It’s a clear case of the Nimbys versus the Newbies this week in which first home buyers received a huge boost in their ability to buy a home (until they get too expensive) and councillors in Sydney’s inner west, faced with strident opposition, only just got their plans for 31,000 new apartments over the line.

Meanwhile Parramatta Road is the focus (yet again) of plans to repopulate and pretty it up as Auto Alley supposedly evolves into a brunchers boulevarde. Maybe this time they’ll get it done.

All this and more in our weekly feed of property stories from Leftfield Communications.

Sydney Morning Herald

‘A pivotal moment’: Sydney council backs plans for up to 30,000 new homes
Councillors in Sydney’s inner west have been cheered and booed as they narrowly backed a controversial proposal to rezone a swath of established suburbs to make room for up to 30,000 extra homes over 15 years. Megan Gorrey

Is this the end for Sydney’s famous auto alley? The plan for 60,000 homes revealed
For decades, it was the jingle synonymous with the southern end of Church Street: “Come on out to Parramatta, and walk down auto alley”. With multiple car dealerships lining the busy road, it was the go-to spot for generations who wanted to purchase a vehicle. Ellie Busby

The Sydney developer, $166,000 in fines and the ‘exhausted’ street
Residents living in a street in Willoughby say their once-peaceful cul-de-sac has been turned into an “unbearable” construction zone due to a string of non-compliant building works at one of the largest housing projects on the north shore. David Barwell

Sydney’s high-amenity suburbs — and how much it costs to live there
Small business owner Jane O’Hehir has lived in Chatswood for 19 years. When she moves, she hopes her new suburb will have similar access to transport, cafes and shops that have made living there so convenient. Alice Uribe

Labor mayor provided confidential information to property developer, ICAC alleges
Former Bayside mayor Bill Saravinovski faces allegations that he gave confidential council documents to a property developer, part of three accusations he provided misleading evidence to the state’s corruption watchdog. Max Maddison

The Age

Melbourne’s highest-amenity suburbs — and how much they cost to live in
When Emmeline Neate was looking to buy her first home, she knew she wanted to live in an area with access to the arts, parks, cafes and public transport. Caroline Zielinski

The Australian Financial Review

The suburbs poised for a first home buyer price boost
Suburbs with house prices just below the new caps for the federal government’s expanded first home buyer’s scheme could quickly become out of reach for those taking advantage of 5 per cent deposits, as cashed-up buyers flood the property market while supply remains at historic lows. Lucy Slade and John Kehoe

‘Unprecedented demand’ on day one of first home buyer scheme
Property prices in suburbs popular with first home buyers will jump more than the 0.5 per cent predicted by Treasury modelling in the short term after the rollout of the government’s new 5 per cent deposit scheme, economists and mortgage brokers say. John Kehoe

Packer-backed Toorak project clocks $125m in sales
A James Packer-backed luxury apartment project in Melbourne’s Toorak has clocked up $125 million in pre-launch sales, including one within the high-end project that recently sold off-the-plan for $13.25 million. Bonnie Campbell

If not here, where? Challenge for NIMBY Greens to support more housing
As tempers flared at a town hall discussion about an ambitious housing plan for Sydney’s inner west, one opponent of the proposed 30,000 new homes took umbrage at the label of NIMBYs, insisting they were actually BIMBYs, who simply wanted Better in My Backyard. Paul Karp

The Australian

Avidan hits his straps with luxury site splurge
The high-profile developer is making his mark amid Sydney’s luxury apartment boom. In Sydney’s wealthy Double Bay, Mr Avidan, head of the DARE Property group, single-handedly paid more than $60m for an apartment block fronting 20 Kiaora Road, having negotiated with 12 separate vendors to seal the deal. Lisa Allen and Ben Wilmot

RBA holds interest rates at 3.6 per cent
The Reserve Bank held the official interest rate at 3.6 per cent, and signalled that further cuts were unlikely to be made unless there was a deterioration in unemployment or weakening in inflation. Matthew Cranston

North Sydney tower The Walden sells $103m worth of apartments in three hours
Sydney’s apartment market is showing healthy signs, as ALAND becomes the latest developer to record strong pre-sales at the launch of a new premium residential tower. The private developer launched the first stage of its The Walden project in North Sydney, selling 55 per cent, and generating more than $103m worth of sales in just three hours. Ben Wilmot

