<html><body><div>
A Port Douglas trophy holiday home has been sold for around $2 million.
The  four bedroom, five bathroom four level property, <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/for-sale/57-murphy-street-port-douglas-qld-4877-2011364465" target="_blank">57 Murphy Street Port Douglas</a>, is built on Flagstaff Hill and has views to the Coral Sea and nearby mountains. 
Designed by local Gary Hunt, the home features an open plan living area with four metre high raked timber ceilings, gourmet eat-in kitchen, wrap around terraces on all levels, an indoor/outdoor plunge pool and a separate self-contained studio.  
The master bedroom suite with an adjoining study has dual bathrooms with a centre piece Japanese Ofuro bath.
Lyn Hall and her late husband, Mike Hall, ex-President Coca Cola Japan built the home in 1996.
It was listed for sale through David Cotton, Raine &amp; Horne Port Douglas, and marketed by Lynn Malone.
</div></body></html>

mick.cee-iDmgDDAmu8

Port Douglas hilltop trophy home sold for $2 million

<html><body>
The Banora Central Shopping Centre, south of the Gold Coast, is up for sale through an expressions of interest campaign ending 17 September.
The 13,340sq m site on the corner of Leisure Drive and Fraser Drive at Banora Point, was built in 2007 and features a Coles supermarket, three specialty shops, one kiosk and two ATMs and extensive partly covered grade-level parking. 
The property is being sold through Jon Tyson of Savills, who said approximately 67% of the centre’s gross rental income securely leased by national brand blue-chip tenants, Coles, BWS, Westpac and Suncorp.
“This property is trading well and presents an attractive investment, given the small number of tenants dominated by strong line-up of national operators. The high-exposure corner site provides easy customer access and is well-positioned to capitalise on the future population growth flowing from major new residential development in the area,” he said.
</body></html>

Gold Coast's Banora Central Shopping Centre for sale

<html><body><div class="page" title="Page 1">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
Sydney's City Tattersalls Club has lodged a Stage 1 development application for the club that includes the airspace above the Pitt St property.
This DA replaces and existing one which was withdrawn in May after appointing ICD Property and Sinclair Brook as developers, along with Elenberg Fraser.
Tony Guilfoyle, chief executive officer of City Tattersalls Club said they have had 'constructive discussions' with neighbours regarding the redevelopment plans.
"We have increased the hotel’s capacity and space has been provided for 67 car spaces," he said. 
</div>
</div>
</div></body></html>

City Tattersalls Club lodges reworked development application

<html><body>
Athlete and former International Olympic Committee Vice President Kevan Gosper and wife Judy have listed their three bedroom whole floor sub-penthouse apartment in South Yarra with expectations of around $5.8 million.
The couple purchased the Wood Marsh Architects-designed family home at <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/for-sale/5-262-domain-road-south-yarra-vic-3141-2012188373" target="_blank">5/262 Domain Rd South Yarra</a> off the plan and have decided to sell due to travel commitments.
<div>The 400sqm apartment features its own lift, high ceilings and huge living, dining and entertaining areas. All bedrooms have an ensuite and the master its own terrace.</div>
The property is for sale through Jock Langley and Michael Derham of Abercromby Real Estate. To see a video of the trophy apartment, <a href="https://s.vimeocdn.com/vimeo-prod-skyfire-std-us/01/2294/5/136471428/404947940.mp4?token=55d57e2f_0x07cca3132df04edae126f0df9520dbb557652b66" target="_blank">click here</a>.
</body></html>

Kevan Gosper lists South Yarra trophy apartment

<html><body>
CoreLogic RP Data's Top 10 suburbs for highest proportion of house auction listings over the last financial year only has one entrant from Melbourne, the other nine in Sydney.
Only Melbourne's Clifton Hill features at number eight with 84 listings and 78 total auction listings. Sydney's Queens Park leads the list with 60 total listings and 59 actions followed by the suburb of Clovelly (49 total listings, 47 auctions) and Malabar (23 total listings, 22 auctions).
<a href="/images/2015/08/20/Screen%20Shot%202015-08-20%20at%2011.36.54%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/08/20/Screen%20Shot%202015-08-20%20at%2011.36.54%20AM.png" alt="">
</body></html>

