Hi, and welcome to autumn!
It doesn’t yet feel like it here in SA with all the sunshine we’ve been seeing for the last two weeks – but apparently, it has been the driest summer in the previous 15 years, so the farmers are keen on seeing some rainfall soon! If only there were a way to redirect a bit of the rain from QLD further down south – they have a bucketload coming this week with a potential tropical cyclone. The fun times of changing seasons, but that’s enough about the weather – let’s talk development!
We’re finally there with the change in the interest rate environment. After seeing the first rate drop last month, energy has returned to the property industry. Many developers I’ve been speaking to are much more optimistic about the year ahead than what they’ve endured (especially in Victoria) for the last few years!
We’ve been on a bit of a record streak of projects that went into VCAT and achieved a permit—from what we counted; there’s an over 90% success rate of those permits that we were involved in providing visual impact evidence for and then getting the permit. However, the challenge is getting these projects to progress to the next phase – and while they are receiving permits, some have such arduous conditions that the permit doesn’t stack up, or developers have to deal with external factors such as high construction costs precluding the projects from going forward.
This environment doesn’t seem to be changing any time soon – and when and if it does, it’ll certainly go a long way towards helping achieve the desired housing capacity targets. Speaking of which, the Victorian government last week released a revised set of capacity targets where they would like to see higher density development in the proposed activity zones.
Media articles of interest
Here are some more articles that we have found of interest over the last month:
SA ranks first in housing supply scoreboard
Urban planners say community consultation has a NIMBY problem
Work begins on world’s largest building – £39bn and big enough for 250k people
Victoria Reveals the Suburbs Targeted for a Building Boom
Prices fall as first pumped hydro and two eight hour battery projects win landmark storage tender
Why commercial property is at a turning point
The ancient practice that could unlock real estate value
Quantity Surveying & Cost-Planning – Part 1: Acquisition
We’re starting a new series of videos – this time, it’s all about optimising developments through careful cost-planning and quantity surveying. In the first episode on the subject, Harry Nguyen from Northwind Quantity Surveying, with over 28 years of experience in the industry, talks about what kind of cost-planning strategies can be applied at the acquisition stage – either prior to development approvals or if the site being acquired already has planning permits in place.
Dawson St, Brunswick – VCAT Permit Win!
We recently completed visual amenity evidence for an eight-storey apartment building on Dawson St in Brunswick for the appeal hearing at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). The submitted photomontages aimed to deliver an evidence-backed, visually clear representation of the proposed development’s impact on the surrounding streetscape, addressing both the technical and aesthetic considerations of the community and planning authorities.
And the best part is that the application received a permit to build after the VCAT hearing review, so our clients are thrilled to be able to proceed with their project to the next phase!
Click here to check out the photomontages created for the project.
Ben Howard – Heart Inspired Journey into Land Development
We are thrilled to kick off Season 2 with Ben Howard of Monopoly Group, whose unique journey through the entertainment world and into real estate development brings a fresh and dynamic perspective to how a self-made successful land development was about creating charitable philanthropy as the end goal.
Ben’s transition from property investment to land development wasn’t without challenges. He candidly discusses the steep learning curve, from understanding land titling processes to navigating the complexities of large-scale developments. His first major success came with selling 76 land and house packages in the UK, despite initial doubts from industry peers.
Click here to check out the episode.
Melbourne Then and Now
Hi, it’s Yuliya!
Today, I’d like to share some reflections on my family trip to Melbourne in February for my birthday.
This was my second visit—the first time was back in 2008. Back then, I was younger, single, and full of energy! I saw Melbourne as a vibrant, modern city with towering high-rises in Southbank, surrounded by charming older buildings and spacious squares. I remember thinking how much I’d love to live in this big yet cozy city.
This time, I returned as a married woman with two kids, and let’s just say my energy levels aren’t quite what they used to be—you can probably guess why!
What struck me the most was how different Melbourne looked. The number of high-rise buildings has skyrocketed, with sleek new towers packed tightly in the CBD. While this has made the city feel less open, the architectural beauty of these buildings somewhat makes up for it. Some of Melbourne’s historical landmarks now seem overshadowed by modern developments, making it feel like an entirely different city from the one I visited 17 years ago. It’s not necessarily better or worse—just different.
This visit also made me realise how much more comfortable Adelaide is for family life. But if I were 21 again, I’d undoubtedly choose Melbourne for its incredible museums, exhibitions, and entertainment options. The city’s weather, however, still gives me a strong European vibe rather than an Australian one.
Revisiting a place after so many years is a fascinating experience—it’s like seeing it through a completely new lens!
All the best for the month ahead and to those in Queensland – we hope the cyclone gets downgraded to a Status 1!
Stan Zaslavsky and team.