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The grandest of hinterland listings on the Gold Coast, Bellagio La Villa, is home with a symmetrical façade behind which is some 2,546-square-metres of living space.
<a href="/news/ridong-billionaire-riyu-li-buys-bellagio-la-villa-the-gold-coast-hinterland-mansion">The recent sale of the luxury home</a> got our property contrarians Jonathan Chancellor and Margie Blok thinking about symmetry in suburban housing design.
Some weekends see symmetry dominate the top seller lists, such as late March when eastern Melbourne estate agents secured the sale of three homes within close price and location proximity, at <a href="https://21monashavebalwyn.com.au" target="_blank">21 Monash Avenue, Balwyn</a>; <a href="https://www.30willsstreet-kew.com" target="_blank">30 Wills Street, Kew</a> and <a href="https://www.jelliscraig.com.au/property/HAWTHORN-EAST-4-Mt-Ida-Avenue/6761155/#.U23suVxK6qQ" target="_blank">4 Mt Ida Avenue, Hawthorn East</a>.
Ofcourse it doesn't have to be as flash as the Bellagio La Villa or other top sellers. 
Though symmetrical design in architecture is evident in landmark buildings around the globe including the Pantheon in Rome, the Taj Mahal in India, the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur and the Opera House in Sydney.
Symmetry (from the Greek συμμετρία symmetry) is all about "agreement in dimensions, due proportion, arrangement." There's also the accompanying vague sense of harmonious and beautiful proportion and balance.
Here's a small range of houses with mirror image façade s.
HE SAID: YES, NO, YES<img src="/images/2014/03/28/jc-silhouette-7.jpg" alt="" style="float: right;">
<ul>
<li>The $450,000 timber Corinella bungalow comes with terrific symmetry.</li>
</ul>
It is an appealing <a href="https://www.alexscott.com.au/details.asp?internetid=23384&amp;OFFICE_ID=354" target="_blank">classic period home</a> in a quiet fishing village in Vicoria's Westernport Bay district.
The four-bedroom cottage (pictured below) sits on a block at 11 Walpole Street which ideally would be bigger from an aesthetics point of view
Inside there are high ornate ceilings with big ceiling roses. Upstairs is the large parents retreat upstairs comes with Bay and French Island glimpses and a new fabulous claw foot bath in the second bathroom, a second ensuite and a double spa.
The grounds have landscaped gardens, red brick paved walkways, Federation style carport and huge jarrah split level "u" shaped outdoor alfresco deck and entertaining area out the back.
It is for sale through Russ Williams at the Alex Scott &amp; Staff agency.
 <img src="/images/2014/05/09/corinella%20may%209%20one.jpg" alt="">
<ul>
<li>
The three-bedroom home at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-camberwell-116575507" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">10 Outlook Drive Camberwell</a> (pictured below) recently sold for $1.282 million by Fletchers came with a symmetry which I'd suggest doesn't work.
</li>
</ul>
The three bedroom rendered 1945 brick residence sits on a limiting 650 square metre block which just doesn't do justice to the offering.
From <a href="https://www.google.com.au/maps/@-37.848779,145.091329,3a,75y,272.2h,90t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sVAf7PX7lKqJjhWEpAuEM_w!2e0" target="_blank">either side of the fence</a>.
It previously traded in 2008 at $780,000. It comes with the prospect of adding a second-storey which would maximise city views and change its proportions. The house was marketed as having great bones, but its exterior doesn't currently work for me. A compact garden with more than the stand alone fountain would assist, I'd suggest.
Ofcourse it can also be on many hectares, like Bellagio La Villa on the Gold Coast hinterland, and still not work.  
 <img src="/images/2014/05/09/camberwell%20may%209.jpg" alt="">
<ul>
<li>I especially love the pool house at The Palladio (pictured below), a secluded wonderland at Arcadia listed through Darren Curtis at Christies International.</li>
</ul>
With 30 acres, <a href="https://www.christiesrealestate.com/eng/sales/detail/170-l-86-f1305091616707252/the-palladio-a-private-and-secluded-wonderland-arcadia-sw-2159" target="_blank">it is being advertised</a> as one of North Western Sydney’s most significant and impressive private estates with beautifully manicured gardens and rolling lawns. It comes complete with a tennis court and landscaped pool that showcases the classic yet simple Palladian-style architecture style. 
The outdoor area includes an 82-foot swimming pool with a glass mosaic finish in classically inspired gardens. Its outside walls are rendered to look like what you would see in Italy, that's been there for 100 years. The <a href="https://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303978304579474621736157640#13" target="_blank">two sphinxes</a> in front of the pool house are vintage reproductions. Owner Tim Higgins, a furniture retailer, told the Wall Street Journal when it featured as dream home of the day recently that he purchased a 33-acre plot of bare bush land in Arcadia in 1987 for $175,000.
The pool house mimics the main home (top image) which is more columned perhaps than necessary. It is for sale at $3,950,000. Higgins advised the Palladian-style home was built in the extravagant 1980s.There are only two bedrooms in the 4,305-square-foot main house. 
<img src="/images/2014/05/09/arcadia%20may%209%20tweo.jpg" alt="">
 
