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Pearls Group, the New Delhi based property group has been again accused of allegedly duping Indian investors by promising agriculture land in a so-called $10 billion ponzi scheme. The India CBI last month registered a case of criminal conspiracy and cheating under Sections 120B and 420 of IPC against Pearls Group managing director Nirmal Singh Bhangoo, his two companies Pearls Agrotech Corporation Limited (PACL) and Pearls Golden Forest Limited (PGFL) and their director Sukhdev Singh.
The CBI claimed the documents recovered by it during searches at the premises of Delhi-based business groups PACL and PGF show they allegedly used ponzi scheme to cheat nearly five crore investors of Rs 45,0000 crore.
It is an associated New Delhi-based <a href="https://www.paclltd.com" target="_blank">Pearls Group</a> that paid $62 million for the Sheraton Mirage in 2009. It was the Christopher Skase-built resort on Queensland's Gold Coast. The company has recently been the lead sponsor of IPL team Kings XI Punjab and hired Australian pacer Brett Lee as the brand ambassador. <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/CBI-books-Pearls-group-MD-in-Rs-45000-crore-scam/articleshow/31125971.cms" target="_blank">The case was registered on February 22 this year in the Supreme Court</a>.
"Investigations have revealed that Bhangoo's companies raised investments from over 5 crore gullible investors through collective investment scheme under the garb of sale and development of agricultural land," said the CBI statement. The companies were found to have raised investments by issuing bogus land allotment letters to induce the investors, it alleged.
A CBI spokesperson said that on the direction of the Supreme Court, the agency undertook an inquiry to look into “allegations of collections of huge deposits form public at large” by the promoters and directors of the two companies “by running pyramidal schemes under the garb of allotment of agricultural land to depositors”. "The raids had led to recovery of huge records and data relating to deposits from public and their misutilization and diversion of funds, besides other incriminating documents," CBI spokesperson Kanchan Prasad said.
Nirmal Singh Bhangoo, 57, the former dairy farmer founded Pearls in 1983 and under his guidance it has become one of India’s fastest growing firms and among its largest private landholders. 
Headquartered in New Delhi, Pearls leads the Indian property sector, with a strategic land bank of agricultural, semi-urban and urban parcels totalling more than 1.5 million acres, which is being developed by the firm’s real estate and construction arms.
Some 1,000s of accounts across 35 banks had been frozen in recent weeks, Indian newspaper reports noted, although the origins of the case go way back to 2002 when Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) had first cautioned the company against not following the proper rules pertaining to their investment schemes launched during that period.
During past legal conflict between PACL and the SEBI company executive Subrato Bhattacharya indicated the company "will obey the law and follow whatever instructions we received."
<a href="https://www.track2realty.com/challenging-sebi-norms-pacl-realty-cheating-investors/" target="_blank">The company had filed a petition with the Rajasthan High Court which granted relief by repealing Sebi’s earlier order</a>. But <a href="https://www.dif.mp.gov.in/HCDecision13072012.pdf" target="_blank">a 2012 judgement</a> regarding the conduct of 33 unrelated companies into the practice appears to have triggered the latest investigation and raids.
The <a href="https://news.oneindia.in/india/real-estate-cos-ponzi-scam-worth-over-rs-45000-crore-cbi-1403616" target="_blank">oneindia.in website </a>drew a link to Pearls Australian assets noting "the investments made by the company in a hotel in Gold Coast, Australia, have also come under the scanner of CBI." 
Pearls Australasia is an Australian-based company, launched by New Delhi-based Pearls Global to pursue strategic opportunities throughout Australia, Asia, and the Pacific. 
It undertook a $20 million refurbishment of the Gold Coast’s Sheraton Mirage Resort in an overhaul of the five-star resort’s 296 rooms along with its common areas and restaurant and bar facilities – and was then promoted in India by cricket star Brett Lee.
Pearls announced plans to build the $75 million Edgewater residences and apartments on Lake Orr at Delfin Lend Lease’s Varsity Lakes.
It had also entered a joint venture with David Devine’s Metro Property Development to develop three high-rise residential towers in Brisbane and two land subdivisions on the northern outskirts of Melbourne.
In 2011 in Sydney, Nirmal Singh Bhangoo was honoured for his contribution to the Australia India relationship at a gala awards night at New South Wales Parliament House, hosted by the Australia India Business Council, where his family accepted the award on his behalf from NSW Premier, Barry O’Farrell.
<img src="/images/stories/2014/03/07/pearl_march_7.jpg" alt="pearl_march_7" width="470" height="306">
Photo: The son and daughters of Nirmal Singh Bhangoo accepting an honor on their father's behalf from NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell in June, 2011.
In 2012 it was reported the billionaire entrepreneur Nirmal Singh Bhangoo applied for an immigration visa to spend more time in Australia.
The reports on the investigation suggested the CBI had initiated an inquiry into the matter on the direction of the Supreme Court. The agency was asked to inquire into the allegations that huge deposits were raised from the public and misutilised. It reported the Indian Securities and Exchange Board of India had raised concerns over legality of PACL's operations since it was running a collective investment scheme in the garb of a real estate company.
Founded in 1996, PACL reportedly saw stupendous growth in just a few years of its existence, with its deposits exceeding Rs 20,000 crore. 
The money was collected by the company as investment from various depositors and later used to buy land across the country – almost 1.85 lakh acre as reported to the Registrar of Companies. The company allegedly managed to lure customers who would then become its agents by promises like “double your money in six years."
The CBI agency is also probing the records of World Kabbadi Cup tournaments which were sponsored by Bhangoo's companies between 2011 and 2013.
The company also holds broader interests in infrastructure and construction, the media, film production, education, health care and hospitals, agriculture, food and alcohol distribution and insurance. It holds the exclusive rights to VB and Wolf Blass in India.
Pearls Australia executives have been asked by Property Observer for comment. A spokesperson for Pearls Australasia indicated Pearls Australasia is an Australian company that is managed and operated in Australia locally by an Australian team of executives.
"Pearls Infrastructure Projects Limited (PIPL) is a passive shareholder in Pearls Australasia.
"It should be noted that PIPL is not the subject of recent media articles," the spokesperson said.
<a href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au" target="_blank">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
                        
