Developer Orchard Piper has received development approval for its AU$520 million mixed-use precinct on Princess Street in Kew, located five kilometres from Melbourne’s CBD.
The project, dubbed Kew Village, will replace an underutilised open-air car park and supermarket with a new residential and retail hub designed by architecture studio Wardle.
The approval follows a comprehensive design review process involving the Office of the Victorian Government Architect, the Department of Transport and Planning and the City of Boroondara.
The approved scheme features 194 residences, ranging from one-bedroom apartments to expansive townhouses, spread across four distinct buildings.
Notably, Orchard Piper has committed 10 per cent of the residential stock to affordable housing, specifically earmarked for essential workers.
“Our ambition with this project is two-fold: to deliver a precinct that meaningfully enhances Kew Junction while responding to the need for new housing and retail,” said Orchard Piper Founder and Director Luke McKie.
“This approval allows us to realise a project that becomes a new focal point for Kew, a lively residential precinct set above a welcoming, walkable place for the community defined by green space, a new fine-produce offering and reenvisioned retail.”
Central to the design is a new pedestrian laneway and a proposed public park to the south, intended to create a walkable village atmosphere.
Architect John Wardle noted that the buildings’ masonry and terracotta finishes were inspired by the suburb’s Victorian and mid-century heritage.
“The architecture has been shaped by a careful sampling of Kew’s existing buildings, drawing from the double-column proportions of the suburb’s Victorian and Edwardian homes, as well as the more solid masonry expression and measured proportions found in its mid-century houses,” Wardle said.
While most of the precinct remains under 16 storeys, an 18-storey element has been positioned to minimise overshadowing on the surrounding area.
On the ground floor, the precinct will host a 1,344-square-metre fresh food grocer alongside a curated mix of retail and dining spaces. The project aims to re-establish urban connections in one of Melbourne’s most established eastern suburbs.
Kew Village is slated for a market launch in 2027, with construction expected to begin later that year.