The residential transformation of St Kilda Road is set to continue into with more new apartment plans for the sought-after boulevard.

Wing Tai Asia has lodged plans for a major residential tower at 464-466 St Kilda Road, replacing the former VACC House with an 18-storey mixed-use development designed around a retained heritage podium and a sculpted contemporary tower.

The proposal, prepared under Victoria’s Significant Residential Development with Affordable Housing pathway, would deliver 325 apartments and ground-floor retail across the prominent 4,653 sqm boulevard site in Melbourne’s St Kilda Road North Precinct.

The project centres on the adaptive reuse of the site’s heritage-listed VACC Building, an eight-storey office designed by Bernard Evans that has occupied the address for decades. Planning documents state the development would involve “carefully dismantling and conserving off-site the original metal fabric of the podium visible from St Kilda Road,” before reinstating it as the defining frontage of the new scheme.

Above the restored podium, Wing Tai is proposing a curvilinear residential tower. The scheme includes 172 one-bedroom apartments, 63 two-bedroom apartments, 66 three-bedroom apartments, and 24 four-bedroom apartments, alongside two ground-floor food and beverage tenancies fronting St Kilda Road.

The tower has been designed with substantial articulation and variable setbacks to minimise perceived bulk and maintain view corridors along the boulevard. Urbis, which prepared the planning report, said the design “has been significantly articulated through a curvilinear design” with “an interplay with materials, façade expression and depth” to create visual separation and visual interest.

The proposal also includes 254 basement car spaces, landscaped pedestrian links connecting St Kilda Road and Queens Lane, and a biophilic landscape strategy featuring canopy trees, raised planters, cascading greenery and a glass oculus pool overlooking the eastern frontage.

Planning documents confirm the $270.1 million development will contribute 3 per cent of project costs to the Social Housing Growth Fund as part of the application process.

Wing Tai acquired the St Kilda Road property in 2018 alongside Abacus Property Group for $95.38 million, before later consolidating ownership of the site. The property previously served as the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce headquarters for around 60 years.

The transformation of the St Kilda Rd boulevard is already beginning to materialise, with a number of high-profile projects recently completed, launched, or approaching launch as developers continue to back the long-term appeal of the precinct.

Among the most notable recent completions is Louise by Samuel Property Group, just off the strip on Queens Lane, the same pocket Hirsch &amp; Faigen recently launched The Queensbury. Mirvac is too on the same street with The Albertine, which is approaching completion.

Dexus recently secured approval for its slice of St Kilda Road, while Gurner also has approved plans for the precinct.

Joel Robinson

Wing Tai unveils 325-apartment St Kilda Road tower on former VACC House site

Malaysian developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/s-p-setia">SP Setia</a> is the latest to jump into St Leonards booming Transport Oriented Development precinct.

The developer, which has previously delivered Sapphire by the Gardens apartment development in Melbourne, identified the Atchison Street site in 2023. It filed a Scoping Report around 12 months ago, and now has revealed the designs for the new&nbsp;40-storey mixed-use tower.

The State Significant Development Application covers <a href="https://next-portal.urban.com.au/projects/14650/summary">20-22 Atchison Street</a>, a 1,374 sqm site positioned between St Leonards Station and the new Crows Nest Metro station.

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/cox-architecture">COX Architecture</a>, the project would deliver 181 apartments, above a four-storey commercial podium, five basement levels, and new public domain works along Mitchell Street. The apartment mix comprises 35 one-bedroom apartments, 39 one-bedroom-plus-study apartments, 85 two-bedroom apartments, and 22 three-bedroom residences.

The proposal has been lodged as a shop-top housing development under the NSW Government’s TOD planning pathway, which allows increased density around key transport infrastructure. The site sits within the recently rezoned Crows Nest Accelerated TOD Precinct.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b799673d-48e2-46b0-801a-0e33a9330100" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20site.png?VersionId=dPh0UfwfaHpbFL1R7H1cbZNbIW0CHbCC" />

SP Setia acquired the Atchison Street site as part of its continued expansion into the Australian apartment market. In comments made to City &amp; Country (The Edge Malaysia) in 2023, SP Setia President and CEO Datuk Choong Kai Wai described the acquisition as “a strategic move” aligned with the group’s post-pandemic market recovery strategy.

“Our target for this exceptional development is local and overseas buyers, including first-home buyers, downsizers and investors,” Choong said.

The tower has been designed as a slender vertical form rising from a mixed-use podium, with COX Architecture positioning the development as a response to the evolving St Leonards and Crows Nest skyline.

“The purpose of the project is to facilitate the delivery of high-quality housing at a strategically located site and deliver a built tower outcome that is consistent with the desired future character of St Leonards and aligns with the TOD controls,” the design report stated.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b1a85eee-76f7-436c-a6da-73ba827b9b13" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/atchinson%20entry.png?VersionId=dA9jHGPMcm.dDbwk4QfxqWiY5bfh3UVt" />

The podium would incorporate retail uses fronting Atchison Street, commercial tenancies, landscaped communal areas, and pedestrian improvements along Mitchell Street. Vehicle access and loading would be consolidated via Atchison Lane.

Residents would have access to more than 665 sqm of communal indoor and outdoor spaces, while the development proposes 96 parking spaces across five basement levels.

