Meriton Moves Ahead with Parramatta Masterplan

Hot on the heels of its Zetland masterplan, prolific apartment developer Meriton has filed plans for a dual tower project at Parramatta. 

Proposed for the site, at 263-281 Pennant Hills Road at Carlingford, are two towers of 12 and 15 storeys. 

The proponent is Karimbla Properties, which is used in various guises for the projects of ‘highrise king’ Harry Triguboff’s Meriton development company, including a 302-apartment project planned for Zetland and filed last week. 

In this latest Parramatta submission, Meriton is proposing two mixed-use towers above a that would include a community centre and three levels of basement carparking. 

The 12-storey Building E would comprise 49 apartments, while Building F would have 60 units. While the apartments would be predominantly two bedrooms, units of one and three bedrooms are also included.

Shared communal open space is planned for between the towers as well as a north-facing terrace on level 2 of the podium including a pool and spa, and rooftop communal space atop Building F. 

The proposal is the latest stage of Meritron’s seven-building project dubbed The Carling planned for the wider 2.8ha site, which was first proposed in 2022. 

▲ A render of Crone Architects’ design for the towers. Planning Ingenuity are the town planners.

After an initial refusal from the Parramatta City Council, Meriton appealed to the Land and Environment Court, and subsequently “considerably modified” the project. 

The first stage of the site allows for the construction of a mixed-use development in the north-eastern and southern sections. 

A recently gazetted Planning Proposal for the site supports increased densities and amended zone boundaries “to enable the delivery of additional high-quality housing, open space and community facilities on the site.”

The buildings on the 27,987sq m irregular site, which was amalgamated from seven lots, would sit at the corner of Shirley Street and a new internal road. 

The area has been earmarked for a “significant” increase in height and density for some time, given the proximity to the Carlingford Light Rail Stop. 

Meriton has ramped up activities considerably this year, not only lodging plans for Zetland, but also the latest stages of its $3-billion Pagewood Green project, a Gold Coast tower of 519 apartments and twin apartment towers overlooking Brisbane’s Botanic Gardens.