<p><a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mayd-group">MAYD Group</a> has set a new residential price record in Queensland with the $30 million sale of the penthouse at its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/one-burleigh-88-the-esplanade-burleigh-heads-qld-4220">ONE Burleigh</a> development in Burleigh Heads.</p>

<p>The sale equates to around $37,500 per sqm.</p>

<p>The two-level, 800 sqm penthouse, featuring five bedrooms, five bathrooms, five car spaces, and a private infinity pool overlooking the Pacific Ocean, was acquired by a Gold Coast-based entrepreneur, highlighting continued demand for ultra-premium beachfront product.</p>

<p>Selling agent Freddie Tehle of PRD Burleigh Heads said the result reflects tightening supply of high-quality, large-format apartments in Burleigh.</p>

<p>“There’s very limited opportunity to secure this level of scale and absolute beachfront position in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/burleigh-heads-qld-4220">Burleigh Heads</a>,” Tehle said.</p>

<p>“Buyers are increasingly seeking apartments that genuinely replace a standalone home, and this penthouse delivers that with its size, privacy, and direct ocean frontage.”</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=146358 project_image_fid=323057]</p>

<p>The sale comes as construction progresses on ONE Burleigh, a boutique development of 17 full-floor residences at 88 The Esplanade, scheduled for completion in early 2027.</p>

<p>Developed by MAYD Group and designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/mas-architecture-studio">MAS Architecture</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/sici-design">Sici Design</a>, the project has been positioned as a collection of house-sized beachfront apartments, each occupying an entire floor with around 381 sqm of internal and external living space.</p>

<p>When construction commenced, MAYD director Todd Mould pointed to the long-term resilience of premium coastal real estate as a key driver behind the project.</p>

<p>“Real estate, particularly at the premium end, remains one of the most resilient and proven long-term investment avenues,” Mould said.</p>

<p>“Our ambition is that anyone who buys a MAYD-built product can genuinely feel the care, craftsmanship and commitment we bring to every detail.”</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=146358 project_image_fid=323055]</p>

<p>Each residence has been configured with four bedrooms, multiple living zones, a private office, and expansive ocean-facing terraces. Interiors draw on a restrained material palette, including travertine stone, timber joinery, and integrated premium appliances.</p>

<p>Interior designer Sici Design said the approach was to reflect the project’s coastal setting through both materiality and spatial planning.</p>

<p>“ONE Burleigh is our vision of luxury living, designed to bring the essence of Burleigh Heads' vibrant coastal beauty into an unparalleled residential experience.”</p>

<p>Residents will have access to a suite of wellness-focused amenities, including pools, sauna facilities, and dedicated relaxation spaces, reflecting a broader shift toward lifestyle-driven apartment design on the Gold Coast.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=146358 project_image_fid=323052]</p>

<p>The project occupies a southern Esplanade site with uninterrupted beachfront frontage, an increasingly rare offering in Burleigh Heads, free from the Norfolk Pines that line much of the coastline and often limit direct ocean outlook.</p>

<p>Mould said the design intent was to balance that outlook with a sense of retreat.</p>

<p>“Living at ONE Burleigh is about how your day naturally unfolds, morning light across the ocean, coffee on the balcony, and being in Burleigh but elevated above the noise.”</p>

<p>The result further reinforces Burleigh Heads’ emergence as one of the Gold Coast’s most tightly held and supply-constrained beachfront markets, where boutique, owner-occupier-focused developments are increasingly setting new price benchmarks.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=146358]</p>


Joel Robinson

MAYD Group sets Queensland record with $30 million penthouse sale at ONE Burleigh in Burleigh Heads

<p>Apartment developers in the Gold Coast are finding new, creative ways to differentiate themselves from competing projects, as new supply starts to flow through up and down the Coast.</p>

<p>Developer Big Projects brought in the renowned Sydney-based design studio YSG to craft the interiors for The Frederick, Big Projects' new Mermaid Beach project and YSG's first move into the multi-residential development space.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=110588 project_image_fid=5346]</p>

<p>It was a strategic move for Big Projects to bring in a Sydney eye to the development.</p>

<p>“Our role is to give our design partners the space and freedom to explore,” says Matt Barrett, Director of Big Projects.</p>

<p>“We wanted YSG Studio to capture the essence of Nobby’s, to design a building that embraces life, light and connection, while creating a genuine sense of place.”</p>

<p>There are only 39 apartments in The Frederick, including a striking beach house, just 100 metres from the booming Nobby Beach precinct.&nbsp;</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=110588 project_image_fid=5347]</p>

<p>Yasmine Ghoniem, Director of YSG Studio, says their vision&nbsp;for The Frederick "reinvents coastal living."</p>

<p>“Nobby’s has such an iconic energy, it’s one of those rare pockets of the Gold Coast where the community, the beach, and the streets all feel connected,” Ghoniem says.</p>

<p>"Responding to the neighbouring coastline, soothing curves add a relaxing regional overlay, while unique detailing really sets it apart. It’s a place that feels lived in from the moment you step inside.”</p>

<p data-end="236" data-start="64">A standout feature of The Frederick is its rooftop terrace, an uncommon inclusion for a boutique, low-rise building, where amenity is typically concentrated at ground level.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=110588 project_image_fid=5360]</p>