The proposal also includes a commitment for 10 per cent of residential floor space to be allocated toward affordable housing through a monetary contribution.

COX said the tower form responds directly to the emerging high-density character of the precinct while seeking to maximise solar access, cross ventilation, and outlook from apartments.

<img alt="First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2163f85c-f63b-4be3-aafa-f8763976cec5" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Article%20Feature%20Image%20%28Grid%29_5.png?VersionId=WiAmtIKJ6.ZQ41EtYEQ1fol7AeorKBlL" />

“The building is orientated towards north,” the Apartment Design Guide compliance report noted, adding that the tower’s slim form was driven by the constrained inner-urban site dimensions.

The design also incorporates landscaped setbacks and communal open space at podium level, intended to soften the interface with surrounding streets and improve pedestrian amenity.

The project adds to a growing wave of redevelopment proposals reshaping St Leonards and Crows Nest following the opening of the Sydney Metro City line and the NSW Government’s push for higher-density housing around major transport nodes.

Last week Stockland filed plans just down the road. They want to build a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/601-pacific-highway-st-leonards-nsw-2065">52-storey tower on Pacific Highway</a>.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-stockland-plans-52-storey-538-apartment-st-leonards-tower">First look: Stockland plans 52-storey, 538-apartment St Leonards tower&nbsp;</a>

First look: SP Setia targets St Leonards skyline with 40-storey TOD tower

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a> has revealed plans for a new mixed-use tower at 10 Dangar Street, Wickham, advancing a proposal that would reshape the southern gateway to Newcastle’s city centre with one of the city’s tallest residential buildings.

The State Significant Development proposal, now on exhibition, seeks approval for a <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/bowline-10-dangar-street-wickham-nsw-2293">43-storey tower</a> immediately adjacent to the Newcastle Interchange. The project would deliver around 200 apartments, including 42 affordable housing dwellings, alongside 99 co-living units, a 171-room hotel, retail space, and new public domain integrated through the site.

The scheme marks a significant escalation of plans previously approved for the site. Urban Property Group took over the prominent 2,904 sqm parcel, where excavation and demolition had already commenced under an earlier consent for a 14-storey mixed-use development.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="58a96dd9-407f-4d20-86b4-94e4bfeef74b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20podium.png?VersionId=LGlf08pdFGAZDzvx_CXC4XakHNZRuEE0" />

Designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/sjb-architects">SJB</a>, the tower has been conceived as a landmark transit-oriented development anchored to the Newcastle Interchange precinct. The proposal includes 245 build-to-sell apartments across a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom residences, as well as two penthouses. Fifteen apartments and one operational unit are earmarked for NDIS housing. The co-living component would add a further 99 units, while the podium would accommodate retail uses and hotel facilities.

SJB said the site presents “a valuable opportunity to anchor the precinct by setting the standard for design, active ground planes and character at the key southern gateway.”

The architecture responds directly to the site’s position beside major transport infrastructure and within one of Newcastle’s fastest-evolving urban renewal precincts. The tower form sits above a sculpted podium designed to frame new public spaces, including a through-site pedestrian link connecting Station Street to Hannell Street, landscaped plazas, and activated retail edges.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a7bd6ff0-f7db-4ce8-a6dc-ea56e72c6149" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20lanne.png?VersionId=xzf39VADyhj7zBQY2I9fx9vI62u2tuSb" />

The design report describes the project as part of the broader transition of Wickham into “a vibrant, high-quality mixed-use urban precinct” that leverages proximity to the station, open space, and regional connectivity.

A detailed public art strategy has also been prepared for the development. The strategy positions the project as “a transit-oriented development of state significance at the gateway to Newcastle’s city centre” and outlines a series of integrated artworks responding to Newcastle’s industrial and transport heritage.

Creative Road’s curatorial framework for the project, titled Unveil, draws on “stratified surfaces, carved volumes, and light-filled apertures” while referencing Newcastle’s transformation from an industrial city into a contemporary education and technology hub.

<img alt="First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s next supertower at Wickham interchange" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="77a882bb-14b1-4d28-99ff-9438e39508c0" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/wickham%20site.png?VersionId=cevgo_vN0eKPK78P8YcEu3mKPLkpFqE7" />

The proposal is being advanced through the NSW Housing Delivery Authority pathway after being declared State Significant Development in June 2025. The accompanying scoping report states the development aims to “maximise the site’s proximity to the Newcastle Interchange by delivering transit-oriented development” while increasing housing supply and affordable housing provision within the Newcastle LGA.

Urban Property Group’s plans align with the long-term strategic vision established under the Wickham Master Plan, which identified the interchange precinct as suitable for substantial uplift in height and density. The current proposal would significantly intensify that vision, positioning the tower among the tallest developments proposed for Newcastle.

The site sits immediately north of the Newcastle Interchange, bounded by Dangar Street, Hannell Street, and Charles Street. It is surrounded by a rapidly growing cluster of residential towers and mixed-use projects that have emerged following the completion of the light rail and transport interchange.

