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The revelation of a record-breaking prize package has raised the contestants’ stakes, the tempers and the ceilings… almost.

The renovators of the winning guest bedroom will pocket not only the $10,000 weekly prize but up to $120,000 in Gaggenau kitchen appliances. Yep, that’s the biggest prize in Block history.

Building foremen Keith and Dan wasted no time in trying to play on the contestants’ insecurities, telling Luke that his room lacked a “wow” factor and was therefore unlikely to win.

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To rub it in further, they took the father of two for a site visit to Harry and Tash’s to point out how impressive their high ceilings and skylights were compared to their low flat ones.

Shelley Craft and Scott Cam throw cold water on Luke’s plans.

Soon Luke is plotting to lift his ceiling height too until Jasmin returns and urges him to stick to their guns (and traditional ceiling rose) and instead put in a polished plaster feature wall.

Hosts Scott Cam and Shelley Craft, who is also newly qualified as a real estate agent as well as a TV star, pour more cold water on the West Australians’ plans describing them as underwhelming and “so two years ago”.

While their dreams of an impressively appointed kitchen may have been crushed under the weight of their low ceilings and boring styling, the couple said they were no longer looking to win but were pinning their hopes on not coming last.

Another team hoping to avoid last place having already lost the very first challenge were Harry and Tash.

The pair learned that communication is key — especially when it comes to buying door locks. Bizarrely for a bloke who works in IT, Harry proved less than masterful at working the camera on his smart phone, which made a punishing task of Tash’s job as his go between at the door shop.

When Keith pulls that face it never means anything good.

Making matters worse, Tash started to doubt her dad’s work with a tape measure.

With good reason because she discovered there was insufficient space in the room to stand beside the bed and open the wardrobe doors. The only thing they could do to rectify the mistake was to downsize their bed from a queen size to a double.

Keith was the bearer of more bad tidings for George and Sarah, informing the couple that yet again they had made poor judgments about their use of space.

The couple took a huge gamble in dividing their generous-sized bedroom in two so that they could create a small office.

But they were floored when Keith showed them how their cramped floor plan made it virtually impossible to navigate the room comfortably while the cupboard doors were open.

Keith suggested the couple downgrade the bed size from queen to double but Sarah wasn’t having a bar of it.

Harry is allegedly in IT, so why can’t he work out how Facetime operates?

Making matters worse for the couple, a blue broke out over missing screws. Daniel claimed George’s plasterers had pilfered some from his work site.

George wasted no time in laying down the law with his tradies, smilingly threatening to spank anyone who failed to adhere to the rules. He also returned fire on Daniel accusing his people of taking some of his supplies as well.

Daniel, though happy to help George replace some of his missing gear, wasn’t willing to accept he was in any way at fault because he prides himself on running a super tight and orderly ship. Whereas George? Let’s just say he doesn’t show his materials the same reverence he would his beloved Pokemon card collection.

Daniel and Jade are hopeful that an old pendant light they found lying around the dilapidated building will — with a bit of spit and polish — give their room the wow factor needed to secure the kitchen appliances. But will their repurposed trash lead to treasure come judgment day?

MISSED AN EPISODE?

Episode 2 recap: Which Block team got the best house?

Episode 1 recap: The tears start early on The Block 2020

The post The Block 2020 episode 3 recap: Scott and Shelley pour cold water on plaster plans appeared first on realestate.com.au.

Land at 35 Hams Rd, Waurn Ponds, is rezoned and has a planning permit for a residential development.

Waurn Ponds farmland rezoned for a residential development following a protracted planning battle with objectors has been listed for sale.

The 9.4ha property at 35 Hams Road forms part of a larger tract of land bound by existing housing, the Geelong to Warrnambool train line, Baanip Boulevard and the Geelong Road Road and Anglesea Road interchange.

Geelong’s council agreed to rezone the land from farming to residential and approved planning permits to build 214 new house lots over the combined properties.

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Maxwell Collins, Geelong agent Nick Lord said price expectations for the property was around $4.4 million to $4.8 million.

“A developer will look at their costs and see what they can realise from the site and therefore be happy to pay,” he said.

“But we expect there to be some healthy competition.”

Land at 35 Hams Rd, Waurn Ponds, is rezoned and has a planning permit for a residential development.

Mr Lord said the land makes up the eastern component of the development site and holds a planning permit for about 80 house lots.

“There is other ownership next door and they’re still holding their land but they went through the rezone together,” he said.

“The site is well positioned, close to the Waurn Ponds shopping centre and a really good in-fill site for residential development and is now only walking distance to Waurn Ponds train station.”

Waurn Ponds Train Station is a draw for many buyers to the southern suburbs.

Mr Lord said interest for the property has already emerged locally, from Melbourne and interstate.

Offers close September 24.

“A site like this is well positioned for that middle-sized developer with the size of the lots,” he said.

“It’s fairly unique. A lot of land that sells in Geelong is land banking that might be three to 10 years away from development, whereas this site is ready to go.”

Deakin University’s main Waurn Ponds Campus is off Pigdons Road.

The State Government signed off on the rezoning in July.

Geelong’s council agreed to changes to the proposal, including 850sq m minimum lot sizes facing Hams Rd, with no block smaller than 400sq m throughout the development.

Councillors approved the development in March, following support from a planning panel, appointed by state’s planning minister to consider submissions, including 159 objections.

Council officers rejected objector claims the initial development, which had a larger mix of medium-density lots, had the potential to create an enclosed “ghetto”.

The post Waurn Ponds farmland rezoned for houses after planning fight for sale appeared first on realestate.com.au.