Ceerose gets green light to more than double Leichhardt apartment plans

Ceerose's plans for one of its key Leichhardt sites have taken a significant step up in scale, with the builder-developer given approval to deliver 154 apartments on Parramatta Road, more than double the 63 residences previously approved for the site.

The approval for 307-315 Parramatta Road has been secured through the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority pathway, allowing Ceerose to significantly increase density on the 2,712 sqm site ahead of the broader state-led rezoning of the Parramatta Road corridor.

Ceerose had previously held approval for a seven-storey, 63-apartment development before returning to the planning system with a larger mixed-use proposal comprising 154 apartments above ground-floor retail.

The revised scheme includes 21 affordable housing apartments and two retail tenancies addressing Parramatta Road, with the residential component rising across two slender towers above a podium.

First look: Ceerose plots mixed-use Leichhardt development on Parramatta Road

Ceerose announced the approval saying it marked the beginning of a broader contribution to Leichhardt as the suburb and Parramatta Road corridor undergo further change.

"This approval represents more than a planning milestone, it is the beginning of a meaningful contribution back into the Leichhardt precinct," Ceerose said.

"This development will bring a considered design approach for the residences and the delivery of additional retail which further supports the revitalisation of Norton Street and the Italian Forum."

Designed by Architecture AND, the 10-storey scheme has been shaped to respond to both Parramatta Road and the lower-scale streets behind it.

The architecture introduces a fine-grain, two-storey street wall referencing the traditional shopfront rhythm of Parramatta Road, while the two residential towers are set back from the street edge to preserve solar access and reduce their perceived bulk. The massing also concentrates more of the development toward the quieter northern interface, away from the noise and traffic of Parramatta Road.

The developer also acknowledged the Housing Delivery Authority for supporting the uplift ahead of the NSW Government's wider plans for the corridor.

"Ceerose would like to thank the Housing Delivery Authority for its collaboration and confidence to significantly upzone this site ahead of the broader Parramatta Road State led rezoning," the developer said.

"We look forward to contributing to the future of Leichhardt."

The site occupies a prominent position near Norton Street and the intersections with Catherine, Hay and Redmond streets. It is also within walking distance of Stanmore and Petersham train stations and has previously been identified through state and local planning strategies as a location suitable for increased density.

The approval also gives Ceerose two substantial development plays in Leichhardt.

Earlier this year, the developer lodged a separate State Significant Development Application for a 6,930 sqm former industrial site at 40-76 William Street, where it is seeking to deliver 203 apartments across five interconnected buildings centred around the adaptive reuse of a heritage warehouse.

That proposal comprises 188 build-to-sell apartments and 15 affordable housing residences, with buildings stepping from five to 11 storeys around a landscaped central courtyard.

First look: Ceerose doubles down in Leichhardt with adaptive reuse of former warehouse site

Ceerose Founder Edward Doueihi previously told Apartments.com.au the company's existing footprint across Leichhardt and the Inner West had given it a close view of the area's evolution.

"Ceerose has had a long-standing presence in Leichhardt and the Inner West, giving us a unique understanding of the area's evolution and future potential," Doueihi said.

"Having delivered projects throughout the region, we have witnessed the suburb's transformation first-hand and understand the opportunities for its continued growth."