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

New Delhi-based Pearls Group - GC's Sheraton Mirage owners - caught in alleged property ponzi raid

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It's one of those great movie moments highlighting the deft art of property spruiking.
Cate Blanchett's Oscar winning role as Jeanette "Jasmine" Francis, teaming up with Alec Baldwin playing Hal Francis, Jasmine's husband in <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2334873/" target="_blank">Blue Jasmine</a>, directed by Woody Allen.
<img src="/images/stories/2014/03/07/Blue_Jasmine.jpg" width="470" height="313" alt="Blue_Jasmine">
Photo: Cate Blanchett, Alec Baldwin, Andrew Dice Clay and Sally Hawkins in Blue Jasmine. Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
Hal is giving Jasmine's sister, the US$200,000 lottery winners Ginger and Ginger's husband, Augie, some investment advice.
"Well if you like, I think Hal could probably help you do better," Jasmine proffered, encouraging them to ditch the idea of starting a construction company.
"The first thing you gotta know is how not to give half your money to the government," Hal, quick as a flash, advised.
"Suppose I put you in a venture that was very low risk, but very high yield. I am not talking about 6 or 7%, I am talking about 20%, would that be profitable enough for you." The bait was out.
"He's developing a group of hotels in the Carribean," she casually let them know.
"It would be great for them. They could make a killing," Jasmine added as though her husband needed any prompting to take their US$200,000 prize pool winner as victims.
Our property contrarians Jonathan Chancellor and Margie Blok had been chatting just the other day about the study published in the Frontiers in Neuroscience journal which traced the part of the human brain responsible for gullibility. It's the ventromedial area of the prefrontal cortex.
According to University of Iowa researchers the spot is responsible for the mind to assess what one reads or hears and considers it as being true or false. The academics theorised that the young and the old were more susceptible to being conned than the middle-aged, like us.
We'd throw in professional cricketers too! Remember the high profile victims of Kovelan Bangaru, the now jailed rogue, who made his big-noting reputation when the AFR revealed in 2004 that his penthouse in The Rocks was going to have a revolving dining room floor and the toilets would determine whether a man or a woman was approaching, and raise or lower the seat accordingly!
Kovelan Bangaru, the Streetwise mortgage boss, and director of the impressive sounding, Colosseum Group, had even taken possession of a Mercedes-Benz Maybach after seeing one in the window of the Harrods department store in London, declaring it his 129th Mercedes.
Another survey on gullability showed that younger, less educated and poorer were most likely to fall prey to scams – along with richer folks earning more than $200,000 a year. That study revealed that Australians and the British were more sceptical than the Americans.
HE SAID:<img src="/images/stories/2013/09/06/jc-silhouette-5.jpg" width="100" height="150" alt="jc-silhouette-5" style="float: right;">
It certainly happens... Look at the dire situation that Geoffrey and Brynne Edelsten have got themselves into with <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/geoff-and-brynne-edelesten-pick-up-a-cosy-paradise/story-fn907478-1226179093389" target="_blank">their Carribean joint venture</a>. Not sure just where the fault lies but it's a real mess. That casino resort picked up for a song in the Dominican Republic isn't as excitingly exotic as first envisaged. 
<img src="/images/stories/2014/03/07/DR-march-6-one.jpg" width="470" height="290" alt="DR-march-6-one">
Photo: An idyllic Dominican Republic beach resort, but is it a good investment? Source: Stock 
SHE SAID:<img src="/images/stories/2013/09/06/mb-silhouette-4.jpg" width="100" height="150" alt="mb-silhouette-4" style="float: left;">
It's typically nearer to home that many Australians get caught when buying somewhere exciting, especially Fiji and New Caledonia. Sometimes Bali. Utmost caution is required to avoid losing it all.
 
