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Australian housing is overvalued, Shane Oliver, head of investment strategy and chief economist, AMP Capital, has long maintained.
But he doesn’t think it’s a bubble yet. However the acceleration in price gains means the risks are rising.
"Whilst real house price weakness through 2010 to 2012 saw this diminish, the problem has returned again with a vengeance," <a href="https://www.smsfadviseronline.com.au/columns/item/237-pointing-the-finger-over-high-housing-prices" target="_blank">he wrote on the SMSF Adviser website</a>.
Noting real house prices are 13% above their long-term trend and the ratio of house prices to income in Australia is 21% above its long-term average, he suggests Australia sits at the higher end of OECD countries.
"On the basis of the ratio of house prices to rents, adjusted for inflation relative to its long-term average, Australian housing is 27% overvalued."
Oliver suggests Australian house prices meet the overvaluation criteria for a bubble; but other criteria are less clear.
"Credit growth is a long way from bubble territory.
"Over the year to February, housing related credit grew 5.8%.
"This is up from recent lows, with 7.6% growth in credit for investors leading the charge but pretty tame compared to 2003/2004 when housing-related credit growth was running at 20% plus and 30% for investors.
"Related to this, we have yet to see much deterioration in bank lending standards.
"Similarly, the self-perpetuating exuberance that accompanies bubbles seems mostly absent at present."
Oliver points to four factors:
<ol>
<li>House price strength is not broad-based. Prices in Sydney (plus 15.6% year-on-year) and Melbourne (plus 11.6% year-on-year) are very strong, yet in every other capital city they are up 5% or less;</li>
<li>There has been only one year of strong gains, whereas the surge into 2003 ran for seven years;</li>
<li>Australian’s don’t seem to be using their houses as ATMs at present (i.e. where mortgages are drawn down to fund consumer purchases and holidays); and</li>
<li>We have yet to see property spruikers out in a big way.</li>
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Overvalued housing price problem returns with vengeance: AMP Capital's Shane Oliver

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Fairfax Media’s Domain Group property division will launch a new digital real estate marketing business in South Australia.
Designed to take on the dominant realestate.com.au, the new venture will be a 50/50 venture between Fairfax and an as yet undisclosed group of South Australian real estate agents.
SA agents are being invited to register for shares in the new business, based on an assessment of advertising spend with the business.
The model is similar to the Melbourne real estate magazine and digital group, Metro Media Publishing, which was founded by Domain chief executive Antony Catalano in partnership with local estate agents with half-ownership by Fairfax.
“Building on the significant success that Fairfax has enjoyed with this approach in Victoria, the intention is to roll out this model in South Australia,” Catalano said in a letter to South Australian real estate agents referred to in a Fairfax Media report.
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Domain Group to beef up South Australian presence

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The Boyd Baker House, one of the most important Robin Boyd-designed homes, was passed in at $1.21 million when auctioned on the weekend.
Only ever having two owners in 50 years, The Boyd Baker House was commissioned by mathematician and academic, Dr Baker and completed in 1965.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-long+forest-117629831" target="_blank">The auction</a> was conducted by Jellis Craig Bennison Mackinnon agent Andrew Macmillan in conjunction with Kay &amp; Burton agent Alex Schiavo.
Bidding on the Boyd Baker House had been expected to start from $1.3 million and for the neighbouring late 1970s Dower House (with Grounds library) from $500,000, but it was not auctioned as it will be offered to the buyer of the main house.
The Boyd Baker House has been featured in Wallpaper magazine.
Armadale lawyer Peter Mitrakas, a Boyd fanatic, bought the house eight years ago for around $1.11 million.
The mid-century modernist heritage listed property is located on 7.7 hectares on a large scrubby bush block surrounded by the Long Forest Conservation Reserve.
The 1966 Long Forest Road house bears Boyd signatures internal courtyard and local stone finishes. Highly geometric in its form, it is a square building with small central pond.
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Modernist Boyd Baker, Bacchus March property passed in

