Apartment buyers in New South Wales are set to gain a decade of insurance-backed protection against major building defects, after the NSW Parliament passed the Fair Trading and Building Legislation Amendment Bill 2026.&nbsp;

The Bill establishes decennial defect insurance, known in the market as Latent Defects Insurance (LDI), as an alternative to the existing two-year strata building bond. It cleared the Legislative Council with amendments on Tuesday evening (August 4, 2026), with the Legislative Assembly agreeing to those amendments shortly after.

Under the reform, eligible developers can satisfy their statutory bond obligation by taking out an approved decennial-style policy that gives owners 10 years of cover for major structural defects from completion, claimable directly, without first having to pursue developers or builders through costly legal action.&nbsp;

The change forms the final tranche of amendments arising from the 2021 statutory review of the Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 and related legislation.

Resilience Insurance, which originated the cover in Australia and has delivered it in NSW since 2022, welcomed the passage and credited the NSW Government for delivering it.

“This is protection apartment buyers have needed for a long time, and the credit for delivering it belongs to the NSW Government,”&nbsp;said Corey Nugent, CEO of Resilience Insurance.

“Minister Chanthivong and his team have shown real leadership in replacing an outdated two-year bond with cover that matches the lifespan of the buildings people are buying into. Reform like this is what good, evidence-based regulation looks like.”

Resilience has delivered LDI in NSW since 2022, protecting thousands of apartments, giving the State, and now the country, real-world evidence of how decade-long, no-fault protection works in practice.

The reform also places NSW within a wider national shift.

NSW is the third jurisdiction to put decennial cover into law. The ACT legislated for it in 2024, with the scheme taking effect in late 2025, and Victoria passed its own framework on 17 June. Between them, the three cover the majority of Australia's apartment market.

The reform commences once the legislation is proclaimed, which is expected in the coming weeks. From that point, developers of Class 2 residential apartment buildings can meet their statutory obligation with an approved decennial policy in place of the bond.

Buyers who purchased into projects that took out the cover early are among the first in the country to take keys to apartments carrying decade-long structural protection.

“With the legislation passed, the focus now turns to making it work for buyers,”&nbsp;Nugent said.

“There are already thousands of apartments in NSW covered by this insurance, bought by developers who moved early. The question every buyer should be asking in a display suite is a simple one: does this building come with 10-year defect cover, and who stands behind it?&nbsp;

“We look forward to working with the Government and the Building Commission in coming weeks as the framework moves to implementation, and to sharing what we have learned over the past four years so the protection reaches owners as smoothly and quickly as possible.”

Other states are working through their own reform programs. Western Australia has indicated that decennial cover is within consideration a later stage of its reform sequence, and Queensland has been examining the settings as it looks at the development pipeline ahead of the 2032 Olympics.

Resilience Insurance acknowledges the NSW Government’s continued focus on strengthening consumer protection while supporting housing delivery across the State.

Fast Facts: What the reform means

<ul style="color:#222222; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:small; font-style:normal; font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-weight:400; text-align:start; white-space:normal; background-color:#ffffff; text-decoration-thickness:initial; text-decoration-style:initial; text-decoration-color:initial">
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Proven at scale:&nbsp;Decennial cover has operated in NSW since 2022, protecting thousand of apartments.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">10 years of cover:&nbsp;Protection for major structural defects runs for a decade from completion, claimable directly and with no legal action required.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">An alternative to the bond:&nbsp;Eligible developers can meet their statutory obligation with an approved decennial-style policy in place of the 2% strata building bond.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Part of a national shift:&nbsp;The ACT has had decennial provisions in force since 2025 and Victoria passed its framework in June. NSW now joins them.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">No-fault, first resort:&nbsp;Owners corporations claim directly from the insurer without first having to establish who is liable for the defect.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Cost-competitive:&nbsp;At approximately 1.8% of build cost, LDI is typically priced below the 2% bond while offering broader, longer protection.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Market position:&nbsp;Resilience originated LDI in Australia and has delivered it in NSW since 2022.</li>
</ul>

Fast Facts: What is Resilience LDI?

