After inspecting the a mixture of new apartment developments in Sydney's thriving north west corridor, Rouse Hill downsizers Lynne and Dale Kennedy were set to buy a two-bedroom apartment in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/ellipse-property-group">Ellipse Property</a>’s Carrington Place development, until they saw the penthouse floorplans.

The retired police officer and her builder husband, aged in their mid-60’s, quickly upsized to a three-bedroom penthouse within the Atrium building, the first stage of the Castle Hill masterplan.

Their luxury apartment is one of eight in Atrium’s exclusive Penthouse Collection and features striking interior design. The penthouses offer flexible open-plan layouts with abundant space and tranquillity. With two living spaces, walk-in wardrobes and butlers’ pantries, Atrium’s penthouses feature large balconies with sweeping views to Cattai Creek and the wider Hills District.&nbsp;

“As soon as we saw the floorplan for this penthouse, we knew it was the one for us," Lynne said.

"It is oversized with abundant storage, so we know we are not going to feel cramped, even though we are downsizing from a large, five-bedroom family home. The open-plan design spills out to a large deck, perfect for entertaining and when the grandchildren visit. The finishes are top-quality and I love the butler’s pantry and integrated appliances in the kitchen – with the steam oven, pyrolytic oven and coffee machine all built in.”

High-quality material finishes and premium appliances are used throughout Atrium’s penthouse collection. Miele appliances in the newly-released Pearl Beige finish, Vintec wine fridges, Parisi tapware and fireplaces are set within luxe finishes including pure wool carpets and statement Caesarstone benchtops. Built-in barbecues, and in some cases bars and skylights, are further signature features of the penthouse design.

Dale Kennedy owns Inspect It FIRST, a building inspection company he has operated for over 25 years. With stringent views on design and build integrity, he was quick to recognise the quality behind the architectural design and iCIRT-rated builder, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/decode">Decode Group</a>.

“This penthouse sets a new benchmark in terms of quality and attention to detail. The floorplan is well-considered - special features like the skylight are a stand-out and not typical in new builds. The iCIRT-rated builder adds a further level of comfort buying off-the-plan, and we are confident that the finished apartment will be high-quality with no nasty surprises,” said Dale.

The Kennedy’s are excited at the freedom that apartment living will unlock for them.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151821 project_image_fid=360287]

“We won’t have to maintain a house, swimming pool and gardens anymore, and are looking forward to having more leisure time," Lynne added.

"The low maintenance apartment lifestyle and security of the building means we can travel more and take extended trips. We can simply ‘lock and leave’, something we can’t do with a big house. We also love the location so close to Showground Metro Station and retail precinct, but without being in the thick of it. Everything is literally on our doorstep, just a few minutes’ walk. It will be so convenient being able to access the city so easily and not having to drive to the shops.”

After 11 years in their home on Morrisey Way, Rouse Hill, the couple will sell it before moving into their new penthouse. The expansive five-bedroom family home features a cinema, swimming pool and six-car garage.

There are just six penthouses left in Atrium’s Penthouse Collection in a mix of three- and four-bedroom configurations, ranging from 160 to 334 sqm in size and priced from $3.025 million to $5.4 million.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151821 project_image_fid=360286]

According to <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/project-marketer/colliers">Colliers</a>, exclusive sales agents at Carrington Place, Atrium’s Penthouse Collection is meeting a groundswell of demand from local downsizers – aligned with broader trends in Metro-connected suburbs across Sydney.

“The Penthouse Collection sets a new standard for apartments in Castle Hill,"&nbsp;said Blake Schulze, National Director – Residential at Colliers.

"There is simply nothing else like these penthouses. Downsizers are drawn to their house-like scale and premium finishes. With sought-after views plus access to outstanding new local amenities, the Penthouse Collection unlocks a new lifestyle for buyers.

Schulze says buyers are drawn to Carrington Place’s lifestyle with close proximity to the Showground precinct’s vibrant mix of retail and dining options.

"Being able to walk to the Metro and this rapidly emerging lifestyle hub is of huge appeal to this demographic.”

According to Puja Khanna, Associate Director at Ellipse Property, the carefully curated interiors are proving to be a point of difference.&nbsp;

“Our floorplans have been thoughtfully considered, knowing that many buyers will be downsizing from large homes," Khanna says.

"Smart and abundant storage was an absolute must. And for many of our buyers, entertaining is a priority – with adult children, grandchildren and family visiting and sometimes staying over. We made sure bedrooms are spacious and living spaces are oversized, and kitchens incorporate butler’s pantries alongside the latest appliances."

