The final apartments in the most recently completed new development in Balwyn present some of the largest and most exclusive ever delivered in one of Melbourne’s most established and character-rich neighbourhoods.

Boutique developer&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/wulff-projects">Wulff Projects</a>,&nbsp;alongside partner <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/pga-group">PGA Group</a>, has just finished <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/threadneedle-balwyn-1-5-threadneedle-street-balwyn-vic-3103">Threadneedle</a>, 17 home-sized residences designed completely for the owner-occupier.

Named after its location on Threadneedle Street, the new project has been shaped by the heritage fabric of Balwyn. It offers two low-rise buildings of eight and nine apartments respectively, designed to emulate traditional standalone homes.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=27816 project_image_fid=355582]

John Scaramuzzino, Director at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/bruce-henderson-architects">Bruce Henderson Architects</a>, explains the design intention.

“Given the quiet residential character of the street with many homes dating back to the 1930s and 1940s, we approached Threadneedle wanting to appear less as a collection of apartments and more as a traditional residence. This led to creating not one but two buildings that could “breathe” with larger garden-based apartments functioning more like small homes.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=27816 project_image_fid=355605]

The north-facing residences are nestled among extensive landscaped gardens by Ben Scott Garden Design, with over one-third of the site dedicated to greenery. The resulting setting is one of calm seclusion, where architecture and landscape work in tandem to offer immediate liveability.

With construction now complete, the final apartments include a top-floor, single-level penthouse residence priced from $2.8 million. This home offers three bedrooms, a dedicated study, two bathrooms plus powder room, and three car spaces with an oversized storage room.&nbsp;

Interiors prioritise spatial comfort and natural light, with three-metre-high ceilings, oversized internal doors and a full-width terrace oriented to the north, east and west.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=27816 project_image_fid=355604]

Floor-to-ceiling double-glazed windows ensure thermal performance across seasons, supported by automated external blinds, zoned heating and cooling, and a fireplace for added ambiance.

Each apartment has been individually designed to maximise privacy and garden outlooks. Kitchens combine refined finishes with practical considerations: stone benchtops, butler’s pantry, full-height joinery and concealed rangehoods.&nbsp;

The inclusion of dedicated home offices responds to contemporary living patterns, while bathrooms feature sculptural bathtubs and brushed nickel fixtures.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=27816 project_image_fid=355590]

Threadneedle also integrates best-practice sustainability measures, achieving a 7 Star average NatHERS rating. Initiatives include solar PV systems, rainwater harvesting for toilet flushing and irrigation, and high-performing building insulation. These elements enhance daily comfort while reducing ongoing maintenance and energy demand.

"We believe Threadneedle sets a new standard of design excellence and building quality for Balwyn,"&nbsp;Scaramuzzino added.

"It’s an architectural response we’re particularly proud of, and one we’re sure residents will be equally proud to call home."

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=27816]

Staff Writer

Final homes remaining as Threadneedle, Balwyn completes construction

Joel Robinson

Sydney's top 15 new apartments developments set to launch in 2026

Developer-builder <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/dasco-australia">DASCO</a> has pushed beyond the now-standard inclusions of rooftop pools and landscaped podiums at its recently launched new Epping project, Senso.

It has laid out over 4,000 sqm of resident-only amenity in a move designed to compete directly with low-density housing on livability, not just density. The result is a development that supports genuine daily use through purposeful spaces distributed across its five-building, 479-apartment precinct.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134954 project_image_fid=4396]

Two rooftop pools form the anchor of Senso. One is a 27-metre lap pool adjoining a heated spa, designed for everyday fitness rather than just summer leisure. The second sits on a lower podium, allowing different buildings to share in vertical access and reducing crowding during peak times.

It is the secondary spaces that start to distinguish Senso from other large-scale suburban projects. A rooftop cinema is integrated into a landscaped terrace, offering open-air screenings with natural ventilation and passive cooling.&nbsp;

The inclusion of a “sensory walk”, an elevated boardwalk that threads through the site, suggests a rare investment in non-commercial, non-essential amenity: space for quiet movement that doesn’t double as access or traffic circulation.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134954 project_image_fid=4402]

The gym and wellness centre, often relegated to a small ground-floor room in many builds, takes on more substance here. Residents have access to a fully equipped gym, as well as outdoor yoga areas and meditative zones that integrate greenery and natural light.&nbsp;

The Club Lounge is similarly designed to support multiple use cases, with a private dining terrace, kitchenette, workspace, and lockable wine storage. These aren’t superficial additions; their scale and spatial allocation indicate serious intent for frequent resident use.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134954 project_image_fid=4391]

Importantly, Senso’s amenities are embedded within a site that spans more than 10,000 sqm, allowing for better separation between spaces and reduced noise spillover, a critical but often overlooked factor in high-density developments. This spatial generosity also enables multiple alfresco kitchens and communal terraces without compromising individual privacy or usable space.