Top 10 suburbs for highest proportion of house auction listings: CoreLogic RP Data

<html><body>
Two Melbourne suburbs and the Sydney beachside location of Bronte are the top three suburbs for the highest proportion of auction listings for units, according to new research released by CoreLogic RP Data.
Melbourne suburbs Kew East and Carlton North top CoreLogic RP Data's Top 10 suburbs for highest proportion of unit auction listings respectively over the last financial year.
Kew East had 34 total listings with 33 auctions, Carlton North 23 listings and 21 auctions and Bronte with 38 total listings and 34 auctions.
<a href="/images/2015/08/20/Screen%20Shot%202015-08-20%20at%2011.37.01%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/08/20/Screen%20Shot%202015-08-20%20at%2011.37.01%20AM.png" alt="">
</body></html>

Top ten suburbs for highest proportion of unit auction listings: CoreLogic RP Data

<html><body>
More than one third of all properties listed throughout the last financial wear taken to auction across Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra, with 26.5% of all properties advertised for sale nationwide going to auction according to CoreLogic RP Data's recent Property Pulse.
Five suburbs in Sydney had more than 95% of houses listed for auction, with Queens Park having 59 out of 60 listings auctioned.
In Melbourne, East Kew recorded 33 out of 34 unit listings as sold through auction.
CoreLogic RP Data head of research Tim Lawless said of the 380,000 dwellings advertised for sale across Australia’s capital cities over the 2014/15 financial year, roughly 84,000 (26%) were advertised as auction sales. 
"Auction listings have been rising since the 2008/09 financial year when back then, auctions comprised of a much lower 16% of all dwellings listed for sale," he said.
"Considering how hot the housing market conditions currently are in Melbourne and Sydney, the rise in the proportion of residential properties taken to auction should come as no surprise. I expect we’ll see auctions continue as a popular method for selling residential property.
“When market demand is high and buyers are highly competitive, the auction process is likely to provide the best possible price on a property transaction. However, the opposite occurs when housing market conditions are weak. Auctions aren’t then as popular due to fact that there is less urgency amongst buyers and the lack of an intensely competitive bidding environment isn’t likely to be as conducive to finding the best possible price on a home. "
 
<a href="/images/2015/08/20/Screen%20Shot%202015-08-20%20at%2011.14.58%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/08/20/Screen%20Shot%202015-08-20%20at%2011.14.58%20AM.png" alt="">
<a href="/images/2015/08/20/Screen%20Shot%202015-08-20%20at%2011.15.14%20AM.png" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<img src="/images/2015/08/20/Screen%20Shot%202015-08-20%20at%2011.15.14%20AM.png" alt="">
</body></html>

One third of properties auctioned in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra: CoreLogic RP Data

<html><body>
Increasing home values within Melbourne are being driven by the detached housing market, with Melbourne now having a higher rolling quarterly rate of growth than Sydney at 6.1%. 
In CoreLogic RP Data's recent housing market video, head of research Tim Lawless said Melbourne growth conditions had picked up over the past three months, however the gap between house and unit performance remains.
"Melbourne house values have risen 12.3% over the past year compared with a 4.8% rise in unit values," he said.
"The underperformance of the unit sector can probably be attributed to the large amount of new unit supply that has flowed into the market over recent years as well as the upwards pressure on vacant land prices that is pushing house values higher."
Watch the video <a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/https://vimeo.com/135932430" target="_blank">here</a>.
</body></html>