Atrium is under construction by award-winning iCIRT-rated builder Decode Group, with completion scheduled for Q3 2026.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151821 project_image_fid=360285]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/lily-lane-at-carrington-place-castle-hill-32-carrington-road-castle-hill-nsw-2154">Lily Lane</a>, the second stage&nbsp;of Carrington Place, is set to commence construction later this month on the back of Atrium’s significant sales success, with 85 per cent of all apartments now sold.

Carrington Place will be constructed across multiple stages and deliver more than 800 new homes, with the entire precinct set for completion in 2032. It will feature abundant open space with over 20,000 sqm of outdoor recreational area, including a one-kilometre boardwalk to the nearby Fred Caterson Reserve.&nbsp;

The project is also integrated with the surrounding bushland, with a site boundary that stretches to the edge of Cattai Creek, immersing residents in the beauty of Sydney’s ‘Garden Shire’.

The Hills Showground Metro Station is just a two-minute walk away, offering fast connectivity to Sydney’s CBD, North Sydney, Chatswood, Macquarie Park and Norwest Business Park.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=151821]

Joel Robinson

Local downsizers set sights on Carrington Place, Castle Hill penthouses

Lifestyle, residential and wellness developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/lowe-living">Lowe Living</a>, and joint venture development partner lNT.RE (formerly Icon Developments) have announced the popular SOAK Bathhouse brand will anchor the ground floor of their $160m luxury <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/emerald-place-by-lowe-living-200-clarendon-street-south-melbourne-vic-3205">Emerald Place</a> development at 182-200 Clarendon St, South Melbourne, which is set to open in August 2026.&nbsp;

This will be the second Melbourne outpost for the SOAK Bathhouse brand, after its inaugural Victorian location in South Yarra launched in 2025, which has quickly become a staple in Melbourne’s bathing and wellness scene.&nbsp;

SOAK Bathhouse has signed a 10-year partnership to take out the 459sqm prime corner ground-floor tenancy, which will join the other two retail tenancies, high-end commercial space and 38 ultra-luxury residential apartments and penthouses above.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135816 project_image_fid=365847]

SOAK Bathhouse is renowned for its luxurious and socially-focused mineral pools, cold plunge, sauna, steam room, infrared LED therapies, and massage services. Its arrival at Emerald Place, South Melbourne marks a significant milestone for both brands and for South Melbourne.&nbsp;

While the specific inclusions of the venue are still under wraps, SOAK Bathhouse has confirmed the space will be equipped with a signature SOAK Bathhouse mineral pool, cold plunge, saunas and steam room, alongside a lush dedication to verdant greenery and ferns throughout the tranquil bathing spaces.&nbsp;

SOAK Bathhouse will serve both Emerald Place residents and the broader South Melbourne business community, creating a wellness destination that bridges the gap between work and home. For residents, it's a daily ritual on their doorstep. For the surrounding office workers, it's a place to decompress, recharge and transition between professional and personal life.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135816 project_image_fid=365850]

The partnership has underpinned Lowe Living’s commitment to delivering wellness-led amenities that not only embed physical spaces within the projects but integrate established, renowned wellness brands to anchor and operate these spaces.&nbsp;

Through the partnership with SOAK Bathhouse, penthouse buyers will be granted complimentary memberships, while all other residents of the Emerald Place development will benefit from exclusive discounted access. Together, these privileges deliver a compelling lifestyle enhancement and a lasting investment in wellbeing.&nbsp;

Lowe Living has been steadily carving out a niche in the luxury property market as a wellness-led developer, having a partnership with the Sorrento-based Aurora Spa &amp; Bathhouse to offer a private, residents-only wellness spaces at its upcoming Camberwell and Brighton projects.&nbsp;

These partnerships with Aurora Spa &amp; Bathhouse and now SOAK Bathhouse, reinforce a broader shift across Lowe Living’s portfolio towards a meaningful commitment to health-focused amenity and wellness offerings.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=135816 project_image_fid=231195]

Since its inaugural offering in Mermaid Beach, which has since expanded nationally across Queensland, Sydney and Melbourne, SOAK Bathhouse has grown into a leading contemporary bathhouse brand, attracting a dedicated following thanks to its unique social-focused approach to bathing.&nbsp;

Emma Lowe, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Lowe Living, said the Lowe Living team "view our partnerships as an extension of our design philosophy."

