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The winners of the 2014 Houses Awards, organised by Architecture Media, publisher of Houses magazine, have been a hot topic of discussion for architecture aficionados - including our property contrarians, Jonathan Chancellor and Margie Blok - since the recent announcement.
Last week <a href="/news/invisible-angel-with-wings-in-harsh-hampton-hamlet-he-said-she-said">Jonathan and Margie reviewed Invisible House</a>, a Peter Stutchbury designed residence which took out two awards, “2014 Australian House of the Year” and “New House over 200 square metres”.
Now in contrast to last week’s bushland location at Hampton, a harsh hamlet west of the Blue Mountains near Jenolan Caves, it is a designer shack at <a href="/news">Congo</a>, on the NSW South Coast, that captures their attention.
Off the beaten track and best known among surfers for its wave break called “The Suck”, Congo is located eight kilometres south of <a href="/news">Moruya</a> in the Eurobodalla Shire. A tiny village community with about 100 modest dwellings, Congo is about four hours drive from Sydney, and two hours drive from Canberra. 
Built on a hillside outside the village, the unusual holiday house took out the award for “New House under 200 square metres”. 
Known as Dogtrot House, it was designed for a family of committed campers. Their request to the architects was for a building capturing everything they loved about camping without the end of a holiday pack up. They wanted a permanent and civilised campsite.
Designed by Botany based architects, Dunn &amp; Hillam, Dogtrot House was completed late last year. Constructed by Smith and Primmer, builders of Moruya, it is a combination of two modest pavilions (one public, one private) joined by a covered open breezeway or ‘dog trot’ corridor. 
The form of Dogtrot House can be traced back to the early one room cabins that were built by farmers and fishermen. As a family grew, another cabin would be built and connected with a common roof. 
During the evolution of the design for Dogtrot House, one of the architects was re-reading author Lee Harper’s To Kill a Mockingbird which made reference to the vernacular ‘dog trot’ houses of America’s south eastern states. The name comes from when the “old dog was too hot to trot” – and a covered breezeway provided the perfect escape from the heat of the day. 
A dogtrot house historically consisted of two log cabins connected by a breezeway or "dog trot", all under a common roof. Typically one cabin was used for cooking and dining, while the other was used as a private living space, such as a bedroom. 
Architects continue to build dogtrot houses using modern materials but maintaining the original design.
Complimenting the intrinsic Australian flavor of Dunn &amp; Hillam’s design, the jury commented: “Although in an obvious lineage of Australian shed architecture, this simple shelter is convincingly a permanent camp site, where the experience and delight of being in the place are more important (and rejuvenating) than conventional comforts. Yes, you will occasionally get wet and cold, but genuine immersion in a special place has clearly underpinned the development of this scheme”.
“Careful consideration of the plan reveals that the major room at the north is essentially a covered outdoor room – the caravan annexe or tent fly. It is the space for community, from which daily activities are planned, launched and celebrated. Truly interior spaces are the all-weather places that permanent camp sites require – for sleeping, ablutions and cooking.”
“Considerable effort has been made throughout this house in plan, section and materiality, all of which contribute to the sense of care and privilege. Although base camps can be made in multiple (and often destructive) ways, Dogtrot House is rendered in an articulate and rigorous manner by architect and builder while never presuming that buildings are more significant than landscape.” 
HE SAID:<img src="/images/2014/03/28/jc-silhouette-7.jpg" style="float: right;">
I love the roofline, but am left a little underwhelmed by its modest exterior.
It makes up inside with its unexpectedly high quality, comfortable and practical interior.
As a fan of the South Coast, I appreciate, of course, it simply doesn't need to have all the North Coast Boomerang Beach pretensions.
And nor is it typically suburban, as Margie points out below. So it's a thumbs up from me.
<img src="/images/2014/03/28/mb-silhouette-6.jpg" style="float: left;">SHE SAID:
Dogtrot House is perfect for someone like me who loves unwinding at old-style coastal holiday shacks with a few creature comforts. And it is perfect for someone like Jonathan who was born in a tent. 
I love its simplicity and also its direct connection with the great outdoors. This uncomplicated holiday shack style is much more prevalent in the bachs of New Zealand than the NSW coastline where enormous designer holiday houses and hideously suburban homes have mushroomed during the past two decades. 
I think it would be a joy to spend time at Dogtrot House with family and friends - cooking up a storm in the kitchen with its tranquil lagoon views; chilling out in the Japanese bath; and reading and relaxing in the big indoor/outdoor room with its built-in banquette seating. 
I’m all for getting back to the simple life, so Dogtrot House gets the thumbs up from me.
Photos courtesy of <a href="https://dunnhillam.com.au" target="_blank">Dunn &amp; Hillam Architects</a>.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Dogtrot House, camping out in Congo on NSW far south coast: He Said/She Said