<p data-end="523" data-start="308">Positioned to capture panoramic views from the hinterland to the ocean, the rooftop has been designed as a series of intimate zones. It includes a pool, sauna, sun decks, workspaces and dedicated entertaining areas.</p>

<p data-end="670" data-start="525">“The rooftop was conceived as a collection of spaces where residents can unwind and connect, an extension of the Nobby’s lifestyle,” Barrett says.</p>

<p data-end="760" data-start="672">Architecture for the project was led by Plus Architecture, with landscape design by LDG.</p>

<p data-end="951" data-start="762">SRQ Projects Director Nick Clydsdale, who is handling sales at The Frederick, says the majority of enquiry is coming from South East QLD and Victorian buyers who have been actively searching between Broadbeach and Mermaid Beach for some time.</p>

<p data-end="951" data-start="762">"They’ve reviewed a number of projects, however this one has stood out for its design flair/ appeal,"&nbsp;Clydsdale says.</p>

<p data-end="951" data-start="762">Site demolition is slated for this month, with construction commencing soon after. Big Projects is targeting a late 2027 completion.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=110588]</p>


Big Projects taps Sydney’s YSG for first multi-residential project at The Frederick Mermaid Beach

<p>Melbourne-based property developer ALTA Property has this week achieved planning approval for the adaptive re-use of a former commercial tower into a $200 million, 169-apartment project at 10 Queens Road, one of the last developable sites along the Albert Park Lake-fronting boulevard.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Set within one of Melbourne’s most sought-after precincts and designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fraser-partners-0">Fraser and Partners</a>, the illustrious building will offer unparalleled views across Albert Park Lake, Port Phillip Bay and Melbourne CBD.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The mix of 1, 2 and 3-bedroom residences will be complemented by a ground-floor amenity featuring private dining, a lounge bar, gym and wellness spaces, co-working, outdoor communal gardens, and retail.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The 17-storey building is a masterclass in adaptive re-use, with the existing commercial building’s façade, shell and internal structure to be retained, before high-end residences are built from the ground up in a newly built Albert Park facing addition to the building.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sitting atop the building will be two 320+sqm penthouses with private rooftop terraces, which are expected to be priced between $9 - $11 million.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="ALTA Property achieves permit approval for $200 million Queens Road tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="aa11211b-5581-43f9-940c-fc84d30a0e61" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/C_04.png?VersionId=Yhf5p_1EgGDu_zOIMFgvA8Ug8j3sTFQs" /></p>

<p>Architecturally, the building will feature a curved, geometric façade that celebrates and elevates the existing structure, with warm, muted tones which were selected to extend the materiality of the existing building rather than contrast it.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Interiors will bring together three metre high ceilings with waffle concrete in some spaces, natural timber, granite and Australian materials, culminating in crafted, generous and considered spaces that are defined by authenticity.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The adaptive re-use means that the Queens Road project will be a sustainability led, high-quality finished product, with a 62% saving in carbon emissions by re-using the existing structure rather than knocking it down and rebuilding.&nbsp;</p>

<p>ALTA Property was launched by Nigel Givoni in 2023, bringing over 25 years of experience in multi level residential delivery.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Melbourne’s property market growth is currently led by apartments. According to RPM VIC Apartments &amp; Townhomes Market Report (April 2026), units are outpacing houses, especially in the middle ring suburbs where median prices hit $757,500 – a four-year high that represents 2.9 percent growth quarter-on-quarter.&nbsp;</p>

<p><img alt="ALTA Property achieves permit approval for $200 million Queens Road tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="647e13d7-b4bc-433a-9bc9-fe3c3dd4f2ec" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/V_06.png?VersionId=ou4NUCWUgA3NAy.6CQJlEdKX50j3dOk6" /></p>

<p>For ALTA Property Founder Nigel Givoni, this performance speaks to the confidence he has in the Melbourne market.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“Queens Road represents a rare opportunity to continue to shape our presence in the Melbourne market.,"&nbsp;Givoni says.</p>

<p>"With a considered project team and a premier site along one of the city’s most sought-after boulevards, we look forward to contributing to the fabric of this established address.</p>

<p>“Other Australian markets are getting a lot of attention, but I believe the depth of value in Melbourne is being overlooked. The fundamentals are strong, population growth is steady and, based on our preliminary conversations with a leading builder, construction costs are beginning to normalise, creating further opportunity."</p>

<p>Givoni says the project is a&nbsp;highly considered example of adaptive re-use, delivering quality, high-end residences, premium hotel-inspired amenities and an architecturally striking façade, all achieved without the need to remove the existing structure.</p>

<p>"We are really looking forward to the market’s response,” he said.&nbsp;</p>


ALTA Property to deliver $200 million Queens Road apartment tower

<p>Construction is set to begin at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/orchard-mews-glen-iris-18-scott-grove-glen-iris-vic-3146">Orchard Mews</a> in Glen Iris, with&nbsp;PC Whitehall &amp; Sons&nbsp;now appointed as the townhome development moves into its next phase.</p>

<p>The development by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/montcoeur">MontCoeur</a>,&nbsp;located at 18 Scott Grove, is now around 30 per cent sold, with completion targeted for late-2027.</p>