<img src="/images/2014/03/28/mb-silhouette-6.jpg" alt="" style="float: left;">SHE SAID: YES, YES, YES
There’s no denying the symmetrical façade of this Melbourne mansion gives stature and importance - it makes a very bold statement indeed. Set in Toorak’s Maxwell Court, one of the suburb’s most coveted addresses, the grand two-storey house (pictured below) is for sale at $5,695,000 through Marshall White Armadale agents, Marcus Chiminello and Nicole French. With its highly ornate façade featuring classic columns and arches, the European-inspired luxury residence is surrounded by beautiful Paul Bangay designed gardens with a lap pool. With this property, the symmetry extends into the front garden and plantings with rows of potted plants and hedges framing the entrance. A stone path, which forms a centre line leading to the front door, draws the eye to the centre of the building and reinforces its symmetrical pattern.
<img src="/images/2014/05/09/toorak%20may%209.jpg" alt="">
<ul>
<li>
In the South Australian suburb of Norwood, this imposing Georgian inspired mansion has a mirror image façade showcasing classic symmetry and the grandeur of a bygone era.
</li>
</ul>
To my mind, its striking façade  establishes elegance and significance before you step past the front door. Built in 2000, the two-storey residence <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-sa-norwood-115077871" target="_blank">was listed for sale</a> at $2.45 million through Ennis Partners North Adelaide, but it’s now under contract.
Of impressive proportions, it has four bedrooms, two bathrooms, formal and informal living and dining areas and a loggia, multiple courtyards, cellars and a six-car garage. 
<img src="/images/2014/05/09/norwood-may-9.jpg" alt="">
<ul>
<li>Set for auction tomorrow <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-stanmore-116581919" target="_blank">through McGrath agent Shad Hassen</a>, this three-bedroom Victorian house has a perfectly symmetrical and original front façade with a centered front door and windows evenly spaced. Set in the Sydney suburb of Stanmore, it also features a symmetrically designed modern extension at the rear.</li>
</ul>
With tremendous street appeal, this Corunna Road home evidences a tried and true design solution to create balance, both externally and internally. Built in the late 19th century, the house has been enhanced and enlarged with the new extension reinforcing the original symmetrical layout.
<img src="/images/2014/05/09/stanmore%20may%209.jpg" alt="">
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Does symmetry work as a feature in home façade designs? He Said/She Said

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Avon Court, the high profile Hawthorn mansion, sold on Monday off market.
But the initial unconfirmed post-sale price speculation doesn't suggest there has been too much price growth over the four or so past years.
The Shakespeare Grove property was last purchased by Autobarn boss Garry Dumbrell in late 2009 for $20,250,000.
Just where Hawthorn's highpoint price now sits remains a mystery after its latest sale through Paul Pfeiffer and Jeremy Fox of RT Edgar, but the purchase by Chong Qing Du has been advised as higher, possibly hovering around $21 million.
At that price level, the resale would not cover the initial $1.1 million stamp duty outlay.
It was last sold by the former Richmond Football Club president Clinton Casey and his wife, Leslie who had <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-hawthorn-106132107" target="_blank">Ross Savas at Kay &amp; Burton</a> hire Jo Silvagni to be the face of its print and video campaign. The photography that accompanies this article are of the house from 2009, with only nominal works undertaken over during the current ownership.
The Age suggests since the 2009 purchase, the home improvements were concentrated on its landscaped gardens and a $250,000 outdoor non-glare 10 foot television installation.
Avon Court had previously traded for $5.7 million in 2003 with a rumoured $9 million or more spent on building two new wings, a cinema, gymnasium, sauna, 10-car garage and replacement tennis court.
This time it was an off market purchase by a Chinese family from Kew.
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Avon Court, Hawthorn $21 million sale intrigue

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Riyu Li, the billionaire boss of the Chinese development company planning the Gold Coast beachfront project Jewel, has emerged as the $7.2 million buyer of the Tallebudgera property Bellagio La Villa.

The grandest of hinterland listings on the Gold Coast, Bellagio La Villa, is a symmetrical facaded home with 2,546-square-metres of living space.

The luxury home featured 10 ensuited bedrooms, plus multiple living areas, a library, media and music rooms, a gym, and indoor pool and spa.

