Midrise Proposals Pile Up in Sydney’s Blue-Ribbon East
A cluster of midrise apartment proposals has landed in Sydney’s eastern suburbs under the NSW Low and Mid-Rise (LMR) Housing reforms.
The Woollahra Council, which covers suburbs including Rose Bay and Double Bay, received seven apartment development applications under the LMR framework in December.
Together, the proposals—filed between December 2 and December 12—would deliver 86 apartments in buildings ranging from six to nine storeys, replacing detached houses on small and mid-sized sites.
A separate shoptop housing application was also lodged in the same period.
The proposals follow earlier LMR activity at Rose Bay, including Fortis’s $86.6-million, 49-apartment scheme at 23-31 Dover Road.
The December filings point to a further wave of uptake, driven by smaller sites and a mix of private developers and owner-led projects.
Dover Road
Fyve Developments Pty Ltd plans to replace three houses with a six-storey, 19-unit block above two basement levels at 28-32 Dover Road.
The $31.4-million proposal spans 1393.5sq m and would rise to 21.8m, just below the 22m height limit, with an FSR of 2.2:1.
The apartment mix includes two and three-bedroom homes, arranged behind a four-storey street wall with recessed upper levels.
Parking is planned for 37 vehicles, while deep soil landscaping and tree canopy coverage exceed minimum requirements.
Carlisle Street
At 13-15 Carlisle Street, CSRB Holdings Pty Ltd would demolish two detached homes to make way for an eight-storey apartment building.
The MHND Union designed $24.4 million proposal, (pictured at top), would deliver 20 apartments across a 1116sq m consolidated site near the Rose Bay local centre.
Five homes would be allocated as affordable housing, enabling increased height and floor space to 28.16m with an FSR of 2.86:1.
The remainder comprises two, three and four-bedroom apartments.
Parking is arranged across four basement levels, providing 42 car spaces alongside bicycle and motorcycle parking.
Communal open space would be split between ground and first-floor landscaped areas, with balconies provided to all upper-level apartments.
Carlisle Street has already recorded apartment development activity, with Fortis completing a boutique project at 1 Carlisle Street, Rose Bay, ahead of the LMR reform.
Spencer Street cluster
Two further schemes have been lodged for Spencer Street.
At 2A Spencer Street, the Lamar 36 Unit Trust filed a $7.83-million application for a seven-storey building containing seven apartments.
It replaces a previously approved lower-scale scheme.
The proposal would rise to 22.5m, supported by a Clause 4.6 variation, with parking for 13 cars across two basement levels.
Further along the street at 41 Spencer Street, Architectit Pty Ltd has filed $14.3-million plans for a seven-storey building of eight apartments.
The application was lodged on behalf of Nati Stoliar, a Sydney-based property owner who has previously been associated with high-value residential holdings in the eastern suburbs, according to public reporting.
The scheme would rise to 23.6m, also relying on a height variation, with 14 car spaces across two basement levels.
Spencer Street has already been the site of larger apartment proposals, including HSN Property Group’s 54-apartment LMR scheme at 2-16 Spencer Street.
Manning Road
At 52-54 Manning Road, Double Bay, Orbit 8 Pty Ltd’s $15.1-million plans for a nine-storey residential flat building would deliver 18 apartments above three basement levels.
The Architectit-designed plans include three affordable apartments, enabling a height and floor space uplift to 29.81m with an FSR of 2.85:1.
A Clause 4.6 variation was filed with the application.
Parking is planned for 41 cars, accessed via twin car lifts, with balconies on all levels and landscaped terraces at lower floors.
Richmond Road
A private, owner-led proposal from Antony and Nicole Richards would replace a detached house with a six-storey building at 1 Richmond Road.
The $11.16-million project would deliver six apartments at the corner site metres from the Rose Bay local centre.
The scheme would rise to 21.81m with an FSR of 2.04:1 and include five three-bedroom apartments and one two-bedroom apartment.
Parking for eight cars would be within a single basement level.
Wilberforce Avenue
A $16.8-million proposal for an eight-storey building at 10 Wilberforce Avenue would deliver eight large apartments, including three four-bedroom homes.
Plans by Dickson Rothschild show two apartments would be allocated as affordable housing, enabling an FSR of 2.84:1.
Parking would spread across three basement levels accessed via car lift.
Each level above the podium would house a single apartment, with a shared rooftop garden proposed above.
Wilberforce Avenue and nearby Ian Street have also featured in earlier LMR coverage, including Fortis’s upscaled midrise proposal at 10-12 Ian Street, Rose Bay, and a Wilberforce–Dover supersite spanning 32-38 Wilberforce Avenue and 41-55 Dover Road, which was listed after the reforms took effect.
Double Bay shoptop planned
Alto on Manning Pty Ltd has filed an $8.6-million development application for 14 Manning Road for shoptop housing.
Plans indicate it would include affordable housing and a basement carpark, replacing an existing home.
Community opposition has already surfaced across earlier Rose Bay proposals.
During the exhibition of Fortis’s Dover Road proposal and HSN Property Group’s Spencer Street project in November, residents lodged objections citing height, excavation, traffic and cumulative impacts.
The Woollahra Council has continued to oppose the state’s planning changes, arguing the controls override local planning frameworks and strain infrastructure.
In December, the Land and Environment Court approved Orosi Developments’ Rose Bay project after a deemed refusal.
The consent accepted the project’s use of planning controls and affordable housing bonuses.
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