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

Staff Writer

Final homes remaining as Threadneedle, Balwyn completes construction

Joel Robinson

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

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

The outdoor amenities elevating life at Senso, Epping

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

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

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

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

Treasury

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The federal Treasury has proposed to streamline the buying of new property by foreign investors.
It says the current set of rules had unintentionally encouraged non-compliance due to its complicated structure.
It also proposes to encourage investment in sectors like retirement living, aged-care and student accommodation.
The consultation paper by the Treasury's Foreign Investment Policy Unit said the December 2015 overhaul of the foreign investment framework – the biggest in 40 years – had unintentionally “incentivised non-compliance" of the rules when it came to buying new residential property, according to a report in the Australian Financial Review.
Under current rules, foreign investors who want to purchase a new dwelling or block of vacant residential land need to apply individually for each property they are considering and pay multiple fees starting from $5000 per application.
To avoid through this cumbersome process, some foreign buyers were choosing to pay a fine and notify after they had purchased the property, rather than apply multiple times in advance, the paper said.
It suggested the introduction of an "new exemption certificate" giving foreign persons "broad pre-approval to purchase one new dwelling or vacant residential block".
Foreign buyers would then be required to notify Australian authorities when an actual purchase was made. 
The report also seeks to amend the treatment of residential land that is used for an aged-care facility, retirement village or student accommodation so that it is considered "non-vacant commercial land" thus lifting the FIRB screening threshold from zero to more than $55 million.
Some in the industry, like Julius Wei, co-founder of BMY Group, which connects Chinese high-net worth investors with opportunities in Australia, said the country was short of supply in these sectors and foreign investment into them "should be welcomed".
But he said the rules needed to incentivise foreign investors to invest for yield rather than capital gain, otherwise there could be a "huge jump in prices".
"Capital gains [in these sectors] should be taxed heavily," he said.
Wei also backed the proposed exemption certificate for individual buyers as according to him it was unfair to pay multiple fees if a buyer only intended to buy one property.
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jonathanchancellor-7SQnKwU6yx

Treasury plans to simplify rules for foreign property buyers

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The Federal Opposition has demanded to be consulted ahead of any federal election in July on the appointment of the Reserve Bank governor.
It is speculated the deputy governor will succeed Glenn Stevens as the central bank's governor.
The Australian Financial Review says Treasurer Scott Morrison has declined to consult with the opposition on any promotion to governor of Reserve Bank of Australia deputy Philip Lowe, who has won Labor's backing.
Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen on Monday demanded the government stop naming senior Treasury portfolio positions without consulting the opposition, because he argued the government is now effectively on an election footing.
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jchancellor-FAypfDUnLy

Labor demands to be consulted on next RBA governor 

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The Opposition has again slammed Treasurer Joe Hockey's latest crackdown on foreigners owning Australian land, describing it as a diversion from tackling housing affordability.
Mr Hockey announced the forced sale of six homes around the country. 
Three of the properties were in the Sydney suburbs of Eastwood, Fairfield and Mosman, two were in Kewdale in Perth and the other at Eight Mile Plains on the outskirts of Brisbane.
There were five owners from four different countries who had come forward since the crackdown began in ernest with a $39 million diverestiture order against a Piper Point buyer in March.
The six self reported cases ranged in price from $152,000 to $1.86 million.
There are 50 investigators looking into 462 cases in which foreigners were suspected of having bought or retained existing property without correct approvals. 
The Australian Taxation Office, the Foreign Investment Review Board, Department of Immigration and AUSTRAC have uncovered more than 2000 pieces of information relating to suspected breaches since monitoring of residential property acquisitions was shifted to the ATO in May from the FIRB. 
The Treasurer outlined his new, harsher penalties that will be enforced from December, against foreign investors who illegally buy established Australian properties or don't sell when the laws required.
"The period of amnesty we announced in May means that no criminal conviction is recorded for those who self-report by November 30, and they have to re-sell their property in 12 months, instead of three," Mr Hockey said.
"Australia welcomes foreign investment and Australia needs foreign investment but, at all times, foreign investors must comply with our laws," Joe Hockey said on Saturday.
"Some of the five investors have purchased property with Foreign Investment Review Board approval, but their circumstances have changed and they have failed to comply with the divestment requirements.
"Some have simply broken the rules by purchasing a property without approval and done so against the law.
"Time is running out for foreign investors to voluntarily come forward if they have illegally purchased existing residential real estate," Mr Hockey warned. 
"They have until November 30, 2015 to come to us before we come to them."
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Foreigners admit overstaying their Australian land ownership  