There was also a five-car garage-cum-ballroom. It sold through<a href="https://ultraproperties.com.au/lot-1-2-3-tallebudgera-creek-road/" target="_blank"> Kevin Carlin of Ultra Properties with settlement earlier this year.</a>

<img alt="" src="/images/2014/05/09/tallebudgera_0001_11.jpg.jpg">

Rivi Li's RDG is planning to build the $1 billion three-tower development Jewel, at Surfers Paradise. The initial plans unveiled in 2011 included a six star hotel 45 level tower, plus 215 luxury apartments over 41 levels in the northern tower and 108 premium residences over 35 levels in the beachfront tower.

Located on the largest urban beachfront site on the Australian eastern seaboard at 1.13 hectares, Jewel’s hotel suites, luxury apartments and premium residences will be located on the beachfront corner of Old Burleigh and Wharf Roads, with three street frontages.

Oppenheim of Miami Florida and the Gold Coast’s DBI Design got the design brief, inspired by the Gold Coast’s ancient geology and described as “three crystals in rainforest on the beach”.

Very little obvious progress has been made, even the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/rdgprojects/photos/a.439858826109918.1073741826.298492100246592/439858829443251/?type=1&amp;theater" target="_blank">Facebook</a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/rdgprojects/photos/a.439858826109918.1073741826.298492100246592/439858829443251/?type=1&amp;theater" target="_blank"> page</a> hasn't had any updates for a year. It was in late 2012 the Newman government used its call-in powers for the first time since coming to power to override an appeal against the project. Deputy Premier and minister for state development, infrastructure and planning Jeff Seeney approved the development with 124 conditions with the construction then expected to begin in 2014. 

Last year RDG, which is the Australian company of Riyu Li, secured two adjacent sites near the railway station and Metricon Stadium from the Sydney funds manager Balmain.

It was the third property transaction the Zhuhai-based businessman had made on the Gold Coast, according to the local News Ltd paper.

It was one of four firms short-listed in the Broadwater Marine Project, but not the preferred party which was announced earlier this year 
 

See more: Other luxury developments for sale on the Gold Coast

[smartcode_project:default project_id=22057]

[smartcode_project:default project_id=26730]
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Ridong billionaire Riyu Li buys Bellagio La Villa, the Gold Coast hinterland mansion

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Tennis veteran Wayne Arthurs and his partner, Caroline, have their Kooyong home listed through Paul Castran of Castran Gilbert.
The expressions of interest campaign closes May 27 with $3.8 million-plus expectations for the renovated 31 Talbot Crescent home.
<a href="https://www.castrangilbert.com.au/listing?listing_id=6147" target="_blank">The five-bedroom two storey 1930s property</a> sits on 1149 square metres with rear tennis court.
It's a floodlit championship-sized north-south tennis court.
The former Davis Cup player, who has coached at the National Academy since 2010, bought the property in 2006.
Wayne won his first ATP title in 2005 at 33 years of age, the oldest first-time winner since the ATP Tour formed in 1990.
He retired at Wimbledon 2007 with 12 doubles titles, a career-high singles ranking of 44 (in July 2001) and 11 in doubles (in November 2003).
Wayne is the son of former Irish Davis Cup player Derek Arthurs and Angie Arthurs. Wayne and his partner, Caroline Gideskog, have a daughter, Amber who was born in 2006. 
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Tennis veteran Wayne Arthurs lists Kooyong home with tennis court

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The Block Vaucluse 2010 contestants Erin and Jake Michael have listed their Coogee apartment for 26 May auction following the birth of their son, Jagger last September.
Their two-bedroom Nathan Street apartment was bought in late 2008 for $406,000, having previously sold at $385,000 in 2003.
They spent around $100,000 on renovations for the 59 square metre apartment.
LJ Hooker Double Bay agent Sean Poche has been telling inspectees of <a href="https://doublebay.ljhooker.com.au/MB1F93" target="_blank">8/3 Nathan Street</a> that more than $600,000 is the price guidance. 
<a href="https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:x8FKPN_ZZwIJ:https://www.facebook.com/erinmichaelstyling+&amp;cd=1&amp;hl=en&amp;ct=clnk&amp;gl=au" target="_blank">Erin</a> is a freelance interior and food stylist, briefly for Real Living Magazine, and remains accredited sports dietitian.
Jake Michael married to Erin Berghofer in September 2010.
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Erin and Jake Michael - from The Block 2010 - list Coogee apartment

