Local developer Harridan is seeking to turn its Woolloongabba apartment project into the first stage of a broader transformation of Burke Street, using a new 16-storey mixed-use building to establish a greener pedestrian connection toward the rapidly evolving Boggo Road transport and knowledge precinct.

The South East Queensland developer has filed plans for 154 apartments on the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/4-burke-street-woolloongabba-qld-4102">southern side of Burke Street</a>, where its proposal has been designed alongside a wider vision by LatStudios for the street.

That vision positions the southern side of Burke Street for buildings of 15 storeys and above, while envisaging lower-rise development of up to five storeys on the northern side to transition into Woolloongabba's existing character housing. It also proposes wider pedestrian verges, deep planting, new street trees and upgrades to the pedestrian approach to Boggo Road Station.

The Harridan development itself has been designed by Brisbane-based Arqus Design and will comprise 154 apartments across 16 storeys. The mix is weighted heavily toward two-bedroom apartments, with 121 proposed alongside 10 one-bedroom and 23 three-bedroom residences. There will typically be around 14 units per floor.

A lower-ground car park and three podium levels will accommodate 156 resident parking spaces, along with visitor and commercial parking. There will also be 154 resident bicycle spaces and 40 visitor bicycle parks.

&nbsp;

Harridan is a family-owned developer and part of the Holmwood Highgate Group, with more than three decades of development activity across South East Queensland. Its portfolio spans residential, commercial and industrial property, with current residential projects including Riverbank on Byron in Bulimba, Esperance Residences in Carina and The Precinct at Kinross Road in Thornlands.

Wooloongabba has been popular for apartment developers, particularly since the announcement of the 2032 Summer Olympics games in Brisbane.

While there have been a lot of development applications, it has failed to materialize into real supply.&nbsp;

Sarazin has been the major player in the area. They are under construction at Murcia Residences, on the fringe of East Brisbane and Woolloongabba. They have just launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-stanley-residences-woolloongabba-8-trafalgar-street-woolloongabba-qld-4102">The Stanley Residences</a>, in Woolloongabba on Trafalagar Street. They also have Nuage coming soon on the nearby <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nuage-woolloongabba-14-wellington-road-woolloongabba-qld-4102">Wellington Road</a>.

Joel Robinson

First look: Harridan plans Burke Street transformation beside Boggo Road transport hub

IN BRIEF

<ul>
	<li>
	Just three double-storey Sky Homes sit at the top of The Waterline, each with its own private marina berth and rooftop terrace.
	</li>
	<li>
	Construction on The Waterline is complete, with the first residents expected to move in from mid-October.
	</li>
	<li>
	Sky Homes range from 282 sqm to 367 sqm and are priced from $3.65 million.
	</li>
</ul>

<hr />
Lewis Land has opened the first completed sky home for inspection at Harbour Shores, giving buyers their first opportunity to step inside one of just three double-storey residences crowning The Waterline.

Each sky home comes with its own private marina berth, rooftop terrace and Broadwater views, combining the scale of a larger home with direct access to the boating lifestyle that underpins the wider <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/harbour-shores-biggera-waters-564-oxley-drive-biggera-waters-qld-4216">Harbour Shores</a> masterplan.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=113271 project_image_fid=366708]

Lewis Land Head of Development Michael Long said the inclusion of a berth with every Sky Home had become increasingly valuable as marina access across the Gold Coast tightened.

“Marina berths are becoming increasingly difficult to secure across the Gold Coast, so including one with every Sky Home makes this a genuinely rare offering,” Long said.

“The private 70-berth marina will accommodate boats up to 12 metres in length and is positioned just 2.5 kilometres from the Broadwater, placing the open ocean only 15 minutes away.

“Being able to step out of your home onto your boat is a rare luxury, and it’s something residents here can look forward to when it opens later this year.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=113271 project_image_fid=366709]

The display opening comes as construction completes on The Waterline, with the first residents expected to move in from mid-October.

The three Sky Homes range from 282 sqm to 367 sqm and each feature three bedrooms, three bathrooms, multiple living zones, expansive kitchens with butler's pantries and large balconies taking in the Broadwater outlook.

Each residence also has three secure basement car spaces and additional storage.

“This is the first opportunity the Gold Coast has had to step into Harbour Shores and see, touch and feel what we’re bringing to life here,” Long said.

“There are only three Sky Homes within The Waterline, ranging in size from 282sqm to 367sqm, with each residence featuring three large bedrooms, three bathrooms, multiple living zones, expansive custom-built kitchens with butler’s pantry, and large balconies capturing Broadwater views.”

<img alt="Harbour Shores" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bab65e10-4fab-45e1-92d8-fc56e2ab98ff" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-25%20at%202.00.16%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=XT8q76LsPkw3cYTsvN3JfFDaPLud90PN" />

Residents of The Waterline will have access to a private pool, along with Harbour Shores' wider collection of amenity including a lagoon pool, social clubhouse, tennis court, gym, yoga facilities and sauna.

Lewis Land partnered with Studio Collective to furnish the completed display, with the interiors designed to demonstrate how the residences could function as permanent homes rather than simply as show apartments.

Studio Collective Director Melissa Park said the surrounding waterways informed the interiors, but in a more restrained way than a traditional coastal scheme.

