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Como Henley Rise
Leonora Street sits in the riverside suburb of Como, just south of Perth’s CBD. Although the area was subdivided for housing in the early 1900s, most development occurred after World War II as Perth expanded to meet post-war housing demand. By the mid-1950s, the land that would later become 44 and 46 Leonora Street had been developed for residential use and planned as low-density housing, reflecting Como’s role as a modest suburban neighbourhood, rather than a location for large-scale development.
Suburb history
For decades, very little changed. The buildings on Leonora reflected the scale and character of mid-20th-century Como, which remained overwhelmingly residential well into the 1980s. There were no clear planning signals suggesting major change. That only shifted much later. By the late 2010s, new planning frameworks focused on transport hubs such as Canning Bridge, which began reshaping expectations for parts of Como. Land that had long been treated as stable suburban housing was now being reconsidered for higher-density development.
When Leonora Street was first laid out, there was no modern town planning system. Early development was guided mainly by Crown land regulations and basic survey approvals, with local government involvement limited to roads, drainage and basic building standards. There were no zoning controls, no height limits and no density caps. Even by the time metropolitan planning emerged through the Metropolitan Town Planning Commission in 1928, Como was identified as residential but without enforceable controls on building form or density. Flats and grouped dwellings were not discouraged, particularly near transport and river corridors.
Early zoning frameworks
By the 1940s and early 1950s, the City of South Perth oversaw development through building permits and basic construction standards but there was still nothing preventing flats being built next to single houses. When South Perth’s first enforceable planning scheme arrived in the mid-1950s, flats were explicitly permitted and density was managed loosely through lot size and building footprint, rather than strict dwelling limits. As a result, small flat developments became common in Como.
The decisive change later came from policy. Between the early 2000s and the mid-2010s, State and local governments designated the Canning Bridge precinct as a strategic activity centre. Through metropolitan planning strategies and State Planning Policy 4.2, the area was reframed as a transit-oriented redevelopment zone, with explicit support for increased height and density near rail and freeway infrastructure.
Once this framework was in place, traditional low-rise suburban controls were no longer the default. The Canning Bridge Activity Centre Plan formalised this shift by mapping preferred height ranges, introducing plot ratio controls and supporting tower forms. Leonora Street fell within this intensification catchment, meaning redevelopment was expected rather than exceptional.
Density versus heritage
While this framework did not override protections for State or locally-listed heritage places, it fundamentally changed how unlisted buildings were treated. In Como, many mid-20th-century buildings were considered too young for formal heritage listing and lacked strong statutory protection. Once captured within the Activity Centre, their historic value became advisory, while their development potential became quantifiable. Demolition became economically logical.
Councils retained a role but a limited one. While they could nominate heritage places, recommend refusal or seek conditions, development assessment panels could override local decisions and State policy carried greater weight. Faced with that reality, councils often focused on shaping outcomes rather than trying to stop developments outright.
Como Leonora 42 Units
The 1,012m² property was developed in 1982 with a small group of four single-level villas. The development reflected the kind of low-to-medium density housing that had become common in Como by the late 20th century.
The property was acquired by Blueways Como Pty Ltd on 17 April 2019. Prior to consolidation, the villas were held individually, with sale prices reported to range between $475,000 and $650,000 per unit. Each unit was leased at least once and in some cases twice, before the complex was ultimately demolished sometime around November 2021.
The inclusion of No. 42 significantly changed the scale of the Henley Rise project. With its addition, the total development site expanded to approximately 3,617 square metres, spanning 42–46 Leonora Street. This larger amalgamated footprint allowed for a more ambitious redevelopment than would have been possible on 44 and 46 alone, enabling a two-tower configuration.
Beyond its development value, 42 Leonora Street also holds a small but notable piece of local social history. One former resident was Liane Tooth, a dual Olympic gold medallist with the Australian women’s field hockey team, the Hockeyroos. At the time she was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 1989 Queen’s Birthday Honours for her service to hockey, her residential address was listed as Unit 1, 42 Leonora Street.
Records also indicate that a dental practice operated from Unit 1 for a period between at least 1997 and 2002, reflecting the mixed residential and small-scale professional use that was common in the area at the time.
Como Leonora 44
Originally constructed in 1954 as a modest single-storey, post-war cottage on a large 1,315 m² site, early records describe it as a small two-bedroom dwelling.
Over time, the building was expanded rather than replaced. A second storey was later added and the interior was progressively reconfigured. Evidence indicates that by the 1970s or early 1980s, the property had been internally subdivided into multiple self-contained units, ultimately functioning as six units. From a planning perspective, this meant the site operated as a grouped or multi-dwelling, even if it was still often described informally as a single house.
