IN BRIEF

<ul>
	<li>
	Just three double-storey Sky Homes sit at the top of The Waterline, each with its own private marina berth and rooftop terrace.
	</li>
	<li>
	Construction on The Waterline is complete, with the first residents expected to move in from mid-October.
	</li>
	<li>
	Sky Homes range from 282 sqm to 367 sqm and are priced from $3.65 million.
	</li>
</ul>

<hr />
Lewis Land has opened the first completed sky home for inspection at Harbour Shores, giving buyers their first opportunity to step inside one of just three double-storey residences crowning The Waterline.

Each sky home comes with its own private marina berth, rooftop terrace and Broadwater views, combining the scale of a larger home with direct access to the boating lifestyle that underpins the wider <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/harbour-shores-biggera-waters-564-oxley-drive-biggera-waters-qld-4216">Harbour Shores</a> masterplan.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=113271 project_image_fid=366708]

Lewis Land Head of Development Michael Long said the inclusion of a berth with every Sky Home had become increasingly valuable as marina access across the Gold Coast tightened.

“Marina berths are becoming increasingly difficult to secure across the Gold Coast, so including one with every Sky Home makes this a genuinely rare offering,” Long said.

“The private 70-berth marina will accommodate boats up to 12 metres in length and is positioned just 2.5 kilometres from the Broadwater, placing the open ocean only 15 minutes away.

“Being able to step out of your home onto your boat is a rare luxury, and it’s something residents here can look forward to when it opens later this year.”

[smartcode_project:default project_id=113271 project_image_fid=366709]

The display opening comes as construction completes on The Waterline, with the first residents expected to move in from mid-October.

The three Sky Homes range from 282 sqm to 367 sqm and each feature three bedrooms, three bathrooms, multiple living zones, expansive kitchens with butler's pantries and large balconies taking in the Broadwater outlook.

Each residence also has three secure basement car spaces and additional storage.

“This is the first opportunity the Gold Coast has had to step into Harbour Shores and see, touch and feel what we’re bringing to life here,” Long said.

“There are only three Sky Homes within The Waterline, ranging in size from 282sqm to 367sqm, with each residence featuring three large bedrooms, three bathrooms, multiple living zones, expansive custom-built kitchens with butler’s pantry, and large balconies capturing Broadwater views.”

<img alt="Harbour Shores" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="bab65e10-4fab-45e1-92d8-fc56e2ab98ff" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-25%20at%202.00.16%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=XT8q76LsPkw3cYTsvN3JfFDaPLud90PN" />

Residents of The Waterline will have access to a private pool, along with Harbour Shores' wider collection of amenity including a lagoon pool, social clubhouse, tennis court, gym, yoga facilities and sauna.

Lewis Land partnered with Studio Collective to furnish the completed display, with the interiors designed to demonstrate how the residences could function as permanent homes rather than simply as show apartments.

Studio Collective Director Melissa Park said the surrounding waterways informed the interiors, but in a more restrained way than a traditional coastal scheme.

“We drew inspiration from the canals and coastal surrounds, but our approach was to interpret that subtly through layered materials and a grounded palette of earthy tones, rather than literal coastal references,” Park said.

“We introduced hero moments of green and teal to reference the surrounding waterways, while mirrored elements help reflect natural light.

“The result is a residence that feels elevated yet comfortable, somewhere buyers can genuinely imagine themselves living, entertaining and unwinding.”

Sky Homes are priced from $3.65 million.

Lewis Land is also offering private marina berths with The Residences, its limited collection of three and four-bedroom villas positioned directly along the Harbour Shores waterfront boardwalk.

Three-bedroom villas are priced from $2.99 million, while four-bedroom residences start from $3.19 million.

Harbour Shores is being marketed by Colliers International.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=113271]

Joel Robinson

Lewis Land opens sky home display as The Waterline completes at Harbour Shores

St Vincent de Paul Society Housing Australia has filed plans for a major mixed-use housing precinct on the southern edge of the North Sydney CBD, adding another significant proposal to a pocket around North Sydn​ey Station that is quickly becoming one of the LGA's busiest development zones.

The State Significant Development Application covers a 5,990 sqm site at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/1-19-mackenzie-street-lavender-bay-nsw-2060">1-19 MacKenzie Street and 211 Blues Point Road in Lavender Bay</a>, immediately south of Nor​th Sydney Station and between the commercial core and the lower-rise Lavender Bay Heritage Conservation Area.

Designed by Wardle, the proposal would deliver a new residential tower comprising 88 build-to-sell apartments and 19 affordable apartments, alongside a separate co-living building with 57 rooms and a building manager's studio.

It would also see the significant restoration and upgrade of St Francis Xavier Catholic Church, the adaptive reuse of the former school building, new parish facilities, retail, a new public square and around 1,000 sqm of publicly accessible open space.

<img alt="Vinnies North Sydney" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d5dd7f87-a617-463e-b577-17541e01f0e9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.10.13%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=4R8TsFN3P_LrrXO2HswTOIrx2blil8lh" />

The project is seeking a concurrent rezoning of the site to R4 High Density Residential and an increase in the maximum building height to allow a tower reaching RL120, or up to 20 storeys. The proposal was progressed through the NSW Government's Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

The build-to-sell component will be weighted toward larger apartments, with just six one-bedroom apartments compared with 31 two-beds, 43 three-beds and eight four-bedroom residences.

The 19 affordable apartments will comprise two studios, 15 one-bedroom apartments and two two-bedroom apartments, taking the total apartment component to 107 residences before the 58 co-living rooms are included.

<img alt="Vnnies" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7d568ca5-cb90-4e18-96c6-d9795dba0c56" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.10.05%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=GY2R5M9VtQh0EKy1vajaea19PSLOPuRD" />

Wardle's design for the Vinnies site has sought to negotiate that emerging high-rise context while retaining the lower-scale character of MacKenzie Street and the adjoining heritage conservation area.

The main building adopts a three-storey podium and tower arrangement, with the podium aligned to the ridgeline and front setback of St Francis Xavier Church.&nbsp;Wardle has designed the podium with colonnades, seating, recessed entries and active ground-floor frontages, with sandstone-toned precast concrete and face brick referencing the materiality of the existing church.

The tower then steps back eight metres to the south and six metres to the north before rising in a sculpted form comprising four interlocking quadrants. Wardle has also introduced rounded forms and chamfered corners to reduce the tower's perceived bulk and improve view sharing with neighbouring development sites.

Resident facilities and outdoor areas are planned at the separation between the podium and tower at Level 3, oriented toward Sydney Harbour and the CBD skyline.