“We drew inspiration from the canals and coastal surrounds, but our approach was to interpret that subtly through layered materials and a grounded palette of earthy tones, rather than literal coastal references,” Park said.

“We introduced hero moments of green and teal to reference the surrounding waterways, while mirrored elements help reflect natural light.

“The result is a residence that feels elevated yet comfortable, somewhere buyers can genuinely imagine themselves living, entertaining and unwinding.”

Sky Homes are priced from $3.65 million.

Lewis Land is also offering private marina berths with The Residences, its limited collection of three and four-bedroom villas positioned directly along the Harbour Shores waterfront boardwalk.

Three-bedroom villas are priced from $2.99 million, while four-bedroom residences start from $3.19 million.

Harbour Shores is being marketed by Colliers International.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=113271]

Lewis Land opens sky home display as The Waterline completes at Harbour Shores

St Vincent de Paul Society Housing Australia has filed plans for a major mixed-use housing precinct on the southern edge of the North Sydney CBD, adding another significant proposal to a pocket around North Sydn​ey Station that is quickly becoming one of the LGA's busiest development zones.

The State Significant Development Application covers a 5,990 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/1-19-mackenzie-street-lavender-bay-nsw-2060">1-19 MacKenzie Street and 211 Blues Point Road in Lavender Bay</a>, immediately south of Nor​th Sydney Station and between the commercial core and the lower-rise Lavender Bay Heritage Conservation Area.

Designed by Wardle, the proposal would deliver a new residential tower comprising 88 build-to-sell apartments and 19 affordable apartments, alongside a separate co-living building with 57 rooms and a building manager's studio.

It would also see the significant restoration and upgrade of St Francis Xavier Catholic Church, the adaptive reuse of the former school building, new parish facilities, retail, a new public square and around 1,000 sqm of publicly accessible open space.

<img alt="Vinnies North Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d5dd7f87-a617-463e-b577-17541e01f0e9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.10.13%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4R8TsFN3P_LrrXO2HswTOIrx2blil8lh" />

The project is seeking a concurrent rezoning of the site to R4 High Density Residential and an increase in the maximum building height to allow a tower reaching RL120, or up to 20 storeys. The proposal was progressed through the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

The build-to-sell component will be weighted toward larger apartments, with just six one-bedroom apartments compared with 31 two-beds, 43 three-beds and eight four-bedroom residences.

The 19 affordable apartments will comprise two studios, 15 one-bedroom apartments and two two-bedroom apartments, taking the total apartment component to 107 residences before the 58 co-living rooms are included.

<img alt="Vnnies" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7d568ca5-cb90-4e18-96c6-d9795dba0c56" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.10.05%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=GY2R5M9VtQh0EKy1vajaea19PSLOPuRD" />

Wardle's design for the Vinnies site has sought to negotiate that emerging high-rise context while retaining the lower-scale character of MacKenzie Street and the adjoining heritage conservation area.

The main building adopts a three-storey podium and tower arrangement, with the podium aligned to the ridgeline and front setback of St Francis Xavier Church.&nbsp;Wardle has designed the podium with colonnades, seating, recessed entries and active ground-floor frontages, with sandstone-toned precast concrete and face brick referencing the materiality of the existing church.

The tower then steps back eight metres to the south and six metres to the north before rising in a sculpted form comprising four interlocking quadrants. Wardle has also introduced rounded forms and chamfered corners to reduce the tower's perceived bulk and improve view sharing with neighbouring development sites.

Resident facilities and outdoor areas are planned at the separation between the podium and tower at Level 3, oriented toward Sydney Harbour and the CBD skyline.

The tower itself will feature a glass reinforced concrete facade, with recessed balconies and deep reveals used both to provide shading and privacy and frame views toward the harbour and city. The lower levels take a different architectural approach, using brick and sandstone-toned finishes intended to establish a stronger relationship with St Francis Xavier Church. The Church itself will be conserved and upgraded for its continued use, while the former school building will be adaptively reused as part of the co-living component.

<img alt="Lavendar Bay" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2d4418ad-90aa-4d49-af93-c80b140aea80" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.09.47%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=Kv4gzbsACaGvZSRuaqcfGC54jEJRXIDJ" />

&nbsp;

The proposal adds to an increasingly concentrated pipeline of residential development around Blue Street, MacKenzie Street and Lavender Bay.

Just west of the site, Central Element lodged plans earlier this year for one of the most significant residential developments proposed in Lavender Bay in recent years.

Central Element's SJB-designed scheme at 64-66 Lavender Street and 3-7 Middlemiss Street would deliver 163 apartments across two towers rising 23 and 32 storeys, replacing five existing apartment buildings containing 32 homes. The project also forms part of the Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-central-element-reveals-lavender-bay-apartment-plans?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">First look: Central Element reveals Lavender Bay apartment plans</a>

Immediately around North Sy​dney Station, another two significant proposals have emerged at 5 and 15 Blue Street.

Zurich Australian Insurance Properties is seeking to adaptively reuse its longstanding commercial building at 5 Blue Street, directly above North Sydney Station, rather than demolishing the structure.

