JMSN 27-Apartment Scheme at Fitzroy North Waved Ahead

JMSN Property has won approval for its plans for a 27-apartment development at Fitzroy. The green light comes less than three months after plans were filed and a little more than a year after the developer launched its debut project in the tightly held suburb. JMSN will demolish a warehouse in one of Fitzroy North’s most protected heritage precincts to make way for a multi-storey residential scheme designed by Warren and Mahoney. Submitted through 301 Rae Street Development Pty Ltd in September 2025, the application proposed 27 apartments over seven storeys and two basement levels for carparking and services for the site at 301-317 Rae Street. The block is 3.5km north of the Melbourne CBD at the south-western intersection of Alfred and Rae streets within the HO327 North Fitzroy Precinct under the Yarra Planning Scheme. According to the heritage impact statement, the single-storey warehouse on the site holds non-contributory status within the heritage precinct, meaning demolition is acceptable under planning guidelines. The building will have chamfered corners inspired by local corner-pub architecture, light-coloured bricks, green tiles and powder-coated finishes. The development, dubbed rs301, will comprise 10 two-bedroom and 17 three-bedroom apartments. Design elements include tiered setbacks at upper levels and flower beds along street frontages. The building will be all-electric with solar panels for energy generation. Communal open space of 218sq m exceeds the required 67.5sq m under planning standards. The proposal aligns with Better Apartment Design Standards that require development to respond to urban context while maintaining reasonable amenity standards. The planning application was approved by the Department of Transport and Planning under the Great Design Fast Track, which is reserved for residential developments that demonstrate the highest level of design excellence. JMSN director Sam Jamieson said the collaborative approval process with the Office of the Victorian Government Architect (OVGA) delivered superior design outcomes compared to traditional council pathways. ▲ Warren and Mahoney’s design incorporates green tiling, pale brickwork and tiered upper levels to integrate with the heritage streetscape. “You’re working with architects—it’s my architect versus the OVGA’s architects, and they’re flexing their design skills together, and the development goes from something that was great to something extremely good,” Jamieson told The Urban Developer . Jamieson said the collaborative state approval process allowed for more design flexibility compared to traditional pathways, where strict adherence to setback and height controls can sometimes constrain architectural outcomes. The removal of third-party appeal rights under the fast-track pathway was also critical given the site’s location in a sensitive heritage area where local opposition has previously derailed nearby developments. The close working relationship with state authorities during the pre-lodgement phase meant conditions on the approved permit were minimal, with the design form remaining largely unchanged from formal submission to approval. “Because we worked so closely with the OVGA and the DTP throughout the submission process, once we formally submitted, it was a very rounded-out set,” Jamieson said. Early design certainty allowed JMSN to start detailed design work months before the permit was issued, fast-tracking the project timeline. “With this new pathway, you’re essentially working to a more feasible outcome and Victoria gets much better apartments and a lot of them,” Jamieson said. “We start to combat this housing crisis, but also it’s more feasible for the developer to deliver.” It is the first joint-venture between JMSN and Monark Property Partners. ▲ Renderings of JMSN’s first Fitzroy project, ns227, which was designed by Warren and Mahoney. JMSN’s first Fitzroy project, the six-storey ns227 development at 227 Napier Street , opened its display suite in late 2024 with 10 homes priced from $1.85 million to $5.2 million. Jamieson said that ns227 drew inspiration from European apartment living and Georgian architecture, targeting wealthy downsizers in an area where established stock was selling for $19,500 a square metre. Warren and Mahoney principal architect Nick Deans said “with home now being our true base, we’re becoming a lot more attuned to our local neighbourhoods”.

JMSN 27-Apartment Scheme at Fitzroy North Waved Ahead

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