Detached housing values drive Melbourne growth: CoreLogic RP Data

<html><body>
An apartment site opposite Melbourne's Elwood Beach with a pre-approved permit to build a luxury four level 23 unit complex is up for sale with expectations of $6 million plus.
The <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/property-land+development-vic-elwood-501662765" target="_blank">47 Ormond Esplanade Elwood</a> property is on a 909sqm site and is being sold through expressions of interest closing Wednesday, September 9 at 2pm.
Savills marketing agent Julian Heatherich said the property has uninterrupted bay views, and easy access to Elwood Beach and local recreation trails.
"Over 90 enquires in the first 2 days of the campaign is a testament to the truly rare beachfront development opportunity within one of Melbourne’s most popular bayside suburbs,’’ he said.  
"This is an exceptionally well located site, ideal for an apartment development within easy walking distance of Elwood Village retail precinct, with direct proximity to Elwood Park and Elsternwick Park and within easy reach of Elsternwick train station and the Nepean Highway providing direct access to the CBD."
<img src="/images/2015/08/19/Screen%20Shot%202015-08-19%20at%203.09.21%20PM.png" alt="">
</body></html>

Elwood Beach apartment block listed with $6 million hopes

<html><body>
Mortgage Choice's annual results for the financial year ending June 30 showed the company's loan book climbed 4.6% to reach $49.5 billion.
Approvals for home loans increased 10.5% to $13.4 billion, with settlements up 10.6% to $11.5 billion and the company paying a fully franked dividend of 15.5 cents per share. 
Mortgage Choice chief executive officer John Flavell said solid growth in loan writer and franchise numbers ultimately helped the core business.
“Throughout the 2015 financial year, we appointed 41 loan writers taking our total loan writer count to 575. In addition, we sold 23 greenfield franchises and 14 existing franchises to reach a franchise footprint of 422,” he said.
"There is still more that we can do to grow the core broking business. Heading into FY16, recruitment will become a focus for the business as the more feet we have on the ground, the better placed we will be to help more Australians make informed financial decisions.
“Looking forward, we have a very positive outlook for FY16. The property market remains strong, with dwelling values on the rise and auction clearance rates continuing to hover at solid levels. Further, the value of the home loan market and the number of home loan approvals being written each month continues to rise, which bodes well for Mortgage Choice’s core broking business."
</body></html>

Mortgage Choice loan book hits $49.5 billion

Property developer One Living, backed by former Macquarie banker turned investment manager Chris Green’s investment firm, has unveiled plans to bring more institutional capital into housing to help address the national supply crisis.

The New York-based investor has focused his firm, GreenPoint Partners, on addressing the supply shortage hitting middle market housing in Australia.

It is backing the new One Living business to develop more than 1000 units along the eastern seaboard. The new firm is starting with a development on Mona Vale Road, on the border of Mona Vale and Pymble, in Sydney’s Northern Beaches, with around 140 apartments planned. They are eyeing off more sites across the city.

With cost pressures rising in the industry, One Living’s model is to be a vertically integrated developer-builder, so it can respond directly to the housing gap by removing the cost inefficiencies embedded in traditional residential delivery.

“We are building a platform designed to operate at scale and starting in a market where there’s a clear need for quality, attainable housing,” One Living joint managing director Joseph Scuderi said.

“It’s that missing middle – it’s that attainable end of housing… that’s what most Australians invest into and what Australians can actually afford.”

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="798dfa93-4941-4db6-a696-31e9dc18e81c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.31.50%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=mKBqi5C_DmeiXS.AtJkcR8LQIxqCqmFi" />

GreenPoint Partners brings years of experience assembling and scaling real estate operating businesses across major markets. And Green sees a big opportunity in Australia.

“For its size, sophistication and importance to the community, Australia’s living sector has remained largely under-institutionalised, which represents significant opportunity,” Green said. “GreenPoint identified that gap, assembled the right team, and is backing One Living to build a platform that is aligned to market needs.”

Green said being a builder-developer would give the company the capacity and flexibility it required to deliver reasonably-priced homes.

“We want it to be at that attainable level; not super high end luxury but at that attainable level,” he said.

<img alt="Mona Vale" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="74a5344a-4b26-4d4a-ada3-056b1220be77" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%202.32.15%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=vY8hXHO4reBMdO8ZXMWCNtGZJofUPQ3j" />

&nbsp;

One Living will undertake a component of affordable housing in its schemes, which it will own and operate, and it could also run build-to-rent on some sites.

