NSW's 2nd largest city has and continues to undergo a significant revitalisation.

Projects completed in and around the CBD include the new $368m light rail project, the new law courts,  multiple major apartment projects, The Station and the new Transport Interchange.

Most works are in close proximity to the new commercial core of Newcastle which has now moved to Newcastle West - aka "The West End".  Newcastle West is adjacent to Wickham and Honeysuckle, creating a contemporary blend of brand new commercial space and residential accommodation, waterfront community spaces, new restaurants and cafes, a new boutique hotel and more.

"The West End" is also home to the City of Newcastle's new head office, completed in late 2020.

The University of Newcastle has also opened 2 major new city campuses:

1. NUSpace - located on Hunter Street close to the new Law Courts, NUSpace showcases the latest in technology and innovation in teaching and learning to deliver a world-class student experience.  NUSpace is home to the Business School and Law School.
2. The Q building at Honeysuckle - Q is the new creative and entrepreneurial hub and provides state-of-the-art facilities for the School of Creative Industries (SOCI) and Integrated Innovation Network (I2N).

"Billions Pour into Newcastle"

A recent Urban Developer article (Nov 2021) titled "Billions pour into Newcastle's Hunter Street" and written by Renee McKeown, included discussion on some of the key apartment projects underway or in the development pipeline.  Some highlights from Renee's article:

1. Iris Capital's $700million East End development currently underway in Newcastle East.
2. Thirdi Group's 184-apartment project, Dairy Farmers Towers—the Sydney-based group's fourth project in the West End.  Scheduled for delivery late 2024.
3. Doma Group's $130-million final stage at 854 Hunter Street, Newcastle West.  This project spans 2 towers behind the Transport Interchange, adds 365 apartments, ground floor retail and office space across 28- and 30-storey towers.

Read the full Urban Developer article here.

Hunter Central Coast Development Corporation (HCCDC) Projects

The HCCDC is a NSW State Government initiative and is responsible for selected developments and revitalisation projects in both Newcastle and the Central Coast.

In Newcastle the HCCDC has been and is responsible for many projects including The Station and the following:

1. Honeysuckle HQ - this represents the final lands to be transformed in Honeysuckle.  Spanning 3.28 ha, HQ includes 2 parcels of land including Honeysuckle Quays, the last remaining waterfront development site in Newcastle.   Visit the website for more information.
2. Honeysuckle Park - Waterfront public domain with greenspace, shaded BBQ and maritime-themed playground.
3. Honeysuckle Promenade works - the final stage in an 11km harbourside path stretching from Wickham to Bathers Way.
4. Hope at Honeysuckle - The historic Wharf building is being transformed into a harbourfront cellar door destination.

Image courtesy and copyright of of HCCDC (artist impression of the future). Wickham in the foreground, West End and Honeysuckle.

The Wickham Master Plan

The Wickham Master Plan (WMP) from Newcastle City Council sets the vision of  how "Wickham could redevelop from a post-industrial suburb at the fringe of the Newcastle City Centre into a mixed-use urban neighbourhood supporting the new emerging commercial core within Newcastle West..."

Developed in 2017 and recently updated by Council, the WMP takes .... "advantage of the State Government's urban renewal initiatives including the opening of a multimodal public transport interchange in Wickham"  (courtesy Newcastle City Council).

More apartment/hotel developments

Some of the notable apartment and hotel projects include:

1. Stella on Hannell - Luxury apartments in 2 separate towers in Wickham, developed by Thirdi Group and completed in 2021.
2. Crystalbrook Kingsley - Newcastle's 1st 5-star hotel, opened in June 2021.
3. LUME Apartments - 138 waterfront apartments and 10 townhouses, courtesy of Doma Group at Honeysuckle, completed in the last year.
4. Huntington - 92 apartments, absolute waterfront, north facing in prime Honeysuckle location.  Developed by Doma Group and under construction now.
5. Little National Hotel - Another Doma Group project, this 187 room boutique hotel will be finished in 2023.  Close proximity to Honeysuckle, the Transport Interchange and Wickham.
6. Horizon on the Harbour - Miller Property Corporation is bringing to the market 110 residential units & five ground floor retail/commercial occupancies across 1 x nine-storey tower and 2 x eight-storey towers, at one of the most prime locations in Honeysuckle.
7. Sky Residences - Developed by leading Newcastle company GWH, Sky Residences is close to completion and encompasses 180 apartments.
8. The Crossing - Approximately half way between West End and East End, taking in views of the harbour and the Museum, the Crossing from Doma Group consists of 48 apartments and is scheduled for completion in 2022.
9. Bowline - An iconic new 14-storey landmark in Wickham offering luxurious apartments homes with stunning views of the Harbour and nearby marinas from one of Newcastle's newest hotspots.

But wait there's more...

Looking at the greater Newcastle Region (Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens, Hunter Valley) there is much to like about the investment and opportunity in the area.  Other notable projects in and around Newcastle include:

1. Costco - Costco's 13th store in Australia is located in Lake Macquarie, just 20 minutes from Newcastle.  This $60million development was opened in August 2021.
2. Newcastle Airport Expansion - $66million expansion project which will facilitate international flights, create over 4,000 jobs and introduce an estimated $12+ billion into the local economy over the next 20 years.  Estimated completion in 2023.
3. Australia's 1st Lithium Ion battery manufacturing plant, as promoted by the PM in March this year, a $70 million investment in Tomago just north of Newcastle.
4. Cedar Mill in Morisset - Winarch Capital’s $235 million redevelopment of Morisset Golf Course, will include a new 50,000 person concert venue, cafes and restaurants, tourist accommodation and Australia’s largest aquatic play park across a 90 hectare site.

Looking for a Newcastle Buyer's Agent?

Niva Property specialise in acquiring investment-grade property in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie.   Contact the Niva team to get a piece of the Newcastle action!

Disclaimer:  All information above was correct at date of publishing this article, and based on publicly available information on the internet.  Readers should conduct their own research into the forementioned projects.  Niva Property has no relationships with any of the projects or their developers/builders.