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The Manassen small goods family have listed their Bennelong apartment with $13 million expectations, given plans to remain on the Mosman harbourfront compound.
The two-storey penthouse at <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/property/for-sale/penthouse/nsw/sydney/?adid=2011125404" target="_blank">7 Macquarie Street</a> (pictured above) was bought in 2011 for $12 million from the bulky goods entrepreneur Brett Blundy.
The now renovated four bedroom four bathroom apartment has 600 square metre space, including a 190 square metre balcony deck space. It has been listed through Bill Malouf of LJ Hooker Double Bay.
There hasn't been much sales success since when I last tallied the number of <a href="/news/plenty-of-blue-sky-with-12-sydney-penthouses-at-10-million-or-more-which-one-to-buy">prestige apartments on the market</a> with the weekly He Said, She Said, Property Observer columnist Margie Blok.
A 24th floor whole floor apartment in The Quay on Phillip Street, overlooking Circular Quay has been listed through Morton &amp; Morton at $12.5 million.
There has been the recent sale of Frank Tagg's Market Street penthouse after years on and off the market, but prestige penthouse offerings are still at plague proportions.
Apartment 3510/70 Market Street (pictured below) cost $4.5 million off the plan in early 2000 when the McDonalds franchisee Frank Tagg bought into the complex.  It sits high above the Myer CBD retail development, in Tower Apartments. <a href="https://sydneysothebysrealty.com/3905505/3501-68-Market-Street-Sydney" target="_blank">Apparently it sold through Sothebys agent Richard Cooper at around $8 million</a>. Back in 2003 it was expected to bring more than $11 million, then in 2007 more than $8 million was tipped.
<img src="/images/2014/05/09/sydney%20may%209%20two.jpg" alt="">
Tagg, the former Western Suburbs first-grade footballer relisted the 640-square-metre Market Street penthouse when he and wife Sally move into their Rose Bay residence several years ago.
There has also been the sale of the penthouse atop <a href="/news/plenty-of-blue-sky-with-12-sydney-penthouses-at-10-million-or-more-which-one-to-buy">The Georgia which was listed for sale at more than $10 million</a> with expressions of interest through Jason Boon at Richardson &amp; Wrench Elizabeth Bay after being developed by the hotelier Chris Crawley.
It was for sale under instructions of receivers PPB Advisory. It has settled with the $10.95 million price revealed in its purchase by philanthropic Americans John Alchin and Hal Marryatt.
The Georgian on 22 Macleay Street was finished in 2010, with Crawley retaining the three-level penthouse as his own. It has 680 square metres of space with a rooftop pool and panoramic views stretching from the city skyline to The Heads.
The top apartments that still remain for sale include:
1) The ultimate - well priciest - trophy penthouse listing currently on offer is at 1 Macquarie Street overlooking Circular Quay (pictured below). In the Bennelong complex directly behind the Opera House, it is for sale with price hopes of more than $30 million. <a href="https://doublebay.ljhooker.com.au/MD9F93" target="_blank">There is now a June 10 expressions of interest campaign</a>.
Originally designed as four separate apartments, this enormous harbourside penthouse was consolidated by hoteliers Cyril and Margaret Maloney after the couple purchased four units off-the-plan in 1999 for almost $14 million. The penthouse has been listed for the second time in five years. In 2010 it was listed with a $30 million price tag, but failed to sell.
Following the death of Mr Maloney last year, his widow has placed the property on the market through Bill Malouf of LJ Hooker Double Bay and Michael Pallier of Sotheby's International. With annual strata fees reported to be well over $100,000, the 700 square metre apartment has its own lift lobby, a wine cellar, billiards room, a grand main bedroom suite, dressing rooms and a multimillion-dollar view of the Harbour Bridge and Opera House concourse. There are also five car spaces on title.
Malouf and Pallier suggest the penthouse will attract an international buyer due to its unique landmark position in the dress circle between Circular Quay and the Botanic Gardens. 
<img src="/images/2014/03/21/sydney%20march%2021%20one.jpg" alt="">
2) In second place, with reported $20 million hopes, is the Darling Point penthouse of the late Macquarie Bank co-founder David Clarke. With about 740 squares metres of Babworth House (pictured below), the Arts and Crafts mansion built in 1915 for retailer Sir Samuel Hordern, the Mount Adelaide Street apartment was bought by Clarke in 2003 for $8 million.
Architect Michael Suttor and designer Michael Love collaborated on its interiors, which boast a grand reception hall, sweeping staircase, study, gym, and formal and informal living areas. Clark’s widow Jane Clarke has it listed with Sotheby’s Michael Pallier.
<img src="/images/2014/03/21/darling%20point%20march%2021%20one.jpg" alt="">
3) The next most expensive is the Darlinghurst penthouse of high-rise Horizon which remains for sale after it was withdrawn from auction last weekend through Bill Bridges of Ballard Property.
Crowning the distinctive Harry Seidler-designed tower, the 43rd-floor penthouse (pictured below) is owned by Tasmania’s gambling arts patron, David Walsh, who’s the proprietor of the much-admired MONA gallery and Moorilla Estate vineyard. Walsh had listed his penthouse with $16 million price expectations.
To entice buyers and sweeten a deal for prospective purchasers, he was to offer the buyer select artworks from his private collection, including a watercolour triptych on paper by John Olsen to remain, though it makes more sense to keep the oil painting by Michael Johnson in situ. Walsh bought the penthouse from property developer Lang Walker in 2002 for $10 million through Bridges - it exceeded Sydney's then $8-million penthouse record.
<img src="/images/2014/03/21/darlinghurst%20march%2021%20one.jpg" alt="">
4) The Residence on College Street overlooking Hyde Park still has a sub-penthouse (pictured below) remaining for sale with $16 million hopes.
Known as The Archibald, it was withdrawn from recent auction by CBRE agent Ben Stewart. <a href="/expert-insights/investing/chinese-riddle-unravelling-over-the-lucky-penthouse-88-in-sydneys-the-residence">I honed in recently on the mystery $17 million buyer</a> of The Residence's true penthouse known as The Sulman and luckily numbered 88 in the building.
The buyer is Huang Shannian with clues about him coinciding with a person of the same name who featured on the 2009 Huran Richest Chinese People list at 88th place before disappearing from public view. With 690 square metres of space, the three-bedroom Archibald sub-penthouse has panoramic views and includes a private pool and spa, a rooftop kitchen and outdoor terraces.
<img src="/images/2014/03/21/l_hyde-park-feb-14-breakout.jpg" alt="">
5) At Bondi Beach, a pair of penthouses, owned by celebrity accountant and yachtie Anthony Bell, is listed for sale by expressions of interest closing March 28 through McGrath agent, James Dack.  
Atop The Bondi, a modern complex on Campbell Parade, the two penthouses were purchased by Bell for $7,725,000 in 2006 and then a supposed $9 million in 2010. Each has three bedrooms, three bathrooms, large open-plan living spaces, a Calacutta marble kitchen and a staircase leading up to an enormous rooftop entertainment deck. Bell and his Getaway presenter wife, Kelly Landry, are off to a waterfront house at Watsons Bay bought for $12.5 million last year.
There have been $15 million reported expectations for Bell’s pair of penthouses in The Bondi.
6) There are $15 million-plus hopes for The Eliza penthouse on Elizabeth Street, Sydney. Developed by Edward Doueihi of Ceerose, The Eliza is under construction and due for completion this year.
Spanning three levels overlooking Hyde Park, the 460-square-metre penthouse will sit atop a 17-storey building designed by the architects Tony Owen Partners.
It features four bedrooms, five bathrooms, a home theatre, a private lift, 3.5-metre-high ceilings, a massive 13.5-metre frontage overlooking the park and full automation through C-Bus. The top level comprises the entertainment terrace with a 10-metre lap pool.
Many of the lower floor sales have been through Savills. The full floor offerings are being marketed by Nigel Napoli and Irene Lau of Savills, in conjunction with Richard Shalhoub and Hamish Robertson of McGrath.
7) Some years after completion, The Stamford Residences penthouse at 171 Gloucester Street (pictured below), Sydney remains listed with $15 million expectations.
In 2007 when, when the Stamford Residences was the latest high-rise in The Rocks, the four-bedroom penthouse was been listed with $16 million-plus expectations.
With Thomas Hamel designed interiors and numbered 28A in the Kahn Finch-designed building, the four-bedroom, five-bathroom penthouse has 567 square metres of indoor and outdoor space with views to the north and west, and frontages to Gloucester and Cumberland streets. It is listed through Colin Griffin of CBRE Residential Projects.
<img src="/images/2014/03/21/sydney%20march%2021%20two.jpg" alt="">
8) Two adjoining apartments in Highgate are offered for the first time together (pictured below).
With $12 million hopes, the two most northern penthouse apartments, numbered 2802 and 2803, have a total of around 600 square metres which includes eight bedrooms, six bathrooms, vast living areas and parking for five cars. Robert Alfeldi of Feldi Property Agents has the offering.
<img src="/images/2014/03/21/sydney%20march%2021%20three.jpg" alt="">
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It's still crowded atop Sydney's penthouse market offerings

