Australia's Largest Built-to-Rent Development

District Living, one of the country’s largest Build-to-Rent developments in Melbourne’s Docklands, is a step closer to being approved, following endorsement from the Future Melbourne Committee.

The $700M plus project will be delivered by specialised real estate investment and advisory group AsheMorgan and once complete, will provide over 900 BTR apartments across two buildings on Little Docklands Drive.

As a means of catering to young families within the Docklands Primary catchment, the project will offer a generous mix of studios, one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, as well as over 4,000 sqm of amenity. 

Residents will have access to a state-of-the-art wellness centre inclusive of a fitness studio, plunge pool, sauna and steam room and a stunning sky terrace with kitchen, dining and relaxation spaces. 

Pioneering the amount of outdoor space and greenery expected in a BTR, District Living will provide 2,500 sqm of private outdoor space including an outdoor dog park and dog wash, an outdoor fitness area, and large green open spaces to relax. 

The public and local community will also benefit from retail spaces on the ground floor and a further 1,500 sqm of public outdoor open space.

AsheMorgan Development Director Mat Stoddart said having the support of the Future Melbourne Committee is a great step in the right direction.

“Receiving endorsement from the Future Melbourne Committee is a great step towards planning certainty and we look forward to the project receiving the green light in due course.

“Melbourne is facing a significant undersupply of housing, in particular, the rental market is grossly undersupplied with vacancy rates hitting record lows. Project completions, both across build-to-rent and build-to-sell, are expected to fall well short of the required numbers in the next five years in terms of population growth, further cementing a need for a project such as this.

“The project will help cater to the growing demand for high-quality apartments within the suburb, in particular, families who want to live in the Docklands Primary catchment and those already renting.”

A large portion of the apartments have been specifically designed with families in mind, including a unique offering in the form of Soho-style apartments across two levels. The project will also be all-electric and target a 7.5 NAThers rating, passing further cost-savings onto renters.

Councillor Nicholas Reece said District Living is a landmark project for Docklands, particularly as it is located on one of the last remaining developable sites within the Docklands area.

“This project is a huge vote of confidence in Docklands and will be a fantastic new addition to the precinct. The quality of the design is really strong… the green open space that is being delivered will be much appreciated by the Docklands community and broader Melbourne community.”

The project is located adjacent to 80,000 sqm of existing amenity including AsheMorgan’s existing investment, The District Docklands, a vibrant mixed-use urban precinct.

With North Melbourne train station only 500m away, the group has aspirations of connecting District Living via a footbridge overpass on Footscray Road, to further streamline its connection to transport.

District Living is currently before the Minister for Planning and tendering for a builder is scheduled to take place later this year.

For more information on AsheMorgan, please visit https://www.ashemorgan.com.au/