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The recent House Rules contestants Ryan Pusic and former partner Candy Stuart secured a bullish $590,000 when they sold the Emu Plains house they renovated on the hit Channel 7 show.
It represented a $190,000 subsidised flip success.
Selling agent Paul Wallace at Property Central Penrith told Property Observer that he had issued 15 contracts pre-auction.
There were eight registered bidders with around four getting in a bid at the weekend auction.
45 Gough Street had been listed with $499,950 plus price guidance for its August 30 on site auction which was attended by a crowd of 250, including the two vendors.
Ryan Pusic said it closed a chapter in the now separated couple’s lives.
He plans to stay in the Penrith region.
Since the show ended, the entire house had been rendered along with a fresh paint job.
The property is on a 626 square metre block.
<img src="/images/2014/08/08/house%20rules.jpg" alt="">
Above: Candy and Ryan's unrenovated home in 2013. 
Candy and Ryan purchased the home for $400,000 in August 2013.
The suburb, <a href="/news">according to RP Data</a>, comes with a median house price of $471,000, up from $437,000 when the couple made their purchase.
The neighbouring four bedroom 1970s house fetched $500,000, in the street's most recent comparable in 2012, then put up for rent at $530 a week.
Property Observer understands that contestant couples are contracted not to immediately sell their renovated home post-production, other than in circumstances deemed appropriate by Channel 7.
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House Rules' Candy and Ryan secure $190,000 Emu Plains sale flip success

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Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke has yet to sell his Lilli Pilli house after there were no bids at today's auction.
There was $2.7 million plus price guidance from listing agent Matthew King for its McGrath auction. There was only a $2.7 million vendor bid. The McGrath website has it now for private treaty sale with $2.7 million plus suggestions. News Ltd reported the auction lasted just five minutes.
Clarke paid $2.87 million in 2006 and has renovated it since.
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Back in 2009 Clarke thought of quitting the Sutherland Shire but failed to achieve his then $3.4 million hopes.
<a href="https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house-lilli-pilli-nsw-2229/206824/?searchID=41873569" target="_blank">The contemporary five-bedroom, four-bathroom split-level house</a> comes with pool, spa and boatshed on its 1670 square metre bushland riverfront block.
Earlier this year Clarke and wife, Kyly spent $8.3 million in Vaucluse.
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No bid Michael Clarke Lilli Pilli home auction result

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There was an initial 81.9% clearance rate at Sydney weekend auctions, continuing the recent renewed strength.
The revised APM prior weekend result was a strong 78.9%.
Umbrellas galore when Sydney's wet auctions got underway today on the busy last Saturday in August.
There were six bidders, barely visible, spotted amid the downpour when <a href="https://www.ppdre.com.au/selling/NSW/Eastern-Suburbs/Queens-Park/House/1P0577" target="_blank">53 Alt Street, Queens Park</a> went to auction.
<img src="/images/2014/09/01/rainy-day-sept-1-one.jpg" alt="">
Bidding opened at $2 million, with the hammer coming down on the Federation home at $2.51 million when auctioned through Debbie Donnelly at Phillips Panzter Donnelly. It was $160,000 over reserve.
The 53 Alt Street offering, Mayo was sold as a deceased estate.
The double-fronted brick house presented as an exciting prospect for a complete renovation and transformation with rear and second floor extensions (STCA) similar to neighbouring homes. Owned by the same family for many decades, it has a wealth of original features including leadlight windows and a tessellated tiled verandah with timber fretwork.
Another nearby offering at 6 Lynch Avenue, Queens Park (pictured below) sold this afternoon for $1.45 million.
<img src="/images/2014/09/01/quenns%20park%20sept%201%20towo.jpg" alt="">
<div>There were five registered bidders – with competition from three of them.</div>
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<div>The buyers are a young couple upgrading from a unit in Bondi.</div>
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<div>He’s a builder and they will add the approved second storey.</div>
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<div>The two bedroom house had already been renovated when it last traded for $1.325 million in November 2011.</div>
APM noted auction numbers in Sydney have risen steadily over recent weekends with this weekend some 573 auctions scheduled compared to the previous weekend’s 440.
There were the 550 listed over the same weekend last year.
The city and east hosted the most number of auctions with 82 followed by the inner west with 81.
Mosman hosted the most auctions this weekend in Sydney with 12. Next highest was Epping on the upper north shore, Strathfield in the inner west and Manly on the northern beaches each with 9 auctions.
With five Saturdays, Sydney has recorded its highest ever August for auction listings this year with 2660 properties going under the hammer.
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Bids aplenty as rain buckets down on Sydney weekend auctions