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Ellertson Capital, along with KTM Capital and Australian Ethical Investment, have acquired a $6 million minority stake in the burgeoning home improvements classifieds website hipages.com.au. 
The Sydney-based business operates a website where about 500,000 customers request 30,000 jobs per month from 40,000 tradies.
<a href="https://www.hipagesgroup.com.au" target="_blank">HiPages</a> says more than one million visitors come to the site every month, with some 1.5 million across their three sites.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.startupsmart.com.au/financing-a-business/venture-capital/tradie-platform-hipages-tools-up-with-6-million-investment-from-big-names/2014050712235" target="_blank">The startup site </a>was founded by David Vitek and Robert Sharon-Zipser 10 years ago.
They now employs about 90 staff.
The business generated $15 million revenue in the most recent financial year. It was recently recognised in the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 Asia Pacific list.
Customer job quotes are sent to businesses which pay about $298 a year for the privilege.
Its partnerships include IKEA where customers can now use hipages.com.au’s Get Quotes service from some IKEA stores to access professional kitchen installers.
The Sydney-based investment and funds management group Ellerston Capital is headed by Ashok Jacob, with about $3 billion under management.
James Packer’s private company, Consolidated Press Holdings, reduced its 100% shareholding in Ellerston in 2011 with CPH retaining a passive 25% stake.
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Ellerston Capital takes stake in home improvement classifieds website