While many developments make claims about lifestyle, few back it with this level of built infrastructure. Senso’s mix of dedicated fitness, wellness, social and passive green spaces suggests a conscious response to the post-pandemic shift in housing expectations, especially among owner-occupiers.&nbsp;

DASCO is one of several leading developers who have taken out Resilience Insurance's Latent Defects Insurance policy, providing buyers with a 10-year structural and waterproofing warranty, and giving them the ultimate peace of mind.

Senso is scheduled for completion in late 2028.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134954]

The outdoor amenities elevating life at Senso, Epping

Following the proposal by the Minns Labor Government to rezone Parramatta Road to create up to 8,000 new homes, prominent developer Ceerose has gone to the NSW Gov to increase the density of its new mixed-use residential building in Leichhardt.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/builders/ceerose">Ceerose</a>, founded by Edward Doueihi nearly three decades ago, has filed plans for 154 apartments above ground-floor retail at 307-315 Parramatta Road, a key corner site near Norton Street, the main high street strip in Leichhardt.

It's an upsize from the previously approved scheme of 63 apartments across a seven-storey building.

<img alt="Ceerose" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="ba1ae75b-5f08-43fb-b8d5-3de6d9f6ef71" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-12-04%20at%2010.31.39%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=yA3hBBLPH4ev7MsAE0_hieXeqiFqBUb7" />

The project is being advanced through the State Significant Development (SSD) pathway, with concurrent rezoning sought to facilitate the proposal. The 10-storey development would rise over a four-level basement and deliver two retail tenancies, one a larger-format offering and the other a smaller “hole in the wall” space, addressing the Parramatta Road frontage. 21 of the apartments are dedicated as affordable housing.

According to the Urban Design Report by Architecture AND, the scheme includes a podium and tower configuration, with a fine-grain, two-storey parapet street wall that references the traditional shopfront rhythm along the corridor. “An elegant tower form is proposed, combined with a characterful two storey frontage... articulating it as two related buildings, providing consistency with the rhythm and grain of Parramatta Road,” the report notes.

The residential component is split across two slender towers set back from the street edge, a design move aimed at preserving solar access and reducing perceived bulk. This massing strategy also seeks to improve residential amenity by focusing scale toward the quieter northern interface, away from Parramatta Road’s noise and pollution.

<img alt="Ceerose" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="347f2f8f-5d36-4388-b40a-2e77380b9c19" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202025-12-04%20at%2010.31.02%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=xvyUE2ujT1lzivXTo.mHBJFF4SmfgLtz" />

Architecture AND has worked with Ceerose on previous Inner West projects, and cites a deep familiarity with the local character. Their design draws heavily on context, heritage, and sunlight access considerations, and engages with the Inner West Council’s “Our Fairer Future” strategic planning framework.

The site spans 2,712 sqm and is located near key intersections with Catherine Street, Hay Street, and Redmond Street. It adjoins a public carpark to the north and is within walking distance of Stanmore and Petersham stations. It is also flagged in state and local planning strategies, including the Parramatta Road Corridor Urban Transformation Strategy, as a suitable candidate for increased density.

Ceerose recently completed The Alex Collective on McEvoy Street in Alexandria, Abbie's Lane in Annandale, and the award-winning Munro House in Elizabeth Bay.

The Parramatta Road corridor is coming to life with the proposed rezoning which is serviced by a significant number of bus, light rail and train routes.

Deicorp is progressing with its $1.8 billion <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/kings-bay-village-five-dock-53-75-queens-road-five-dock-nsw-2046">Kings Bay Village</a> precinct on Parramatta Road in Five Dock, as is <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/toga-to-push-on-with-five-dock-mixed-use-masterplan">TOGA further down the street</a>. Those two projects alone will bring nearly 2,000 new homes to Parramatta Road.

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

North Sydney's landmark 'SBS Building' on Alfred Street is set to be demolished to make way for a new mixed-use residential tower in the booming North Sydney.

Commercial property group FiveX is behind the plans for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/275-alfred-street-north-north-sydney-nsw-2060">39-storey tower</a>, the latest project to advance under the NSW Government’s Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

They are proposing 184 apartments above retail spaces, which will replace the existing 20-storey commercial building. FiveX was set up more than five decades ago by Joshua and Marko Berger. It is currently led by Joshua's son Lesli.&nbsp;

<img alt="First look: Fivex plans 39-storey residential tower at 275 Alfred Street, North Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2efa0980-53fa-4cca-9f9e-9c3c845d4746" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29%20%281%29_0.png?VersionId=y_YyPMq3NQLfYRs84pP4os9UgWiMLp75" />

According to the Architectural Design Report by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/fjc-studio">FJC Studio</a>, the slender tower form has been deliberately designed to respect the site's transitional setting at the southern gateway to the North Sydney CBD, where high-rise towers give way to lower-scale residential precincts.

