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The Lim family have listed their clinker brick Wolseley Road Point Piper property. It comes with U-shaped feng shui-inspired building plans. Some of the marketing photographs suggest it is a prized harbour front, but it is actually hillside.
It comes with approved plans for <a href="https://www.raywhite.com/nsw/point-piper/1170391/" target="_blank">a massive Alex Tzannes designed harbour-side home</a> offering 648 square metre of internal living space across three levels with sweeping Sydney Harbour views.
The plans - with one impression pictured above - endeavour to seek an "integrated free-flowing indoor/outdoor environment amid lush landscaped internal and external gardens, including an internal garden atrium and water-wall embracing the spiritual considerations of feng shui" through to a pool.
<a href="https://oceaniaproperty.com.au/point-piper.php" target="_blank">There are five bedroom suites, each with bathroom and walk-in robe, plus self-contained studio, office, and a state-of-the-art kitchen, butler's pantry, theatre, gym and garaging for four cars</a>.
Elliott Placks and Ashley Bierman at Ray White have the listing which last sold at a hefty $20.55 million in 2008. Apparently they want $30 million.
The property is a 678 square metre holding.
The development application was secured despite the opposition of entrepreneur Phil Green, the Vogliotti family and Bill Webb from across the road.
Julina Lim is from the<a href="https://oceaniaproperty.com.au/about-us.php" target="_blank"> Oceania Property Corporation</a>.
It was 2010 when the Lim family secured Land and Environment Court approval to proceed with the new $3.8 million four-storey home, though they have yet to proceed.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

U-turn as Lim family list hillside Wolseley Road, Point Piper offering

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The weekend's cheapest Sydney sale was at Narellan in the Camden municipality.
The $418,000 sale was its first since 1977 when it sold for $9,000.
The price growth topped 10% per year over the 37 years' ownership.
<a href="https://www.homehound.com.au/listing/for-sale/nsw/sydney-region/macarthur-camden/narellan-macarthur-camden/23-rudd-street-narellan-nsw-2567/" target="_blank">Combined Real Estate Narellan</a> marketed the property as bequested to a childrens' charity, so they were not charging any commission for the purpose of the auction.
The <a href="https://www.onthehouse.com.au/reports/property_profile/14597180/23_Rudd_Street_NARELLAN_NSW_2567/" target="_blank">onthehouse</a> price estimated was prior auction given as $370,000 to $470,000.
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Narellan cottage yields 10% annual price growth for charity 

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Wayne and Jane Hawkes - of the well-known Hawkes Racing family - sold their Essendon property last weekend for $63,000 over reserve.
There were four bidders on the Hawkes' <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/property/for-sale/house/vic/essendon/?adid=2011265279" target="_blank">modern three-bedroom house</a> at 155 Bradshaw Street.
It is a three bedroom plus study home.
 It sold for $1.158 million through agent Lou Rendina.
<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-essendon-104904169" target="_blank">The building block was sold in 2008</a> at $915,000.
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Hawkes racing clan in Essendon sale

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Redlands, the Tudor-style mansion in 1.2 hectare gardens at Mittagong in the NSW Southern Highlands has been listed for sale.
Set high on Mt Gibraltar, the garden dates back to the 1930s design by Paul Sorensen.
The garden was commonly regarded as saved from ivy and blackberry by Michele Scamps and Dale Goodman who sold it for $3,575,000 in 2003 to the current vendor, the Klumper family.
It was briefly listed in 2012 at $3.3 million.
Now it has been <a href="https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house-mittagong-nsw-2575/225094/?searchID=40807500" target="_blank">listed at $2.99 million plus through McGrath</a> agent Simon Doak.
Apparently there are some 130 plus trees including an European larch on the front lawn and another the pyramidal hornbeam.
Past owners included economist Dr John Hewson who bought it for $106,000 in 1977 and sold for $380,000 in 1985, a little before his stint as Federal opposition leader.
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Tudor-styled Redlands in the Southern Highlands listed

