael Ryan of Allard Shelton.
Lockwood said the property was well suited for investment due to its inner-city location.
“The property is located in a superb waterfront position opposite Williamstown marina, providing city and water views, in a superb retail and lifestyle precinct,” he said.
Lockwood also said the $450 million Waterline apartment and townhouse development by AVJennings will bring an extra 2,000 residents to the immediate area, and should trigger further similar developments that would further improve the strong existing retail conditions for the Williamstown area.
 
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Waterfront building with retail in Williamstown fetches $1.94 million at auction

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The Tennis Victoria board president Gary Clark and his psychologist wife Kaye Frankcom sold their Williamstown home of 20 years at weekend auction.
It sold for just under $4 million, after it passed in at auction.
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-williamstown-124489066" target="_blank">120 Cecil Street, Williamstown</a> home had three parties bid for the renovated 1910 weatherboard.
The property had been passed in at $3.7 million through Greg Hocking Elly Partners.
The couple’s children were just five and seven when the family moved into the five-bedroom house, but they’ve left home.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Tennis chief hits a winner with weekend Williamstown auction

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The distraction of Christmas caught up with weekend auction listings.
Not harshly, but the clearance rates did dip into the low 70s as record volumes came in a late December flood.
One of the failed offerings was a former lolly shop in Williamstown.
Marketed at $1.1 million plus, the <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-williamstown-124190858" target="_blank">45 Stevedore Street listing</a> was passed in at $1,265,000.
The Herald Sun reported the residence attracted a $1.3 million written offer post-auction to RT Edgar Williamstown.
The five-bedroom 1900 property was being offered for the first time in 21 years last selling at $189,000 in 1995.
There was success however at Brighton's Dendy Beach.
A newly built bathing box, built by the local council, sold at a record price.
It was listed through Nick Johnstone Real Estate agent Alan McGillivray, who given its distant location on the strip, gave a cautious mid-$200,000s price guidance.
But Box 85 sold on Saturday for $326,000. Painted orange and yellow, the box exceded recent records when $295,000 was set in early 2016 and mid-year when <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-brighton-122566182" target="_blank">bathing box 44</a> sold at $307,000.
he auctioneer Nick Johnstone told the crowd only three more of the boxes will be built.
There were three bidders.
A $4.6 million Warrawee home topped the nation's weekend auction sales.
The <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.dijones.com.au/properties-sold/listings/2721" target="_blank">2a Pibrac Avenue</a> offering sold two days before the weekend auction having been marketed with $4.5 million expectations through Di Jones Real Estate.
<img src="/images/2016/12/18/Warrawee.jpg" alt="">
The five bedroom architecturally-designed home on its 1560 sq m block had last sold at $1.5 million in 2003.
The cheapest was $250,000 at Frankston.
The 7/74 Beach Street offering was <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-vic-frankston-124242762" target="_blank">a top floor two bedroom apartment</a> that had been recently renovated.
<img src="/images/2016/12/18/Frankston.jpg" alt="">
It was last listed for rent at $250 a week in 2014.
Melbourne's top sale was when <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-house-vic-canterbury-124207586" target="_blank">24 Alexandra Avenue, Canterbury</a> sold through Marshall White for $4,012,000.
<img src="/images/2016/12/18/Canterbury.jpg" alt="">
The brick 1910 five bedroom home sold in 2012 at $2,505,000.
Two bidders battled it out after it went on the market at $3.8 million.
CoreLogic's Kevin Brogan noted the combined capital city clearance rate fell slightly to 70.5 per cent, down from last week’s 71.6 per cent.
The number of properties taken to auction also fell across the capital cities, with 2,722 reported auctions, down from 3,432 last week, which was the second busiest auction week of the year.