<ul style="color:#222222; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:small; font-style:normal; font-variant-ligatures:normal; font-weight:400; text-align:start; white-space:normal; background-color:#ffffff; text-decoration-thickness:initial; text-decoration-style:initial; text-decoration-color:initial">
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Resilience Latent Defects Insurance (LDI):&nbsp;Covers major structural defects for 10 years from completion.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Consumer-first:&nbsp;Direct claim access, no need for lengthy legal action.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Cost advantage:&nbsp;At approximately 1.8% of build cost, LDI is typically priced below the traditional 2% Strata Bond while offering broader protection.</li>
	<li style="margin-left:15px; font-family:Aptos, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:12pt; color:#000000">Market leader:&nbsp;&nbsp;Resilience Insurance originated LDI in Australia and is the national market leader.</li>
</ul>

Joel Robinson

NSW parliament passes 10-year defect insurance laws for new apartment buyers

Builder-developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mcnab-developments">McNab</a> has wasted little time reshaping one of South Brisbane's most significant undeveloped apartment sites after acquiring the property earlier this year.&nbsp;

McNab has lodged plans to scrap an existing approval for two 30-storey towers and instead deliver a single 28-storey residential building, preserving part of the site for a future development opportunity.

The proposal, lodged over <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/64-peel-street-south-brisbane-qld-4101">64 Peel Street and 9 Cordelia Street</a>, is for a residential-led mixed-use development comprising 124 apartments above a landscaped podium, alongside a boundary realignment that preserves part of the land for a future residential project.

<img alt="First look: McNab resets decade-old South Brisbane approval with 124-apartment tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="743bf564-3f8f-45fc-b8d3-bbf18f5b628f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/mcnab%20Peel%20st%20podium.png?VersionId=EhCxGrVn_VFH3qTbKnI4WppGwaMnOn0t" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/hayball">Hayball</a>, the development will deliver 119 two-bedroom and five three-bedroom apartments across 23 residential levels. A five-level podium will accommodate 135 car spaces, while the ground floor will include a 66 sqm commercial tenancy, an activated residential lobby with work-from-home spaces, and a publicly accessible landscaped plaza linking Cordelia and Peel streets.&nbsp;

Communal amenities will span Level 6 and the rooftop, including indoor and outdoor recreation spaces, a swimming pool, barbecue facilities, kitchen and dining areas, lawn space, sauna, steam room and yoga facilities.

The application also proposes a boundary realignment to create a standalone 1,290 sqm development lot while retaining an adjacent parcel for future redevelopment, allowing the balance of the site to contribute additional housing over time.

Hayball said the architecture has been shaped by the site's elevated corner position at the intersection of Peel and Cordelia streets and Brisbane's subtropical climate.

The design incorporates generous landscaped setbacks, a masonry podium wrapped with planting, large north-facing balconies, and a slender tower profile intended to maximise natural light, cross ventilation and long-range views. The rooftop has been conceived as a wellness-focused retreat overlooking Brisbane, with amenities positioned to capture views towards Mount Coot-tha and the CBD.

<img alt="First look: McNab resets decade-old South Brisbane approval with 124-apartment tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c5f99e84-6ad8-4a87-82d1-869685b754d2" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/mcnab%20tower%20perspective.png?VersionId=Gw0IuJaSAlk.tvGBxInhZOcQAdIB..2b" />

The planning submission positions the proposal as a response to both changing market conditions and Brisbane's Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct planning reforms.

McNab acquired the site after the previous approval was granted, with the existing scheme no longer reflecting current residential market demands, economic conditions, construction challenges, construction efficiencies or the quality of development outcome now being pursued, the planning report noted.

McNab continues to expand its residential development pipeline across Brisbane and the Gold Coast. The developer recently launched The Tannery in West End, securing more than 60 per cent of apartments before the project's public release. It is also delivering Elements Budds Beach in Surfers Paradise and Lucia Highgate Hill, an eight-apartment boutique development overlooking the Brisbane River.

McNab resets decade-old South Brisbane approval with 124-apartment tower

A steeply sloping Bellevue Hill site is set to accommodate a new mid-rise apartment development, with plans lodged for 20 homes that respond to the site's dramatic topography.