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The Victorian government is considering introducing minimum apartment sizes.
It may ban any new studio flats being smaller than 37 square metres.
The proposal under consideration by the Planning Minister Matthew Guy also mandates that 50 square metres would be the minimum for any new one bedroom unit.
A recent Melbourne City Council report shows some of Melbourne's newest developments are 10 times as dense as permitted by law in many other urbanised centres.
It suggested 40% of the city’s newest apartments are smaller than 50 square metres, satisfying only the needs of overseas investors at the expense of residents, according to the Melbourne City Council’s draft housing strategy.
Melbourne City Council's director of city design, Rob Adams even suggested the volume of apartment approvals and their density on city blocks meant Melbourne risked becoming like "Hong Kong without the spectacular setting".
Describing the developer trend to micro apartments of even as small as 18.5 square metres as ''rampant exploitation of renters,'' Michael Buxton, professor of environment and planning at RMIT University, recently noted apartments were shrinking in size with profit the primary motive.
“Five year ago the average size of an apartment was 60 square metres.
“Now its between 42 and 45 square metres and falling. ” he advised.
Tom Alves, a senior adviser at the Office of the Victorian Government Architect and chairman of the working group drafting the standards, told the Australian Financial Review the agency desire to improve the quality of apartments came after consultation with the City of ­Melbourne, local councils and lobby groups.
A reference group was chaired by Victorian government architect Geoffrey London.
Mr Guy said his department was considering the proposals for micro apartments.
“This review will include industry consultation and assessment of impacts on construction cost and ­housing supply,” he told the AFR.
Property professionals are invited to sign up for the <a href="/news">upcoming Property Observer webinar on Off the Plan Marketing and Sales Masterclass</a>.
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No more shoebox apartments? 37 square metre minimum size under Victorian government consideration

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The Mortgage Choice network has taken its national franchise numbers to 405.
And in June Mortgage Choice approved more than $1 billion in mortgages – the eighth month in the past financial year.
Mortgage Choice chief executive officer Michael Russell said it was "a real milestone" for the network.
“This is the first time since January 2009 that Mortgage Choice has had more than 400 franchises,” Russell said.
In February 2013 it was at 386 franchises and 380 in August 2012.
He summed up the current scenario as having a strong property market, interest rates hovering around record lows, lenders competing aggressively for business and the Mortgage Choice network "expanding at a cracking pace."
"Given the ferocity of these prevailing tailwinds, we are hopeful of recording our biggest settlement numbers yet this year,” Russell said.
Russell also noted that broker usage was now over 50%.
Russell said the company had  significantly grown its network of loan writers following its recent Plus One initiative which offered Mortgage Choice franchisees a monetary incentive to bring a new loans consultant into their business. 
"We set ourselves a target of recruiting 50 additional loan writers for our franchisees by the end of September and we are currently on track to exceed that goal."
Mortgage Choice has been offering home loans since it was established in 1992, in the wake of the deregulation of the Australian banking industry in 1985.
 
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Mortgage Choice tops $1 billion monthly loan approvals again

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The back-pain specialist Sarah Key, the wife of former Sydney solicitor Russell Keddie, has listed her Double Bay home.
The 1904 Wistonville is one of the earlier Double Bay mansions at the end of the quietly exclusive harbourside cul-de-sac, Wiston Gardens. 
It had a floor added by the architect Professor Leslie Wilkinson in the 1960s.
The house, with north facing courtyards, has a grand drawing room with open fireplace and Kauri floors.
It last traded in 1985 at $430,000.
The picturesque Wistonville, set in gardens by Harris Hobbs Landscape Architects, was briefly listed for sale in 2010.
It is relisted<a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-double+bay-117466963" target="_blank"> through Louise Snowden, now at Raine &amp; Horne, for August 14 auction</a>. More than $3.5 million is tipped for the Elizabeth Bay bound couple.
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Wistonville, 1904 Double Bay mansion with Professor Wilkinson extension, relisted

