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David Bassanese, in his inaugural Switzer website blog, noted this week that rarely a week passes without the perennial issue of house prices being raised. 
He's long been of the view that Australian house prices are not wildly over inflated – and are not about to crash any time soon.  
<a href="https://www.switzer.com.au/the-experts/david-bassanese/house-prices-are-not-about-to-crash/" target="_blank">And recent research from the Reserve Bank of Australia only affirmed his view</a>. 
He says a major reason why house prices seem high relative to household incomes in this country was because of the large “proximity premium” that has been built into the value of most of our homes which have been allowed to luxuriate on large parcels of land very close to our major urban job centres.
"We haven’t had the huge house price bubble that many have feared," he said.
"In fact, the adjustment in house prices in recent decades to these forces has been remarkably orderly.
"Consider at the national level, for example, that house prices have broadly tracked household disposable income over much of the past decade. "Of course, there have been cyclical swings around this average – in line with cyclical swings in employment and interest rates – but little evidence of a wayward upward trend.
"Household debt levels have also flattened out, and there’s still little evidence of a broad-based upsurge in mortgage defaults.
"Indeed, more and more Australians are taking advantage of low interest rates to save more and get ahead of their mortgage repayments.
"It’s for this reason, moreover, that I dispute billionaire fund manger Kerr Neilson’s recent claim that “to believe home prices in the next 10 years will meaningfully outpace the consumer price index (CPI), as they have in the past, would require a remarkable set of circumstances.”
"All we need is household incomes continuing to rise by more than inflation – consistent modest real wage gains on the back of rising productivity – and for house prices to continue to broadly track household income."
His regular "Bassanese" column appeared in the AFR three times a week between 2003 and June this year when he became chief economist at Betashares.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

David Bassanese says house prices are not going to crash

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Australand has announced a Thursday morning update on acceptances regarding Frasers bid which have now reached 32%.
Frasers Centrepoint Limited offer to acquire Australand was just over halfway there, with the prior announcement when there was 24 hours to go.
At 6.30 pm Wednesday, offer acceptances received totalled 28.65%. 
<a href="/expert-insights/investing/frasers-australand-takeover-bid-still-short-as-deadline-draws-closer">Acceptances of more than 50% of all Australand securities must be received by 7pm</a> Thursday, or the offer will lapse.
Unofficially Frasers controlled 43% of Australand’s register and should surge over 50% by 4pm on Thursday afternoon, the Australian Financial Review Street Talk column suggested late morning.
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Frasers' Australand takeover acceptances pass halfway with 24 hours to go

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Investors secured seven NSW offerings of 7-Eleven service stations at auction yesterday, but the average 4.6% yield was tighter than the 6.8% two years ago.
Generating $33.08 million in sales, the top price was $6.01 million for a Lane Cove Road, Macquarie Park, North Ryde property (pictured above), which sold on a net yield of 4.96%.
 The other service stations sold on net yields of between 3.85% in Dee Why and 5.04% in nearby Mona Vale - all with 15-year leases to 7-Eleven.
The 15-year lease terms that commenced between 2010 and 2012, come with three five-year options; guaranteed fixed 4% annual rent increases, with the tenant responsible for all outgoing costs except land tax.
JLL’s John Macree, Leslie Cheng and Dylan McEvoy marketed the properties on behalf of the Withers Barlow Property Trust.
More 7-Eleven service stations, two in South East Queensland and six in Melbourne, will be auctioned this week.
Russell Withers, worth an estimated $665 million according to the recent BRW Rich list, jointly owns the rights to 7-Eleven in Australia with his sister, Beverley Barlow.
Jones Lang LaSalle has been selling the stores in tranches on behalf of 7-Eleven since early 2011.
The stores were purchased as part of 7-Elevens acquisition of 250 retail sites from Mobil Retail in 2010.
In 2011 seven properties in Thomastown, Clifton Hill and Noble Park in Victoria, Blacktown East, West Gosford and Long Jetty in NSW and Robina in Queensland were successfully auctioned by Jones Lang LaSalle with net yields ranging between 7.28% and 7.95%.
The purchasers have been attracted by land rich investment properties in prime locations with secure long-term leases and fixed rental increases.
7-Eleven Stores is the biggest convenience retailer in Australia, operating about 600 stores.
Many of the buyers were self-managed super fund retirees looking for passive cash flow investments, seeing the opportunity as ticking the box for a premium tenant on long-term lease, high underlying land value, rental growth guarantee, and high-profile exposure locations.
The New South Wales 7-Eleven convenience store and service station investments sold:
<ul>
<li>Ashfield, 132 Hume Highway – 1,524 square metres, sold for $4.9 million with a yield of 4.21%</li>
<li>Camperdown, 198 Parramatta Road – 1,107 square metres, sold for $3.65 million with a yield of 4.72%</li>
<li>Dee Why, 940 Pittwater Road – 1,867 square metres, sold for $5.05 million with a yield of 3.85%</li>
<li>Mona Vale, 38 Barrenjoey Road – 1,573 square metres, sold for $4.325 million with a yield of 5.04%</li>
<li>Macquarie Park / North Ryde, 404 Lane Cove Road – 1,716 square metres, sold for $6.01 million with a yield of 4.96%</li>
<li>Sans Souci, 476 Rocky Point Road – 1,538 square metres, sold for $4.55 million with a yield of 4.96%</li>
<li>St Ives, 157 Mona Vale Road – 2,257 square metres, sold for $4.6 million with a yield of 4.94%.</li>
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Yields tighten in latest 7-Eleven Sydney service station offering 