The proposal for the consolidated land at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/138a-140-bellevue-road-bellevue-hill-nsw-2023">138A-140 Bellevue Road</a> has been designed by Sydney architecture practice Common Office, which has used the site’s substantial fall to distribute the building’s scale and unlock 20 apartments without presenting the full height to the street.&nbsp;

“The unique design strategy leverages the site’s substantial topographical fall to facilitate increased density, presenting a seven-storey profile to Bellevue Road while rising to 10 storeys at the rear,” Common Office said in its architectural design report.

The apartment mix spans one, two, three- and four-bedroom residences. Four two-bedroom apartments are designated as affordable housing, while the plans also include two adaptable dwellings. The mix is majority three-beds, with the typical three-bed apartment offering around 144 sqm internally, with balconies of around 15 sqm.

The affordable housing component represents 15 per cent of the residential floor area and allows the project to access additional height and floor space under the NSW Government’s in-fill affordable housing provisions. The site also falls within the inner area of the Low and Mid-Rise Housing Policy because it is within 400 metres walking distance of Double Bay Town Centre.

<img alt="First Look: Plans lodged for topography-led affordable housing project in Bellevue Hill" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1230d0f-3bfa-4a11-abaf-0928c66ef345" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Bellevue%20da.png?VersionId=dZeMK3P.OutGjN8ycjsxm8uNsj_QFWQv" />

Common Office has arranged the building around a masonry podium and a lighter upper volume, drawing on two recurring elements of Bellevue Hill’s established architecture: sandstone bases and the vertical proportions of local Inter-war Art Deco apartment buildings.

“The proposal is governed by a holistic design language that reconciles the solid horizontal masonry of the neighbourhood’s podiums with the elegant verticality of its Art Deco heritage,” the architect said.

“The building maintains a consistent rhythmic logic utilising deep recesses and a sophisticated material transition to break down the 10-storey scale into a series of articulated, human-scale volumes.”

<img alt="First Look: Plans lodged for topography-led affordable housing project in Bellevue Hill" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0147f503-1af1-4d51-97fb-c2f1cba63a9d" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Bellevue%20bldg.png?VersionId=GoW7q3NlK67OpnePXhk7zvklrlKb72Qc" />

Large-format sandstone tiles will define the lower levels, establishing a robust base that negotiates the change in elevation from Bellevue Road. Above, red-tinted precast concrete frames, recessed balconies, anodised aluminium screens and expanded metal details will create a more vertically expressed façade. Integrated planter beds will introduce greenery across balcony edges and recessed sections of the building.

The elongated northern façade has been divided into three recessed vertical masses to reduce its perceived length. Triangular window elements and metal privacy screens reference the geometry of nearby Art Deco buildings while controlling overlooking toward surrounding homes. The southern elevation will incorporate further privacy screening, landscaped edges and deep balconies to maintain light and ventilation.

<img alt="First Look: Plans lodged for topography-led affordable housing project in Bellevue Hill" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="e8679cf1-18bc-4447-8a0f-0052b94ab83c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Bellevue%20da%20rooftop.png?VersionId=5SQqQqRFf76rvE2p1TbxJSweMN70AIbc" />

Private and communal landscaping is distributed throughout the development. A landscaped garden apartment is positioned within the lower portion of the site, while a communal terrace on Level 5 will include a central timber deck, barbecue facilities, resident planting plots and areas for outdoor dining and informal gatherings.

Common Office described the terrace as an elevated sanctuary designed to capture district views and sunlight. Its planting strategy incorporates endemic species associated with the Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub, extending the landscape vertically through the building and providing habitat for local flora and fauna.

A second communal outdoor area is proposed at roof level, with built-in seating, paved gathering areas and perimeter planting.

Bellevue Hill is enjoying renewed momentum in the new apartment market, with several boutique developments recently launched and currently under construction. Positive Investment Enterprise is delivering the 16-apartment Kew Palm House on Birriga Road, while Chanine Developments is also under construction at Florian, a 36-apartment project on Banksia Road.

&nbsp;

Bellevue Hill is enjoying renewed momentum in the new apartment market, with several boutique developments recently launched and currently under construction.

First Look: Apartment development pitched for Bellevue Hill, Double Bay fringe

South Brisbane's apartment pipeline continues to build momentum, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/trk-property-group">TRK Property Group</a> lodging plans for a 161-apartment tower on Montague Road as developers accelerate investment across the Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct.

