Crows Nest build-to-rent project approved for North Sydney

A consortium behind a previously approved Crows Nest office development has been given the green light for a 16-storey build-to-rent project, reshaping plans for a strategically located site near the suburb’s new Metro station.

GALLERY  

Silvernight, a consortium involving Ascent Capital’s Steven Papadopoulos alongside Hong Kong-based Christina Mooi Chong Chew and Hing Loong Rudoff Leong, originally lodged plans for a 13-storey A-grade office building at 270 Pacific Highway in 2023. The scheme was approved the following year.

However, changing market conditions and planning priorities prompted the consortium to reconsider the site’s future. In July 2025, Silvernight submitted a new proposal for a predominantly residential development, with the planning application stating that a detailed review had resulted in a more mixed-use outcome.

The State Significant Development will deliver 168 apartments across 16 storeys within the Crows Nest Accelerated Transport Oriented Development precinct. The 3796 square metre site is approximately 250 metres from Crows Nest Metro Station and 350 metres from the Mater Hospital, placing residents within close reach of public transport, healthcare and the established services of the North Sydney community.

Two existing five-storey commercial buildings will be demolished to make way for the development, which has an estimated cost of $176.67 million.

Designed around a three-level podium, the project will combine housing with retail, medical and shared community facilities. The proposal includes 396 square metres of retail space, a 3132 square metre medical centre and 65 square metres of office space, helping to retain a level of employment and service activity within the site.

Residents will also have access to 2016 square metres of communal open space, alongside a suite of amenities including a gym and sauna, outdoor swimming pool, co-working space and cinema room.

The project’s shift towards housing reflects the broader transformation planned for Crows Nest following the precinct’s rezoning. According to the planning report, the Crows Nest Transport Oriented Development upzoning is expected to facilitate around 5900 new homes by 2039, increasing the suburb’s capacity to accommodate a growing population around public transport infrastructure.

A concurrent planning proposal seeks amendments to the North Sydney Local Environmental Plan to account for the proposed floor space ratio split between residential and non-residential uses.

The project attracted four objections during the assessment process, with concerns including the amount of residential floor space, traffic and parking impacts and the proposed building height. The development provides 82 car spaces across two basement levels.

Despite the concerns, the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure found the proposal supports state planning priorities and achieves “good design quality” and amenity.

For Crows Nest, the development represents another step in the suburb’s transition from a predominantly established commercial and residential community into a higher-density, transit-oriented neighbourhood. By replacing an office-only proposal with housing, retail and medical uses, the project reflects the changing role of precincts built around new public transport infrastructure, while adding much-needed residential capacity close to existing community services.

Images via The Urban Developer

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