As a developer who has been one of the biggest contributors to the Sydney housing market for over two decades, it would be easy for ALAND Founder Andrew Hrsto to rest on his laurels.

Founded in 2002 by Hrsto from his kitchen table, <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/developers/aland">ALAND</a> has delivered over 4,000 apartments in the last 22 years, predominantly focused around Sydney’s west, with a further 1,300 currently under construction.

But there’s no slowing down for Hrsto, who remains as hands-on in the business as he was two decades ago when it was just him and a small team of two — who are still part of ALAND today. Now, with over 6,000 apartments in planning and 200 employees across the development and construction sectors, ALAND’s workforce is only expected to grow as the company looks to venture into different market segments.

“First and foremost, our whole company ethos is to look after people,” Hrsto says, referring to both his staff and the buyers of ALAND apartments.

“The obligation is to the buyers, and that has been the foundation of our business from day one. We knew if we did that, then every other element would fall into place.”

Catching up with Andrew recently, he shared a story of a founder who isn’t just “on the tools” metaphorically, but literally. His daily routine involves speaking with local councils, engaging with the community, interacting with apartment buyers, and occasionally donning a hard hat on site.

“We’re a community-focused developer,” Andrew says.

“It was never in our DNA to be anything different. It wouldn’t make sense to us to build something that wasn’t in line with what the community wanted.”

After five years in planning and project management, Hrsto decided to take the leap.

“It was in the late 2000s that we went full end-to-end, handling both development and construction,” Andrew says.

They soon expanded their scope, bringing building management into the fold.

“When we develop, we’re in that building for life,” Andrew adds.

ALAND is well known for delivering more than just buildings — it creates precinct-style communities.

“We started developing multi-stage projects just before COVID, and that allowed us to really plan the whole process. It gave us more room to work with, considering the size of the development site. It enabled us to look beyond just a building and create a community that serves not only our future residents but the whole local area.”

This approach is evident in their multi-stage masterplan for <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/buildings/amber-the-gladstone-village-stage-2-228-pitt-st-merrylands">Gladstone Village</a>, where ALAND is delivering over 1,000 apartments to <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/developments/merrylands-nsw-2160">Merrylands</a>, just outside Parramatta.

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In addition to three buildings offering a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, Gladstone Village features significant public amenities: a large grass park, an outdoor gym, a kids’ playground with a water play zone, a games area with table tennis tables, a life-sized chess board, and barbecue and alfresco facilities. Residents will also have private access to a rooftop pool, yoga lawns, outdoor cinemas, and a private forest walkway with a dedicated pet zone.

“Gladstone Village really typifies what we want to achieve and are continuing to execute in 2025,” Andrew says.

“While we’re building homes for Western Sydney, there’s more to development nowadays. You have to contribute to the wider public, and that’s what we try to do with every masterplan we put our name to.”

Nearby, ALAND will soon launch Queen Square, on its prime&nbsp;gateway site in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.urban.com.au/developments/campbelltown-nsw-2560">Campbelltown</a>.

The abandoned Brands on Sale outlet at 22-32 Queen Street will become a new community with around 558 apartments across five buildings. The two-hectare site will also comprise an Eat Street with retail and hospitality spaces and over 4,000 sqm of publicly accessible space, including a two-level community building with an auditorium, kiosk, and multi-purpose spaces.

<img alt="Queen Square, ALAND" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ca46834e-3f49-4be7-b851-4e1135c0c53b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-01-21%20at%2010.27.09%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=I8Lyc1N5NcWg2vLLZp3yeZaGDQ6EmHv2" />

Many developers stick to what they know, sticking to safer, more familiar paths. Hrsto, however, has a different approach.

In 2022, Andrew and the team stepped out of their comfort zone, acquiring a prime development site in <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/developments/gosford-nsw-2250">Gosford</a>, the gateway suburb to the Central Coast. For a developer that had exclusively focused on Sydney’s western suburbs, this was a significant jump—not just geographically, but also in the execution of a new type of development.

“We were probably biting off more than we could chew,” Andrew jokes.

It’s with tenacity and a willingness to learn that ALAND continues to go from strength to strength.

Andrew explained that they approached the Gosford project somewhat blindly, as the approved plans included a hotel component—an area ALAND hadn’t previously ventured into. But Andrew and his team returned to the company’s core values: if they did right by the buyer and the community, the rest would fall into place.

“Gosford proved to be a really interesting test for us as a business, pushing us to branch out and take on something we hadn’t done before, in a region we hadn’t developed in,” Andrew says.

Fast forward two years from site acquisition, and the two-tower development, <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-apartments/archibald-by-aland-108-donnison-street-gosford">Archibald by ALAND</a>, is nearing completion. With 99 per cent of the apartments already sold, the project is one of the best-selling apartment developments the Central Coast has ever seen.