Its SSDA proposes converting the building into a 14-storey mixed-use development with 62 apartments and 86 co-living rooms, together with ground-floor retail and a major refurbishment of Blue Street Plaza. The application is currently at the Response to Submissions stage.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-zurich-targets-north-sydney-office-conversion-with-148-unit-proposal-above-metro-station">First look: Zurich targets North Sydney office conversion with 148-unit proposal above Metro station</a>

&nbsp;

First look: Vinnies files for 20-storey Lavender Bay apartment tower as North Sydney housing pocket heats up

When the opportunity arose for South Australian developer Palumbo to return to Kent Town, where it had previously delivered East Park Apartments and the East 
Rundle Apartments, it wasn't one the longstanding developer-builder was going to pass up.

The decision was quickly vindicated, with more than 30 apartments sold within the first month of launching <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/royal-apartments-kent-town-2-8-north-terrace-kent-town-sa-5067">Royal Apartments</a> to the market.

The 206-apartment development, which will bring significant new supply to Adelaide's tightly held eastern city fringe, also gives <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/palumbo">Palumbo</a> the opportunity to bring new life to one of Kent Town's most recognisable watering holes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376073]

Royal Apartments incorporates the historic Royal Hotel, a venue Palumbo Managing Director Daniel Palumbo said has a longstanding connection with the local community.

"Everyone in the area has history with the Royal Hotel," Palumbo told Apartments.com.au.

"It was quite an active pub and social gathering place for locals. We want to bring it back to its former glory."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376072]

The wider development will comprise two residential towers alongside the restored hotel, sitting on North Terrace opposite the Adelaide Park Lands.

For Palumbo, the project also marks a return to familiar territory.

The developer completed East Park Apartments next door more than a decade ago and jumped at the opportunity to develop in Kent Town again when the Royal Hotel site became available.

"The opportunity emerged, and we moved to secure the site," Palumbo said.

"We were approached by the previous landowner, who said they had extensive commitments in Sydney and weren't in a position to deliver the project.

"We took over the site and within six months recut the design scheme to be more in keeping with the type of development we want to bring to Adelaide.

"Now we're on the market and those changes have really resonated with local buyers."

That has translated into a strong start to sales, with 33 apartments transacting in the project's first 35 days.

Palumbo said the early purchaser profile had been consistent with the group's traditional focus on owner-occupiers rather than investor-led apartment stock.

"Local owner-occupiers have always been our market," he said.

"There are always some investors, but we've never developed what would be called traditional development stock. Owner-occupiers are very much our market."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376068]

The buyer mix has been diverse so far, with downsizers and younger professionals both accounting for a significant portion of early sales.

South Australia's current stamp duty settings, which allow&nbsp;eligible homeowners in South Australia aged 60 savings of up to $103,830 on stamp duty when they downsize to a new property valued at up to $2 million,&nbsp;have helped encourage downsizer activity, while younger buyers in their late 20s and early 30s have been attracted to the opportunity to live immediately outside the CBD while still being able to walk into the city.



Location has been a major part of the proposition for both buyer cohorts.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376075]

Royal Apartments sits on North Terrace directly opposite the Adelaide Park Lands, with residents able to walk through the parklands toward the East End, Rundle Street and Rundle Mall.

Apartments have been positioned to capture views across the parklands, Adelaide skyline, Botanic Gardens and Adelaide Hills.

Palumbo believes the scarcity of developable land along this section of the Park Lands makes the site particularly difficult to replicate.

"There's very few allotments on that side that can be developed," he said.

"If this location was in New York and you were sitting on Central Park, you'd be talking about a $60 million apartments."

Royal Apartments will offer a broad mix of residences, ranging from one-bedroom apartments through to four-bedroom sub-penthouses and penthouses.

Current listings include one-bedroom apartments from $680,000, while larger three and four-bedroom residences are priced around $2.5 million.

Residents will have access to a swimming pool, gym, barbecue and recreation areas, residents' lounge and dining space, and a communal deck.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376067]

The apartments will feature generous balconies, while secure parking, bicycle storage and storage cages will also be provided.

A porte-cochère-style arrival and drop-off area has also resonated with buyers, particularly those attracted to being able to walk into the CBD during the day while retaining secure vehicle access at home.

Palumbo is acting as developer, architect and builder on Royal Apartments, continuing the vertically integrated model it has used across its South Australian portfolio.

The group was also behind the $150 million Sofitel Adelaide, the 251-room five-star hotel and residential tower which opened in 2021.

Palumbo said Royal's launch had come at an interesting time for the broader Adelaide apartment market.

Buyer confidence had initially been impacted by uncertainty surrounding the Federal Budget and broader economic conditions, but Palumbo believes sentiment is beginning to improve against a backdrop of significant investment flowing into South Australia.

He pointed to increased activity across defence and resources, including Olympic Dam, as potential long-term drivers of the state's economy and housing market.

"Money is starting to flow into Adeliade, significant amounts as Adelaide bucks the trend of the rest of the country.," Palumbo said.

"There's a lot of activity in the economy over the next decade. I think more investment will come into this market."

Early works on Royal Apartments are expected to commence this year, with major construction activity and cranes anticipated on site from early next year.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=6109]

Palumbo's return to Kent Town strikes early chord with buyers

Go-to builder-developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/graya">GRAYA</a> is continuing to bulk out its already impressive and diverse apartment portfolio across South East Queensland. Their latest milestone is securing development approval for Silk, its boutique riverfront apartment development in St Lucia.