<p>Orchard Mews comprises a curated collection of three- and four-bedroom customisable townhomes, positioned within one of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/glen-iris-vic-3146">Glen Iris</a>’ more tightly held residential streets. The low-density project has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cera-stribley-architects">Cera Stribley</a>, with landscape architecture by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/jack-merlo">Jack Merlo</a>, bringing together a team known for high-end residential projects across Melbourne.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=150128 project_image_fid=366285]</p>

<p>The development is defined by its focus on flexible living and long-term usability. Each residence includes multiple living zones and a customisable multipurpose room, allowing buyers to tailor spaces to suit changing needs, whether as a home office, additional bedroom, wellness area or entertainment space.</p>

<p>Architecturally, the townhomes emphasise natural light and spatial volume, with dual-aspect layouts and double-height living areas incorporated into the design. Interiors feature natural stone benchtops, premium appliances, and a neutral material palette intended to support everyday functionality rather than statement-driven finishes.</p>

<p>All residences are all-electric and include private lifts and secure double garages, reflecting a broader shift toward sustainability and future-focused housing in Melbourne’s established suburbs.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=150128 project_image_fid=366277]</p>

<p>Outdoor connections are also central to the offering, with a mix of private courtyards and terraces extending internal living spaces and integrating with the landscaped surrounds.</p>

<p>The Scott Grove address places Orchard Mews within close proximity to some of Melbourne’s key lifestyle and education amenities, including Scotch College, Sacré Cœur, Cabrini Hospital and the retail hub of Chadstone. Public transport access is also nearby, with trams and Gardiner Station providing connectivity to the CBD and surrounding suburbs.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150128]</p>


Construction to commence at luxury Glen Iris townhome project, Orchard Mews

<p data-end="150" data-start="66">A rare new apartment development has been proposed on the fringe of St Ives Village.</p>

<p data-end="370" data-start="152">Developer Newquest Property has lodged plans for a low-rise apartment project designed by well-regarded architecture firm Warren &amp; Mahoney, which is best known for its work in the multi-residential sector in Melbourne.</p>

<p data-end="370" data-start="152">The building, proposed for a 1,916 sqm site on <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/st-ives-residences-3-5-memorial-avenue-nsw-2075">Memorial Avenue</a> opposite St Ives Village Green, has been designed to blend into the surrounding natural environment.</p>

<p data-end="370" data-start="152"><img alt="St Ives" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5c1c7437-2fba-4345-a6d7-05321714ad3e" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-04%20at%201.28.46%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=KrYyMaJvNqR7vbx0xbB3Ef8sJ6FuHpmn" /></p>

<p data-end="745" data-start="537">“Drawing inspiration from the pale trunks and flowering canopies of the scribbly gums and blue gums prevalent in the area, a considered material palette was developed,” the architectural design report states.</p>

<p data-end="912" data-start="747">“This palette references the established materiality of the suburb while elevating it through refined finishes to achieve a more luxurious architectural expression.”</p>

<p data-end="1185" data-start="914">Of the 33 apartments proposed, 21 will be three-bedroom residences. The remaining mix includes nine two-bedroom apartments, one one-bedroom apartment and two four-bedroom residences. The development will be supported by 62 car parking spaces and 33 secure bicycle spaces.</p>

<p data-end="1270" data-start="1187">The proposal would replace two single-storey brick buildings currently on the site.</p>

<p data-end="1270" data-start="1187"><img alt="St Ives" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="21422eaf-09a9-4439-9278-b9bd9daf22a1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-04%20at%201.38.10%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=v.fXSgcUcEscvOZzqcjG5nk3gVqk_Amt" /></p>

<p data-end="1467" data-start="1272">St Ives remains a relatively untapped market for new apartment development. North Shore developer WINIM has a number of projects in the area, while INCA is nearing completion of Ellis Residences.</p>

<p data-end="1635" data-start="1469">More recently, Traders In Purple has lodged plans for one of the denser projects proposed in the suburb, a 75-apartment development on a 5,900 sqm site on Cowan Road.</p>

<p data-end="1635" data-start="1469">NewQuest, a construction, design and development firm, has delivered over 24 projects across commercial, residential, industrial, and lad markets.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


First look: NewQuest Property proposes new St Ives apartment development

Cranes

<html><body>
<p>Sydney record its fourth consecutive small fall in cranes, according to the Q1 2021 RLB Crane index.</p>

<p>The index has now fallen from 197 in Q3 2019 to 177 currently. The decrease of six index points represents a net loss of 11 cranes for this edition.</p>

<p>During the past six months there have been 155 cranes removed throughout Sydney and 144 new cranes added, with 286 cranes currently across Sydney.</p>

<p>Domenic Schiafone, Rider Levett Bucknall’s Oceania Director of Research and Development commented, “these past six months has seen the country slowly accelerate towards a post covid ‘new normal’. </p>

<p><img alt="" height="890" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/sydney_rlb.jpg" width="1500"></p>

<p>“The federal government’s stimulus measures have assisted the economy but the impact on construction is seeing the industry operate at two speeds.</p>

<p>"Residential detached housing, assisted by both federal and state incentives, does not appear to have suffered from any COVID hangover at this stage. Government sponsored civil projects continue to expand across the nation while education and civic projects also have grown sharply this edition,” he said. </p>

