<html><body>
The intensity of the Sydney auction property market appears to be strong in early August auctions.
Last week Property Observer published a survey of 30 recent auctions suggesting there was a <a href="/expert-insights/buying/add-12-to-sydney-auction-estimates-to-secure-purchase-intelligent-property-services">12% gap between price estimate and knock down sale price</a>.
We'll be checking the auction temperature on a weekly basis as we head into spring.
The randomly selected 10 results showed a range in above estimate sale prices of between 5% and 37%.
There was an 18% above estimate sale price.
The highest result was actually not disclosed, but we can advise it was $1.1 million, some $300,000 above the $800,000 pre-auction price estimate. 
<ul>
<li>51 Burgess Street BEVERLEY PARK  Over $800,000 SOLD AT $1.1 million</li>
<li>110B/144 Dunning Avenue ROSEBERY Over $700,000 SOLD AT $825,000</li>
<li>21 Avenel Road GYMEA BAY Over $770,000 SOLD $820,000</li>
<li>9 Oswald Street  RANDWICK Over $1,050,000 SOLD $1.33 million</li>
<li>13 Henry Lawson Drive PEAKHURST Over $800,000 SOLD $1,052,000</li>
<li>15/176 Russell Avenue DOLLS POINT Over $490,000 SOLD $600,000</li>
<li>15 Pemell Street NEWTOWN $950,000 SOLD $1.105 million</li>
<li>14/16 Abbott Street  COOGEE Over $720,000 SOLD $838,000</li>
<li>49 Caldarra Avenue ENGADINE Over $690,000 SOLD $765,000</li>
<li>28a Rosemead Road, HORNSBY NSW Over $1.4 million SOLD $1.7 million</li>
</ul>
</body></html>

jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Paying 18% over auction estimates: Sydney's pre-spring price spurt

<html><body>
<div>
The international fashion chain H&amp;M will shortly open its first Sydney store in the revamped Macquarie Centre in North Ryde.
</div>
The Daily Telegraph reports the store is expected to open on 16 October in Sydney's north-western suburbs.
Macquarie Centre will possibly have other global brands including Victoria’s Secret, Uniqlo and Zara, whom are all currently negotiating leases.
David Jones and Myer will be there too, all hoping to capitalise on the forecast that by 2031 Macquarie Business Park will be Australia’s fourth-largest business centre.
Australia's first H&amp;M fashion store<a href="/expert-insights/investing/h-m-set-for-australian-roll-out-as-its-first-local-store-launches-tomorrow"> opened in Melbourne's GPO building</a> in the Bourke Street mall in April.
The chain has about 3,182 stores in 53 countries, opening a further 375 this year.
It took around three years to find the initial outlet sites in Australia, including the distribution warehouse at Eastern Creek in Sydney. 
</body></html>

H&M's first Sydney store set for a 16 October opening at Macquarie Centre, North Ryde

<html><body>
The Nine Network has commenced NSW Land &amp; Environment Court proceedings to secure planning approvals for its ridegline 29,860 square metre development site in Willoughby.
The <a href="https://www.pac.nsw.gov.au/Projects/tabid/77/ctl/viewreview/mid/462/pac/372/view/readonly/myctl/rev/Default.aspx" target="_blank">state’s Planning Assessment Commission</a> determined an eight storey height limit and cut the number of dwellings to 350.
The Nine Network is appealing that decision, seeking 450 dwellings and maximum height of 12 storeys. 
The television network has been broadcasting from the property since 1956. 
Nine Network seeks to follow in the footsteps of the redevelopment of the former ABC site in Gore Hill and the former Channel 7 studio in Epping.
Early plans (pictured above) by Channel Nine were for 600 dwellings with six buildings including three towers above 16 storeys, then later plans for as high as 18-storeys.
<div class="page" title="Page 7">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR) has been raised as an issue by the community who noted the radio frequency hazard survey provided by the proponent had been predominantly conducted at ground level. EMR had not been adequately considered for residents living in multi-storey buildings. 
The assessment report has recommended a condition which requires future development applications to include electromagnetic radiation reports and incorporate appropriate building design measures to demonstrate residents of all new dwellings will not be exposed to radiation levels above those recommended by ARPANSA.
</div>
</div>
</div>
</body></html>

