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

Joel Robinson

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bottega House secures landmark riverfront site in St Lucia 

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The arrival of the first piling rig officially marks the commencement of construction at SIERA’s new beachside apartment development, Exhale, in Northcliffe.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/exhale-surfers-paradise-8-enderley-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Exhale</a>, a glass-encased tower featuring 54 large-scale apartments at 8 Enderley Avenue, is SIERA’s third Gold Coast development. It follows the recently completed PIPIS Bilinga beachfront project, which achieved suburb-record prices, and the soon-to-be-completed Chevron Island development, Tapestry.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359603]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/siera">SIERA</a> Founder and Managing Director Brent Thompson said the arrival of the piling rig represented a significant milestone for the development, which is scheduled for completion in late 2028.

Over the next month, around 260 piles are expected to be installed as work progresses on the basement structure. The building is anticipated to rise above ground level early next year, before unveiling its sculptural glass curtain wall, developed in collaboration with specialist façade engineers.

“The façade was designed to maximise panoramic coastal views while creating a distinctive architectural identity,” Thompson said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=355935]

Designed by BDA Architecture, Exhale will comprise just 54 two- and three-bedroom residences across 26 levels, a level of low-density living rarely delivered in this beachside pocket between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.

The project has been conceived as a resident-only building, with no short-stay accommodation permitted. SIERA says the model is intended to appeal to long-term owner-occupiers rather than transient holiday demand.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=361052]

Residences have been designed with large-format layouts and expansive glazing, with most apartments featuring more than 30 metres of glass frontage to maximise natural light and ocean views.

The amenity offering spans two levels and centres on wellness and lifestyle, including a heated magnesium pool, sauna, yoga and Pilates studio, gymnasium, private dining facilities, cinema lounge, and dedicated surfcraft storage.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359607]

More than half of the apartments have already sold. SIERA has also opened a sales gallery for Exhale at its Chevron Island commercial premises, near its Tapestry tower and the site of its second Chevron Island apartment development, which is slated to launch in early 2027.
</section>
</section>

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112661]

SIERA kicks off construction at Northcliffe tower Exhale

Nsw Government

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New laws to police dangerous building products in NSW — also called non-conforming products — were whittled down by the NSW Cabinet.
The laws — known as chain of responsibility laws — were meant to ensure every person who used or supplied a product on a building site could be held personally responsible if it failed.
NSW showed a draft bill of its own proposed law privately to building industry groups.
It was based on recent Queensland legislation.
But when the bill entered the NSW Parliament, Four Corners reported the industry was shocked to see it had been "absolutely gutted."
"We counted up about 80 clauses that had been pulled out of the documentation," Rodger Hills, the executive officer at the Building Products Industry Council, said.
"They had taken a lot of time to incorporate all the learnings and findings from the Queensland experience and wrapped it up into a piece of legislation that was robust, it was easy to use, and it would have done its job. 
"The industry representative left that meeting very hopeful that this was something that was going to be useful and it actually worked properly."
Many of the 80 clauses pulled out of the documentation of the proposed bill were clauses around non-conforming building products.
"In fact, the definition of a non-conforming building product wasn't even in the bill," Hills said. 
"All of the clauses to do with chain of responsibility and duty of care, they were all taken out. As were all powers, the recall powers the minister had to recall defective products."
Four Corners confirmed the NSW Cabinet rejected the proposed chain of responsibility law due to concerns it would impose more red tape on the building industry, potentially slowing it down.
The NSW Minister for Innovation Kevin Anderson would not comment on Cabinet deliberations but said: "The NSW Government is currently implementing the largest reform to the building and construction industry in the history of the state."
"As part of those reforms, the Government is considering a raft of measures that will improve the transparency, accountability and quality of work within the sector," he said.
Mr Anderson said the current situation "is a collective making of industry and the need for more modernised legislation".
The 2017 Queensland laws to police dangerous building products — also called non-conforming products — included flammable cladding that was responsible for the fire spreading in the UK's Grenfell Tower.
Watch Sean Nicholls' investigation, Cracking Up, on Four Corners on iview.
 