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{yoogallery src=[images/stories/september21lewis]}
The former Sydney Harbour home (pictured above) of the late arts patron Ann Lewis has returned to the market.
<a href="https://www.domain.com.au/property/for-sale/house/nsw/rose-bay/?adid=2011161743" target="_blank">Amaroo</a> has been listed by its 2011 Hong Kong-based expat buyer who paid $15 million, and briefly tenanted it.
It now comes with approved new dwelling plans with a $2.9 million design by Collins &amp; Turner. There are $18 million expectations.
Its latest marketing is through Alison Coopes, and presumably starkly empty. Its rooms last time were still covered with artworks, though a large John Olsen painting that hung in her dining room for 45 years had been donated it to the Newcastle Regional Gallery. <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/ann-lewis-sydney-harbour-home-ready-for-its-next-patron/2011092151632" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;"></a>
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/ann-lewis-sydney-harbour-home-ready-for-its-next-patron/2011092151632" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">The 1909 residence</a> at 8 Bayview Hill Road comes with direct access to a sandy beach and private deepwater jetty.
Ken Jacobs at Christies International in conjunction with Andrew Livingston and Brett Talbot from McGrath Estate Agents secured the last sale which was bullish especially for the harbourfront reserve location.
It has been listed by Shaun Browne from AME Group, the minerals analysis company.
It was the home of Ann Lewis for about 55 years, and was listed by her four children, Amanda Zsebik, Tony Lewis, Annalise Scanlan and Daniel Lewis, following her death in May 2011. A Mungindi grazier's daughter, Ann Livingston met building construction magnate John Lewis on the dance floor at Prunier's in Woollahra.
The sale fell short of Rose Bay's $18.2 million top sale, which was a newly built contemporary house when sold in 2006.
There has also been the nearby higher sale, but the mystery remains on the sale details given extended settlement terms.
It was the early 2013 sale by the veteran technology investor Neill Miller who sold his Rose Bay mansion for a rumoured $30 million.
There was no public marketing of the contemporary Rose Bay abode built on the harbourfront reserve location at the base of the steep cul-de-sac sandwiched between the Kambala and Kincoppal-Rose Bay schools. 
The land was bought for $7.75 million in 2002 along with a $3 million acquistion in 2005 of a portion hived off from Sacred Heart convent land holdings.
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Expat lists Amaroo, Ann Lewis' longtime romantic Rose Bay villa