The tower itself will feature a glass reinforced concrete facade, with recessed balconies and deep reveals used both to provide shading and privacy and frame views toward the harbour and city. The lower levels take a different architectural approach, using brick and sandstone-toned finishes intended to establish a stronger relationship with St Francis Xavier Church. The Church itself will be conserved and upgraded for its continued use, while the former school building will be adaptively reused as part of the co-living component.

<img alt="Lavendar Bay" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2d4418ad-90aa-4d49-af93-c80b140aea80" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%209.09.47%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=Kv4gzbsACaGvZSRuaqcfGC54jEJRXIDJ" />

&nbsp;

The proposal adds to an increasingly concentrated pipeline of residential development around Blue Street, MacKenzie Street and Lavender Bay.

Just west of the site, Central Element lodged plans earlier this year for one of the most significant residential developments proposed in Lavender Bay in recent years.

Central Element's SJB-designed scheme at 64-66 Lavender Street and 3-7 Middlemiss Street would deliver 163 apartments across two towers rising 23 and 32 storeys, replacing five existing apartment buildings containing 32 homes. The project also forms part of the Housing Delivery Authority pathway.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-central-element-reveals-lavender-bay-apartment-plans?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener" target="_blank">First look: Central Element reveals Lavender Bay apartment plans</a>

Immediately around North Sy​dney Station, another two significant proposals have emerged at 5 and 15 Blue Street.

Zurich Australian Insurance Properties is seeking to adaptively reuse its longstanding commercial building at 5 Blue Street, directly above North Sydney Station, rather than demolishing the structure.

Its SSDA proposes converting the building into a 14-storey mixed-use development with 62 apartments and 86 co-living rooms, together with ground-floor retail and a major refurbishment of Blue Street Plaza. The application is currently at the Response to Submissions stage.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/nsw/first-look-zurich-targets-north-sydney-office-conversion-with-148-unit-proposal-above-metro-station">First look: Zurich targets North Sydney office conversion with 148-unit proposal above Metro station</a>

&nbsp;

First look: Vinnies files for 20-storey Lavender Bay apartment tower as North Sydney housing pocket heats up

When the opportunity arose for South Australian developer Palumbo to return to Kent Town, where it had previously delivered East Park Apartments and the East 
Rundle Apartments, it wasn't one the longstanding developer-builder was going to pass up.

The decision was quickly vindicated, with more than 30 apartments sold within the first month of launching <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/royal-apartments-kent-town-2-8-north-terrace-kent-town-sa-5067">Royal Apartments</a> to the market.

The 206-apartment development, which will bring significant new supply to Adelaide's tightly held eastern city fringe, also gives <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/palumbo">Palumbo</a> the opportunity to bring new life to one of Kent Town's most recognisable watering holes.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376073]

Royal Apartments incorporates the historic Royal Hotel, a venue Palumbo Managing Director Daniel Palumbo said has a longstanding connection with the local community.

"Everyone in the area has history with the Royal Hotel," Palumbo told Apartments.com.au.

"It was quite an active pub and social gathering place for locals. We want to bring it back to its former glory."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376072]

The wider development will comprise two residential towers alongside the restored hotel, sitting on North Terrace opposite the Adelaide Park Lands.

For Palumbo, the project also marks a return to familiar territory.

The developer completed East Park Apartments next door more than a decade ago and jumped at the opportunity to develop in Kent Town again when the Royal Hotel site became available.

"The opportunity emerged, and we moved to secure the site," Palumbo said.

"We were approached by the previous landowner, who said they had extensive commitments in Sydney and weren't in a position to deliver the project.

"We took over the site and within six months recut the design scheme to be more in keeping with the type of development we want to bring to Adelaide.

"Now we're on the market and those changes have really resonated with local buyers."

That has translated into a strong start to sales, with 33 apartments transacting in the project's first 35 days.

Palumbo said the early purchaser profile had been consistent with the group's traditional focus on owner-occupiers rather than investor-led apartment stock.

"Local owner-occupiers have always been our market," he said.

"There are always some investors, but we've never developed what would be called traditional development stock. Owner-occupiers are very much our market."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376068]

The buyer mix has been diverse so far, with downsizers and younger professionals both accounting for a significant portion of early sales.

South Australia's current stamp duty settings, which allow&nbsp;eligible homeowners in South Australia aged 60 savings of up to $103,830 on stamp duty when they downsize to a new property valued at up to $2 million,&nbsp;have helped encourage downsizer activity, while younger buyers in their late 20s and early 30s have been attracted to the opportunity to live immediately outside the CBD while still being able to walk into the city.



Location has been a major part of the proposition for both buyer cohorts.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376075]

Royal Apartments sits on North Terrace directly opposite the Adelaide Park Lands, with residents able to walk through the parklands toward the East End, Rundle Street and Rundle Mall.

Apartments have been positioned to capture views across the parklands, Adelaide skyline, Botanic Gardens and Adelaide Hills.

Palumbo believes the scarcity of developable land along this section of the Park Lands makes the site particularly difficult to replicate.

"There's very few allotments on that side that can be developed," he said.

"If this location was in New York and you were sitting on Central Park, you'd be talking about a $60 million apartments."

Royal Apartments will offer a broad mix of residences, ranging from one-bedroom apartments through to four-bedroom sub-penthouses and penthouses.

Current listings include one-bedroom apartments from $680,000, while larger three and four-bedroom residences are priced around $2.5 million.

Residents will have access to a swimming pool, gym, barbecue and recreation areas, residents' lounge and dining space, and a communal deck.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=6109 project_image_fid=376067]

The apartments will feature generous balconies, while secure parking, bicycle storage and storage cages will also be provided.

A porte-cochère-style arrival and drop-off area has also resonated with buyers, particularly those attracted to being able to walk into the CBD during the day while retaining secure vehicle access at home.

Palumbo is acting as developer, architect and builder on Royal Apartments, continuing the vertically integrated model it has used across its South Australian portfolio.

The group was also behind the $150 million Sofitel Adelaide, the 251-room five-star hotel and residential tower which opened in 2021.

Palumbo said Royal's launch had come at an interesting time for the broader Adelaide apartment market.

Buyer confidence had initially been impacted by uncertainty surrounding the Federal Budget and broader economic conditions, but Palumbo believes sentiment is beginning to improve against a backdrop of significant investment flowing into South Australia.

He pointed to increased activity across defence and resources, including Olympic Dam, as potential long-term drivers of the state's economy and housing market.

"Money is starting to flow into Adeliade, significant amounts as Adelaide bucks the trend of the rest of the country.," Palumbo said.

"There's a lot of activity in the economy over the next decade. I think more investment will come into this market."

Early works on Royal Apartments are expected to commence this year, with major construction activity and cranes anticipated on site from early next year.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=6109]

Palumbo's return to Kent Town strikes early chord with buyers

Go-to builder-developer <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/graya">GRAYA</a> is continuing to bulk out its already impressive and diverse apartment portfolio across South East Queensland. Their latest milestone is securing development approval for Silk, its boutique riverfront apartment development in St Lucia.