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How the NSW Government gutted tougher laws on non-conforming building products: Four Corners

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Lendlease has been awarded the building contract for the new acute services building at the Prince of Wales Hospital.
The building is scheduled to open in 2022.
It is part of the NSW Government’s $720 million Randwick campus redevelopment.
The announcement follows more than 18 months of successful collaboration between Lendlease, NSW government and other key stakeholders.
Lendlease will be required to facilitate a ‘skills legacy pilot program’, in partnership with TAFE NSW, as part of the agreement.
It requires them to provide education, employment and training for women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the long term unemployed, and apprentices.
Lendlease will have 600 construction workers on the site at the peak period.
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Lendlease secures Prince of Wales Randwick redevelopment contract win 

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The New South Wales Government are selling the heritage-listed Science House in The Rocks.
They are selling it on a 99 year lease hold.
The historic seven storey property at <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-offices-nsw-the+rocks-503277002" target="_blank">157-161 Gloucester Street</a> was designed by Peddle Thorp and Walker and built by master builders John Grant and Sons.
It is a rare example in NSW of the Interwar Commercial Palazzo architectural style.
There are three classic bands over six storeys, a sandstone ashlar coursed base at street level and a top level marked by a strong cornice and ornamented frieze to both street facades.
<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/2019/8/6/Scien%20House%20The%20Rocks%20Two.jpg" alt="">
 
The building was built in the early 1930s, opened in 1931 and awarded the Sir Sulman Medal for architectural design in 1932.
It was used by three cultural institutions up until 1976 as a centre of learning and inquiry.
The building is now 95 percent leased to a number of tenants including the New York University which occupies most of the building for its only Australian campus.
There is 2,075 sqm of office space which fully leased would generate over $911,000 per annum.
Its current 95 percent lease generates around $840,000.
CBRE selling agents Kenny Duncanson and Harry George have the listing.
 
 
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Science House in The Rocks listed

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Regional NSW towns are set for a boost, with the state government fast-tracking a swathe of new projects.
Some 22 major shovel ready projects will receive a total of $96 million from the NSW Government’s <a href="http://www.nsw.gov.au/droughtstimuluspackage" target="_blank">Drought Stimulus Package</a>, Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW John Barilaro said.
“Farmers are being hit hard by drought and the impact of this drought is now reaching into our towns and cities, so it’s vital to support off-farm industries by driving business activity and generating new opportunities,” Barilaro said. 
“This funding will keep people in work by putting dollars into pay packets, cash that tradies, suppliers and other workers will spend at local businesses such as cafes, retail stores and local services to keep money flowing through towns when rivers are not. 
“Regional NSW is struggling through one of the worst droughts on record and every day the crippling impact extends further beyond the farm gate, so I’m pleased to announce these projects just one month after the stimulus package was announced.”
Projects to receive funding include a $4.25 million upgrade of four major road routes in Singleton LGA and $6.5 million for Scone Regional Airport upgrades.
Barilaro said further announcements will be made at Dubbo, Gilgandra, Coonamble, Nyngan, Cobar, Broken Hill, Orange, Bathurst, Gunnedah, Deniliquin, Merimbula, Hilltops LGA and Queanbeyan. 
“It’s important everyone in the bush, our farmers, families and businesses, know what NSW Government support is available to them, which is why I will personally deliver this new funding information to regional towns in the coming days,” Barilaro said.
The next set of projects to be funded from the Drought Stimulus Package is currently being assessed. 
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NSW government approves $96 million in projects for drought hit regions