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It's back, but property insiders know it never really went away.
Villa del Mare, the much offered hillside Point Piper home of the headhunter Julia Ross, has its latest marketing campaign launched for spring 2014.
Her grand Point Piper property has been on and off the market for several years.
The six bedroom non-waterfront home on Wolseley Road still has its old price tag of about $40 million.
It has now being <a href="https://doublebay.ljhooker.com.au/J7YF93" target="_blank">marketed with Bill Malouf of LJ Hooker in conjunction with Ken Jacobs of Christies International</a>.
“That price hasn’t changed,” Malouf told News Ltd.
“It’s the right timing for Julia. It’s not like we haven’t had suitable offers in the past, but this time the property is going to move,” he said.
Ross bought her Point Piper pad ten years ago for $21.5 million from Nati Stoliar who awaits sentence in the United States. Last month he pleaded guilty in a federal court in Las Vegas to a series of fraudulent schemes connected to biodiesel credits with sentencing to come in October.
The Point Piper peninsula has had a few top end sales over recent months, so our property contrarians Jonathan Chancellor and Margie Blok return to their familiar stomping ground with a few insights and preferences.
<img src="/images/2014/03/28/jc-silhouette-7.jpg" style="float: right;">
HE SAID:
I recall the Wolseley Road offering was discreetly put on the market in 2011 by Julia Ross. It came very close to a sale to Chinese buyers. Designed by architect Chris Tsioulos in the late 1990s, it’s almost certain to sell to Chinese buyers. Not sure why Nati Stolliar ever bulldozed the Espie Dods-designed Roche family house on the prominent corner location.
While the trophy limestone palazzo has sat on the market for the past three years, plenty of rival offerings have been listed, and the one I fancied has only recently been sold.
It was the prized Professor Leslie Wilkinson designed house sold by the retired shirt maker-cum-property developer Charles Scarf and his wife, Maria. The 1959 Wentworth Street property was the second-last of Wilkinson’s house designs. It was listed back in March 2012, selling only last month. 
<img src="/images/2014/03/28/mb-silhouette-6.jpg" style="float: left;">
SHE SAID:
The antithesis of understatement, Villa del Mare, qualified as one of Sydney’s tizziest houses when developer Nati Stoliar put the finishing touches on it during completion in the late 1990s. Thank goodness recruitment queen, Julia Ross, bought the place and subsequently toned down the tizz with the assistance of a swathe of interior designers including stylemeister Charlotte O’Neil who designed its most recent décor.
I was fortunate to take a peek inside the ornate limestone palazzo at the time of 2000 completion when Nati threw open the doors for a Jewish women’s committee fundraiser. Due to immense curiosity surrounding Nati’s interior design talent, the event was extremely well attended – and the throng were agog at what was inside.
An extraordinary mix of Hollywood glitz meets gaudy glamour from who knows where, the house was adorned with a confection of French washed yellow walls, ornate Corinthian columns, sparkling new chandeliers and acres of ceilings decorated with flocks of hand painted cherubs – including one bearing a remarkable resemblance to Nati, as I recall. 
But the piece-de-résistance within the three-level residence (which has about 2000 square metres of living space) was the remote-controlled billiards table. At the flick of a switch, the massive piece of furniture descended slowly below the floor, and then three rows of chairs rose to replace it. When another button was pressed, the room’s curtains closed and wooden wall panelling slid away to reveal a cinema screen. 
Another of Nati’s bold design features was an enormous tile placed in pebbled paving outside the front door. Measuring the 1.5 metres by 1.5 metres tile, it was decorated with a huge S (for Stoliar) fashioned from oak leaves. One could be forgiven for thinking Nati hadn’t heard the saying “money can’t buy you class”.
The harbourfront house of John Piven-Large, which last traded in 1991 when it was a duplex, is still the one for me. Brad Pillinger has the Edwardian-era mansion with more than $30 million hopes, down from $40 million hopes of 18 months ago.
It comes with a 30-metre private tidal beach. 
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Villa del Mare, Point Piper back for formal spring 2014 marketing: He Said/She Said

