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]

Staff Writer

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

Kokoda Property Group has announced the Sydney-based Versatile Construction as the builder for its landmark $1.5 billion <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/teneriffe-banks-17-27-skyring-terrace-teneriffe-qld-4005">Teneriffe Banks</a> precinct.

Construction of the 17,612 sqm site is scheduled to commence in December 2025 and is expected to be delivered in stages from 2028. Once complete, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/teneriffe-banks-17-27-skyring-terrace-teneriffe-qld-4005">Teneriffe Banks</a> will comprise 212 residences across four architecturally distinct buildings, alongside Brisbane’s first Kimpton Hotel, extensive retail, hospitality, and wellness amenities.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=139896 project_image_fid=295098]

Kokoda Property Group Founder and Managing Director, Mark Stevens, said appointing Versatile Construction marks a significant milestone for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/teneriffe-banks-17-27-skyring-terrace-teneriffe-qld-4005">Teneriffe Banks</a>.

“Partnering with Versatile Construction gives us confidence in delivering a precinct that sets a new benchmark for luxury living, curated experiences and vibrant riverfront activation," Stevens said.

"Together, we will bring the vision for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/teneriffe-banks-17-27-skyring-terrace-teneriffe-qld-4005">Teneriffe Banks</a> to life, creating a destination that residents and visitors will enjoy for generations."

Throughout the construction phase, more than 2,000 jobs will be created, supporting hundreds of local contractors and suppliers.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=139896 project_image_fid=352274]

Marco Fahd, Chairman &amp; CEO at Versatile Group, said the company is looking forward to&nbsp;expanding their footprint in the state, taking on their inaugural project in Brisbane.

"We are proud of the unwavering commitment our team of experts have to quality and certainty in delivery and are excited to work with Kokoda to bring their vision for this unique project to life," Fahd says.

Sales reached $285 million on the launch of <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/teneriffe-banks-17-27-skyring-terrace-teneriffe-qld-4005">Teneriffe Banks</a>, with sales momentum continuing to "exceed all expectations."

Stevens says the overwhelming response from buyers validated the group’s vision for <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/teneriffe-banks-17-27-skyring-terrace-teneriffe-qld-4005">Teneriffe Banks</a>.

“The demand for a luxury product in this enclave has been extraordinary, we’ve never seen anything like it before. It reinforces everything we’re doing around quality, design, and creating genuine lifestyle precincts. Buyers are recognising the enduring value of Brisbane’s riverfront and are responding to the opportunity to live within a world-class destination that celebrates both place and lifestyle.”

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=139896]

Kokoda appoints builder for $1.5 billion Teneriffe Banks waterfront precinct

<html><body>REA Group has announced its proposal to acquire the Mortgage Choice business.

REA announced a scheme implementation agreement to buy the ASX-listed Mortgage Choice for $244 million, or $1.95 a share, representing a 66 per cent premium to Mortgage Choice’s last close.

Their acquisition will accelerate REA’s financial services strategy to create a leading mortgage broking business in addition to its real estate listings website.

“The proposed acquisition of Mortgage Choice is an exciting development that will bring together our well established Smartline business and franchisee network with the complementary Mortgage Choice organisation and its significant broker footprint," REA Group CEO, Owen Wilson said.

The transaction is still subject to conditions being met, including Mortgage Choice shareholder and regulatory approvals.

It is expected to take approximately three months to complete.

Mortgage Choice has a $54 billion loanbook.

The network has more than 500 brokers across 380 franchises.

Its biggest shareholder is the Commonwealth Bank of Australia with an 18.5% stake.

Domain has its Loan Finder, a joint venture between Domain Holdings Australia Limited and Auscred Limited, the parent entity of mortgage platform Lendi.</body></html>