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EXPERT OBSERVATION 
The NSW Government has extended the implementation date of two important planning policies by four months, as a sign that planning is slowing in NSW.
The Low Rise Medium Density Housing Code was due to begin on July 1 2019 across all councils after being delayed for a year. But last Friday the planning regulations were changed to give 46 councils another four months to implement the code in their planning documents.
Sydney council Lane Cove has implemented the code from July 1 but they changed their Local Environmental Plan to prohibit multi dwelling housing in R2 Low Density Residential zones which dramatically reduces the availability of land where the code could apply.
It is likely that the 46 councils given another four months to implement the code will also restrict areas it can be applied.
The Urban Taskforce believes the ‘Missing Middle’ code has generated a perception across Sydney’s councils that it could change the character of the suburbs, and we recommended that councils define significant appropriate areas where a town house typology would be appropriate.
Last Friday also saw an extension given to the deadline for councils to produce a Draft LocalStrategic Planning Statement by 1 July 2019 to now be required by 1 October 2019.
The final statements were due on 1 December 2019 but these have been extended by four months to 31 March 2020.
Originally Sydney councils had to finalise their strategic plans by 1 July 2019 but in September 2018 councils were given an extra five months until 1 December 2019.”
The Urban Taskforce is concerned at the slowness of the implementation of these planning policies, as Planning Minister Rob Stokes has stated that his preference is to bed down the planning system so all parties have clear, fixed rules - but it seems the time span to do this is stretching out as the state government and councils try to drive outcomes.
CHRIS JOHNSON is the Urban Taskforce CEO
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NSW planning policy deadline extension is a concern: Chris Johnson

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The rate cut announced by the Reserve Bank of Australia to 1% is a great boost for the housing market but the NSW government must add its support.
The record low RBA interest rate of 1% sets a framework for a boost to the ailing housing market in New South Wales.
The NSW government must use this once in a generation low interest environment to reactivate the ailing housing market in the state. 
Housing approvals have collapsed over the last year and pre sales have also slowed down for new apartment projects.
The federal level is clearly trying to help with the RBA’s rate cut, as well as APRA’s loosening of credit restrictions on bank loans and the re-election of the Morrison Government has lifted confidence in the housing industry.
The missing ingredient is a signal from the NSW government that they want housing supply to continue.
The NSW government now needs to help kick start the industry by reducing the excessive time it takes for approvals, and by delaying the removal of the cap on local infrastructure contributions that could add $50,000 to the cost of a new home.
There also needs to be clarity on the status of various priority / planned precincts that seem to have got caught up in the rezoning process.
The Minister for Planning, Rob Stokes, and the Minister for Housing, Melinda Pavey, need to develop an action plan that can build on the positive environment that is coming from federal decisions.
They may also need to liaise with the federal Minister for Housing, Michael Sukkar.
The Urban Taskforce is keen to work with all levels of government to re-activate the housing industry in New South Wales.
CHRIS JOHNSON is the Urban Taskforce CEO.
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Rate cut a boost for housing but NSW government must do more: Chris Johnson