Of course actor Cate Blanchett has always been quite savvy when it comes to her own property dealings. Possibly because her widowed mother was something of a small time property developer in Mebourne.
Only recently Cate Blanchett and her husband, Sydney Theatre Company artistic director Andrew Upton, spent $1.92 million on a waterfront apartment in Elizabeth Bay, intending it as an investment for their three sons, Dashiell, 12, Roman, 9, and Ignatius, 5.
No doubt as insurance for unforseen circumstances that beset her family life when her father died when she was eight.
Apparently Blanchett and Upton actually hoped to buy two adjoining two and three-bedroom apartments in the Billyard Avenue block, which had been marketed with $1.6 million-plus and $1.8 million-plus price guides through Jason Boon of Richardson &amp; Wrench Elizabeth Bay.
However having bought the two-bedder for $1.92 million, Blanchett sensibly failed to secure the three-bedder which sold for $2.435 million to metals producer BCD Resources director, Clive Carroll.
The screen star Cate Blanchett's childhood home was at Eaglemont (pictured below), in Melbourne’s north east.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2012/07//cate]}
It was a 1930s Lower Heidelberg Road home, marketed as La Maison Des Jardins.
It was up for 2012 auction (pictured above) when passed in at $1.9 million, but  sold soon after at $2.35 million.
The now spruced up French provincial-style five-bedroom house set in Paul Bangay gardens is vasty different that during the Blanchett tenure. It was reportedly owned by the Blanchett family for about 22 years until the early 1990s.
The 1,486 square metre property on the edge of the Walter Burley Griffin-planned estate fetched $755,000 in 1998 and at $415,000 in 1991. That was just shortly before she took the first professional steps in her stage and screen career. Blanchett had attended Ivanhoe East Primary School and later Ivanhoe Girls' Grammar, then NIDA in Sydney, graduating in the class of 1992.
As for her current home the actress Cate Blanchett, after a six month search, spent $10 million for Bulwarra, a two-storey 1877 sandstone house in Hunters Hill in 2004.
Previously Blanchett and Upton had spent almost a decade in London and the UK's Brighton before moving back to Sydney.
It was Islington in London, 7 Canonbury Grove, which was swapped for an 1820s Regency style home in Brighton, 23 Lewes Crescent which was bought for £1.3million.
They say author Lewis Carroll saw a white rabbit bounding down the tunnel on the grounds of the estate in the 1860s, inspiring him to write Alice's Adventures In Wonderland.
Anyway Bulwarra, set in 3740 square metres of grounds, with a tennis court and pool, was a six-bedroom house bought from the veteran stockbroker Jim Dominguez and his wife, Suzanne. The Dominguez couple had been there since in 1982 when they paid $700,000.
Telling agents she had up to $15 million to spend, Blanchett and her husband, Andrew Upton had previously inspected properties at Tamarama, Point Piper, Darling Point, Mosman and Vaucluse, mostly with the SydneySlice buyer's agent, Deborah West.
After deciding on the Hunters Hill riverfront, they set about furnishing with bits and pieces from the then Surry Hills, but now Redfern interiors outlet Chee Soon &amp; Fitzgerald, as I recall Jonathan often begrudgingly recollect they got all their snappy purchasing done while he was still awaiting guidance, umming and aahhing, about fabrics for his breakfast table chairs. <a href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au" target="_blank">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
                        