First look: Urban Property Group unveils Newcastle’s latest tower at Wickham interchange

Bottega House has completed settlement of a landmark riverfront site in Macquarie Street, St Lucia, representing its first major Brisbane development.&nbsp;

Positioned on the banks of the Brisbane River, the <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/180-macquarie-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">premium site at 180 Macquarie Street</a> features uninterrupted river frontage in one of Brisbane’s most tightly held residential precincts.&nbsp;

The proposed development, currently under assessment with Brisbane City Council, has been designed by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/plus-studio">Plus Studio</a> with interiors by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/interior-designers/mim-design">Mim Design</a> and will deliver a boutique collection of premium residences positioned specifically for owner occupiers and downsizers.&nbsp;

The residences are set to redefine luxury apartment living in the area, with a focus on architectural quality, refined finishes, landscape integration and elevated amenities including curated wellness facilities, resort-style pools and recreation spaces rarely seen in the local market.&nbsp;

Exclusive sales for the project will be led by Keenan &amp; Byrne, ahead of an anticipated launch later this year.&nbsp;

Bottega House Managing Director Nick Malloch said the project reflects the group’s ambition to deliver a highly curated residential offering within one of Brisbane’s most tightly held precincts.&nbsp;

“This is an incredibly rare riverfront opportunity and one we have approached with a long-term perspective,” Malloch said.&nbsp;

“Our vision from the outset was to create a boutique collection of residences that feel more like private homes than traditional apartments, with generous proportions, refined finishes and exceptional amenity throughout."

Malloch says there is a&nbsp;lack of premium owner-occupier stock of this quality in the market, particularly for downsizers wanting space, privacy and a true lifestyle offering without compromise.&nbsp;

"Demand is expected to be strong given the scarcity of premium riverfront opportunities of this nature within Brisbane’s inner-west."&nbsp;

Bottega House secures landmark riverfront site in St Lucia 

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The arrival of the first piling rig officially marks the commencement of construction at SIERA’s new beachside apartment development, Exhale, in Northcliffe.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/exhale-surfers-paradise-8-enderley-avenue-surfers-paradise-qld-4217">Exhale</a>, a glass-encased tower featuring 54 large-scale apartments at 8 Enderley Avenue, is SIERA’s third Gold Coast development. It follows the recently completed PIPIS Bilinga beachfront project, which achieved suburb-record prices, and the soon-to-be-completed Chevron Island development, Tapestry.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359603]

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/siera">SIERA</a> Founder and Managing Director Brent Thompson said the arrival of the piling rig represented a significant milestone for the development, which is scheduled for completion in late 2028.

Over the next month, around 260 piles are expected to be installed as work progresses on the basement structure. The building is anticipated to rise above ground level early next year, before unveiling its sculptural glass curtain wall, developed in collaboration with specialist façade engineers.

“The façade was designed to maximise panoramic coastal views while creating a distinctive architectural identity,” Thompson said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=355935]

Designed by BDA Architecture, Exhale will comprise just 54 two- and three-bedroom residences across 26 levels, a level of low-density living rarely delivered in this beachside pocket between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach.

The project has been conceived as a resident-only building, with no short-stay accommodation permitted. SIERA says the model is intended to appeal to long-term owner-occupiers rather than transient holiday demand.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=361052]

Residences have been designed with large-format layouts and expansive glazing, with most apartments featuring more than 30 metres of glass frontage to maximise natural light and ocean views.

The amenity offering spans two levels and centres on wellness and lifestyle, including a heated magnesium pool, sauna, yoga and Pilates studio, gymnasium, private dining facilities, cinema lounge, and dedicated surfcraft storage.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=112661 project_image_fid=359607]

More than half of the apartments have already sold. SIERA has also opened a sales gallery for Exhale at its Chevron Island commercial premises, near its Tapestry tower and the site of its second Chevron Island apartment development, which is slated to launch in early 2027.
</section>
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[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=112661]

SIERA kicks off construction at Northcliffe tower Exhale

Sydney Apartments

Apartment values across Sydney continued their strong growth&nbsp;over August, rising 1.4 per cent, according to the latest data released by property data firm CoreLogic.

Values are now up 11.5 per cent over 2021, after the current 4.7 per cent&nbsp;rolling quarterly gain. Values rose 1.6 per cent over both June and July.

Sydney&#39;s median apartment price is now $825,000, having started 2021 at $734,000.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7758 project_image_fid=150461]

Sydney house values also rose, but at a slower rate than earlier in the year. They posted 1.9 per cent gains over August,&nbsp;another month where house performance continued&nbsp;to outstrip apartments.

The&nbsp;gap is starting to narrow however, and CoreLogic&#39;s research director Tim Lawless believes the convergence of growth in house values and unit values could be another demonstration of affordability becoming more challenging.

&ldquo;The narrowing gap between house and unit value growth is most noticeable in Australia&rsquo;s most expensive city, Sydney, where the monthly growth rate for houses was 2 percentage points higher than units in March.

&quot;That &lsquo;gap&rsquo; has now reduced to 0.6 percentage points in August.

&quot;Based on median values, Sydney units cost almost $470,000 less than a house. At the same time, the growth gap between houses and units in Melbourne and Brisbane has widened.&rdquo;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=94354 project_image_fid=170427]

Unit rents are starting to rise in Sydney and Melbourne, which is a good metric for investors to follow. Australia&#39;s two biggest capitals were the hardest hit by the strict border closures and lack of international migration.

Throughout the first quarter of the year, capital city house values were rising approximately 1.1 percentage points faster than units each month. By August the average performance gap reduced to 0.7 percentage points.