<p>Sydney's residential sector has seen the largest net loss of cranes with the commencement of 87 new cranes and the removal of 119, bringing the total count to 195, the lowest number of residential cranes since Q4 2015.</p>

<p>Residential cranes still make up 68.2% of total crane activity.</p>

<p>The largest development based of crane number is the 180 George development in Parramatta with four cranes.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=8590]</p>

<p>Across Sydney’s five main regions, decreases were seen in the west, inner city and east whilst increases were seen in the north and south region. The increase of fourteen cranes in the north was the largest growth region. West Sydney in comparison recorded the biggest decrease of thirteen cranes.</p>

<p>Inner Sydney saw 44 cranes added with the removal of 53 cranes, bringing the total crane count to 83, the lowest number of inner Sydney cranes since Q1 2016.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=7758]</p>

<p>Residential cranes fell by eight cranes in Sydney's east, with eight new cranes added and 16 removed. The residential sector still makes up 88% of crane activity in the east.</p>

<p>Cranes across the north recorded a rise of 14 cranes to now total 71. A total of 39 cranes were added to sites and 25 cranes were removed.</p>

<p>Residential cranes continue to be centred on the main arterial corridors in the north and can be found in 30 suburbs including Asquith, Carlingford, Castle hill, Cremorne, Crows nest, Dee Why, Epping, Gladesville, Gordon, Hornsby, Lane Cove, Lane Cove north, Macquarie Park Manly, Manly Vale, Maroubra, Meadowbank, Melrose Park, Narrabeen, Neutral Bay, Northbridge, Palm Beach, Pymble, Ryde, Seaforth, St Leonards, Thornleigh, Turramurra, Warrawee and Wentworthville.</p>

<p>Residential cranes across the south were sighted in 19 suburbs including Arncliffe, Beverley Park, Bexley north, Blakehurst, Caringbah, Cronulla, Dolls Point, Engadine, Hurstville, Kogarah, Kyle Bay, Miranda, Oran Park, Ramsgate, Redfern, South Hurstville, Sutherland and Woolloware.</p>

<p>[smartcode_project:default project_id=6798]</p>

<p>The region of Sydney West saw 31 new cranes and 44 removals bringing the region’s total to 61. The drop of 13 cranes was due to the completion of a number of residential projects across the region.</p>

<p>Residential cranes fell by 15 for this period. 46 residential cranes are situated in 22 suburbs across the west. Suburbs include Bankstown, Belfield, Blacktown, Canterbury, dundas, Edmondson Park fairfield, Granville, Jordan Springs, Liverpool, Mays hill, Merrylands, Mount druitt, Padstow, Parramatta, Penrith, Rouse hill, Schofields, Seven hills, St Marys, Villawood and Westmead.</p>

<p>Residential cranes were removed from projects in Bankstown, Belfield, Casula, Edmondson Park, Granville, Liverpool, Merrylands, Mount druitt, Parramatta, Penrith, Punchbowl, Rouse hill, Schofields, Sefton, and Westmead.</p>

<p> </p>

<p> </p>

<p> </p>
</body></html>

The largest development based of crane number is the 180 George development in Parramatta with four cranes.



Sydney crane watch: 87 new residential cranes added across Sydney, but 119 removed

<html><body>
<p class="post-title entry-title">EXPERT OBSERVER</p>
<p class="post-title entry-title">There are much softer numbers for construction in Q3 2018, feeding into the GDP result. </p>
<div>Somewhat old news by now, but the value of apartment building work done peaked somewhere between April and June this year, with the pipeline falling away now.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The value of apartment building work two peaked about two years ago in Queensland, with the unit market in Brisbane now looking much more in equilibrium than it was. </div>
<div> </div>
<div class="separator"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GotiguGC1Bo/W_31-vn5rKI/AAAAAAAAtF8/hBy0ioFkrHYSzLFEzhqinlTTp62OzJxUQCLcBGAs/s1600/A1.jpg"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GotiguGC1Bo/W_31-vn5rKI/AAAAAAAAtF8/hBy0ioFkrHYSzLFEzhqinlTTp62OzJxUQCLcBGAs/s640/A1.jpg" width="640" height="372" data-original-height="804" data-original-width="1378"></a></div>
<p class="post-body entry-content"> </p>
<div>The September quarter also saw a much weaker result for engineering, and this was in spite on the tremendous ongoing strength in infrastructure construction in New South Wales and Victoria. </div>
<div> </div>
<div>The slowdown reflected weaker activity levels in Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia, as well as dramatic drop off in the Northern Territory as the Ichthys LNG project now transitions to the production phase. </div>
<p class="post-body entry-content"> </p>
<div class="separator"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1t4jAa6gx1E/W_31-9T5rUI/AAAAAAAAtGA/zCEyL4CY9GEPxcYb0SJW5-zHf_5aqVkMQCLcBGAs/s1600/A2.jpg"><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1t4jAa6gx1E/W_31-9T5rUI/AAAAAAAAtGA/zCEyL4CY9GEPxcYb0SJW5-zHf_5aqVkMQCLcBGAs/s640/A2.jpg" width="640" height="374" data-original-height="801" data-original-width="1366"></a></div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator">Overall, a weak result across all sectors of construction: new houses, new apartments (ex-Sydney), commercial, and engineering. </div>
<div class="separator"> </div>
<div class="separator"><em>PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of AllenWargent property buyers (London, Sydney) and a best-selling author and <a href="https://petewargent.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">blogger</a>.</em></div>
</body></html>