"We align with brands that genuinely elevate the everyday experience of our residents and deliver tangible value for our purchasers that enrich their lives.&nbsp;SOAK Bathhouse was a natural fit for Lowe Living and specifically Emerald Place. Their approach to contemporary bathing and social wellness strongly aligns with our vision of creating homes that prioritise long-term health, connection and lifestyle.”&nbsp;

Tim Lowe, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Lowe Living, said securing Melbourne’s second SOAK Bathhouse for Emerald Place is a significant milestone for Lowe Living, INT.RE and South Melbourne.&nbsp;

“This partnership reflects the continued evolution of luxury residential development," Lowe says.

"Today’s buyers are looking beyond finishes and floorplans and investing in holistic living environments, not just inside their apartments but in the communal and wider local amenity offerings, too."

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=135816]

Lowe Living secures SOAK Bathhouse on 10-year lease at Emerald Place, South Melbourne development

While the Gold Coast continues to densify around key transport and lifestyle nodes, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/mermaid-beach-qld-4218">Mermaid Beach</a> has retained its village-like charm even as demand intensifies for walkable beachside living. It’s a suburb that holds firm to its community feel, while sitting within one of Australia’s fastest-growing urban corridors.

Developer DANKAV put the neighbourhood and its residents first when drawing up the plans for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-alfred-residences-mermaid-beach-2375-gold-coast-highway-mermaid-beach-qld-4218">The Alfred Residences</a>, which will replace the former Mermaid Beach Shopping Village near Nobby Beach. The project marks a rare example of precinct renewal at a truly local scale.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-alfred-residences-mermaid-beach-2375-gold-coast-highway-mermaid-beach-qld-4218">The Alfred Residences</a>&nbsp;comprises a wide variety of one- and two-bedroom apartments, set above a new ground plane of curated hospitality and boutique retailers, all framed by generous laneways, shaded plazas, and garden paths designed to enhance pedestrian flow and public interaction.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149942 project_image_fid=355148]

The site’s configuration reflects both a respect for the area's established rhythm and a recognition of its future trajectory, particularly with the planned Mermaid Beach South light rail station directly across the road.

Residents will find immediate access to both everyday needs and broader connectivity. A Woolworths Metro and local cafés are already operating nearby, while the beach sits just 100 metres from The Alfred’s front door. Pacific Fair, the region’s flagship retail centre, is also close by, with an extensive mix of dining, fashion and entertainment.&nbsp;

For those commuting or exploring beyond Mermaid Beach, the upcoming light rail link promises seamless movement north through Broadbeach, Surfers Paradise and into Southport, expanding access without the need for a car.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149942 project_image_fid=355150]

Neighbouring locales such as Miami and Nobby Beach further enrich the lifestyle offering. These established precincts contribute everything from surf clubs and oceanfront parks to laid-back dining venues and independent retailers, all within a short walk or bike ride.&nbsp;

The Alfred effectively places residents within one of the Gold Coast’s most liveable pockets, where the essentials of daily life converge with long-term infrastructure planning and timeless natural appeal.

Predominantly local buyers jumped at the first release at The Alfred Residences, transacting the majority of the release in a matter of weeks. Demolition of the former shopping village is now underway, and Dankav expects completion of the first collection of residences in 2027.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=149942]

The Alfred Residences brings village-style living to the heart of Mermaid Beach

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/chermside-qld-4032">Chermside</a> is better known for bus interchanges and Westfield than for high-end apartment towers. Kabbalah, on Playfield Street, is a deliberate push against that reputation.

Developed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/playfield-developments">Playfield Developments</a>, the building holds 64 apartments, all three and four bedrooms, across its 13 storeys. The apartments are generous by any measure: lower-floor three-bedrooms start at 164 sqm, each with a multi-purpose room and private balcony, while the north-facing penthouse stretches to 382 sqm. Every residence comes with two car spaces.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ana-architects">ANA Architects</a>, the Brisbane firm behind the 25-storey Willahra Tower on Queen Street and the 45-storey Mantra on Mary in the CBD, shaped the building around curved forms drawn from the natural landscape. Balcony gardens run throughout, with planter boxes worked into the private outdoor spaces of each apartment, giving residents greenery at the threshold rather than just at the rooftop.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149578 project_image_fid=354319]

That rooftop carries its own weight: a pool, landscaped gardens, and outdoor entertaining areas sit above the city, designed as much for quiet evenings as for hosting. The wellness offering continues at ground level, where a centre with pool, sauna, and communal lounge zones anchors the building's other end. Together they give the building a rhythm, somewhere to arrive at the top and somewhere to retreat to below.

