Client story

Delivering Australia’s first build-to-rent housing scheme

Investment manager UBS Grocon delivered Australia's first major institutional-grade rental housing project on the site of the former Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Athletes' Village, laying the blueprint for future city living.

The former Athletes' Village of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games (GC2018) was the biggest Commonwealth Games village ever, incorporating seven hectares of residential and retail precincts and another seven hectares of parklands and open space. Since the conclusion of the games, it has become the most significant urban transformation project on the Gold Coast, with UBS Asset Management's real estate business in Australia, UBS Grocon, managing the site as Australia's first ever large-scale build-to-rent housing scheme, known as The Smith Collective.

We were appointed to perform the leasing as well as property and facilities management services for the site, which incorporates 1,250 apartments to be offered for long-term rental.

We’re pioneering global best practice in Australia

Prior to The Smith Collective, large-scale build to rent housing has eluded the Australian market and so we have drawn on our global expertise, particularly from the UK where there is a fledgling build-to-rent sector, to deliver a service that will effectively lay the blueprint for future city living in Australia.

Our specialists in placemaking, project delivery, residential leasing, fit-out, marketing and property management have rallied to deliver a neighbourhood that supports our client’s ambition, as well as that of the Queensland government, which has earmarked the surrounding land for development as the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct.

Our residential lettings team has embarked on an education campaign to reinforce to prospective tenants how this pioneering long-term rental scheme offers something refreshingly different from anything else in Australia.

Meanwhile, our placemaking and marketing specialists have ensured this is a neighbourhood characterised by personalised services, exciting activities for residents and the community and marked with quirky, personality driven details.

Putting sustainability front and centre

This over-achieving, multi award-winning development is a pilot project for the Green Star Communities sustainability rating tool, and has achieved full marks in the areas of ecosystems, waste management, energy, materials and community. Through the duration of our management, we have been able to consult our in-house sustainability team to maintain these standards.

The way build-to-rent assets are managed is critical to their success, particularly for tenancy renewals. Using our superior resources, we are excited to take this project forward with UBS Grocon to the next stage, taking a community of residents, tenants and visitors with us on an exciting journey of creating Australian real estate history.

Want more? Talk to the team