Queensland builder-developer MAYD has revealed the first look at its major North Kirra beachfront development, lodging amended plans that reduce the number of apartments and increase the proportion of larger residences.

The project is planned across a substantial 4,742 sqm amalgamated site spanning seven lots at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/2-6-pacific-parade-bilinga-qld-4225">2-6 Pacific Parade</a> and 27-33 Golden Four Drive in Bilin​ga, directly opposite Nor​th Kirra Beach.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mayd-group">MAYD</a> secured the site for $32.5 million in 2025, in what was one of the Gold Coast's largest property transactions of the year.

The development will be delivered across two stages, with the first stage carrying an estimated gross realisation value of around $360 million.

The latest amendments seek to reduce the overall apartment count and shift the project further toward the owner-occupier market, with larger residences designed for buyers wanting considerably more space than traditionally offered in a beachfront apartment.

The residential mix will include townhomes, oversized two-bedroom apartments, substantial three-bedroom residences and four-bedroom homes.

MAYD has appointed Cera Stribley to lead the architecture and interiors, with the Melbourne-based design practice drawing on the beachfront setting through a series of ocean-facing terraces and heavily landscaped balconies.

Strong horizontal forms and curved balconies will define the exterior, with subtropical landscaping integrated throughout the building to soften the built form and increase the connection between the residences and the beachfront.

The project will also include an extensive collection of resident wellness and lifestyle facilities, continuing the broader shift across the Gold Coast's luxury apartment market toward larger homes supported by resort-style amenity.

<img alt="MAYD" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d1bcbb05-e659-4b47-8bd4-1e595315e2ad" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%202.05.03%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=jj0XEud1X1DuLt7_KyElhjMdZGOXmLHP" />

MAYD Founder Todd Mould said North Kirra was increasingly appealing to buyers attracted to the more established, lower-density character of the southern Gold Coast.

"North Kirra presents one of the most compelling luxury residential opportunities currently emerging in Australia, combining absolute beachfront with the character and authenticity that buyers are increasingly seeking, and the same sense of tight-knit community that defined Burleigh and Currumbin perhaps 10 or 15 years ago," Mould said.

"With Gold Coast Airport on its doorstep, it also offers a level of accessibility that broadens its appeal across almost every market demographic."

The project comes as the southern Gold Coast continues to attract an increasing share of high-end apartment development and buyer activity.

Kirra in particular has emerged as one of the region's more tightly held beachfront markets, with its relatively low-density character, established surf and hospitality scene and proximity to Gold Coast Airport differentiating it from the higher-density markets further north.

Mould said those characteristics had informed the approach MAYD and Cera Stribley had taken to the project.

"We've worked closely with Cera Stribley to create a vision that is deeply connected to its surroundings," he said.

"Inspired by the coastline itself, the architecture has been shaped around space, privacy and resort-style living, creating a collection of homes that reflects the next generation of luxury on the southern Gold Coast."

MOTIV Managing Director Carly Cottam, who has been appointed to market the project, said buyer attention had continued to move south along the Gold Coast.

"Purchasers who may once have defaulted to Broadbeach, Main Beach or Surfers Paradise are increasingly recognising the value of a genuine beachfront location that offers lower density, strong amenity and a more established sense of community," Cottam said.

"Kirra has a powerful combination of growing demand and genuine scarcity. Beachfront supply is inherently constrained, the area remains relatively low density, and buyers are increasingly placing a premium on locations that feel established, uncrowded and authentic rather than heavily developed."

Cottam said the proximity to Gold Coast Airport was also proving increasingly important for interstate and second-home buyers.

"Being minutes from Gold Coast Airport makes it particularly compelling for interstate buyers, frequent travellers and second-home purchasers who can access an authentic coastal lifestyle almost immediately after stepping off a flight."

The acquisition takes MAYD's active development portfolio to more than $500 million, with the North Kirra project representing one of its largest undertakings to date.

MAYD is targeting an early 2027 launch.

Joel Robinson

First look at MAYD's North Kirra mixed-use precinct

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Castle Hill, the longtime hub of the Hills District, has been one of the major beneficiaries of Sydney's Metro expansion, with improved connectivity helping drive continued population growth, development and buyer demand across the Hills District.

But despite that growth, the suburb has seen relatively few major new apartment projects brought to market over the past 18 months.