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GUEST OBSERVER
Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey’s call for a proper debate on state taxes and the state governments’ over-reliance on inefficient state taxes including stamp duty is welcome and completely in line with community attitudes. The Treasurer’s speech comes just days after polling revealed widespread public acceptance of future GST changes.
Joe Hockey has said what everyone knows – stamp duty is a harmful, distortive tax which needs to be abolished and this will require broader tax reform to be achieved.
Abolishing stamp duty and replacing it with a more efficient revenue base would address housing affordability, boost the economy, be supported by the community, and bolster fragile state budgets.
Obviously the removal of stamp duty needs to occur in conjunction with a broader series of tax changes so that states and territories have the revenue they need to deliver services, and it is essential that GST reform is on the table.
A report from Newgate Research Community attitudes towards tax reform, commissioned by the Property Council, found that nine out of ten Australians surveyed supported tax reform which made the system simpler and fairer.
Far from being political poison, people see the GST as our fairest tax.
Our research shows that a reformed GST would pass the fairness test set by our political leaders.
Some 65% of respondents believed the GST to be fair or very fair, and only 35% as unfair, with most citing its benefit as a tax that cannot be dodged.
While there was some variation, this fairness rating was the majority view regardless of the respondent's gender, age, state, voting intention or property tenure.
The research also shows that people think it is inevitable that the GST will go up. When asked what they believed would happen over the next decade, almost three quarters (72%) said the GST will increase.
Strikingly, only 2% believed it would definitely not go up and just 6% that it would probably not go up. For the public, this is almost a done deal.
Getting rid of stamp duty needs to be a top priority of every government in the country. It has the highest costs to economic growth and living standards.
Treasury’s own modelling shows that Australia’s economic welfare is reduced by 73 cents for every dollar of stamp duty raised, which is 50% worse than company tax and three and a half times worse than income tax or the GST.
The Treasurer’s call today coincides with a release of the Grattan Institute’s Property Taxes working paper which moots the introduction of a new property tax on owner occupied housing.
We welcome the Grattan’s Institute acknowledgement that stamp duty needs to be abolished, but the idea of introducing yet another new property tax without retiring existing inefficient taxes is unfair and will unacceptable to the community.
The Grattan report conveniently leaves out stamp duty in its attempts to argue that property is undertaxed in Australia.
The industry currently pays $77 billion of taxes to all three levels of government. Treasury estimates that property specific taxes make up 9% of Australia's total tax take compared to an OECD average of just 5%. We're surprised Grattan would get this so wrong.
Furthermore the Grattan Institute report admits that they would need an extra new property tax at double the rate they proposed to fund the replacement of stamp duty.
The Property Council is happy to explore the option of a broad based low rate land tax, but the reality is that it won’t raise enough money to abolish stamp duty, it will be politically unpopular and it doesn’t do anything to fix the high land taxes on commercial and investment property.
There is absolutely no justification for a new property tax that does not offset other punitive taxes.
Changes to the GST is a practical solution to enable stamp duties to be retired to boost the economy in a way that is fair.
Ken Morrison is chief executive of Property Council of Australia. He can be contacted <a href="https://www.propertyoz.com.au/Profiles/ProfileDetail.aspx?pid=76" target="_blank">here</a>. 
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po-LsXgBTHBmX

Hockey’s call for proper debate on state taxes welcome

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Further developments into possible legislation tightening foreign investment in residential real estate have been made with stakeholders invited to make a submission into the substantive Bills making up Treasury's Exposure Draft into implementing foreign investment reform.
Treasury are asking for submissions into the Fees Imposition Bill, with the eventual reforms will be given effect by the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Legislation Amendment Bill 2015, the Register of Foreign Ownership of Agricultural Land Bill 2015 and the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Fees Imposition Bill 2015.
According to the submission the government aims to promote greater transparency through a lands register, implement a simpler foreign investor framework, transfer all residential real estate functions to the ATO and enforce stricter penalties for illegal foreign investment.
CoreLogic RP Data's senior research analyst Cameron Kusher recently stated that while housing may be looking expensive to locals, the declining Australian dollar means that it may be looking more attractive to foreign buyers.
The Exposure Drafts and Regulatory Impact Statement of legislation designed to tighten foreign investment rules can be read <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/ConsultationsandReviews/Consultations/2015/Implementing-Foreign-Investment-Reforms" target="_blank" style="line-height: 1.3em;">here</a>, with submissions open up until Friday 17 July.
 
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mick.cee-iDmgDDAmu8

Government calls for foreign investment reform submissions

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Figures from Federal Treasury show there were 88,000 established homes owned by temporary residents as of March 2015.
There are concerns that people on temporary residency visas — who are entitled to buy established homes as long as they sell on leaving the country — have kept their properties as investments.
NSW accounts for 26% with Victoria constituting 25 per cent of those home approvals as temporary visa-holders.
Western Australia accounts for 22% of the established housing market for temporary residents, Fairfax Media report.
Queensland has 19% followed by South Australia with 4%, the ACT with 1.5%, Tasmania with 1.1% and Northern Territory with 0.2%.
Temporary residents are allowed to buy one established dwelling to live in, but are required to sell it when their visa expires or the property is no longer their primary residence.
 
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