Melbourne office vacancies the nation’s sharpest: Strong demand and economic fundamentals has kept Melbourne’s CBD office vacancy rate the tightest among the capital cities, firming from 3.6% to 3.2% in the six months to January, according to the Property Council of Australia.
Net office demand across the CBD is currently at 70,000sqm, more than double the historical average, and is by some distance the largest in the country.
Melbourne will see around 500,000sqm of new space come online over the next three years.
Richmond attracts second development play from Chinese-backed group: Developer Poly Australia, a subsidiary of Shanghai-listed major China Poly Group, has paid $26 million to acquire its second Richmond property.
The 4,000sqm site at 171 Buckingham Street has a permit for four buildings ranging from three to seven levels, which will have a total of 145 apartments and townhouses, a public garden and 200sqm of retail space. Fronting Burnley Street, it is just metres from Victoria Gardens shopping centre and was purchased from previous occupier, party and events company Harry the Hirer.
Poly Australia also owns a 2,047sqm site in the Richmond Hill precinct that it will use for a high-end townhouse development.
Developer takes former Cotham Private Hospital site: Hamton has acquired the 2,245sqm former site of the Cotham Private Hospital in Kew for a reported figure of about $10 million. The hospital closed in June, and Hamton will look to develop a boutique residential project aimed at owner occupiers.
New office tower set for South Yarra’s Forrest Hill: The City of Stonnington has approved an office tower on the site of 627 Chapel Street, giving the green light to revisions of the initial 24-level, circa-24,000sqm plans submitted by developer Goldfields.
The tower will be positioned within the high-density residential precinct of Forrest Hill, while further down Chapel Street the $500 million redevelopment of the Jam Factory will bring up to 50,000sqm of office space across four buildings to South Yarra.
Student accommodation player takes two CBD sites: Offshore student accommodation developer and fund manager Cedar Pacific has acquired two properties in the north of Melbourne’s CBD. The purchases included a 705sqm site at 21-23 Wills Street for circa $30 million, and the 671sqm site at 301-303 La Trobe Street. Both sites were originally slated for apartment projects.
Cedar Pacific has two student accommodation projects in Melbourne – of 410 beds in North Melbourne and 579 beds in Carlton – set to open this year.