The proposal for 176–186 Montague Road would replace an existing office building with a 20-storey residential tower designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, adding to a growing pipeline of high-density projects reshaping one of Brisbane's fastest-evolving inner-city precincts.

The project has been conceived as a "living building", featuring a flowing tower form, extensive vertical landscaping, and generous communal spaces that respond to the evolving Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct.

TRK Property Group Development Director Matt Kan said the project reflected the confidence developers have in South Brisbane's long-term future.

"South Brisbane is entering an incredibly exciting period, and we see Montague Road sitting right at the heart of that evolution," Kan said.

"With the former Visy site directly opposite us and significant investment planned throughout the broader Kurilpa precinct, there is a real sense of momentum around this part of the city and what it will become over the coming years.

"For TRK, this is an opportunity to be part of that next chapter and deliver a project that responds to where the precinct is heading, while contributing to the continued evolution of Brisbane's river edge."

<img alt="First look: TRK Property joins South Brisbane apartment surge with Montague Road tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="590fe1ad-f892-4446-a679-80e33a16d029" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/TRK%20tower%20facade.png?VersionId=uOJStrcKpyHFcPE1w6_9SMAFzVMCcZll" />

The scheme includes a mix of one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments, incorporating multi-purpose rooms in selected residences to provide additional flexibility for home offices or expanded living areas. The proposed mix comprises 15 one-bedroom, 13 one-bedroom plus MPR, 73 two-bedroom, 26 two-bedroom plus MPR, 30 three-bedroom, and four four-bedroom apartments.

Rather than adopting a conventional rectilinear tower, COX Architecture has developed a sculpted form inspired by the movement of the Brisbane River.

"The proposal has been designed by COX Architecture as a 'living building' that responds to the site's riverine setting, floodplain history and evolving urban context within the Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct," the planning report states.

"The architectural form draws from the fluid nature of the Brisbane River, with a curved and undulating tower form that creates a varied architectural edge and avoids a conventional rectilinear tower expression."

The podium has also been designed as an architectural feature rather than a conventional parking structure, with cascading planting, screening and natural-toned materials softening its appearance. Resident parking is elevated above ground level to address the site's flood constraints, while habitable apartments sit above flood planning levels. Upper-level communal facilities are designed to accommodate shelter-in-place arrangements during major flood events.

<img alt="First look: TRK Property joins South Brisbane apartment surge with Montague Road tower plans" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="01fa15d0-90df-46c7-9555-7941fc45373c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/TRK%20podium.png?VersionId=mHyua.w1pHGBt9qEdWzrlsv.leztUCwO" />

Communal amenity is a major focus of the proposal. Around 1,815 sqm of shared resident space is proposed across the ground floor, level 19 and the rooftop, including co-working areas, indoor and outdoor recreation spaces, wellness facilities, dining and gathering areas, lawn spaces, a rooftop pool and spa, and extensive landscaping. At street level, a landscaped forecourt and approximately 345 sqm of publicly accessible open space along Montague Road are intended to improve the pedestrian experience while activating the building's frontage.

The development will provide 163 car spaces, including 152 resident bays and 11 visitor spaces, together with 144 bicycle spaces incorporating resident storage, visitor parking, bicycle maintenance facilities and e-mobility charging infrastructure.

The site sits within one of Brisbane's fastest-changing inner-city precincts, less than two kilometres from the CBD and within easy reach of South Bank, West End, the Queensland Cultural Centre and extensive public transport connections. The Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct planning framework is encouraging higher-density residential development to help meet Brisbane's housing supply targets while supporting walkable, transit-oriented neighbourhoods.

TRK Property joins South Brisbane apartment surge with Montague Road tower plans

Article summary

<ul data-end="785" data-start="311">
	<li data-end="459" data-section-id="5hbcyr" data-start="311">Pikos Group has released the five-penthouse collection at Skye Kangaroo Point, headlined by a two-storey sky home spanning more than 1,000 sqm.</li>
	<li data-end="561" data-section-id="1p7lq8n" data-start="460">Early buyer interest suggests the residences could set a new Queensland apartment price record.</li>
	<li data-end="667" data-section-id="1y70z0l" data-start="562">The collection includes four move-in ready penthouses and the highly customised Skye One residence.</li>
	<li data-end="785" data-section-id="yvm0y1" data-start="668">The release caps one of Bri​sbane's most ambitious luxury apartment developments overlooking the Brisbane River.</li>
</ul>

<hr data-end="790" data-start="787" />
Pikos Group has released the five-penthouse collection at its <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/skye-residences-by-pikos-kangaroo-point-8-river-terrace-kangaroo-point-qld-4169">Skye by Pikos</a> development in Kangaroo Point, with early buyer interest indicating the flagship residences could eclipse every apartment sale previously recorded in Queensland.