The approval clears&nbsp;the way for the team to begin construction planning for the 22-residence project.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/silk-st-lucia-16-18-sandford-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">Silk</a> will rise 15 levels from an 810 sqm site at 16-18 Sandford Street, occupying a prominent bend of the Brisbane River with a prized northern aspect across Orleigh Park toward the Brisbane CBD.

The approved scheme will comprise 16 split-floor and six full-floor residences, continuing GRAYA's move into larger-format apartment developments targeting Brisbane's prestige owner-occupier market.

The project has been designed around the site's broad river frontage and dual-direction views, with GRAYA prioritising larger residences, privacy and outlook over apartment yield.

<img alt="Silk St Lucia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="aa5c2349-f96c-4914-a812-1f2cd6827af8" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%208.25.44%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=WY0vEU_7vYjeRJKQHiCwFdMxu8PvFh52" />

GRAYA Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Rob Gray said the project had been shaped around local homeowners wanting to remain in St Lucia without maintaining a traditional family home.

"St Lucia is one of those suburbs people do not want to leave," Gray said.

"They know the river, the trees, UQ, the golf course, Toowong and Indooroopilly, and that familiarity is hard to replace.

"True riverfront opportunities here are exceptionally scarce. What we have designed at Silk is a way to stay in the suburb people love, with the scale and privacy of a private home and far less to maintain.

"This is not typical apartment product. It is a proper home on the river, and that is exactly what this market has been missing."

The approval comes as new apartment development continues to increase across the St Lucia and neighbouring Toowong corridor, although direct riverfront sites remain considerably more tightly held.

GRAYA Co-founder and Managing Director Andrew Gray said securing the approval had removed a significant element of development risk from Silk.

"Genuine riverfront sites of this quality in St Lucia are not something that comes up regularly," Gray said.

"The approval removes a substantial layer of execution risk, and the location underwrites demand in a way very few inner-city sites can.

"The fundamentals here are as strong as anything we have assessed in Brisbane."

<img alt="Silk St Lucia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d0f3d734-65e1-48e8-8ed3-2e0715ffcdd9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%208.25.56%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=sOLSs_jdHkXLWbBKzRyayf5BfTb2vPsD" />

Silk will see GRAYA return to a stretch of the Brisbane River where it already has recent construction experience. The vertically integrated group recently completed ARC in neighbouring Toowong as builder for developer Spyre, delivering the riverfront project on a constrained site.

GRAYA will take a different role at Silk, controlling the project from design and development through construction and aftercare under its vertically integrated model.

The development will include a gym and resident leisure areas at ground level, integrated with the river's edge.

Silk joins a growing pipeline for GRAYA across Brisbane and the Gold Coast, which includes Enclave, The Gallery, Coral and Ripple.

The developer-builder has also recently lodged plans for its largest project to date, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-silo-19-chester-street-newstead-qld-4006">The Silo</a>, a proposed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/graya-buys-frasers-newstead-site-plans-the-silo-between-james-street-and-gasworks-precincts">$700 million mixed-use development</a> in Brisbane's James Street precinct.

Silk is expected to predominantly target local owner-occupiers and prestige buyers seeking a permanent riverfront home in Brisbane's inner west.

Registrations of interest are now open, with further details on the project and construction program to be released as it progresses.

<hr />
<h2>SILK PROJECT FACTS</h2>

Developer-builder: GRAYA

Project: Silk

Location: 16-18 Sandford Street, St Lucia

Apartments: 22

Built form: 15 levels

Site: 810 sqm riverfront holding

Mix: 16 split-floor and six full-floor residences

Status: Development approved

Next step: Construction planning underway

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152168]

GRAYA greenlit for riverfront St Lucia apartment development, Silk

Residential Development

<html><body>
Developers of the Banyan Tree Residences in Brisbane have won awards for the Queensland development in the categories of Best Apartment/Condominium for Australia and Best Development Marketing at the 2017 International Property Awards.
Banyan Tree won three awards for their branded residences project in Brisbane, Australia and Phuket, Thailand.
Ho Kwon Ping, Banyan Tree executive chairman said it is wonderful to have the project recognised as Best Apartment/Condominium and for Best Project Marketing, especially as they progress towards the start of construction.
"The Banyan Tree concept for luxury branded residences is unique in the Australian market," he said.
"We have welcomed many new owners since our launch late last year, with a mixture of local buyers as well as those from overseas, including existing Banyan Tree owners.
"In addition, our new partnership with Vanke, one of China’s largest developers will enable the introduction of our Brisbane project to their extensive network of high end Chinese buyers.”
Banyan Tree’s Brisbane residential development sits on the Kangaroo Point Cliffs and features 76 luxury two and three bedroom apartments including 3 magnificent penthouses.
The development features a 24-hour concierge service, spa, restaurant and resident gymnasium as well as rooftop garden, private function room, barbeque facilities, and an infinity pool.
A fully fitted out display suite is situated at 48 River Terrace, Kangaroo Point. 
For more information, <a href="https://www.banyantreeresidences.com/brisbane/homepage" target="_blank">click here</a>.
The Lake Macquarie Trinity Point residential development received two awards at the Asia Pacific Property Awards 2017-2018.
</body></html>

jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Banyan Tree Residences Brisbane win at 2017 International Property Awards