Boutique luxury project De Ville looking to surf the rising tide at Manly
Property developers Equicentia and Wingala Capital are planning a boutique project with 12 luxury apartments on Manly’s sought-after Victoria Parade, joining tycoons ranging from former gaming mogul James Packer to data centre developer Robin Khuda who are active in the area. Ben Wilmot

Domain – Free

The 5% deposit scheme will help more first-home buyers from today — but the market will ‘explode’
Hopeful first home-buyers Matt Hopkins and his partner Kristen Miller were pleased to hear they might need only a 5 per cent deposit to get into the property market through the federal government’s First Home Guarantee — but were then crushed to find the scheme’s income cap excluded them. Sue Williams

Bargain $569k apartment with 180-degree ocean views on Hamilton Island
A Hamilton Island beachside apartment offering 180-degree ocean views is on the market for $569,000. Maria Gill

Stealth density and bluefield housing: smart design solutions to Australia’s housing shortage
Potential solutions to Australia’s housing shortage are many and varied, and debate often returns to the polar-opposite solutions of continued expansion on the urban edges or high-rise towers in inner-city suburbs. But what if a middle ground was struck? A way to build more dwellings on one block without creating an eyesore that upsets the neighbours? Kate Jones

Why Rosebery is one of Sydney’s fastest-changing suburbs
When Carolyn Campbell moved from Coogee to Rosebery 33 years ago, she says it felt like moving to the “ends of the earth”. “It was full of industrial buildings and a bit of a desert back in the day,” she says. “It’s changed so much.” Kate Farrelly

ABC Online – Free

Inner West Council narrowly approves plan to build 31,000 apartments
Inner West Council has narrowly approved a plan to build 31,000 homes by one vote. The proposal to rezone swathes of residential land was successful despite backlash from protesters. Ursula Malone

RBA governor Michele Bullock warns housing supply improvement is likely to be several years away
It’s hard to dispute that the single biggest issue facing Australia today is a seemingly runaway housing market. A now two-decades-long housing crisis has seen the family home increasingly being treated as an investment, rather than a human right. David Taylor

The Daily Telegraph

Time for Premier Chris Minns to bail out on plans to sink Glebe Island port
It is time for the NSW Premier to listen to the masses and abandon plans that would sink Glebe Island port. Peter Jenkins

Call to NSW govt: ‘Let harbour’s last working port coexist with high-rise on Glebe Island’
Flash new designs show how a reimagined Glebe Island can keep maritime operations and deliver thousands of homes via high-rise towers, business leaders say. See the renders. Peter Jenkins

Parramatta’s Octagon building makes way for office and apartment blocks at 110 George St
A wave of residential buildings are filling Parramatta’s skyline but demands are being made for more office blocks to ensure jobs are supporting the population surge. Joanne Vella

Housing Now Alliance reveals 12 point plan to build 377,000 new homes as Premier announces new rules
Planning Minister Paul Scully has revealed how government backing of major developments will lead to an influx of homes under reforms aiming to increase housing supply in NSW. Jake McCallum

Macleay St, Potts Point: Locals, councillor slam ‘landgrab’ plans for 34 apartments
A developer hoping to knock down existing low cost apartments in Sydney’s inner city and replace them with less, higher-priced ones is facing severe backlash from residents. Tileah Dobson

Community divided over plans for up to 35k new homes in sought-after Sydney region
Plans for up to 35,000 new homes in sought-after suburbs have residents on a knife’s edge, with one detail pushing some to risk the whole thing. Nathan Schmidt

Realestate.com.au – Free

New luxury apartments see surge in empty nester buyers
With affordability and lifestyle at the forefront for those downsizing, apartments are becoming a favoured preference for many, including boomers in the move to free up money for retirement. According to a new research conducted by property developer Capital Corporation, in the next five years, a record number of Australians plan to downsize to boost their retirement funds. Kaylee Cranley – Sydney

Aus suburbs to benefit from First Home Guarantee revealed
For years, first-home buyers have been told to “save harder”, but many will need to save a lot less, when the federal government’s First Home Guarantee extension gets underway. Tim McIntyre

Crumbling Albion unit block sells for $1.7m
Cracked walls, crumbling brickwork and an engineer’s warning couldn’t stop a stampede of buyers chasing a rundown Albion block. David Bonaddio – Melbourne

Albanese Government next to no chance of meeting much-touted housing target
The much-desired path to supplying 240,000 new dwellings a year across Australia is narrow. But the federal government’s ambitious housing target will not be met without a bigger contribution from investors, according to research by Angie Zigomanis of Quantify Strategic Insights. Jonathan Chancellor