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Australand has reported a 49% rise in net profit and a 30% increase in operating profit after tax for the half-year.
Its residential division reported an increase in operating earnings.
The residential division achieved an operating EBIT result of $30.7 million for the half year up on the half year of $22.3 million. 
Aggregate sales revenue for the half year was $185.0 million (HY13: $191.8 million). 
Sales activity remains strong with the division holding 2,170 contracts on hand as at 30 June 2014 (13 December: 1,823 contracts on hand). 
Major projects contributing to the half year result included: 
<ul>
<li>
<a href="/news">Greenhills Beach</a> in NSW with 14 lots sold;
</li>
<li>
<a href="/news">Croydon</a> in VIC with 86 lots sold;
</li>
<li>
<a href="/news">Greenvale </a>in VIC with 74 lots sold;
</li>
<li>
<a href="/news">Clyde North</a> in VIC with 118 lots sold;
</li>
<li>
<a href="/news">Parkville </a>in VIC with 48 lots sold; and
</li>
<li>
Port Coogee in WA with 19 lots sold. 
</li>
</ul>
The Clyde North project is being marketed as <a href="https://residential.australand.com.au/land/vic/clyde-north/berwick-waters/#forsale" target="_blank">Berwick Waters</a> (pictured above) which is delivering homes within extensive wetlands and open spaces, along with shopping and community facilities complemented by additional schools
But despite the recent sales the developer’s overall revenue fell 15% according to its financial report for the half-year to 30 June.
Distributions per stapled security were 12.75 cents, up from 10.5 cents.
The group upgraded its earnings guidance in May noting if strength in the residential market is sustained, earnings per security were expected to grow 10-15% annually from 2014 until the end of 2016.
Australand is set to be taken over by Singaporean-listed Frasers Centrepoint Limited after Australian authorities approved the $2.6 billion deal earlier in July.
Property professionals are invited to sign up for <a href="/news">the upcoming Property Observer webinar on Off the Plan Marketing and Sales Masterclass</a>.
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Berwick Waters, Clyde North residential boosts Australand sales contracts

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Martindale, a Kings Cross terrace with 10 bedrooms and 11 bathrooms has been listed for sale by McGrath Estate Agents.
The property with a distinctive dark crimson facade at 52 Kellett Street features an insightful floor plan indicating (pictured below) the purposeful layout.
Click to open in new window:
<a href="/images/2014/07/22/potts-point-july-22-floor-plan.gif" target="_blank"><img src="/images/2014/07/22/potts-point-july-22-floor-plan.gif" alt=""></a>
It featured in the 1999 SMH report by the investigative duo Kate McClymont and Andrew Clennell entitled, "Our Brothel Barons".
At the time it reportedly traded as Classique, a brothel whose advertising once boasted of a speciality in lesbian double acts. It has more recently traded as Studio 52, Star 52, Antonio’s Angels and Secret Desire. The rates have been at around $120 for 30 minutes.
The building, which has been marketed as in Potts Point, was listed previously in 2011, 2012 and 2013 without success.
It last traded at $2.1 million in 2006 when bought by ETC Australias Group Pty Ltd. Its earlier sales were $1.5 million in 2004 and at $1.38 million in 1999.
The premises is for sale, not the business. Offers are due 27 August.
More than $1.8 million is being sought.
There is no registered lease, with no rental income advisory given in <a href="https://www.mcgrath.com.au/buy/house-potts-point-nsw-2011/228008/?searchID=41071082" target="_blank">the McGrath marketing</a>.
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10 bedrooms, 11 bathrooms: A Kings Cross special offering

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The Ausin Group, which specialises in offering residential and commercial property to the mainland Chinese market, has sold over 1,200 new properties across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and New Zealand in the past year.
The annual sales totalled over $800 million with Ausin Group selling over 450 Melbourne properties to Chinese buyers valued at over $260 million within the last three months.
It is now expanding four of its major offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Shanghai and Beijing to meet strong demand from Chinese investors seeking Australian and New Zealand properties.
Ausin Group’s buyers are mostly from Southern China, Beijing and Shanghai.
The company now employs over 300 people across 13 offices in Australia and China, with offices at Shanghai, Beijing, Kunming, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Ningbo, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Wuxi, Suzhou in China.
Joseph Zaja, general manager of Ausin Group said the demand had been driven by several factors including the Chinese property market being currently soft and "will continue to be so for a number of years".
"Australia is considered a safe property investment haven with solid returns and is a preferred immigration destination. 
"The Australian standard of education, safety and low pollution levels are all appealing to Chinese immigrants seeking a new place to call home.”
Ausin Group expects to double the number of properties the company sells to Chinese investors over the next year.
Ausin Group was established in 2009.
It sells properties for private and ASX listed companies in Australia and New Zealand.
Property sales included a mix of inner city apartments and house and land packages. 
Mr Zaja said sales included inner city apartments within a two kilometre radius from the CBD to residential communities situated between 20 to 40 kilometres from the CBD. 
"<a href="/news">South Yarra</a>, <a href="/news">St Kilda</a> and <a href="/news">Toorak</a> are some of the areas attracting Chinese buyers.”
He said Chinese purchasers in Melbourne were seeking properties which have good infrastructure links, are close to major universities and are easily accessible to the CBD.
Joseph Zaja is a panellist at the upcoming Property Observer webinar on Off the Plan Marketing and Sales Masterclass.
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Ausin expects doubling in mainland Chinese property purchases in Australia

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

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