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Property scams not just the plot of Oscar winning Blue Jasmine movie

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Huang Shannian, a Chinese billionaire, was foundation chairman of the Zhouji Group, which became one of the top 20 shipbuilders in the world.
But in 2009 the Zhoushan Jinhaiwan Shipyard Co Ltd executive was queried by the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection accused of constructing docks without National Development and Reform Commission approval.
Huang Shannian had been on the Huran Richest Chinese People 2008 list in 128th place, then in 2009, he ranked as the country's 88th-richest person, at 8,000,000,000 yuan in fortune. That was around A$3.5 billion.
But within a month of the list's 2009 publication, Huang Shannian, born October 1962, disappeared from public view.
Perhaps until now.
Last month Sydney's mystery purchaser of the $17 million penthouse in the Residence apartment complex over looking Hyde Park emerged as a Huang Shannian.
And Title Tattle can't but tempt the irresistible conclusion that they are the same tycoon, especially as the Sydney Huang Shannian directed an ASIC registered company, Zhouji Investments (Australia) Pty Ltd which was established in 2005.
He too was born in October 1962.
Title Tattle notes he has owned an apartment in Meriton's World Square since paying $1.3 million in 2006, with Min Lu, who was born in Zhejaing China.
Lu directs a series of companies under the Austino name which have invested at least $45 million in shopping centres, residential projects and offices. Min Lu and Zhou Ji Pty Ltd are behind the Austino property development group in Sydney.
But would such a high ranking Chinese tycoon really take a Westpac mortgage on the $17 million apartment?
The Sydney Huang Shannian did so, signing his name in Chinese (see below) with Jimmy Siu as his eligible witness. His lawyer was Derek Xu in the stamped signed paperwork showing the $1,130,000 stamp duty.
<img src="/images/stories/2014/03/06/signature-march-6.jpg" alt="signature-march-6" width="470" height="282">
And did he really operate initially out of a West Pennant Hills house on Mungarra Place when he first came from China? Title Tattle expects the answers will come from the cn internet chatrooms.
What makes Title Tattle really want to believe they are one and the same is the apartment was expressly marketed as number 88.
That's a lucky number hopefully even for Huang Shannian who in buying the penthouse would have bounced back quite nicely from the loss of his 88th place Huran rich list status.
 
<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 5px;">For a while in 2011 <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/heather-ridout-%E2%80%93-now-on-the-reserve-bank-of-mosman-%E2%80%93-has-ridden-out-recessionary-downturns-title-tattle/2011120952768" target="_blank"> there was premature speculation</a> that Judith Neilson, the founder of the White Rabbit Collection, one of the world's most significant collections of Chinese contemporary art, had bought the penthouse. But it was not to happen.
Title Tattle wrote the sale of the penthouse of The Residence had become akin to pulling a rabbit out of a hat. The initial premature Australian Financial Reveiw September 2011 sale report even suggesting a very bullish $25 million. 
Back then Title Tattle envisaged any sale price as more likely to be somewhere around $18 million for the 810-square-metre two-level penthouse – known as apartment 88 at 18 College Street.  
The initial $25 million expectations purely came from when the penthouse was marketed to offshore Chinese buyers who the Australian developers hoped would pay a premium for the lucky number. 
There's no doubt the Hyde Park precinct, on the green fringe of the central business district, ranks among Sydney's priciest addresses. This 24-level Scott Carver designed College Street building – the gutted former NSW Police headquarters – has 87 five-star apartments with views across Hyde Park, the Opera House, St Mary’s Cathedral and Sydney Harbour. 
The facilities include a gymnasium, all-weather lap pool, sauna, spa and steam room, a residents’ lounge with a fully equipped kitchen and barbecue area and a 24-hour concierge service.The development also features a lockable, humidity-controlled wine room that can store a 100-bottle wine cellar for each resident.
The $350 million CBD tower was developed by Parmada in a venture with AMP Capital Investors, Galileo Group and Cbus Property, with the the sales through CBRE, Savills, Christie's International, Laing Real Estate, and Pagdens. The $17 million  sale of the Sulman penthouse was brokered through Nigel Napoli at Savills Residential Projects, according to the only offiicial comment to emerge from the sales network.
The lesser three-bedroom Archibald penthouse (pictured bewlow) in The Residence apartment tower remains on the market through CBRE.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2014/02/14/hyd]}
The last remaining penthouse in the complex comes with 690 square metre space designed by Sydney-based architectural firm Scott Carver with attention paid to its environmental efficiency. It was pulled from recent auction.
 