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Tennis champion Lleyton Hewitt has relisted his Melbourne penthouse at $10 million.
Hewitt, who is based in the Bahamas with his family, rarely uses the St Kilda Road pad.
It is on the 19th floor of Yve tower.
It has been<a href="https://www.domain.com.au/property/for-sale/apartment-unit-flat/vic/melbourne/?adid=2011370007&amp;sp=1" target="_blank"> listed by Sotheby’s International Realty</a>, fully furnished.
Hewitt bought the apartments on level 19 and 20 for $8.325 million in 2004 at 578 St Kilda Road.
He then took around four years creating the 710 square metre internal space with six bedrooms and six bathrooms. There is also 443 square metres external space.
Sotheby agents Phillip French and Greg Herman are handling the expressions of interest sale.
Title Tattle recalls the former world number one quietly listed the apartment several years ago seeking $15 million. 
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Inside Lleyton Hewitt's $10 million Yve tower, Melbourne penthouse

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The Alex Popov-designed former home of the art collectors Ray Wilson and James Agapitos has been snappily resold at $475,000 more within six months of its last sale.
The house, designed for showcasing the pair's substantial art collection, recently fetched $5 million. 
It was only last August when the philanthropic art collector Ray Wilson - some six years after the death of his partner, James Agapitos - accepted $4.525 million.
The house, listed with $4.5 million plus hopes through Alison Coopes last August, was designed to showcase the pair's substantial art collection.
Wilson and Agapitos bought the 930 square metre Bellevue Road property in 1994 for $1.06 million.
Popov designed a two-storey house with whole-floor guest retreat. Wilson and Agapitos’s first collection was broadly based 20th century Australian art after they purchased their first James Gleeson painting.
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Alex Popov-designed Bellevue Hill trophy home snappy resale

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The film types at Sydney's Palm Beach could soon be one fewer as artistic types are being regularly replaced by merchant banker millionaires.
Now Rachel Griffiths, the Melbourne based actor has placed <a href="https://354whalebeachroad.com/home" target="_blank">her isolated Palm Beach home on the market</a>.
Title Tattle recalls Rachel Griffiths bought her quaint two-bedroom cottage on Whale Beach Road for $735,000 in 1998 from the Lyons family. It was four years after her <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110598/" target="_blank">Muriel's Wedding</a> film debut and around the time of <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0150915/" target="_blank">Hilary and Jackie</a>.
The 1950s sandstone cottage $735,000 price reflected the suburb's then average price. 
The average price at Palm Beach over the past 18 months has been $2,575,000. And Title Tattle gleans Griffiths, who possibly would like to buy back with her artist husband Andrew Taylor, is looking for around $2.5 million.
Built in the 1950's from local sandstone cut from the site, and refurbished in 2009 by architect Rob Brown, of Casey Brown Architects, the property is hidden by the Annie Wyatt Reserve, with access via Rockbath Road.
"This is one of Palm Beach's best kept secrets," LJ Hooker agent David Edwards says.
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Rachel Griffiths lists average $2.5 million Palm Beach cottage

