Goldfields Taps Ironside for $170m Richmond Tower Build

Goldfields has secured a planning permit and appointed a builder to deliver its $170-million Richmond project. Victorian builder Ironside has been tapped to bring The Brightly, an 11-storey mixed-use development in Melbourne’s inner-east, out of the ground. Developed as a joint venture with Dexus Real Estate Partnership Fund 1 (DREP 1), the project at 9–15 Brighton Street comprises 100 apartments in a mix of one, two and three bedrooms as well as 19 sub-penthouses and penthouses. The development will also include ground-floor retail designed to integrate with Richmond’s existing streetscape and a resident-only wellness precinct. Architecture and interiors have been designed by Cera Stribley, and landscaping by Jack Merlo. Goldfields chief executive Lachlan Thompson said the team had identified a supply gap in Richmond’s residential market. “We internally analysed Richmond as being a suburb of many pockets,” he told The Urban Developer . “This particular pocket we assessed as ‘A Grade Richmond’ given how many positives it has right on its doorstep.” Thompson said proximity to Melbourne’s sporting and entertainment precinct, the CBD via tram and train, and the Church and Swan streets retail strips were the key demand drivers underpinning the project’s appeal to owner-occupiers and investors. Wellness amenity is a centrepiece and includes a hot magnesium pool, cold plunge, steam room, sauna and a vitamin-infused drinking station. The landscaped rooftop will have canopied retreats with views across the Melbourne CBD and Richmond Hill, as well as a private dining space. A second private dining room will be on Level 1. Cera Stribley managing principal Domenic Cerantonio said the brief was “unique in its focus on wellness, weaving together a unique mix of grit and elegance that honours Richmond’s industrial heritage while embracing its vibrant contemporary character”. Thompson said wellness amenity was no longer a point of difference but an emerging baseline for major apartment projects. “We see wellness-rich features rapidly transitioning from ‘premium extras’ to a new baseline standard for all future major apartment developments,” he said. To manage the cost trade-off, Goldfields works with designers to maximise the ratio of saleable to non-saleable area, identifying inefficient spaces early to protect the amenity budget, Thompson said. ▲ Cera Stribley’s facade for The Brightly takes its curved form from the flow of Richmond’s nearby train lines. Ironside, founded in 2016, has developed numerous premium multi-residential and commercial projects including 189 Toorak Road at South Yarra and Windsor Park at Windsor. Construction is scheduled to begin in April 2026 and completion is targeted for late 2027. Thompson said Goldfields was working closely with the builder on supply chain strategies—including diversifying suppliers and improving procurement programming—to manage ongoing Victorian construction industry pressures. Dexus DREP 1 fund manager Jason Howes said Richmond’s constrained residential pipeline made the project a compelling investment. The site was acquired in 2021 for $35 million by Dexus from Melbourne developer Little Projects and planned for a commercial office building. But as market conditions shifted, Goldfields proposed a joint-venture to pursue a residential project, bringing Dexus onboard. Onsite demolition is under way and The Brightly is due to launch to market in the middle of this year. The approval adds to Goldfields ’ extensive portfolio across residential, commercial and retail. At Windsor, the developer’s 348-apartment build-to-rent project The Raleigh reached structural completion in late 2025. The $350-million, 15-storey tower—funded in part by Merricks Capital and built by Maxcon Constructions—is scheduled for completion in June. In Brisbane, the developer secured approval in December for a $300-million, 16-storey commercial office tower at 88 Robertson Street in the James Street precinct. Construction is expected to begin mid-2026 and complete mid-2028. Goldfields is also progressing its first large-format retail venture, Cornerstone: Kyneton—a $100-million, 62ha precinct north of Melbourne that has secured seven national tenants as one of the largest commercial developments for the Macedon Ranges region in recent years.

Goldfields Taps Ironside for $170m Richmond Tower Build

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