pwargent-M4siyDbqQY

Construction is weakening, that means fewer cranes: Pete Wargent

<html><body>
<p>The continuation of construction jobs in the property industry looms as the big issue that will likely shape the 2020 property market trajectory.</p>
<p>Sydney apartment approvals have taken a dive and new house approvals are also in decline.</p>
<p>Only 830 attached dwellings were approved across Sydney in October, dramatically down on past Octobers.</p>
<p>The same month last year saw 2400 approvals, with 3700 in October 2017; 3100 in October 2016 and 4000 in October 2015. </p>
<p>Sydney is not alone in declining approval figures with the trend apparent in Melbourne and Brisbane. </p>
<p>The trend threatens employment continuity. Having a job ensures mortgage arrears remains low amid highly indebted households.</p>
<p>These building sites jobs are crucial to assist in the overall health of the wider economy.</p>
<p>The number of cranes on our skyline always provide an insight into the cyclical urban economic trends.</p>
<p>Interestingly the crane numbers in Sydney have yet to show any decline in 2019, in fact they have increased by nine to 319, according to the most recent quarterly edition of the RLB Crane Index.</p>
<p>The 2017 peak saw 350 Sydney cranes in the index, which began in 2012.</p>
<p>Residential cranes dominate with 73% of all cranes assisting in the construction of future dwellings.</p>
<p>The residential sector remained strong with 233 cranes, up one from six months ago. </p>
<p>Strong growth within the commercial office sector saw an additional net six cranes.</p>
<p>Sydney saw 189 cranes added to sites indicating a strong forward workflow while some 180 cranes were removed from completed developments in the past six months.</p>
<p>Cranes across Sydney are following the significant spend on transport infrastructures, especially north along the Pacific Highway, west along Parramatta Road, northeast along the M2 and south along the Kingsway.</p>
<p>Crane activity has declined in the north, but risen in the south, the east and inner Sydney. </p>
<p>The most significant addition was seven cranes at Meriton’s Pagewood Green. Crane removals saw four taken down at the Greenland’s development in North Ryde along with Ganellan’s nearby Delhi Road project.</p>
<p>Currently Sydney has 42% of all cranes erected nationally, while Melbourne contributes 28%, and Brisbane 7.5%.</p>
<p>Sydney’s dominance has fallen from the high of 52% in 2017.</p>
<p>In the first quarter of 2019 there were 735 cranes counted across Australia, with 530 for residential projects and 205 non-residential developments, including offices, transportation, hotels, education, health and retail.</p>
<p>There were no cities within the index that recorded crane falls in the double digits, a sign that the industry has not yet entered into the economic cycle of falling demand as predicted by some.</p>
<p>But continuity within the typical boom-bust building-buying cycle has never been easy.</p>
<p>And the emerging pipeline certainly doesn't look pretty. The national monthly building approvals have trended lower from about 20,000 to 13,000, which property commentator Pete Wargent suggested "looks very much like a recessionary trend".</p>
<p>Rolling annual approvals are now down from the 2016 peak of 242,000 to 173,000.</p>
<p>Of course securing rezoning and approvals take time. </p>
<p>“It takes twice as long to have a DA processed in NSW as it does in Victoria and three times as long as in Queensland," Urban Taskforce CEO Tom Forrest said recently.</p>
<p>It is to be hoped the residential price growth experienced in recent months will reignite developer activity in buying sites for apartment construction.</p>
<p>All those tradies in their high visibility vests are counting on it. </p>
<p><em>This article first appeared in </em>The Daily Telegraph. </p>
</body></html>

jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Fewer apartment approvals, but Sydney crane trends signal construction strength 

