NEW buildings are putting a spoke in the wheels of inner-city drivers. In Melbourne's CBD and neighbouring suburbs more apartments are being developed with fewer - or no - car spaces. Instead, inner-city residents are being offered bicycle parking or shared car spaces.

Body corporate arcs up over use of communal electricity. A Canadian Chevrolet Volt owner has sparked outrage in his apartment block because he is leeching electricity for the car at the other residents’ expense.

ACT has radically overhauled its strata legislation, especially in relation to sustainability retrofits. Now the NSW Government is undertaking its own review.

The New South Wales Government will commence a comprehensive review of NSW strata and community title laws from mid 2012.

Anyone interested in making comments, raising specific issues or suggesting possible solutions can participate in an online consultation hosted by public policy think tank Global Access Partners. The online forum is open until 29 February 2012. For more details go to www.openforum.com.au/strata.

NSW Fair Trading has issued a safety alert following a Coroner’s report into the death of a young security guard who died from carbon monoxide poisoning from an enclosed gas pool heater in a strata unit block.