The site itself is part of the pitch. "One of the last available sites to develop in an established precinct," is how Playfield Developments describes the Playfield Street address, and the surrounding context backs that up. Westfield Chermside, the second largest Westfield in Australia, is within a few minutes on foot, along with its dining precinct and cinema complex.&nbsp;

The Chermside bus interchange connects directly to the Brisbane CBD and across the northern suburbs via more than 20 Translink routes, with the CBD roughly 15 minutes away by road. The Prince Charles Hospital, one of Queensland's major teaching hospitals and the state's leading cardiac centre, is roughly a kilometre up the road on Rode Road.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149578 project_image_fid=354321]

Place Projects is handling sales, bringing a track record across some of Queensland's largest residential developments. Early buyer response has centred on the finishes and scale, "buyers consistently comment on the high-quality finishes throughout the apartments," the sales team notes, pointing to craftsmanship and considered design as the recurring draw.&nbsp;

"They're looking for generously sized apartments that offer both space and functionality, combined with a strong lifestyle offering," Place Projects says.

Construction has been awarded to Clearcon, with completion slated for late 2027. Pricing runs from $1.5 million for a lower-floor three-bedroom up to $3.65 million for the penthouse.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=149578]

Playfield Developments brings 64 apartments to Chermside with Kabbalah

More than 3,000 dwellings are currently selling or gearing up to launch across Surfers Paradise, the suburb’s most concentrated apartment pipeline in years. At least eight projects are already in market, with more moving through registration and presale, creating a meaningful wave of new supply.

This isn’t happening in a vacuum. Strong interstate migration into Queensland, particularly the Gold Coast, continues to underpin demand, with the local population expected to push past 800,000 in the early 2030s.

We’re also seeing solid early-stage buyer activity. As usual, the earliest phases tend to offer the best mix of pricing and choice, before the more popular layouts get snapped up.

Comparing Surfers Paradise projects? Browse all listings → <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/surfers-paradise-qld-4217">View all Surfers Paradise apartments</a>

<hr data-end="1189" data-start="1186" />
<h2 data-end="1218" data-section-id="tdhbfr" data-start="1191">How to Read the Pipeline</h2>

Apartment projects in Surfers Paradise are at various stages of their project lifecycle, from pre-launch, selling now, construction commenced, or construction complete.

Where you buy in that cycle matters.

<ul data-end="1674" data-start="1409">
	<li data-end="1542" data-section-id="d5c11p" data-start="1409">Registration and&nbsp;presale: Typically the lowest price points and best choice, but with longer wait times to completion</li>
	<li data-end="1608" data-section-id="plnjqp" data-start="1543">Under construction: Greater certainty, shorter timelines.</li>
	<li data-end="1674" data-section-id="13k7yl8" data-start="1609">Completed: No construction risk, but pricing reflects that.</li>
</ul>

The projects below are grouped by stage to help buyers understand where they sit in the buying window.

<hr data-end="1942" data-start="1939" />
<h2 data-end="1967" data-section-id="zj5dj7" data-start="1944">Projects Now Selling</h2>

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/exhale-surfers-paradise-8-enderley-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Exhale</a> is the newest apartment development to launch in Surfers Paradise.

Exhale, being developed by SIERA, comprises just 54 apartments, a density not often seen in Surfers. It sits on the corner of Enderley Avenue and Garfield Terrace, just off Northcliffe Beach. SIERA Founder and Managing Director Brent Thompson spent over a year trying to secure the rare beachside site.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359603]

SIERA engaged BDA Architecture to design the building, with a striking glass curtain wall&nbsp;façade.

Offering two-, three-, and four-bedroom apartments, Exhale will also offer its residents a two-level wellness podium with a heated magnesium pool, spa, sauna, Nordic&nbsp;cold shower, and biophilic designed landscaped gardens.

There's also a dedicated Pilates and yoga studio, library and reading retreat, cinema lounge, and private dining room with a private bar and wine cellar.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/exhale-surfers-paradise-8-enderley-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217" style="text-decoration:none">Enquire about Exhale →</a>

<hr data-end="2500" data-start="2497" />
Paradiso Place is the largest project currently in market in Surfers Paradise. Developer SPG Land recently begun construction on its 845-unit development they are bringing to 103 Ferny Avenue.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=106566 project_image_fid=185858]

At this scale, it’s effectively its own sub-market, offering a wide mix of configurations across multiple price points, from entry-level investor stock through to larger owner-occupier product. Amenities include a pool, gym, and outdoor spaces.