Hills District developer Reve Group is looking to fill that gap with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nova-r-ve-castle-hill-2-garthowen-crescent-castle-hill-nsw-2154">Nova Rêve</a>, a major new mixed-use precinct on the corner of Garthowen Crescent and Old Castle Hill Road, a short walk from Castle Hill Metro Station and Castle Towers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377679]

The project will comprise three residential towers alongside a hotel, restaurants, cafes and a skybar, more than 1,600 sqm of ground-floor retail and almost an acre of landscaped gardens.

It represents the largest project undertaken by Reve Group, the development arm of the Kassis family, which has been building across the Hills District for more than 30 years through Kassis Homes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377675]

Nova Rêve also represents a significant step up from the family's first apartment development, Grand Rêve, which was delivered nearby on Garthowen Crescent.

Grand Rêve introduced larger, house-like apartment layouts and premium inclusions including Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances to the Castle Hill market.

Nova Rêve takes that approach to a precinct scale, combining the residential component with hospitality, retail and substantial public and resident landscaping.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377685]

Reve Group Managing Director Sam Kassis said the project reflected the family's three decades of building in the Hills, which has evolved from trophy homes on quarter-acre blocks to larger-scale apartment development.

"Grand Rêve was our first apartment project here and it showed us what this pocket of Castle Hill could be. Nova Rêve is the refinement of that idea: not just apartments, but a place the whole suburb can use," Kassis said.

A key part of that approach is the hotel, which has been designed to operate as an amenity for the wider Castle Hill community rather than solely hotel guests.

It will include restaurants, cafes, skybars and all-day dining, alongside conference and event facilities catering to business functions, community groups and private events.

At ground level, more than 1,600 sqm of shops and cafes will open onto the surrounding streets and landscaped areas.

Almost an acre of gardens designed by Land and Form Studios will run through the precinct, incorporating pathways, seating, barbecue areas and children's play spaces.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=152737 project_image_fid=377680]

Reve Group's Romio Georges said creating an active ground plane had been central to the planning of Nova Rêve.

"There are gardens with pathways, barbecues, seating and play areas, shops and cafes opening onto the street, and a hotel with restaurants and a skybar that anyone in Castle Hill can walk into," Georges said.

The project's elevated position on one of Sydney's highest ridgelines will also provide apartments with outlooks toward the Sydney skyline, surrounding parkland and the Blue Mountains.

More than 80 per cent of the apartments will occupy corner positions, with Turner responsible for both the architecture and interiors.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152737]

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Nova Rêve arrives as Reve Group bets on Castle Hill's next growth phase

A collection of just 25 large-format apartments and penthouses overlooking Goodwin Park is entering the Coolangatta market, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/marea-residences-coolangatta-27-27a-dixon-street-coolangatta-qld-4225">Maréa Residences</a> combining a low-density, residential-only approach with uninterrupted park and Pacific Ocean outlooks.

Located at 27 Dixon Street, Maréa comprises three and four-bedroom residences alongside a limited number of dual-level penthouses, with the project positioned between Goodwin Park and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/coolangatta-qld-4225">Coolangatta</a>’s coastal precinct.

Construction has commenced, with completion currently estimated for late 2027. Three-bedroom residences are priced from $1.8 million.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150999 project_image_fid=374005]

The project has been designed around its northern outlook across the park, with the building’s architecture, landscaping and material palette intended to establish a connection with the neighbouring green space. The residences have been configured to maximise natural light and views across Goodwin Park towards the ocean.

Inside, the material palette incorporates timber, stone and brushed brass, complemented by curved detailing and ambient lighting. Kitchens and bathrooms carry the same natural material approach, while residences also include basement parking, storage and lift access.

Maréa’s penthouses are arranged over two levels and include private pools, adding another layer to the project’s focus on larger-format apartment living. Across the development, residences are configured with three or four bedrooms rather than the broader mix of smaller apartment types commonly found in larger projects.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150999 project_image_fid=374010]

Resident amenity is concentrated at rooftop level, where landscaped entertaining terraces and pools take advantage of elevated views across Coolangatta and the Pacific Ocean.

The project has so far been particularly well received by local owner-occupiers and downsizers, according to Urban Activation Property Sales and Marketing Director Matt George, with the residential-only format, construction quality and northern park outlook among the features resonating with purchasers.