<a href="/images/2016/12/18/Screen%20Shot%202016-12-18%20at%201.46.12%20pm.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/12/18/Screen%20Shot%202016-12-18%20at%201.46.12%20pm.jpg" alt="">
"However, compared to the corresponding week last year, auction activity is significantly higher, with 1,818 auctions and a lower rate of clearance (59.4 per cent) reported over the same period last year."
He advised auction numbers will remain relatively sedate over the festive period.
<a href="/images/2016/12/18/Screen%20Shot%202016-12-18%20at%201.46.19%20pm.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/12/18/Screen%20Shot%202016-12-18%20at%201.46.19%20pm.jpg" alt="">
In Melbourne the number of homes taken to auction fell to 1,286, down from last week’s seasonal high of 1,685, with the preliminary clearance rate for the city also falling over the week (75.7 per cent), down from 78.4 per cent over the previous week.
"However, this is significantly higher than the corresponding week last year when 875 auctions were reported with a clearance rate of 65.7 per cent," he noted.
Across Melbourne’s sub-regions, the Inner South region recorded the highest preliminary clearance rate of all the regions, with 84.4 per cent of the 113 auctions successful, followed by the Mornington Peninsula region, where an 82.5 per cent preliminary clearance rate was recorded across 52 auctions.
<a href="/images/2016/12/18/Screen%20Shot%202016-12-18%20at%201.51.12%20pm.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/12/18/Screen%20Shot%202016-12-18%20at%201.51.12%20pm.jpg" alt="">
Across Sydney, there was a lower volume of auctions this week, with 874 held, down from 1,168 over the previous week.
The preliminary clearance rate for the city saw a slight increase over last week, up to 74.1 per cent from 73.7 per cent last week.
"When compared to the same time last year, both, the clearance rate and number of auctions held are significantly higher than the equivalent period, when a 61.2 per cent clearance rate was recorded across 456 auctions," he said.
<a href="/images/2016/12/18/Screen%20Shot%202016-12-18%20at%201.51.20%20pm.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/12/18/Screen%20Shot%202016-12-18%20at%201.51.20%20pm.jpg" alt="">
The Sydney Northern Beaches region recorded the strongest clearance rate of all the Sydney sub-regions, with a 90.2 per cent preliminary rate of clearance across 64 auctions, while the Inner South West region recorded the highest volume of auctions (118).
There were 233 Brisbane properties taken to auction with a preliminary clearance rate of 45.7 per cent, up from 43.5 per cent last week and also higher than the same period last year, when 45 per cent of the 191 properties taken to auction were successful.
<a href="/images/2016/12/18/Screen%20Shot%202016-12-18%20at%201.51.29%20pm.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/12/18/Screen%20Shot%202016-12-18%20at%201.51.29%20pm.jpg" alt="">
Adelaide saw a preliminary clearance rate of 61.4 per cent across a total of 132 scheduled auctions.
"This is higher than the previous week, when Adelaide’s clearance rate was 58.3 per cent and also higher than the 57.3 per cent recorded one year ago."
<a href="/images/2016/12/18/Screen%20Shot%202016-12-18%20at%201.51.39%20pm.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/12/18/Screen%20Shot%202016-12-18%20at%201.51.39%20pm.jpg" alt="">
Perth’s clearance rate of 30 per cent across 47 auctions was up from the previous week, when 76 auctions were held and a clearance rate of 20.0 per cent was recorded.
Over the same week last year, the clearance rate was lower, when 25.8 per cent of the 68 auctions were successful.
Canberra’s preliminary auction clearance rate of 65.5 per cent this week is higher than last week, when the final auction clearance rate was 60.8 per cent and also higher than the 52.2 per cent recorded last year. 
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Williamstown lolly shop fails to sell in pre-Christmas rush to auction

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An apartment sales campaign looks imminent for one of Melbourne's more contentious and long lasting development sites, referred to as Nelson Place. In recent weeks Dalton Consulting Engineers have been appointed to handle civil infrastructure matters and the like whilst Icon Construction currently have phase one of what will be known as <a href="http://waterlineplace.com.au/" target="_blank">Waterline Place</a> listed online as an active construction tender.