Banks’ shock interest rates for first home buyers revealed
Australia’s biggest banks are under fire for allegedly exploiting first home buyers, as the Federal Government’s First Home Guarantee Scheme launches. Lydia Kellner

First-home buyer pays $745k for Blackburn unit
Sellers were left stunned when a Blackburn buyer paid $115,000 over the suburb’s median to seize a two-bedroom unit before auction. David Bonaddio – Melbourne

First homebuyer reality: ‘Rent forever’ or retire with a mortgage
Coming from Melbourne, Olivia Maclean though she would be renting her whole life. Even when she moved to Queensland’s tropical north, the dream of buying a home seemed out of reach. Elizabeth Tilley – Brisbane

Luxury development named country’s best
A luxury Brisbane apartment tower inspired by the iconic Moreton Bay fig was named the Australian Development of the Year at the Property Council of Australia’s Innovation & Excellence Awards. Courtney Snowden – Brisbane

Meet the retirees fighting home mortgage fees today
Homeowner Liz Buckman is downsizing from a house in Hendra to a unit closer to the city — but if she can’t get enough from the sale, the retiree will need to deal with her first ever mortgage as an owner-occupier. Nicholas Finch – Brisbane

Revealed: How Brisbane first-home buyers beat soaring house prices
Brisbane’s first home buyers are rewriting the rules of property ownership, defying $1m house prices with the backing of the “Bank of Mum and Dad” and savvy strategies. Lydia Kellner – Brisbane

Why this Glenelg apartment complex could be a blessing for young SA home buyers
A 77-home apartment complex in Glenelg which is expected to be a hit with those over 50 could turn out to be a surprise Godsend for young buyers looking to enter the market. Tom Bowden — Adelaide

Real Commercial – Free

Revamp of Paddington’s Verona cinema proposes 53 apartments
The revamp of Sydney’s long-suffering Oxford St is set to continue, with big plans for Paddington’s Verona cinema. Stephen Nicholls

The Herald Sun

Report raises concerns some operators are cutting corners on checks of smoke alarms and gas and electrical appliances
Inspectors are thumbing their nose at Victoria’s new laws on mandatory safety checks in rental properties, raising fears of a major flaw in the system. Ian Royall

Building costs and tenuous financial viability could ground Jacinta Allan’s activity centre high-rises
The state government promised thousands of new apartments, but industry insiders are now doubting their viability. Brendan Kearns

The Brisbane Times

Newstead development to complete Riverwalk’s missing link
A vital missing link in Brisbane’s Riverwalk will be completed as part of a new tower development proposed for Newstead. Consolidated Property Group submitted plans for a development — including a 25-storey tower designed by Woods Bagot architects — with Brisbane City Council. Cameron Atfield

The Gold Coast Bulletin

Palm Beach: 14-storey tower planned for Twenty Third Ave
Three suburban homes will make way for a 14-storey tower in Palm Beach as developers continue pushing height limits in the beachside suburb. Andrew Potts

Significant drop in Gold Coast unit, housing approvals
Approvals of units and detached homes in the Gold Coast have fallen off a cliff despite modest growth in the rest of Queensland. But that’s just one part of the story. Matthew Newton

Two Gold Coast towers report strong sales amid market headwinds
Two major Gold Coast developments have defied market headwinds to secure strong sales, with one project selling 75 per cent of units before construction. Andrew Potts

New plans reveal 47-unit tower to replace Palm Beach house
The Gold Coast’s relentless march toward high-density living claims another suburban house, with plans for a nine-storey unit complex at Palm Beach. Andrew Potts

Gold Coast and Northern NSW real estate: The latest auction and sales results for week ending September 28
Varsity Lakes proved to be a hot market with 12 properties selling for a total value of $11.3 million. See the latest auction and sales results. Peter Farago and Sayee Shree Ravi Sankar

Spirit: Inside story of controversial failed $1.2bn Surfers Paradise supertower proposal
A concrete slab is all that remains of an ambitious $1.2bn supertower development at the former Iluka site, where a 12-storey hole stands as testament to shattered dreams. Andrew Potts

The Adelaide Advertiser

Plans unveiled for luxury North Adelaide apartments
A landmark eight-storey development will transform Melbourne St as the North Adelaide strip’s new tallest building, with developers preparing to launch sales in the coming weeks. Giuseppe Tauriello

Urban Developer – Partly Free

Money Out of Thin Air: The Multibillion-Dollar Rooftop Housing Play
Turns out, it is possible to make money out of thin air. Rooftop airspace is emerging as a $3000-a-square-metre asset—and a new frontier for housing supply. Vanessa Croll