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The current NSW ICAC hearings which appears to link clandestine property developer payments to the NSW Liberal Party ought trigger the strategic delay, though not the death knell, of key NSW state government's planning reform initiatives.
Can the freshly installed Baird government ministry now be seen to handsomely reward the property development industry with long-desired legislation against the backdrop of alleged corrupt influence over their parliamentary colleagues and hangers on? Ditto the NSW opposition.
The controversial planning and strata legislation were already looking like courageous endeavours with an apprehensive public, but with the ICAC hearings to resume again in August and the March 28, 2015 election looming, both the NSW planning and strata reforms may possibly not deserve to be high on the agenda before the state Parliament rises in late November this year.
It's not to deny that the majority are cleanskins in the government, opposition and property development industry, but the pall over them all just doesn't sit well.
The new Planning Minister Pru Goward certainly doesn't shy away from doing the tough policy implementation - as her public housing housing tenant reforms showed - but already she has acknowledged her planning bill quandary. She understands the community concern over the derailed planning legislation going too far, even without the troubling backdrop that it now sits within.
''She understands there is community concern about getting the planning reforms right and she'll be very keen to listen to the views of everyone involved and work towards getting the balance right,'' her spokesman said on her appointment last month.
Then a few days later after assuming the ministry Pru Goward acknowledged the public perception.
"Development is a very expensive and highly-invested sector, and there will be plenty of people who want me to do what they want to make money for them, and every community in NSW will want me to listen to them," she told News Ltd papers.
Touted as the biggest shake-up in urban planning for three decades, the overhaul has effectively been in limbo since late 2013 when the Labor opposition and the minor upper house parties forced major changes, with 51 amendments. The government's plan to fast track the approval process for code-complying developments in high growth areas within a 25 day period was struck out in the upper house along with the intention to have the economic significance of mining projects deemed a principal consideration in the approval process.
The other key reform, and gift to urban renewal property developers, is the so-called "collective sales and renewals" initiative which will allow developers to evict strata home owners from their apartments. The renewals policy will actually force elderly owner occupiers out of their homes by developers. 
Currently 100% of strata lot owners have to agree to any replacement and redevelopment.
The property development industry has successfully lobbied the state government to reduce that to a 75% threshold with conciliation and mediation to encourage consensus.
The 75% threshold is a very generous threshold especially as each lot will have one vote, the decision will not be based on the more worthy unit entitlement. It is extraordinary that on such an important issue the lawmakers would seek to have the penthouse owner's voting entitlement the same as the viewless studio down near the laundry in the basement.
Yes it will start slowly with select blocks mostly with water views, but I think there will be an outcry once the electorate understands the disruptive compulsory eviction outcome, let alone The Castle movie-like denial of rights to ownership.
Of course the government has done the talk to the stakeholders routine, but once it filters down to the property ownership constituency there will be no tolerance of the 'Making NSW No.1 Again: Shaping Future Communities' spin. 
Hardly an initiative I'd suggest that reflects the moniker of the NSW Fair Trading department, but rather a scheme that developers have won from lobbying Macquarie Street.
One legislative clause apparently gives all lot owners and mortgagees just 60 days to consider the proposal and to seek independent advice. Hardly fair if you've been resident for many decades, and betcha the wishful stay-put strata owners get their letters early December, just before the lengthy Christmas summer holidays.
Compulsory acquisition by local council and state and national governments has been around in some form for ever for development purposes when they consider this to be in the best interest of the community - and leaves a sour aftermath, but this legislation is handing private nest eggs over to a ambitious private developer. It will involve resumptions eventually on a scale perhaps not seen since farmers lost land for the 1940s postwar soldiers settlements. Milder metropolitan dispossessions subsequently took place on the Macquarie University construction at North Ryde, the Eastern Suburbs railway line, and the Gore Hill freeway, all for the community benefit by government.
This time the supposed net public benefit is going to be harder to cop, especially in the face of big profits for developers. The proposed legislation is really just making life easier, and cheaper, for the developer who view the task of getting 100% as taking too much time and profit.
I don't see why the legislation can't have a graded threshold of say 95% where the building is less than 15 years old and 85% if the building is more than 15 years old. As we already occasionally see amalgamations can happen, and did so recently along the Cronulla beachfront when the Sunland Group consolidated a 2,398 square metre Prince Street site - from nine separate sellers - and then got approval for 12 luxury apartments.
There have now been three Fair Trading ministers with carriage of the task over the past seven months.
Anthony Roberts, the then Fair Trading Minister, told the Strata Community Australia (NSW) last November that the government’s commitment to change has been responding to the community’s calls to modernise the state’s strata laws.
NSW was the first jurisdiction in the world to introduce strata title laws, back in 1961, so there is no doubting they need modernisation, and the economic boost that will come from infill housing, rather than greenfields development. Some 30% of residential strata schemes in the Sydney metropolitan area were registered more than 30 years ago.
Only 826 strata schemes have been terminated since 1961, out of over 72,000 schemes in New South Wales.
Almost all of these terminations have been made following an application to the Registrar General unanimously signed by the lot owners, with only five schemes being terminated by Supreme Court orders.
It is estimated that more than 30% of the State’s population live or work in strata and within two decades around half of NSW’s population will be living or working in strata.
Roberts said the government was undertaking a landmark reconsideration of the strata and community schemes legislation, which will lead to important reforms in the sector in 2014. Termination of a strata scheme without the unanimous support of all apartment owners occurs in countries including Singapore, New Zealand and the United States.
It was Robert's aim of the bill being introduced to Parliament early this year and to commence the new laws by the middle of this year.
Then Fair Trading Minister Stuart Ayres drafted legislation for cabinet approval this month, with hopes to table it in Parliament this month too.
Yesterday MLC Matthew Mason-Cox was appointed the latest Fair Trading minister.
He might reconsider the specifics of the drafts.
It's not just the Liberals who've found the going tough.
Previous Labor governments have averted the emotional legislative debate about property rights with developers expressing their frustrations since the days of the NSW premier Bob Carr.
Then in 2007 the Planning Minister, Frank Sartor, had plans for the Morris Iemma cabinet to drop the threshold to less than 100%, but a decision was made at the last minute to retain the status quo.
The Keneally government envisaged similar legislation in 2010. 
Stand by to watch the potential evictees heading off to the High Court with the Magna Carta of 1215 and the more recent Mabo judgment.
The drama of dozens of Daryl Kerrigans, mimicking the lines from the film The Castle, will be a news feast since compulsory acquisition is almost un-Australian.
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Corrupt influence backdrop ought stall overly generous NSW strata and planning initiatives

