May 2026 – Design-led developer Orchard Piper has received development approval for its landmark $520 million mixed-use precinct on Princess Street in Kew. The project, known as Kew Village, will transform a largely underutilised site currently occupied by an open-air car park and supermarket into a new residential, retail and public realm destination designed to revitalise Kew Junction.
Designed by acclaimed architecture studio Wardle, with landscaping by Oculus, the approved scheme comprises 194 residences, including one, two and three-bedroom apartments and townhouses, a 1,344 sqm fresh food grocer and a collection of retail and F&B spaces spread across four distinct buildings of varying heights. Ten per cent of the residential offering will be dedicated affordable housing for essential workers.
The development is designed as a thoughtfully connected village incorporating a series of green open spaces, including a new pedestrian laneway that acts as an extension of Athenaeum Place, alongside landscaped ground-plane. A verdant new public park to the south of the site has also been proposed.
“Our ambition with this project is twofold: to deliver a precinct that meaningfully enhances Kew Junction while responding to the need for new housing and retail; and to set a precedent for future development in the area,” 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.”
The project’s cohesive design is grounded in an extensive study of the site’s urban conditions, building upon the area’s existing patterns of occurrence to re-establish connections and create a living, breathing village.
Almost all buildings within the project remain below 16 storeys, with a carefully considered 18-storey element strategically positioned to minimise overshadowing and protect surrounding amenity.
“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,” said Wardle Principal John Wardle.
“Rich, highly crafted materials, including brick and terracotta, will ground the precinct and reveal the hand, mind and skills of many makers.”
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.
“Kew Village is a defining addition to our portfolio and reflects Orchard Piper’s dedication to design excellence. For nearly two decades, we have been collaborating with leading architects and designers to create thoughtful, enduring buildings,” said Luke McKie.
“This approval provides the momentum to move forward confidently with a precinct that will deliver much-needed housing in Kew and contribute meaningfully to the continued evolution of the junction.”
Kew Village is expected to launch to market in 2027, with construction anticipated to commence later that year.
All images courtesy of Orchard Piper.