Nationally, rents have lifted by 8.2% over the 12 months ending August, the largest rise in rents since 2008.

&ldquo;The weaker trend in unit rents across Australia&rsquo;s two largest cities is likely a reflection of their greater exposure to temporary overseas migrants as a source of rental tenancy, especially foreign students who would normally underpin inner city high rise rental demand, Lawless says.

&quot;The sharp drop in demand due to closed borders has been exacerbated by high supply levels as both cities come out of an unprecedented surge in inner city apartment construction,&rdquo; Lawless added.

Sydney unit rents have consistently risen each month during 2021, while in Melbourne, unit rents have been rising since June.

Sydney house values also rose, but at a slower rate than earlier in the year

What happened to Sydney apartment values over August?

The Sutherland Shire&#39;s newest striking apartment development, Grand Vermont, has officially sold out.

The development of 100 apartments at 48 Vermont Street was designed by Benson McCormack Architects (BMA)&nbsp;with a sleek, curved facade, bending around&nbsp;all four of the buildings to create a wave-like feature.

Grand Vermont was developed in a joint venture between property developers Hone Constructions and Holis, who have over 15 years experience in the property industry.

<img alt="" height="800" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/grand_vermont_exterior.jpg" width="1200" />

First home buyers were keen on the development, particularly at the start of the year with the raft of government incentives. One-bedroom apartments were priced from $550,000, two-beds from $730,000 and three-bedroom apartments from $1.2 million.

Each apartment was kitted out with built-in Fisher &amp; Paykel appliances, Tongue n Groove engineered European oak flooring and Caesar Stone kitchen benchtops.

HAUS Agency director Alex Vrisakis said they saw strong sales as the building nearing completion.

&quot;Many buyers were able to try before they buy,&rdquo; Vrisakis said.

<img alt="" height="800" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/grand_vermont_interior.jpg" width="1200" />

&ldquo;They were able to physically stand in the kitchen or bathroom of the apartment they had their eye on, see the aspect and view, and measure for furniture, which really boosted the final few sales.&quot;

Vrisakis said owner occupiers made up 85% of buyers, he added was&nbsp;very telling in this market.

&ldquo;We saw enquiry from all over Sydney, but ultimately Sutherland Shire based buyers snapped up most of the units, taking advantage of up to $30,000 in Government first home buyer support. We&rsquo;re seeing the appetite for quality apartments has not wained, and achieved great prices.&rdquo;

<img alt="" height="800" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/grand_vermont_lawn.jpg" width="1200" />

More than 40 per cent of apartment sold within the first three months of its launch in December 2020.

Sean Dowling, another director at HAUS Agency Director, said it was not a surprise to see the majority of&nbsp;buyers have come from within the Sutherland Shire.

&quot;When physical inspections were not able to happen, we created virtual tours, so buyers would meander through the apartments, common areas and street front from their own home.&rdquo;

Grand Vermont, Sutherland Shire's latest apartment development, sells out

Mirvac chief executive Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz confirmed at the group's recent full-year results that Mirvac had been working towards reducing its operational carbon footprint.

It was now down 80 per cent from the group's baseline.

Its plan includes sending zero waste to landfill by 2030, which involves halving its development waste and buying 25 per cent recycled content.

"And we will get to be carbon-neutral in the operations of our buildings through renewable electricity and a very small number of offsets," she advised.

"But the timing is all to do with renewable electricity contracts in the running of our buildings. From a development point of view, that's scope three."

It was earlier this year when Mirvac revealed a "green ceramics" range of apartment fittings.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7363 project_image_fid=166649]

Mirvac created a prototype apartment fitted out with "green ceramics", tiles, splashbacks, floors, furniture and light fittings, made from waste fabrics and glass as part of its Pavilions project at Sydney Olympic Park.

The “green ceramics” were the result of a collaboration that began in 2019 between Mirvac and the UNSW Centre of Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMaRT) led by global pioneer in waste technology, Professor Veena Sahajwalla.

"The successful application of the product is a world-first and demonstrates the potential to revolutionise the way we build by reimagining waste as a valuable resource, which in turn reduces demand for virgin materials," the annual report noted.

"As one of the largest property companies in Australia with an integrated business model that brings together design, development, construction and marketing, we are in a unique position to take bold steps that pave the way for others," Ms Lloyd-Hurwitz said at the launch.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=7363 project_image_fid=166638]

“In Australia, the building industry is responsible for around 60 per cent of the waste we generate. At Pavilions, we have been able to demonstrate a better way to build, using reformed waste, which not only helps our industry but provides a valuable second life for the mountains of glass and clothing, much of which would otherwise find its way to landfill," she said.

She is also the chair of the Green Building Council of Australia.

As recipients in the Physical Sciences Fund’s inaugural 2019 round, UNSW Sydney received $790,000 to assist in the development of commercial tiles from common waste products, for use in the built environment.

Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz said Mirvac had reduced its operational carbon footprint

jchancellor

Mirvac's green apartment push continues

Meriton has secured a record $5.96million sale in an off-the-plan apartment amalgamation in its 180 George Parramatta project.

The buyer has purchased four apartments in the complex being developed by billionaire Harry Triguboff&rsquo;s Meriton Apartments.

It is due for completion in early 2023.