<html><body>
<div class="page" title="Page 2">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<div class="page" title="Page 15">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<p>The pausing of new housing approvals in selected suburbs across Sydney by the NSW Planning Minister Anthony Roberts comes at a pivotal period in the construction boom phase.</p>
<p><span>Capturing understandable community concerns, Roberts said councils needed “to take a bit of a breath” to be able to play catch up with infrastructure.</span></p>
<p><span>But the intervention could reap havoc as property developers seek out alternate projects in less congested suburbs or pack up altogether. </span></p>
<p>Sydney’s crane construction count has already recently eased from its late 2017 peak.</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p>There are currently 346 cranes on the Sydney skyline, down from the 350 last October. Of these some 253 are residential cranes spread nicely across 103 suburbs.</p>
<p data-removed-style="letter-spacing:0.001em;">“Every single crane in the sky is more evidence of another home, another school, another hospital, another business in our capital,” NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said.</p>
<p>Epping, Wolli Creek, Parramatta, Burwood, Mascot, Homebush, Lane Cove, Lewisham, Zetland, Leichhardt, Surry Hills sit among the recent top construction localities. </p>
<p>Currently Sydney has 51 percent of all cranes erected nationally, while Melbourne contributed 23 percent and Brisbane 10 percent, according to the latest edition of the Rider Levett Bucknall Crane index which highlights the vital continuing input of the construction sector within Australia’s economy.</p>
<div class="page" title="Page 2">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<div class="page" title="Page 2">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<p>The current Sydney crane count saw fewer residential cranes, but this was offset as the non-residential sector of offices, hotels and retail projects grew.</p>
<p>The net loss of four cranes within Sydney was the first fall since the commencement of the index in 2012, which signals the emerging downturn in the off the plan apartment construction sites and the construction jobs they create.</p>
<p>Sydney saw 133 residential cranes removed after project completions over the past six months with 88 new additions.</p>
<div class="page" title="Page 15">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<p><span>The CBD and surrounding suburbs have 34 (10 percent) of the installed cranes, the eastern suburbs have 11 (3 percent), the north has 98 (28 percent), the south has 88 (25 percent), the west has 109 (32 percent) and the Wollongong region had 6 (2 percent).</span></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p>While residential construction has begun eased, infrastructure investment by the NSW government has increased, which has resulted in continued, high demand for jobs.</p>
<p>All those tradies in high visibility vests are what's underpinning NSW's economic progress which has seen well over 300,000 extra jobs over the past three years.</p>
<p>The late afternoon line of tradie utes I saw heading in and out of Warriewood on Sydney's northern beaches on a recent visit emphasised their importance to me.</p>
<p>Half had been building new homes in emerging house and land estates, while the others were coming back to their recently purchased homes from project sites elsewhere in Sydney.</p>
<div class="page" title="Page 2">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<div class="page" title="Page 2">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<div class="page" title="Page 2">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<p data-removed-style="letter-spacing:0.001em;">“Every single crane in the sky is more evidence of another home, another school, another hospital, another business in our capital,” NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet recently said.</p>
<p>But halt the new housing rollout and it will extenuate the slowing of the highly cyclical residential sector, already impacted by the emerging credit squeeze arising from official regulatory decisions and the finance industry royal commission. </p>
<p> </p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p><span> </span></p>
</body></html>

Sydney has over half the cranes in the sky nationally, but numbers easing

<html><body>
<p>It's been an exciting few years for Australian crane-spotters, but the peak is now in, at least for the residential sector.</p>
<p>In fact, the most active quarter for residential building work done was all the way back in June 2016; it just mightn't feel that way if you live in Sydney. </p>
<p>Looking at the value of work done on new houses, the uplift through this cycle only looks moderately impressive, with a steady contraction underway, broadly since 2015.</p>
<p><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NpaiNlbtoLs/WhrQSpMYoUI/AAAAAAAAnMM/KS0g8VInmno0DgcEwUMEvmoSSZJJ05cLACLcBGAs/s640/A1.jpg" width="640" height="390" data-original-height="829" data-original-width="1356"></p>
<p>Of course, this cycle has been far more notable for the record building of higher density projects.</p>
<p>This dynamic has helped to address an inherent undersupply of capital city housing, especially in a number of inner suburban areas where land availability had previously been limited.</p>
<p><strong>Crane your neck...the peak is in</strong></p>
<p>Jonathan Kearns from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) noted in a speech this week that attached dwelling approvals have soared from less than half those of detached dwellings under a decade ago, to almost on par across recent years. </p>
<p>The annual number of attached dwellings approved peaked more than a year ago back in the September quarter of 2016, but with longer build times there can be a risk that completions peak just as the residential market turns down. </p>
<p>If it feels as though Sydney developers are still building new townhouses and apartments like the clappers, then this is well borne out by the statistics. </p>
<p>Indeed, New South Wales is propping up the national figures, although even here the peak is probably imminent.</p>
<p>In Victoria, attached building activity levels have been fairly flat now for about one and a half years, while in both Queensland and Western Australia activity has been falling quite significantly throughout 2017. </p>
<p><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e6pzF7oRvbY/WhrQTP7q2hI/AAAAAAAAnMU/tggG6bw6xBE9TpFoChCeTRyo9ckb5XadgCLcBGAs/s640/A2.jpg" width="640" height="402" data-original-height="831" data-original-width="1319"></p>
<p>The scale on this chart matches that for detached housing, and shows how Sydney has shifted markedly towards higher density living over the past two decades (while Melbourne has simply seen lots of dwellings built of all types, both in the inner city and on the urban fringe). </p>
<p><strong>Shift in composition</strong></p>
<p>Brisbane's dwelling stock historically comprised only a very small share of apartments, but the total stock of attached dwellings has now lifted by more than one-third since 2015, which is remarkable, with completions set to peak this year.</p>
<p>Perth has also seen a strong uplift from a comparatively small stock of existing units.</p>
<p>Despite this, the RBA speech noted that apartments in Perth and Brisbane have witnessed only small median price falls in recent years.</p>
<p>To date there have not been widespread reports of valuations at settlement being lower than off the plan purchase prices, nor has there been a marked increase in settlement failures or arrears.</p>
<p>The RBA also noted that purchases by foreign buyers accounted for just 10-15% of new construction (and about a quarter of new apartments), which intuitively feels low, although the share is higher in Sydney and Melbourne. Of these offshore buyers, about ¾ hailed from China.</p>
<p>Although residential building is now turning down, to date the downturn has been only moderate.</p>
<p>Moreover, there is also now a strong pipeline of infrastructure projects, especially in New South Wales, which might help to explain why the reported monthly unemployment rate of only 3.9% for Greater Sydney has not been lower since 2005. </p>
</body></html>

