Arada pitches Castle Hill apartment plans ahead of 2026 launch
Dubai-based developer Arada is preparing to officially enter the Sydney apartment market, starting in Castle Hill.
Arada, who signalled its intent by announcing a development pipeline of $4 billion and then saving, and acquiring, tier-one commercial construction company, has filed a State Significant Development Application for a three-building development in the Hills Showground Station Precinct.
The buildings, which will be delivered on a 1.1-hectare site fronting Fishburn Crescent, Carrington Road and Middleton Avenue, will have 431 apartments. They have been designed by Turner Studio with landscaping by Arcadia.
The buildings have been arranged around podium courtyards and open communal spaces, with Building A rising to 20 storeys, Building B stepping between 8 and 17, and Building C forming a U-shaped massing of 11 to 12 storeys.
According to the Design Report by Turner Studio, the development will deliver a "highly liveable, connected, and inclusive residential community,” incorporating rooftop terraces, shared indoor amenities, and pedestrian links through the site.
The project includes 25 affordable housing units, representing five per cent of total floor space, located within Building A. These comprise a mix of one and two-bedroom layouts.
The broader residential mix across the three towers includes one-bedroom (nine per cent), two-bedroom (57 per cent), three-bedroom (30 per cent), and four-bedroom (four per cent) apartments, with a strong emphasis on family-sized homes.
The landscape strategy, guided by Arcadia, integrates rooftop gardens, public open space, and a pedestrian connection between Fishburn Crescent and Sexton Avenue.
The design draws from the natural and cultural history of the site, including features of nearby Cattai Creek, and incorporates endemic planting and local materials.
Arada’s submission under the Housing Delivery Authority pathway highlights the project’s alignment with Transport-Oriented Development principles, capitalising on the site’s 400-metre proximity to Hills Showground Metro Station.
Founded in 2017 in Sharjah, Arada has delivered over 10,000 homes internationally and is now advancing a $4 billion pipeline in Australia. The Castle Hill project is one of several Sydney ventures by the developer, with other sites progressing in Campsie and Canterbury. Arada opened its Sydney office in August 2024 and acquired local construction firm Roberts Co to scale up delivery capabilities.
The site sits within the Showground Priority Precinct, a transport-oriented growth area targeted for 9,000 new homes. The broader neighbourhood is already seeing transformation, with Deicorp’s Showground Pavilions and Hills Showground Village introducing over 1,300 apartments alongside retail, open space, and transport upgrades.
Arada aims to launch the project to the market next year, and commence construction by mid-2027.
Joel Robinson
Joel Robinson is the Editor in Chief at Apartments.com.au, where he leads the editorial team and oversees the country’s most comprehensive news coverage dedicated to the off the plan property market. With more than a decade of experience in residential real estate journalism, Joel brings deep insight into Australia’s evolving development landscape.
He holds a degree in Business Management with a major in Journalism from Leeds Beckett University in the UK, and has developed a particular expertise in off the plan apartment space. Joel’s editorial lens spans the full lifecycle of a project—from site acquisition and planning approvals through to new launches, construction completions, and final sell-out—delivering trusted, buyer-focused content that supports informed decision-making across the property journey