Meriton national sales director James Sialepis told News Ltd the buyer secured a combined 460 sqm floor space.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=8590 project_image_fid=71714]

&ldquo;To break the record for the highest priced apartment sold in the entire western Sydney is a phenomenal result,&rdquo; he said.

The buyer will be able to customize their layout within the 67 storey glass tower.

There were 522 apartments approved prior to amalgamations in 180 George.

One of the nearby popular off the plan projects in Parramatta is&nbsp;Imperial&nbsp;by Merhis as was the completed The Galleria project at 9 Hassall Street by Nucorp.

Meriton has negotiated a record off-the-plan amalgamated apartment price in its 180 George Parramatta complex

jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Meriton secure 180 George Parramatta record apartment sale

Sydney&#39;s second CBD&nbsp;is set for a new modern mixed-use precinct on the foreshore of the Parramatta River.

Plans have been lodged by&nbsp;Hamptons Property Services&nbsp;for 273 apartments across three 14-level towers at 10-12 River Road West. There will also be&nbsp;commercial and retail space on the ground floor.

PTI Architecture has designed the facade with the concept of &quot;waves on the river&quot;, with facade materials including glass, powder coated aluminium, pre-finished&nbsp;brick, and formed concrete.

&quot;The use of the various bronze aluminium trim thicknesses on the curved balcony edges produce a gradient effect that is intended to mimic the sunlight reflecting off the ripples on the Parramatta River,&quot; PTI Architecture&#39;s design statement, signed off by head architect Peter Israel, read.

There&#39;s a vertical slot in the balconies which provide a physical and visual break in the mass, giving the facade an appearance of smaller vertical blocks.

<img alt="" height="841" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/10-12_river_rd_west_parramatta_3.jpg" width="1200" /> 
The mixed-use development on the banks of the Parramatta River. Source: PTI Architecture

There will be 60 one-bedroom apartments, 184 two-bedroom apartments and 29 three bedders.

The site is subject to a Voluntary Planning Agreement which involves dedication of a portion of the foreshore land to Parramatta City Council. The remaining site area would be 6,289 sqm, with 1,992 sqm of the foreshore&nbsp;dedicated to Council.

<img alt="" height="838" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/10-12_river_rd_west_parramatta_5.jpg" width="1200" /> 
Nearly 2000 sqm of the foreshore will be dedicated to Council. Source: PTI Architecture

There&#39;s integrated seating with landscaped planter boxes over the basement car parking at the ground floor level to increase soft landscaping areas as an addition to the Public Domain.

TGS Landscape Architects have also designed landscaped planter boxes on the communal roof top spaces&nbsp;of each building to improve amenity for residents.

The 8,281 sqm combined site comprises 10 and 12 River Road West. Number 10 is&nbsp;currently occupied by various single storey shed used for industrial purposes, while number 12&nbsp;is currently vacant with an existing concrete basement structure as the remnants of a vehicular wrecking yard that previously occupied the site.

PTI Architecture has designed the facade with the concept of "waves on the river".

New mixed-use precinct set for the Parramatta River

Having recently received the green light to go ahead with their massive State Significant Development mixed-use precinct in&nbsp;Tallawong, the Sydney developer Deicorp has submitted plans for&nbsp;its next project.

They&#39;re set to develop&nbsp;four towers in the heart of&nbsp;Castle Hill, to be known as the Doran Drive Precinct at Sydney Metro&#39;s Showground Station.

There will be 431 apartments across the four towers, which range in height up to 20 storeys. The towers, designed by Turner Studio, will include a two to four-level podium which will home nearly 11,000 sqm of retail and commercial space.

The $445 million proposal is based on the concept approval&nbsp;for the Hills Showground Station Precinct, which was approved by the NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces earlier this year.

<img alt="" height="693" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/deicorp_castle_hill_2._jpg.jpg" width="1375" />

The Doran Drive Precinct application is part of Deicorp&rsquo;s commitment to the fast-growing Northwest, and contributes to their $1.7 billion of projects approved, under construction or under assessment in the region.

The site&rsquo;s location being within 50 metres of the Metro station is consistent with the development Deicorp philosophy, which targets transport connectedness and convenience for every project.

Every one of Deicorp&#39;s developments over the last 10 years has been an average of no more than 250 metres from the nearest train station.

Deicorp&#39;s Executive Corporate Manager Rob Furolo said it is&nbsp;a deliberate strategy for Deicorp to deliver convenience and investment security for every purchaser.

Read more: <a href="/news/nsw/deicorp-secure-approval-for-tallawong-village-with-nearly-1-000-affordable-apartments">Deicorp&nbsp;secure approval for Tallawong Village with nearly 1,000 affordable apartments</a>

Deicorp&rsquo;s Doran Drive Precinct application is their second Landcom/Sydney Metro site. The application&nbsp;proposes a full-line supermarket as part of the 11,000 sqm retail and commercial area, and will deliver a new publicly accessible Plaza on Doran Drive and activate the frontages to Mandala Parade, Andalusian Way and De Clambe Drive.

&ldquo;The Northwest region is delivering strong growth in employment, with an increasing professional workforce wanting to live in the area. Combined with a world-leading metro that links people with major tertiary education and employment centres, the region will continue to see buyer interest.&rdquo; Furolo said.