<img src="/images/stories/2013/08/511515.jpg" alt="511515" width="470" height="555">
<img src="/images/stories/flagtitletat.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 5px;">
It's not the first time there's been unravelling knowledge about the status of high ranking Chinese buyers of Sydney property.
Back in 2008 a Wolseley Road, Point Piper property sold for $32.4 million property.
Set high on a hill, above a towering sandstone wall and overlooking Sydney Harbour with picture postcard-perfect views of the bridge, Craig-y-Mor, the Point Piper non-waterfront residence  purchase was made just in the name of Jiang Mei.
Quietly during 2009, the name of the Wei Zeng was subsequently added to the title.
By late 2009 the couple were seeking its demolition, to be replaced by a $5 million new home, so they were both named for the first time in my much anticipated end-of-year Sydney Morning Herald Title Deeds Christmas party column.
Soon after the <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/point-piper-on-the-chinese-tourist-route-for-insight-into-the-privileged-lives-of-communist-party-princelings/2011112852568" target="_blank">Chinese internet chat rooms had drawn the stunning conclusion</a> it was owned by a son of a former vice-president of China and his wife, Jiang noted for studying at the Beijing Dance Academy.
The proposed demolition hasn't taken place. But the buses of tourists from China seeking an insight into how the families of their leaders have made it in the outside world occasionally drive past. Title Tattle guesses College Street will soon be added to the itinerary.
<a href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au" target="_blank">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
                        
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Chinese riddle unravelling over the lucky penthouse 88 in Sydney's The Residence

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Actors Marta Dusseldorp and Ben Winspear have bought in Paddington paying $2.125 million.
It sold at late 2013 auction through Jason Panzter at Phillips Panzter Donnelly.
It's true to its elaborate 19th Century traditions with high ceilings, ornate cornices, woodwork, and kauri floors. All behind its eleborate facade. It also comes three original working marble fireplaces.
All a short stroll from art galleries, restaurants and fashionable Queen Street shopping village, the house was marketed as being in Paddington's best street close to schools and transport.
Dusseldorp is best known for her role in Channel Seven’s A Place to Call Home, while Winspear starred in Underbelly: Badness series as Detective Sergeant Tim Browne.
Marta is the granddaughter of Dick Dusseldorp, the philanthropist and founder of property company Lend Lease.
Property Observer gathers Paddington Street has just had its highest sale in year through BradfieldCleary's <a href="https://bradfieldcleary.com.au/4145463/66-Paddington-Street-Paddington" target="_blank">66 Paddington Street sale</a> (pictured below) which was being marketed at $4 million plus.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2014/03/07/pad1]}
It fetched at least $4.5 million plus after its snappy sale through estate agents Georgia Cleary and Bob Guth. It is the highest sale on the street since a $4.6 million sale in 2008.
The grand Victorian terrace was on the market for the first time in 28 years.
 The top floors contain five bedrooms with views to Manly through lace balconies.
It has four levels living space, with a very private level side and rear garden and two off street car spaces.
Another five bedroom offering is the fresh listing at <a href="https://www.ourestates.com.au/properties.php?id=9863713" target="_blank">128 Paddington Sreet</a> (pictured below) through Adam Regan at Our Estates.
{yoogallery src=[images/stories/2014/03/07/pad2]}
"This home is one of the area's grandest in proportion," Adam Regan says.  
"With huge potential to add value, the home is currently in great shape with continual updates being made over the past 10 years."
It has parking for one with the added potential for two, subject to council approval.
RP Data puts the median house price at <a href="/news">$1.5 million, up 13.5% over the past year</a>. The suburb is often described as the engine room of any return to bullish prices at the top end in the eastern suburbs.
Last year the actor couple sold their 1895 Leichhardt house for $1,295,000 which the couple bought the then unrenovated Victorian property in 2006 for $640,000.
The Thornley Street property sold through Mia Fredrix, of Laing+Simmons Drummoyne who was marketing it at $1.15 million plus.
<a href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au" target="_blank">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
                         
