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Construction

This Month

An unfinished Bensons apartment block in Armadale. The home builder has entered voluntary administration.

The financier, the developer and the stoush that threatens 1000 units

Bensons Property Group put itself into administration the day a fund managed by Macquarie Private Bank’s former head tipped it into receivership.

  • Campbell Kwan
Orchard Piper’s Toorak Village topped out in December.

Mother-daughter duo spend $17m on two off-the-plan Toorak apartments

Wealthier buyers are snapping up luxury apartments in good locations, with this project in Melbourne’s most prestigious suburb now close to selling out.

  • Larry Schlesinger
Tenants will have the option to pay and claim rent online from mid-next year.

The suburbs where renters saved $800 in three months

A sharp decline in asking rents has turned a string of inner Sydney and Melbourne suburbs into tenants’ markets.

  • Nila Sweeney
Payapps co-founder Geoff Tarrant is better known for his investment banking career than his success as a co-founder.

How this reluctant CEO sold his company for $600m

When Payapps co-founder Geoff Tarrant was selling his software company early last year, he was given some sage advice: ‘it’s not Canva’.

  • Yolanda Redrup
Optus Stadium (main) and Australian Rugby World Cup 2027 bid advisory board member Phil Kearns (inset).

Bidding war looms for home builder AVJennings

Singaporean group Ho Bee Land has trumped a bid by Propium Capital Partners.

  • Larry Schlesinger
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Emma Shipley has been appointed managing director of contractor Roberts Co.

Roberts Co names Emma Shipley MD, George Kostas as chair

The Rich Lister-owned building contractor gave little detail about the resignation of its previous CEO Matt Bourne just before Christmas.

  • Michael Bleby
The Monark Property Partners team (from left): Michael Kark (CEO and co-founder), Adam Slade-Jacobson  (CIO and co-founder) and Dani Peer (head of capital).

Private lender caps raise at $45m, warns of ‘diminishing returns’

Private lender Monark deliberately capped its latest raising, despite strong interest, to ensure it wasn’t pressured to deploy capital into riskier projects.

  • Larry Schlesinger
Shane Bennett, CEO of Melbourne builder Arden Homes, on a site in south-eastern Melbourne’s Rowville on Wednesday.

Softer inflation, cheaper land offer new home buyers a boost

Builders say cost growth has stabilised. Costs aren’t yet falling, but there are signs of relief in land discounts and even possible rate cuts.

  • Michael Bleby
Apartments are going up, but not enough of them: home-building activity is undershooting what the country needs.

Why interest rates will keep rents high

The latest housing approval figures show Australian home-building is undershooting what the country needs – even with a pick-up forecast this year.

  • Michael Bleby
An artist impression of the Alfred & Boundary project designed by Fender Katsalidis.

Metrics takes control of Melbourne site to rescue $750m development

The private credit firm, one of the country’s largest, says taking over the project is the best way of protecting its investors after a sales process failed.

  • Campbell Kwan
 MaxCap-backed Byron Plaza could be put up for sale after the collapse of its developer, Luxcon Group.

MaxCap investor groups face off over stalled Byron Bay project

The private credit firm is contemplating selling the development site in a move it has warned could mean one group of investors will end up losing its money.

  • Primrose Riordan
Lendlease chief executive Tony Lombardo felt heat from major investors John Wylie’s Tanarra Capital and David Di Pilla’s HMC Capital last year.

Shrinking Lendlease shows how to bite the bullet

Having dramatically cut its offshore ambitions, Lendlease hasn’t mucked around.

  • Anthony Macdonald

December 2024

The luxe apartments taking over David Jones’ former flagship store

Cbus Property’s redevelopment of the former department store at 111 Castlereagh Street is nearing completion and is about to transform Sydney’s CBD.

  • Updated
  • Nila Sweeney
APH Holding’s flagship project is a health precinct in Box Hill, financed through a loan provided by non-bank lender MaxCap.

Major developer APH collapses, sending ripples through private credit

The Melbourne company had already put many of its projects on the market. Its biggest lender, MaxCap, says it expects to be repaid in full.

  • Primrose Riordan
Two fund directors appointed by the union have been removed from their roles.

Industry slams ‘whitewash’ Victoria government report into CFMEU

Employer groups say Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan’s promise to strengthen whistleblower protections and clean up misbehaviour in the building industry ring hollow.

  • Gus McCubbing and David Marin-Guzman
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Buyers of apartments on sites such as this 22-storey, 111 Castlereagh by Cbus project in Sydney have an easier path to make claims in case of defects.

How it just became even better to buy an apartment in NSW

A High Court ruling has made it easier for off-the-plan buyers to sue developers and builders for defects – but only if they live in the largest state.

  • Michael Bleby

Why Gurner gave up alcohol – and what he learnt

The property developer and wellness entrepreneur has rarely had a drink for 18 months. He doesn’t like what he sees from people who are imbibing.

  • Sally Patten and Martin Peralta
The three-storey development includes five luxury apartments (artist impression).

AirTrunk’s Robin Khuda wins battle to build apartments at Palm Beach

The Rich Lister has seen off objections from residents to his plans to develop a series of luxury units next door to Barrenjoey House.

  • Larry Schlesinger
The eye-catching 1 Hotel Melbourne will open on the northern banks of the Yarra River in May.

The 16,000-room hotel boom that is yet to slow

The burst of development over the past four years has two more years to run before it slows, a new forecast shows.

  • Larry Schlesinger
The third stage of the Gold Coast light rail line is causing John Holland problems

John Holland overhauls executive team as projects struggle

John Holland is searching for a new CEO and its major projects boss will leave in January.

  • Jenny Wiggins

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/construction-hqj