Comprising 83 apartments and two retail tenancies, the initial development phase will include a six level SJB Architects-designed complex as seen below. The completed development will potentially see 20 level towers and in excess of 800 dwellings.

<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/image24will.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Stage One of Waterline Place features an apartment building of 83 dwellings. Image courtesy Icon Construction"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="357" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image24will.jpg?itok=KU2lnICc" title="Stage One of Waterline Place features an apartment building of 83 dwellings. Image courtesy Icon Construction" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Stage One includes 83 apartments. Image courtesy Icon Construction</figcaption></figure><h2>Site History</h2>

Formerly the Port Phillip Woollen Mills, the site is bound by Nelson Place (north), Kanowna Street (east), Cecil and Aitken streets (south) and Ann Street (west). Carrying a handful of historic structures, the development site has been subject to a decade of wrangling between Hobsons Bay City Council, the Save Williamstown action group and proponent, Evolve Development.

The long-running saga prompted developer Ashley Williams to deliver this broadside in response to the development and parking concerns raised by opposing bodies:

<blockquote>
A bunch of what I'd say are fairly selfish established residents, who have benefited from property price rises, make it very hard for developers to respond to that demand. They forget that the changes that led to the parking issue have meant that there are more people around, more cafes, the place is a more vibrant retail centre, the supermarket and greengrocer open later, so you can't have it both ways.
<cite>Ashley Williams, "<a href="http://www.news.com.au/finance/real-estate/developer-furious-at-selfish-residents/story-fndbarft-1226586508083">Developer furious at 'selfish' residents</a>" (news.com.au), February 27, 2013</cite>
</blockquote>

It was argued by Save Williamstown that the development would:

<ul>
<li>Destroy heritage</li>
	<li>Be situated too close to the shipyards</li>
	<li>Be situated too close to Mobil MHF(includes feeder arms on jetty, pipelines &amp; tank farm with tanks up to 40m diameter) and fuel importation ships flagged overseas</li>
	<li>Destroy nationally significant jobs</li>
	<li>Overwhelms local schools, child care and community services</li>
	<li>Make Williamstown less family friendly</li>
	<li>Overburden roads and traffic</li>
	<li>Lead to tourists being squeezed out of the peninsula</li>
</ul>
Ultimately VCAT ruled in favour of the development as was <a href="http://williamstown.starcommunity.com.au/star/2013-01-15/development-upheld/" target="_blank">reported during January 2013</a>, dismissing a number of gauzy claims above.

<h2>Staged development</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/image29will.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Images courtesy Lovell Chen &amp; Save Williamstown"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" height="317" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/image29will.jpg?itok=fVOxuPqu" title="Images courtesy Lovell Chen &amp; Save Williamstown" width="580"></a>

<figcaption>Images courtesy Lovell Chen &amp; Save Williamstown</figcaption></figure>The overall site is broken into 14 separate lots according to the graphic above. <a href="http://www.savewilliamstown.net/" target="_blank">Save Williamstown</a> provides a concise summary of events and applications to date, where Stage One will involve Lots 1,2 and 3 with permitted plans allow for the demolition of the 1800's Oriental Hotel and provision for 142 dwellings by way of apartments and townhouses.

Lot 2 situated on the Nelson Place and Ann Street intersection holds the 6-storey apartment building which rises 19.6 metres above ground. Hobson Bay City Council's Built Form Outcomes seeks “A prominent building which provides emphasis to the corner of Nelson Place and Ann Street” and “A building that incorporates innovative façade articulation and limited sheer walls.” Vertical louvres look to be design response.

Subsequent stages are expected to see building heights rise to 9 levels, with the potential for multiple 20 level apartment towers considered likely for latter stages of the project. Expected to stretch toward 2020, the overall program is envisaged to deliver 700 apartments and 100 townhouses, although given the size and elongated delivery period for Waterline Place final numbers are unknown.
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