Deicorp expects the convenience and location of the apartments will make them popular with young families and first-home buyers who have a connection with The Hills but can&rsquo;t afford to buy a house.

&ldquo;Modern, well-built apartments that offer convenience and connection to transport and lifestyle options offer a real alternative for young families and couples who want to get into the housing market.&rdquo; Furolo added.

&ldquo;With cafes, shopping and a supermarket<s>,</s> and the metro across the road, our Doran Drive Precinct project will deliver all the convenience young families and downsizers are looking for in a highly-desirable area.&rdquo;

They're set to develop four towers in the heart of Castle Hill, to be known as the Doran Drive Precinct at Sydney Metro's Showground Station

Deicorp set for mixed-use village in Castle Hill with over 400 apartments

Marissa Li was the first person to buy an apartment in Mirvac&#39;s Sydney Olympic Park development Pavilions back in 2017.

The 27-year old first home buyer, who was also the first&nbsp;to settle on her apartment in the 35-level Scarlet, the tallest building at Pavilions, was able to secure the apartment with a five per cent deposit through Mirvac&#39;s The Right Start initiative.

Now having moved in, Marissa is paying $100 a week less in mortgage repayments than she was at her rented Wolli Creek apartment. She paid the further five per cent deposit required in instalments over the three years that Pavilions took to build.

When Marissa began looking for her first home three years ago, The Right Start gave her the opportunity to get her foot in the door with a low deposit and ahead of investors. With reassurance from a family member who had bought at Mirvac&rsquo;s Harold Park development, Marissa felt confident about buying off the plan.

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&ldquo;As someone starting out, buying at Pavilions through The Right Start made a lot of sense to me,&rdquo; Marissa said.

&ldquo;I knew it was the only way I could afford to buy and have a few years to save. If I have a set goal I can save towards that, instead of waiting and only saving a bit here and there.&rdquo;

Marissa attended the launch with her mother and aunt and being first in the line was able to secure the cheapest apartment. But she later changed her mind and decided to pay a little extra to have an apartment with a better outlook over the park-like courtyard garden.

Mirvac&rsquo;s General Manager of Residential Development in NSW Toby Long said it is always a special moment to see people like&nbsp;Marissa moving in to their apartments.

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&quot;It&nbsp;makes the efforts of our development and construction teams, to keep working through all the challenges of the past few months, all the more worthwhile,&rdquo; Long said.

&ldquo;It&rsquo;s been a long journey from the nervous excitement on the day we launched Pavilions to now, where we have a beautiful building with apartments designed and built to the quality that people expect from Mirvac. We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved and to see the beginnings of the Pavilions community.&rdquo;

<a href="/news/nsw/what-a-buyer-needs-to-know-about-pavilions-apartments-in-sydney-olympic-park-five-minutes-with-mirvacs-toby-long">Read more:&nbsp;What a buyer needs to know about Pavlions apartments in Sydney Olympic Park: Five minutes with Mirvac&#39;s Toby Long</a>

Marissa has had plenty of time to consider whether she made the right decision to buy and is adamant she has no regrets.

&ldquo;I am 110% pleased that I bought. I guess you always doubt yourself but I&rsquo;m much happier to be paying off a mortgage than dead money in rent.&rdquo;

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Marissa&rsquo;s happiness with her move is not confined to financial concerns but also the ability to live a more sustainable lifestyle.

&ldquo;I try my best but if the development can lead the way, that fits into my lifestyle,&rdquo; Marissa said. &ldquo;The sustainability at Pavilions is very appealing for me. The toilet and laundry use recycled water and the bins are designed so that recyclable waste is separated. I have my Brompton bike and I&rsquo;m thinking about selling my car and just using the car share that is available at Pavilions when I need it.&rdquo;

Pavilions is now completed, with apartments selling from $625,000.

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When Marissa began looking for her first home three years ago, The Right Start gave her the opportunity to get her foot in the door with a low deposit and ahead of investors

Why first home buyer Marissa Li bought an apartment in Pavilions, Mirvac's Sydney Olympic Park development

Mirvac&#39;s Sydney Olympic Park apartment development Pavilions is the reputable ASX-listed developer&#39;s&nbsp;largest ever single stage development.

The&nbsp;four buildings constructed simultaneously using four cranes at one time.

It&#39;s been strategically located in a growth area where billions of dollars are still to be invested, particularly in the transport infrastructure which will see the commute to the Sydney CBD slashed to just 20 minutes.

The apartments have favoured working professionals, well advanced in their careers, Mirvac&#39;s general manager of residential Toby Long told Urban.

Urban recently sat down with Toby to discuss Pavilions.

&nbsp;JR: Why was Sydney Olympic Park chosen as a location for a Mirvac project?

TL: Mirvac has a long history on the Olympic Peninsula. We delivered the Athletes Village for the 2000 Olympics, which we adapted to create the suburb of Newington, developed more than 900 apartments at Rhodes Waterside, and luxury waterfront homes at Cabarita. So, the location and market were familiar territory for Mirvac and ticked all the boxes for good property investment &ndash; location, amenity, public transport, and billions of dollars in infrastructure on the way.

Sydney Olympic Park lies in Sydney&rsquo;s geographic heart, between the CBDs of Parramatta and Sydney, straddling east and west. It also lies within the knowledge corridor where the smart jobs of the future are concentrated and is key to realising the economic and social ambitions for the Greater Parramatta and Olympic Peninsula.