<html><body>
Harry Triguboff’s Meriton group has launched the first stage of its Sydney Olympic Park residential development The Retreat.
The development will feature more than 1200 apartments.
The Retreat is being built on a 5.17 hectare site at 5 Carter Street bought from the Goodman Group for $245 million two years ago.
The first stage will have two elliptical buildings. The North tower will be 22-storeys high and feature split-level loft-style designs, apartments with rooftop entertaining and barbecue areas and penthouses with four bedrooms and two bathrooms.
Harry Triguboff said The Retreat, being developed opposite the ANZ Stadium, is all about green open space, recreation and leisure.
“The Sydney Olympic Park precinct is a very exciting area and we are offering you an opportunity to purchase in the first release before we develop all four stages," he said.
“We have made sure at The Retreat that we provide residents with apartments, resort facilities, shops, a 113-place child-care centre and serviced apartments that complement and add to those attributes.
“We expect to finish the site in the next five years and once completed, we believe prices will rise considerably.
“The Sydney Olympic Park precinct is an idyllic choice for anyone wanting to escape the fast pace of life and more congested living of the city’s heart.”
James Sialepis, Meriton’s director sales, said The Retreat would be ‘in tune’ with the green atmosphere of the Sydney Olympic Park area and a perfect choice for new home buyers.
“The Retreat will have an extensively turfed 2500 square metre central park, with walking and cycling pathways," he said.
“On the third floor of stage one there will be podium gardens where residents will be able to barbecue, dine under cover, or just soak up the views.
“We’ve almost been caught off guard by the demand we’re experiencing for our projects with landscaped gardens and parklands, especially from families and first home buyers, in areas like Lewisham and Sydney Olympic Park.
“The Retreat will be the same and first home buyers will be chasing the great launch prices, with many apartments under $750,000.”
Sialepis said the first stage of The Retreat architects, the SJB group, had designed buildings with glass-faced apartments that capitalised on views across Bicentennial Park and the Parramatta River to the Sydney CBD and the harbour bridge.
Stage one of The Retreat has 149 apartments, some of them the biggest in the area, and they range from one-bedroom through to four-bedroom penthouses with rooftop terraces.
The apartments will start at $585,000 and peak at $2,800,000 for one of the split-level penthouses.
Stage one is expected to be completed by March 2019.
</body></html>

mick.cee-iDmgDDAmu8

Meriton launches Olympic-standard lifestyle haven

<html><body>
Development firm Match won two awards at the 2017 Western Australian Heritage Awards for work rebuilding Fremantle’s iconic Dalgety Wool Stores into residential industrial warehouse apartments.
The heritage restoration project, worth $130 million, won the  ‘Conservation or Adaptive Reuse of a State Registered Place’, and the prestigious Gerry Gauntlett Award.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/05/30/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-30%20at%2010.57.10%20AM.png" alt=""> 
The development, named Heirloom, kept over 85 percent of heritage fabric across 183 apartments and included the rebuild of the saw tooth roof.
The site had been unused for 20 years.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/05/30/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-30%20at%2010.57.06%20AM.png" alt="">
Managing Director of parent company M/Group, Mr Lloyd Clark, said to be honoured so significantly at the Western Australian Heritage Awards is a credit to the tireless work of the entire project team, who left no stone unturned to make this building as special as it now is. 
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/05/30/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-30%20at%2010.57.01%20AM.png" alt="">
“Match is in the business of developing signature properties," he said.
"It is our firm belief that people want more from their homes, and today new apartment owners are creating their own space amidst 100 year old Jarrah beams and original heritage features. 
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/05/30/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-30%20at%2010.56.25%20AM.png" alt="">
“Drawing on our experience with heritage renewals, we knew from the outset that this project would present challenges, however we also saw it as an extremely important opportunity.
“Heirloom is unquestionably Match’s most significant development project in the company’s 16 year history.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/05/30/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-30%20at%2010.56.37%20AM.png" alt="">
"Its location close to Fremantle’s café strip and between the river and the beach is ideal, and it has helped to activate the City of Fremantle’s plans to extend Fremantle’s activity centre into its eastern corridor gateway."
Mayor Brad Pettitt said the Fremantle Council said t’s hard to imagine a better result than what we now see at Heirloom. 
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/05/30/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-30%20at%2010.56.45%20AM.png" alt="">
"After being tired and run down for decades, the east end of Fremantle has become a very attractive place to live and work," he said.
"The Heirloom development has been a major driver in this ongoing transformation."
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/05/30/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-30%20at%2010.56.55%20AM.png" alt="">
The project was developed in collaboration with capital joint venture partner, Sirona Capital. 
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/05/30/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-30%20at%2011.02.36%20AM.png" alt="">
Heirloom features apartments from $450,000 and two-bedroom apartments from $650,000, with a limited number of harbour facing Lofts available from $950,000. 
The Heirloom display apartments are open by appointment. For more information visit <a href="https://www.heirloombymatch.com.au/" target="_blank">www.heirloombymatch.com.au</a>.
</body></html>

Heritage awards for massive restoration of Fremantle's iconic Dalgety Wool Stores