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Harry Triguboff’s Meriton Group has bought the DEXUS Property Group business park in Rosebery spending $190 million for the 4.9-hectare offering.
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DEXUS Property Group sold <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-offices-nsw-rosebery-5497126" target="_blank">5-13 Rosebery Avenue</a> (pictured above) and 25-55 Rothschild Avenue in Rosebery, Sydney, with trading profits to be realised in FY15 and FY16. 
It is expected that the sale will contribute approximately $17 million to FY15 trading profits and materially increase trading profits in FY16 contributing approximately $74 million pre-tax. 
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The business park which had a book value of about $100 million was sold through JLL’s Michael Fenton, Sam Brewer and Blair Peterken.
Meriton now has 14,000 units in its pipeline as more than 1000 apartments will be built at the 4.9-hectare site.
There are eight mature Hills Fig trees on the boundary of 5-13 Rosebery Avenue with City of Sydney studies having identified these trees as a local landmark and as a defining feature of the precinct. 
5-13 Rosebery Avenue is a recently refurbished, 10 level office building within close proximity to Southern Cross Drive, the Eastern Distributor and Sydney Kingsford Smith airport.
During the year DEXUS undertook a total of $5.4 billion transactions across the group, including the joint acquisition of the $3.4 billion CPA portfolio with CPPIB. 
The CPA transaction, completed in April 2014, increased the value of the office portfolio to $7.6 billion.
DEXUS today announced its 30 June 2014 results. 
Dexus Property Group said its full-year net profit fell to $406 million. Revenue in the year rose 7.2% to $700 million.
In FY15, DEXUS has a trading profit target of $40 million.
DEXUS chief Darren Steinberg said it had progressed the sale of 40 Market Street, Melbourne which is expected to contribute to FY15 trading profits.
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Amid heritage fig trees Meriton spends $190 million on DEXUS Rosebery business park

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A former Sydney real estate agent has plead guilty to stealing over $1 million from her strata clients.
Rachael Jena Kwawegen headed a strata management company that collected levies from about 5,500 property owners in 240 Sydney apartment and commercial buildings.
Fairfax Media Domain revealed last year that the boutique strata company, The Strata Agency, was being investigated by NSW Fair Trading over alleged irregularities in its business dealings.
On 29 January 2014, the NSW Fair Trading cancelled the licence and disqualified Kwawegen from holding a licence or certificate for a period of 15 years and disqualified from being involved in the direction, management and conduct of the business of a licensee for a period of 15 years. 
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NSW Fair Trading  released a statement saying that: "Licensee Rachael Kwawegen pleaded guilty to breaching section 211 of the Property Stock &amp; Business Agents Act for misappropriating in excess of $1 million of trust fund monies."
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She will be sentenced at Parramatta Local Court next month.
But there have been no policy changes from NSW Fair Trading, which operates a property compensation fund to cover any shortfalls in trust funds.
Strata manager David Ferguson, and former president of Strata Community Australia, said the state government should have more controls in place to regulate new strata management companies given new strata management companies are popping up every day at the moment.
“The are new strata management companies popping up every day at the moment,” Ferguson told the Sydney Morning Herald. 
“And there’s nothing to stop another The Strata Agency happening again. The money may have been safe but the disruption to people’s lives and chaos this caused was just terrible.”
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Former agent pleads guilty to $1 million misappropriation as NSW Fair Trading told to better regulate strata management

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The Roche family has secured $58 million plus for its Balmain waterfront industrial site, the former headquarters of their former Nutrimetics cosmetics business.
Toga Group is believed to be the buyer of <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://search.knightfrank.com.au/1634869" target="_blank">100 Elliott Street</a>, according to the Australia Financial Review.
It is a 12,375 square metre site - with development approval for 121 apartments - on the banks of the Parramatta River.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://search.knightfrank.com.au/1634869" target="_blank">Knight Frank agents Peter Krieg and Domenic Ong</a> marketed the property which had a 30 July expressions of interest deadline.
Bill and Imelda Roche sold Nutrimetics to the Sara Lee Corporation in 1997.
 
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Roche family secures $58 million plus for former Balmain Nutrimetics HQ

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1B Grong Grong Court, Toorak sold earlier this month after being on the market since late April.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-toorak-116743255" target="_blank">Paul Ffeiffer and Anthony Grimwade at RT Edgar</a> secured a sale price of $5,188,888 for the three storey trophy home.
"Hopefully bringing luck to the Chinese National Buyer," buyers agency James Buyers Advocates said.
It was marketed as French inspired elegance.
There's a lift from the basement with parking, gymnasium and 2,000 bottle wine cellar up to the top level with the four bedroom, four ensuite home.
The 600 square metre block cost $1.6 million in 2006 when bought by the Dimas family.
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'Lucky' $5,188,888 Toorak sale to Chinese buyer

