Stage one of Mason and Main apartments at Merrylands opens

The first stage of NSW’s largest built-to-rent project has opened, putting a slight dent in a western Sydney council’s target to deliver 28,000 homes.

Property Council of Australia’s Ross Grove, Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue’s Chris Brown, Coronation Property managing director Joe Nahas, Urban Taskforce’s Tom Forrest, Urban Development Institute of Australia’s Jacqueline Vozzo, and Coronation Property general manager David Cremona.

The first stage of a massive Merrylands development has opened during the grip of a housing crisis and when rental vacancies are at a “record low”.

Development group Coronation Property opened the Mason and Main development in the heart of the suburb on Monday when the ribbon was cut on 434 build-to-rent units.

Residents are expected to move into their homes in May and the next stage will be another 415 units for the build-to-sell market. The entire development is slated for completion in December.

The Merrylands Rd development will house one, two and three-bedroom Woods Bagot-designed apartments, a swimming pool, a One Playground gym, rooftop gardens, a sauna, private dining rooms and workspaces exclusively for residents.

A childcare centre, health and beauty services and plus an “eat street’’ are planned in the precinct which will have 30 retailers, and is opposite Stockland shopping centre and 350m from the train station.

The development is in the centre of Merrylands.

Mason and Main’s subsidiary company, Nation, will operate the units and is working to help

renters reclaim pride in their homes by expanding the supply, quality, and diversity of longer-term options for Sydney renters.

A mock up of how the project will look upon completion.

Coronation managing director Joseph Nahas said the $250m first stage was bringing apartments on the market when the national rental vacancy was a record low of 1.07 per cent.

“At a time when development approvals have plummeted and completion rates are at the lowest levels in decades, we’re extremely proud that Coronation is on the ground all across Sydney, providing a range of housing solutions for buyers and renters alike,” he said.

Under its Coronation Cares program, one floor of the development will be allocated for

affordable, key worker and transitional accommodation to assist people in need.

The state government set a target for Cumberland Council to provide 28,000 houses over the next 15 years.

Mason and Main is the largest project for Coronation which will create 1500 build-to-rent properties available across Sydney by next year.

Coronation is also behind the 126-apartment Charlie Parker development in Parramatta, which is scheduled to open this year and 8 Phillip Street in Parramatta.