Homes NSW Hillsdale Receives SSDA Approval

Studio.SC’s Homes NSW Hillsdale project has received State Significant Development Application approval, paving the way for 179 new social homes in Sydney’s southeast.

The redevelopment at 68-80 Beauchamp Road will replace 39 existing dwellings, increasing the number of homes on the site by more than four times and making significantly better use of well-located government land.

Designed for Homes NSW, the project responds to the need for more secure, high quality and diverse housing. More than 60% of the new homes are two- and three-bedroom apartments, providing greater choice for families and larger households within the social housing system.

The design takes a landscape-led approach, drawing from the site’s former wetland character to create a green communal heart at the centre of the development. Two residential buildings frame this shared landscape, bringing together movement, gathering and everyday life within a connected neighbourhood.

Along Beauchamp Road, brick and tiled forms reinterpret the pitched roof character familiar to Hillsdale through a contemporary architectural language. Deep reveals and generous balconies provide shade, privacy and connection to the outdoors, while subtle changes in height, texture and colour help break down the scale of the development.

Sustainability has also been embedded into the project, with an average 7 Star NatHERS rating targeted across the development and an innovative landscaped stormwater easement integrated into the site.

The SSDA approval marks an important milestone towards transforming the existing site into a new social housing community that significantly increases housing supply while creating better homes, shared spaces and connections to landscape.

For Studio.SC, the project reflects the opportunity to approach social housing as more than a numbers exercise. Increasing supply is critical, but so too is creating places that support dignity, belonging and quality of everyday life.