The Rosanna apartment and mixed-use development is a standout example of SEMZ’s ability to create investment opportunities, manage the complete lifecycle of complex projects, and collaborate effectively across multiple government departments to deliver public value.
Transforming Opportunity into Impact
Located adjacent to the Rosanna Train Station, on land made available as part of the State’s Level Crossing Removal Project, the development features ground floor retail and commercial spaces, 45 apartments across five levels, and a basement car park with 38 spaces—delivering a vibrant, transit-oriented community hub.
This project will provide both social and affordable housing and has been funded under a partnership model between Homes Victoria, Housing Australia and community housing organisation, Evolve Housing.
SEMZ’s End-to-End Role
From day one, SEMZ has led every aspect of the project lifecycle. This included bid strategy, detailed commercial structuring, stakeholder engagement, and successful negotiation of a Project Development Agreement with the State Government—securing land rights subject to a series of conditions subsequent.
A compelling business case was developed to support upfront investment, while extensive engagement with the then Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) and Banyule City Council enabled a fast-tracked planning pathway. A combined Planning Scheme Amendment and Planning Permit (Section 96A) application was prepared and submitted, with SEMZ managing a compressed design timeline to support this.
The commercial delivery was underpinned by a Delivery Agreement with Homes Victoria, ensuring long-term ownership of the completed project. This required a complex, three-way negotiation between SEMZ, Homes Victoria and the State under the Project Development Agreement—establishing the foundations for seamless project delivery.
Overcoming Complex Challenges
SEMZ has successfully navigated a range of critical challenges throughout the project:
- Planning Approval: Achieved through a fast-tracked combined Planning Scheme Amendment and Planning Permit (Section 96A).
- Delivery Agreement: Fund-through model negotiated and secured with Homes Victoria to underpin commercial certainty.
- Authority Management: Engaged extensively with multiple authorities to secure timely approvals and mitigate risks, including:
- Metro Trains Melbourne (MTM) – rail access coordination
- Jemena – undergrounding of overhead power lines
- Yarra Valley Water – resolution of water supply infrastructure
- Cost Management: Applied strategic value management and procurement strategies to deliver within tight cost and time constraints in a highly volatile market.
Ongoing Leadership and Governance
With completion targeted for early 2026, SEMZ continues to provide comprehensive project leadership—overseeing governance, financial and commercial reporting, stakeholder and authority liaison, design coordination, and administration of key transaction documents including:
- Project Development Agreement
- Delivery Agreement
- Construction Contract
- Authority Agreements
This project demonstrates SEMZ’s ability to drive complex, high-value developments that align with government objectives, deliver social impact, and create long-term investment value.
Key project partners and consultants:
- C Kairouz Architects – Chahid Kairouz, James Boland, Sue Sukkar, Lea Elhaber
- Samssons Projects – Joseph Kairouz, Matt Halkyard, Bailey Talevski, Ali Hourani
- Ratio – Matt Furness
- Best Hooper – John Cicero, Eliza Minney
- Lander & Rogers – John Wells, Rob Deev, Lisa Gaddie
- Lucid – Kris Klimionek, Dion Justyna
- Edge – Andy Amato, Geomer Manalastas, Corey Humphrey
- Site Image – Mike Phillips
- Traffix Group – Jason Stone, Dimitri Economou
- Ark Resources – Vincent Logarzo, Leonie Dixon, Alistair Forster
- Floreancig Smith – Tim Hosemans, Blake Gould