The approval clears&nbsp;the way for the team to begin construction planning for the 22-residence project.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/silk-st-lucia-16-18-sandford-street-st-lucia-qld-4067">Silk</a> will rise 15 levels from an 810 sqm site at 16-18 Sandford Street, occupying a prominent bend of the Brisbane River with a prized northern aspect across Orleigh Park toward the Brisbane CBD.

The approved scheme will comprise 16 split-floor and six full-floor residences, continuing GRAYA's move into larger-format apartment developments targeting Brisbane's prestige owner-occupier market.

The project has been designed around the site's broad river frontage and dual-direction views, with GRAYA prioritising larger residences, privacy and outlook over apartment yield.

<img alt="Silk St Lucia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="aa5c2349-f96c-4914-a812-1f2cd6827af8" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%208.25.44%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=WY0vEU_7vYjeRJKQHiCwFdMxu8PvFh52" />

GRAYA Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Rob Gray said the project had been shaped around local homeowners wanting to remain in St Lucia without maintaining a traditional family home.

"St Lucia is one of those suburbs people do not want to leave," Gray said.

"They know the river, the trees, UQ, the golf course, Toowong and Indooroopilly, and that familiarity is hard to replace.

"True riverfront opportunities here are exceptionally scarce. What we have designed at Silk is a way to stay in the suburb people love, with the scale and privacy of a private home and far less to maintain.

"This is not typical apartment product. It is a proper home on the river, and that is exactly what this market has been missing."

The approval comes as new apartment development continues to increase across the St Lucia and neighbouring Toowong corridor, although direct riverfront sites remain considerably more tightly held.

GRAYA Co-founder and Managing Director Andrew Gray said securing the approval had removed a significant element of development risk from Silk.

"Genuine riverfront sites of this quality in St Lucia are not something that comes up regularly," Gray said.

"The approval removes a substantial layer of execution risk, and the location underwrites demand in a way very few inner-city sites can.

"The fundamentals here are as strong as anything we have assessed in Brisbane."

<img alt="Silk St Lucia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d0f3d734-65e1-48e8-8ed3-2e0715ffcdd9" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-26%20at%208.25.56%E2%80%AFAM.png?VersionId=sOLSs_jdHkXLWbBKzRyayf5BfTb2vPsD" />

Silk will see GRAYA return to a stretch of the Brisbane River where it already has recent construction experience. The vertically integrated group recently completed ARC in neighbouring Toowong as builder for developer Spyre, delivering the riverfront project on a constrained site.

GRAYA will take a different role at Silk, controlling the project from design and development through construction and aftercare under its vertically integrated model.

The development will include a gym and resident leisure areas at ground level, integrated with the river's edge.

Silk joins a growing pipeline for GRAYA across Brisbane and the Gold Coast, which includes Enclave, The Gallery, Coral and Ripple.

The developer-builder has also recently lodged plans for its largest project to date, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-silo-19-chester-street-newstead-qld-4006">The Silo</a>, a proposed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/news/qld/graya-buys-frasers-newstead-site-plans-the-silo-between-james-street-and-gasworks-precincts">$700 million mixed-use development</a> in Brisbane's James Street precinct.

Silk is expected to predominantly target local owner-occupiers and prestige buyers seeking a permanent riverfront home in Brisbane's inner west.

Registrations of interest are now open, with further details on the project and construction program to be released as it progresses.

<hr />
<h2>SILK PROJECT FACTS</h2>

Developer-builder: GRAYA

Project: Silk

Location: 16-18 Sandford Street, St Lucia

Apartments: 22

Built form: 15 levels

Site: 810 sqm riverfront holding

Mix: 16 split-floor and six full-floor residences

Status: Development approved

Next step: Construction planning underway

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=152168]

GRAYA greenlit for riverfront St Lucia apartment development, Silk

Abadeen has released the whole-floor penthouse crowning its recently completed <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/buildings/park-residences-cremorne-2-sutherland-street-cremorne-nsw-2090">Park Residences</a> development in Cremorne, bringing the near-300 sqm residence to market for the first time.

Occupying the entire top floor of the boutique Lower North Shore development, the penthouse includes 221 sqm of internal living and a 74 sqm wraparound terrace, with a prized north-facing aspect taking in views across Middle Harbour.

The residence has been completed and fully furnished following a collaboration between Abadeen Executive Chairman Justin Brown and internationally recognised interior designer Jack Freeman, Founder and Managing Director of FREEMAN &amp; CO.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/abadeen">Abadeen</a> and Freeman approached the penthouse as a finished home, sourcing furniture, artwork, lighting and objects from Australia and overseas.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=114246 project_image_fid=378718]

Pieces from Parisian design house Pierre Augustin Rose sit alongside contemporary artworks and bespoke lighting, with Freeman drawing on recent visits to PAD Paris and Salone del Mobile Milano for the final collection.

Brown said the aim was to create a penthouse that felt more like a large-scale private home than a traditional apartment.

"The experience begins the moment the lift doors open. You're welcomed into an elegant dining room before the home opens into an extraordinary living space framed by sun-drenched harbour views.

"Every time someone walks through the front door they pause. It's not just the view, it's the incredible sense of space, the warmth created by the northern sunlight that fills the interiors, and the way every room connects so effortlessly.

"It has all the proportions of a luxury home, while delivering the effortless lifestyle and personalised experience of living in a world-class six-star hotel, combined with the simplicity and convenience of apartment living."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=114246 project_image_fid=378713]

A secure lift provides exclusive access to the penthouse level, opening to a dedicated arrival foyer and dining area before the residence expands into its main living and entertaining spaces.

Floor-to-ceiling glazing runs across the northern side of the home, connecting the interiors with the terrace and Middle Harbour outlook.

The penthouse also features a fireplace and substantial chef's kitchen, while the wraparound terrace has been designed to accommodate both everyday outdoor living and larger-scale entertaining.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=114246 project_image_fid=378720]

Freeman said the interiors had been deliberately kept restrained to complement the scale, natural light and outlook already established by the architecture.

"The penthouse is a serene study in quiet luxury," Freeman said.

"The interior pairs soft, sculptural forms with warm timber, pale stone and a restrained neutral palette. Curated artwork and metallic accents add depth, while abundant natural light creates a calm, effortlessly refined atmosphere. In my world, less is always more."

Freeman said the approach was centred around collecting individual pieces rather than simply decorating the apartment.

"Every material, every object and every piece of furniture has been curated with intention. I am a true believer in collecting versus decorating.