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Victorian first time home buyers will pay less stamp duty for homes from 1 September.
The reduction in duty has become increasingly attractive - initially, 20% was reduced on 1 July 2011, followed by 10% on 1 January 2013, 10% on 1 July 2013 and the upcoming 10% on next Monday, 1 September 2014.
It is available for new or established home purchases.
<img src="/images/2014/08/29/vic-fhb-aug-29-one.jpg" alt="" style="line-height: 1.3em;">
Stamp duty concessions across the country are on the next page. Please click below.
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Here’s the table that clears up what concessions are available (click to open in new window):
<a href="/images/2014/08/28/stamp%20duty%20chart%20aug%2028%20one.png" target="_blank"><img src="/images/2014/08/28/stamp%20duty%20chart%20aug%2028%20one.png" alt=""></a>
Source: State Revenue Offices/HIA
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Further stamp duty reduction for Victorian first home buyers

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Five years ago when Melbourne land supply was at its most constricted, there were some 90 housing estates selling land on Melbourne's outskirts. Now there are around 140. 
Land prices in Melbourne’s city-fringe housing estates continue to hover at around four-year lows, according to <a href="https://www.oliverhume.com.au/" target="_blank">Oliver Hume</a>.
 <img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2014/08/29/hume-aug-29-breakout.jpg" alt="">
And are likely to stay that way as the Victorian state government ramps up new land releases, as Victoria’s population grows by around 2,000 people per week.
Oliver Hume research director Andrew Perkins forecasts lots released will peak above 200,000 for the first time this year.
In three years, that figure is set to treble.
Melbourne’s house and land market typically settles about 12,500 to 13,000 dwellings a year. 
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Most developers appear to be more accepting of volume over price growth – over the short-term at least, Oliver Hume suggests.
There has been some price growth on some projects in some municipalities, their recent report noted.
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The Q1, 2014 median land purchase price for the first home buyer sat at $192,000 - largely in line with the long-term trend.
"With much discussion to date focusing on the median land price, it is worth noting that the Melbourne growth area gross median land price is still around 16% below its 2010 peak," Perkins said.
Melton, Mitchell and Whittlesea are around 20% down on their peak (falls of between $36,000 - $49,000). Cardinia is surprisingly only 4% down on its peak. 
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The time on market index continues to fall. In the December quarter 2012 it took 6.7 months to sell a lot, now it takes around 3.5 months. 
Taking account of withdrawn, completed and launched projects, the fully-developed yield at the end of the quarter was just over 125,600 lots across 136 projects (down from its peak of around 145 in mid 2013). 
Some 22% of all projects are located in Whittlesea, 19% in Wyndham and 18% in Casey. On a suburb basis, 11 projects are in Doreen and 10 in Pakenham. Mernda rounds out the top three with nine. 
The gross median land price is $201,000, or $191,000 net after rebates. After rebates, Wyndham remains the most expensive land market at $214,500. 
Casey, with a net median land price of $207,500, is the second most expensive growth-area land market. Casey and Wyndham are only land markets with a net median price above $200,000. 
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Outer Melbourne land tracking at four-year lows: Oliver Hume

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Essendon AFL veteran Dustin Fletcher has listed his longtime Moonee Ponds abode.
The modernised five-bedroom Victorian home on a 570 square metre block has $1.1 million plus price guidance for its 20 September auction.
The Bent Street home has been listed through <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/property/for-sale/house/vic/moonee-ponds/?adid=2011393546" target="_blank">agents David Vaughan of Nelson Alexander</a>.
It has been home to Dustin and his wife, Suzann, since paying around $415,000 in 1998, five years after his schoolboy debut for the team.
The two-time premiership star has played 393 games, and is almost certain to become the third VFL-AFL player to reach 400 games if he decides to play on in 2015.
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Essendon veteran Dustin Fletcher lists in Moonee Ponds

As apartment buyers increasingly look beyond the four walls of their residence, the quality and depth of shared amenity has become a defining factor in how developments are designed and experienced, particularly in the high-rise, new apartment development space.