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Sydneysiders Paul and Elaine Longmuir have spent $16 million on a seven bedroom Bellevue Hill property.
It last sold at $14.5 million in 2009 to the Indonesian media mogul Eddy Sariaatmadja from the broadcaster Emtek.
The Longmuir's were in the news in 2009 when their bought the Darnley Hall, Elizabeth Bay, penthouse for $8.1 million from the bulky-goods property developer Tony Benjamin.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-bellevue+hill-105346571" target="_blank">The 1970s Bellevue Hill property</a> was designed by Stephen Gergely, of Gergely Pinter Architects.
It stands on a large and private 1,620 square metre block of land accessed by a driveway adjacent to Rona.
It had stained-glass panels of bold, modern design making a statement at the entrance to the three-level home when 8a Ginahgulla Road was last offered in 2009.
It was offered this time with approved plans by Geoform Design Architects. 
Eddy Sariaatmadja's private company recent spent $3.15 million on a St Kilda Road, Melbourne apartment.
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Indonesian media mogul Eddy Sariaatmadja sells $16 million Bellevue Hill trophy home

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Bob Biddle, founder of Origin Healthcare, and his wife Renee have secured $6.5 million for their Noosa retreat.
They had initial hopes that 25 Witta Circle, Noosa Sound would fetch above $9 million.
It has been bought by New Zealanders in the insulation business.
The Noosa Sound waterfront home is a 600 square metre property, with four bedrooms, three bathrooms and a 20-metre lap pool.
The neighbours include billionaires Bob Ell, John Van Lieshout and Toll Holdings founder Paul Little.
The Biddles sold their Melburnian penthouse in St Kilda Road, Melbourne for $15.4 million in 2009 having purchased 25 Witta Circle, Noosa for $8.25 million in 2008 from Graeme Cutler.
They spent about $2 million on rebuilding parts of the house.
On its late 2013 offering it was suggested the Biddles’ house would provide a bellwether for 2014.
 
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Title Tattle recalls the then Mosman stockbroker Graeme Cutler and his wife Suzanne had listed the Noosa riverfront property at $9.75 million in 2008.
The Cutlers had rebuilt the house to a Gustav Donoval design following its purchase in 2003.
The Witta Circle property was previously owned by the Toorak-based Credit Suisse Asset Management executive vice-chairman Keith Ince, who upgraded to another Noosa retreat.  
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New Zealand buyer secures Bob Biddle's Witta Circle, Noosa waterfront

Kew has long been regarded as one of Melbourne's premier residential suburbs. It's a location defined by its grand period homes, leafy streets and some of the city's most prestigious schools, yet it has often sat just outside the spotlight cast on neighbouring Hawthorn and Camberwell.

Increasingly, however, buyers are recognising that Kew offers much of what draws people to those suburbs, with a quieter residential setting, exceptional amenity and long-term owner-occupier appeal.

Within a few minutes' walk, residents can access Kew Junction, one of Melbourne's most established village centres. Cafés, bakeries, restaurants, supermarkets, boutique retailers and everyday services are all on the doorstep, with local favourites including Centonove, Adeney Milk Bar Cafe, and Frank &amp; Harri creating the type of walkable lifestyle that has become increasingly difficult to find in Melbourne's inner east. Beyond the immediate neighbourhood, Glenferrie Road's renowned shopping and dining precinct in Hawthorn and the retail, dining and entertainment offerings of Camberwell Junction are both just a short drive or tram ride away.

The suburb is equally well connected. Tram routes 48 and 109 provide direct access to the CBD, while High Street and Cotham Road connect residents to the wider inner east.&nbsp;Nearby access to the Eastern Freeway also places the Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Melbourne Airport within easy reach, adding another layer of convenience for weekend travel.&nbsp;It's a rare combination of connectivity and tranquillity, where quiet residential streets sit just moments from some of Melbourne's most established shopping and lifestyle precincts.

For families, Kew remains one of Melbourne's most tightly held addresses. Carey Baptist Grammar School, Xavier College, Methodist Ladies' College, Trinity Grammar, Ruyton Girls' School and Genazzano FCJ College are all nearby, while the Yarra River parklands, walking trails and sporting clubs provide another layer of lifestyle appeal.

It's within this established pocket that developer Ricdanic is delivering <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/wimba-ave-kew-9-11-wimba-avenue-kew-vic-3101">Wimba Ave</a>, a boutique collection of just 13 residences across two buildings named after its location on the tree-lined Wimba Avenue,&nbsp;within one of Kew's most prestigious pockets where homes have been known to sell up to and above $8 million.