REA Group has announced its proposal to acquire the Mortgage Choice business

jchancellor

REA Group seeks to acquire the Mortgage Choice business

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REA Group chief economist Nerida Conisbee looks at what we should expect from Australia’s commercial property market in 2017.
1. Sydney to remain the top performer for both capital and rental returns
Sydney now has the lowest vacancy rate in Australia for office and industrial property.
With economic growth continuing in NSW, a slow development pipeline and more stock being taken out of the market, there are no signs of this changing in 2017.
Sydney’s CBD office market will be the strongest commercial market nationally, with vacancy continuing to decline, partly because of a growth in white collar employment but also because of the construction of Sydney Metro taking out large chunks of secondary space.
While this is great for landlords, it will be challenging for tenants as rents rise and available options reduce.
While there is some new development taking place, there is unlikely to be enough completed in 2017 to satisfy demand and this will be a drag on economic growth for NSW.
2. Flow of Chinese money to continue
Chinese buyers purchased US$3.7 billion of Australian commercial property in 2016, according to Real Capital Analytics, down from US$4.3 billion in 2015.
This decline is likely to be due to lack of buying opportunities, as opposed to a lack of funds, as buyer interest appears to continue to grow unabated.
Changes will continue to occur to the types of Chinese buyers targeting Australia, as well as what they choose to purchase.
The first wave of Chinese buyers were developers and these groups are now firmly entrenched in the Australian market.
Sovereign wealth funds have also become well established.
The next wave is likely to be large Chinese conglomerates, looking to diversify their risk and tap into the significant opportunities in Australian property.
These changes to buyers mean that the types of property is also changing.
While development sites and office buildings still dominate, growing interest from Chinese buyers in Australian hotels, agriculture and retail will be a key theme in 2017.
3. Australia’s safe haven status confirmed
As concerns about Brexit rock London – historically one of the safest markets in the world for commercial property – and uncertainty as to the impact of a Trump presidency on US property raises concerns in that market, Australia is looking even more attractive.
A quarter of a century of positive economic growth, low sovereign risk and a strong-performing property sector are all characteristics of a desirable investment destination.
Will this change to the global political landscape redefine the markets that are considered safe? With the exception of Singapore, most of Asia has been seen as too politically risky for most large scale investors. This may begin to change in 2017.
4. Amazon to finally crack online shopping in Australia
Online shopping is not big in Australia. We like it well enough but certainly not as much as the rest of the world.
Largely this is due to the fact that the proportion of spending we do online for grocery shopping remains low.
Amazon announced they will enter the Australian market in 2017.
While it is uncertain exactly how aggressive they will be, if they replicate the success they have had elsewhere it will have an enormous impact on shopping behaviour.
This will be a challenge for our supermarket chains, as well as the shopping centres that contain them.
5. Shopping centres continue to adjust to a changing landscape
Shopping centres are resilient and have been remarkable in their ability to adjust to changing consumer preferences.
Now much more than simply a place to shop, they offer entertainment, social interaction and places to eat.
Good shopping centres drive residential prices in the suburbs surrounding them, particularly if they have been recently upgraded.
Can they adapt to a potential threat from large online retailers like Amazon?
It is likely that the poorer ones will be hit but smart owners will redesign and refurbish to continue to attract consumers.
This could be by increasing the food and beverage options, being smarter about marketing to their local communities or providing more services such as medical centres and gyms.
6. Technology continues to change commercial property
The technological revolution has been slow to hit commercial property, certainly lagging behind sectors such as banking and retailing.
The indirect impacts, however, will continue to be a feature in 2017.
Whether that be by technology occupiers driving office markets (startups to Melbourne, established to Sydney), changing warehouse designs as a result of new picking technology or the above mentioned rise in online shopping, changing technology will impact the occupier markets in particular.
7. Interest rates to rise independently of RBA decisions
Interest rate rises on home loans were big news late last year, particularly given that the Reserve Bank of Australia made two cuts just a few months prior.
Next year, it is likely the banks will continue to break from the RBA’s rates decisions. Even if the RBA cuts interest rates, there is no guarantee that this will be passed on.
While this seems to be largely focused on residential lending, it may also impact lending on commercial property, particularly for those property types that are closely linked to the residential market (like development sites).
8. Australian investors expand offshore
Australians were among the biggest investors offshore in commercial property in the lead up to the GFC, but now barely feature.
Part of this is because so many of them made poor purchasing decisions, and have been impacted by those choices for many years.
The other factor is that so many large Australian investors are now backed by offshore money, which means very few want their funds sent outside Australia.
In 2017, however, the number of investors looking overseas is likely to grow.
That group is likely to be dominated by Australian superannuation funds, however smaller unlisted funds and syndicates are likely to become more active.
Part of this will be about moving up the risk curve but also about diversification and taking advantage of opportunities in other markets.
9. Investors continue to move up risk curve
The GFC was almost a decade ago and the types of property popular with investors have changed significantly over that time period.
Moving from the safest office markets in the years immediately after 2007 to the rise in the popularity of agribusiness, medical centres and self storage more recently, the change is consistent with most commercial property cycles.
A search for stock, yield and opportunity will continue to drive the types of properties that are attractive to investors in 2017.
This could mean moving offshore, into childcare centres or contaminated industrial sites.
10. Apartment oversupply concerns impact development site sales
The apartment boom has been kind to owners of development sites, with values rising rapidly over the past five years in almost every capital city.
In 2017, inner Melbourne and inner Brisbane are coming into an enormous amount of new apartment completions.
While this may not necessarily be a problem, it is likely to lead to developers taking a pause in these markets as the new supply is absorbed.
Expect development site values to stabilise or even decline as a result.
This article appeared in <a href="https://www.realcommercial.com.au/news/how-is-the-commercial-property-market-shaping-up-in-2017" target="_blank">www.realcommercial.com.au</a>.
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j.ballantyne1990-6AQqhLzZaK