The collection crowns the luxury riverfront development with five residences, including four completed penthouses and Skye One, a two-level sky home spanning more than 1,000 sqm that will be tailored to its eventual owner.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374075]

Wanting to offer a fully customisable home, Pikos is offering Skye One as a blank canvas, allowing the buyer to work alongside the developer's design team to customise the home's layout, finishes and internal spaces.

The residence will feature a 247 sqm private rooftop terrace with its own swimming pool, sauna, steam room, outdoor kitchen and multiple entertaining areas overlooking the Brisbane River and CBD skyline.

The remaining four penthouses have been completed and are ready for immediate occupation, each offering four bedrooms, expansive open-plan living areas, soaring ceilings and private lift access.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374059]

One of the defining features throughout the project is its use of Roman Classic Travertine, with more than 20,000 sqm of the natural stone imported from Italy after being personally selected by Pikos Group Founder and Executive Director Pedro Pikos, interior designer Julie Williamson and third-generation stone specialist Mario Caucci.

Pikos said the penthouse collection represented the culmination of the company's long-term vision for Skye.

"True legacy isn't measured by what we build today, but by what endures tomorrow," Pikos said.

"Our ambition is to create places that become more valuable with time, enrich the lives of generations, and stand as timeless landmarks long after we've stepped away."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=90059 project_image_fid=374060]

Williamson said the interiors were inspired by the natural character of Kangaroo Point and the Brisbane River rather than international design trends.

"Materiality tells the story of a place," Williamson said.

"We looked to the movement of the Brisbane River, the texture of the cliff face and the warmth of the surrounding landscape to create interiors that feel understated, enduring and unmistakably Brisbane."

Positioned above the Kangaroo Point cliffs, Skye places residents within walking distance of Howard Smith Wharves, South Bank and James Street while offering uninterrupted river and city views.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=90059]

Brisbane's next apartment price record? Pikos unveils Skye's exclusive penthouse collection

Theatre

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The NSW Government has launched an expression of interest process to garner interest from theatre operators in reopening Sydney’s Theatre Royal. 
Situated in the heart of the Sydney CBD, the 1,100-seat theatre designed by Harry Seidler has been closed since 2016.
Its reopening will allow NSW to deliver and host more major touring theatre productions.
Local and international theatre operators or owners are being sought to enter a long-term sub-lease to operate the theatre.
Applicants will be asked to identify any auditorium refurbishment requirements to operate the theatre from 2021.
Minister for Arts Don Harwin hopes reopening the historic Theatre Royal will help make Sydney number one again for musical theatre in Australia.
“With our existing lyric theatres booked out for years, reopening the Theatre Royal will reintroduce a vital part of the city’s cultural history, open up new employment opportunities and provide a boost for the NSW night-time economy,” Mr Harwin said.
“The theatre has an incredible history dating back to the 1820s and its reopening is backed by huge public demand. We are committed to finding the right operator with the right experience to continue its legacy and allow NSW to compete on the global musical theatre stage once more.”
NSW has secured 28 musical and theatre productions for Sydney since 2011. 
The EOI will close at <a href="https://tenders.nsw.gov.au" target="_blank">Wednesday 24 April 2019</a> via the eTendering website.
Sydney's Theatre Royal is part of Sydney's MLC Centre.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

