ResidentialStaff WriterTue 12 May 26
Melbourne’s Residential Market Unpacked: Inside the Final Summit in our Series
Melbourne’s residential development market continues to navigate a period defined by feasibility pressure, planning complexity and shifting buyer sentiment.
Next week’s Residential Developer Summit at Glasshouse on Olympic Boulevard will bring together the industry leaders shaping what comes next.
To be held on Thursday, May 21, the Melbourne leg of the summit series is the final event in the national program, delivering a full day of market insight.
From apartment feasibility and greenfield growth through to planning reform, construction costs and data-driven acquisition strategies, the program has been curated around the real challenges and opportunities currently impacting project delivery.
The day opens with The House View featuring Richard Temlett from Charter Keck Cramer, who will provide a national outlook on supply and demand dynamics across apartment and greenfield markets, framing where Melbourne fits within the broader residential cycle.
Attention then turns to the apartment market with Apartments in Focus, moderated by The Urban Developer founder and chief executive Adam Di Marco and featuring Andrew Hansen and Andrew Leoncelli. The discussion will unpack how developers are navigating current market pressures and where opportunity may be emerging.
Greenfield development takes centre stage in New Communities in Focus, bringing together Penny Dabner, Khurram Saeed and Mark Cleveland to examine affordability pressures, infrastructure bottlenecks and the evolving dynamics around new land supply.
A series of Expert Briefings will then deliver practical, data-driven insight into the major factors influencing residential feasibility and delivery.
Mark Naughton and Paul Little from Planning and Property Partners will present Planning Policy Changes: 2026 & Beyond, outlining the reforms and policy shifts impacting development approvals and project timelines across Victoria.
Yew Zhi Tan from Mitchell Brandtman will deliver Construction Forecasting Benchmarks, covering construction pricing, procurement conditions and productivity trends affecting new residential projects.
Tim Hyland from RPM will present Development Sites: Data-Driven Acquisition Strategies, exploring how developers are using market intelligence and historical performance data to identify opportunity and guide acquisition decisions.
The program then shifts to real-time delivery insights with On-the-Ground Perspectives, featuring Anne Jolic, Rotem Rotenberg, David Stone and Julian White.
The panel will connect perspectives across government, construction, lending and transactions—providing a candid look at the realities of getting projects financed, approved and delivered in today’s environment.
Design and innovation will also feature prominently throughout the afternoon sessions.
Dom Cerantonio will present Designing for Yield Without Compromise, exploring how architecture can maximise density while maintaining livability, amenity and market appeal.
Mark Bernberg will unpack the growing role of AI in development during The New Advantage in Development isn’t Location, it’s Intelligence, demonstrating how technology is beginning to influence feasibility, acquisition and project delivery across the sector.
The day concludes with a headline In Conversation session featuring ID_Corp founder and managing director Matthew Belford, offering a personal and professional perspective on leadership, development cycles and navigating growth through changing market conditions.
As the final event in The Urban Developer Residential Developer Summit Series for 2026, Melbourne is the final opportunity to hear directly from the developers, advisors and decision-makers shaping residential development in 2026.
Tickets are limited.
Register now to secure your place at Glasshouse, Olympic Boulevard on May 21.