"The architecture already provided extraordinary natural light, remarkable volume and an uninterrupted connection to Middle Harbour. Our role was to complement those qualities with unique one-of-a-kind pieces of fine art and collectible design sourced from recent travels around the world."

[smartcode_project:default project_id=114246 project_image_fid=378694]

Among the collection are solid bronze sculptures by Lorenzo Quinn, alongside a curated crystalware collection and pieces sourced from international design fairs.

Park Residences sits opposite Cammeray Golf Club, Cammeray Croquet Club and Grand Slam Tennis Cammeray, around 300 metres from Neutral Bay Village and its established collection of restaurants, cafés and retail.

Brown said the combination of a whole-floor floorplan, northern aspect and proximity to Neutral Bay was becoming increasingly difficult to find on the Lower North Shore.

"Completed whole-floor penthouses with a sun-drenched north-facing aspect and sweeping Middle Harbour views are exceptionally rare," Brown said.

"Add a quiet position opposite golf, croquet and tennis facilities, a level walk to Neutral Bay Village and only minutes to the CBD, and you have a lifestyle that's incredibly difficult to replicate.

"This is a home that offers the privacy and generosity of a luxury residence together with the convenience of one of Sydney's best-connected harbourside locations."

The penthouse will be exclusively marketed by SRM Residential.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=114246]

Abadeen unveils penthouse at Park Residences in Cremorne

Sydney off the plan apartments

Sydney's Chatswood is continuing to see a swathe of applications for new off the plan apartment developments.

Since the&nbsp;Chatswood CBD Planning and&nbsp;Urban Design Strategy&nbsp;2026 was amended, which saw the CBD boundary expanded to the north which opened up the height limit to another area of the city, development applications have been flooding in,

Earlier this year Bridgestone submitted plans for a <a href="/news/nsw/bridgestone-file-for-two-tower-chatswood-apartment-project">two-tower development with 95 apartments</a>, while VIMG also recently filed for a <a href="/news/nsw/first-look-vimg-plot-two-tower-chatswood-apartment-development-nelson-place">dual-tower development with 193 apartments</a>.

The latest plans are from Polytec Australia Development, an entity with directors associated with the listed Hong Kong property developer Kowloon Development Company.

They're seeking to create a 27 mixed-use tower with just 53 apartments on a 1,184 sqm block at&nbsp;629-637 Pacific Highway which is currently occupied by&nbsp;two buildings both in use as separate car service and repair businesses.

<img alt="PBD" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="9e2e0920-d476-4496-9d4a-c3257d5a2562" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20%284%29.jpg?VersionId=FGXcH42EdzVwvwqOZELNEPQodbly7FBO" />

The tower, which will have ground floor retail and commercial uses within the podium levels and sit above five levels of basement car parking, has been designed by PBD Architects who beat out Koichi Takada's Takada Architects and PTW in the Architectural Design Competition held earlier in the year.

The jury unanimously voted for PBD's scheme, suggesting the design concept "addresses key site challenges through a tower floorplan that responds thoughtfully to the sites constraints and opportunities."

"It provides carefully oriented and planned residential units that respond to the site geometry and in doing so optimise the capture of views to the south west (of the city), west to the Blue Mountains, and to the north (to Chatswood)," the jury noted.

<img alt="PBD Chatswood" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="041fba55-4911-410e-bf77-9a8c80052e12" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202023-10-16%20at%203.12.06%20pm.png?VersionId=FzKIYFMlTmWiifxhvg4QDIx0a2hmPKPS" />

PBD noted in their Design Statement submitted to the Willoughby Council that the&nbsp;proposed mixed-use residential flat building is designed to respond cohesively to the existing and desired future character of the neighbourhood streetscape with appropriate build form and material palette that respond thoughtfully to the immediate context.

"The proposal for 629-639 Pacific Highway is informed by our analysis of the context, striving to create a design that addresses the challenges of the site, maximizes the opportunity and integrates with the podium to provide a cohesive development of the site," the Design Statement signed off by PBD Managing Director Paul Buljevic read.

"The proposal comprises a cluster of slender tower forms/pods that resonates with the podium geometries. The proposal seeks to integrate tower and podium into a cohesive built form by morphing a two dimensional podium silhouette into a sculptural, programmable landscape deck.

"The building's floor plates were optimized to maximize solar access and cross-ventilation, with careful consideration given to the neighbouring context and views. The built form is further articulated to enhance its slender characteristics and additional facade tiering is introduced to seamlessly transition to the lower levels, to create a more inviting human-scale experience."

<img alt="PBD Chatswood" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="5ea476fe-af0f-4f9e-836c-554856feeea1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202023-10-16%20at%203.12.43%20pm.png?VersionId=BfVFKqmmCzPISvUXSsL.uUaanhUAtv.m" />

The tower will comprise two one-bedroom apartments, 22 two-bedrooms, 28 three-bed units, and a sole four-bedroom apartment, the penthouse.

The site is&nbsp;located around 550 metres south of the Chatswood transport interchange with access to metro, rail, and bus services, while also being just 750 metres from Chatwood's central retail precinct.

<h2>Project Summary</h2>

The site is an urban renewal site with redevelopment proposed for the existing low rise buildings to accommodate a mixed use tower.

The proposed development comprises the construction of 27- storey mixed use building with residential and non-residential comprising:

· 53 apartment units (2 x 1 bed, 22 x 2 bed, 35 x 3 bed, 1 x 4bed)

· 581 sqm GFA of commercial and office spaces

· 232 sqm GFA of retail shop

· 109 sqm GFA for café/restaurants

In addition, a five levels of basement parking will be provided, comprising of a loading dock and 89 car parking spaces including accessible parking and visitor parking. Bicycle parking racks will be provided for all apartments and at least 9 bicycle parking racks will be provided for non-residential occupants.

The latest plans are from Polytec Australia Development, an entity with directors associated with the listed Hong Kong property developer Kowloon Development Company

First look: Chatswood off the plan apartment development pipeline ramps up

Pyramid, the developer, builder, and architecture firm behind the new Gosford apartment development Vue Mer, has released another stage at the water

&nbsp;

Soon to rise at 142 Henry Parry Drive, Vue Mer Residences offers 140 apartments across two grand buildings.&nbsp;

Designed by head architect Joshua Oyeku of Pyramids Architects, Vue Mer Residences was designed with light, bright facades with copper vertical louvres on each apartment exterior offset with a more modernistic use of matte grey honeycomb cladding with opening bi-folds.

“I chose these materials for the exterior of the buildings to reflect the environment and to be visually bold in the Gosford skyline," said Oyeku.