In Southbank, where high-density living continues to evolve, developers are placing greater emphasis on creating environments that support wellbeing, connection, and convenience as part of everyday life.

That approach sits at the heart of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/aura-at-melbourne-square-7-hoff-boulevard-southbank-vic-3006">AURA</a>, the latest residential tower in <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/osk-property">OSK Property</a>’s $3.5 billion Melbourne Square precinct. Rising 67 storeys above Hoff Boulevard, the 673-apartment development has been conceived around what OSK describes as a “vertical wellness ecosystem”, a layered collection of amenities that extends throughout the building rather than being confined to a single podium level.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=370263]

The amenity offering begins on the seventh level within the AURA Club, a dedicated resident hub focused on health, relaxation, and daily convenience. Here, residents will have access to an indoor swimming pool, cold plunge, spa, sauna, and steam room, alongside a fully equipped gym, reformer Pilates studio, and yoga room.

The wellness facilities are complemented by a range of spaces that acknowledge the changing ways people live and work. Work-from-home lounges and co-working areas sit alongside a library, music room, games room, cinema facilities, and open-air terrace spaces, providing residents with flexible environments that can adapt throughout the day.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=367468]

Beyond the internal amenity, AURA introduces a series of Japanese-inspired gardens that form a quieter counterpoint to the tower’s social spaces.

Landscaped retreats feature curated outdoor dining, tranquil courtyard seating, fire pit, and a tea house pavilion. Rather than functioning as simple recreational areas, the gardens have been designed as places for reflection and informal gathering, drawing on principles of balance, nature, and calm that underpin the project's broader design philosophy.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=367810]

The social amenity continues to evolve as residents move higher through the building. Levels 49 and 50 house the Meridian Club, where a lounge bar, conservatory spaces, and private dining rooms take advantage of elevated city views. At the summit of the tower, the exclusive Cumulus Club spans Levels 66 and 67, offering additional lounges, private dining, and meditation and treatment rooms positioned above Melbourne’s skyline.

For OSK Property, the extensive amenity offering reflects a broader focus on wellbeing as a core component of apartment living rather than an added feature.

“Aura stands tall as an exemplar of holistic wellness – its focus on social, physical and mental health culminate in a building that is calming, restorative and relaxing, where residents will have their own sanctuary within the well-connected and sought-after Southbank,” says OSK Property CEO Chong Boon Woon.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=367796]

AURA’s amenity strategy extends beyond the tower itself through its integration with the wider Melbourne Square precinct.

Residents will have direct access to Kennedy Park, Southbank’s 3,745 sqm landscaped public park, alongside a full-line Woolworths supermarket, childcare centre, hospitality venues, and approximately 1,600 sqm of additional retail planned within AURA’s lower levels. Together, these elements create a highly connected residential environment where daily needs, recreation, and wellness are woven into the fabric of the community.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=151921 project_image_fid=370253]

As Melbourne’s apartment market continues to mature, developments are increasingly judged by the lifestyle they provide beyond individual residences.

Through its combination of wellness facilities, landscaped retreats, social clubs, and precinct-wide amenity, AURA represents a shift toward a more comprehensive model of vertical living, one where shared spaces play as significant a role as the homes themselves.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=151921]

Joel Robinson

AURA elevates amenity living at Melbourne Square

Builder-developer Scion is the latest to target Sydney's booming Hills Showground Metro precinct, filing plans for more than 100 apartments within walking distance of the station.

Scion has lodged a concurrent rezoning and State Significant Development Application for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/27-33-middleton-avenue-castle-hill-nsw-2154">27–33 Middleton Avenue</a>, where it plans to replace four existing homes with an 11 and 14-storey mixed-use development comprising 109 apartments, six affordable housing dwellings, and a ground-floor café.