“The uninterrupted northern aspect overlooking Goodwin Park has been a key point of difference, with buyers attracted to the sense of serenity and open space the park provides, while still enjoying easy access to the ocean and being within walking distance of the lifestyle and amenities Coolangatta has to offer,” George said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150999 project_image_fid=374002]

“The combination of high-quality construction, a residential-only building, park outlook and proximity to the beach has resonated strongly with the local downsizer market.”

The Dixon Street address is within walking distance of Coolangatta Beach and the broader southern Gold Coast coastline, including the surf breaks at Snapper Rocks and Kirra. Coolangatta’s cafés, restaurants and retail are nearby, while Gold Coast Airport is also within close proximity.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=150999]

Maréa Residences brings parkside apartments to Coolangatta

Melbourne developer PDG has secured Victorian Government approval for its $1.5 billion Southbank development <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-one-1-queens-bridge-street-southbank-vic-3006">The One</a>, clearing the way for the long-dormant riverfront site opposite Crown to finally be developed.

The Minister for Planning has approved the project at 1-29 Queens Bridge Street, with the Department of Transport and Planning issuing the planning permit following its assessment.

The approval will allow PDG to develop the prominent 5,059 sqm site with a major mixed-use tower comprising premium apartments, including branded residences, a luxury hotel and boutique office space.

PDG acquired the site in late 2024, with its position directly opposite Crown's main entrance and near Melbourne's Arts Precinct making it one of Southbank's most significant remaining development opportunities.

<img alt="PDG" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3933013e-6332-4386-b9be-089df05caf17" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%209.29.22%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=sITIgBqDL0N3VNSMwWEmF5UA.uvcsRyu" />

Designed by COX in collaboration with ODO and PDG, the tower's architecture draws on the movement of the Yarra River, with six vertical pleats running the height of the sculpted facade.

The project will also see the heritage-listed Queens Bridge Hotel restored and incorporated into the development&nbsp;with new hospitality and public uses, including a rooftop venue.

A significant component of The One will be its residential amenity.

More than 5,000 sqm of resident facilities will be delivered across a single level, making it one of the largest consolidated residential amenity offerings proposed in an Australian apartment development.

The planning approval also incorporates a major upgrade of Queensbridge Square, which PDG will deliver in partnership with the City of Melbourne.

<img alt="PDG" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="73167fcd-1031-4b6f-a408-a064cfe45ed1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%209.29.17%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=Pf1AEWxw6SNmBqR0zQW5lyEze.MtxgFp" />

The existing square will be revitalised as a new civic and pedestrian space along the Yarra River, strengthening the connection between the project, Southbank and the riverfront.

PDG Founder and Managing Director Vince Giuliano said the approval represented a major milestone for a site which has remained largely underutilised for more than 15 years.

“This is the most significant Planning Permit approval Melbourne has seen in recent years,” Giuliano said.

“For more than 15 years, this site has remained underutilised. This approval enables us to deliver a project that will contribute meaningfully to the revitalisation of Southbank, restore and reactivate an important heritage building, and create a new civic and hospitality destination for Melbourne.”

The latest approval follows an earlier planning permit issued by the City of Melbourne covering demolition works across part of the site at 9-29 Queens Bridge Street. Those demolition and early works are already underway.

PDG has also started generating early interest in the residential component from owner-occupiers ahead of a planned public launch in early 2027.

PDG secures approval for $1.5bn Southbank apartment development, The One

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>.