<html><body>
Cranes in the sky provide insight into the constructor sector, especially when it comes to residential unit supply.
To illustrate the scale of construction in Sydney alone, which has more than 50 percent of all cranes in Australia, the residential crane count rose to 292 in March this year from just 62 in September 2014.
AMP Capital’s latest weekly economic and market update points to the crane numbers as an indicator that home price growth has peaked in Sydney and Melbourne and that price declines lie ahead, particularly for units. 
In explaining its outlook, AMP Capital says “the latest Australian bank rating downgrades tell us nothing new but the drip feed of negative news around the property market in Sydney and Melbourne is continuing to mount: surging unit supply, bank rate hikes, tightening lending standards, reduced property investor tax deductions, ever tighter restrictions around foreign buyers”.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/05/26/CraneAMP.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/05/26/CraneAMP.png" alt=""> 
Residential cranes soared to 292 around Sydney which accounts for 45% of all Australian cranes and 53% of all residential cranes in Australia, the RLB Crane Index indicates. 
An analysis of the last crane index, based on September's count, showed over a third of the cranes building Australia's next wave of apartments due for completion in the coming two years are in the ‘blacklisted’ postcodes of lenders, meaning banks view them as risky suburbs to lend, the Australian Financial Review reported. 
The settlement risks, compounded by China’s crackdown on outflows and Australian banks’ tightening of credit to Chinese investors, could point to a crisis.
According to the March count, residential cranes in Sydney jumped by 34 to 292 from 258 six months earlier. In Melbourne, the number of residential cranes rose by a net 13 to 122 from 109 in September, but remained below the total 124 counted a year ago. 
Ofcourse the biggest concerns of an oversupply of apartments are in Melbourne.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/05/26/CraneCount.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/05/26/CraneCount.png" alt="">
As to the broader crane index, the number of cranes on the skylines of seven of 10 cities counted fell to a total 654 in March from 666 in September, driven by a decline in the number of cranes on commercial, education and public projects. 
This was the first decline in the total number of cranes across Australia's skyline since Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB) Oceania Research &amp; Development and Communication teams created the RLB Crane Index in 2012.
But even as residential cranes dominated the count – and increased to 548, or 84 per cent of the total – the sector showed further signs of the slowdown that was first apparent six months ago. While apartment-heavy Melbourne increased its number of cranes after September's fall, it failed to make up all of that lost ground. Brisbane declined further.
The report also reflects the moves by developers to smaller-scale projects in inner-ring suburban away from large CBD projects. 
</body></html>

Crane count indicates home price growth may have peaked in Sydney and Melbourne: AMP Capital

<html><body>
A development site with permit for residential units in Camberwell has sold for $2.3 million through Savills as demand for apartments in Melbourne’s leafy inner east rises.
The <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-residential+land-vic-camberwell-201773630" target="_blank">584 Camberwell Road</a> site was listed for auction on May auction, but the deal was struck in April.
The site was bought by an offshore buyer at a record rate per unit of $383,000, according to Savills.
This, along with another sale at Armadale, totalled a record $9.3 million for land and unit prices.
The corner site has a landholding of 577 sqm and comes with an approved permit for a luxury apartment project with oversized apartments.
The majority of apartments, once constructed, will enjoy views of the picturesque Fordham Gardens. 
The location is close to shops, schools and public transport. 
The selling agents were Nick Peden, Jesse Radisich and Benson Zhou of Savills.
“Demand for apartment development sites in Melbourne has been very strong over the last few years and it remains so and particularly for boutique developments in suburbs in the coveted inner east,” said Peden.
<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/2017/05/25/Camberwell2.jpg" alt="">
The Urban Planning Committee had earlier reviewed the proposal for a three-story building comprising six apartments, car parking and some alterations at Camberwell.
The Boroondara City Council’s urban designer had concluded that the building would not impact the neighbourhood character or nearby residential properties.
This permit would expire if development does not start within two years of the issue date and if construction isn’t complete in four years from the date of issue.
Among the other recent land sales in Camberwell is one at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-residential+land-vic-camberwell-201621962?cid=pdp:recent-sales" target="_blank">4 Garden Road</a>.
The 1040 sqm land parcel changed hands for $2,305,000 late in 2016. It was touted as ideal for development subject to approvals. The zoning was General Residential 1.
Another was a land parcel at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/sold/property-residential+land-vic-camberwell-201651042?cid=pdp:recent-sales" target="_blank">23 Derby Street</a>, which fetched $4.6 million. The 1,363 sqm site is close to Riversdale station, shops and restaurants.
Peden said apartment demand was being driven by population growth, the recent trend to downsizing and remaining in the same suburb, lifestyle and by location.
March figures from the ABS put Melbourne’s population growth at 2.4 percent in 2016 – the fastest in the nation - (Brisbane grew 1.8 percent and Greater Sydney 1.7 percent) while four of the five fastest growing suburbs in Australia were in Victoria.
Camberwell has a current townhouse offering, The Davis. Conceived by Ascui &amp; Co Architects, the four homes on Davis Avenue are priced through Marshall White <a href="https://thedavis.com.au" target="_blank">from $2.215 million</a>.
</body></html>

Camberwell site with permit for luxury apartments sells for $2.3 million: Savills