Theatre operator sought to re-open Sydney's Theatre Royal

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The film director behind Mad Max and Babe, George Miller, has secured $19.8 million for the historic art deco The Metro theatre in Sydney's Potts Point which was listed with $20 million plus hopes.
ASX-listed Abacus Property Group has emerged as the buyer of one of Sydney's oldest cinemas, the historic Metro Theatre in Potts Point, but have not revealed their intentions.
Local residents had hoped it would be bought by the Sydney City Council, but Clover Moore ruled out the acquisition amid her battle with rival councillors who'd advocated the move.
It has been Miller's headquarters for more than three decades, but now redundant given his relocation to Fox Studios.
It was built in 1939 as <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://dictionaryofsydney.org/media/5557" target="_blank">The Minerva Theatre</a> opening with a production of Idiot's Delight. Sam Hood took photos.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer purchased the building in 1950 and converted to a movie theatre, renaming it the Metro Cinema with stars such as Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton attending premieres.
Then as a theatre it hosted performances including the 1970s musical Hair by Harry M. Miller.
<img src="https://www.afr.com/content/dam/images/g/y/x/8/m/p/image.imgtype.afrArticleInline.620x0.png/1507526409727.jpg" alt="The Metro, Potts Point, Sydney." width="620" data-src="https://www.afr.com/content/dam/images/g/y/x/8/m/p/image.imgtype.afrArticleInline.620x0.png/1507526409727.jpg">
The 2300-square-metre property at 30 Orwell Street was on the market for the first time in 35 years, but had been available for lease.
Miller had struggled with maximising its usage and potential in recent years, with various concepts floated but not implemented.
He was seeking $25 million plus at one stage for its sale.
<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/2017/10/10/Minerva2.jpg" alt="">
In 2018, Liberal councillor Christine Forster put a motion to the council to buy the property as a town hall, similar to those in Glebe and Balmain, and could be used for film festivals, as a theatre, arts venue, function centre, bike hub, local museum and for exhibitions and meetings.
“The Metro represents a huge opportunity for the local community as it has so much heritage value and is so important to the area,” she said.
“There’s a precedent too for something like this, when we spent $15 million on buying the Tabernacle in Darlinghurst and converted it into the Eternity Playhouse.
“It would be terrific to put it into public hands for community use.”
Team Clover, comprising of councillors Jess, Scully, Philip Thalis, Robert Kok and Jess Miller voted against an outright purchase of the Metro.
Previously a spokesperson for the Lord Mayor had advised “after corresponding with the local community late last year, Lord Mayor Clover Moore forwarded the suggestion that the City of Sydney should purchase the Metro Theatre in Potts Point to City staff for consideration”.
Councillor Jess Scully, from Team Clover, sent an email to a local resident passing the buck for any purchase to the State Government.
City Hub reported she said “the Metro Theatre should also be considered within the broader context of the NSW Government cultural infrastructure strategy”.
The local resident Warren Fahey noted at the time that "we do feel the City has turned its back on us" with Potts Point a "disenfranchised part of the City of Sydney".
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

George Miller sells art deco Metro theatre in Potts Point to Abacus

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A 50 year old suburban Melbourne drive-in theatre - one of the last - has been sold for around $12.5 million, exceeding its price expectations of $11 million-plus.
Coburg Drive-In located at <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-industrial+warehouse-vic-coburg+north-502955310" target="_blank">155 Newlands Road, Coburg North</a> is a 8.16ha site.
The owner of the drive-in — Village Roadshow Theatres Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of the ASX-listed Village Roadshow Limited — will lease it back for an initial 10-year term on a triple-net basis.
It has been bought by Charter Hall.
The site was marketed as "the last essentially undeveloped parcel of significant scale in Melbourne’s inner north.”
Located on Newlands Road, Coburg North, the drive-in has been operating since 1965 and has three screens — one each on the south-western, north-western and north-eastern points of the site.
At 33m wide each and overlooking an asphalt viewing area of 36,000sqm, the screens are up for debate as the biggest in the southern hemisphere.
<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/2018/9/14/Coburg%202.jpg" alt="">
A single-level retro-style diner and children’s playground are located centrally and the drive-in's ticket booth — topped by an old yellow Holden — is a local landmark.
Victorian Heritage describes it as “one of three (drive-ins) that remain in operation in Victoria out of approximately 60 at the height of drive-in popularity”.
 