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

Residential Development

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The Oceanside Kawana precinct on Queensland's Sunshine Coast will be a focus for investors in the future according to new research from Urbis.
Director of economics and market research for Urbis, Malcolm Aikman, said the Sunshine Coast’s immediate future will be driven by solid job growth on a scale rarely seen in other locations, and the Oceanside precinct is at the epicentre of this growth.
<a href="/images/2016/07/29/Screen%20Shot%202016-07-29%20at%2011.28.04%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/07/29/Screen%20Shot%202016-07-29%20at%2011.28.04%20AM.png" alt="">
"The Oceanside precinct exhibited strong growth fundamentals, especially with billions of dollars in infrastructure spending leading to the creation of more jobs – with significantly higher wages - and population growth, which in turn should lead to greater demand for residential property," he said.
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“The $5.3 billion Oceanside Kawana project, which comprises the Oceanside Health Hub, the Sunshine Coast University Hospital (SCUH) and the proposed Oceanside Town Centre, represents one of the largest development projects in Australia and is forecast to employ 16,000 operational staff upon completion.
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<img src="/images/2016/07/29/Screen%20Shot%202016-07-29%20at%2011.30.16%20AM.png" alt="">
“This increased employment will bring many more people into the precinct, with population growth within the Oceanside catchment forecast at 2.8 per cent per annum over the 20 years to 2036, well above the one per cent forecast for the Brisbane LGA.
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<img src="/images/2016/07/29/Screen%20Shot%202016-07-29%20at%2011.31.40%20AM.png" alt="">
“A major demographic shift for the population is also underway, with average wages within the precinct set to increase dramatically. The average wage of a hospital worker is $92,300, more than 60 per cent higher than the Sunshine Coast LGA median wage of $56,940.”
According to Urbis, almost 70 percent of the active apartment market in Oceanside is already registered as sold or under contract.
<a href="/images/2016/07/29/Screen%20Shot%202016-07-29%20at%2011.32.51%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2016/07/29/Screen%20Shot%202016-07-29%20at%2011.32.51%20AM.png" alt="">
Colliers International and Savills are marketing prime development sites within this precinct yielding between 30 and 220 units.
For more information, <a href="https://www.oceansidekawana.com.au" target="_blank">click here</a>.
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Does Oceanside Kawana offer investment potential as epicentre of Sunshine Coast growth?

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The Melbourne hip suburban fringe property developer Tim Gurner has submitted plans for his $350 million development in North Fitzroy.
It will feature terraced apartments with their own terrace gardens.
His architect, Koichi Takada proposes a cascading 16-storey development of about 550 apartments, covered in greenery inspired by the rice paddies of south-east Asia.  
Apartment prices will start at $450,000 for a 47-square-metre, one-bedroom apartment rising to $4 million for a 135-square-metre four-bedder.
Tim Gurner's proposed development will retain the existing industrial heritage facade, with a piazza offering community space and shops and restaurants.
The $40 million site was bought in February on <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://vhd.heritage.vic.gov.au/places/result_detail/104097?print=true" target="_blank">Queens Parade</a>. The site was the K.G. Luke Pty Ltd electro plate manufacturing factory created in 1938 for Kenneth G. Luke. 
In 1921 Kenneth Luke became a partner in a small metal-spinning and silverware business at Carlton.
By 1925 he was its proprietor and an employer of seven. These employees were still with him thirty years later, with 650 others, making an ever-increasing range of products: silverware, stainless steel surgical equipment, plated goods and glass-washing machines.
Luke went on to achieve many major public roles.
In 1938-55 he was president of the Carlton Football Club. A delegate (from 1935) to the Victorian Football League, he was its vice president (1946-55) and president (1956-71). 
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Tim Gurner proposes paddy fields-inspired North Fitzroy project

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Frasers Property Australia is to release a limited number of one, two and three bedroom apartments as part of its $900 million Hamilton Reach development in Brisbane's inner north.
<img src="/images/2016/07/28/Screen%20Shot%202016-07-28%20at%2011.19.22%20AM.png" alt="" width="556" height="377">
The apartments, in the Riverlight development, feature 1700sqm of landscaped gardens, a 20 metre Olympic edge lap pool, barbecue, sun deck and gymnasium overlooking the Brisbane River and Royal Queensland Golf Club. 
<img src="/images/2016/07/28/Screen%20Shot%202016-07-28%20at%2011.19.01%20AM.png" alt="" width="579" height="363">
The development also includes an exclusive dining room and boathouse.
Cameron Leggatt, general manager residential Queensland, Frasers Property, said since 2011, we’ve achieved more than $240 million in sales and transformed an area into one of the most desirable neighbourhoods in South East Queensland.
<img src="/images/2016/07/28/Screen%20Shot%202016-07-28%20at%2011.19.10%20AM.png" alt="">
The project’s one bedroom + multipurpose room and two bedroom apartments will be priced from $420,000 and $452,500 respectively, while three bedroom apartments will start at $622,500.
For more information, <a href="https://www.frasersproperty.com.au/QLD/Hamilton-Reach" target="_blank">click here</a>.
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More apartments at Brisbane's Riverfront, Hamilton Reach released

