Rose Bay apartment market fires up with $200m in new developments filed
Rose Bay is emerging as one of Sydney’s most active suburbs for development, as developers respond to demand driven by the suburb’s ageing population.
More than 20 per cent of Rose Bay residents are aged 65 and over, according to the latest ABS census data. Combined with more favourable planning schemes introduced in recent years, new development activity in the suburb has accelerated.
Fresh off the back of a $173 million sale of what was marketed as “one of the largest sites ever amalgamated so close to Rose Bay Village,” created by 12 homeowners joining forces to combine nearly 6,000 sqm bordering Wilberforce Avenue and Dover Road, more than $200 million worth of development applications has been submitted in the suburb in the past month alone.
Aligned with the Rose Bay Place Plan 2023–2028, which identifies Wilberforce Avenue as a strategic location for new housing in response to local demographic shifts, Lewin Capital has lodged plans for a new $40 million project, also on Wilberforce. The proposal seeks to deliver 32 apartments, a mix of sizes designed to cater to a broad demographic range, including downsizers and key workers, with both smaller and family-sized units on offer.
Architecturally, the scheme adopts a measured approach to height and massing, stepping down at the rear to integrate with adjacent residential properties while forming a defined medium-density edge to the Rose Bay Centre.
“The proposed design for 12–18 Wilberforce Avenue, Rose Bay is a well-mannered apartment building in a mid-block position on a quiet street,” the Urban Design Report by MHN Design Union (MHNDU) states.
“It will form part of a new living environment in this highly desirable location.”
Builder-developer HSN Property Group is also bringing density to the same pocket, planning 54 two- and three-bedroom apartments that will also benefit from the recent Low and Mid-Rise Housing Reforms introduced under the NSW Housing SEPP. 14 of the apartments will be dedicated affordable under the SEPP in the $96 million proposal.
“The site’s location and context make it well suited to support a more diverse and sustainable residential offering in the area,” the developer stated in community consultation materials.
The plans by HSN for 2-16 Spencer St, Rose Bay
The architecture, led by MHNDU, reflects a "contemporary design approach sensitive to the character of Rose Bay." Communal amenities will include a wellness area with a pool and sauna, a gym, a wine lounge, and landscaped spaces with barbecue facilities.
Fyve Developments is breaking into the eastern suburbs for the first time with their $32 million new development in Rose Bay. They are planning 19 apartments on Dover Lane.
Designed by PBD, the new project will comprise four two-bed apartments and 15 three-bed units.
Fyve's plans on Dover Lane.
Luxcon is also back in the suburb, having previously delivered The Aristocrat back in 2020. They have filed plans for 17 three-bedroom apartments on Cooper Street.
Fortis wants to deliver 49 apartments on Dover Road, an $86 million development. That adds to their Ian St, Rose Bay development, which they will likely launch next year.
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