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The NSW government has handed down the state budget for 2019-20, which contains a record-breaking spending of $93 billion on infrastructure over the next four years to 2022-23.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet’s third NSW Budget sees more than half of this figure go toward road and rail, $55.6 billion for road and transport projects.
Other major expenditures are, $10.1 billion for over 40 new and upgraded hospitals and $7.3 billion towards over 190 new and upgraded schools.
The Property Council's William Power said Treasurer Perrottet’s third budget "delivers on the Government’s election commitments and provides a solid foundation for future economic, job and productivity growth through a $93 billion infrastructure investment, however it’s a budget that reflects tightened purse strings necessitated by a slower residential housing market.”
“Sydney and NSW will always grow but we must invest in the right infrastructure in the right places so that we grow well – this budget does this and supports new and growing communities with much needed social infrastructure,” Mr Power said.
Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole said some of the highlights from the 2019-20 Budget included:
<ul>
<li>$1.5 billion over four years for the Pacific Highway upgrade program towards completion of the Woolgoolga to Ballina upgrade which is on track to progressively open to traffic in 2020, and to progress the Coffs Harbour bypass.</li>
<li>$1.2 billion over four years to continue work on existing Princes Highway projects, including the Albion Park Rail bypass, the Berry to Bomaderry Upgrade, the new Nowra Bridge, and the Batemans Bay replacement bridge. Additionally, there is a further $322 million over four years, as part of the Government’s commitment to upgrade the Princes Highway between Nowra and the Victorian border.</li>
<li>Commence work to duplicate the 31-kilometre section of the Great Western Highway between Katoomba and Lithgow, delivering a safer, faster trip over the mountains.</li>
<li>$44.3 million to continue sealing the most remote highways in NSW, the Silver City and Cobb Highways.</li>
<li>$145 million for upgrades on the Newell Highway, including overtaking lanes, pavement upgrades.</li>
<li>$38 million to progress the new Regional Rail Fleet including construction of a rail maintenance facility in Dubbo.</li>
<li>$373 million to improve road safety including a significant increase in investment through the Road Safety Plan 2021 targeting high risk areas with a regional focus. </li>
<li>Start of the $250 Seniors Travel Card in January 2020.</li>
</ul>
Road and Transport Infrastructure?
<ul>
<li>An undisclosed amount of funding is going towards the Sydney Metro City and Southwest rail, which will connect Crows Nest, Victoria Cross, Barangaroo, Martin Place, Pitt Street and Waterloo, opening in 2024</li>
<li>$6.4 billion is going towards the Sydney Metro West rail, which is planned to provide an underground network between the Sydney CBD and the Greater Parramatta area, with construction starting in 2020 and an estimated completion date in the second half of the 2020s</li>
<li>An undisclosed amount of funding is going towards the North South Metro Rail Link - Stage 1, which is planned to connect St Marys to the upcoming Western Sydney Aerotropolis and the Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport, with completion predicted for 2026</li>
<li>$695 million is going towards technology upgrades to reduce congestion</li>
<li>$450 million towards 12 pinch points at intersections along major arterial roads and regional links around Sydney</li>
<li>$1.3 billion towards improving the roads in Western Sydney, which includes: <ul>
<li>$404 million towards upgrading The Northern Road between Narellan and Penrith</li>
<li>$145.3 million towards planning and preconstruction costs for the M12 Motorway</li>
<li>$561 million towards the Parramatta Light Rail Stage 1</li>
<li>$107 to the M4 Smart Motorway to improve trip reliability and road safety</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>$1 billion over five years towards fixing regional bridges, which includes: <ul>
<li>$500 million for the Fixing Country Bridges program</li>
<li>$500 million for the Fixing Local Roads program</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
Education infrastructure
Over $6 billion is planned to go towards school-related infrastructure over the next four years, which includes:
<ul>
<li>$917.4 million towards building eight schools and upgrading 32 government schools, which will go to future schools or existing schools located in: <ul>
<li>Ashtonfield</li>
<li>Belmont</li>
<li>Bungendore</li>
<li>Byron Bay</li>
<li>Coffs Harbour</li>
<li>Jerrabomberra</li>
<li>Jesmond</li>
<li>Kingscliff</li>
<li>Lake Cathie</li>
<li>Lennox Head</li>
<li>Murwillumbah</li>
<li>Newcastle East</li>
<li>Nulkaba</li>
<li>Old Bar</li>
<li>Pottsville Beach</li>
<li>Queanbeyan</li>
<li>Rutherford</li>
<li>South Nowra</li>
<li>Speers Point</li>
<li>Tamworth</li>
<li>Tweed Heads</li>
<li>Wagga Wagga</li>
<li>Wangi Wangi</li>
<li>Wauchope</li>
<li>Wollongong</li>
<li>Worrigee</li>
<li>Yass</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>$500 million towards the construction, extension or upgrading of non-government schools</li>
<li>$79.6 million over four years towards a new TAFE Western Sydney Construction Hub to be built near the Western Sydney Airport</li>
<li>$61.7 million over four years towards constructing eight new TAFE Connected Learning Centres located in Byron Bay, Nelson Bay, Bateman’s Bay, Jindabyne, Nambucca Heads, Hay, Cobar and West Wyalong</li>
</ul>
Health infrastructure
Over $10 billion is planned to go towards health-related infrastructure over the next four years, which includes:
<ul>
<li>Over $4.4 billion for the upgrading and construction of 29 hospital and health facility projects. Some areas receiving this funding are located in include:</li>
<li>Albury</li>
<li>Bankstown</li>
<li>Blacktown</li>
<li>Bowral </li>
<li>Campbelltown</li>
<li>Concord</li>
<li>Cooma</li>
<li>Dubbo</li>
<li>Eurobodalla</li>
<li>Gosford</li>
<li>Goulburn</li>
<li>Grafton</li>
<li>Griffith</li>
<li>Inverell</li>
<li>Lidcombe</li>
<li>Lismore</li>
<li>Liverpool</li>
<li>Macksville</li>
<li>Maitland</li>
<li>Manning</li>
<li>Mount Druitt</li>
<li>Mudgee</li>
<li>Nepean</li>
<li>Randwick</li>
<li>Ryde</li>
<li>Shellharbour</li>
<li>Shoalhaven</li>
<li>St George</li>
<li>Tumut</li>
<li>Tweed</li>
<li>Wagga Wagga</li>
<li>Westmead</li>
<li>Wyong</li>
</ul>
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Where is NSW spending its record $93 billion infrastructure budget