“We didn’t quite realise how important this building and this site were to the local community,” Andrew says.

“We’ve had locals, who haven’t bought in the building, come up to us and say how transformative this development is for the area and how important it is to the wider community. It’s that kind of feedback that makes you keep going.”

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Archibald by ALAND includes 327 apartments and a 130-room hotel to be run by IHG VOCO, as well as ground-floor hospitality and a rooftop area. During the development and construction phase, Hrsto has also established another new capability for ALAND: an internal hotel management arm.

“A mixed-use hotel and apartment development is now very much something we can run end-to-end, and manage both components of the development well into the future,” Andrew says.

Having seen such success in their first Gosford project, they are now moving ahead with their second: <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-apartments/amalfi-by-aland-50-70-mann-street-gosford">Amalfi by ALAND</a>, on Mann Street, which will feature 506 apartments and 9,530 sqm of retail space.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.urban.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-aland-reveals-latest-gosford-mixed-use-development-amalfi-by-aland">First look: ALAND reveals latest Gosford mixed-use development, Amalfi by ALAND</a>

ALAND is also venturing into the build-to-rent sector. They have acquired the final three buildings in Skyview, the five-tower <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/developments/castle-hill-nsw-2154">Castle Hill</a> development that had been partially completed by the troubled developer, Top Place.

ALAND will now focus on the most advanced building, which is around 80 per cent complete, undertaking remediation works before offering the apartments for rent. They will then shift their attention to the final two buildings, which were little more than holes in the ground at the time of acquisition.

ALAND’s 2025 development pipeline is as robust as ever, with diversified developer planning projects across traditional build-to-sell, build-to-rent, co-living, student accommodation, hotel, and hospitality sectors.

“2025 is shaping up to be a massive year for us,” Andrew says.

“We’re taking on new challenges, pushing the boundaries, diversifying our offering, and delivering projects that set a new standard in the industry. I’m excited to see the hard work of our team come to life, and to continue contributing to the communities we serve.”

ALAND is well known for delivering more than just buildings — it creates precinct-style communities

Joel Robinson

The story behind ALAND, one of Sydney’s most prolific apartment developers

Developer Golden Age has started to welcome buyers to its recently completed Glen Waverley townhouse development, Floret.

<a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-townhouses/floret-glen-waverley-583-ferntree-gully-road-glen-waverley">Floret</a>, 77 townhouse designed by Rothelowman, is Glen Waverley's largest townhouse community. The majority of two and three-level townhouses are spoken for.

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<a href="https://www.urban.com.au/developers/golden-age-group">Golden&nbsp;Age</a>&nbsp;Development Director,&nbsp;Damien Hehir, highlighted the strong market response, noting that Floret delivers what Glen Waverley buyers are looking for.

“These luxury townhomes are in demand as we are catering to what the market and neighbourhood needs," Hehir says.

"Glen Waverley is dominated by family homes, and the success from our completed <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/developments/glen-waverley-vic-3150">Glen Waverley</a> project,&nbsp;Sky Garden, lends to our track record with Floret in providing the neighbourhood with architecturally designed residences, curated for several buyer demographics.”

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Designed by&nbsp;Rothelowman and Aspect Studios, the two and three-level townhomes provide flexible, multi-generational living.&nbsp; Some&nbsp;of&nbsp;the townhomes come with ground-level ensuite bedrooms offering private courtyard access, while the upper floors create a seamless blend&nbsp;of&nbsp;communal and private spaces.

The 1,000 sqm landscaped central park, featuring a walking track, fitness station, children’s play area, and barbecue facilities, is anticipated to be completed by&nbsp;April 2025.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=104680 project_image_fid=207730]

With an entry price&nbsp;of&nbsp;$1.36 million for a four-bedroom townhome, Floret has attracted young families, downsizers, and first-home buyers looking for a premium lifestyle in a prime location. Positioned near Monash University, The Glen Shopping Centre and in close proximity to the upcoming SRL Monash train station, the development offers both convenience and connectivity.

Construction at&nbsp;583 Ferntree Gully Road&nbsp;remains on track, with&nbsp;final completion scheduled for Q2 2025.

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Construction at 583 Ferntree Gully Road remains on track, with final completion scheduled for Q2 2025

Golden Age welcomes buyers to first stage of Floret, Glen Waverley townhouses

The Allan Labor Government is introducing a ‘townhouse code’ that will rapidly approve new home buildings up to three storeys tall, so long as they are appropriate for the community that surrounds them and the residents that will live in them.