<html><body>
Cross-border buying of residential development sites in Asia-Pacific has been rising over the past decade.
When comparing 2016 to 2007, the number of such acquisitions from overseas investors more than doubled, with volumes hitting nearly more than US$42 billion last year, according to Knight Frank’s latest research. 
Australia figures in the top five residential land investment destinations in Asia-Pacific from 2012 to 2016.
In the past decade, investors from Hong Kong and mainland China contributed 80.2 percent of the total money spent on acquiring overseas residential lands within Asia-Pacific, says the Asia Pacific Residential Review - May 2017 by Knight Frank.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/05/22/Chart1.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/05/22/Chart1.png" alt="">
On the surface, Hong Kong is the front-runner with 74.5 percent of the market share but in fact the most acquisitive companies have roots in the mainland. 
Other notable players include Singapore (7.3 percent), United States (3.2 percent), Japan (2.4 percent), Malaysia (1.7 percent) and United Arab Emirates (1.1 percent).
From 2012 to 2016, the top five overseas residential land investment destinations in Asia-Pacific were ranked in the following order: China, Singapore, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong. 
Hong Kong and Australia saw investments into their countries increased by about nine times and 26 times respectively during this period, while Malaysia grew from practically zero foreign investment into residential development sites in 2012 to over US$1.4 billion in 2015. Meanwhile, the average investment into Singapore’s housing land from 2012 to 2015 was about US$1.6 billion but it declined to US$671 million in 2016.
“We also note that developers have been acquiring more expensive, less prime and smaller sites. On a CAGR basis, average quantum price and price per sq ft have grown gradually– increasing 4.7 percent per year from US$154 million to US$242 million and 15.9 percent per year from US$47 to US$208 per sq ft,” says the report.
For land size, the acquired sites now have much smaller land area – averaging 32 acres today compared to 65 acres 10 years ago. Likewise, the percentage of acquired sites that are in a CBD area has dropped tremendously – from about a fifth in 2007 to just 6.0 percent in 2016. 
The growth in outbound activity by mainland Chinese developers has been one of the key trends over the past decade, with volumes going from practically zero in 2009 to more than US$2.5 billion in 2016. 
From 2012 to 2016, their favourite destination was Australia (36.5 percent) along with other key markets include Hong Kong (23.7 percent), Malaysia (19.7 percent) and Singapore (15.4 percent). Among a flurry of cooling measures introduced in major Chinese cities along with the capital controls imposed earlier this year, we expect Chinese developers to put more money into Hong Kong and smaller Tier-3 Chinese cities this year. In the first quarter of 2017 alone, Chinese developers invested over US$5.1 billion in the region, with more than US$4.9 billion or 95 percent concentrated in Hong Kong.
In Q1 2017, we continue to see more cross-border investment activities in Asia-Pacific – with close to US$10 billion representing 15.2 percent of the total sales volume. In addition, this is also the highest Q1 figure ever recorded since at least 2007. Three of the top five deals transacted in Hong Kong and were all purchased by Chinese developers; the rest of the top ten deals were in mainland China. 
As many residential markets mature over time, the hunt for the next high-yielding property development opportunities may happen in selected developing countries such as Cambodia, the Philippines and Indonesia. Investors and developers will find these locations attractive given the consistently high economic growth, huge young population, rapid urbanisation rate combined with the rising need for different housing types. Similarly, developers may also choose to invest in selected hot spots in mature economies such as Kyoto in Japan, suburbs near major cities in Australia and the city fringe in Singapore.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/05/22/Chart2.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/05/22/Chart2.png" alt="">
From 2012 to 2016, domestic developers and investors purchased 58.4 percent of residential development land in Australia, while the largest foreign developer group hailed from China (23.4 percent). Last year, Chinese developers and investors purchased $2.4 billion worth of residential development sites in Australia – a 9.4 percent increase from 2015. Boasting an economy record without recession for over 25 years, Australia has also seen a steady population growth partially fulfilled by a healthy immigration rate especially the high net worth individuals.
Read the full Asia-Pacific Residential Review Report May 2017 <a href="https://www.knightfrank.com/research/asia-pacific-residential-review-q1-2017-4658.aspx">here</a>.
 
</body></html>

j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Overseas buying of residential development sites in Asia Pacific doubled from 2007-16: Knight Frank

<html><body>
One of Byron Bay’s largest residential subdivisions has achieved record prices.
Around two thirds have been sold as the final stage hits the market.
Developed by Unison Projects, Seacliffs Byron Bay is a rainforest fringed enclave.
Some 73 per cent of the estate is maintained as a nature reserve and a wildlife corridor for native animals.
The $20 million Seacliffs Byron Bay development features 34 elevated lots within a 16 hectare eco-friendly hinterland estate.
Some come with ocean views.
Unison Projects founder Jonathan Levy remarked that stage one of 11 completed lots on Hayters Drive, Suffolk Park, sold out quickly.
He added one had since achieved a record house price for the suburb.
Additionally, seven of the second stage of eight lots have been sold, with five of the 16 lots in the third and final stage also already traded.
“The response to Seacliffs has been fantastic particularly from the local market as most of our buyers were already living in the Byron Bay region,” Levy said.
“The project has proven that Byron buyers are back.”
McGrath agent Nick Dunn added that stage three home lot sites range from 616 sqm to 1156 sqm.
The prices are between $600,000 and $660,000, set just a few minutes to Tallow Beach and the Suffolk Park shops, and only eight minutes to the heart of Byron Bay.
“Seacliffs is where the hinterland meets the sea,” Levy said.
 