Designed by BHK Architects, the proposal includes three levels of basement parking with 174 spaces, more than 1,200 sqm of communal open space, and extensive landscaping across the 3,791 sqm site.

The development has been designed as two buildings connected by a recessed wintergarden spine, with the 14-storey building positioned to the south and the 11-storey building to the north.

<img alt="Scion" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="64dc359d-736b-43b8-87a8-70a8285cab47" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-06-25%20at%208.47.01%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=PXh.m8id_aevBPHEckPf88wQ2RQThPos" />

The apartment mix has been weighted towards owner-occupiers, with 13 one-bedroom apartments, 55 two-bedroom residences, 31 three-bedroom apartments, six three-bedroom lofts, and four four-bedroom homes. Six apartments will be dedicated as affordable housing in line with the NSW Housing SEPP.

According to the Architectural Design Report by BKH, the proposal seeks to create "a place-responsive architecture" inspired by the natural landscape surrounding Cattai Creek, while strengthening the public domain through landscaping, active frontages and a neighbourhood café.

Atlas Urban, in its Urban Design Report, says the proposal takes a different approach to increasing density around Hills Showground Station by favouring a more slender, vertically articulated built form over a conventional mid-rise outcome. The report argues this allows for greater deep soil planting, improved solar access and a better public domain outcome, while still delivering additional housing close to rapid public transport.

The site sits around 500 metres from Hills Showground Metro Station, within a precinct earmarked for significant residential intensification following the opening of the Sydney Metro Northwest line. Planning documents accompanying the application note that Greater Sydney's population has grown by more than one million people since planning for the precinct first began, reinforcing the need to accelerate housing delivery around existing transport infrastructure.

Scion is expanding its development pipeline which also includes <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/chatham-west-ryde-2-6-chatham-road-west-ryde-nsw-2114">Chatham in West Ryde</a>, 62 apartments which are approaching completion. They also have a State Significant Development Application with the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/96-anzac-avenue-west-ryde-nsw-2114">145 apartments on Anzac Avenue</a>, also in West Ryde.

First look: Scion plots Castle Hill apartment development near Hills Showground Metro Station

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a>&nbsp;has unveiled its scaled-back plans for a pair of towers rising up to 49 storeys directly opposite Bella Vista Metro Station.

The builder-developer will deliver 674 apartments and a new mixed-use hub at the gateway to the station precinct.

The State Significant Development Application has been lodged under the Housing Delivery Authority pathway for the 6,979 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/9-11-mawson-avenue-bella-vista-nsw-2153">9-11 Mawson Avenue</a>, with the apartments sitting above a mixed-use podium. Initial plans were for closer to 900 apartments across two 40-storey towers.

Located around 30 metres from the Bella Vista Metro Station entrance, the development is intended to act as a catalyst for the long-planned Bella Vista Station Precinct, transforming a vacant site into a transit-oriented residential and commercial destination.

Planning documents describe the project as delivering "a high-density mixed use destination that combines housing, retail and community-serving uses in a highly accessible setting."

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group plans 674-apartment Bella Vista towers opposite Metro station" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="21c08216-589e-490d-ad08-2d88b6fa62d9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/bella%20vista%20podium.png?VersionId=3TnwjjQCNwTsmyQRaWnFrLTSAF0CJeka" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/turner-studio">Turner</a>, with landscape architecture by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/arcadia-landscape-architecture">Arcadia</a>, the project comprises 674 apartments, including 102 affordable housing dwellings representing 15 per cent of the residential floor space. The housing mix spans studios, one, two and three-bedroom apartments, alongside a collection of townhouse-style residences integrated into the podium levels. The development also includes specialist disability accommodation and an elevated provision of adaptable and liveable housing.

The mixed-use podium has been designed to create an active urban centre around the Metro station, incorporating a 1,423 sqm supermarket, a 3,029 sqm gym, specialty retail spaces, a 100-place childcare centre and a publicly accessible "city room" community space. A secondary laneway, active frontages and landscaped public areas are intended to improve pedestrian connectivity through the site and strengthen links between the station precinct and surrounding neighbourhood.