Olympic Park is also quite unique in being a growth area - a young and vibrant suburb that has a lot to offer. Everything you need is already there &ndash; cafes, restaurants, world class leisure and fitness facilities, train station, retail close by and this incredible 430-hectare parkland, right on the doorstep.

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There are billions of dollars still to be invested at Sydney Olympic Park, especially in transport infrastructure, as well as a new high school proposed for nearby Wentworth Point. There will be an Olympic Park station on the Metro West line, with a journey time of just 20 minutes from Parramatta to the Sydney CBD. Light Rail stage 2, connecting Olympic Park to Parramatta is back on the agenda with recent NSW Budget funding to advance planning.

JR: Who did you identify as the buyer demographic when the design was in its early stages, and why this demographic?

TL: The demographic profile at Olympic Park and surrounding suburbs showed that residents are younger and better educated than the NSW average. The dominant age group is 25-34 and 45 per cent of residents have a bachelor degree or higher, twice the NSW average. The population is truly multicultural with around 70 per cent of residents first or second-generation Australians whose parents were born overseas.

Our assumption was that buyers at Pavilions Residences would follow a similar trend and that has been borne out, with a high level of professionals well-advanced on their career journey.

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The buyer profile has differed in one significant respect with a far higher proportion of owner-occupiers than investors. Mirvac tends to attract more owner-occupiers because of our focus on quality and longevity. We do have a good following of investors who know that the price premium for a quality property is recouped in lower maintenance and repair costs, and strong capital gain.

JR: What was the design brief for the towers? And was there a shortlist of &ldquo;must-haves?&rdquo;&nbsp;

TL: Pavilions Residences stands at the gateway to Sydney Olympic Park, therefore a strong architectural statement was called for. Equally important was creating a connection with the natural environment and designing around three majestic Moreton Bay fig trees. Two of these decades old trees stand at the Australia Avenue edge of Pavilions Residences, forming a botanical marker for Sydney Olympic Park. The other was relocated to a new position on the site in a delicate six-month operation. The key design principles were:

-Vary the building heights to enrich the future desired scale and character of the precinct; 
-&nbsp;Create a more successful transition from 30+ storey residential towers on Australia Avenue to lower-scale buildings within the precinct; 
-&nbsp;Provide a gateway to Sydney Olympic Park from Australia Avenue south; 
- Minimise overshadowing to communal space; 
-&nbsp;Provide retail amenity and courtyard adjacent to the existing Fig Trees; 
-&nbsp;Use contrasting materials to create visual interest and define the scale and architectural quality of the building; 
-&nbsp;Maintain accessible communal open space with areas for passive and active recreation;

All open space and common areas to have access to natural light and air, and all lift cores open onto large lobbies with windows providing natural outlook and seating. 
 
JR: What did BVN bring to the table? Did they win a design competition? How did the process go for appointing them?

TL: BVN won the Design Excellence competition&nbsp;and then submitted a revised design following amendments to the Sydney Olympic Park 2030 Masterplan. The updated masterplan allowed for increased floor space in response to Government proposals for Metro West and Light Rail connection. This paved the way for a taller gateway tower with more apartments enjoying the sensational views over the district to the city.

JR: What do you feel are the biggest draw cards for buyers?

TL: Buyers seeking quality construction and finishes, and layouts that enhance liveability, are naturally drawn to Mirvac apartments. Pavilions Residences offers Mirvac&rsquo;s customary quality along with a living environment that has been carefully considered to enhance the connection to nature. From the moment you enter Pavilions, stroll along the majestic colonnade past beautiful gardens, you feel uplifted. That feeling continues as you enter the lobby with its exclusive residents&rsquo; lounge, al fresco terrace and co-working space.

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The shared spaces, including the gardens, with bocce court, barbecues and covered dining pavilions, and fully equipped gymnasium, all contribute to a healthy lifestyle and opportunities for residents to get to know each other and build a strong sense of community. The other important factor for buyers is proximity to 430 hectares of parkland right on the doorstep and a location between the two CBDs of Parramatta and Sydney. The advantages of living between these two powerhouse CBDs will become even more apparent as major transport infrastructure such as Metro West and Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2 are completed in coming years.

JR: Can you talk a bit about the Mirvac milestones for Pavilions Residences?

TL:&nbsp;Pavilions Residences was the largest single stage development ever undertaken by Mirvac with the four buildings constructed simultaneously using four cranes at one time. Over 40,000 cubic metres of concrete went into the build, along with 175,000 bricks, 17,200 sqm of floor tiling and 9,100 sqm of balcony pavers.

Innovation has been a constant at Pavilions Residences. LIV Indigo at Pavilions is Mirvac&rsquo;s entry into the burgeoning build to rent sector, offering long term secure leases.

Mirvac&rsquo;s investment in LIV Indigo is a bonus for buyers of Pavilions Residences, ensuring an on-going commitment to the success of the project.

Another first at Pavilions Residences is our world first apartment using &lsquo;green ceramics&rsquo; made from waste glass and textiles as a construction material. Through Mirvac&rsquo;s on-going collaboration with the UNSW Centre for Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMaRT) the apartment opens the door to zero waste in construction and a reduction in demand for resources.