<a data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7d55c738-f789-49a6-bc2e-c6d23d85adbf" href="/new-apartments/vue-mer-residences-122-142-henry-parry-drive-gosford"><img alt="Vue Mer" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202023-10-12%20at%204.09.48%20pm.png?VersionId=p9oxeF9Y6idhBb1O88AzrxKlD9Nzdhue" /></a>

The main living areas in the apartments have been designed to be open plan, with the layout flowing between the kitchen, living room and dining room.

The kitchen features an engineered stone benchtop, splashback in Vena Gris, polyurethane overhead cabinets in Dulux Stone Master and is furnished with Franke appliances. Residents can choose warm or cool interior colour schemes to match their preferences.

The rest of the home has few internal walls and fewer traditional individual rooms in favour of a communal living space and unobstructed views of the outdoors through large picture windows.

&nbsp;

<a data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8721afae-3961-4696-a47b-cacfb34d8361" href="/new-apartments/vue-mer-residences-122-142-henry-parry-drive-gosford"><img alt="Vue Mer Gosford" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202023-10-12%20at%204.08.29%20pm.png?VersionId=D6Z9xgg_2oy.bISYT_E2H5w_htFxBOpO" /></a>

To the south, residents are treated to views of Brisbane Waters, while to the East, the untouched expanse of the Rumbalara Reserve. Rooftop gardens, adorned with lush tropical plants, provide an ideal spot to soak in these expansive vistas.

Other resident facilities include a cutting-edge workspace technology hub for residents who work from home, a sauna, a well-equipped gym, and an indoor heated pool for year-round relaxation.&nbsp;

Thanks to its prime location, convenience starts just a few steps from Vue Mer's doorstep. The Imperial Shopping Centre with a Woolworths is across the road, while more cafes, bakeries, and cuisine restaurants&nbsp;are a stroll away from the property.

The&nbsp;Gosford Transit Station is less than ten minutes walking distance, the Gosford Hospital is&nbsp;within a five-minute drive, and several educational and vocational institutions are less than a ten-minute car ride from Vue Mer Residences.

Soon to rise at 142 Henry Parry Drive, Vue Mer Residences offers 140 apartments across two grand buildings

Staff Writer

Gosford's Vue Mer Residences launch final release of 2023

A sharp slowdown in the pace of construction cost growth may be an early sign that pressures are stabilising within the building sector.

CoreLogic’s Cordell Construction Cost Index (CCCI), which tracks the cost to build a typical new dwelling, returned a quarterly growth rate of 0.5 per cent for the September quarter, the smallest lift since the three months to June 2019 and half the pre-COVID decade average of one per cent per quarter.

This took the annual growth in the index to 4.0 per cent, below the recent quarterly peak of 4.7% this time last year.

CoreLogic Head of Australian Research Eliza Owen said while construction costs are still very elevated, the ongoing level of increase has normalised.

“This is the fourth consecutive slowdown in the quarterly pace of growth for residential construction costs,” Owen said.

“The slowdown in new dwelling approvals also points to mixed news for the construction industry next year. On the one hand, this will free up capacity for material and labour resources, but it will also mean greater competition for new jobs.”

The recent slowdown in the growth rate of construction costs is broadly in line with the new dwellings cost sub-component of the ABS CPI figures.

The ABS CPI sub-index saw a peak in the March 2022 quarter at 5.7 per cent, and has since slowed to just one per cent through the June quarter of 2023.

"The cost of new owner occupier dwelling purchases comprises the largest weighting in the CPI ‘basket’, so the continual easing in the CCCI may also be a forward indicator of inflationary pressures easing within the building sector,” Owen added.

Apartment developers have seen costs soar over the last few years since the pandemic, making their projects unfeasible. While costs are still considerably higher than they were two years ago, the big difference is they're not going up every month like they were in 2021 and 2022.

CoreLogic Construction Cost Estimation Manager John Bennett said cost pressures in construction are shifting from an issue of materials, to labour.

“While material costs appear to have stabilised in general, labour costs have had a number of new pressures applied,” Bennett said.

“Award rates have increased more than five per cent across the construction industry, coming in higher than previous years."

&nbsp;

<h1>Key findings by state – Q3 2023 CCCI Report</h1>

- The CCCI for New South Wales rose 0.6% over the three months to September 2023, steady on the previous quarter but down from a recent high of 4.0% Q3 last year. The annual increase also sank to 3.9% from 7.3% in the three months to June 2023.

- Victoria’s CCCI recorded a 0.3% increase in construction costs over the September quarter, down from 0.7% in the three months to June and the largest deceleration in construction costs over the quarter. Annually costs increased 3.7%, from a peak of 13.0% in the calendar year of 2022.

- Queensland saw construction costs rise by 0.8% over the quarter, the highest quarterly increase 
at a state level and 10 basis points up on Q2 2023. On an annual basis, costs increased 4.8%.

- In Western Australia, construction costs rose 0.2% over the quarter, the lowest quarterly growth rate of all states. The quarterly pace of change is down from a recent high of 4.3% in the September quarter of 2021, and is running below the pre-COVID decade average rate of 1.0%.

- South Australia's increase in construction costs was 0.6% for the quarter, the smallest increase in the CCCI since the Q3 2020, when the effects of material constraints and a surge in demand from HomeBuilder were yet to be fully felt in the residential construction space. The annual increase plummeted to 4.1% from a recent high of 10.5% in the 2022 calendar year.

CoreLogic Head of Australian Research Eliza Owen said while construction costs are still very elevated, the ongoing level of increase has normalised

Construction costs ease prompting apartment developers to look forward

Corsa Mortlake, an absolute waterfront boutique development positioned on Majors Bay in Sydney Harbour in the inner-west waterside suburb of Mortlake, has secured around $35 million in sales on its launch weekend.

Two purchasers also bought marina berths, proving to be a major drawcard of the project.

CBRE Residential Projects Director Clayton Ross said the marina was a key feature and one of the unique selling points of this project.&nbsp;

“It is such a rare commodity to buy an apartment with a marina berth. The marina berths attracted a huge amount of interest for the project,” Ross said.&nbsp;

Designed by award-winning architects, SJB, the apartments capture uninterrupted panoramic water views, abundant storage, secure basement parking and a 23-berth marina which accommodates boats from 12 to 20 metres in length.

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="/news/nsw/how-sjb-designed-made-propertys-corsa-mortlake-apartment-development">How SJB designed Made Property's Corsa Mortlake apartment development</a>

Claiming Mortlake Point’s last remaining foreshore position, along with a new private marina, Corsa Mortlake will offer harbourside living at its finest, developed by premium boutique builder/developer, MADE Property.&nbsp;

Every apartments in Corsa Mortlake has a harbour-facing balcony.

Ross said Corsa Mortlake&nbsp;garnered a high level of interest and strong sales at launch from local downsizers wanting to live on the water.

“They’re looking for their next and perhaps forever dream home that offered extraordinary lifestyle and spectacular water views,” he said.

