The top nine off the plan apartment developments in northern Sydney look out for in 2024
Sydney's northern suburbs, anything from north of the Harbour Bridge, saw a number of development applications filed in 2023 and late 2022.
Most of the developers will hope to get approval in a timely manner given the scarcity of supply in the harbour capital driving transactions.
We've had a look at the most exciting projects which are expected to launch in 2024, if not early 2025.
Location: 184b-190 Kurraba Road, Kurraba Point
Developer: PB & Co
Melbourne-based developer PB & Co is marking their first venture in Sydney with a striking development in one of Sydney's most affluent areas.
They spent $60 million on a Kurraba Point site where they will be developing a highly sustainable and innovative luxury residential project in collaboration with Koichi Takada Architects.
The 4,200 sqm block will be home to four different residential buildings, including six luxury apartments on the street side of the block and four dual occupancy residences closer to the water.
The luxury apartments will offer various amenities, such as dedicated wine rooms, butler's pantries, multi-purpose rooms, and water-facing balconies. The dual occupancy buildings will include private rooftops with plunge pools and outdoor barbecue kitchens.
The project aims to achieve a 6-star Green Star rating with a focus on sustainability and a zero-carbon lifestyle.
Key sustainable features of the project include passive design strategies, rooftop solar farms, an underground geothermal energy system, rainwater collection for irrigation, building management systems for performance optimization, integrated shading structures, and the use of local, sustainable materials.
The development is intended to be carbon neutral not only in design but also in operations.
Location: 617-621 Pacific Highway, St Leonards
Developer: Anson Group
St Leonards has been a hive of activity for apartment developers in recent years, reflecting the transition from a predominantly commercial area to a more mixed-use and residential environment.
Anson Group recently submitted $187 million plans to build a 50-level tower, making it one of the tallest in the area.
The mixed-use tower is designed by architecture firm BVN and will consist of 195 apartments above a six-level podium featuring retail and commercial spaces.
Over half of the apartments are two-bedroom units, reflecting market preferences for larger living spaces, especially in the post-COVID era when remote work has become more prevalent.
The building will feature a two-level penthouse at the top, referred to as a "multilevel crown," and resident amenities on the 24th level, including a swimming pool, spa, multipurpose room, and outdoor terraces.
The development will also include a new community and arts centre, basement parking for 72 cars, nearly 400 sqm of retail space, and over 2,600 sqm of commercial space.
Project: The Collective
Location: 50-56 Atchison Street, St Leonards
Developer: TWT Global
Property developer TWT Global is expected to launch its highly anticipated $1 billion mixed-use St Leonards development, The Collective.
Last year the developer spent $35 million on 50-56 Atchison Street, a 1080 sqm site which will be integrated into The Collective which will span nearly 9,500 sqm across multiple suburban blocks with three towers.
TWT Global, who have developed NewLife Darling Harbour and NewLife Bondi Junction, are committed to fostering cultural vibrancy in St Leonards through its Creative Precinct initiative.
Launched in 2014, the Creative Precinct involves the conversion of several commercial buildings into creative spaces, including artist studios, galleries, rehearsal spaces, recording studios, arts business offices, and creative retail.
The initiative has already supported over 800 artists and creative businesses, providing the local creative community with over 4,000 square metres of subsidised space.
Project: Nelson Place
Location: 9-11 Nelson Street, Chatswood NSW 2067
Developer: VIMG
Developer VIMG is expected to push on with its Chatswood project, Nelson Place.
After collaboration with the Willoughby Council and a design competition, VIMG has submitted a development application for two towers comprising 193 apartments, down from the initially forecasted 300 apartments for the site.
The two and three-bedroom apartments are reported to be 15 to 20 per cent larger than the minimum guidelines outlined in the Apartment Development Guidelines.
The towers, designed by DKO, will rise from a central public plaza with retail and commercial spaces, and landscaping by Land And Form Studios.
Nelson Place includes a landscaped podium roof for residents, featuring outdoor covered yoga and a pool deck positioned to take advantage of the north-facing aspect of the terrace.
The development will be within walking distance of the train station, a large shopping mall, and proximity to high-quality primary and secondary schools.
Read more: First look: VIMG plot two-tower Chatswood apartment development, Nelson Place
Location: 44-52 Anderson Street, Chatswood
Developer: Bridgestone Projects
Sydney developer Bridgestone Projects is another looking to change the Chatswood skyline.
They have plans in with council for a plans for a new $90 million apartment development on a 2,687 sqm site at 44-52 Anderson Street.
The proposed project is set to include two towers linked by a green spine and a retail and commercial podium.
Bridgestone is emphasising larger apartment configurations, with only six one-bedroom and 16 two-bedroom apartments planned across the 25-level buildings.
The majority of the units will be three-bedroom, duplex-style apartments occupying levels eight through 21.
Above level 22, the development will feature large sub-penthouses and penthouses, with the latter having private rooftop gardens.
The ground floor of the development will host 13 retail and commercial spaces along Anderson, O'Brien, and Day Streets, as well as eight townhouse-style apartments across two levels.