Green praised local policy settings.

“The NSW government is being very supportive, strategic and pragmatic in terms of how do we generate more supply of housing,” he said. “We think it’s actually positive for development and the bit that’s been lacking at that attainable level is that it’s lots of relatively small private developers, whereas we want to create an institutional platform.”

One Living is also&nbsp;looking at high-density projects and could take on more institutional funding in the future.

“The way we will be able to achieve economies of scale is through size,” Green added.

Joel Robinson

One Living enters Sydney's new apartment market with Northern Beaches site acquisition

It's been several years since there's been an opportunity to buy a brand new townhome in Melbourne's coastal suburb of Mordialloc. Even apartment developments in recent times have been few and far between in the area.

Local developer LDS Property identified the gap in new housing, securing a site on White Street, directly opposite&nbsp;Woodlands Golf Club Mordialloc. They've recently launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-townhouses/wm-residences-mordialloc-102-white-street-mordialloc-vic-3195">WM Residences</a>, just 13 townhouses which they have already started building.

Projects by Buxton Director Heath Thompson, who is selling WM Residences, says the townhouses x that perfect middle ground be

"Mordialloc residents have had limited options to downsize within the suburb, often forcing them to look elsewhere despite long-standing ties to the area," Thompson says.

"With very little comparable new supply coming to market, projects like WM Residences are well placed, particularly as buyers look to capitalise on current conditions amid constrained supply."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6109]

The development, designed by regarded architecture firm&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/ewert-leaf">Ewert Leaf</a>,&nbsp;adopts a deliberately restrained architectural approach, focusing on simplicity, durability and liveability rather than overt design gestures.

The boutique scale is central to the offering. With only 13 three-bedroom residences, each home is configured to prioritise functional layouts and everyday use, supported by private terraces and secure two-car garages.

Ewert Leaf’s design response leans into a calm, neutral material palette. Interiors are defined by oak flooring, white walls and soft finishes, creating a consistent and understated backdrop. The approach avoids trend-driven detailing in favour of longevity, with an emphasis on natural light and spatial clarity.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6110]

Beyond aesthetics, the homes are designed to meet contemporary performance expectations. Each residence targets a minimum 6-star energy rating, incorporating double glazing, comprehensive insulation and all-electric Bosch appliances.

The project’s location supports a walkable coastal lifestyle, sitting within close proximity to Mordialloc’s foreshore, Main Street retail strip and the train station. Local cafés and dining venues, including Suburbia Deli and Hendriks Café, are within a short walk, reinforcing the area’s established neighbourhood character.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134646 project_image_fid=6116]

While <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/mordialloc-vic-3195">Mordialloc</a> is often defined by its beach and pier, the project taps into other areas of day to day living, offering easy access to local food, casual dining and transport, rather than positioning itself purely as a lifestyle retreat.

WM Residences reflects a continued trend across Melbourne’s coastal suburbs towards smaller-scale, design-led townhouse developments, particularly on infill sites where proximity to amenity is already established.

With construction commenced prior to its market entry, the project aligns with a growing preference among buyers for developments with visible progress and defined delivery timeframes.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134646]

WM Residences fills gap in Mordialloc townhouse market

&nbsp;

Developer GURNER™ Group has revealed $1.65 billion in residential sales nationally across the 12 months to December 2025, driven largely by the continued momentum of its Docklands wellness-focused precinct, Elysium Fields.

The sales result was generated across seven projects in Victoria and New South Wales, headlined by Elysium Fields, GURNER™’s $2.75 billion mixed-use precinct planned for Harbour Esplanade in Docklands.

The project has recorded more than $500 million in sales across the first three towers, equating to around 580 apartments sold.

The first tower, Helios, has now sold out of its 240 private residences, with GURNER™ preparing to release a premium penthouse collection comprising 15 three-bedroom penthouses in coming weeks.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370975]

Elysium Fields is being developed on the long-held 20,000 sqm Docklands site at 208-226 Harbour Esplanade, which had remained undeveloped for more than two decades prior to GURNER™ taking over the project around four years ago.