In the project's design report, Turner said the proposal responds to Bella Vista's emerging role as a higher-density centre within Sydney's north-west growth corridor.

"The project transforms a strategically located site into a high-density mixed use destination that combines housing, retail and community-serving uses in a highly accessible setting," the report states.

"Active frontages, a publicly accessible city room, a secondary laneway and a mix of uses including a local supermarket, child care centre and gym create a more complete and socially useful urban environment for residents, workers and the wider community."

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group plans 674-apartment Bella Vista towers opposite Metro station" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0fde6220-82de-4f6a-9b63-d0fd8157acc9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/bella%20vista%20da.png?VersionId=7hEmuSutH8plTd_RqqdmPu055F6qe554" />

Urban Property Group has been one of the busiest developers across Greater Sydney this year.

The developer is progressing around 1,000 apartments across <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-urban-property-group-plans-next-major-wollongong-tower">two projects in Wollongong</a>, with several thousand more homes in the pipeline across Newcastle, Castle Hill, Little Bay and Penrith.

First look: Urban Property Group plans 674-apartment Bella Vista towers opposite Metro station

Burwood's southern town centre precinct is set for another major injection of housing, with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/holdmark-property-group">Holdmark</a> unveiling plans for three mixed-use towers containing 900 apartments above new retail and commercial space.

The State Significant Development Application covers a consolidated 10,265 sqm site at 36-46 George Street and 16-26 Elsie Street, immediately south of Burwood's commercial core and within walking distance of Burwood Station, Westfield and Burwood Park.

The proposal comprises <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/36-46-elsie-street-burwood-nsw-2134">three mixed-use towers</a> ranging between 32 and 43 storeys.

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Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/studiosc">Studio.SC</a>, the scheme is positioned as a significant extension of Burwood's evolving high-density centre. The project would be delivered across two interconnected development parcels, replacing existing commercial buildings and creating a new pedestrian-focused precinct linking George Street, John Street, Elsie Street and Railway Crescent.&nbsp;

The design report describes the proposal as "a contemporary response to this evolving urban condition," adding that it seeks to "reinforce George Street's role as a human-scaled, active street while contributing to the broader rhythm and grain of the town centre."

The development features a mix of residential, commercial and retail uses, with activated ground-floor frontages intended to strengthen pedestrian connections between Burwood Station, Burwood Place, Westfield and the wider town centre.&nbsp;

The proposal also incorporates extensive communal facilities, landscaped open space and new through-site links designed to encourage public movement across the precinct.&nbsp;

<img alt="First look: Holdmark unveils 900-home mixed-use precinct for Burwood town centre" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="89a6bccc-b78b-4a97-a49f-cac1761f34b6" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/burwood%20podium%20a.png?VersionId=6HBYg_pKxAc3yCND_wDKZmfMfzfneHmz" />

Studio.SC said the project draws inspiration from Burwood Park and the area's mature tree canopy, with "warm, earthy tones and robust materials such as brick and sculpted concrete" used to anchor the buildings within their urban context.

The scale of the proposal reflects Burwood's growing role as one of Sydney's key metropolitan centres. Planning documents note the suburb's strong population growth, high apartment living rates and increasing transport accessibility, particularly with the future Burwood North Metro station expected to further strengthen the area's connectivity. The development is designed to capitalise on those transport links while introducing a substantial amount of new housing stock into the town centre.

Burwood is expected to see a development boom, with the NSW Government rezoning the Burwood North Metro Precinct, a move expected to deliver around 15,000 new homes surrounding the new station.

Earlier this month, Nascon lodged plans for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-nascon-targets-burwood-growth-corridor-with-112-unit-apartment-tower">100-apartment development on the edge of the town centre</a>.

Holdmark's broader portfolio includes plans for nearly 800 new homes at Macquarie Park, currently before the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority. The developer is also behind a significant portion of the Melrose Park masterplanned redevelopment, as well as the former Caddens Corner drive-in site, where around 500 homes are planned.