A co-working space will occupy part of level one and level two. Resident amenities on the second level will include a swimming pool, vertical community garden, outdoor gym, and barbecue facilities.
The winning design by architecture firm MAKE Architecture balances the scale of the towers with the heritage conservation areas.
Read more: Bridgestone file for two-tower Chatswood apartment project
Location: 629-639 Pacific Highway, Chatswood
Developer: Polytec
Another for Chatswood, which had a flurry of applications last year when the CBD boundary to the north was expanded which opened up more favourable height limits to zones previously strictly capped.
Polytec Australia Development filed for a 27-story mixed-use tower with 53 apartments on a 1,184 sqm block at 629-637 Pacific Highway, currently occupied by two separate car service and repair businesses.
The tower, designed by PBD Architects, will include ground-floor retail and commercial spaces within the podium levels, sitting above five levels of basement car parking.
The tower will consist of two one-bedroom apartments, 22 two-bedroom apartments, 28 three-bedroom units, and a penthouse with four bedrooms.
Designed by PBD Architects, the floor plates are optimised for solar access and cross-ventilation, with consideration given to neighbouring context and views.
The site is strategically located around 550 metres south of the Chatswood transport interchange and 750 metres from Chatswood's central retail precinct, providing convenient access to metro, rail, and bus services.
Read more: First look: Chatswood off the plan apartment development pipeline ramps up
Location: 8 Wilson Street, Chatswood
Developer: Billbergia
Last one I promise. Prolific developer Billbergia revealed its first residential development on the North Shore last year, a $170 million mixed-use development in Chatswood.
Billbergia's Development Director Saul Moran said the project's focus was on innovative live-work typologies to address the growing trend of flexible post-COVID working styles and working from home.
The proposed development comprises two slender 27-storey towers with 251 apartments rising above a two-storey commercial podium.
The podium includes a mix of uses such as retail, commercial showrooms, and flexible SOHO (Small Office/Home Office) style live-work offerings, catering to residents who prefer working remotely in a separate, comfortable, and private setting.
Billbergia anticipates that the live-work design will resonate with the North Shore market, particularly as approximately 40 per cent of Australians now work from home at least part of the week, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Additionally, a 70-place childcare centre within the podium aims to provide convenience for working parents.
Residents will also have access to communal facilities, including an outdoor swimming pool, landscaped communal areas, and private open rooftop spaces.
The development incorporates landscaped, through-site pedestrian links, forming a cross-shaped laneway connection with retail tenancies and live-work spaces.
The project also places a strong emphasis on sustainability, with features such as rainwater harvesting, thermal buffers in the podium's landscaped areas, rooftop gardens to reduce rainwater runoff and provide insulation, and solar photovoltaic panels on the roof.
Construction is expected to commence in late 2024, subject to development approval.
Read more: Billbergia focus on hybrid, remote working at new Chatswood apartment development
Location: 155-159 Herring Road, Macquarie Park
Developer: One Global Capital
Iwan Sunito's One Global Capital will hope to push the button on their Macquarie Park apartment development designed by Japanese architect Koichi Takada.
Contrary to initial discussions of including a hotel, the development will consist of just over 300 apartments across three towers, as well as activated street-level spaces at 7-11 Lachlan Avenue and 157-159 Herring Road in Macquarie Park.
The Macquarie Park site was acquired as the largest collection sale in Australia in 2022.
The apartment distribution includes 35 studio apartments, 149 two-bedroom apartments, 60 one-bedroom apartments, and 60 three-bedroom dwellings. The units range in size from 40 sqm studios to 199 sqm split-level, three-bedroom townhouses. The proposal also includes 'Plus' apartments featuring dedicated study spaces, responding to the rising trend of working from home.
The streetscape design aims to create a permeable pedestrian network and an active retail precinct along Herring Road, with Macquarie University railway station approximately 400 metres away.
One of the towers will feature amenities like indoor and outdoor recreation spaces, a swimming pool, play areas for children, barbecue areas, and rooftop gardens.
The development also includes sustainable initiatives such as rooftop solar panels generating 100 kWh of energy for common areas and corridors, high-performance double glazing within apartments, energy-efficient LED lighting, and electric vehicle charging stations.
Read more: Iwan Sunito's One Global Capital set for three-tower Macquarie Park development
Location: 45 McLaren Street, North Sydney
Developers: Podia & CASA
Prominent Sydney developer Podia will be looking to launch their joint venture North Sydney development in 2024.
Podia and CASA are seeking to develop 71 dwellings, a mix of apartments and townhouses opposite the recently topped out AURA by Aqualand.
The 14-level tower has been cleverly designed by Bates Smart and features a striking stepped form which has the building stagger up to it's 14th level, allowing for a number of large terraces on the upper floors.
Bates Smart said the vision is for a sustainable, mixed-use building that provides exceptional dwellings which capitalise on the site’s location between North Sydney’s dense and thriving CBD and North Sydney’s Civic Precinct.
Read more: First look: Podia and CASA lodge Bates Smart plans for Walker St, North Sydney mixed-use tower