Construction has now commenced across four towers ranging between 18 and 30 storeys, with Hamilton Marino and Maxcon appointed as builders.

Once complete, the precinct is expected to comprise around 1,100 residences, alongside retail, hospitality and public realm uses integrated throughout the site.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370981]

Designed by Fraser &amp; Partners in collaboration with GURNER™ Design House, the project has been positioned around the developer’s broader focus on wellness-led residential living.

“We don’t sell apartments. We create a true luxury lifestyle that simply doesn’t exist elsewhere in the market today,” Founder and Executive Chairman Tim Gurner said.

“To deliver that requires an extraordinary level of detail, coordination and discipline across multiple verticals, from design and hospitality through to wellness and service.”

“We’ve always believed that living extends far beyond the physical residence. It’s about how you feel the moment you arrive, how you live day-to-day, and the ecosystem that supports that.” 
[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370977]

The project’s design places a heavy focus on landscaping, wellness amenities and biophilic design principles.

Plans include around 3,700 sqm of landscaped gardens and open space throughout the precinct, alongside a retail and dining offering spanning approximately 5,000 sqm.

The broader public realm strategy centres around what GURNER™ describes as the “Path of Life”, an urban forest and landscaped pedestrian environment intended to connect the various buildings and wellness spaces across the precinct.

The apartments themselves will incorporate a range of wellness-focused inclusions, including purified air and water systems, circadian lighting, antimicrobial surfaces, and optional in-home wellness upgrades.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370980]

Gurner said the company’s experience through its Saint Haven wellness clubs had directly informed the residential offering now being incorporated into Elysium Fields.

“We’re seeing a clear global shift toward longevity, performance and proactive health,” Gurner said.

“Our role is to deliver that in a way that feels seamless, highly private and beautifully resolved within the environments we create.”

A large component of the wellness offering is planned through the resident amenity and health facilities proposed within the precinct.

That includes plans for bathing and recovery facilities spread throughout the towers, incorporating mineral pools, saunas, steam rooms, flotation therapy, red light therapy and wellness lounges.

The developer is also seeking approvals for what it describes as a “reverse ageing medical clinic” within the precinct.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370978]

According to project information released by the group, the proposed facility would include cryotherapy, IV infusion therapy, infrared and dry saunas, PEMF beds, MRIs, DEXA scans, brain scans and blood analysis services.

Within the first tower, Helios, residents will also have access to a dedicated amenity offering known as the Sky Private Club.

The upper 15 levels of the building will include private lounges, dining spaces, rooftop amenities and optional private wellness studios integrated within residences.

The Helios tower itself comprises 260 apartments ranging between 60 sqm and 300 sqm, including a collection of penthouses.

That includes a planned two-storey penthouse spanning around 600 sqm with uninterrupted bay views.

The Elysium Fields precinct is being delivered in partnership with Digital Harbour Holdings, a consortium that includes the Liberman family, which controls the development rights across the Docklands site.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=144441 project_image_fid=370979]

The sales result comes as GURNER™ continues expanding its national development pipeline beyond Victoria.

“We have a strong pipeline across Australia and are now focused on scaling into key markets including New South Wales and Queensland, while continuing to build on our Melbourne base,” Gurner said.

“We currently have more than $3 billion in the market, growing to over $5 billion by October, and expect to materially outperform last year in the 2026 calendar year.”

The result also reflects the continued strength of the upper-end apartment market in Melbourne, particularly for owner-occupier-focused product with large-scale amenity and lifestyle offerings.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=144441]

Record result anchored by the Group’s “utopian” Elysium Fields precinct – defying market headwinds in Docklands.

Elysium Fields drive Gurner to $1.65 billion in apartment sales over 2025

National Australia Bank (NAB) will fund <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/palmera-residences-gold-coast-18-garfield-terrace-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Palmera</a>, a $1 billion, 52-level luxury residential tower being developed by Central Equity in one of the Gold Coast’s most tightly held coastal locations at Northcliffe.