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The residences prioritise the space that buyers are increasingly searching for but struggling to find in established suburbs. Living areas extend beyond five metres in width, ceiling heights range from three to five metres, and apartments open onto private gardens averaging around 125 sqm. Selected residences also feature balconies of approximately 60 sqm, while premium inclusions include Miele appliances, double-glazed windows, EV readiness, fully electric systems and a 7.2 NatHERS energy rating.

Architect Chris Idle says opportunities to deliver homes of this scale within established suburbs have become increasingly uncommon.

"There are very few opportunities to do these kinds of developments in leafy, established suburbs," he says. "To get this level of amenity, natural light, and architectural freedom in such a setting is extremely rare."

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The architecture draws on Kew's established character through the use of handmade Krause bricks, while landscaping by John Patrick introduces 23 plant species, including nine native varieties, creating an environment which focuses just as much on nature as it does the building.

Construction on Wimba Ave is well underway by renowned high-end builder Sinjen, with completion expected in late 2027. Prices start from $2.22 million.

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Joel Robinson

The enduring appeal of Kew's tree-lined streets and village lifestyle

"For me, it's the location." That was the first thing Chris pointed to when reflecting on why he and his wife Marita decided to purchase at Candela Ivanhoe, the under-construction new apartment development by Salter Brothers in the heart of the north-eastern M​elb​ourne​ suburb. ​

"We've lived here before… everything is here," Chris said.

"Our doctor is around the corner, there's dentists, pilates, everything we need, restaurants, fast food places, two train stations, Ivanhoe and Darebin, both in walking distance. You don't need anything else."

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Just 10 kilometres from Melbo​urn​e's CBD, Ivanhoe combines direct city connectivity with the amenity of an established village community. Residents have access to highly regarded schools, expansive parklands, public transport, and a thriving retail and hospitality precinct centred around Upper Heidelberg Road, all within a neighbourhood that has retained its leafy character despite its proximity to the city.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/candela-ivanhoe-40-upper-heidelberg-road-ivanhoe-vic-3079">Candela Ivanhoe</a> sits within the heart of this established landscape, positioned just moments from Ivanhoe Village and within walking distance of many of the suburb's most sought-after amenities.

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From Candela, residents can access cafés, grocers, wine bars, restaurants and essential services on foot, while Ivanhoe Station and Darebin Station provide direct connectivity across Mel​bour​ne. The development is also surrounded by some of the suburb's best-known lifestyle destinations, including Pinkie, Laurent, Enni, Docasa and Woodfire Pizza e Cucina, alongside Ivanhoe Plaza, Woolworths, pharmacies and specialty retailers.

Green space is another defining feature of the suburb. Darebin Parklands, Ivanhoe Park, Nellie Ibbot Park and the Yarra River trail network provide extensive opportunities for recreation, while Ivanhoe Golf Course and Ivanhoe Tennis Club continue to underpin the area's long-established lifestyle appeal.

The suburb's education offering further strengthens demand. Ivanhoe Grammar School, Ivanhoe Girls' Grammar School, Mary Immaculate Primary School and Ivanhoe Primary School have helped establish the area as one of Melbou​​rne's most sought-after schooling precincts, attracting families and downsizers alike who want to remain connected to the area.

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While location was the priority for Marita and Chris, the project itself also needed to meet their expectations.

"Whilst location was paramount, I was also looking at design of the environment and Candela ticked every box," Marita said.

"We're just thrilled with our choice."

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Developed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/salter-brothers">Salter Brothers</a>, Candela Ivanhoe has been designed to complement its village setting, with an emphasis on generous floorplans, natural light and practical everyday living.

Residents will have access to a range of shared amenities, including a communal rooftop garden and dedicated residential lounge, complemented by a ground-floor café and lifestyle wellbeing centre, helping foster the sense of community already emerging among future owners.

That approach has resonated strongly with the market. More than 90 per cent of purchasers at Candela Ivanhoe are owner-occupiers, with buyers ranging from downsizers and second-home buyers to young families and first home buyers, creating a genuinely multi-generational community of grandparents, parents and children. It reflects a broader shift across Melbo​​urne's apartment market, where buyers are increasingly prioritising neighbourhood quality, lifestyle amenity and long-term liveability.

Currently under construction by Ironside, Candela Ivanhoe comprises 58 apartments. Candela Ivanhoe is scheduled for completion in the coming months, and residents can move in from September. One to four bedroom residences, prices from $649,000 and limited opportunities remaining.

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Location and lifestyle drive demand at Candela Ivanhoe

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Jonathan Chancellor

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