With projects of this size, early buyers typically benefit most from the broader selection before key layouts are taken up.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/paradiso-place-surfers-paradise-103-ferny-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217" style="text-decoration:none">Enquire about Paradiso Place →</a>

<hr data-end="2500" data-start="2497" />
Jewel Residences is the only completed development on this list. The three towers, which drastically altered the Surfers Paradise skyline when they were complete in 2020 from their dress circle position&nbsp;at 36 Old Burleigh Road, home 512 apartments.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=8843 project_image_fid=264503]

With the six-star The Langham within the middle tower, Jewel offers&nbsp;​​​​​​significant hospitality venues including&nbsp;signature restaurants, a bar, cafe, and a resort pool with a swim-up bar

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/jewel-residences-surfers-paradise-36-old-burleigh-road-surfers-paradise-qld-4217" style="text-decoration:none">Enquire about Jewel Residences </a>

<hr data-end="2938" data-start="2935" />
Andrews Projects recently commenced construction at South Beach, just shy of 400 apartments at 3006–3016 Surfers Paradise Boulevard. Prices start from $1.08 million for the one-bedroom apartments.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=8887 project_image_fid=358399]

Central to the South Beach offering is a 5,500m sqm wellness and lifestyle precinct designed around the concept of renewal as a daily ritual.

The wellness facilities include sunrise and sunset pools, an indoor hydrotherapy pool, plunge baths, a Hammam, traditional and infrared saunas, red-light therapy and dedicated treatment rooms. A Technogym gym,&nbsp;cinema, co-working lounge and a range of indoor and outdoor dining and entertaining spaces, including BBQ terraces, complete the amenity.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/south-beach-surfers-paradise-3006-3016-surfers-paradise-boulevard-surfers-paradise-qld-4217" style="text-decoration:none">Enquire about South Beach →</a>

<hr data-end="3316" data-start="3313" />
Another new entry to the market is Palmera Residences, developed by Central Equity at 18 Garfield Terrace. That majority of the 347 residences are large three-bedroom apartments, priced from just shy of $3 million.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=361247]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/palmera-residences-18-garfield-terrace-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Palmera Residences</a>&nbsp;is being constructed in the prestigious Northcliffe residential neighbourhood on an expansive 3,239 sqm site. It is located at 18 Garfield Terrace near the Northcliffe Surf Life Saving Club and the patrolled Northcliffe surf beach, situated between&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/broadbeach-qld-4218">Broadbeach</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Surfers Paradise</a>.

Residents will have private access to extensive, state-of-the-art amenities, featuring two large pools including a generously scaled, family-friendly pool with safe shallow zones, and a 25-metre lap pool facing the western side, ensuring maximum sunlight all day.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/palmera-residences-surfers-paradise-18-garfield-terrace-surfers-paradise-qld-4217" style="text-decoration:none">Enquire about Palmera Residences →</a>

<hr data-end="3711" data-start="3708" />
26 Vista has benefitted from the boom in Surfers Paradise over the last few years. Over 70 per cent of the 280 apartments have sold, with the remaining priced from $1.86 million.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112730 project_image_fid=365605]

26 Vista, being developed by MRCB, is scheduled to complete in late 2030 and has attracted strong interest from locals and interstate buyers, Matt George, from project marketer Urban Activation, says.

“The diverse mix of buyers we’ve seen investing in this development stands as a testament to the superior product that is being offered. 26 Vista is truly the gold standard for coastal living, with its thoughtfully considered design and its commitment to providing residents with five-star luxury in sub-tropical surrounds.”

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/palmera-residences-surfers-paradise-18-garfield-terrace-surfers-paradise-qld-4217" style="text-decoration:none">Enquire about 26 Vista →</a>

<hr data-end="3711" data-start="3708" />
Away from the beach and closer to the Budds Beach area of Surfers Paradise is Homecorp's new tower, Florence Residences.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=150414 project_image_fid=357950]

The Monte Carlo building has 116 apartments amid a suite of wellness spaces including&nbsp;a private residents’ only wellness club including a resort-style rooftop pool, hot and cold plunge pools, a spa retreat, contemporary gymnasium and a spacious yoga and Pilates studio.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/florence-residences-24-monte-carlo-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217" style="text-decoration:none">Enquire about Florence Residences →</a>

<hr data-end="4321" data-start="4318" />
<h2 data-end="4364" data-section-id="1bj0450" data-start="4323">The Broader Pipeline</h2>

There's a lot more to come in Surfers Paradise in the coming years. The most interest is likely the two-tower beachfront project proposed by Winx billionaire John Camilleri. The two towers, which will comprise 275 apartments, are to be connected by a 45-storey skybridge.

On the more boutique end, Cavella, by SEYAH, will have <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/first-look-seyah-to-launch-cavella-in-emerging-sunrise-boulevard-surfers-paradise-pocket-following-density-rethink">just 18 residences</a> across a more modestly-sized 12-level building, also nearer the river than the beach.

