Doing business in Australia
The Gadens Doing business in Australia guide provides foreign investors with an overview of the Australian business, economic and regulatory environment, as well as practical advice on how to go about setting up and doing business in Australia. Australia is an ideal investment location for foreign companies looking to grow internationally, benefitting from well-developed infrastructure, […]
ReadmoreDraft statewide housing targets for Victoria – More than 2 million new homes by 2051
Last week, the Victorian Government released their draft statewide housing targets. In an ambitious target, 2,001,000 additional dwellings are proposed to be constructed between now and 2051 across Metropolitan Melbourne – being almost double the number of existing dwellings currently constructed in Metropolitan Melbourne. The Government wants local councils to ‘unlock space for more homes […]
ReadmoreBusy day in Parliament – Victorian Government responds to stamp duty and apartment design standards
On Thursday 21 March 2024, the Victorian Government released its responses to the inquiries in relation to land transfer duty fees and apartment design standards. Key takeaways are provided below. Commercial and Industrial Property Tax The government in its response confirmed its commitment to abolish and replace stamp duty with the Commercial and Industrial Property […]
ReadmoreBuild-to-Rent short series | Subdivisional solutions
The Gadens Build-to-Rent short series will focus on emerging property and development issues that affect Build-to-rent (BTR) projects – covering planning, subdivision structuring, fund through models and management issues. Click through the following links to read each instalment. Build-to-Rent short series | Has the planning scheme caught up? Subdivisional solutions BTR Projects often seek to […]
ReadmoreBuild-to-Rent short series | Has the planning scheme caught up?
The Gadens Build-to-Rent short series will focus on emerging property and development issues that affect Build-to-rent (BTR) projects – covering planning, subdivision structuring, fund-through models and management issues. Click through the following links to read each instalment. Build-to-Rent short series | Subdivisional solutions Has the planning scheme caught up? As BTR projects are increasing in popularity […]
ReadmoreGreening Melbourne: Amendment C376 Melbourne Planning Scheme (Sustainable Building Design Amendment)
The City of Melbourne has set a goal to hit net zero emissions by 2040. Currently, buildings in the Melbourne CBD account for approximately 66% of the City’s total carbon emissions. By comparison, throughout the rest of Victoria, buildings account for approximately 25% of total carbon emissions. What does Amendment C376 propose to do? Amendment […]
ReadmoreUnions seeking to expand into the real estate industry
There has been a recent push in NSW by the United Services Union (USU) and the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA) to expand into the real estate industry – an industry that has traditionally seen low levels of union activities. Spokespersons from both unions have raised concerns about harassment and unsafe practices within […]
ReadmoreEmbedded networks live on as Victorian reform for residential embedded networks slowly takes shape
New embedded networks in residential apartment buildings will be banned from January 2023 unless 100% of electricity is sourced from renewable energy, with at least 5% being sourced from on-site generation. Existing embedded networks in residential sites, including apartment buildings, retirement villages, social housing and residential/caravan parks, will transition to a new regulatory regime, moving through […]
ReadmoreNew priority planning pathways for social and affordable housing development
There is currently a significant affordable housing shortfall in Victoria. Victoria’s Big Housing Build program presents new opportunities for private sector developers to work with Registered Housing Associations to deliver this much needed housing stock. The Gadens Real Estate & Construction Team recently hosted a virtual Boardroom Briefing on the new planning priority pathways for […]
ReadmoreChanges to the Owners Corporations Act – what developers need to know
Developers have an obligation to act honestly, in good faith and with due care and diligence in the best interests of the Owners Corporation created on registration of a plan of subdivision for a development under the Owners Corporations Act 2006 (Vic) (OC Act). There has therefore been a tension between the developer’s obligation to […]
ReadmoreWhat’s that ‘new’ levy on my title?
You may not be aware, but there may be a ‘new’ levy on your title! On 1 July 2020, the Melbourne Strategic Assessment (Environment Mitigation Levy) Act 2020 (Vic) (MSA Act) came into effect. It imposes an obligation to pay a levy prior to certain works being undertaken in specified areas of Melbourne’s growth corridors […]
ReadmoreOff the plan sales and changes to the property
Can the purchaser of an apartment off the plan terminate the contract because the carspace allocated to the lot contained a PWD symbol? Perhaps surprisingly the issue was recently considered by the Supreme Court of New South Wales[1]. The decision provides a useful reminder of the principles which apply to variations between contract and settlement. […]
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