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Actress Marta Dusseldorp finds her place to call home in Paddington

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The ANZ chief executive Mike Smith and his wife, Maria have bought historic Spray Farm at Bellarine.

The prized Victorian trophy estate was most recently listed with $12 million expectations, but at one point there were inaccurately reported $20 million hopes.

Property Observer understands the 60-hectare holding, which features a seven bedroom, six bathroom 1850s homestead with views over Corio Bay, was secured by the couple on March 3. The interior design for the recent refurbishment was undertaken by Melbourne based design firm Jacobsen-Love. It boasts views of the You Yangs, Port Phillip and the Melbourne skyline.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=28608]

Spray Farm was formerly known as Ellenvale when built in 1851 for army captain James Conway Langden to the designs of Geelong architect John Young. The main house was a single storey brick and rubble villa based on a symmetrical plan around a central hall and vestibule lit by a large lantern.

It was acquired in 1862 by Geelong Dalgety wool broker, Charles Ibbotsen who extended it in 1875 with the addition of a Victorian Gothic brick wing and stable complex forming two fully enclosed courtyards. Its stables have now been converted into four guest suites.

The additions were designed by Geelong architects Alexander Davidson and George Henderson with heritage authorities suggesting the stable building and courtyard impart a distinctly French character which was unusual in Victoria farm architecture.

The historic estate was sold by businessman and horsebreeder Rick Jamieson who bought the property in 2010 for $7.05 million. 

Rick Jamieson, who famously sold Black Caviar as a yearling for $210,000, was the founder of party supply and events company Harry the Hirer.

He converted the historic farm and vineyard into a private residence following a multi-million-dollar refurbishment. It had previously operated as a high-end function centre, including hosting the 2009 wedding of Freeman to stockbroker James Murch.

It operated as a function centre when owned by the Browne family of Scotchmans Hill winery who continue to run the vineyards on the beachfront estate along Portarlington Road. The Browne family, who had bought the property in 1994 and renovated it in 1998, hosted concerts by Lionel Ritchie and Joe Cocker at the farm. 

[smartcode_project:default project_id=3271]

Speculation as to the Smith's purchase arose after he sold 545,000 shares worth around $17.3 million late last month to buy an undisclosed property.

The homestead comes with “cigar bar-like” lounge.

Th official sale price has not been revealed, nor its selling agency confirmed as RT Edgar.

It is reputed the property was named after The Spray, the first sailing ship to single-handedly circumnavigate the world, which had entered Port Phillip Bay in late 1890s.
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ANZ boss Mike Smith buys historic Spray Farm on Bellarine peninsula

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The replica medieval castle - a three-bedroom property - at 4 Dowling Street, Leumeah, NSW has now gone under contract after reducing the asking price.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/leumeah-medieval-castle-listed-for-auction/2013061862378">Listed for sale for the first time in its 30-year history</a>, it had inital $600,000 plus hopes last year.
But recently relisted with $500,000 plus hopes through new listing agents. Property Observer can confirm that it is currently under contract.



Inside, the house contains three large bedrooms, two bathrooms, sunken spa bath, lounge with open brick fireplace, and separate dining room with French doors, but what makes this property so unique is what’s outside the doors.



With 10 turrets, gargoyles, stained glass windows, medieval furnishings and even a moat, this property has become something of a local landmark. There's even a UK style post box out front.