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The final development plot at Sydney's Green Square Town Centre has come on the market and will be being offered through international expressions of interest closing 30 August 2016.
The 811 Elizabeth Street Zetland site is 9,693sqm and zoned for mixed use development. It has three street frontages and market through Knight Frank’s Eugene Evgenikos, Tim Holtsbaum, Dominic Ong and Adam Bodon. 
The site is diagonally opposite the aquatic leisure centre, which will include a 50-metre outdoor pool set within a ‘beach pool’, indoor pools and gym, a park, native landscaping, and play equipment. 
<img src="/images/2016/07/27/green2.jpg" alt="">
Eugene Evgenikos, head of metropolitan sales, NSW, Knight Frank said the soon-to-be-completed 5,500 square metre Drying Green Park, Gunyama Park and the aquatic leisure centre, all located within a short walking distance, provide a remarkable point of difference and desirability for any ensuing development.
“The precedence for high-density development in the immediate vicinity of the new aquatic centre has been well established, with this site being the last piece of the jigsaw puzzle, the missing link, in connecting the boulevard through Green Square town centre,” he said.
The Green Square Town Centre development area is 278 hectares, and will eventually be home to 30,500 new dwellings. This includes approx. 10,000 now under assessment or construction. When fully completed after 2030, Green Square’s total population is expected to reach 61,000.
 
 
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Final residential development site in Sydney's Green Square Town Centre on market

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A 'small footprint' residential development in Melbourne's inner city suburb of Clifton Hill has notched up brisk sales at registration day, with 53 of 65 available apartments and townhouses sold.
Developed by Wulff Projects, Icon Co. and Assemble, 122 Roseneath St. took a different approach to building in that it sought feedback from prospective buyers at various stages of design prior to construction.
The developers wanted a chance to communicate the social and environmental values that underpin the project, according to a media release.
A high proportion, 96 percent, of buyers at 122 Roseneath St. are owner-occupiers. The developers estimate that 40 percent of all purchasers were first-home buyers, and that 38 percent came from Clifton Hill or surrounding suburbs.
The proportion of first home buyers reflects the affordability of the project, where the median house price is $1.161 million (Domain), claims the media release.
Selling agent Roland Paterson of Nelson Alexander said it was unprecedented for an off-the-plan project.
“Selling almost all the available dwellings is an unprecedented result for an off-the-plan development that has attracted 96 per cent local owner-occupiers,” he said.
All three directors of project architect Assemble – Quino Holland, Ben Keck and Pino Demaio – purchased a home at 122 Roseneath St.
“The participation and feedback throughout the design presentations allowed us to tailor the design and give buyers the confidence to commit to the project,” says Adam Wulff, director of Wulff Projects.
The consultations and feedback led to a communal room, a communal laundry and the provision of an embedded energy network.
Melina Chan, who works in community development, says she has invested in 122 Roseneath St because she couldn’t find anything else in Melbourne quite like it.
Chan says she was looking for a development that prioritised “the wellbeing of the planet” and medium-density housing that minimises travel to places of employment and cultural amenities.
For Marion Arnott, who has three school-going sons, it was a townhouse with a rooftop deck and outdoor area. Arnott says 122 Roseneath St. was an affordable option.
Downsizers Pam and Ray Walford said they were attracted to the aspects of small-footprint living at 122 Roseneath St.
“The location is closer to where our two sons live than where we presently live, and close to major bicycle trails,” Ray Walford says. The Walfords have purchased a two-bedroom apartment.
There are still 10 homes available at 122 Roseneath St, including two one-bedroom apartments and eight townhouses.
In fact, seven of the development partners have bought homes at 122 Roseneath St.
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'Small footprint' project in Melbourne notches brisk sales