</body></html>

Final stage of Byron Bay development Seacliffs hits market

<html><body>
Palmview’s largest masterplanned community, Harmony, has fast-tracked the release of its latest land lots.
The $3 billion residential project is located on the Sunshine Coast, within close proximity to amenities including the University of the Sunshine Coast, the new Kawana healthcare precinct and shopping strips at Sippy Downs and Kawana.
Developer AVID Property Group has now released an additional 91 land lots at Harmony, following an increased appetite for affordable land options in the region and the median price of land rising by almost 5 per cent from 2015 to 2016.
“Residential property demand is surging in the region and as prices continue to rise, buyers are increasingly looking for affordable land options,” said Bruce Harper, AVID Property Group Queensland general manager.
“With new land lots starting from $218,400, the masterplanned community is catering to wide range of buyers and delivering affordable land lots in the heart of the Sunshine Coast,” he explained.
The population of the Sunshine Coast projected to grow to almost 453,000 by 2036, with Harmony anticipated to deliver more than 4,800 homes for 12,000 future residents.
“As one of Australia’s premier lifestyle destinations, there’s no wonder buyers are flocking to the area with its pristine beaches and beautiful hinterland right at your doorstep,” Harper added.
Since its official launch last year, Harmony has become the first ‘6 Leaf’ EnviroDevelopment masterplanned community to be certified in South East Queensland by the Urban Development Institute of Australia.
</body></html>

Harmony land release to meet demand on Sunshine Coast 

<html><body>
Some 24 three and four bedroom townhouses are slated for development alongside the grounds of the former Katoomba Golf Course.
The residential development, titled Escarpments Estate, is a partnership between Glenstone Group, Andrew Mencinsky and London 2012 Olympian turned property developer, Edward Fernon.
The former golf clubhouse and golf course will be redeveloped with the ex-clubhouse turned into a restaurant, health and fitness centre, and a golf shop servicing the Blue Mountains’ only driving range.
Fernon said it’s important that new developments in the area are unique and provide something valuable for the community as well as the new residents.
"Escarpments Estate will give townhouse buyers and the local community alike rejuvenated parklands and fantastic amenities that will really make the Blue Mountains area a notable option for those looking just outside of Sydney," he said.
"Where else can you match natural beauty with world-class amenities so close to one of the world’s major cities?
"In light of the Federal Budget 2017 plan announcing financial incentives to encourage older property owners to downsize, I expect interest in developments like Escarpments Estate to significantly increase."
Townhouses feature a range of fittings and fixtures from brands such as Smeg, Miele and Dulux. All the townhouses will look out over the former golf course,  which will be turned into acres of impressive parklands featuring walking paths, cycling trails and ponds. 
Dominic Hogan, director of Glenstone Group said interest in the Blue Mountains is sky rocketing,.
"Escarpments Estate townhouses will provide the best modern living has to offer on the Blue Mountains’ biggest backyard," he said.
"They are well appointed with a range of options to suit individual tastes, just 3.5 kilometres to Katoomba village with its shops and transport, and virtually next door to the Three Sisters and Scenic World.
Escarpments Estate has begun development with the townhouses already available to purchase off the plan. Local Blue Mountains agents Milton Player and Jonathan Crisp of Chapman Real Estate will oversee sales.
The development officially launches Friday 26th May 2017. To register your interest visit <a href="https://www.escarpmentsestate.com.au" target="_blank">www.escarpmentsestate.com.au</a>
</body></html>

Olympian purchases former Katoomba Golf Course 

<html><body>
<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/2017/05/08/WATERFALL%20LOGO_MONO-2.jpg" alt="" width="229" height="211">
SPONSORED POST
Leading Sydney developer, Crown Group presents Waterfall, the company’s most ambitious project to date.
It draws its inspiration from the 7 storey waterfall that cascades spectacularly down one of the building’s four elemental buildings.
The vision for Waterfall by Crown Group is to bring a green revolution into Sydney’s architecture.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/05/08/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-09%20at%208.09.36%20AM.png" alt="" width="644" height="441">
‘Waterfall by Crown Group is a testament to our continual push to create contextually appropriate, innovative residential developments which are relevant to today’s society’’ Chairman and Group CEO, Iwan Sunito
Designed by award winning architects, SJB and featuring a specially commissioned public artwork by Mika Utzon Popov (grandson of Sydney Opera House architect Jorn Utzon).
Waterfall harnesses the power of one’s natural surroundings, providing an alternative environment to combat the stresses and strains of modern life.
<img src="https://www.urban.com.au/images/2017/05/08/Screen%20Shot%202017-05-09%20at%208.08.32%20AM.png" alt="" width="604" height="391">
The $395 million project will be located at 18 O’Dea Avenue, Waterloo. It boasts 331 apartments, a rooftop infinity pool, a cantilevered gym that overlooks the city, a sky garden and terrace, a function room and six onsite retail outlets.
The luxury apartments will be released for sales at a grand launch on 17th June 2017.
Crown Group is now accepting registrations of interest at <a href="https://waterfallbycrowngroup.com.au" target="_blank">waterfallbycrowngroup.com.au</a>.
</body></html>

Residential Development

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News

Residential Development

Editor's Picks

Receive the latest news stories to your inbox

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News