The project, launched recently by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/central-equity">Central Equity</a>, one of Victoria’s largest private residential developers, comes at a time when construction funding for large residential developments has become increasingly competitive as lenders tighten exposure to the sector.

Multiplex has been appointed the builder, and construction is now underway.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365784]

Since its first project, Central Equity has delivered more than 85 residential developments with a combined end value exceeding $8 billion.

Palmera reflects Central Equity’s growing focus on the Gold Coast luxury apartment market and continues a relationship between Central Equity and NAB that dates back to the late 1980s, when the bank funded one of Melbourne’s earliest inner-city residential towers at a time when high-rise apartment living in the CBD was largely unproven.

“NAB’s funding of Central Equity’s $36 million CBD development in the late 1980’s to the financing of the billion-dollar tower today highlights the long-term relationship between the two organisations in delivering major residential projects” said Central Equity Founder and Chairman Eddie Kutner.

He said NAB’s early support was instrumental in helping establish the company’s development model.

“When we commenced our first residential tower in the late 1980s the concept of funding off-the-plan apartments was still largely untested in Australia,” Kutner said.

“NAB recognised the opportunity early and supported the project when others were uncertain. That relationship has now continued for more than 37 years across many developments.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365771]

Central Equity was established in 1987 when Melbourne’s CBD and Southbank precinct were still dominated by warehouses and commercial buildings. Fewer than 100 residents lived in Southbank at the time, and large-scale residential development in the inner city was not widely considered.

Recognising changing demographics and lifestyle preferences, the company began developing high-rise residential projects designed to bring permanent residents into the city centre.

Central Equity has provided accommodation for approximately 40,000 residents across Melbourne’s CBD and Southbank, while also incorporating supporting infrastructure including essential lifestyle facilities like retail spaces, childcare facilities and neighbourhood activity centres.

Central Equity has spent many years assembling the Palmera development site on the corner of Garfield Terrace and Frederick Street in Northcliffe, creating a supersite of around 3,300 sqm.

The developer said the Palmera apartment tower reflects its long-term view of the Gold Coast as a growing and increasingly diversified economy.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=108274 project_image_fid=365768]

Supported by infrastructure including the light rail network, major road upgrades expanded education, hospital and medical facilities and continued expansion at the Gold Coast Airport with more international and domestic flights.

Positioned in the tightly held Northcliffe precinct, the 52-level tower will deliver 347 apartments, targeting buyers seeking a high-end coastal lifestyle, from downsizers to interstate investors.

Designed by Marchese Partners with interiors by DBI, Palmera has been conceived as a next-generation residential offering, featuring a collection of oversized apartments, with premium three-bedroom residences offering sweeping northern views stretching from Surfers Paradise through to Burleigh Heads.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=108274]

NAB funds $1 billion Surfers Paradise apartment development, Palmera

Two years after completing one of the newest developments in North Sydney, developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/aqualand-australia">Aqualand</a> is turning its attention to the rapidly evolving St Leonards apartment market.

The developer, which completed AURA by Aqualand on North Sydney's Walker Street, has lodged plans for a 5,918 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/33-37-herbert-street-st-leonards-nsw-2065">33-37 Herbert Street, St Leonards,</a> seeking approval for a pair of residential towers rising above a shared podium opposite Royal North Shore Hospital.

The proposal forms part of the broader transformation underway across the St Leonards-Crows Nest precinct, where former industrial and commercial sites are increasingly being redeveloped into high-density mixed-use projects tied to major transport infrastructure.

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2cc428cf-fe70-4cac-9cd5-264ad53af62c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.56%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=otKSnHtbjAvAddOnovyXQMgcAwE6DMe1" />

According to the planning documents, the site sits “within the St Leonards–Crows Nest Strategic Centre, identified by the NSW Government as a key area for accommodating future jobs and housing across Sydney.”

