Government charges up to 35 per cent of land cost

Residential land in Sydney’s growth areas in the northwest and southwest top the list of the 10 most costly areas to build, according to an Urbis/HD survey. Federal, state and local government charges and taxes accounted for 34.8 per cent ($198,670) of the cost of a block in the northwest ($57,0240) and 30.6 per cent ($166,481) of a block in the southwest ($544,115). The Australian reported that industry sources said AV Jennings and Australand had pulled out of projects in the southwest because the figures did not stack up.