Premier Jacinta Allan joined Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny in Brunswick to release the new code, which is all about turbocharging the approval of more duplexes, townhouses and low-rise apartments for workers and young people – especially in established suburbs close to transport, jobs and services.

If a project ticks all the boxes in the townhouse code, it gets a green light and speeds past a complex planning system – with no costly delays, no VCAT limbo, and no unnecessary bureaucracy – delivering more homes, faster.

The status quo system is plagued with delay and uncertainty

Too many people trying to build a home in Victoria face a system that seems designed to say no. The ‘snakes and ladders’ game of obtaining a planning permit is one of the reasons why Victoria still doesn’t have enough homes – with those who do manage to finish the game often spending too much money absorbing its delays.

The average assessment time for a planning permit is 145 days – well over the statutory deadline. There can be constant requests for ‘more information’ throughout the process, plus notice periods. Then there’s appeals: the average time frame at VCAT from lodgement to hearing is 175 days.

This may be appropriate for a large development. But it’s stifling the kind of new, low-rise, good-quality home building that will fit in with all communities and won’t detract from local character.

The townhouse code

The townhouse code sets basic but important standards for good development, like enough setback and tree coverage so a building suits the neighbourhood, and well-sized bedrooms and decent sunlight so it’s a nice place to live. The standards include, but are not limited to:

<ul>
	<li>Neighbourhood character rules like six metre setbacks at the front, and setbacks at the side and rear</li>
	<li>Tree canopy and open space requirements, including protecting trees that are a certain size</li>
	<li>A mix of 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom apartments in projects of a certain size, to support families</li>
	<li>Protection for neighbours from overlooking and overshadowing</li>
	<li>Enough sunlight, storage, room size, ventilation and private open space for residents</li>
	<li>Buildings that are sustainable and energy efficient</li>
</ul>

A planning permit application will have to include all the evidence it meets the code – which is formally called the Townhouse and Low-Rise Code. When an application is submitted, councils will assess if it meets the code.

If the code is met, the application is ‘deemed to comply’. No more assessment is required. It is fast-tracked. Affected neighbours will be notified and can have their say – but there are no third-party appeals at VCAT.

If the code is not met – for example, because of an issue that affects neighbours – then a normal planning process will then apply. The project may still get the green light at the end of that process, but it won’t be on the ‘deemed to comply’ fast-track and third-party appeal rights will be maintained.

If there are additional permit triggers locally such as heritage or flood overlays – or if there’s a two-storey height limit in a zone – an application will have to comply with these rules as well as meeting the code. But the application won’t have to comply with rules that are already standardised by the code, such as setbacks, design and tree cover.

The code will support significant housing supply across Melbourne and regional Victoria. There are some 1.45 million lots in the key residential zones in Melbourne alone.

The code was developed in conjunction with 148 stakeholders and 61 submissions from Victorian councils. It builds on the 14 ResCode standards introduced in 2023. The Government is also developing a code for buildings between four and six storeys – and hasn’t ruled anything in or out for how that code will work.

Until then, the Government is also updating the standards for four-storey apartments to align with those in the new 1- to 3- storey code – however, ‘deemed to comply’ provisions will not apply through this technical update.

The Townhouse and Low-Rise Code will come into effect via an amendment to all planning schemes, subject to gazettal. You’ll be able to lodge an application through this code in April.&nbsp;

A Planning Act from the 80s needs to enter the 2020s

The 606-page Planning and Environment Act 1987 has been criticised as complex, inconsistent and old-fashioned. It is the definition of the status quo. The Government will rewrite it so good homes aren’t blocked by bad process.

The Government pledged to review the Act as part of its landmark Housing Statement. Now the rewrite can begin around clear goals that will get young people and workers into homes, faster – and we will consult with all 79 councils on it. As part of the rewrite, the Government confirms it will look at:

The time and costs associated with structure plans and rezoning, with possible legislative change to replace the current one-size-fits-all planning scheme amendment process

Focusing on further reducing planning permit delays and blockages, including different assessment and approval processes for projects that have a lesser impact.

Premier Jacinta Allan said the townhouse code is "about a system that says yes."

“Homes don’t get built when they’re lost in the snakes and ladders of the planning system – so we’re fixing it," Allan says.

"The status quo isn’t cutting it, and people trying to build homes for young people keep hearing the word ‘no’. The townhouse code is about a system that says yes."

Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny said the code can&nbsp;reduce planning permit assessment times by at least 60 per cent, in addition to the time saved at VCAT.

“We believe in good, comfortable, well-designed homes – that’s why we’re codifying them.”

Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny said the code can reduce planning permit assessment times by at least 60 per cent, in addition to the time saved at VCAT

‘Automatic’ approvals to deliver townhouse revolution across Melbourne

After nearly a decade of transforming the former Peter's Ice Cream Factory site in Brisbane's West End, Sekisui House Australia has&nbsp;unveiled the final opportunity to buy into the thriving West Village community.

They've just finished the display suite for Callista on Park, the last tower to rise in the precinct which has won nearly 60 awards both locally and globally for its dedication to design and lifestyle.

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<a href="https://www.urban.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> has designed <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-apartments/callista-on-park-west-end-111-boundary-street-west-end-qld-4101">Callista on Park</a>, a mix of two, three and four-bedroom apartments across a 14-level building. The plans were rejigged to shift the majority of the building amenity to the roof, giving future Callista residents a rooftop retreat with extensive views of the Brisbane CBD skyline.

The name Callista on Park has European origins. "Callista," meaning "most beautiful" in Greek, honors the West End area's strong Greek community from the 1980s. It signifies "most beautiful" because it represents West Village’s most premium offering. "On Park" reflects its prime location, fronting Mollison Park, a central green space that hosts events such as the annual Brisbane Ice Cream Festival, pizza and pinot evenings, gardening workshops, and fashion events. It is also situated next to the historic Peters Ice Cream building, home to West Village’s popular farmers market.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134800 project_image_fid=330220]

West Village sets the standard and provides a blueprint for developing an urban community in an inner-city area. They started developing the nine-tower project&nbsp;back in 2016.

One of its most prestigious awards since then has been the&nbsp;internationally renowned ULI APAC Award for Excellence which it scooped up in 2022.

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Renowned builder Hutchisons has commenced early works on the Mollison Street site, around the corner from the display suite at 97 Boundary Street.

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West Village final stage revealed as Callista on Park launches to the market

Just three penthouses remain for sale at Consolidated Properties' Monarch Residences in Toowong after a strong run of sales.

Eight of the 11 penthouse apartments have been snapped up in recent months, totalling nearly $50 million in sales alone.

The <a href="https://www.urban.com.au/new-apartments/monarch-residences-toowong-600-coronation-drive-toowong">Monarch Residences</a> Penthouse Collection feature elevated 3.2m ceilings, expansive views of the Brisbane River and city skyline, and an abundance of natural light. Each penthouse features unique floorplans with premium finishes like Herringbone oak floors, bespoke joinery, Dolce Vita quartzite benchtops and European-designed appliances.

Befitting its riverfront location, one of the final penthouses for sale is the last remaining 295 sqm River Home. The River Home boasts penthouse finishes and is positioned on the ground floor offering a leafy outlook at the river’s edge.

The additional two penthouses are the last remaining top-floor residences available. Both penthouses feature three bedrooms, a multi-purpose room, and three car spaces.&nbsp;

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Colliers Director of Residential for Queensland, Andrew Scriven says the demand for Monarch’s top floors and unique River Homes has been incredibly strong, and the remaining penthouses will sell quickly.

"Since coming onto the market, the demand for these once-in-a-lifetime ultra-premium penthouse homes has been incredible," Scriven said.

"We’re continuing to see enquiry from local buyers as well as from out-of-state buyers. The level of interest in these homes speaks to the calibre and design of the Penthouse Collection."

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The average purchase price of the penthouses has been $5.85 million.&nbsp;The purchasers include a mix of Brisbane-based downsizers and families.

Consolidated Properties Group CEO and chairman Don O’Rorke says the development team’s vision was to deliver a super-premium residential project worthy of its unique north-facing location on the Brisbane River.

“The Monarch Residences penthouses offer unparalleled views, elegant design, and the kind of luxury living rarely seen in Brisbane,” O’Rorke said.

“Every apartment in the buildings is beautiful and in a class of its own – but with the penthouses, we’ve created a very small, exclusive set of residences that elevate themselves into a new class.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=113455 project_image_fid=211496]

Monarch Residences comprises a total of 224 apartments across two 15-level towers. It sits on a prime 1.2-hectare site with 130m-plus of north-facing direct river frontage with views from St Lucia to Mt Coot-Tha.

Residents at Monarch Residences will have direct access to the historic heritage-listed Middenbury House, which sits on the site and is currently being restored and refurbished.

Monarch Residences is currently under construction with Hutchinson Builders. Anticipated move-in for owners is by the end of 2025.

There are less than 10 residences and penthouses for sale, with a starting price for three-to-four bedroom riverfront residences from $4.4 million.

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Consolidated Properties Group CEO and chairman Don O’Rorke says the development team’s vision was to deliver a super-premium residential project worthy of its unique north-facing location on the Brisbane River.

PrefabAUS Conference - Day 2

Alastair Taylor

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