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Frasers Centrepoint's $2.6 billion takeover bid for Australand Property Group is still short of the 50.1% required by this Thursday’s deadline.
A flood of acceptances is expected in the final hours of the offer, although some warn the deal will fail to reach the unconditional stage.
Hedge funds control close to 40% of the register. They invested in the hope Stockland would extend a sweetened offer. Stockland owns 19.9% of Australand.
With acceptances sitting at below 10%, earlier this week security holders were reminded the Australand Directors unanimously recommended acceptance of the Fraser's offer in the absence of a superior proposal. 
"We note that the offer cannot be extended unless Frasers’ voting power in Australand increases to more than 50% or a competing takeover bid emerges before the closing date," the letter from Australand maning director Bo Johnston said.
The letter indicated the current status of the offer was as follows:
<ul>
<li>The Offer consideration of $4.48 per Australand Security (with the entitlement to the Allowed Distribution) is Frasers best and final offer in the absence of a competing proposal (as previously announced on 28 July 2014); </li>
<li>
Should Frasers achieve acceptances for more than 50% of all Australand Securities, including under the Institutional Acceptance Facility (IAF), prior to the Closing Date, and at that time no other condition of the Offer has been breached, Frasers has stated that it will immediately declare the Offer unconditional. Assuming the Offer becomes unconditional on 7 August 2014, the Allowed Distribution will amount to $0.0263 per Australand Security. In this case, Securityholders who accept the Offer and are on the Australand register on the Allowed Distribution Record Date would receive total proceeds under the Offer and the Allowed Distribution of $4.5063 per Australand Security. We also note that should Frasers not achieve acceptances for more than 50% of all Australand Securities or a competing proposal does not emerge by 7 August 2014, the Offer will lapse and Australand Securityholders will no longer be able to accept the Offer, and any acceptances received under the Offer will be of no effect. As such, if Securityholders wish to receive the Offer consideration they should accept now. Australand has established a Securityholder Information Line which Australand Securityholders should call if they have any queries in relation to the Offer. The telephone number for the Securityholder Information Line is 1800 882 147 (toll free calls within Australia); or +61 1800 882 147 (for calls outside Australia).
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Frasers' Australand takeover bid still short as deadline draws closer

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James Packer’s Crown Resorts Limited will partner up with Chinese property developer, Greenland Holdings Group to jointly bid for the Queen’s Wharf Brisbane Project.
Crown will combine its experience in operating large scale luxury integrated resorts with Greenland’s vast property development experience to form a consortium.
They were two of the then four separate short listed contenders announced in late May for the Queensland government’s Queen’s Wharf Brisbane Project. 
In October last year the Queensland government decided a gaming licence would be available for the under-utilised nine hectare government-owned site adjacent to the north bank of the Brisbane River.
The three remaining shortlisted consortia will be required to lodge fully-developed proposals with the government in late 2014.
Crown’s chief executive officer, Rowen Craigie said he hoped they can deliver for Brisbane an iconic tourist, entertainment and residential precinct that is recognised globally and embraced by the local community.
Greenland’s managing director in Australia, Sherwood Luo, said they were excited about the possibility in working with Crown.
Greenland Holdings Group is a Shanghai-based Chinese-state owned enterprise. 
It is a Fortune 500 corporation, ranking 268 in the 2014 rankings. Greenland has businesses in real estate, energy, finance, construction and automobiles and generated revenue of almost US$54 billion in 2013.
Greenland is already undertaking major residential and hotel developments in Sydney and Melbourne as well as a major integrated resort development in South Korea and numerous large scale residential, hotel and commercial developments in China, London, New York, Los Angeles and Malaysia. 
Greenland is the major shareholder of the listed Hong Kong property development company, Greenland Hong Kong Holdings Limited. 
The four consortia initially shortlisted to develop a six-star multi-billion dollar integrated resort development were.
<ul>
<li>Crown Resorts Ltd</li>
<li>Echo Entertainment Group Ltd</li>
<li>Far East Consortium/ Chow Tai Fook Enterprises Ltd</li>
<li>Greenland Investment Pty Ltd.</li>
</ul>
A formal announcement regarding the successful developer and their development scheme is not expected until early 2015.
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James Packer teams up with Chinese property developer for joint Queen’s Wharf Brisbane Project bid