The proposal has been designed by fjcstudio, formerly FJMT Studio, and is being progressed through the State Significant Development pathway due to its scale and affordable housing provision.

The scheme would comprise 413 apartments, including 46 affordable housing units, alongside retail and commercial uses fronting Herbert Street. The project would also include communal open space, landscaping, a swimming pool, gymnasium, children’s play areas and podium-level resident amenities.

Planning documents show the development would consist of a part-13, part-39 storey tower form positioned above a four-storey podium.

“The development comprises a unified podium that activates the street interface, and two setback towers to accommodate new housing supply while maintaining an appropriate human scale at ground level,” fjcstudio noted in its Design Report.

The northern and southern towers have been shaped to respond to the surrounding skyline while also limiting overshadowing impacts to nearby public open space, particularly Talus Reserve.

The design report said the differing tower heights were intended to “contribute to a varied skyline while responding to the surrounding built form context and solar access considerations.”

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="36da62dc-ff9e-41f2-a7e3-7be38373751c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.45%E2%80%AFAM_0.png?VersionId=Mo6Rp2r.XRLTzIfg_PEEpw8NepDH8UBs" />

The site sits directly opposite Royal North Shore Hospital and within walking distance of both St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

While the site itself sits just outside the formal Crows Nest Transport Oriented Development boundary, the planning documents repeatedly reference its alignment with the broader TOD objectives reshaping the Lower North Shore.

“The site is located adjacent to St Leonards Station and in close proximity to Crows Nest Metro which is within the Crows Nest Transit Orientated Development Accelerated Precinct which has been identified by the NSW Government to support housing delivery,” the Design Verification Statement noted.

According to fjcstudio, the project has been designed to respond to the broader transition occurring across St Leonards, where increasing residential density is being concentrated around transport infrastructure and employment hubs.

“The broader precinct is undergoing significant change, with a mix of existing mid-rise buildings and newer high-density developments,” the report stated.

“Recent and approved projects indicate a consistent shift toward taller built form, typically organised as tower-and-podium typologies with more active ground levels.”

The proposal includes close to 6,000 sqm of retail and commercial space across the ground floor and podium levels, designed to create a more activated street edge along Herbert Street.

Aqualand’s plans would also introduce a landscaped podium shared between the two towers, with communal open space in the form of a podium rooftop designed to support resident interaction and improve urban greening outcomes. The scheme would also introduce pocket parks at the northern and southern ends of the site, including a landscaped area at the corner of Herbert and Ella streets designed to improve pedestrian amenity and soften the streetscape.

&nbsp;

The proposal is being progressed through the NSW Government’s Housing Delivery Authority pathway, which was introduced to accelerate housing supply across the state. The application was declared State Significant Development in April 2025 following an expression of interest process.

<img alt="Aqualand" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="faf6d97d-2671-454f-b85a-fe1c6a7be608" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-05-28%20at%209.51.49%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=diVd28OBVr5.YV.7prrOz.uAanwwwm7a" />

St Leonards has been particularly active with new developments in recent weeks. Developer SP Setia’s <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-sp-setia-targets-st-leonards-skyline-with-40-storey-tod-tower">plans for a new 42-storey tower</a> recently went on exhibition through the same pathway, while <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">Stockland’s 52-storey tower proposal</a> was also recently unveiled.

Aside from the St Leonards project, which is expected to take around nine months to move through the approvals process ahead of a potential 2027 launch, Aqualand is also preparing to launch Boronia, a new apartment project in Roseville comprising around 111 apartments on Larkin Street.

The developer also has approvals in place for the next stage of the Barangaroo precinct, which will feature new residential, retail, hospitality and community uses, alongside a new metro entry across the five-hectare site.

More than 50 new retail destinations are planned for Central Barangaroo, alongside a 270-metre-long boulevard connecting Hickson Park to Nawi Cove. Together with Harbour Park, more than 50 per cent of the precinct will comprise public open space and parkland.

Michael Crawford

Editor's Picks

Have something to contribute?

Developments

New apartments

New townhouses

News