How is the commercial property market shaping up in 2017?: Nerida Conisbee

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GUEST OBSERVER
Demand for property on realestate.com.au rocketed in 2016, with the REA Group Property Demand Index increasing by 16.2 percent across the year, according to the REA's latest property demand index.
After peaking in October and November, demand for property dropped slightly to close out 2016, with the index falling 6.6 percent nationally in December.
The easing of demand nationally suggests that the record price rises in Sydney and Melbourne last year are likely to be more subdued as we move further into 2017.
The key drivers of this demand decline are likely due to Australian banks increasing interest rates for buyers independently of the Reserve Bank of Australia in late November and early December and continuing affordability issues across the Eastern seaboard.
Given the RBA has indicated that it may still cut the cash rate further, the banks have sent strong signals that they will respond by not passing cuts onto borrowers and we expect out of cycle interest rate rises by banks to continue.
This will be a key issue for borrowers this year, especially first home buyers and investors, with access to cheap money becoming more difficult.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/01/04/REA-1.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/01/04/REA-1.jpg" alt="">
The states which saw the largest declines in demand in December were New South Wales and Victoria. Continued concerns about apartment over supply are starting to cause concern in these markets with demand for apartments dropping by more than 7% in both states.
Western Australia and Northern Territory remain the lowest in-demand markets on realestate.com.au, however Western Australia’s demand index was relatively stable and both states saw an increase in apartment demand.
The result suggests that barring any surprising negative economic news or changes to the supply outlook in Western Australia, the bottom of the housing market could be close.
Tasmania continues to see elevated levels of demand and is now the strongest demand market in Australia. Relative affordability is likely a key factor driving interest.
National Demand for property dropped by 6.6% on realestate.com.au in December, down from the peak levels achieved in October and November.
Victoria saw the largest decline over the month, driven by low levels of demand for both houses and apartments.
New South Wales followed closely, suggesting the housing boom may be over, or at the very least slowing quickly, in both Sydney and Melbourne.
Despite December declines, Tasmania, New South Wales and Victoria continue to see the highest levels of demand in Australia with Western Australia and Northern seeing the lowest.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/01/04/REA-2.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/01/04/REA-2.jpg" alt="">
Victoria and New South Wales saw the largest decrease in people looking to buy on realestate.com.au in December. Affordability remains a the key driver in both states
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/01/04/REA-3.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/01/04/REA-3.jpg" alt="">
Housing demand on realestate.com.au declined in all states, however the largest drops were in New South Wales and Victoria. Tasmania and Western Australia saw the smallest declines.
Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales continue to see the highest level of demand for houses.
Despite declining in December, the index for housing is still well up in all states for the 2016 calendar year.
Western Australia is the exception, where conditions have worsened over the past 12 months, however the bottom of the market appears to be close.
<a href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/images/2017/01/04/REA-4.jpg" target="_blank">Click to enlarge</a>
<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/2017/01/04/REA-4.jpg" alt="">
Apartment demand dropped by 5 percent nationally in the month to December, performing marginally better than houses over the same time period.
Demand for apartments nationally on realestate.com.au remains high, the third highest point recorded.
Concerns of apartment over-supply are impacting demand in New South Wales and Victoria, with these states experiencing the largest declines in December 2016.
Surprisingly, demand for apartments increased in the relatively weak markets of Western Australia and Northern Territory in December.
Nerida Conisbee is the Chief Economist at <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/buy" target="_blank">REA Group</a>.
 
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