Crane watch reaches its peak: Pete Wargent

<html><body>
<p>Sydney has a record 350 cranes constructing mostly residential apartments around the city.</p>
<p>Melbourne sits a distant second with around 150 cranes on the skyline, according to the RLB Crane index, published bi-annually by Rider Levett Bucknall.</p>
<p>Some 109 suburbs in Sydney currently have residential cranes. </p>
<p data-removed-style="letter-spacing:0.001em;">“Every single crane in the sky is more evidence of another home, another school, another hospital, another business in our capital,” NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said.</p>
<p>Epping leads the Sydney residential count with 16, followed by Wolli Creek with 13, Parramatta with 10 and Burwood's nine. Mascot, Homebush, Lane Cove, Lewisham, Zetland, Leichhardt, Surry Hills, Ashfield, Auburn, Flemington, Meadowbank, Mosman, Ryde and Waterloo make up the top 18 construction localities. </p>
<p>Apartment buyers are going to be spoilt for choice across NSW as the number of units under construction hits all time highs.</p>
<p>The number of new units under construction sits at 64,470 in NSW, up on the 17,100 long term average.</p>
<p>Until five years ago, the most apartments being built in NSW at any one time was 25,000.</p>
<p>There are also 17,845 new houses currently under construction in NSW, slightly higher then the 13,500 long-term average.</p>
<p>The volume of new housing stock under construction sits at "dizzying heights," the CoreLogic analyst Cameron Kusher suggested, noting the surge in stock is clearly being driven by units. </p>
<p>"This is probably to do with the fact that many property purchasers in NSW can simply no longer afford houses particularly in Sydney so units become their only housing purchase option, Kusher added. </p>
<p>This current construction surge is not confined to NSW as the Australian Bureau of Statistics calculated around 215,000 dwellings are under construction nationally, against the 10 year average of 153,000.</p>
<p>The national figure sees around 63,000 houses and 152,000 units under construction nationally against the long-run average of 48,000 houses and 39,000 units.</p>
<p>The building activity data coincides with data showing the large increase in population fuelling housing demand.  </p>
<p>It has been calculated 1650 new people have been calling Sydney home every week since 2011.</p>
<div title="Page 5">
<div>
<div>
<p>Over the past two years the Reserve Bank has regularly highlighted the potential risks posed by the large pipeline of apartment construction, but interestingly only in Melbourne and Brisbane where new apartments have represented a larger proportionate addition to supply.</p>
<p>Last week the RBA's latest Financial Stability Review did however note reports of small declines in prices in "a few" Sydney apartment development projects. </p>
<div title="Page 1">
<div>
<div>
<div>
<p>Substantial additions to the stock of apartments in particular locations certainly raise the possibility of price falls or subdued growth as the new stock gets absorbed. </p>
<p>So off the plan buyers approaching settlement will need to realise that tighter financing conditions are sometimes seeing valuations below the purchase contract price.</p>
<p>They will need to look around for finance and come up with a bigger deposit, possibly as much as 30 percent.</p>
<p>There are going to be suburbs that fare better than others when it comes to holding their value.</p>
<p>It is important to note the surge in unit stock takes time to build and the delivery of more stock can be slowed considerably.</p>
<p> </p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</body></html>