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/57114/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
Four years after its announcement, the Queensland government last week cancelled the central plank in the Logan Renewal Initiative: the overhaul of Logan’s 4,900 public housing dwellings by a community-housing-provider-led consortium.
The initiative is a planned 20-year strategy to reshape Logan, an outer-suburban centre in Brisbane’s southeast. It would have been Australia’s largest and most-ambitious residential urban regeneration project.
Given its flagship status, and the hopes invested in it as a new form of public-private renewal partnership, the project’s abandonment could be a serious setback for Australian housing and urban policy.
So, why – presumably at a very substantial cost in compensation to the spurned regeneration partners – did the Queensland government walk away from the deal?
<h2>Why was the project canned?</h2>
The Logan area encompasses Queensland’s largest body of public housing. By the early 2000s, the Logan City Council had begun to see the resulting concentration of disadvantage as damaging to the area’s public image and reputation. As well as detracting from residents’ quality of life, high rates of crime and anti-social behaviour had become a perceived barrier to investment.
Partly in response to these concerns, but also building on an existing collaboration between its Labor predecessor and the council, the Newman LNP government began the Logan Renewal Initiative in 2012. From the government’s perspective this was to be just the first instalment of a broader plan to radically recast the state’s public housing system.
In 2014, after three rounds of bids and multiple modifications to the original specification, a consortium involving two NSW-based community-housing providers was revealed as the successful tenderer.
This proposal involved a new place-based management entity, Logan City Community Housing, and pledged the replacement of 1,000 outdated existing public housing units with 2,600 newly built homes – 1,600 of which would be social and affordable dwellings.
In early 2015, Queensland voters threw out the Newman government. But, nearly 18 months and very probably millions of dollars in set-up costs later, Housing Minister Mick de Brenni last week pulled the plug on the project. Instead, he is offering a A$17 million commitment to fund 70 new public homes over the next three years.
At least some of the seeds of the project’s failure were probably sown by the arguably reckless way it was originally rushed forward in 2012. Buttressed by a huge parliamentary majority and impatient to drastically reshape Queensland’s public services, the Newman government gave little priority to building public support for its radical plans – in housing, as in other areas.
Equally, the drawn-out tender process, with its multiple stages and changing requirements, speaks of excessive haste and/or policy over-reach in a state with little previous experience of urban renewal of the scale and complexity envisaged here.
de Brenni claimed:
The previous government’s privatisation plan was risky and unprecedented in scale.
However, he then went much further, declaring the now-doomed plan unacceptable in principle since:
It’s not the policy of this government to privatise essential services and I want to make it very clear that this includes public housing.
Privatisation is an incendiary term in political debate. It may be a technically accurate description for the transfer of public housing to the control of a non-government body in the form of a not-for-profit community housing provider. But whether this really amounts to the kind of deal normally evoked by the term “privatisation” in the public mind is highly debatable.
First, the “assets” concerned were to be retained in government ownership. They would have passed into community housing provider control only on a fixed-term lease. And the additional homes to be developed would also have returned to government ownership and control at the end of the scheme.
Second, since it is not a profit-making body, the acquiring community housing provider is not in this to exploit the opportunity to generate shareholder returns or to squeeze funding for local services.
To the contrary, in canning the Logan project the Queensland government has turned its back on around $800 million of direct investment in social and affordable housing, as well as significant educational and training opportunities for local people.
Third, in terms of its management of the former public housing stock, the would-be new landlord in any housing transfer project of this kind is subject to both contractual obligations and statutory regulation.
<h2>Inconsistent with Labor policy elsewhere</h2>
de Brenni’s declared interpretation of public housing transfers is also out of line with that of Labor colleagues federally and in some other key states.
In 2013, then-federal housing minister Mark Butler <a href="https://www.formerministers.dss.gov.au/12481/opening-address-powerhousing-australia-conference-melbourne-vic/">reaffirmed</a> the Labor government’s aim of boosting the community housing sector, recognised the role of public housing transfers in achieving this goal, and expressly favoured transactions involving ownership handover rather than those limited to short-term management outsourcing.
Meanwhile, South Australia’s Labor government is currently progressing a public housing transfer program aimed at levering in additional funding to upgrade the public housing stock. This funding would otherwise have been unavailable.
Also, Labor leader Luke Foley in 2015 challenged the NSW government by advocating a boost to the state’s community housing sector through the title transfer of 20,000 public housing units.
With Australia’s public housing withering on the vine and many estates falling further into social and physical decline, there is an argument that these problems could and should be fixed by governments directly. But, over decades, both federal and state/territory governments have shown themselves unwilling to take that responsibility.
This policy stance has also recently been backed by the mainstream view that the renewal of large estates should build in social and economic diversity through a private/public housing mix.
In any case, by whichever route it is to be achieved, a clear, bipartisan way forward to tackle these problems is urgently needed. Fundamentally, that would mean commitments to quantify the national cost of remedying public housing disrepair, to devise a funded estate upgrade and diversification program, and to fashion a sustainable financial and governance framework to assure the sector’s future.
Hal Pawson<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hal-pawson-147969" rel="author"></a> is associate director - City Futures - Urban Policy and Strategy, City Futures Research Centre, Housing Policy and Practice, UNSW Australia and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hal-pawson-147969" target="_blank">here</a>.
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Ditching Logan’s public-private regeneration sets Queensland back on social and affordable housing

