IN MY FIRST COLUMN AS UDIA PRESIDENT I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BRIEFLY INTRODUCE MYSELF AND TOUCH ON HOW I VIEW THE IMPORTANT ROLE THE PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT INDUSTRY PLAYS IN MEETING THE LIFESTYLE EXPECTATIONS OF A GROWING AND DIVERSIFYING WEST AUSTRALIAN POPULATION.
Before I delve into that, I would like to thank outgoing President Paul Lakey for the time and commitment he gave the institute during his time at the helm. There is no doubt he has left the organisation in a strong position and I hope to continue that momentum.
In terms of my background, I am Director of Qube Property Group, a WA property development company specialising in land, apartment and commercial development. The diverse nature of Qube’s portfolio provides me with a broad perspective on the development industry which I guarantee will inform some interesting columns!
It is certainly an exciting time to live in Perth as it grows and becomes a truly cosmopolitan city with a mix of housing options both in the CBD as well as new activity centres and reinvigorated established suburbs. The development industry is at the forefront of Perth’s renaissance as innovation drives new frontiers in the way we live, work and recreate. At the end of the day, our job as developers is not just about the land, the house or the apartment, it is about providing lifestyle options that suit a growing diversity of people.
I will be discussing different aspects of innovation that are emerging in the industry from new housing types, apartment configurations through to sustainability in later editions of this column. These issues are not just limited to Perth, with regional WA also home to significant development activity and cutting edge new product.
Of course we also need to address policy issues that influence the future of development, such as the impact that the state government’s Perth and Peel @ 3.5 Million plan may have. While the plan has some merit, there are major underlying assumptions that are likely to restrict innovation and limit land supply.
There is also the imminent release of Strategic Assessment documents that aim to streamline state and federal environmental approvals. While this is a positive step forward, UDIA has concerns regarding the lack of transparency to date and how environmental measures will be funded.
Overall, I look forward to sharing with readers the different aspects of property development that, in the end, are shaping how and where we live well in the future.