This kind of adaptation was common in Como. At the time, planning controls were relatively permissive, with no plot ratio limits, no height caps and minimal parking requirements, making vertical expansion and internal subdivision comparatively easy to approve. The original cottage formed the core of the building, with structural upgrades and service expansions added over time to support increased residential use.
By the late 2010s, the property appears to have been treated again as a single large dwelling for rental and sale purposes, despite its earlier multi-unit use. A 2015 rental listing at around $880 per week related to the entire property, not individual units.
On 31 January 2019, 44 Leonora Street sold for $3.315 million as a two-storey, four-bedroom home, reflecting the site’s high land value and redevelopment potential. Following its acquisition, the building was used temporarily as a sales suite for the Henley Rise project and is expected to be retained as a site office until at least the first tower is completed.
Como Leonora 46
Built in 1955 as a small apartment complex with four units on a 1,290 m² site, it was one of the earliest multi-dwelling residential buildings in the area, constructed during the post-war period to provide rental accommodation in a rapidly growing suburb.
The building was a two-storey block containing four self-contained units. Its design was simple and functional, typical of mid-1950s walk-up flats, with minimal ornamentation and an emphasis on practicality rather than architectural style.
Public records sometimes described the property as a “house comprising four flats,” reflecting how small apartment buildings of this era were often classified. The complex was held long-term and by the late 2010s, was ageing but still tenanted. It was not heritage listed and had no statutory protection, indicating it was considered a typical residential development of its time, rather than a place of recognised heritage significance.
In June 2020, 44 and 46 Leonora Street were sold together for approximately $3.075 million, combining into a single development site of 2,605 m². As part of the Henley Rise redevelopment plans, the units at 46 Leonora Street were demolished after 66 years in August 2021.
The Henley Rise Development
The Henley Rise development
After acquiring the site, Blueways Group lodged a development application in 2020 for apartments on 44 and 46 Leonora Street. The original proposal, approved in September 2020, was for a single eight-storey building with 111 apartments and basement parking. At the time, the project was known as Henley Rise Residences and carried an estimated construction cost of around $40 million.
The design was intended to make full use of the combined 2,605m² site, delivering high-end apartments under the planning framework then in place. Following approval, Blueways began marketing the project off the plan and opened a display suite during 2020–21, with construction expected to begin once the existing buildings were demolished.
By late 2021, the site had been cleared and was ready to proceed. However, this coincided with a period of severe disruption across the construction industry. The Covid-19 pandemic led to widespread labour shortages, supply-chain instability and sharp increases in material costs. For Henley Rise, the agreed construction price reportedly rose by around 40 per cent, making the original 111-apartment scheme financially unviable.
Faced with that reality, Blueways halted the project before construction began. Rather than proceed under conditions that would likely result in heavy losses, the company took the unusual step of cancelling all pre-sale contracts and refunding buyer deposits. While some developers during this period attempted to renegotiate contracts or relied on contractual clauses, industry reporting confirms that Blueways chose to return deposits once the original scheme no longer stacked up. Similar delays and project resets became common across Perth during the pandemic era.
Why the project had to change
Developments are often discussed using the term gross development value, or GDV. This is an estimate of the overall value of a development once it’s finished, essentially what all the apartments are expected to sell for when construction is complete. It’s not a profit figure and does not include costs such as construction, labour, materials, finance or delays, which are assessed separately. Developers use GDV as a starting point to test whether a project is viable. If costs rise faster than the expected end value, a project can quickly become unworkable, even if apartment prices themselves haven’t fallen.
That is what occurred at Henley Rise. The earlier $40 million scheme could no longer support post-Covid construction costs. To proceed, the project needed a higher overall end value, which could only be achieved through a larger and more intensive development.
Revised plans and expansion
Rather than abandon the project, Blueways regrouped and expanded the footprint to include the adjoining 42 Leonora Street. In November 2024, a revised development application was lodged for a significantly larger scheme. The new proposal featured two residential towers of 11 and 12 storeys, replacing the earlier single building and increased the total number of apartments to 156 dwellings, including a mix of studio, one, two and three-bedroom units.
Designed by Embrace Architects, the revised scheme incorporated communal amenities, landscaped areas and multiple levels of basement parking. The two-tower configuration was intended to reduce bulk, break up the building mass and allow some view corridors between towers, rather than presenting a single solid wall.
By the time the revised project was assessed in 2025, its reported gross development value had risen to around $160 million, roughly four times the value of the original scheme. Construction was rescheduled, with a target start in mid-2026, subject to approvals, builder appointment and market conditions.
