This article is from the Australian Property Journal archive
ACTIVE Sydney developer Deicorp is moving ahead with its plans for a Five Dock mega-site, unveiling the design for the inner-city village as it prepares its planning submission.
Sydney architecture and design practice Turner has had its design selected by an design jury as part of a competition the developer held in consultation with the City of Canada Bay Council.
The Kings Bay Village project will comprise six buildings including 890 apartments, 14,700 sqm of commercial and retail space, and 6,500 sqm of public open space with outdoor plaza, public marketplace and village green.
Deicorp paid about $260 million nearly a year ago for the 3.13-hectare site, which is located about 10 kilometres west of the Sydney CBD and sits between Parramatta Road, William Street and Queens Road, within the proposed Kings Bay residential precinct outlined by the Canada Bay Council’s masterplan and the NSW government’s Parramatta Road Corridor Urban Transformation Strategy.
A Deicorp spokesperson told Australian Property Journal that a State Significant Development Application is being prepared for submission in December quarter, and, depending on planning approval, construction is anticipated to commence in the third quarter of 2025.
“Deicorp is confident of the current and future demand for housing that is well-located close to great amenities, and, thanks to the Sydney West Metro, will be 15-minutes to the CBD,” they said.
Five Dock station is expected to be delivered by 2032.
“Deicorp is committed to delivering housing close to transport and jobs. We will be continuing to explore opportunities on major transport corridors like Metro and Light Rail stations,” the spokesperson said to Australian Property Journal.
“As an integrated builder and developer, this project forms part of our future pipeline of work which will see us commencing work on around 4,400 apartments over a 12-month period.”
At the end of May, Deicorp was given the go-ahead by Canada Bay Council for a $435 million 32-level mixed use tower a couple of suburbs over in Rhodes. Designed by FK, plans include construction of 214 apartments sitting on a four-storey retail and commercial podium, with a rooftop terrace and garden plus residential courtyard.
It closed 2023 with approval of projects in Melrose Park, Crows Nest and Parramatta, which have a combined 1,200-plus apartments and 44,000 sqm of retail space.
Affordable housing, green corridors
Deicorp’s chairman, Fouad Deiri, said the Five Dock proposal “seeks to support Canada Bay Council’s masterplan for a lively neighbourhood in the Kings Bay precinct that will have green corridors linking to the Parramatta River”.
Turner director James McCarthy and Dan Swaj say the public domain, designed in conjunction with Arcadia Landscape Architects, will be a pedestrian-centric network of streets and laneways, with a large new public park at the corner of William Street and Queens Road.
“The architecture speaks to the rich history of the industrial and warehousing used in the area, and takes inspiration from the vernacular of the local brick façades, fenestration, and roof profiles.”
Deicorp said in a press release there will be a “diverse mix of housing types provided, including a large component of affordable housing for key workers”.
The towers are positioned to take advantage of views to Kings Bay, Iron Cove and the city CBD skyline.
In selecting the Turner design, the jury said, “The scheme expresses a clear idea about differentiated character and activation across the precinct in the land use, plot size, and street front.
“From finer grain, active retail and public domain in the west, there is a clear and rational transition to the quieter residential and service zones to the east.”