<html><body>
ANZ has launched another advertising campaign featuring The Mentalist actor Simon Baker.
The new commercial promoting the bank’s home loans was created by Whybin/TBWA Melbourne.
The ads feature the actor in his character Patrick Jane from the TV show The Mentalist and a couple in a furniture store. 
Jane, a psychic, points out the needs for their furniture decision to be aligned with their desired home extensions, ambitions and requisite home loan.
Simon Baker has now appeared in the ANZ series since 2011 when he replaced the unhelpful bank clerk, Barbara the banker in Bankworld, which was a creation of ANZ’s former agency M&amp;C Saatchi.
Baker has had the lead role in The Mentalist since 2008.
Photo courtesy of YouTube. 
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ANZ home loans sticks with Simon Baker

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/abadeen">Abadeen</a> and <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/perifa">PERIFA</a> have celebrated the topping out of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf,</a> marking a significant milestone in the delivery of one of Syd​ney's most anticipated waterfront communities.

Located on Sydney's harbourfront at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/putney-nsw-2112">Putney</a>, the project has now reached its highest structural point, with construction progressing strongly towards completion in 2027. 
&nbsp; 
The milestone was celebrated on-site with project partners Phoenix Property Investors, Mitsubishi Estate Asia, Versatile Construction, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, consultants and stakeholders, to recognise the collective effort behind the transformation of the historic waterfront site into a vibrant new residential, marina and lifestyle destination.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=362240] 
&nbsp; 
<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> will deliver a mix of waterfront residences and terraces, complemented by a private 36-berth marina, waterfront dining opportunities and a revitalised foreshore designed to reconnect the community with the river's edge. 
&nbsp; 
Abadeen Executive Chairman and Founder Justin Brown said the project represented a rare opportunity to create the next chapter in Sydn​ey's long history of successful waterfront precincts. 
&nbsp; 
"Throughout Sydney, some of the city's most sought-after addresses have emerged from carefully considered waterfront precincts such as Woolloom​ooloo Wharf, Walsh Bay and Breakfast Point," Brown said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=362566] 
&nbsp; 
"What makes these places so successful is that they become much more than residential developments," Brown said.

"They bring together homes, hospitality, marina facilities, public spaces and a strong sense of community in locations where future supply is incredibly limited."

Brown has long described absolute waterfront land in Sy​dney as "finite."

"Once these opportunities are developed, they are rarely replicated. That's why Syd​ney's waterfront precincts have consistently demonstrated strong demand and long-term value growth over many decades. 
&nbsp; 
"<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> is one of the few remaining opportunities to secure a residence within a masterplanned waterfront community that combines direct water access, marina ownership opportunities and a genuine village lifestyle just moments from the Sy​dney CBD."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=362564] 
&nbsp; 
PERIFA Founder and Managing Director Fabrizio Perilli said the project reflected a shared commitment to delivering exceptional places that create long-term value for residents and the broader community. 
&nbsp; 
"The topping out milestone is a significant achievement for the Versatile Group and a testament to the collaboration between all project partners, consultants and contractors involved," Perilli said. 
&nbsp; 
"Beyond the residences themselves, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> will establish a new waterfront destination that celebrates the history, character and lifestyle of this unique location while creating a lasting legacy for future generations."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=13962 project_image_fid=291195] 
&nbsp; 
Construction is being delivered by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/versatile">Versatile Construction</a>, with structural works now substantially complete across the precinct. Attention will progressively shift to the construction of the waterview terraces, apartment façades, services and interior fit-out works over the coming months. 
&nbsp; 
With limited residences and marina berths remaining, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> continues to attract strong interest from owner occupiers and downsizers seeking a premium waterfront lifestyle within close proximity to Putne​y Village, Rh​odes, Top Ry​de and the Syd​ney CBD. 
&nbsp; 
As one of the last opportunities to secure a residence within a new masterplanned waterfront community on Sy​dney Harbour, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/putney-wharf-harbourfront-precinct-20-waterview-street-putney-nsw-2112">Putney Wharf</a> is expected to remain a highly sought-after address for years to come.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=13962]

Joel Robinson

Abadeen, PERIFA, top out Putney Wharf harbourfront precinct

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]

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.

Jonathan Chancellor

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