Epping leads Sydney crane count followed by Wolli Creek 

<html><body><div>
<div>
<p>Analysis of RLB's crane index shows about 57 per cent of cranes across Brisbane's skyline are located inside areas flagged by lenders as problem spots with restricted lending.</p>
<p>Nationally some 239 cranes in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Gold Coast and Adelaide are within city postcodes that have been marked out by National Australia Bank and AMP where buyers may, if finance is forthcoming, then have to come up with 10% to 20% more equity on settlement.</p>
<p>The apartment settlement risks rise as the off the plan buyers didn't expect and can't match this financing requirement.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/01/05/Crane-1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<p><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/01/05/Crane-1.jpg" alt=""></p>
<div>
<p>Around 38 percent of the cranes building Australia's apartments due for completion in the next two years sit in the postcodes currently known to have been "blacklisted" by lenders.</p>
<p>Sydney and Melbourne have the lowest proportion of cranes in "blacklist" areas, at about 32 per cent each. </p>
<p>In Sydney, where nearly 85 per cent of its cranes were employed on residential projects, the suburbs deemed risky by lenders were spread in a ring stretching from Hurstville in the south through Auburn and Parramatta in the inner west to Epping and Chatswood on the north shore.</p>
<p>Brisbane, with nearly 57 per cent of all cranes located in problem postcodes, ranks the highest ratio of all the cities especially in the north-south spine that includes the Newstead, Fortitude Valley and West End areas.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/01/05/Crane-2.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a></p>
<p><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2017/01/05/Crane-2.jpg" alt=""></p>
<p>RLB compared the postcodes of individual crane locations with suburbs singled out by lenders for being riskier places to lend.  </p>
<p>Sydney cranes</p>
</div>
<div>
<img src="https://www.afr.com/content/dam/images/g/t/g/q/p/4/image.imgtype.afrArticleInline.620x0.png/1483530138193.jpg" alt="Intensity of Sydney's cranes: the spread beyond NAB's problematic areas, shaded in purple, suggests the apartment ..." width="620" data-src="/content/dam/images/g/t/g/q/p/4/image.imgtype.afrArticleInline.620x0.png/1483530138193.jpg"><cite><br></cite>
</div>
<div>
<p>JLL's national director for Residential Development Valuations &amp; Advisory, Troy Linnane, told The Australian Financial Review that depending on project type, developer and location new apartments sold off the plan late in the cycle had a "higher risk of capital value depreciation".</p>
<p>"These apartments were/are being sold at higher rates per metre due to increases in cost of sale such as agents' commissions, marketing costs, incentives and higher construction costs," Mr Linnane said. "But there are projects and there are projects – so this would not necessarily apply to all, so it does depend on the project – quality and standard of amenity."</p>
<p>Melbourne cranes</p>
<p><img src="https://www.afr.com/content/dam/images/g/t/g/q/p/1/image.imgtype.afrArticleInline.620x0.png/1483530138295.jpg" alt="Inner Melbourne also shows high numbers of cranes in areas highlighted by NAB (purple) and AMP (blue) but there is a ..." width="620" data-src="/content/dam/images/g/t/g/q/p/1/image.imgtype.afrArticleInline.620x0.png/1483530138295.jpg"></p>
<p>Inner Melbourne also shows high numbers of cranes in areas highlighted by NAB (purple) and AMP (blue) but there is a majority outside those postcodes.<cite><br></cite></p>
</div>
<div>
<p>"This level of activity and balancing of risk seems to suggest a responsible and sustainable market for the foreseeable future," RLB director of research and development Stephen Ballesty told The Australian Financial Review.</p>
<p>It was noted NAB and AMP together accounted for just under 15 per cent of Australia's total owner-occupier loans and 19 per cent of property loans to investors in October, figures from regulator APRA show.</p>
<p>The banks also have changing lending criteria, their conditions and credit practices change frequently and the timing of projects as well as cycle of the geographic and demographic markets in which they operate mean their risk profiles vary.</p>
<p>The latest report showed the individual crane counts in Brisbane and Melbourne – the two cities most at risk of an oversupply of apartments – falling from the prior count in March.</p>
<p>Brisbane cranes</p>
</div>
<div><img src="https://www.afr.com/content/dam/images/g/t/g/q/p/8/image.imgtype.afrArticleInline.620x0.png/1483530138015.jpg" alt="Much of Brisbane's crane development is focused in the city, coinciding with areas of concern for lenders." width="620" data-src="/content/dam/images/g/t/g/q/p/8/image.imgtype.afrArticleInline.620x0.png/1483530138015.jpg"></div>
<div> </div>
<div>Much of Brisbane's crane development is focused in the city, coinciding with areas of concern for lenders.</div>
<div>
<p>"It could be that there has been increased investor activity in Brisbane due to the current differential between residential prices particularly when compared to Sydney," Mr Ballesty said.</p>
<p>Perth cranes</p>
</div>
<div><img src="https://www.afr.com/content/dam/images/g/t/g/q/p/7/image.imgtype.afrArticleInline.620x0.png/1483530138107.jpg" alt="Just over half of Perth's cranes are in areas of concern for NAB (purple)." width="620" data-src="/content/dam/images/g/t/g/q/p/7/image.imgtype.afrArticleInline.620x0.png/1483530138107.jpg"></div>
<div> </div>
<div>Just over half of Perth's cranes are in areas of concern for NAB (purple).<cite><br></cite>
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Adelaide cranes</div>
<div>
<p><img src="https://www.afr.com/content/dam/images/g/t/g/q/o/p/image.imgtype.afrArticleInline.620x0.png/1483530138468.jpg" alt="Just over half of Adelaide's cranes are in areas of concern for NAB (purple) as well. " width="620" data-src="/content/dam/images/g/t/g/q/o/p/image.imgtype.afrArticleInline.620x0.png/1483530138468.jpg"></p>
</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Just over half of Adelaide's cranes are in areas of concern for NAB (purple) as well.<cite><br></cite>
</div>
<div>
<p>Just over half of Perth's cranes were in areas of concern, which included the CBD and city fringe. It was a similar in Adelaide.</p>
<p>Gold Coast had a low proportion of cranes in areas of concern.</p>
<p>Gold Coast cranes</p>
</div>
<div><img src="https://www.afr.com/content/dam/images/g/t/g/q/o/w/image.imgtype.afrArticleInline.620x0.png/1483530138375.jpg" alt="In Gold Coast, the proportion of cranes in 'blacklist' areas is still small. " width="620" data-src="/content/dam/images/g/t/g/q/o/w/image.imgtype.afrArticleInline.620x0.png/1483530138375.jpg"></div>
<div> </div>
<div>In Gold Coast, the proportion of cranes in 'blacklist' areas is still small. <cite><br></cite>
</div>
</div>
</div></body></html>

Cranes

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News

Cranes

Editor's Picks

Receive the latest news stories to your inbox

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News