It has been host to several themed weddings and busloads of tourists often stop at its gates to take pictures.
{qtube vid:=ZGYIiKB2YYU}


The current owner Ron Farmer built the house 30 years ago when he and his wife Joan moved to Australia from England.


Other three-bedroom properties in Leumeah have sold for between $305,000 and $362,500 and the suburb's median house price is $330,000.
According to RP Data, the highest sale price in Leumeah was $580,000 for a five-bedroom house, in March last year. The previous record was $550,000 for a four-bedroom house in 2004.
Today Property Observer reported on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/avalon-medieval-sandstone-castle-hits-the-sydney-market/2014030567297">another medieval sandstone castle that has hit the Sydney market</a>, a 1950s construction at Avalon, named Götterdämmerung.
news@propertyobserver.com.au
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/marketing/PO_Strap_new.jpg" alt="PO_Strap_new" style="max-width: 480px;">
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Leumeah's replica castle lowering of drawbridge asking price secures new owner

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Another medieval sandstone castle has hit the Sydney market.
This one was built at Avalon in the 1950s named Götterdämmerung, in reference to the final cycle of Wagner's Ring Cycle opera. Set on 3,238 square metre, up 100 steps at 40 Chisholm Avenue.
<a href="https://palmbeach.ljhooker.com.au/2T0F6Z" target="_blank">It is listed for sale</a> at $2.5 million plus.
It was the opera devotee architect Edwin Kingsberry's idea to build the house, however he lacked the funds and the land sold to Leslie Erwin, a salesman for Colgate/Parmolive. Erwin constructed it to impress guests and as a present for his wife. However, Erwin's wife - and the mother of the current vendors - ran off with the architect.
Set on the northern side of an unspoilt rocky summit above Clareville Beach, it's been described by LJ Hooker Palm Beach agent David Edwards as the most interesting example of imaginative 1950s sandstone houses to be found on the peninsula.
At Mullumbimby the eccentric architect, Edwin Kingsbury had a concept of “harmonious architecture”, with a round central building with four radiating wings, no 90-degree angles, and magical reflecting ponds. The locals euphemistically called it “the Castle.”
Meanwhile a <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/leumeah-s-replica-lowering-of-drawbridge-asking-price-secures-new-owner/2014030568190?utm_source=po&amp;utm_medium=aida&amp;utm_campaign=news" target="_blank">replica medieval castle in Leumeah</a>, NSW is now under contract after reducing the asking price.
news@propertyobserver.com.au
<img width="470" src="/images/stories/marketing/PO_Strap_new.jpg" alt="PO_Strap_new">
                       
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Avalon medieval sandstone castle hits the Sydney market

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Veteran Blue Wiggle Anthony Field and his wife, Micky, have sold their six bedroom <a href="/news">Drummoyne</a> waterfront.
It was bought in 2005 for $3.6 million from Queensland-based business partners Graeme Pratt and Jamie Marjoram, who own Pro Cuts hairdressing salons.
The Federation house sits on 570 square metre block with beachfront near the tip of Wrights Point.
It was initially listed last April when the Drummoyne Avenue property was expected to sell in the high $4 million range.
The three-level residence had been renovated extensively by architect Brad Patterson. 
It was <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://www.lsdrummoyne.com.au/residential-for-sale/0000168126" target="_blank">most recently listed just two weeks ago through Laing+Simmons Drummoyne</a> agents Frank Colacicco and Mia Fredrix. No sale price details are being revealed.
<a href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au" target="_blank">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
                
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Anthony Field finally gets a wriggle on from Drummoyne

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APM indicators suggest the early 2014 residential sales market has so far failed to return to the rapid sales intensity of late 2013 across capital cities.
It emerged in the latest Australian Property Montors days on market data.
Sydney and Canberra have however shown tentative signs of days on market declining during February.
<img src="/images/stories/2014/03/05/apm-march-5-chart-one.gif" alt="apm-march-5-chart-one" width="470" height="798">
Source: Australian Property Monitors                               
The average discount required to sell a property has shown varying degrees of fluctuation on an almost city by city basis.
<img src="/images/stories/2014/03/05/apm-march-5-chart-two.gif" alt="apm-march-5-chart-two" width="470" height="797">
Source: Australian Property Monitors
Canberra regained its regular status as requiring the least discounting, with Sydney still in the APM red hot zone of vendors typically needing just the 4.8% reduction on asking price to achieve a sale.
But Dr Andrew Wilson, the senior economist for Australian Property Monitors, expects Sydney price growth to slow from midwinter especially should economic pessimism outweigh optimism.
<a href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au" target="_blank"></a><a href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au" target="_blank">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
                                                  