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1960s suburban Melbourne, Coburg drive-in theatre sold for $12.5 million

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A 50 year old suburban Melbourne drive-in theatre is on the market through JLL with price expectations of $11 million-plus.
Coburg Drive-In located at <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-industrial+warehouse-vic-coburg+north-502955310" target="_blank">155 Newlands Road, Coburg North</a> is being offered via public tender by JLL’s Tony Iuliano, Adrian Rowse and Brad Esler.
It is set on a 8.16ha site.
“The owner of the drive-in — Village Roadshow Theatres Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of the ASX-listed Village Roadshow Limited — will lease it back for an initial 10-year term on a triple-net basis,” Mr Iuliano said.
He said the site represents "the last essentially undeveloped parcel of significant scale in Melbourne’s inner north.”
Located on Newlands Road, Coburg North, the drive-in has been operating since 1965 and has three screens — one each on the south-western, north-western and north-eastern points of the site.
At 33m wide each and overlooking an asphalt viewing area of 36,000sqm, the screens are up for debate as the biggest in the southern hemisphere.
<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/2018/9/14/Coburg%202.jpg" alt="">
A single-level retro-style diner and children’s playground are located centrally and the drive-in's ticket booth — topped by an old yellow Holden — is a local landmark.
Mr Iuliano said there had already been overwhelming interest in the site since the marketing campaign was launched on September 13. Most inquiries were coming from prospective buyers nationally.
"Given the high underlying land value component, the sale price could go a lot higher,” he said.
Mr Rowse said “There are plenty of future options for the Industrial 1-zoned site and it’s also likely to suit an e-commerce user, subject to council approval."
The property benefits has access to major road infrastructure, including the Western and Metropolitan ring roads, as well as Melbourne’s CBD, Port of Melbourne and Essendon and Melbourne airports.
The public tender period for <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-industrial+warehouse-vic-coburg+north-502955310" target="_blank">155 Newlands Road, Coburg North</a>, closes at 4pm on Wednesday, October 17, 2018.
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1960s suburban Melbourne, Coburg drive-in theatre for sale

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<div class="cq-article-content-paras section">
The film director behind Mad Max and Babe, George Miller, has listed the historic art deco The Metro theatre in Sydney's Potts Point with $20 million plus hopes.
It has been his headquarters for more than three decades, but now redundant given his relocation to Fox Studios.
It was built in 1939 as <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://dictionaryofsydney.org/media/5557" target="_blank">The Minerva Theatre</a> opening with a production of Idiot's Delight. Sam Hood took photos.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer purchased the building in 1950 and converted to a movie theatre, renaming it the Metro Cinema with stars such as Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton attending premieres.
Then as a theatre it hosted performances including the 1970s musical Hair by Harry M. Miller.
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<div class="cq-article-content-media section"><img class="lazy620x0" src="https://www.afr.com/content/dam/images/g/y/x/8/m/p/image.imgtype.afrArticleInline.620x0.png/1507526409727.jpg" alt="The Metro, Potts Point, Sydney." width="620" data-src="https://www.afr.com/content/dam/images/g/y/x/8/m/p/image.imgtype.afrArticleInline.620x0.png/1507526409727.jpg"></div>
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<div class="cq-article-content-media section">The 2300-square-metre property at 30 Orwell Street is on the market for the first time in 35 years, but has been available for lease.</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section"> </div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">Miller had struggled with maximising its usage and potential in recent years, with various concepts floated but not implemented.</div>
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<div class="cq-article-content-media section">He was seeking $25 million plus at one stage for its sale.</div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section"> </div>
<div class="cq-article-content-media section">It is likely to appeal to owner-occupiers, boutique hotel operators, and specialised developers with heritage expertise, Fairfax Media reported.</div>
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<div class="cq-article-content-media section"><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/2017/10/10/Minerva2.jpg" alt=""></div>
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George Miller lists Art Deco Metro theatre in Potts Point

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Hobart's Theatre Royal Hotel, one of the oldest pubs in Australia, has been bought by the University of Tasmania for $1.7 million.
The university snapped up the two-storey hotel, built in 1834 by Peter Degraves, founder of Cascade Brewery last week at Knight Frank auction.
The pub is next to the Theatre Royal and on the other side, the university has a $90 million arts hub.
In central Hobart is a 400-bed student accommodation facility on Melville Street, part of the development strategy by vice-chancellor Professor Peter Rathjen to immerse the university into the daily life of the city.
"In the great university cities of the world, the campus is right in the heart of city, providing life, energy and character," Professor Rathjen told AFR Weekend.
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