MADE Property Development Manager, Todd Moody said the company was delighted with the launch sales result securing $35 million on launch weekend.&nbsp;

“Corsa Mortlake will offer a truly exceptional boutique waterfront development ideal for local downsizers looking for the ultimate lifestyle investment potentially with the added convenience of mooring their boat at their residential address,” Moody said.

“We are delighted to be delivering such a rare and extraordinary project – on one of the last remaining parcels of land to be developed on Mortlake Point.”&nbsp;

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="/news/nsw/corsa-mortlake-luxury-apartments-approved">Corsa Mortlake luxury apartments approved</a>

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="/news/nsw/made-property-secure-kpmg-origins-building-trustworthy-indicator-top-score-for-drummoyne-apartment-development-the-isles">Made Property secure KPMG Origins ’Building Trustworthy Indicator’ top score for Drummoyne apartment development The Isles</a>

&nbsp;

Two purchasers also bought marina berths, proving to be a major drawcard of the project

Made Property secures $35 million on launch weekend at harbourfront Corsa Mortlake apartment development

National property developer <a href="/developers/billbergia">Billbergia</a> is seeking to create a new sustainable tower in the heart of <a href="/developments/rhodes-nsw-2138">Rhodes</a>.

<a href="/developers/billbergia">Billbergia</a> are no strangers to <a href="/developments/rhodes-nsw-2138">Rhodes</a>. They're currently&nbsp;developing a new $70 million community recreation centre and childcare centre and have delivered the <a href="/developments/rhodes-nsw-2138">Rhodes</a> Central Shopping Centre, the 1.2-hectare Phoenix Park and the 330 metre Bennelong Bridge from Rhodes to Wentworth Point.

The plans with Canada Bay Council are for a 37-level, 244-apartment tower at&nbsp;9-13 Blaxland Road.

The proposed new tower features a striking slender form designed by architects GroupGSA in collaboration with Singaporean landscape studio Salad Dressing - whose exterior design concept earned them first place in a design excellence competition for the site.

Aligned with the principles of the Rhodes Place Strategy, the proposed new tower sits within the <a href="/developments/rhodes-nsw-2138">Rhodes</a> Station Gateway East precinct that was rezoned by NSW State Government in 2021 following extensive community consultation.

With a small tower footprint of just 680 square metres, the site currently houses Rhodes Business Centre, a four-level commercial office building.

<img alt="Rhodes" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c0434553-28f6-4314-bc5b-642be3e72550" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202023-10-12%20at%2012.21.05%20pm.png?VersionId=_tnyyV3qSZ02qg_Nsy1sUm2ECLFF7nPv" />

The proposed tower will provide a new, ‘green’ ground plane connection between Blaxland Road, Rhodes Station, Churchill Tucker Reserve, McIlwaine Park and Brays Bay.

Set to deliver 244 apartments in a range of configurations, the proposed new tower sits above a mixed-use podium with nine levels of basement car parking below. The podium will be activated by a café, while an extension of the hardscape at the park junction will facilitate outdoor seating.

Many apartments within the tower will have a dual aspect with natural cross-ventilation, while vertical biophilic gardens will soften the building’s façade.

Resident amenity also includes 424 sqm of communal spaces including a dining and alfresco area on Level 20 and a rooftop tree canopy and infinity pool crowning the tower.

In addition to the lush rooftop garden, <a href="/developers/billbergia">Billbergia’s</a> design features a two-storey high suspended Ficus tree at its entrance, a nod to nearby remnant giant Ficus trees that date back to the early 1900s.

<img alt="Bilbergia" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c4f8c1d8-a272-4901-900e-6b3d6e0777be" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202023-10-12%20at%2012.21.09%20pm.png?VersionId=b3AVsgpKAOy4a7PpB.QyUpauSXH4lwxC" />

A 1,537 sqm landscaped area will enhance public amenity and facilitate greater connectivity to the nearby Rhodes Train Station.

Saul Moran, Development Director of Planning and Design at <a href="/developers/billbergia">Billbergia</a>, said the plan for&nbsp;the Blaxland Road project is aligned with <a href="/developers/billbergia">Billbergia's</a> philosophy of delivering high-quality transport-oriented housing supported by infrastructure and community amenity.

“<a href="/developers/billbergia">Billbergia</a> has been part of the Rhodes community for more than 15 years delivering major developments such as the national award-winning Rhodes Central project and Village Quays on the western side of Rhodes station.”

The proposed tower will set a new benchmark for sustainable living, delivering the most highly sustainable new apartments in Rhodes. It is seeking to achieve a&nbsp;7.4 Star NaTHERS sustainability rating.

The tower has been designed to ensure a high level of performance is achieved for its passive efficiency characteristics. ESD features include low-water gardens, high- tech swimming pools, Photo Voltaic solar power, efficient lighting and air- conditioning, and smart building sensors (and BMS). Strong emphasis has also been placed on waste minimisation, recycling, green-transportation, landscaping, climate- adaptability, and eco-materials.

With an innovative biophilic design - described by Group GSA as a “vertical forest” - the proposed tower is earmarked to redefine the Rhodes enclave with elevated architectural design. The green façade provides acoustic and urban heat mitigation, in addition to its striking aesthetic appeal.

GroupGSA Design Lead Lisa-Maree Carrigan said the contemporary design was conceptualised in partnership with Salad Dressing, as an architectural expression to “rewild the sky”.

“The integration of the landscape into the architecture takes inspiration from the site’s rich natural history and surrounding mangrove and wetland ecosystems to create a ‘biodiversity highway’ through generous vertical greenery and sky gardens which rise above the tower,” Carrigan said.

The plans with Canada Bay Council are for a 37-level, 244-apartment tower at 9-13 Blaxland Road

Billbergia file for sustainable Rhodes apartment development

Australian developer NOVM is releasing the final collection of apartments at its billion dollar&nbsp;<a href="/buildings/woolooware-bay-475a-captain-cook-drive-woolooware">Woolooware Bay Town Centre</a> development in the Sutherland Shire.

The apartment release, dubbed The Grand Finale, will see the final apartments up for grabs in the 10-hectare precinct which started in 2014 in a joint venture with developer Capital Corporation. The remaining one and three-bedroom apartments will be spread out across four towers which topped out in July this year. The four towers will home 245 apartments in total.

Upon completion, <a href="/buildings/woolooware-bay-475a-captain-cook-drive-woolooware">Woolooware Bay Town Centre</a> will include 898 apartments and 23 commercial suites across 13 buildings. More than 2,500 residents will call Woolooware Bay home. The development will also include 10,235 sqm of waterfront parklands, a shared pedestrian/cycle path, outdoor fitness zones and a children’s playground.