"The slender tower form and articulated podium establish a respectful relationship with nearby heritage and low rise buildings, including the Whaling Road Heritage Conservation Area,” the architecture firm noted, adding that the tower “completes a missing link in the urban fabric” while enhancing the Alfred Street streetscape.

The proposed building will include a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, with 15 percent of the gross residential floor area allocated as affordable housing. There is an agreement already in place that those apartments will be managed by Evolve Housing.

The project aligns with broader state housing objectives, including the National Housing Accord target of delivering 1.2 million new homes by 2029. The Scoping Report filed with the State Significant Development Application (SSDA) suggests the site "presents no impediments to rapid delivery,” with construction able to commence within 12 months of receiving consent.

North Sydney has been one of the most popular suburbs in Sydney for new and off the plan apartment development, but hasn't had the supply to keep up with demand, until recently.

AURA by Aqualand was, for a long time, the only off the plan apartment building on the market. That completed last year, and has sold the majority of its 386 luxury apartments. Recently ALAND launched <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-walden-173-179-walker-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">The Walden</a> on the same street, selling over $100 million within just a few hours of its launch, while developer CASA also launched&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-mclaren-north-sydney-45-mclaren-street-north-sydney-nsw-2060">The McLaren</a>&nbsp;in the same precinct.

First look: Fivex plans 39-storey residential tower in booming North Sydney

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation&rsquo;s last remaining landholding in Elsternwick is soon to hit the market, in what is expected to be a hotly contested sale process for the prime landholding.

The property, 8 Gordon Street, occupies a large 11,740sqm (3 acre) site zoned for Residential Growth with height potential of up to 8 levels on some parts of the property and is being offered for sale with vacant possession. The property will be sold by Public Tender, expected to close in early June.

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Savills Australia&rsquo;s Clinton Baxter, Nick Peden and Jesse Radisich have been appointed to market the property, saying they expected strong interest from a complete cross section of the market covering &ldquo;the full range of developers&rdquo;, from the residential, commercial, build-to-rent, social infrastructure, education, aged-care and healthcare sectors.

&ldquo;This sale will undoubtedly attract international attention by virtue of it being the most significant inner-Melbourne site to be offered to the market in 2021,&rdquo; Mr Baxter said,

&ldquo;There simply isn&rsquo;t another site of such magnitude and offering a unique array of amenity and positive attributes within the inner suburbs of Melbourne.&quot;

The offering follows Savills&rsquo; sale of the ABC&rsquo;s nearby Selwyn Street property to Woolworths for almost $50 million in 2017.

The site adjoins the magnificent heritage-protected Rippon Lea Estate and is just a short walk from Elsternwick railway station and the vibrant Glen Huntly Road retail strip.

The sale will undoubtedly attract international attention by virtue of it being the most significant inner-Melbourne site to be offered to the market in 2021

jordan_55689

ABC’s last remaining landholding in Elsternwick VIC listed

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The ABC has signalled its proceeding with its proposal to sell its production site in Artarmon.

The public broadcaster has announced initial steps to “dispose” of the 14,000 sqm studios and production facility.

It is on Campbell St and Lanceley Place.

The likely listing follows a review of its property holdings across Australia.

The site, known as Studio 26, is used for various productions and contains a soundstage. 

The will seek leaseback arrangements for a period of time with the buyer.

The move will end the ABC’s presence on Sydney’s north shore after relocating its headquarters to Ultimo in 2003 from the Gore Hill studios, located next to Studio 26, that operated from 1956.

It is now the Gore Hill Technology Park with a data centre currently under construction on the corner of the Pacific Hwy and Broadcast Way.

Channel 9 closed its Sydney headquarters in Willoughby to relocate last year to North Sydney.

The Mirvac Group secured the landmark site last year in a deal worth about $227 million.

After the sale by Colliers International, Mirvac advised it intends to redevelop the site in accordance with the previously approved plans for 460 units across 10 buildings of up to nine storeys tall.