Development approval and community response
The revised proposal was assessed by the Metro Inner-South Joint Development Assessment Panel (JDAP) in April 2025. The City of South Perth initially recommended refusal, citing concerns including a shortfall in visitor parking and aspects of waste management. During the meeting, representatives for neighbouring properties also raised concerns about building height, privacy and potential loss of views.
After deliberation, the JDAP approved the project via a narrow alternative motion, overturning the recommendation for refusal and imposing a package of conditions. These included requirements for a parking management plan, refinements to waste facilities and measures to address privacy impacts. The panel accepted that the site’s location within the Canning Bridge activity centre justified the scale of development and that the two-tower design helped reduce bulk and maintain some openness for neighbouring buildings.
Some residents in nearby apartments, including parts of the Modèle complex, are likely to lose portions of their views, depending on orientation and level. However, planning systems do not guarantee a right to views and the panel accepted that view impacts had been reasonably balanced within the activity-centre context.
No appeals were lodged following the April 2025 decision, allowing the approval to stand.
Construction status and marketing
As of early 2026, construction is scheduled to commence by mid-year, once a builder is appointed and the remaining preparatory steps are completed. The project is expected to take several years to complete and will ultimately deliver 156 new apartments overlooking the river.
Around late 2025, the site appears to have been briefly marketed within the industry as a DA-approved development opportunity, suggesting the owners may have considered selling the project rather than building it themselves. However, no public sale has been announced and the development remains slated to proceed under Blueways Group and Aria Land.
Marketing for Henley Rise was initially prominent, which included an on-site display suite and a range of promotional material. These efforts paused when the project stalled in 2022 and listings were removed. Following approval in 2025, marketing is expected to resume closer to the commencement of construction.
Original architectural renders (2020)
Who’s who in the Henley Rise development
Blueways Group
As the project owner and developer behind Henley Rise, their headquarters are in Melbourne with a Perth presence. Blueways focuses primarily on residential apartment projects.
For Henley Rise, Blueways operates through a special-purpose ownership entity, Blueways Como Pty Ltd, which was registered in January 2019. This structure is standard in large developments and is used to hold the land, manage approvals and finance the project under the broader Blueways umbrella. In simple terms, Blueways owns the site, carries the financial risk and ultimately decides whether the project proceeds. The company undertakes projects across multiple states, typically using dedicated project entities for each development.
Aria Land
Founded in 2004, Aria Land is led by Paul Simpson and acts as the development manager for Henley Rise. The company specialises in coordinating and delivering residential apartment projects, particularly in urban locations.
For Henley Rise, Aria Land works alongside Blueways to run the project delivery side, including:
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Coordinating design development and consultant teams
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Managing planning and approval pathways
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Overseeing feasibility, cost planning and program risk
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Assisting with procurement, marketing and pre-sales strategy
Whilst Aria Land is not the landowner, they act as the orchestrator, translating the developer’s objectives into an approved, deliverable project. This development-management model is common in Australia, particularly where specialist expertise is needed to manage complex approvals and multi-stage delivery. Their broader portfolio includes apartment projects ranging from boutique developments through to larger schemes such as Henley Rise, Hillway and Rivean, demonstrating experience across different scales.
Element Advisory Pty Ltd
Acting as the planning consultant and applicant for the Henley Rise development application, Element Advisory are a multidisciplinary planning practice providing statutory and strategic planning services. They also provide advisory work in areas such as heritage, engagement and spatial planning. The firm was formerly known as TPG + Place Match and was acquired by SLR Consulting in late 2024.
For Henley Rise, Element staff addressed the JDAP during the assessment process. Their role was to prepare and run the approvals process on behalf of the owner, including:
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Preparing planning reports and justification
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Coordinating technical and consultant responses
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Managing requests for further information
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Negotiating conditions
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Presenting the proposal to the JDAP alongside the architect and consultants
In short, Element handled the planning strategy and approvals mechanics.
Embrace Architecture
As the architectural practice responsible for the Henley Rise design, Embrace Architecture is a boutique, award-winning architecture and interior design firm based in Melbourne, with an office in Perth. The firm specialises in multi-residential and mixed-use projects and is known for a collaborative, context-driven design approach.
Their role in Henley Rise:
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Designed the original 111-apartment scheme approved in 2020
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Designed the revised two-tower, 156-apartment scheme approved in 2025
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Produced the core architectural concept and renders used in approvals and early marketing
While later documentation or construction stages may involve additional consultants, which is normal on large projects, the architectural authorship of Henley Rise remains attributed to Embrace.
Revised architectural renders (2024)
