THE $2 billion redevelopment of Broadway's former Carlton & United Brewery site, in Sydney, will begin "immediately".

The NSW Planning Department approved the project, Central Park, which spreads 5.8 hectares and will include apartments, commercial and a retail precinct.

Frasers Property Australia, headed by Singapore property developer Stanley Quek, paid $208 million for the site in July 2007, spending the subsequent 18 months getting concept plans approved.

The GPT Group is pleased to announce workplace6, an 18,000 sqm waterfront office complex in Pyrmont, Sydney, currently being developed by the Group in conjunction with the Citta Property Group, has been awarded the first 6 Star Green Star – Office Design v2 Certified Rating by the Green Building Council of Australia.

Residential rental vacancy rates have averaged an all-time low of 1.9% across Australia for the past two and a half years, according to data published today in the Mortgage Choice/REIA Real Estate Market Facts report, September quarter edition.

This compares with a 20-year average of 3.6%. The industry benchmarks anything below a 3.0% vacancy rate as indicative of an undersupply of rental accommodation.