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JR: How do you see the Sydney Olympic Park area changing in the next five to 10 years?

TL: Sydney Olympic Park has undergone massive change in the past five years and this will only continue in the five to 10 years ahead. Five years ago, the resident population was only about 1,500; today it is more than 6,000. The Sydney Olympic Park 2030 Masterplan lays out a vision for the future with an expanded Town Centre catering for around 23,500 residents and a daily worker population of around 34,000 and 5,000 students.

As major transport projects are completed, early adopters are likely to reap the benefit, living within minutes of the Parramatta and Sydney CBDs by Metro Rail, while enjoying the rare luxury of parkland right on the doorstep. The East has Centennial Park, the West has Bicentennial Park, more than twice the size with a greater variety of walking and cycling trails.

The apartments have favoured working professionals, well advanced in their careers, Mirvac's general manager of residential Toby Long told Urban.

What a buyer needs to know about Pavilions apartments in Sydney Olympic Park: Five minutes with Mirvac's Toby Long

New real estate listings (on the market for less than 30 days) fell 1.2% over July to 71,518 properties across the country.

The downward seasonal trend in new listings was lead by the 19.7% drop in Sydney, the July figures released by SQM Research reveal.

There were 11,953 new Sydney listings.

Sydney&#39;s total listings were down 5 percent to 25,411.

Old Sydney listings (over 180 days on market) fell too, indicating buyer demand remained present, despite the extended lockdown.

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Overall national residential property listings rose in July 2021 by 1.1% to 238,834 from 236,218 in June 2021.

Melbourne recorded a rise in listings of 3.9% over the month to 37,318, as a result of a late surge in new listings.&nbsp;

SQM&#39;s managing director Louis Christopher noted upward pressure on property prices remained as demand outstrips supply.&nbsp;

Nationally, new listings (less than 30 days) fell 1.2% over July 2021 to 71,518 properties on the market.

&quot;Older stock is clearing, property listings over 180 days dropped by 6% in July 2021 with falls posted recorded in all capital cities, led by Canberra,&quot; he said.

Louis Christopher, the managing director of SQM Research, noted Sydney saw a 19.7% decline in new listings. 

Fresh Sydney listings decline 20 percent amid extended lockdown: SQM

St Leonards is set for a new mega-development, with the integrated property group&nbsp;Top Spring Australia lodging plans for 329 residences as part of a 1.26 hectare masterplanned community.

The site,&nbsp;at 21-41 Canberra Avenue and 18-32 Holdsworth Avenue, will see the apartments built across five buildings, three fronting Canberra Avenue and Newlands Park, and the other two buildings with a frontage to Holdsworth Avenue.

The three buildings facing the parkland will be eight, nine and 10 storeys in height (some storeys will be part levels due to the site&rsquo;s incline), while the two rear buildings will be eight and 11 storeys.

The Bates Smart-designed buildings will include a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, two-storey townhouses, as well as several penthouses. They have been designed to be stepped in height, to maximise views of the surrounding green spaces.

<img alt="" height="683" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/top_spring_green_st_leonards.jpg" width="1200" />

The plan provides public access to Newlands Park from Holdsworth Avenue via a six-metre-wide site link, as well as a 2,500 sqm communal garden at the centre of the project for a mix of public, private and communal uses.

The end of Holdsworth Avenue is to be closed by Council and turned into a pocket park. Three of the buildings will feature communal rooftop terraces providing sunny outdoor spaces, and all buildings will have landscaped setbacks from all street frontages.

Sydney Ma, Director and General Manager of Top Spring Australia, says the building forms step back and down the hillside revealing a series of stepped terraces, apartments and landscaped platforms towards Newlands Park.

&ldquo;With this project, we will be consistent with our vision to develop properties that incorporate the character of the local area by not only reflecting, but also enhancing, their local environment.

<img alt="" height="800" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/top_spring_canberra_ave.jpg" width="1200" />

&ldquo;Here, we want to create an ecologically responsible, vibrant new community, nestled within lushly planted corridors, edges and setbacks, to further enhance not just Newlands Park, which the project faces, but also the other existing green spaces in the St Leonards area.

&ldquo;Inspired by the local Cammeraygal creek corridors, our fa&ccedil;ade approach interprets the contrasting conditions of the rocky fern gullies and vertical eucalypt forest. This is achieved with the bases of the buildings having a heavily planted sandstone plinth, above which vertical fa&ccedil;ade columns contrast with floating horizontal edge beams.

&ldquo;The buildings will sit comfortably within the urban environment of St Leonards, as well as the bushland quality of the surrounding area, with the material palette using a natural, robust, earthy selection of materials and finishes.

<img alt="" height="860" src="https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/pictures/article-images/holdsworth_ave_top_spring_st_leonards.jpg" width="1200" />

&ldquo;We have worked long and hard on this design and look forward to working with the Lane Cove Council to bring it to life.&rdquo;

About Top Spring Australia

Launched in Hong Kong in 1993, Top Spring International is a globally-renowned integrated property group, with specialties in residential and commercial development, asset management, fund management and education.

To date, the company has completed more than 20 completed projects in 12 cities around the world.

Top Spring Australia is a division of Top Spring International, established in 2017 with the goal of redefining urban living in Australia.

The Bates Smart-designed buildings will include a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, two-storey townhouses, as well as several penthouses

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