DWINDLING SUPPLY WILL DRIVE PREMIUM CBD RENTS
Sydney faces a shortage of new premium office developments, with Knight Frank research forecasting rental growth of 5% per year as demand outstrips supply.
< 1 min
Sydney’s CBD is heading into a period of historically low new office supply, with just three major premium developments over 25,000 square metres due by 2029, according to new Knight Frank research.
Of the 163,000 square metres set to be delivered, 65 per cent is already pre-committed, leaving only one per cent of total CBD stock available for lease until 2027. No new projects are currently slated for 2028-29.
Knight Frank Associate Director, Research & Consulting, Marco Mascitelli, said premium-grade space continued to outperform the wider market.
“Since 2018 there has been an average pre-practical completion commitment rate of 87% across all new developments, which have totalled 481,000 across 13 schemes,” Mascitelli said.
“Over the past 18 months, 170,000 square metres of newly developed premium grade office space has been delivered…all have been successfully leased, achieving an average commitment rate of 90%.”
National Head of Leasing Andrea Roberts said the market was tightening rapidly.
“Tenants continue to prioritise centrally located assets with market-leading amenity, and in time this will expose a supply shortfall at the top end of market which will drive rapid rental growth,” she said.
“As a result of the looming supply shortfall, occupiers seeking premium space within the 2026 to 2028 window need to act swiftly to secure their preferred option.”
Knight Frank forecasts average rental growth of around five per cent a year for Sydney’s premium assets, with incentive levels expected to fall below those offered across the wider market.
Records keep falling in 2025 as harbourfront, beachfront and blue-chip estates crowd the top of the market.
A divide has opened in the tech job market between those with artificial-intelligence skills and everyone else.
The developer’s most ambitious Brisbane tower to date will anchor new era of riverfront living.
2 min
Mosaic Property Group has made its long-anticipated move into South Brisbane, acquiring a $30 million north-facing riverfront site at 91 Montague Road for what will become its largest project to date, with Stage 1 expected to carry an end value of around $500 million.
The 4,282-square-metre parcel, purchased from the Schiavello Group through Knight Frank’s Christian Sandstrom, commands 35 metres of uninterrupted Brisbane River frontage and sits in the city’s cultural heart, with access to West End and the CBD.
The site adjoins a precinct earmarked for new parkland, housing, and cultural infrastructure, putting the development at the centre of Brisbane’s next wave of riverside regeneration.
Mosaic has begun concept planning with Bureau Proberts for a luxury, owner-occupier-focused tower consistent with its flagship projects across South-East Queensland.
Founder and Managing Director Brook Monahan said the acquisition represented a pivotal step in the company’s growth and its evolution as a leader in the luxury residential market.
“This is one of the most extraordinary opportunities we have ever secured — a once-in-a-generation riverfront site that gives us the platform to deliver something truly transformative for Brisbane,” Monahan said.
He added that Mosaic’s vertically integrated model and disciplined site-selection strategy had been key to maintaining momentum despite industry headwinds.
“Escalating costs, tighter finance, planning complexity and labour shortages are causing many projects to stall or be shelved. Mosaic’s vertically integrated model and disciplined approach — targeting only the most exceptional locations where people genuinely want to live — has enabled us to continue bringing projects to life.”
Founded in 2004 and rebranded in 2012, Mosaic has completed more than 70 projects worth over $2 billion and has another $2 billion pipeline secured. This year alone, the group has delivered five luxury developments totalling $580 million and currently has six active construction sites worth $1.35 billion.
Monahan said Mosaic’s philosophy remained customer-first. “We had to learn to crawl before we could walk — steadily building capability, growing our people, refining our model, investing heavily in our business, and deepening our understanding of what customers truly value.”
The South Brisbane project is scheduled for release in early 2026.
Ophora Tallawong has launched its final release of quality apartments priced under $700,000.
A bold new era for Australian luxury: MAISON de SABRÉ launches The Palais, a flagship handbag eight years in the making.