Channel 9 Willoughby planning stoush heading to to court

<html><body>
The Chinese developer JQZ has reportedly paid $50 million plus for ­Woollahra Council's former depot in Waterloo.
<a href="https://jqz.com.au" target="_blank">JQZ</a>, which also emerged last year as the $47 million development site buyer at nearby 904 Bourke Street, was previously known as the Tong Group which was founded in 2005.
The 1.4 hectare holding at 52-54 O’Dea Avenue is located within walking distance of Green Square railway station.
<img src="/images/2014/08/05/1.jpg" alt="">
The site is zoned for mixed-use of up to about 18 storeys with one tower, plus four x eight storey buildings.
JQZ has more than 1,000 apartments under way across Sydney having developed ­apartments in Burwood, Parra­matta, Homebush, Harris Park and Rockdale.
The Bay at Meadowbank is another project.
It has also recently marketed 250 apartments in its Parramatta Road, Homebush project, Grand Central, Homebush, which is a development site with 430 apartments scheduled for completion by 2016. Grand Central development will comprise two buildings, a 7-storey and 13-storey.
JQZ paid $30 million for the 10,000 square metre site at 6-18 Parramatta Road, which is its 10th Sydney project.
JLL had the council offering, the Australian Financial Review report said.
The local paper has advised that council received the first of four payments, a $5.6 million deposit, from Chinese developer JQZ as part of a deferred two-year sale.
</body></html>

JQZ secures Woollahra Council's Waterloo depot

<html><body>
Cloyne, the landmark Toorak residence, has had its asking price reduced.
The <a href="https://www.sothebysrealty.com/eng/sales/detail/180-l-2980-3nzhpe/cloyne-611-toorak-road-toorak-toorak-melbourne-vi-3142" target="_blank">Sotheby's International agents Greg Herman and Robert Curtain</a> initially had a $4.8 million asking price on the five bedroom, five bathroom Harold Desbrowe-Annear-designed house.
It now comes with a $3.95 million asking price.
With prominent porte cochere, Cloyne is one of the few substantially intact homes designed in the 1920s by Harold Desbrowe Annear.
It was built at 611 Toorak Road, Toorak in 1926 for Louis Nelken, reputedly a former Royal family butler, who married into the establishment Baillieu family. He was a director of Australian Knitting Mills.
<a href="/news/cloyne-the-jewelled-toorak-trophy-residence-returns-to-market">It last sold in 2011 at around $3.5 million</a>.
</body></html>

Cloyne, Toorak trophy mansion asking price reduced to $3.95 million

<html><body>
The Barlow property development family have sold another Darling Point apartment.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-apartment-nsw-darling+point-117102035" target="_blank">It sold at $6.4 million</a>, the third to sell in the complex.
It is set in the four apartment complex, The Bower, designed by architects JPRA and interior designers Collins Vergnaud.
The whole floor three bedroom abode comes with 326 square metres on title, and 232 square metres internal, reflecting $27,500 a square metre.
It is on the first floor of a new five-storey luxury building, developed by property developer Scott Barlow's Strada Group.
Last year it was for sale by expressions of interest with price hopes of more than $7.5 million closing 5 April through Julian Hasemer, a principal of 1st City Hasemer + Caldwell.Eyles, and LJ Hooker Double Bay's Bill Malouf. 
Scott Barlow is the son-in-law of Sydney FC's billionaire owner, David Traktovenko who it's suggested intends keeping the fourth apartment. 
The two level penthouse sold for $8 million.
</body></html>

Scott Barlow secures another Darling Point apartment sale

<html><body>
Another 31 suburbs have joined, perhaps temporarily, Sydney's million-dollar median house club, new figures from Australian Property Monitors show.
Sydney's northern beaches have eight suburbs with fresh seven-figure medians.
They include Warriewood, with a median house price of $1,077,000; North Narrabeen's median house price at $1,002,500, and Davidson with a $1,138,000 median.
One of the last inner city suburbs to break the barrier was Darlington at $1,026,000.
Dr Andrew Wilson, the senior economist at the Domain Group, noted the Canterbury-Bankstown region featured on the list for the first time.
Ashbury and Hurlstone Park have medians above $1 million.
APM noted in the first half of the year the median house price for the Canterbury-Bankstown region increased by 8.3% to a record $720,000 high.
There 123 suburbs in the club in 2013.
<a href="/expert-insights/buying/sydney-now-has-170-suburbs-with-1-million-median-house-price-apm">Then</a><a href="/expert-insights/buying/sydney-now-has-170-suburbs-with-1-million-median-house-price-apm"> 170 suburbs with a $1 million median house price</a>, according to Australian Property Monitors, from sales data over the six months to March this year.
Back in 1993 there were just five harbourfront suburbs.
A decade later there were 69 suburbs in million dollar territory. 
It is now more than one in five suburbs.
</body></html>

Canterbury-Bankstown kicks off with two suburbs in Sydney's $1 million house median club