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GUEST OBSERVER
Urban and regional planning, as an institutional practice, is increasingly criticised for failing to meet ordinary citizens' needs. Enter “hacktivism”.
Fusing hacking and activism, the term has previously referred to using information technology to achieve political goals. While “hacking” often entails malicious attacks on websites, it has another meaning. Hacking also means innovative problem-solving by combining new ideas with readily available materials.
Examples include taking an old DVD and using it as a drink coaster, bending a paperclip to reset a digital device, or twisting a coat hanger to unblock a drain. These are do-it-yourself “hacks” like those of the television character MacGyver.
Essentially, hacking is creative problem-solving. “Hackathons” are a case in point. Hackathons involve the “brainstorming, designing and testing of ideas with change-makers”.
Hacktivism in this sense refers to grassroots problem-solving by like-minded people who are willing to “go round the back” of established institutions to achieve social objectives. Hacktivism reflects a growing disenchantment with mainstream institutions, pervasive neoliberalism, and cultures of consumption.
Hacktivism is different to “place-hacking” by urban explorers. Recent examples of this include guerrilla gardens, pop-up libraries, repurposinginfrastructure and even disco traffic lights and street pong.
<h2>What’s driving hacktivism?</h2>
Hacktivism can challenge the trend among governing bodies to embrace neoliberal rhetoric about fast-tracking development. Cutting “red” and “green” tape disenfranchises residents.
Debates about urban consolidation are an example. Big developers seem to be able to bulldoze communities into accepting projects, which some residents feel will destroy the places they love, overshadow backyards, reduce privacy, increase congestion and noise, or even ruin neighbourhood character.
These concerns are often dismissed as “NIMBYism” and self-interest.
But streamlined development assessment processes and “consultation” typically limit citizen engagement. Who can blame residents for getting angry?
Citizen groups, civic-minded planners, environmentalists and others are beginning to resist the privatisation of public spaces and the erosion of public functions by offering alternatives. These range from interventions such as the parklets and pop-up venues of so-called “tactical urbanism” to more “activist”-oriented responses such as a Toronto group’s subversive use of advertising billboards.
<h2>Case studies in Australia</h2>
In Australia, a small but growing cadre of residents is experimenting with hacktivism in planning. Two recent examples are instructive:
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Gold Coast Hinterland and Environment Council’s (GECKO) initiative to “hack planning” by producing a community-led climate change action plan; and
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organised community resistance to the “West Village” development in West End, Brisbane, where residents have developed their own collaborative planning processes to create an alternative vision for the site.
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West End has a history of community-based resistance to evictions and inappropriate or undesirable development. It also has a history of challenging developers and governments to engage in a more sophisticated debate around best practice in planning and development.
The West Village development proposes seven 15-storey apartment towers and a large supermarket on an inner-city lot. This project highlights the ongoing struggle for social justice in inner Brisbane in the face of rapid development.
Stage 1 of West Village was deemed code-assessable, meaning no provision for public notification and no appeal rights. The full masterplan for the site is, however, impact-assessable.
Many residents saw the development proposal as flawed and creating many serious problems. Building on existing social ties and strengths, a group of residents and interested parties have begun to create an alternative vision (“Instead of West Village”) for the site. The aim is to pressure both the developer and government to engage with their concerns and aspirations.
Residents are using an open, collaborative, community-based planning process, similar to earlier grassroots engagements in the suburb. Community-led draft masterplans have been developed and discussed at various events. These plans are contrasted against community-generated models and images of the proposed development. Public meetings and workshops have enabled input from diverse quarters.
The alternative vision is still being finalised, but the collaboration and spirit of hacktivism underpinning it transcend the importance of the alternative master plan.
This hacktivism asserts a right to the city. It demands that planning be better: more just, more sustainable, more inclusive. In doing so, communities are beginning to “hack” planning itself.
GECKO’s recent Climate Change For Good Conference is a second example. This local non-profit organisation has partnered with the Queensland government to pioneer a new model of local climate-change adaptation.
The process began with a weekend of presentations by a range of experts and practitioners. These were accompanied by community-based problem-solving workshops. The forum closed with an innovative proposal to “hack planning”.
The intent is to devise a living document that crowdsources innovative adaptation ideas from the community to meet challenges such as health, food and water security, emergent business opportunities and place-making. This offers an alternative to Gold Coast City Council’s climate change adaptation plan, which has been shelved.
The community-led plan will enable engagement with diverse groups that are often marginalised in the planning process, such as Aboriginal groups, caravan park dwellers, migrants, youth and homeless citizens.
By giving a voice to real people living in everyday places, and by drawing on citizen knowledge and ingenuity, hacktivism promises action on issues beyond the remit of traditional planning. So, how could you “hack” your city?
Jason Byrne is associate professor of Environmental Planning, Griffith University and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jason-byrne-6066" target="_blank">here</a>.
Natalie Osborne is lecturer, School of Environment, Griffith University and can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/natalie-osborne-282804" target="_blank">here</a>.
Both are authors for The Conversation.
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Urban hacktivism: getting creative about involving citizens in city planning

