Housing Highrises Advance on North Sydney’s Alfred Street

Two neighbouring towers at North Sydney are advancing under the state-led Housing Delivery Authority after years of stalled planning.

Together, the proposals carry an estimated development cost of almost $380 million.

Each would excavate 10 levels of basement beneath mixed-use towers on former commercial sites.

At 275 Alfred Street on the eastern edge of the North Sydney CBD, one tower (pictured at top) has moved beyond public exhibition under the state pathway, while a second scheme, next door at 271-273 Alfred Street, has entered the system seeking assessment requirements.

The projects would deliver about 280 apartments, including affordable housing, on CBD-edge land long constrained by commercial-only zoning.

The Alfred Street sites are outside the core commercial spine but within walking distance of rail and Metro infrastructure.

Despite strong job growth, residential development in this part of North Sydney has remained limited under local controls.

As The Urban Developer reported last year, North Sydney has been among the weakest-performing councils in Greater Sydney for housing approvals relative to its pro-rata targets.

A long road to redevelopment

Planning for redevelopment along Alfred Street has been under review for more than a decade.

A planning proposal emerged in 2015 for 275 Alfred Street but shifted into a precinct-wide approach, with later planning work across the Alfred Street precinct extending into the 2020s.

▲ Aerial image of the site at 275 Alfred Street at North Sydney.

Height and land-use controls, however, remained unresolved.

Momentum shifted in 2025 when the Housing Delivery Authority declared the Alfred Street sites State Significant Development, moving assessment away from council determination.

Plans for 275 Alfred Street lead the corridor

Under the more advanced scheme at 275 Alfred Street, filed by One 275 Alfred Street Pty Limited and Two 275 Alfred Street Pty Limited, a 20-storey commercial tower on the 1342sq m site would make way for a 39-storey shoptop housing development.

▲ FJC renderings of the 39-storey shoptop housing tower proposed for 275 Alfred Street.

The $247.2 million FJC-designed proposal would deliver 184 apartments above a three-storey podium containing ground-floor retail and communal open space.

Ten basement levels would provide 172 car spaces, along with bicycle parking, servicing and building services.

The apartment mix includes 51 one, 59 two, 68 three and six four-bedroom units.

A total of 38 apartments, 15 per cent of the scheme, would be secured as affordable housing for 15 years and managed by Evolve Housing.

▲ A photomontage showing the shadow of the proposed tower.

Now responding to submissions following exhibition in January, the project also includes a publicly accessible through-site pedestrian link connecting Alfred Street and Little Alfred Street, along with public domain upgrades and landscaping.

The application is being assessed alongside a concurrent rezoning to replace lowrise controls with site-specific height and floor-space provisions, allowing a 39-storey, 133m tower on a site currently limited to 13 metres.

The site adjoins the Whaling Road Heritage Conservation Area and sits within Sydney Airport’s airspace controls, requiring separate aviation approvals, including for construction cranes.

▲ An indicative reference scheme showing the proposed Alfred Street towers side by side.

A second tower lines up behind it

Immediately next door at 271-273 Alfred Street, Tara Shore Pty Ltd, acting for the John Taylor Family Trust, has filed a request for Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs) for a 37-storey tower on a site of about 1040sq m.

Like its neighbour, the scheme proposes 10 basement levels accommodating carparking, plant and bicycle storage, along with an east-west through-site link connecting Alfred Street and Little Alfred Street.

▲ Aerial image showing the site at 271-273 Alfred Street within North Sydney.

Under the $130-million proposal, a lowrise commercial building would be demolished to clear the way for about 100 apartments on levels 3 to 36 above commercial and retail space on levels one and two.

The project is progressing through the HDA-backed state significant pathway, alongside planning changes to rezone the site from commercial-only use to mixed use, allowing residential development.