Independent commentary examining housing delivery, planning reform, construction, project feasibility and the systems shaping Australia’s built environment.
Fuel volatility is now flowing directly into construction costs, procurement risk and development feasibility. This piece breaks down how rising fuel prices and supply instability are already affecting project margins, delivery decisions and the types of residential projects that can realistically proceed in current conditions.
Rising interest rates and construction costs are changing what projects are viable. A simple guide for first-time developers on understanding feasibility in 2026.
There’s a lot of noise right now about housing. Talk about spare bedrooms and how many homes have an ‘excess’ of these. Talk of downsizing for older Australians so younger families ‘get a go’. And “using what we already have”.
On paper this all sounds logical. In reality however, it is missing the point. Join me as I analyse the problem not just from a data perspective, but from a development, design and real-world delivery lens.
A real dual-occupancy sensitivity analysis showing how small changes in sale prices, construction costs and timelines affect developer margins… Rebecca Lloyd-Jones is a development strategist and founder of Travaux. She works with developers, consultants and investors to navigate the pre-construction phase of residential projects, focusing on feasibility analysis, planning strategy and build-ready decision making.
Over the past few days you may have seen headlines warning that the property market has slipped below a “key benchmark”.
For anyone planning their first development or actively looking for a site, headlines like that can trigger a familiar reaction: Did I miss the window? Is the market about to turn?
Take a breath.
One number moving slightly does not suddenly rewrite the fundamentals of Australia’s housing market. What it does do is give us a small clue about where the market may be heading next.
And interestingly, for thoughtful developers, it may not be bad news at all.
Oil prices are rising due to instability in the Middle East and this flows directly into the bottom line of your development. What you should be doing now to ensure your costs don’t blow out before you pour the slab.
The real issue behind the construction cost escalation headlines is not a cost-spike to deal with temporarily, but a new cost reality moving forward.
Melbourne’s auctions surge, activity-centre maps expand, and Toorak shakes. How to fix housing without repeating the same mistakes.
Domain’s latest Profit and Loss Report confirms what many already know: property remains one of Australia’s strongest wealth-building assets. But while most capitals are enjoying near-record profits, Melbourne’s resale margins are softening. For builders, developers and homeowners, the difference between profit and pain now comes down to smarter planning not market timing.
Victoria’s new VC282 planning amendment fast-tracks single and small second dwellings, but will it solve the housing crisis? This week’s Permit Pending digs into housing targets, Melbourne’s shifting commercial landscape, economic warning signs, and the design solutions we should be building now.
No spam. Just strategic updates, commentary on planning, feasibility, delivery and market conditions.