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Sydney and Melbourne lose sales intensity with days on market yet to reach 2013 speed: APM

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Those expatriates are beginning to capitalise on the lower Australian dollar, especially when they are experts in the currency rollercoaster.
ANZ Singapore based Eddie Listorti heads the renewed return spending $6.55 million at Palm Beach, for a Sydney northern beaches holiday home.
Designed by architect Michael Fountain, the three level house comes with 18 metre infinity pool with a floating observation terrace. Positioned on the beach side of Northview Road, with views that span the length of Palm Beach - north to the Lighthouse, south to the rock pool - it was sold by the Doughman family through LJ Hooker Palm Beach agents David Edwards and Amethyst McKee.
<a href="https://palmbeach.ljhooker.com.au/2JZF6Z" target="_blank">It was listed</a> at $7.25 million last October.
In 2010 Eddie Listorti, former global head of fixed income, currencies and commodities at Dresdner Kleinwort, took the job as head foreign exchange and commodities at ANZ. His title is now ANZ's co-head of fixed income, currencies and commodities.
In 2010 he spent $6.5 million on a Mosman home,  Melleray, the Federation home situated on a 1,975 square metre block a few minutes from Mosman village.
Back in 2008 Eddie Listorti, then the head of fixed income currency and commodities capital markets with Dresdner Kleinwort Bank in London, and his wife, Melanie, had their Bayview property for sale. More than $4.2 million had been expected for the 4,047 square metre property with views over Pittwater's Salt Pan Cove which sold at $2.82 million in 2009. 
His current job includes presiding over vast gold reserves in Singapore where the ANZ has a vault given demand from investors for gold bars, rather than exposure via goldmining stocks or exchange-traded funds.
ANZ has its 50-tonne vault at the FreePort facility adjacent to the city's Changi Airport. It is a major player handling about 15% of the globe's production.
It sells the bullion solely to central banks, sovereign wealth funds and other banks with demand from investors seeking diversification into physical assets on fears amid the various economic crisises of late.
"Asians like to walk in and actually see the gold they own," he told News Ltd papers last year. 
Listorti reports to former Dresdner colleague, Steve Bellotti, who took up the post of managing director global markets at ANZ also in 2010. He too owns at <a href="/news">Mosman</a> and <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/a-rising-tide-lifts-all-luxury-yachts/2011062950650" target="_blank">Palm Beach</a>.
Bellotti was previously global head of capital markets at the German dealer in London and has also held senior executive positions at Merrill Lynch in London, New York, Sydney, Hong Kong and Singapore.
The past few prestige sales at Palm Beach have been also to locals highlighted midlast year when Mike Cannon-Brookes,  the co-founder and CEO of Atlassian Software Systems,  spent $8.7 million to buy on Pittwater at Palm Beach.
The Barrenjoey Road property last traded at $10 million in April 2010 when bought by retired Sydney-to-Hobart veteran skipper Neville Crichton.
It had been the $10 million home of the retired grocer John David and his wife, Patti who had the Walter Barda-designed house built on the shores of Snapperman Beach after the 1,094 square metre block was bought for $975,000 in 1993.
Just a few doors away on Snapperman Beach property developer Denis O'Neil has sold <a href="https://palmbeach.ljhooker.com.au/2P0F6Z" target="_blank">his Walter Barda-designed house with an Iluka Road address</a> to the Scali retailng family.
It's a slow road back for any coastal price recovery as the desire for debt from second home ownership is still impacted by the global financial crisis fallout. And even more so in locations like Palm Beach where land tax is a serious consideration.
<a href="mailto:news@propertyobserver.com.au" target="_blank">news@propertyobserver.com.au</a>
                 
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ANZ expat banker Eddie Listorti takes golden opportunity to snap up lower dollar Palm Beach holiday home

<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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