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The 2018-19 NSW State Government surplus is projected to be $846 million, which is $273 million lower than at half-yearly review.
The details were in the NSW Pre-election Budget Update which was issued in accordance with section 24 of the Parliamentary Budget Officer Act 2010.
The Secretary of the Treasury released the NSW Pre-election Budget Update on 5 March 2019 which provides updated information on the current and projected financial position of the New South Wales general government sector.
This is the first time New South Wales has released a <a href="https://www.treasury.nsw.gov.au/news/nsw-treasury-releases-updated-economic-and-fiscal-projections" target="_blank">Pre-election Budget Update</a>.
The revenue for 2018-19 is forecast to be $477 million lower than at half-yearly review, reflecting weaker taxation estimates, including transfer duty and payroll tax.
The review noted the ongoing deterioration of conditions in the housing market had been a key challenge for the local economy in recent months.
Turnover in the housing market has fallen away sharply, while the median Sydney house price has fallen another 11⁄2 per cent in the two months since November 2018.
The Sydney house price is now down more than 10 per cent from the peak in mid-2017.
"This is the largest fall since the 1980s, but represents only a partial unwinding of the sustained price gains experienced in recent years," it noted.
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Revenue for 2018-19 is projected to be $81.3 billion, which is a downward revision of $477.3 million since the Half-Yearly Review. 
This takes into account downward revisions to multiple state taxation lines, including transfer duties of $393 million.
Transfer duty has been revised down by $393 million in 2018-19 and by $747 million over the four years to 2021-22.
While dwelling price declines have been closely in line with the Half-Yearly Review forecast, residential transaction volumes in recent months have been weaker than expected.
Residential transaction volumes in 2018-19 are expected to be 19.5 per cent lower than in 2017-18.
Transaction volumes are forecast to return to trend levels by the middle of 2021.
Since the Half-Yearly Review in December 31, 2018, revenue has been revised up by $363 million over the four years to 2021-22.
This is mainly due to higher GST revenue of $1.2 billion (reflecting an improved relativity recommended by the Commonwealth Grants Commission and a lower expected GST pool), largely offset by downward revisions to state taxation – including transfer duties ($747.0 million) and payroll tax ($573.1 million).
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Expenditure for 2018-19 is also projected to be $204 million lower reflecting reprofiling of expenses to better align with project and service delivery schedules.
Over the four years to 2021-22, budget surpluses are expected to average $1.3 billion per year. 
The update also advises land tax revenue has been revised down by $21.8 million in 2018-19 and by $82.8 million over the four years to 2021-22.
Land tax is assessed based on landholdings at 31 December each year, with assessments typically issued in the first half of the following calendar year.
The forecast revenue for 2018-19 incorporates actual landholdings at the end of 2018, replacing the Half-Yearly Review forecast which was based on the previous year’slandholdings.
For subsequent years, the revenue forecast incorporates lower expectations for residential land value growth.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

$393 million lower stamp duty hits NSW State Government revenue

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The NSW Government has acquired the heritage listed Hadley Park Estate to ensure an important part of Western Sydney history will be protected, preserved and eventually opened up to the public.  