First look: Holdmark unveils 900-apartment, mixed-use precinct for Burwood town centre

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hyecorp-property-group">Hyecorp</a> has completed construction of Audrey, its parkside apartment development in St Leonards South, becoming the first residential project within the St Leonards South Precinct to reach completion.

Residents are expected to begin moving into the Canberra Avenue development at the end of June, making Audrey the first opportunity for buyers to take up residence within the emerging precinct.

Positioned at the highest point on Canberra Avenue, directly opposite Newlands Park, the project enjoys protected parkland outlooks and district views that cannot be built out as the precinct continues to evolve.

Unlike many of the larger developments planned across St Leonards South, Audrey comprises just 102 residences, making it one of the more boutique offerings within the precinct. The smaller scale has enabled Hyecorp to place a strong focus on owner-occupier design, resident amenity, and long-term liveability.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110379 project_image_fid=368333]

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, Audrey comprises a mix of three-bedroom apartments and a double-storey five-bedroom townhouse, with many residences positioned to capture views toward the Sydney CBD and Harbour Bridge. The project has been underpinned by a strong focus on design continuity, with Hyecorp working alongside interior designers <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/jackson-teece">Jackson Teece</a> and landscape architects <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/landscape-architect/site-image">Site Image</a> to shape both the private residences and shared amenity spaces.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/audrey-st-leonards-13-19-canberra-avenue-st-leonards-nsw-2065">Audrey</a>’s interiors feature open-plan layouts, floor-to-ceiling glazing, oak timber flooring, bespoke joinery, and large-format stone finishes throughout the kitchens and bathrooms. Integrated Miele appliances, brushed metal tapware, and concealed cabinetry detailing were specified across the residences, reflecting Hyecorp's emphasis on quality and owner-occupier appeal.

The upper levels of the building are home to the Tiffany Collection, a premium offering occupying Levels 12 to 15. The residences include upgraded appliance packages, fluted standalone bathtubs, heated bathroom flooring, custom walk-in robes, and larger internal layouts ranging from 155 to 159 sqm.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110379 project_image_fid=367164]

Backed by a 30-year legacy, Audrey reflects the experience of Hyecorp, an Australian family-owned developer with an award-winning track record across Sydney. As locals, Hyecorp understands the needs of local communities, creating homes and precincts designed for long-term liveability, connection, and lifestyle.

Despite its boutique scale, Audrey delivers an extensive suite of amenities typically associated with much larger developments. Residents have access to an indoor lap pool and spa, personal training studio, private cinema, music room, rooftop entertaining terrace, residents lounge, and private dining room overlooking the Sydney skyline.

The rooftop terrace and communal lounge spaces were conceived as extensions of residents' homes, supporting a lifestyle-focused environment that encourages wellbeing, flexibility, and community connection.

The project also incorporates a ground-floor café and an integrated daycare centre, adding to the growing mixed-use character emerging across the St Leonards South precinct.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=110379 project_image_fid=198680]

Audrey arrives as <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/st-leonards-nsw-2065">St Leonards</a> continues its transformation into one of Sydney's most strategically located urban renewal areas. The precinct's proximity to Royal North Shore Hospital and the broader health, research, and commercial corridor has made it increasingly attractive to medical professionals, healthcare workers, and owner-occupiers seeking housing close to employment and transport infrastructure.

Residents are within walking distance of St Leonards Station and the Crows Nest Metro, while nearby retail includes Mall 88, Forum Plaza, Woolworths, and the recently opened Coles supermarket. Nearby green spaces including Newlands Park, Gore Hill Oval, and Naremburn Park further reinforce the area's lifestyle appeal.

As the first completed project within the precinct, Audrey demonstrates the direction of St Leonards South's evolution, combining higher-density living with generous amenity, strong transport connectivity, and access to green space.

A limited collection of premium residences remains available, including spacious three-bedroom apartments, a four-bedroom townhouse and a selection of penthouses.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=110379]

Jonathan Chancellor

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