For a broader view, see our breakdown of the top 10 new apartment projects launching on the Gold Coast in 2026, covering key opportunities suburb by suburb.

<hr data-end="5185" data-start="5182" />
<h2 data-end="5234" data-section-id="1kp72fk" data-start="5187">What Buyers Should Weigh Up Before Enquiring</h2>

Where a project sits in the development cycle matters just as much, if not more than, the price.

An off-the-plan apartment at registration stage may offer the lowest entry point, but it typically comes with a 24–36 month settlement timeline.

Later-stage projects trade some of that upside for greater certainty, so the right choice ultimately depends on your timeframe, risk appetite, and what you’re prioritising: price, selection, or delivery.

The 3,000 apartments to reshape Surfers Paradise skyline

Urbanisation

<html><body>
Behind mega urban projects often stand strong political wills. Xiong’an is called China’s number-one urban project, and it is <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/opinions/a-brave-new-world-xis-xiongan/" target="_blank">orchestrated by President Xi Jinping.</a>
China is midway through the <a href="https://www.economist.com/news/china/21640396-how-fix-chinese-cities-great-sprawl-china" target="_blank">largest urbanisation process in human history</a>. New cities have mushroomed in recent decades. The most prominent are <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Shenzhen" target="_blank">Shenzhen</a> (above) and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Shanghai" target="_blank">Pudong Shanghai</a>, both of which are now major global financial and business centres.
Shenzhen and Pudong Shanghai were credited to Deng Xiaoping. China’s then leader <a href="http://en.people.cn/n3/2017/0403/c90000-9198362" target="_blank">pushed forward the construction of these cities from scratch</a>, to drive his agenda of national reform and opening up to the world.
After his first five-year term as president, it is clear that Xi Jinping’s political ambition is to equal or even surpass the records of Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping. Mao and Deng each ruled China for nearly three decades, in person and by selecting their successors.
Xi has proclaimed a “new era”, enthroned his “thoughts”, appointed his allies, and outlined national modernisation goals to 2035 and even as far ahead as 2050.
He also amended the Chinese Constitution to <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-xi-jinpings-lifetime-presidency-could-change-china-for-better-or-worse-92472" target="_blank">remove the two-term restriction</a> on the presidency. This was the final barrier to pursuing power after 2023, when he was due to step down.
What else? Xi needs a new city, with his name imprinted!
<h2>Putting a new city on the map</h2>
There are three mega-city regions in eastern China. Shenzhen is in the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/may/10/china-pearl-river-delta-then-and-now-photographs" target="_blank">Pearl River Delta</a>, Pudong Shanghai is in the <a href="http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1897065/how-economic-dynamism-yangtze-river-delta-flowing-inland" target="_blank">Yangtze River Delta</a>, so Xi’s new city must be in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/217207/original/file-20180502-153895-1hsieuj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/217207/original/file-20180502-153895-1hsieuj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt=""></a>
Xi Jinping’s new mega-city, Xiong’an (the area in red) will be located midway between Beijing, Tianjing and Shijiazhuang (click to enlarge). <a class="source" href="https://www.google.com.au/maps/place/Xiongxian,+Baoding,+Hebei,+China/@39.0206138,115.7617431,9.06z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x35efa231eb92fcb5:0xb5dfe3f1103da7ee!8m2!3d38.99455!4d116.10865" target="_blank">Google Maps</a>
Xi selected Xiong’an, an underdeveloped area located centrally between Beijing, Tianjing and Shijiazhuang, the capital city of Hebei Province. Xiong’an has a vast water area, a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_resources_of_China" target="_blank">rare natural endowment in northern China</a>.
Xi <a href="http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201804/02/WS5ac122faa3105cdcf6515949" target="_blank">stressed the principles</a> of “world vision, international standards, Chinese characteristics and high goals” in planning and building Xiong’an. A “<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016718517303196" target="_blank">Millennium Plan</a>” and a “national strategy”, Xiong’an should be different from, or more ambitious than, its predecessor new cities. Shenzhen was created in the 1980s; Pudong Shanghai in the 1990s; Xiong’an should represent a city-making approach with Chinese characteristics in the 21st century.
<h2>What’s the plan?</h2>
On April 21, 2018, China’s official Xinhua News Agency <a href="http://english.xiongan.gov.cn/2018-04/21/c_129855751.htm" target="_blank">released the planning guidelines</a> for Xiong’an. This followed their endorsement by the Central Committee of the Chinese Community Party and the State Council.
These planning documents will guide the development of Xiong’an until 2035 and envision its long-term progress until the middle of this century. This aligns with Xi’s timelines for national modernisation goals.
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/l1hXrz1F3Qg?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" width="440" height="260"></iframe>
Xiong'an is presented as central to President Xi Jinping’s vision of national development for decades to come.
Key elements of the guidelines are:
<ul>
<li>
visions: a green, ecological and liveable new area; an innovation-driven development; a demonstration area of coordinated development; and a pioneer in China’s modernisation strategy
</li>
<li>
targets: 2035 – basic construction of a high-level socialist modern city that is green, low-carbon, smart, competitive, influential and harmonious with humans and nature; mid-21st century – comprehensive construction complete, a key pillar of the world-class Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei city region
</li>
<li>
spatial specifications: green space 70%, development land 30% (a total area of around 530km²), arable land 18% (including permanent farming land 10%), population density 10,000 people/km²
</li>
<li>
non-capital city functions transferred from Beijing: universities and research institutions, hospitals and health, finance, advanced services and high-tech industries
</li>
<li>
priority industry sectors: new information technology, life and biological sciences, new materials, advanced modern services, and green and ecological agriculture
</li>
<li>
transport connectivity: high-speed rail network – 20 minutes to the new Beijing airport, 30 minutes to Beijing and Tianjing, and 60 minutes to Shijiazhuang; expressway network – 60 minutes to Beijing and Tianjing, and 90 minutes to Shijiazhuang; 90% green transport share and 80% public transit share in vehicle transport in the initial development area; exploring intelligent driving and logistics systems.
</li>
</ul>
<h2>Can it be done?</h2>
The targets suggest a new city with a population of 5 million erected by 2035 and completed by around 2050. Be mindful: Chinese city plans are normally “conservative” in setting targets.
Is the plan achievable? State ownership of land and a centralised planning system will ensure it happens at a speed and scale hardly paralleled elsewhere. Think of Shenzhen and Pudong Shanghai.
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/95442/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">However, the most important factor is whether President Xi’s desired political pathway remains on track.
<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/richard-hu-7319">Richard Hu</a>, Professor, Faculty of Arts and Design, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-canberra-865" target="_blank">University of Canberra</a>
This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/xiongan-xi-jinpings-new-city-making-machine-turned-on-95442" target="_blank">original article</a>.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