The vendors, Michael Jiang’s Lotus Capital and Hong Kong-based Euro Properties, had paid $147 million for the site in 2015.
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The public broadcaster has announced initial steps to “dispose” of the 14,000sqm studios and production facility

jchancellor

The ABC to proceed with proposal to sell its Artarmon production site

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The ABC 4 Corners journalist Michael Brissenden - who last year televised a report on Australia's debt fuelled housing boom suggesting it could come to a crashing end - bought an inner Sydney terrace at weekend auction.
But with the boom tailing off, the Newtown home cost $1,675,000, just $10,000 above its official reserve.
Three of the five registered bidders participated at the onsite auction which had come with a $1,475,000 buyers guide.
<img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/c_scale,w_580,q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/po.images/2018/5/14/newt2.jpg" alt="">
Brissenden, who The Sunday Telegraph reported opened the bidding at $1.4 million, has been Canberra based during which he'd previously been the 7.30 political editor, host of AM, defence correspondent and an overseas correspondent.
The single storey, three bedroom terrace had last traded at $880,000 in 2010, almost doubling in price over the intervening eight years.
It sold at $51,000 in 1984.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/betting-on-the-house/8816724" target="_blank">Brissenden's influential 4 Corners report</a>, Betting on The House contributed to the public debate that led to the finance industry royal commission.
 
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firstname1-iYD4UYzvBa

4 Corners journalist Michael Brissenden buys inner Sydney, Newtown terrace

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Premier Denis Napthine may have turned the first sod at ABC's Southbank redevelopment mid February, but the first tangible signs of construction is due this month as site demolition commences. Incorporating the adjoining car park at 102 Sturt Street, the $176 million dollar expansion will see ABC's Ripponlea complex abandoned in favour of a larger Southbank premises which will also house the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

Premier Napthine during the ceremony remarked “This exciting project represents the ABC’s long-term commitment to Melbourne... The cost of construction will be $176 million and will generate about 300 full time jobs in Victoria over the life of the project, which is expected to produce indirect benefits of $491.5 million.”

<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/ABC1_0.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="ABC Southbank's new face. Image © COX Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/ABC1_0.jpg?itok=TZyzizYQ" style="height:252px; width:580px" title="ABC Southbank's new face. Image © COX Architecture"></a>

The first feature to catch the eye is <a href="http://www.coxarchitecture.com.au/" target="_blank">COX Architecture</a>'s luminous, open design. The current <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/tours/images/sites/big/southbank.jpg" target="_blank">ABC Southbank Centre</a> at 120 Southbank Boulevard looks very much 1990's with a strong street level bluestone edifice and dark recessed windows - not the most welcoming of buildings. Enter the new ABC Melbourne Accommodation Project (MAP) with its transparent facade that provides a highly visible internal environment when viewed externally.

When including a full-height void facing Southbank Boulevard, the design seeks to give something back to the public via interaction rather than isolation. If and when the <a href="/news/blueprint-for-a-better-arts-precinct" target="_blank">Arts Precinct Blueprint</a> is adopted, the new MAP building will fit within the blueprint nicely.

<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/Image1_52.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="Ground floor layout. Image © COX Architecture"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/Image1_52.jpg?itok=s2aUJngC" style="height:380px; width:580px" title="Ground floor layout. Image © COX Architecture"></a>

The MAP building involves the design and construction of a new southern building over the aforementioned adjoining car park while the current ABC Centre will be essentially stripped back to the concrete structure and augmented. The eventual common building will house over 30,000 sqm of Gross Floor Area, a marked increase over the existing facility.

Included within the new extension are 77 below ground car parking spaces, 122 bicycle bays and four rain water tanks whilst car park ramps, services and loading bays are all accessed via Moore Street. This in turn allows office production facilities to front both Sturt Street and Southbank Boulevard whilst Studio 31 will hug the western boundary. A large rooftop terrace will sit atop the bluestone annex.

<a class="colorbox colorbox-insert-image" href="https://res.cloudinary.com/dz9xllyip/image/fetch/q_auto:good/https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/Image2map.jpg" rel="gallery-all" title="2013 Target Program. Image courtesy Probuild"><img alt="" class="image-article-full-width-580px" src="/sites/urbanmelbourne.info/files/styles/article_full_width_580px/public/pictures/article-images/Image2map.jpg?itok=7v6lU_QY" style="height:234px; width:580px" title="2013 Target Program. Image courtesy Probuild"></a>

Like many projects that suffer delays for a myriad of reasons, head contractor <a href="http://www.probuild.com.au/" target="_blank">Probuild</a>'s initial 2013 Target Program has slipped and has no doubt been superseded by an amended version. After suffering a roughly four month delay in demolition, the project looks set to achieve an early 2017 completion as works commence this month.

The final product will go a long way to enhancing its immediate surrounds.

For further reading and to see more architectural drawings, view the PDF on the Parliament of Australia <a href="https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=2&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=0CDAQFjAB&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aph.gov.au%2Fparliamentary_business%2Fcommittees%2Fhouse_of_representatives_committees%3Furl%3Dpwc%2Fabcmelbourne%2Fsubs%2Fsub01.pdf&amp;ei=-dE9U9OtEbCfiAfWjoDwBg&amp;usg=AFQjCNG3NgS0UxmdTzfgqwbgRrObI0sV0w&amp;bvm=bv.64125504,d.aGc" target="_blank">website</a>.
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