Hamton and Hostplus appointed to deliver Arden Central, with more than 5,400 homes beside Arden Station

A joint venture of Melbourne developer Hamton and industry super fund Hostplus has been appointed to lead Arden Central, a 12-hectare urban renewal precinct on government-owned land next to Arden Station in North Melbourne. The plan is for more than 5,400 homes and more than 10,000 residents, about 1.5 kilometres from the CBD. That is over 50 per cent above the original target of 3,500 homes.

The Victorian Government and Development Victoria announced the outcome of the competitive tender on 22 October. Works are expected to begin in 2027, with around 1,700 homes completed by 2033.

Project at a glance

How the appointment came together

Development Victoria invited expressions of interest in June 2024 and shortlisted four bidders that October, with Hamton's team then including Woods Bagot, Populous and Nelson + Khoo. Clayton Utz, which advised Development Victoria, says the agency has entered into a Precinct Development Agreement with Hamton and Hostplus.

The developers' project website gives $7 billion as the precinct's end value.

Hamton, established in 2006, is the developer and Hostplus the joint venture's capital partner. The two already work together at Moonee Valley Park in Moonee Ponds. Development Victoria says the consortium also includes Live Nation, Melbourne Victory FC, the University of Melbourne's Melbourne School of Design, North Melbourne Football Club and Coles.

"Bringing Hamton, Hostplus and their partners on board means we can deliver more homes than first planned, in a well-connected neighbourhood close to the city, jobs, education and transport," said Niall Cunningham, Development Victoria's Executive General Manager Precincts.

What will be built

Homes. The mix covers build-to-sell, build-to-rent, student accommodation and co-living. The government says Arden will be an anchor site for its First Home Buyers scheme, with over 4,000 homes designated for people buying their first home.

Live music. Live Nation will deliver and operate a purpose-built venue that is expected to host more than 100 events a year. Live Nation says the venue is being designed by Blueprint Studio, its in-house design and development group, with Populous.

Sport. Melbourne Victory will establish an Arden Campus, including a hub for women's and youth female pathway programs. A public community field and shared facilities for local schools are also planned. North Melbourne Football Club, in Arden for more than 150 years, stays on as a partner with its community arm, The Huddle.

Education. The University of Melbourne's Melbourne School of Design will have a building on site called MSD+, and a developer-funded research partnership will make the precinct a "living lab" for nature-based urban development. Land has been identified for a future government primary school. Separately, the government has secured two Arden Street lots beside the station for a vertical public secondary school, which it says will be the first government secondary school built in the City of Melbourne since 1910.

Shops and services. The retail precinct will be anchored by a 3,700-square-metre Coles supermarket, with 15 specialty shops, a gym, a childcare centre, 1,000 square metres of commercial space and a food and beverage hub.

Parks and sustainability. Open space will cover almost half the site, with the public realm shaped by Gehl Studios. The precinct has been designed with Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Elders and communities, guided by the principles of Designing with Country. The Fifth Estate and Apartments.com.au report that the plan is for an all-electric precinct targeting net zero operational energy emissions by 2040 and a 6 Star Green Star Communities rating.

Built around the station

Arden Station opened on the Metro Tunnel line in 2025, and the project website puts the university's Parkville campus two minutes away by train.

"Without the Victorian Government's investment in Arden Station, an opportunity of this scale and significance simply would not have been possible," said Hamton Executive Chairman Paul Hameister.

What's next

The developers' proposed program runs as follows:

Both Development Victoria and the developers describe their dates as indicative and subject to change, and the developers list planning and building approvals among the factors that could affect them. Development Victoria expects overall completion in 2052.

Published 8 November 2026 · Updated 3 November 2026