Tide of Density Rises on Gold Coast Blue-Chip Enclave
The tide of densification is slowly but surely washing beyond the Gold Coast’s beachside strip and into some of the city’s blue-chip waterfront enclaves. Phil Bartsch

North Sydney Clears $209m Tower to Match City’s Tallest
Anson Group has secured approval for a $208.9-million, 50-storey tower in St Leonards—equal tallest in North Sydney at 180 metres. Vanessa Croll

Homes Victoria Tops Out 155-Unit Essex Street Project
A social housing project dedicated to women and children at risk of homelessness has reached a construction milestone as Homes Victoria and Building Communities top out the Essex Street redevelopment in Prahran. Leon Della Bosca

Work Under Way on 1300-Home West End Brewery Site
Work has begun on the $1-billion Southwark Grounds at the site of the former West End Brewery, 2km west of Adelaide’s CBD. About 250 homes are slated to rise in the next year, with a target of 1300 across the entire site at Thebarton. Taryn Paris

Sherpa Reveals New Tower to Reshape Palm Beach Skyline
Prolific Gold Coast developer Christie Leet’s Sherpa Property Group is continuing to reshape the urban landscape of Palm Beach, one project at a time. Phil Bartsch

ACT Plots 1000-Home Transit-Oriented Rezoning
Plans are in progress from the ACT Government to rezone areas around two light rail stops, which could make way for 1000 new homes. Clare Burnett

Rezoning Plan Paves Way for Payce Parramatta Project
Payce is moving ahead on the latest stage of the Melrose Park precinct, with rezoning proposals now on exhibition. The Sydney-based developer wants to build four blocks as part of its Melrose Park Gateway project. Clare Burnett

Six-Tower $1.5bn Riverfront Vision for Brisbane’s West End
ICD Property has revealed plans to mark its arrival in Australia’s growth state with a bold six-tower riverfront masterplan at inner-city Brisbane’s West End. Phil Bartsch

Freecity Plots 51-Storey North Sydney Hotel-Apartment Tower
Freecity is progressing its 51-storey mixed-use tower in North Sydney after acquiring the site, which was approved for a 43-storey office building. Clare Burnett

Developer Doubles Down on Corio with 282-Unit School Site
Plans for a former Geelong school site have swelled from 124 house lots to 282 homes under a Melbourne developer’s ambitious vision. Leon Della Bosca

Time & Place Reveals Builder for $500m Melbourne Tower
Time & Place has appointed a builder for its $500-million Melbourne residential development Park Modern. Hacer will undertake the build at 11-27 Dorcas Street, South Melbourne, where the developer amalgamated four parcels to create the 2398sq m site. Clare Burnett

Consolidated Plans 25-Storey Riverside Tower at Newstead
Consolidated Properties Group will build 247 homes along the Brisbane River at Newstead under plans filed just months after the developer acquiring the site from Mirvac. Renee McKeown

Doma Plots $46m Nelson Bay Hotel-Homes Hybrid
Doma Group has filed a $46-million plan for a hotel-residential hybrid at Nelson Bay, expanding the Marina Resort just weeks after the property reopened from a major refurbishment. Vanessa Croll

Adaptive Reuse Planned for 1960s Neutral Bay Unit Block
The next wave of projects is washing through harbourside Neutral Bay as plans for apartment block flips and new builds are filed with the North Sydney Council. Renee McKeown

Apartments.com.au – Free

Construction commences at Botanical Turner as stage one reaches 50 per cent sold
Construction has officially commenced at Botanical Turner, one of Canberra’s most anticipated new residential communities, with site works well underway in preparation for the piling rig to arrive in November. Joel Robinson

Orchard Piper achieves $125 million in pre-launch sales at Packer-backed Toorak Village development
The development is now over 30 per cent sold by value in under three months, with significant sales including a record-breaking $20 million penthouse, and two four-bedroom apartments for $13.75 million and $12.65 million. Joel Robinson

Capri Villas approach sell-out following recent completion
The first large-scale residential community built on the Gold Coast’s Isle of Capri in more than 30 years is nearing sell-out, with limited villas now available in the exclusive island enclave. Developed by Monaco Property Group and built by Greyburn, Capri Villas brings 48 architect-designed homes to one of the Gold Coast’s most sought-after addresses. The gated community combines privacy, security and premium design in a central location. Joel Robinson

