Property

The WA Commission for Occupational Safety and Health is proposing a tightening of regulations concerning the removal of asbestos by lowering the amount of asbestos that can be removed from a site without a licence.

The City of Mandurah has delivered a record capital works budget of $29.2 million for 2006-07, out of a total budget of $75 million, to fund an unprecedented level of building activity in the growing region.

Aspen Group has joined the chorus of listed property investment and funds management groups to post strong profit results, this week announcing its net profit increased 248 per cent this financial year to $34.5 million.

Executives from Melbourne-based Cbus Property, which is short-listed for the 140 William Street development, made the most of a recent whirlwind trip west by meeting with consortium stakeholders and gauging potential opportunities in the Perth market.

The Building and Construction Industry Training Fund is considering a boost to its industry levy to keep apprentices and trainees in jobs, following a forecast 9 per cent drop in housing approvals this financial year.

The burgeoning commercial and retail area of Myaree is fast becoming an attractive proposition for developers, with boutique residential property developer Match choosing it as the location for its first foray into commercial projects.

Norma Road in Myaree is set for a significant change if the City of Melville’s proposed re-zoning for the area is given the go ahead by the Western Australian Planning Commission.

Satterley Property Group is looking at its next big Busselton development, earmarking 260 hectares adjacent to the region’s airport for a mixed use project.

Developers are making moves in the laid-back fishing town of Lancelin in the lead up to the state government’s planned extension of the coast road between Lancelin and Cervantes, scheduled to begin next year.

A former Wesfarmers Premier Coal mine near Collie will reportedly be the first in Australia to be rehabilitated and transformed into a freshwater lake and premiere recreation area.

Personal space may start to become an uncomfortable issue in some workplaces amid the city’s ongoing office market squeeze.

Landowners in the South West with property lying in the path of the Water Corporation’s proposed 110-kilometre Yarragadee water pipeline received notice this month of the corporation’s intention to clear a 20-metre wide corridor through paddocks.

Perth’s industrial sales agents are being forced to ride out a land supply shortage across the metropolitan area as several factors combine to put further pressure on already diminishing stocks of three- and four hectare lots.

Building activity in Western Australia continues to build momentum according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics figures, which show the total value of building work in WA grew for the 10th consecutive quarter in March 2006.

As Peet Limited approaches its second year as a listed company, the move to join the Australian Stock Exchange has coincided with a buoyant market.

The City of Perth has released a new inner-city residential design policy it hopes will reduce the number of noise complaints from residents, improve privacy and security, and limit development impact on heritage areas.

Amid one of Western Australia’s hottest real estate markets in almost two decades, and with coastal property a major driver, several short-stay apartment investments are being promoted in the South West.

The development of a golf course resort town north-west of Kalgoorlie-Boulder is attracting investors and providing a boost for longer-term tourism plans for the region.

Time-share operator, Accor Premiere Vacation Club, has paid $11 million for 59 apartments at Busselton Bungalows, which it will re-brand as a Grand Mercure Resort.

A changing of the guard is under way at prominent CBD agency Burgess Rawson, with founding partner and joint managing director Geoff Potter stepping down from the position he has held for 21 years and handing over the reins to fellow joint managing direct

The cities of Armadale and Gosnells, and the Serpentine-Jarrahdale shire have joined forces to help residents of older, existing homes, retrofit their properties to save energy and water.

Perth’s property sector has achieved solid sales in all major markets during the past financial year, backed by a strong state resource sector and greater investor confidence.

New home starts in Western Australia were up by 7 per cent in the March quarter, up more than 13 per cent from the same quarter last year, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The reputation of the near-city suburb of Maylands is clearly changing as young professional singles and couples look to secure affordable one- and two-bedroom apartments in the burgeoning riverside area.

The Cockburn coast, south of Fremantle, is first on the list to undergo major urban renewal as soon as legislation for a new redevelopment authority is passed, the state government has confirmed.

The Westpoint property sell-off continues with agents Burgess Rawson releasing a second portfolio of properties onto the market, including 10 strata-title units at the Warwick Entertainment Centre.

Multiplex founder and construction pioneer John Roberts, one of the giants of Western Australian industry, passed away last week at age of 73 after succumbing to a long illness.

Finding space for a car in the city is becoming as much of a challenge as finding office space, as demand outweighs supply in both public and office car parks.

After three decades in Subiaco, the Real Estate Institute of WA is considering a move through what it hopes will be a partnership with a developer.

Visitors to Western Australia won’t be short of a place to stay, thanks to a host of hotels and resorts in the planning stages or preparing to open around the state.

The federal and state members for Fremantle, Carmen Lawrence and Jim McGinty respectively, have met with Fremantle Mayor Peter Tagliaferri to explore possible alternatives to the proposed $200 million Victoria Quay redevelopment on Fremantle Harbour.

Forget Mt Buller, Perisher or even Queenstown in New Zealand, a pair of local entrepreneurs wants to put Perth in the mix of winter sports destinations.