<img alt="Woollooware" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="0ff86bf7-fb0f-41f1-8500-1541237a7792" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202023-10-11%20at%201.58.20%20pm.png?VersionId=XM0IpQGUmbkCd6GpSfwPzn8ZNIlNm3R0" />

The Bay Central Woolooware shopping centre will open trading from November 22. The centre will have 60 stores,&nbsp;including a gym, childcare centre, medical precinct, two full-line Woolworths and Aldi supermarkets, Dan Murphy’s, and a waterfront dining precinct.&nbsp;

Bay Central Woolooware will also feature a ‘Makers Market’ with local artisans from the Sutherland Shire.

The 18,000 sqm retail centre is being delivered as part of the fourth and final stage of the development, the first stage of which broke ground in 2014.

A 71-key Quest hotel, also located in Stage Four, was recently purchased by the NRL for $21.85M.

<img alt="NOVM Woollooware" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a78cf1d7-b005-46f1-beb2-eed69361ed2b" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202023-10-11%20at%201.58.25%20pm.png?VersionId=0jLTLQrE_t9Wuov_tGygTAk0W7maC_yL" />

Novm’s CEO and Executive Director Adrian Liaw said the opening of the centre was a key milestone in the masterplanned community’s decade-long evolution.

“We’re thrilled to be officially opening Bay Central Woolooware and we appreciate the combined efforts of Parkview, our development team, our new retail tenant community and centre managers Savills Australia for their considerable effort in bringing us to this point,” Liaw said.

“Bay Central Woolooware is more than just a shopping centre; it's a place where people can come together, shop, dine, and create lasting memories with family and friends. We invite everyone to join in the celebrations and experience the excitement first-hand."

The apartment release, dubbed The Grand Finale, will see the final apartments up for grabs in the 10-hectare precinct which started in 2014 in a joint venture with developer Capital Corporation

NOVM release final apartments in Woolooware Bay Town Centre masterplan

Bulletproof off the plan apartment developer <a href="/developers/urban-property-group">Urban Property Group</a>, who are iCIRT-rated and build all of their own projects, has just launched their first apartment project in the burgeoning Macquarie Park.

They’re producing one of the most architecturally-significant projects Macquarie Park has seen in years with La Vera, located in a prime spot opposite the Macquarie Centre at 94 Talavera Road.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=223723]

Award-winning COX Architecture has designed the 14-level building with the aim of marrying the building’s aesthetics with its surroundings.

COX Architecture Director Felipe Miranda says La Vera's architectural and design approach draws inspiration from its urban and ecological surroundings.&nbsp;

“The vision for the project was to conceive a building that adopted an organic and curvilinear form to the northern portion that faces the Lane Cove National park, whilst adopting an urban and anchoring form to the south facing Talavera Road and towards the CBD,” Miranda said.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=223719]

While being developed as a single tower, the section of the building to the north has been designed with two generous building notches that result in three distinct building shapes.

“These three forms have been designed using gentle curves on the corners of the building to ensure they have an organic feel for the residents and when viewed from the public domain.

The southern units are anchored by a red building form to the southern corner which consists of red tinted concrete.&nbsp; 
 
Miranda said the design strategy isn’t one which is just aesthetically pleasing.&nbsp;

“The residents that reside in the northern portion of the building benefit by having beautifully crafted curved balconies that speak to the natural context and heighten the relationship of their internal living spaces to the external balconies,” Miranda says, adding that&nbsp; the residents living to the south benefit from the gridded building form as it allows extensive glazing so they can enjoy the magnificent views back towards the CBD.

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=223722]

The under construction, 119-apartment project has a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, an array of configurations which are expected to attract a wide variety of buyers, from first home buyers and investors to young families and downsizers.

Panoramic and unobstructed views of Lane Cove National Park will be on offer from a number of apartments, as well as the rooftop communal entertaining space.

The location of La Vera is one of the project's biggest strengths. Its strategic location positions future residents with all of the convenient amenity on the doorstep. The Macquarie Centre across the road has over 360 retailers, including a full-line Coles, Woolworths and Aldi, dozens of restaurants and cafes, and extensive entertainment options such as an Event Cinema, Strike Bowling and Macquarie Ice Rink.&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=134951 project_image_fid=224058]

The Centre is also the hub of all bus routes that pass through Macquarie Park to the city. The Macquarie Park Metro, which connects to Epping Train Station and Chatswood Train Station, is just one street away.

La Vera sit on the northern side of the Macquarie Centre, which puts residents just across the road from&nbsp; the Lane Cove National Park and its many walking trails and hikes.&nbsp;

Construction for La Vera is already underway, with the development projected to be completed in early 2025. Timeliness of delivery is something Urban Property Group pride themselves on, and is something which is completely within their control, given they have their own construction arm.

Last year Urban Property Group was the first developer/builder in the country to acquire the Government’s 10-year Latent Defects Insurance on their Bexley project, The Parq. La Vera buyers will too have the comfort of the 10-year LDI.&nbsp;

“This sends the message that we stand-by the quality of our developments and buyers can have peace of mind beyond the point of purchase,” Urban Property Group CEO Patrick Elias says.

Urban Property Group have an enviable track record, having delivered 42 projects over three decades since being founded by Managing Director George Elias back in 1987.

[smartcode_project_cta:default project_id=134951]

La Vera represents a rare opportunity to be connected to both amenity and nature

Urban Property Group launch La Vera, Macquarie Park apartments

Joint venture partners <a href="/developers/st-hilliers-property">St Hilliers</a> and Spotlight Property Group has secured approval for their<a href="/new-apartments/711-hunter-street-newcastle-west-nsw-2302"> 711 Hunter Street, Newcastle West project</a>.

The&nbsp;Hunter Central Coast Regional Planning Panel approved the Plus Architecture-designed development, noting that it was considered to be of an appropriate scale and form for the site and the character of the locality

The new sustainable&nbsp;and culturally diverse precinct in the emerging western corner of the Newcastle CBD will comprise a&nbsp;curated ground plane experience with podium levels of retail and commercial tenancies, multi-storey food and beverage opportunities including an open-air bar, and two residential towers home to 257 apartments.

<a href="/developers/st-hilliers-property">St Hillier’s</a> Development Manager Luke McNamara said West Village is more than a residential apartment development.

“From the outset the development has committed to a significant public art programme that celebrates Newcastle’s thriving arts scene combined with a curation of ground plane tenancies," McNamara says.

"As part of the Development Consent, all retail and food and beverage offerings have a pre-approval to operate, including a three-storey venue with an open-air bar. This pre-approval will go a long way to streamlining the process for future businesses seeking to be part of the precinct.

