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I'm a Property Development Analyst based in Melbourne. I spend my time thinking about property and finance, building things on the internet, and occasionally writing about what I learn.
I care a lot about the impact my work has on everyday Australians and try to bring that into everything I work on.
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Thesis
The Shift in Preference of the Type of Property Held by the Retail Industry
BUIL1306 · RMIT
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Melbourne-Based Development Feasibility Studies
Feasibility studies for property development sites across Melbourne — assessing site potential, planning constraints, costs, and projected returns to determine whether a development stacks up.
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Thesis · Summary
The Shift in Preference of the Type of Property Held by the Retail Industry
Ayoub Tamiru · BUIL1306, RMIT University · Supervisor: Hyemi Hwang
What this thesis is about
Australia's retail landscape is moving away from the enclosed shopping centres and suburban malls that dominated for decades, toward alternative formats: high-street precincts, roadside stores, pop-up shops, and mixed-use developments that weave retail into residential and recreational life. This thesis examines why that shift is happening, and how consumer behaviour, urban development patterns, and government policy intersect to drive it.
Today's consumers want more than transactional convenience — they're looking for experiential, accessible, and personalised shopping environments.
The problem
The central issue is a misalignment between traditional retail development models and contemporary consumer expectations. Shopping centres were once the pinnacle of retail efficiency, but are increasingly seen as outdated and disconnected from how people actually live and shop. Meanwhile, many retailers, developers, and planners still operate under legacy assumptions that favour conventional formats — producing underperforming retail assets and missed opportunities. Government incentives intended to stimulate retail development are not always aligned with real consumer demand, raising questions about their long-term effectiveness.
Key themes from the literature
Experiential retail. Shopping is extending beyond transactions into entertainment, dining, and social engagement. Shopping centres are evolving into lifestyle destinations, while high-street retail — with its independent tenants, outdoor ambience, and community character — is often better positioned to deliver authenticity.
Mixed-use development and localisation. Developments combining retail with residential, office, and public space are gaining momentum across Australian cities, aligned with planning concepts like the "15-minute city." The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a shift toward shopping locally, with consumers increasingly prioritising convenience and proximity over brand loyalty.
The changing consumer. Australian shoppers have become more value-conscious, convenience-driven, and digitally engaged. Retailers have responded with omnichannel strategies, data-driven personalisation, and sustainability initiatives — though research shows a persistent gap between consumers' stated values and their actual price-sensitive purchasing behaviour.
Government policy. Programs like the Growing Regions Program and the Industry Growth Centres Initiative aim to incentivise retail development in growth areas. But a gap exists between policy intention and on-the-ground reality: restrictive zoning, fragmented planning systems, infrastructure shortfalls, and limited community consultation can blunt the impact of well-meaning incentives.
Theoretical lenses
The research draws on Central Place Theory (Christaller) to explain how retail hubs form hierarchically across urban space; Urban Resilience Theory to frame the value of diverse, integrated retail environments; the Technology Acceptance Model to understand digital retail adoption; and Public Choice Theory as a critical lens on whether government interventions follow market logic or political agendas.
Methodology
The study takes a qualitative, exploratory, cross-sectional approach focused on inner and middle-ring Melbourne. Three Victorian local government areas serve as contrasting case contexts: Whitehorse City Council (suburban), the City of Port Phillip (coastal inner-urban), and the City of Stonnington (high-density lifestyle precincts). The research relies primarily on secondary sources — academic literature, industry reports, and policy documents — and acknowledges limitations including the absence of direct stakeholder interviews and a single point-in-time view.
Why it matters
Bridging academic theory with industry practice, the thesis aims to give retailers, developers, and policymakers a more strategic and responsive framework for retail development — one grounded in how consumer preferences are actually changing, and honest about where policy currently falls short of practice.
