New home approvals slow for fourth month

Original article by Michael Bleby
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 32 : 5-Apr-16

New figures show that a total of 232,194 new dwellings were approved across Australia in the year to February 2016, compared with 234,002 in the year to January. A total of 115,115 apartments, townhouses and semi-detached dwellings were approved in the year to February, after peaking at 120,953 in the year to October 2015.

CORPORATES
HOUSING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION LIMITED

Lend Lease bets big on urban renewal

Original article by Turi Condon
The Australian – Page: 26 : 18-Feb-16

Lend Lease Group has posted a 2015-16 interim net profit of $A353.8m, which is 12 per cent higher than previously. The property developer’s residential pre-sales rose by 49 per cent to $A5.4bn, and funds under management increased by 26 per cent to $A22bn. CFO Tony Lombardo will succeed Rod Leaver as the CEO of Lend Lease’s Asian business, and Tarun Gupta will take on the role of CFO. Lend Lease shares rose by $A0.57 to $A12.84 on 17 February 2016.

CORPORATES
LEND LEASE GROUP LIMITED – ASX LLC, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA

Mirvac points to issues across both sectors

Original article by Matthew Cranston
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 33 : 12-Feb-16

Mirvac Group has posted a 2015-16 interim net profit of $A472.7m, which is 69 per cent higher than previously. The result was bolstered by a $A289.3m rise in the value of the group’s portfolio of investment properties. Mirvac still expects to pay a full-year distribution of between $A0.097 and $A0.099 per stapled security. Meanwhile, CEO Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz forecasts that growth in residential property prices will slow and sales volumes will fall.

CORPORATES
MIRVAC GROUP – ASX MGR, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, FOLKESTONE MAXIM ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED

Building sector wants more women leaders

Original article by Michael Bleby
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 39 : 9-Feb-16

Australian companies are taking steps to reduce gender imbalance among their staff. Buildcorp has hired a number of women with a non-building industry background. Buildcorp principal Josephine Sukkar says there are now three women among 33 mid-level project managers and engineers. The Property Male Champions of Change program is meant to facilitate the entry of women into the sector.

CORPORATES
BUILDCORP COMMERCIAL PTY LTD, ERNST AND YOUNG, STOCKLAND – ASX SGP, SCENTRE GROUP – ASX SCG, DEXUS PROPERTY GROUP – ASX DXS, GPT GROUP – ASX GPT

CIMIC in $256m hostile bid for Sedgman

Original article by Jenny Wiggins
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 14-Jan-16

Australian-listed CIMIC Group is seeking full ownership of engineering firm Sedgman, in which it holds a 37 per cent stake. Sedgman’s shares closed at $A0.79 on 13 January 2016, compared with CIMIC’s cash offer of $A1.07 per share. Sedgman will commission an independent expert’s report before making a recommendation to shareholders regarding the bid. CIMIC launched the bid after Sedgman rejected a number of requests, which included a second board representative.

CORPORATES
CIMIC GROUP LIMITED – ASX CIM, SEDGMAN LIMITED – ASX SDM, GRUPO ACS, HOCHTIEF AG, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, BARMINCO PTY LTD, AUSDRILL LIMITED – ASX ASL, MORGANS FINANCIAL LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. FOREIGN INVESTMENT REVIEW BOARD, DEVINE LIMITED – ASX DVN

Chinese developers spend $56m on Melbourne sites

Original article by Larry Schlesinger
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 31 : 6-Jan-16

Three residential development sites in Melbourne were sold to Chinese developers during the Christmas 2015 holiday period. The transactions included the sale of a 6,000sq m site in the suburb of Oakleigh for $A28m, while an office building in South Melbourne fetched about $A15m and a two-storey office building in St Kilda Road was sold for $A13.7m. At least 800 apartments are expected to be developed on the three sites.

CORPORATES
CBRE PTY LTD, VIAPAC AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, GUANGDONG CARRINGTON REAL ESTATE GROUP, YONG HALL PTY LTD, SPACIOUS GROUP

Apartment plan raises fears for Skipping Girl sign

Original article by Lucy Battersby
The Age – Page: 5 : 5-Jan-16

Salta Properties is seeking council approval for an apartment project at 647 Victoria Street in the inner Melbourne suburb of Abbotsford. There are concerns that the proposed apartment tower will adversely affect views of the iconic Skipping Girl Vinegar sign, which has been a local landmark for decades. Salta MD Sam Tarascio argues that previous buildings on the site had a greater impact on views of the neon sign.

CORPORATES
SALTA PROPERTIES PTY LTD, CITY OF YARRA, COLLINGWOOD HISTORICAL SOCIETY, NATIONAL TRUST OF AUSTRALIA (VICTORIA), AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL

Construction outlook good says HIA

Original article by Michael Bleby
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 32 : 24-Nov-15

A new report from the Housing Industry Association forecasts that total dwelling starts across Australia will exceed 200,000 in 2015-16. Chief economist Harley Dale says the residential construction market is set to remain buoyant for the next 12-18 months. Dale expects further growth in New South Wales housing starts in 2015, followed by a downturn in the following two years, while housing starts are tipped to fall in Victoria in the current year and the next two years.

CORPORATES
HOUSING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION LIMITED

Cbus, Brookfield team up in $150m apartment plan

Original article by Nick Lenaghan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 33 : 23-Nov-15

Cbus Property and Brookfield Property Partners will undertake two upmarket apartment projects in the inner-city suburb of East Melbourne. The projects comprise an 11-storey apartment building at 178 Wellington Parade and the conversion of Mosspennoch House at 22 Clarendon Street into six apartments. A seven-storey apartment building will also be developed on the latter site.

CORPORATES
CBUS PROPERTY PTY LTD, BROOKFIELD PROPERTY PARTNERS LP, ACCOR ASIA PACIFIC, PULLMAN ON THE PARK, BATES SMART ARCHITECTS PTY LTD, THAKRAL HOLDINGS GROUP, HILTON HOTELS CORPORATION

Perth housing mogul tops BRW young rich

Original article by John Stensholt
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 30-Oct-15

Blackburne Property Group founder Paul Blackburne is ranked third on the 2015 "BRW” Young Rich List, with estimated wealth of $A536m. The residential property developer had capitalised on the global financial crisis to buy development sites in Perth, and now undertakes around four apartment projects each year. The 2015 list features 10 property industry players, whose average wealth is $A191m.

CORPORATES
BLACKBURNE PROPERTY GROUP PTY LTD