China president Xi Jinping is conducting the largest urbanisation in human history

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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/73853/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1">
GUEST OBSERVER
The global focus on US President Donald Trump has largely been on his inflammatory rhetoric and relative inexperience. A less substantive body of commentary has considered his policy platform, including his economic policies.
Among the most prominent of these policies is a commitment to:
… [r]efocus government spending on American infrastructure and away from the Obama-Clinton globalisation agenda.
Trump is not the first to identify increased infrastructure as a strategic economic imperative. Across the globe governments are turning to infrastructure as an instrument of economic policy.
Australia has since 2007 operated an infrastructure agency to prioritise and plan infrastructure provision at the national scale. The UK, New Zealand and Canada have also established national infrastructure planning agencies.
In Australia, this “infrastructure turn” has eclipsed metropolitan planning as a means of intervening in cities.
Among global political and economic institutions, infrastructure has risen to prominence as a priority for national intervention and trans-national co-operation. Many agencies have called for increased spending on infrastructure.
The World Economic Forum, for example, has lamented that while estimated global demand for infrastructure exceeds US$3.7 trillion in investment value, only US$2.7 trillion is being provided. This leaves a US$1 trillion “infrastructure gap”.
The APEC Forum in 2013 established a multi-year plan on infrastructure development and investment. The G20 has established the Global Infrastructure Hub and the Global Infrastructure Connectivity Alliance to help with infrastructure investment. The World Bank helped set up the Global Infrastructure Facility in 2015.
What is driving this shift?
The reasons for the new focus on infrastructure are debatable. Four explanations offer possible insight.
First, at a simple material level, the focus on infrastructure reflects rapid urbanisation at the global scale. Millions more urban residents need water, energy, transport and telecommunications. But urbanisation does not in itself demand infrastructure.
A more systemic explanation is the use of infrastructure as a “spatial fix” for the contradictions of urban capitalism. At its most basic level, the agglomeration of economic activity in cities creates resource and congestion problems, which impede economic growth.
Capitalist economies seek to “fix” these problems with infrastructure investment that overcomes spatial frictions on flows of people, water, waste, energy and information. Under conditions of increasing urban complexity, infrastructure megaprojects appear more comprehensible and immediate “solutions” to urban problems than previous fixes using metropolitan spatial planning.
A further explanation is that infrastructure is being used as a sink for excess low-cost capital within the global economy. Such capital is otherwise unable to find sufficient destinations for productive investment.
Under such conditions, capital “switches” from productive investment into investment in the built environment. Infrastructure is the major component of this.
Finally, sustained weakness in the global economy has reduced the attractiveness of productive investment as a source of profit in favour of rents. We can thus observe the systematic emergence of “infrastructure rents” in the global economy – rentiers capture monopolies on particular infrastructure types.
Of these four explanations, the first is the most commonly presented. Yet it has perhaps the weakest explanatory power.
Critiquing the global infrastructure push
For critical urban social scientists, the global infrastructure turn poses a number of conceptual and methodological issues.
The first question is to test whether it’s specifically different from other forms of urban investment.
Cities have long been sites of physical building, including major developments and facilities. Yet the practices of global infrastructure involve mobilising capital, governments, information and production at a massive new scale via major international institutions and may be viewed as a distinctive urban phenomenon.
A second question is to understand how infrastructure has become a discourse in global policy. Global agencies almost universally view infrastructure as a beneficial phenomenon to be promoted. How this began and has been promulgated deserves greater investigation.
A third question is how infrastructure has become a field of specialist knowledge in its own right. And what implications does this have for understanding the role of infrastructure?