“It was also important that the design was sustainable and ‘future-ready’, with the development committing to 90MW of rooftop solar panels and 300 electric-vehicle-ready car parking spaces, making it the first development in Newcastle to strive for 100% of future residents and commercial staff the ability to charge their vehicles. It will also feature an end-of-trip facility, and around 300 bicycle parking spaces in both secure and public areas."

&nbsp;

<a data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="44575c61-c29d-4ef8-bc96-b62606108b9f" href="/new-apartments/711-hunter-street-newcastle-west-nsw-2302"><img alt="Newcastle" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="44575c61-c29d-4ef8-bc96-b62606108b9f" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202023-10-11%20at%2012.11.07%20pm.png?VersionId=Dqi1jGxpfoa608XucHSmJ3HwZ4JXw2hn" /></a>

The approved development will also allow for the return of a large swathe of public domain back to the community at the ground plane, with an urban plaza fronting National Park Street featuring the public art precinct, and a through-site connection to the Drill Hall Gallery and Birdwood Park.

Essential to the design process by Plus Architecture was the Government Architects Design Competition process, the first of its kind for a private development in Newcastle. Other features included the incorporation of a suite of sustainability features, a ground plane allowing for a mix of creative business, designers, coffee shops, galleries, restaurants, and public art.

Plus Architecture Director Rido Pin believes that the practice’s approach will be an asset to the community.

“As Newcastle, like other regional hubs across Australia expand at pace, it’s critical that new developments are designed with their long-term future in mind and consider the varying and changing needs of their users," Pin says.

“Our two-tower design, featuring iconic sculptural curves, will create a landmark destination for the whole community – Newcastle locals and visitors alike.”

St Hillier’s Development Manager Luke McNamara said West Village is more than a residential apartment development

St Hilliers and Spotlight Property Group secure approval for Newcastle West apartment development

The family-ran SASCO Developments is planning a striking new mixed-use building in Randwick.

SASCO, led by Sid and Joseph Sassine, has filed plans for a Curzon+Partners-designed building at 18-20 Perouse Road, at the south end of the Randwick High Street just off the popular restaurant precinct The Spot.

The plans are for a four-level project with two retail tenancies on the ground floor and seven three-bedroom apartments above. Two basement levels will contain 17 car parking spaces, one motorcycle space and six bicycle parking spaces.

<img alt="Randwick" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="7aafb9a8-c746-4c90-a4da-7316ca8c280c" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202023-10-10%20at%202.38.18%20pm.png?VersionId=GybUoILrB9JxduJw_ZFRPRTsM7eKhGd8" />

Curzon+Partners Principal Mark Curzon said in the Design Verification Statement attached to the application that the new development has&nbsp;been designed to fit into its medium density and mixed use residential and retail urban setting, unique topography and heritage context.

"The site is located within The Spot, which includes a diverse streetscape with historic significance dated from the Inter-War period," the submission noted.

"The new Living Units has been designed to fit into a medium density mixed use residential and retail setting. The design has recognised its unique topography and environmental context and has been sympathetic to its context by breaking the mass to follow the street rhythms and scales, thereby addressing the relationship of the proposed built form with it’s surroundings.

"The proposal overall integrates well with the surrounding environment." 
 
<img alt="SASCO" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="63f6bbb3-0e91-4151-a9f7-8dc359c9cd58" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202023-10-10%20at%202.38.53%20pm.png?VersionId=pMBCDgrktSQd45NVE.8VehHYHEF4pRL." />

They said the materials have been&nbsp;carefully selected to celebrate the local heritage context with the use of bricks, aluminium battens and cladding and landscaping to enhance the design quality and longevity.&nbsp;

The main entry to the apartments and the car parj is located the quieter Soudan Street. The apartments start at 120 sqm and they each have a balcony space.

In recent years SASCO, founded in 2001, have been busy in Meadowbank, a harbourfront suburb near Ryde.

They have approval for a significant mixed-use precinct near the Meadowbank Train Station. They're soon to launch the Fender Katsalidis-designed development with 133 apartments, 162 co-living apartments, and a number of built to rent apartments on a vast 7,800 sqm site.

They've also got a retail and commercial centre with more build to rent apartments in the same neighbourhood.

SASCO also have another site in Randwick, having acquired two side by side properties nearby on Magill Street in the last few years to give them 1252 sqm.

The plans are for a four-level project with two retail tenancies on the ground floor and seven three-bedroom apartments above

First look: New shop-top housing planned for Randwick

Artarmon, the affluent suburb on Sydney's Lower North Shore, is set to receive a rare new off the plan apartment development.

Plans have been filed with the Willoughby Council for a shot-top housing development at&nbsp;64 Hampden Road, across the road from the Artarmon Train Station.

The $8.65 million project with 18 apartments above a commercial space will replace an old commercial building which has stood on the site for around five decades. It is currently home to an Australia Post office.

<img alt="Artarmon" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2df72d35-f172-4903-b51e-d597fd1f6dd4" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202023-10-10%20at%2012.27.02%20pm.png?VersionId=8TbXnlafbVxdrS1fym9KPee2Xl_27fgd" /> 
The current AusPost building on the corner of Hampden and Jersey Road.

The one and two-bedroom apartments will be spread across two five-level buildings at the southern end of the Artarmon ton centre.

SJB noted&nbsp;a substantial amount of mature canopies along the rail corridor, on Jersey Road, and as a setting for the residential towers. They said the proposal responds to the context and neighbourhood by creating a&nbsp; two-storey fine grain podium that establishes a relationship with the two storey shopfronts in the town centre.

"The massing and built form responds to the existing town centre, the desired future character of the area, the new LEP and the surrounding context," SJB's Design Report noted.

"The five-storey scale is consistent with the new LEP controls recently gazetted."

<img alt="Artarmon" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="a0e70d9d-7440-43a7-90c0-23596e0a2218" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202023-10-10%20at%2012.28.25%20pm.png?VersionId=kc5leeMhCAk0LCZTvq4Y_IJuNa0CaL8C" />

The new LEP (Local Environment Plan) SJB refers to was recently put in place by the Willoughby Council which saw "appropriate increases in building height and size" in the local centres of Artarmon, North Willoughby, Naremburn, Castlecrag, Northbridge, Penshurst St and Willoughby South. The aim is to "encourage new local jobs and housing diversity close to services and transport," the council advised.

"This density and scale is appropriate for the location, the site is within a town centre and 100m from a train station," SJB added.

They suggest the site has access&nbsp;to excellent amenity, with the train line opposite taking just one minute to get to Chatswood and 15 minutes to the city. It's also a walk to shops in the town centre,&nbsp;250 metres from the local public school and 300 mertres from a number of local parks.

Plans have been filed with the Willoughby Council for a shot-top housing development at 64 Hampden Road, across the road from the Artarmon Train Station.

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