Work is underway on the first of 2,300 homes that will form Mirvac’s Gainsborough Greens development. Set on 490 hectares, the Pimpama development will comprise seven villages, including some of the Gold Coast’s last new golf-front land to be released.

Incorporating recreational facilities, as well as retail space the development is expected to take approximately a decade to complete, with a 30-home display village due for completion in late 2011.

With the first of two towers due for completion in August, Mantra has purchased the management rights for Niecon’s iconic Oracle project in Broadbeach.  The two towers will be managed under the group’s luxury Peppers brand – and will become the Gold Coast’s first five star hotel since the completion of Palazzo Versace in 2000.  As part of the deal, the Oracle name will be foregone, and the building will be known as Peppers Broadbeach.

The Gold Coast City Council have received close to 4600 development applications over the past 12 months – including a 20% increase in the number of major Material Change of Use (MCU) code applications over the period.  Council claim that of these 95% were processed within legislative timeframes – as were 85% of MCU impact assessments.

Over past 12 months, 4450 applications were declined.

After over ten years of (still ongoing) development and the creation of over 1000 lots, Delfin are selling the final land release in their master planned Varsity Lakes community.

The last ten lots, at South Bay – the development’s latest precinct will start from $224,000 and range in price from 217 to almost 500sqm.

Following last year’s purchase of a 17ha riverfront development site at Royal Pines, Sunland are beginning earthwork on their latest Gold Coast project.  The site is slated for a revamped marina and market precinct as well as apartments, townhouses and house sites.

A limited number of home sites have already been released and sold briskly, with further releases planned for early 2010.

With the launch of Salacia Waters, Brian Kim, in partnership with Korean construction group Lotte Engineering & Construction have announced the largest new waterfront project in the country (so far) this year.

Set on a 10.8 hectare waterfront parcel, the $650m Paradise Point project will comprise of 470 new apartments and villas, as well as a private marina, shopping and dining precint and residents facilities.

The site, formerly known as ‘Little Beach’ was purchased last year by the developer for around $90m and with civil engineering works already underway, construction is expected to commence shortly.

After changing hands several times in the last 15 years, the 7176sqm site bordered by Marine Pde, Welch & Nind Streets in Southport is finally under construction.

The new development – H20 – will be built by Brisbane-based Philip Usher Constructions and will feature a pair of 23 storey mixed use apartment buildings.  Expected to include 357 residential apartments, as well as retails and commercial space in the two-storey podium, the project is slated for completion late next year.

In an move that reflects the current property market, the developer plans on holding off on sales until the building nears completion.

After months of negotiation and speculation, Brookfield Multiplex have taken over the Surfers Paradise Hilton Hotel & Residences development from Raptis Group.

Construction is expected to recommence shortly, however it is unknown if the project will continue in the exact form that Raptis designed it.  The door has been left open for plan and layout changes to the development, not to mention adjustments in price.

With some apartments priced as high as $14,000/sqm – a figure rarely seen on the beachfront, let alone on a non-beachfront site – there is speculation that a significantly softer property market will not readily accept the project without an adjustment in pricing expectations from the developer.

After several months in limbo, following the financial collapse of Raptis Group, it appears that a deal has been struck with Candian construction company Brookfield Multiplex to complete the Hilton Hotel and Residences Project in central Surfers Paradise.

According to Gold Coast Mayor Ron Clarke, Multiplex are “Set to move straight away”, and contruction is anticipated  restart in the next week or two.

The ANZ Bank, which took control of the project in late 2008 has yet to make an official statement on the status of the project.

After a tumltuous year, which saw the original developer – Raptis Group – go into receivership, Southport Central is finally complete.

The three tower, $700m project is one of Australia’s largest mixed-use developments, and is being given a lot of credit for revitalising the suburb of Southport.

Settlements in the third and final tower will begin on Monday the 20th of April, however whilst the construction is finished, there remains close to 150 apartments (of a total 788) still for sale throughout the project.