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The Dennis Family Corporation has launched medium density development Summerlin in the northern Brisbane suburb of Banyo.
Summerlin features a range of 248 boutique apartments and contemporary terrace homes across a three-hectare precinct.
Grant Dennis, executive chairman, Dennis Family Corporation said this is the first community development of its kind and of this scale in the local area
“Our master-planned community at Summerlin will bring the best of city living to this emerging neighbourhood and capitalise on the many great attributes of the site location, which include its close proximity to both Nudgee and Banyo train stations,” he said.
Summerlin’s terrace homes will contain three bedrooms, with two or three bedroom apartments. Interiors include walk-in-robes in the master bedroom, along with a breakfast bar and tile splashbacks in the kitchen.
The first-stage market release features 26 three bedroom terrace homes, priced from just $460,000. 
Facilities including a swimming pool with integrated lap pool, sun deck, fully equipped gymnasium, residents’ lounge with kitchen, and barbecues as well as 4,000 square metres of parklands and a separate yoga lawn.
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The sales office is located at 38 Ivedon Street, Banyo. For more information phone 1800 461 860 or <a href="https://www.summerlin.com.au" target="_blank">click here</a>.
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Brisbane's Summerlin development launched in Banyo

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Developers Abacus Property and Linear Group have redesigned a number of apartment layouts and features in their Sydney residential development, One A Erskineville.
Iain Halliday of BKH and Kannfinch and Breakspear Architects has designed new 1 and 2 bedroom penthouses which are now on sale for between $788,000 and $1.195 million.
Some 125 of 175 apartments have already sold, with a number of 3 bedroom penthouse apartments in the development already selling for between $1.5 million and $1.975 million.
For more information, <a href="https://onealiving.com.au" target="_blank">click here</a>.
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One A Erskineville release new penthouses

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Developer Fridcorp has completed construction on its first Sydney-based residential project Eve in Erskineville.
The project between Fridcorp and joint venture partner Wingate, on the corner of Eve and MacDonald Street is worth $160 million and has a mix of 197 one, two and three bedroom apartments across four buildings that vary from four to six levels.
Apartments range from 50 to 110 square metres and were priced from $450,000 - $1,500,000. More than 140 of its 197 apartments were sold within two hours of launching in May 2014, all off-the-plan.
The 8,000sqm development is designed by architecture firm DKO with interiors designed by Hecker Guthrie.
David Randerson, director at DKO and the project’s lead architect said they wanted to create a local landmark but with a sophisticated approach.
“It is conceived, designed and shaped as a response to a range of local elements, such as the distinctive curved corner treatment of numerous local buildings, along with an honest and robust materiality,” he said. 
"Fridcorp was insistent that the development’s design integrity not be compromised, especially when it came to the design and construction of the entryway’s sweeping curves, consisting of textural brickwork that lines the ceiling and flows down the walls of the entry way."
Eve features a secluded, landscaped courtyard with built-in timber seating, mature trees and plants as well as a 1,000 sqm resort-style rooftop garden with expansive views of Sydney’s skyline.
Residents can reserve one of three white timber rooftop cabanas, two of which contain cooking facilities. Interiors have been designed with white oak floors and white walls, and a choice of black or all-white colour palette.
For more information, <a href="https://www.fridcorp.com.au/projects/eve" target="_blank">click here</a>.
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