Infrastructure projects have developed their own language of financial appraisal, technical design and social and environmental impact. This then hampers democratic scrutiny of these projects.
The democratic problem
Finally, the politics of infrastructure demand attention. Infrastructure is often a site of political contestation, yet many infrastructure decision-making processes attenuate or repress democratic participation. The role of the state is often placed in tension, especially when private motivations drive infrastructure development.
There is a lack of transparency of interests – in terms of who benefits, both legally and surreptitiously, and who is affected or disadvantaged by infrastructure development. This is a clear problem that deserves greater investigation.
Large infrastructure projects have long fascinated politicians, governments and publics. Trump demonstrates the persistence of this fascination. Many view the need for infrastructure as an inevitable consequence of an increasingly urban world.
Yet the global turn towards infrastructure needs to be critically appraised beyond the utopian engineering rhetoric. We need to understand its causes and motivations, especially within the structural crisis of global capitalism and the efforts to resolve it.
We must also be attentive to the problematic aspects of the global infrastructure turn. The deployment of trillions of dollars in infrastructure investment necessarily demands clear democratic transparency and accountability. This applies not only to the money spent but to the effects on cities, societies, polities and the environment.
<h2 class="caption"> </h2>
Jago Dodson is professor of Urban Policy and Director, Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University and author for The Conversation. He can be contacted <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jago-dodson-2359" target="_blank">here</a>.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Making sense of the global infrastructure turn: Jago Dodson

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GUEST OBSERVER
One of the effects of urbanisation is an increasing number of people choosing to live in the inner city, particularly in high density neighbourhoods. 
Re-zoning has allowed many residential areas to become mixed use zones whereby apartment high rises, houses and restaurant strips exist all on the same street. 
In Victoria, these zones are often centred around transport hubs, nearby either tram lines or train stations. All these elements make the hustle and bustle of the city, but one might argue it's getting a little too noisy. External noise has become a modern day pollutant that is difficult to escape, and has captured Secret Agent’s attention.
In Secret Agent’s Healthy Environment report, we recommended buying property that is not located on a main road or nearby train stations to avoid high levels of external noise while at home. It has been found that noise can have detrimental health effects such as cardiovascular disease, even if you think you’ve become accustomed to the low grumblings of traffic and passing trains.
Secret Agent recently discovered that, in addition to poor health outcomes, external noise can have a negative impact on the value of property. The following points summarise what we have discovered about noise throughout our ongoing investigations:
• Houses located on a noisy street in inner Melbourne are worth 7 percent less than the average house on a quiet street.
• Properties directly opposite a train line might have good accessibility but they are approximately 6 percent lower in value than those located a street back from a train line.
• Noise can impact how you feel at home. Studies have suggested that impulsive noise such as loud chatter from your neighbours or pedestrians is more annoying than     constant traffic noise. (Kennedy and Buys, 2010)
• Noise can affect you physiologically with statistical relationships established between noise such as railway and road traffic with cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment and tinnitus. (WHO, 2011)
• Even low frequency sound waves that you cannot hear can still be felt by the body and cause damage to the inner ear.
Out of all the senses, hearing is probably the most overlooked when it comes to creating spaces. In order to house the rapidly growing population in modern cities, without sacrificing quality of life, there is a greater need to control the increasing sources of noise and the design of spaces that contain them.
For more information, <a href="https://secretagent.com.au/" target="_blank">click here</a>.
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