First look: Sherpa continues to expand Palm Beach pipeline with plans for Flourish Oasis
Sherpa Property Group has quickly become the most active developer in Palm Beach. Their recent descent on the beachside Gold Coast suburb has been driven primarily by their new affordability-focussed brand, Flourish, which, with considerably lower entry points than most projects across the whole region, has unsurprisingly been a hit with buyers. Joel Robinson

First look: Neutral Bay transformation continues as new eight-level building pitched
The affluent suburb of Neutral Bay is continuing to go through a new development transformation. Several developers have jumped into the Lower North Shore locale in recent years, bringing new housing supply to the suburb considered one of the best in the region. Joel Robinson

First look: Rebel Property Group takes Woolloomooloo precinct to NSW Government
Allen Linz’s Rebel Property Group is the latest developer to takes its development to the NSW Government. Rebel has applied for a State Significant Development Application (SSDA) for its major urban renewal project on William Street. Joel Robinson

Third.i Group and NPACT launch The Rushcutters
Third.i Group and joint venture partner NPACT has unveiled its luxury new apartment development, The Rushcutters, offering prospective apartment buyers a rare opportunity to buy brand new into one of Sydney’s most tightly-held Harbourside suburbs. Joel Robinson

Hutchies start building West Village’s final apartment building
Sekisui House Australia’s decade-long redevelopment of the Peter’s Ice Cream Factory in West End, is approaching its conclusion. Joel Robinson

Hyde Metropolitan brings luxury residences and hotel living to the heart of Sydney
A slender, sculptural tower designed by acclaimed architects Candalepas Associates will soon rise just moments from Hyde Park, following the demolition of the Polding Centre on Liverpool Street, formerly home to the Sydney Archdiocese. Joel Robinson

ICD unveils plans for transformative $2 billion Brisbane riverfront precinct
ICD Property has unveiled its vision for a landmark mixed-use precinct in Brisbane’s West End, set to deliver more than 1,100 new residences alongside parks, retail and public spaces in one of the city’s last major riverfront sites. Joel Robinson

Time & Place appoints Hacer to build newly launched Park Modern apartments in South Melbourne
Developer Time & Place has appointed Hacer to build Park Modern, its $500 million residential development overlooking Melbourne’s Botanic Gardens, while also launching sales to the public. Joel Robinson

ALAND’s sales success at The Walden, North Sydney launch
Builder-developer ALAND has had buyers jump at the opportunity to buy into their first inner-city Sydney apartment development. Joel Robinson

Exclusive: DASCO expands Sydney apartment pipeline with trio of St Leonards buildings
Builder-developer Dasco is continuing to expand its development pipeline, unveiling plans for its third project in Sydney. Joel Robinson

Don O’Rorke’s Cons Prop unveils Newstead riverfront apartment plans
Consolidated Properties Group (CPG) has revealed plans for a new residential development on one of the last remaining direct riverfront sites in Newstead. Joel Robinson

First look: Hengyi proposes trio of apartment buildings for Sandringham’s Bay Road
The Bayside Housing Strategy identifies the corridor as suitable for higher density residential renewal, aligning with the state government’s recent target of 30,000 new homes in Bayside by 2051 Joel Robinson

The Fifth Estate

We ‘revitalise’ Parramatta Road at our peril
I grew up on Parramatta Road. Twice a day I crossed it, to the station and school beyond, and caught buses down its bleary length to early morning band or sport; too early for the trains to be running. Later, still-bleary, though nocturnal rides on the heaven-sent Nightriders after a night out in the city, with their drivers of saintly patience winding a stolid way west in the pre-dawn murk. Angus Chapman

The Illawarra Mercury

Dozens of apartments sold as construction kicks off at the Corrimal Coke Works site
Plenty of first home buyers have been snapping up apartments to be built at the Corrimal Coke Works site. Construction officially kicked off on stage one housing at The Works, Corrimal. Brendan Crabb

View.com.au – Free

ALAND’s North Sydney launch nets $103 million in three hours
Sydney developer ALAND has kicked off its North Sydney debut in record-breaking fashion, with buyers snapping up 55 per cent of Stage One residences and $103 million worth of apartments in just three hours at its launch weekend. Emily Rayner

Geelong vs Brisbane: AFL star players and million-dollar property market momentum
The Brisbane Lions might have claimed the premiership against the Geelong Cats in the AFL Grand Final, but the fiercest clash has already played out off the field – in the property market, where the scoreboard keeps ticking long after the siren. Emily Rayner

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