<html><body>
Arnold Schwarzenegger now knows where Wagga Wagga is, but television viewers might be left confused as to the purpose behind the latest realestate.com.au advertising campaign.
We are supposed to get that the actor, supposedly wanting to move back to Austria, reckons that realestate.com.au will be of help, mistakenly thinking that ‘.au’ is an Austrian site.
He's confused, we're confused. And so is his Australian assistant Dylan, as the mildly amusing campaign plays on supposed confusion between Australia and the actor's home country of Austria.
Instead he stumble across "Vagga Vagga" et al.
Get it!
Realestate.com.au last night unveiled a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAXxnvLmtdc" target="_blank">new national brand campaign</a> starring the Hollywood film icon, former Governor of California and Austria’s favourite son. It was the first in a series of seven television commercials set to air over the coming weeks.
{qtube vid:=XAXxnvLmtdc}
The implicit confusion within the campaign ultimately leads to "discovery", as property consumers become curious to find out more about localities.
In an Australian media first, realestate.com.au launched the campaign using a unique high-impact approach, commandeering all free to air and subscription Australian commercial television and major digital advertising networks simultaneously on the 6:20pm time slot. 
They hoped to start a twitter trend with the #ausliveshere. But #VaggaVagga appeared popular. 
Not quite viral among the 2.8 million Australian accounts registered on social media platform Twitter. Australia was too busy preparing to watch The Block Glasshouse, the night's most watched show drawing a metro audience of 1.377 million at 6.30pm.
Meanwhile Arnie "learnt a lot about Australia in the process, like how to say Wagga Wagga". 
"I also found it’s hard to find a home with a cheese cave or professionally equipped gym,” he quipped in the website press release.
The adman, BWM’s managing director Mark Watkin, said the idea of using Arnold Schwarzenegger was deliberately "left-field".
The lowpoint of property website marketing was possibly Domain's Dexter and Greg Evans, sadly sans Kerrie Friend.
{qtube vid:=6ILOgGOn59c}
And for Property Observer readers wishing to suss out the Wagga Wagga investment merits, <a href="/news">here's the best link</a>.
It's all quite simple, and there's not much happening with price or rental growth.
Click on map below to go to Property Observer's data page on Wagga Wagga.
<a href="/news"><img src="/images/2014/08/04/vagga-vagga-aug-4-breakout.jpg" alt=""></a>
Picture courtesy of realestate.com.au.
</body></html>

Left-field realestate.com.au puts Wagga Wagga on the map with weird Arnold Schwarzenegger ad

<html><body>
<div>
The University of Western Sydney is to lease the new tower One Parramatta Square, aka 1PSQ.
The proposed new campus will have over 10,000 students.
The highrise campus will include 26,000 square metre space over 14 levels with UWS vice-chancellor Professor Barney Glover saying it chose the development due to the building’s design, flexibility and prominence.
</div>
The tower will sit within the envisaged $2 billion urban renewal project, Parramatta Square, a six-stage, three hectare masterplan development by Parramatta City Council.
<a href="https://www.uws.edu.au/newscentre/news_centre/more_news_stories/new_uws_campus_to_drive_parramatta_square_vision" target="_blank">The $200 million A-Grade tower</a> is being developed by Leighton Properties which purchased the 4,132 square metre site at 169 Macquarie Street, after being announced as the preferred buyer by the Parramatta City Council last year.
"This project forms a vital part of the University's strategy to significantly expand its international student population, and will be a focal point for our postgraduate programs. The prime CBD location will embed UWS in the social, economic and civic life of Parramatta and Greater Western Sydney," Professor Glover said.
Students will benefit from existing public transport links plus the planned Western Sydney Light Rail Network, although construction work beginning in early 2015 and completed for the first university semester in 2017, will beat any light rail.
Last week Raffles Assets Australia, a subsidiary of Singapore’s Raffles Education ­Corporation, bought in Parramatta.
<a href="/expert-insights/investing/raffles-education-buys-enterprise-house-parramatta">Their $29 million purchase</a> which will assist the renaissance of the precinct, is a six-storey office building at 1-3 Fitzwilliam Street.
</body></html>

UWS takes 1PSQ as Parramatta becomes an education hub

<html><body>
Warrangunyah, the 1,200 hectare Mudgee farm with 1910 homestead, has been sold for $2.75 million through Peter Druitt &amp; co - Mudgee.
It is a substantial and productive grazing property located only two and a half hours from Sydney.  
It is estimated Warrangunyah could run 400 breeding cows plus followers, in addition to 2,000 sheep.
It features 4.5 kilometres double frontage to the Warrangunia Creek with 300 acres of alluvial flats, an 88 meg irrigation license with 80 acres laid out to irrigation, and the remainder cleared, productive rolling grazing country. <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-lifestyle-nsw-mudgee-7631475" target="_blank"></a>
The homestead has seven bedrooms.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-lifestyle-nsw-mudgee-7631475" target="_blank">The 10 Warrangunia Road property</a>, some 54 kilometres south of Mudgee at Ilford, was listed for sale in March at $3.3 million.
It sold around a week after auction to a buyer who owned an adjoining rural holding.
 
"The property had attracted good interest prior to inspection, having attracted eight inspections, which is quite a lot for a large rural holding," Peter Druitt told Property Observer.
 
Its earliest occupants were the Suttor family, Walter Sydney Suttor, a prominent grazier in New South Wales lived their after it was built by his father William Henry Suttor.
</body></html>

Warrangunyah, 1910 Mudgee homestead sells

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."

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X8K0Bozug7A?si=Puwc6vx_ZO0qQZF8" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>

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

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News