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Offers over $5 million are still being sought by listing agent Jason Black of Black Lifestyle Property for 30 Marine Parade, Maroubra.
Located above Lurline Bay, close to the Mahon rock pool, the mansion is set over three floors on 518 square metres.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-lurline+bay-117395155" target="_blank">The four bedroom, four bathroom family home</a> was built in 2007, on a block last traded for $2.06 million in 2001. 
It was designed by architect Timothy Hadiwibawa.
It had been scheduled for 2 August auction by the Fok family.
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Lurline Bay, Maroubra prestige offering remains for sale

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For the first time Ray White’s group sales in July exceeded $3 billion, the first time in any winter month.
"The markets are continuing to resemble spring/summer conditions in a remarkable display of consistency," Ray White co-chairman Brian White advised, adding the consistency was across all individual markets. 
Brian White pinpointed the strength of the recovery in Queensland - noting it was "once the hardest hit property market in Australia".
 Seems the only thing holding even stronger results across our markets is the seasonal stock shortages.
"Capital cities - indeed the inner city components of our major capitals - are proving fundamental in this resilience," he said.
Ray White’s inner city New Farm office in Brisbane achieved an all time record of $50 million.
The previous July 2013 figure was $2.1 billion, although it is not a like on like figure given office openings in the meantime.
The figure includes residential, commercial and hotel sales from across its Asia Pacific network.
"Cold weather always tames our markets so we needed to be happy with our $2.6 billion for June," Brian White said in the June 2014 report.
The June 2013 sales number was $2.3 billion, up on June 2012 by 5%.
The Ray White Group’s May 2014 results of $3.3 billion took the group to equal its all time monthly record, well above the $2.7 billion notched up in May 2103. 
This year's May tally included $1 billion in NSW.
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Ray White secures record $3 billion in wintery July 2014 property sales

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Chanel Australia and New Zealand's national retail manager, Kathleen Bennett, and her extradition lawyer husband Stephen Parkes, secured around $1.9 million for their Chatswood trophy home, Chalambar.
The five-bedroom home on 784 square metres comes with wraparound verandah overlooking a pool.
The bungalow traded at $1.4 million in 2011 by the downsizing couple.
Chalambar was snapped up prior to its scheduled 2 August auction.
There were initial $1.7 million plus hopes<a href="https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house-chatswood-nsw-2067/226491/?searchID=41475660" target="_blank"> through McGrath Chatswood's Olivia Chung</a>.
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Chalambar, Chatswood bungalow sells pre-auction

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The interior designer Mikayla Rose's first floor apartment in Hawthorn East has been sold for $811,000.
Rose, whose work has been featured in many glossy magazines, bought the property in early 2013 for $640,000.
The 5/119 Victoria Road, Cambridge Court apartment has since had an overhaul, retaining the 1930s character while adding some contemporary touches including American oak.
Fronting picturesque Cambridge Street with private courtyard garden entry and internal stairway, the sophisticated home's reinvention has attracted the praise in The Design Files along with House and Garden.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-townhouse-vic-hawthorn+east-117407779" target="_blank">Agents Campbell Ward and Elizabeth Landale of Jellis Craig</a> had been quoting $650,000-plus for the three bedroom apartment.
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Interior designer Mikayla Rose sells in Hawthorn East

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Ballarat's Bishops Palace - the home of the first bishop of Ballarat Diocese - has been listed for 30 August auction.
The heritage-listed property, set on a 14,500 square metre holding, was last sold for around $700,000 in 1996 by the Catholic Church.
It remains in mint condition, agent Jim Bambridge says. 
It was built in 1873 as the headquarters for the Ballarat Diocese and its first bishop, Dr Michael O’Connor to a design by Melbourne architect Joseph Reed of Reed and Barnes at a cost of £6,000.
Its been for sale for some time <a href="https://www.prdballarat.com.au/displayproperty?c=26610&amp;t=R&amp;o=80" target="_blank">through PRDnationwide</a> with 1444 Sturt Street having been <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/bishop-s-palace-ballarat-trophy-home-listing-ballarat-trophyhome/2013052360371" target="_blank">initially listed at </a><a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/bishop-s-palace-ballarat-trophy-home-listing-ballarat-trophyhome/2013052360371" target="_blank">$6.5 million</a>, then $5.5 million, then in early 2014 at $4.5 million plus when Property Observer was told all the buying interest had come from intending home buyers. 
Ballarat prestige sales have tended to be on Lake Wendouree where $2,825,000 was paid in late 2007 for a house with 53 square metres of living space, an indoor pool and a tennis court on a large block.
The median house price in <a href="/news">Ballarat </a>is $340,000, a tad under its recent $355,000 peak. 
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Ballarat Bishops Palace listed for August auction

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140755 project_image_fid=354809]

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."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=140755 project_image_fid=366267]

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.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=140755]

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=342 project_image_fid=364553]

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.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=342 project_image_fid=357510]

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."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=342 project_image_fid=336455]

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.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=342]

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.

[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]

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.

Jonathan Chancellor

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