Minister for Planning and Housing, Anthony Roberts, said the Government had acquired the property from the Penrith Lakes Development Corporation. 

“Getting this property into public ownership has taken considerable effort, and it’s important we make sure the restoration work is done, and the needs of the community accounted for, before it is opened up to the general public. 

“Department of Planning and Environment will consult with the community to develop a management plan for the long-term future management of the estate."

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Roberts told the 2Gb broadcaster Ray Hadley, whose family once owned the colonial estate, that the department was investigating options with the NSW Department of Industry on a training program for young apprentices and students to participate in the restoration work. 

Hadley Park was one of the oldest farming estates in Australia (above photo credit department of environment and planning).

<img alt="" src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2019/2/22/Hadley2.jpg"> 
Source: Penrith City Library.

The land comprises a farm house, a collection of farm buildings, a garden and a part man-made lake on the Nepean River floodplain.

Local member and the Minister for Western Sydney and Member for Penrith, Stuart Ayres,noted the property was once home to Charles Hadley, a pardoned convict who settled in the Castlereagh area and began building his estate within 20 years of the first fleet arriving.  

The New South Wales Government heritage listed Hadley House at Castlereagh last June.

The homestead’s significance is one of Australia’s oldest farming estates.

But keeping it on the map for future generations has been a struggle.

The Castlereagh property has a special meaning for <a href="https://www.2gb.com/government-officially-signs-off-on-hadley-house-heritage-listing/" target="_blank">2GB broadcaster Ray Hadley</a>, belonging to his fourth great-grandfather Charles Hadley in the 18th century.

In February last year, the Penrith Lakes Development Corporation assured Ray that Hadley Park would be protected only to go back on its word.

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Ray has previously thanked the Minister and the government for preserving the historic location.

“I think it’s very important, from my point of view, that we leave some sort of legacy into the future, where our children… can go and look at places and have a look and feel what it was like back then.”

NSW Heritage says it is difficult to overestimate the significance of this complex, "still extant in its original 1803 grant, and still in a remarkably unaltered condition".

Ray Hadley suggest the two storey building might be Australia's oldest two storey building, from 1806, and <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.flickr.com/photos/nikabuz/37058129814" target="_blank">maybe the oldest timber cottage known to survive in Australia</a>.

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The area is now owned by the Penrith Lakes Development Corporation (PLDC) and is off-limits to the public.

The main farmhouse is an extremely rare surviving example of a jerkin head roof structure embodying a most unique and unusual timber structure and clad externally with brickwork.

The technical excellence of the timber roof structure is paralleled by Elizabeth Farm, Parramatta, Old Government House, Parramatta and St. Mathgew's Anglican Church, Windsor and because of this technical excellence the building cannot be described as vernacular.
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NSW Government secures Hadley House at Castlereagh for public admiration

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Over the past five years, "strategic leasing initiatives" have saved taxpayers an estimated $80 million on office rental costs in the Sydney CBD.
Property NSW CEO, Brett Newman, said effective management of the portfolio, a combination of moving from premium buildings and negotiating below-benchmark new deals on CBD office space, had delivered savings for the Government.
“Prime Gross Effective office rents in Sydney’s CBD have increased by more than 55 per cent in the last three years and are forecast to increase significantly over the next three years amid constrained supply,” Mr Newman said 
The Government's plan has involved moving out of premium buildings and into A Grade buildings as well as increasing its presence in the Southern CBD.
Mr Newman said the Government has moved from paying around 15 per cent above the Prime Industry Benchmark in 2014 to more than 30 per cent below in 2018."
The NSW Government is the State’s largest tenant, occupying more than one million square metres of office space across metropolitan and regional NSW.
Property NSW is has made progress on reducing CBD office space by a goal of 100,000 sqm by 2021.
It has made a reduction of more than 70,000 sqm to date.
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